-Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Light =&gt; Light: Human Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: Cameron182 on 02-06-2010, 03:58:49</h2>
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				Title: <strong>-Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cameron182</strong> on <strong>02-06-2010, 03:58:49</strong>
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				(The ooc thread is located here: http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=69405.0 (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=69405.0)<br><br>She could hear the metal tip of the arrow slicing through strands of her hair as it zipped past her head, missing by inches. She quickly veered her horse off to the left as its powerful feet thundered against the ground beneath her. She couldn't risk taking a look back to see how close her pursuers were, but by the rapid hoofbeats she could hear, she knew they weren't very far back. If she took her eyes off of the ground infront of them, her horse could step into a hole or trip over a stray log and all would be lost, everything would have been for nothing. Still she urged the horse to run even faster, a very dangerous thing to do in such dark conditions, but she had no other choice.<br><br>She could feel tears streaming down her face but she didn't dare take her fingers from the reins to whipe them away, so instead they clung to her skin and began to freeze in the winter air. She had lost two of her closest friends in this mission, but she knew it had been worth their lives. She would have gladly lain her own life down to see that their mission was a success, it was vital to the survival of everyone in Zariah. The Cursed had risen once again, and the only hope to defeat them rested in the large satchel bag slung over her shoulder that occasionally bounced with the rhythm of the horse.<br><br>She could feel her heart soar as she saw the light put off from the torches lining the wall of Myrta in the distance. The only obstacle that was left between her and the gigantic city of humans was a mile-long wooden bridge stretching over the rushing current of the Ashn River. She could hear the thumps of her horses' hooves changing from the thumping of its feet on the soft ground to the harsher clacking sound of the hooves slamming against the wooden planks. She could see people, most likely soldiers, at the other end of the bridge, waiting for her to emerge from the other side. They couldn't advance onto the bridge because it wasn't wide enough for their horses and their numbers and it would prove to be more of an obstacle than any actual help.<br><br>She spared a few precious seconds to glance over her shoulder and sight she saw made her breath catch in her throat. She had seen the Demons following her from a distance before, and even fought them hand to hand, but to see how close they were on her tail made her turn back quickly and urge the horse even faster. They were nearly close enough to reach out and touch her, she could almost feel their hot, putrid breath on the back of her neck. She realized suddenly with widening eyes that the few seconds she'd took to look back were going to cost her dearly as she watched her horse's front hoof step straight through a small hole in the bridge, one she would have seen had she been paying attention to begin with.<br><br>She could hear the bones in the horse's legs snap as she was suddenly sent flying forward from her seat atop the massive war-horse. For a second she felt weightless and the entire world seemed to move in slow-motion around here. She could see the horses wide, frightened, eyes as it pitched forward ad abruptly stopped as its leg was held in place in between the wooden planks. She could also see the Demons on horseback leaping their pitch-black horses over the fallen one. Then she slammed into the wooden bridge suddenly, feeling her right shoulder dislocate instantly. She let out a scream of pain as she rolled forward several times, smacking her head against the hard wooden planks more than once.<br><br>In a daze she tried to left herself up but she couldn't get her right arm to respond and her left was clutched desperately to her saddle bag, keeping her precious treasure safe for the moment. She knew that her time was about to come to an end, the rapid thumping of the horses hooves were growing far too close. She closed her eyes and waited for the feeling of a steel sword slicing through her neck.<br><br>She had always heard people say that when you died you saw your life flash before your eyes. Maybe it worked differently for each person, but all she could think about was how she had failed in her quest. Suddenly she could hear the air filling with soft, high-pitched screams, and then the sounds of several quick thunks. She raised her head up slightly and looked back towards her left, seeing the Demons sitting on their horses, curved black swords held high in the air, and wide eyes of shock as dozens of arrows protruded from their chests and shoulders. Without another sound they both fell backwards off of their horses and onto the wooden bridge. She let out a sigh of relief and fell back to the comforting embrace of the soggy wooden planks, losing all sense of consciousness.<br><br>----------------------------------<br><br>Deep within the warm embrace of the Temple of the Heavens, the Holy Mother stood with three of her seven Sorceresses, two of them having died retrieiving the bones of the first Revenant, Asriel Aurelis, and the last in the medical wing of the Temple, having her wounds tended to by the various Healers. Her efforts had been absolutely superb to say the least, she was so proud of the efforts of her eldest daughter, by far the strongest out of the seven. If it hadn't been for her, they would have lost the most vital piece to their mission, the remains of the strongest Revenant to be born, without him all of their efforts would have been in vain.<br><br>In a circle around her, with various chalk designs etched into the stone floors, each line intersecting with each other, swirling and crossing over in a very complex pattern that seemed to have taken hours to design. The Holy Mother knew that each element to the design had to be perfect, without any flaw, or it could very well destroy her and the entire fortified city surrounding her. She was delving into very dangerous and complex magic that was of an extremely high calibur, even for someone of her level of mastery. She stepped forward, closing her eyes as she brought her two index fingers forward infront of her, touching them together before lifting her head towards the ceiling, uttering a soft prayer to the Light for protection and the guidance in completing the spell.<br><br>Suddenly her eyes snapped open as a bright light seemed to sprout forward from inside of her, surrounding her form and illuminating the room to an astonishing degree, lighting up every small corner of the massive chambers, casting the pure white brilliance over the five caskets surrounding her, the caskets themselves seeming to draw in the light into their pitch-black surfaces, pulling it in with reckless abandon. The Holy Mother began to softly utter words as her hands lifted infront of her, her index fingers leaving aftertrails of light as she etched various designs and glyphs into the air infront of her, moving with a rapid pace as the air around her seemed to be surrounding with the swirling images of light. <br><br>The words began to grow louder and with a quicker frequency as the light seemed to grow even larger, the entire room beginning to shudder softly as if undergoing a tremendous earthquake. Immediately following the entire town seemed to be undergoing the same issues, as the very ground itself began to shake and tremble, the various wildlife suddenly screeching in terror and running in circles, frightened by the movement of the earth. People began to run for cover, ducking under wagons and other forms of protection, screaming out in fright, it very much seeming as if the end of the world was at their doorstep. <br><br>Suddenly with an ear-splitting scream, the Holy Mother threw her head back, opening her mouth towards the heavens as she held her arms straight out to either side in a crucified position, a pure white beam of light erupting forth from her mouth and shooting straight upwards through the roof above her, punching a clean hole through its stone surface. The light was visible throughout the massive city, ascending from the tip of the highest tower and dissappearing into the cloud-line above them. <br><br>As soon as it had started, it suddenly ended, the light dissappearing from the clouds and from the Holy Mother's mouth, sending her suddenly flying backwards a good ten feet to slide into the wall behind her, the four Sorceresses running towards her quickly, kneeling by her side, worried expressions mirrored on each of their faces. Then there was a crash, as the lid to one of the caskets fell to the side and a single figure sat upwards, shoulder-length black hair hanging around his face as he looked towards the women with icy blue eyes, wide with alarm and surprise. <br><br>"The first one has awakened...." Came the soft voice from the Holy Mother, obviously weak from the spell, before she passed back out into unconsciousness.<br><br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>playfullchick76</strong> on <strong>02-06-2010, 17:19:17</strong>
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				In the medical wing of the temple, Mara lay still, being tended to by the temples healers. She could feel them, working their specific healing magics on her, healing not just her physical injuries, but her aural and magical ones as well.<br><br>She had risked much to return with the remains of the first revenant, a mission that had cost the lives of two of her sisters. The great mother had said that it was vital to return with the remains of Asriel aurelis, even if it cost their lives. Her sisters and her had combined their magics to get past the magical and physical boundaries keeping them from the memorial tomb.<br><br>Her sisters had died, using their magics to allow her, Mara, to gain entrance to the tomb and emerge. They collapsed before her, as if the life had been drained from them, and she was weak herself, but didnt let herself collapse like them. If she did, she would die, and she knew it. It took all of her considerable abilities to stay conscious and hold onto her mount as it took her back to the holy temple, back to mother.<br><br>No one else could have done what she had done, and now she had to rest, and regain her strength. The healers would be done, then mother would need her to be with the newly awakened Revenant. He would know her, and her sisters, after all.
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				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Imogen</strong> on <strong>02-06-2010, 20:29:17</strong>
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				Amber strode through the city, issuing orders to the small following of less talented sorcerers. They had not been needed for the rituals and when Amber found out they were basicaly waiting for news, she had gathered them for an entirely different purpose. It wasn't the first time she had witnessed the council or the Mother at work, and she remembered the small tremors she'd felt under her feet when they worked their powerful magic. And that was just for some higher magic... Not all out 'live or die' magic like they had planned for today. <br><br>There wasn't much she could do to help the Mother, but she'd sooner face the legions of Chaos unarmed than sit around and wait for an outcome of any kind. So, she'd called the remaining magic users to her, at least those who weren't talented at healing, and sent them off to several strategic locations in the city where they'd cast their wards and protect the people from the shockwaves folllowing the Mother's spell. <br><br>"Calm down, everyone. Everything's alright!" She entered the town square where people were staring at the beam of light shooting up from the tower. Exploiting her magic to emanate an aura of calm, Amber raised her hands and cast a simple ward around the square. An enemy attack would have shattered it like glass, but against a plain ol' earthquake it would suffice just fine. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cameron182</strong> on <strong>04-06-2010, 07:25:14</strong>
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				Asriel Aurelis looked around the large room with wide-opened eyes of alarm, his icy blues clearly unfocused and wild as he scanned the area bout him, the muscles of his athletic arms tense with caution. He danced his eyes across the room rapidly, moving them from each of the coffins to the small group of women at the far end of the room itself. Suddenly he coughed deeply, leaning forward in the coffin as he hacked and desperately tried to pull breath into lungs that hadn't held air in several millenia. After a few desperate moments, he finally managed to pull in a deep and satisfying breath, moving back hands to pull the long strands of black hair away from his face as he tried to compose himself. <br><br>The last thing he'd remembered had been fighting against his brethren, against his father, Ashen Aurelis. He remembered the battle to be extremely brutal and vicious, lasting for hours on end as he was forced to contend with multiple Children of Aurelis whilst trying to simultaneously battle his own father. He'd managed to kill his father, sticking his own sword deep into the man's throat and eventually taking his head, but it had come at a price, while he had focused on taking the life from his father, it had left his backside open, and immediately the remaining numbers of his siblings had launched into him, stabbing him repeatedly with their own weapons. From there it was only a matter of time until he finally bled out, but he'd fought ferociously until he'd met that end, taking another three of the Children with him before he'd finally succumbed to the blood loss and passed on, entering a place that was nothing short of paradise. He knew that he'd entered fully into the Light's embrace, a warm and perfect place for Heroes, people who had given their lives for others, and he'd finally been at peace.<br><br>However now he found himself back in the world of the living, sitting in a coffin, surrounded by four others, and every single inch of his body screamed in pure agony at being suddenly ripped away from his perfect existence. Pain snapped through every synapse and nerve ending in his body, burning through his mind in a white-hot fury as his body became reacquainted with living and the feelings that assosciated with it. After a few moments it slowly subsided, removing itself to a dull pounding headache instead, of which he simply shoved to the corner of his mind. Pain was always something that could be dealt with at a later time.<br><br>He felt a hand on his right shoulder and immediately he burst into action, his left hand snapping around to grip onto the person's wrist, pulling them closer as he used the movement to propel himself from the coffin and carry his momentum towards them, bringing the two of them backwards to the ground, with him straddling over the other. In a flash he'd felt the bulge of a dagger's sheathe at the person's belt and immediately his right hand went towards it, pulling the blade free and whipping it forward to press it against the other's neck, his blue eyes narrowed in fury. <br><br>He suddenly realized who had touched him, as one of the Holy Mother's Sorceresses lay on the ground beneath him, her eyes wide with surprise and fright from the lightning quick movements, and the blade pressed to her throat. He doubted she'd been able to see more than a moving blur before being subdued. Asriel's eyes widened as he let the dagger fall to the ground, immediately falling backwards off of her to scoot backwards a few feet, his back resting against the coffin he'd once resided in. "I.... I am so sorry.... I didn't mean to..." He stammered, confusion and shock still flooding through his mind, clouding his thoughts and making everything seem absolutely surreal around him.<br><br>He brought both hands upward to press his palms against his forehead, threading his fingers through his hair as he let out a shaky breath. What the hell had just happened...? How was he alive...?
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				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Iksander</strong> on <strong>04-06-2010, 08:01:35</strong>
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				Piren Aurelis did not much care for the idea of leaving the other generals on the front lines without his supervision, but there were times when other priorities came first.&nbsp; While the Blessed certainly would be able to make an advance if they chose to at this moment, that they had not taken advantage of other opportunities to do so as of late made him less cautious than he might have otherwise been.&nbsp; In any case, there was business to handle.<br><br>Most of the forces of the Cursed remained on the front lines, but his elite soldiers, the ones he had bred himself, traveled with him to the dread city of Jahl'Ra.&nbsp; His winged demons were still running reconnaissance for him, along with his dragon.&nbsp; If they did come across anything amiss in their path forward, it would be easy enough to handle.&nbsp; He did not expect anything wrong, though.&nbsp; The borders were secure and it was almost peaceful off the front lines.&nbsp; Oh, there certainly were the negative repercussions of the abuses of his siblings.&nbsp; Wasteful.&nbsp; Foolish.&nbsp; Sadistic.&nbsp; But perhaps that is why they had such powerful at their beck and call.&nbsp; Fear was a useful tool.&nbsp; Still, Piren had little time to practice it on his own people, there were propaganda ministers to handle matters such as that, after all.<br><br>No, Piren's was clear enough to his own eyes.&nbsp; He would leave his legion of orcs, over a thousand strong and each bred to be the epitome of their kind, and smarter than the average orc to enhance their effectiveness.&nbsp; Soldiers the lot of them, not mindless beasts or savages, but disciplined and well equipped.&nbsp; Let the more foolish generals squander their resources.&nbsp; And besides, those other orcs, the ones that did not know his touch, were weak, ineffectual things compared to his masterpieces.&nbsp; And even his masterpieces paled in comparison to the demons he had crafted.&nbsp; The flying unit would remains outside of the city with the legion, fifty lightning fast, aerial killing machines.&nbsp; If any of his more power hungry rivals would try to strike down the core of his forces, they would find their odds stacked against them.<br><br>His dragon and the remaining fifty demons would enter the capital with him.&nbsp; Fortunately, the dragon was still small enough that he could walk the streets without issue, and he was a clear sign of Piren's place in power.&nbsp; Of the demons, half composed his elite guard and would remain on hand at all times.&nbsp; If his rivals were to make a move, it would be logical that they would try to strike him down when he was at his weakest, rather than trying to cut off his support.&nbsp; That, of course, would be a mistake.&nbsp; None of his elites were shorter than nine feet in height, and they were far faster and stronger than any demon had a right to be.&nbsp; As for the other twenty-five, they had their own orders.<br><br>As his massive convoy came across the city walls, Piren could not hold back his amazement.&nbsp; Every time he visited Jahl'Ra, the ossified walls of the city awed him.&nbsp; It was a monument to the power and the terror inherent in the might of his people.&nbsp; Piren did not have to call out orders for his men to follow them.&nbsp; He merely lifted his hand straight into the air, finger tips pointing up, before balling his hand into a fist and pulling his hand back down.&nbsp; The orcs and the demons and even his dragon understood his command.&nbsp; Operations were to begin according to the preset plan.&nbsp; And so, his elite guard in tow, Piren made his way into the city of death, the capital of his people.
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				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Drake Valentine</strong> on <strong>04-06-2010, 15:50:13</strong>
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				Where there’s smoke, there is fire and where there is fire, there is Kagi; along with the general chaos and insanity to spawn that man’s presence amidst it all. Was he the result of it, though? Mayhaps, mayhaps not; but today he was just a simple bystander and nothing more. He had came to these Savage Lands just to achieve some peaceful rest outside of his hunting expeditions within the Kraylik Mountains. It was a perfect spot for him to train, plenty of peril, strong adversities, and then there was the sightseeing of dangerous rocky ledges that could lead to instant death if one falls from them. Though the last party he decided to hang around with didn’t quite make it back from their journey there. Their lack of expertise was the result of their own misfortunes, Kagi never saw any need to look out for those that can’t even look out for themselves and even if they could, well, there still wouldn’t be any need, now would there?<br><br>Though misfortune in itself has a habit of following him at times, his vacation within one of the peaceful settlements in those Savage Lands was already ruined. Fires were blazing, people were screaming, blood was being spilled, and then there was the laughter and hollering of the savage beasts that raided this settlement. Ah, good times, Kagi could reminisce in the distant past of familiar scenes when he was the one behind the lines commanding the Chaos, now it feels completely different to be in a whole new role amidst it all. Nostalgia almost, but was he lifting a hand to save those in need? Ha! As if that would ever happen, even as the flames blazed around him, he didn’t budge. Sure, the tavern he was inside was burning down around him he was in, but why rise from his seat, the show was just getting started after all!<br><br>And what a show it was, that man simply remaining where he perched, the flames and smoke unaffected him inside, his crimson eyes calmly watching as orcs struck down the poor citizens of the town. One after the next, towns people fell, screaming and crying for help; but none would come for them, not at the moment in the least. Of course, Kagi found no amusement in the action going on outside, he had already lived his days in the past as a commander of these acts. None of those ongoings phase him, his expression was blank, there was no glee, no scorn, nothing to be made out upon his visible features. Only the calm gaze of his eyes and the occasional slight movement he may make to brush aside a few of his crimson locks, before he finally took his stand.<br><br>The smoke and flames helped in blanketing most of his physique, the crimson robes he adorn were already burnt, leaving visual marks of his lighter and more tighter, ebony attire underneath his red garbs. Indifference shown in his movements as he casually strolled his way through the burning building, ignoring the rafters which fell around him and cries of those in need that were still alive and trapped inside the tavern. Pitiful creatures, those mortals wouldn’t last long, but that wasn’t his problem; there were more important tasks to be had here, than going around and saving every fool that couldn’t look out for themselves.<br><br>His calm demeanor never wavered as he entered the threshold of the attack, standing alone within the square as those villagers around him continued to either be slaughtered or captured. By now he was overtly presenting himself to both sides of the conflict, though he didn’t care what attention he attracted. Those orcs were nothing to him, just peons under the command of someone or something more powerful. Where was the bigger fish though? His head turning, shifting, and even as he may not pay the lesser ones no mind, they advanced. They yelled out their battlecries, charging blindly like moths to an open flame; such a sentiment would fit those creatures perfectly. <br><br>Like the wavering and swaying of the flames caught in the wind, so did that limber man’s body moved in its own exotic dance. Though his eyes may not been focused on his would be opponents, his body acted naturally, on instinct even; these minor cretins didn’t deserve his full focus. This too was shown as he begun to move more, sidestepping and turning, ducking and dodging, weaving his way through the army of orcs; whom only grew angrier it would seem. Yes, their fury was understandable, their pea-sized brains could register being made fools of, even as his hands made the slightest of touches to topple some of the beasties down to get around them. Never did he exert too much force on his part, they were doing plenty of that on their own terms in putting their full strength behind each attack and often having that build of momentum turn against them. Did they learn from their mistakes? Why, of course not! In Kagi’s former line of work, they were the hulk, the meatshields, the imbeciles one would send out in the bulk of an army as cannon fodder. There was no need for him to tire himself out on such grunts, nor to openly flaunt his own abilities; there was no telling who was always out there and watching, after all. <br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>playfullchick76</strong> on <strong>04-06-2010, 18:14:30</strong>
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				Even in the medical wing of the Temple, even as sore as she was, she extended her senses. When she had her full powers, she could influence things from afar, but she could barely walk, let alone conjuer up an image of herself in the Temple of the Heavens. But she could talk to him, calm Asriel down, as he was scared, and had many questions on his mind.<br><br>She still felt guilty about disturbing his remains and bringing him back to life. He had, after all, died in battle, and had deserved the right to rest in peace, but he was needed here, and now.<br><br>Grimacing as she concentrated on using her already healed powers, she spoke to him, her mind to his mind.<br><br>"Asriel, calm yourself. It is I, Mara, you know me, and all your memories should be there. Dont be angry with my sister, it is I who bought you here from your resting place. You are sorely needed to redress the balance, please, listen to the Holy Mother and my sisters. I am still healing, but will be there once I am able", she said over the link, sounding as if she was in the same room as he.
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				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Shihong</strong> on <strong>05-06-2010, 06:13:21</strong>
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				<div align="center"><span style="font-size: 24pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong>Jahl'Ra</strong></span></div><br><div align="center">(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Landscapes/Citadel.jpg)</div><br>If ever there was a place so utterly lost to the ways of the Light, a place so completely wretched and vile that the Sun above struggled to shine upon it, and Nature had forsaken its soil and turned all to dust and pitch, it would still pale in comparison to the blight upon existence that is the Dread City of Jahl'Ra.&nbsp; It is a place cast in an eternal twilight, its edges blurred and indistinct no matter how hard one might try to focus upon them.&nbsp; The city itself is carved into the side of a mountain so impossibly massive that the architects could not reach its peak, instead hollowing out the center and transforming it into something altogether obscene.&nbsp; Bizarre structures dot the landscape, expelled from the ground like warts or jutting from the walls like burnt matchsticks.&nbsp; Those that have windows cast strange lights upon the city streets, twisting shadows into frightful shapes, the colours blending into abstract displays of curved angles and crooked planes that shudder and sway upon moldering walls.<br><br>Wavering heat and steam rise from colossal vents and tangles of piping, belching up refuse from the forges that lay deep beneath the ground where oceans of magma seethe and bubble.&nbsp; The figures stalking through the slick, copper-laden streets are rarely more pleasing to the eye than the landscape around them; hordes of heavily armored guards with hidden faces, fiendish animals peering wickedly from nooks and crannies, tormented souls wailing in the gutters, and loyal minions of all Cursed races going about their business with furtive faces and nervous hands.&nbsp; Ghastly shades appear at the corner of one's eyes, and vanish the moment they are noticed.&nbsp; They are merely illusory, the products of a certain individual whose impatience has begun to have odd side-effects upon Jahl'Ra.<br><br>At its center is the Siphon, the stronghold of the Demon King himself.&nbsp; It is as old as the city itself, and acts as a supportive pillar that holds the rest of the mountain at bay.&nbsp; It was once nothing more than an obsidian column, unadorned and unnervingly primitive, but since the rise of its current occupant a great change has occurred.&nbsp; Through sheer strength of will the King has transmogrified it into a near-gelatinous tower of shifting floors and writhing hallways, a maddening labyrinth stretching upwards into the dark and unyielding rock.&nbsp; It pulsates with raw malignancy, filling the air with the strange odor of ozone and static.&nbsp; Only those loyal to the King may enter and find a path that will lead them to him, for those who harbor treacherous thoughts or wield the power of Light will find themselves trapped in a primordial chaos from which there is little hope of escape.&nbsp; <br><br>The Siphon's core is its throne room, but like the rest of its surreal interior it is constantly in motion, pumped through endless stone arteries and settling momentarily in lakes of bacterial fluid before lurching off again.&nbsp; In stark contrast to the rest of the building, the structure of the throne room actually seems to obey the laws of physics.&nbsp; It consists of a long hallway carpeted with lush fabrics, lit by dim candlelight that casts eerie shadows upon the dozens of portraits staring down at incoming visitors, their golden frames inlaid with the finest and rarest of gems.&nbsp; The faces all look strangely similar; men with black hair and red eyes, each with a royal demeanor and a stare that commands obedience and fear.&nbsp; They are Children of Aurelis, but more than that: they are the former Kings of this hideous domain.&nbsp; Only the oldest beings remember a time when the man called Azazel was not King, over 3,000 years ago or more, and so the rows of portraits are nothing more than relics forgotten by most and remembered by few.&nbsp; <br><br>The end of the corridor opens up into a wide audience chamber overseen by ebony balconies and silken tapestries depicting scenes from ancient legends and fables from history.&nbsp; At its center is a single tall block of granite chiseled perfectly into something resembling a chair, all flat surfaces and sharpened edges.&nbsp; The lack of colour and ornamentation makes it immediately noticeable amongst the vibrancy of the regal decor, much as it should.&nbsp; The throne is currently empty, for its usual occupant is busy staring through the vast clear window that takes up the entire wall behind it.&nbsp; <br><br>Past the glass, captured in a sphere of twitching meat, is a gargantuan heart.&nbsp; Azazel (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Demons/CountHeinous.jpg), encased in a suit of thick black armor, shrouded in crimson robes, frilled by a collar as white as a swan's breast, face hidden by a frightful Deathmask laden with yellow-rimmed eyes and eager grin, had once been deemed the Last Father of Aurelis.&nbsp; Standing there, his visage stolen from a Mad God's nightmare and given terrible shape and definition, it was not difficult to believe that this was the case.&nbsp; Ever step or idle gesture seemed to lay claim to everything before him, as though it was nothing short of natural that everything belong to him.<br><br>His hand brushed almost reverently against the glass, feeling the mighty tremors emanating the the heart beyond.&nbsp; With each eager pulsation waves of unimaginable colour echoed across the moist flesh of its prison before disappearing into gaping pores or traveling along intricate traceries of veins.&nbsp; The sight was at once grotesque and magnificent, a work of art that defied description.&nbsp; It soothed the thundering clouds brewing within Azazel's mind, but when he turned away from it an aura of irritation and impatience began to swell once more.<br><br>Azazel waved his hand and the wall of glass became one of stone, and it was with unfathomable restlessness that he laid himself across the arms of the granite throne in the manner of some haughty prince.&nbsp; To the untrained eye it appeared that the King was overcome with slothfulness, doing so little when an entire Kingdom rested in his palms and a war threatened the lives of his subjects.&nbsp; But Azazel's mind is vast and spreads far, far further than many might suspect.&nbsp; Though he may sit, he is never idle.<br><br><em>"Piren has arrived,"</em> he said aloud, his voice both oddly delicate and commanding.&nbsp; <em>"Do see that he is welcomed home properly.&nbsp; Is is rare that one of my sons pays a visit these days."</em><br><br>A vaguely reptilian form materialized briefly in one corner of the room, but only for the briefest of instants.&nbsp; The moment the order was heard the figure was gone, hastening off to fulfill its duties.&nbsp; Azazel was not one for grandiose speeches, or pompous grandstanding but he did abide by his own twisted idea of civility.&nbsp; Some part of him was truly overjoyed that one of his children had willingly come to his doorstep without being summoned.&nbsp; It was a small and unpleasant part, and stank of ill intentions.<br><br><div align="center">--------------------------------------------------------</div><br>An ethereal shape bulged upwards before Piren and his hosty from the Hammered Spine, the great copper street that slithered its way to and fro throughout the city.&nbsp; It looked briefly some something serpentine before reaffirming itself in a far more pleasant shape, that of a tall and uniquely feminine man clad in billowing purple robes laced with gold markings and crowned with pronged horns that fused naturally to his delicate brow.&nbsp; Golden hair that shimmered like scales flowed down his neck, framing a beautiful face marred with an expression of vague distaste. <br><br>Ancalrung fixed Piren with a rather cold stare, looking the General and his putrid steed over with mounting dissatisfaction.&nbsp; Such a gaze was not to be taken personally, for it was a rare soul that Azazel's closest servant did <em>not</em> treat with outright disdain.&nbsp; But whatever unkind thoughts were bubbling about in his head, it seemed that his orders demanded that they remain unsaid.<br><br><strong>"Prince Piren.&nbsp; It is both a joy and a surprise to see you at the capital, unbidden and without a formal announcement,"</strong> he announced loudly, unable to keep the snideness out of his otherwise melodious voice.&nbsp; <strong>"I have been sent on behalf of your Benevolent Father to inquire as to why you have returned with such suddenness, and to request that you meet with him as soon as you are settled in appropriate quarters."</strong>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Iksander</strong> on <strong>05-06-2010, 06:57:04</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				His legion would not rest completely inactive, even as they lingered outside of the city gates.&nbsp; They had their duties to perform, as well.&nbsp; And if there was anything that Piren had educated his soldiers in, it was the importance of duty.&nbsp; Of course, their first duty was a mostly pleasurable one.&nbsp; His orcs died in battle, it was an absolute fact.&nbsp; His orcs may be smarter and better trained than most orcs, but that did not grant them any special protection from being skewered by the blades and arrows of the Blessed.&nbsp; And each one represented an expenditure of Piren's effort, from their very birth, and so every loss was a loss of Piren's most important resources: time.&nbsp; Of course, Piren had become more skilled in his arts since his first experiments, and so he no longer had to be present to ensure that the descendents of his current brood would bear the special gifts he granted.&nbsp; Still, it meant that his orcs had to breed.&nbsp; And so they did, traveling to the dens and warrens of their fellow kind, subduing their savage brethren to plant their children in their women.<br><br>But that was far from Piren's mind as he walked the streets of Jahl'Ra.&nbsp; His thoughts were on the growing unease that filled him with every passing day.&nbsp; He had spent too much time on the front lines, engrossed in the elegant honesty of war, and so those in support of the war at home had allowed their allegiances to shift without his knowledge.&nbsp; That he did not take advantage of the lull surely upset them, but he was no fool, something was brewing in the West, something that he needed to be prepared for.<br><br>His cogitations, though, were brought to a close by the appearance of Ancalrung before him.&nbsp; The repitilian figure was well known to him, and despite his advancing age, Piren has to stifle a shudder at the dragon's arrival.&nbsp; Childhood memories, lingering fears threatened to well over and send Piren into spasms of terror.&nbsp; But he counseled his body and kept his form still.&nbsp; Even with Piren's retinue, Ancalrung could probably tear Piren to pieces in an instant if the dragon so desired.&nbsp; Piren lifted a hand, two fingers pointed up, signaling to his companions to halt.<br><br>Piren listened to Ancalrung's words and took a moment of silence to chew them over for any hidden meanings.&nbsp; Before answering Ancalrung, he turned his attention to the demon that had been walking at his side, the commander of his elite guard, Tuir.&nbsp; He spoke softly to Tuir, though Ancalrung would no doubt be able to hear his words, <strong>”Seek lodging in the city, you know the ways as well as I.&nbsp; Keep your eyes open for anything out of the ordinary.&nbsp; Polyt is also active, do not disturb his business.&nbsp; Where I am going, the protections you offer will be of little need, and if any were to move against you while we are separated, I'm certain that you will need all the men you can muster.&nbsp; I will keep Hurklin with myself, though.”</strong><br><br>While he certainly did not have to explain himself to his subordinate, Piren recognized that his commanders were smart enough to evolve their plans based on the circumstances, and if they understood the reasons behind his will, they would be able to give themselves the freedom to enact it more properly.&nbsp; With that matter settled, Piren turned his attention back to Ancalrung.&nbsp; Despite the unearthly beauty that Piren saw in the dragon, fear still threatened to overwhelm his best efforts at calm.&nbsp; When he spoke to Ancalrung, though, his voice had managed to gain a confidence that his mind still lacked, imbuing it with a general's force, <strong>“I can speak with my father now.&nbsp; I'm certain that you understand that I cannot reveal my intentions out here on the streets, though.&nbsp; I would be quite pleased to have you escort me to Lord Azazel's throne.”</strong>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Shihong</strong> on <strong>05-06-2010, 09:04:54</strong>
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				<div align="center"><span style="font-size: 20pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong>Jahl'Ra</strong></span></div><br><div align="center">(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Landscapes/DeepCityMagma.jpg)</div><br>The old Wyrm's sensuous lips curled into something that had likely been intended as a pleasant smile before it twisted up into an arrogant sneer.&nbsp; Even after so many years of unnatural life Ancalrung had not been able to master the subtleties of facial expression, and so he commonly wore his emotions on his sleeve for all to see.&nbsp; It was also well known that his current range of emotion spanned all the spectrums of loathing, vehement dislike, disgust, derision, arrogance, sadistic glee, and everything in between.&nbsp; As far as the Children of Aurelis were concerned, Azazel's dragon had never learned to form a genuine smile.<br><br>Especially towards Piren, who brought to mind memories of a sickly infant who had whined and cried so deliciously as he stared at it from across the room.<br><br><strong>"Of course.&nbsp; Even within My Lord's shadow we cannot be certain that traitorous ears do not strain to catch fragments of critical information,"</strong> he said agreeably, though his face did not match his tone.&nbsp; <strong>"My intelligence officers have informed me that even that swine Ichiro is on the move again.&nbsp; May he try another foolish assault, so that your dear Father might rectify the mistake he made in letting his wayward child live."</strong><br><br>He snarled, and for a moment the flesh around his neck rippled and flaked.&nbsp; <strong>"But come.&nbsp; Surely you and My Lord have much to discuss if you would arrive in person." </strong><br><br>Ancalrung turned without a word, taking off down the Hammered Spine faster than any horse.&nbsp; Oily thoughts twisted about in his skull as he glanced back to see if Piren's abhorrent mutant of a dragon could keep pace without straining itself.&nbsp; It disgusted him to see an infant altered in such a way.&nbsp; It was one thing to turn a useless orc into an intelligent warrior, but to use such blasphemous magics on one of his own kin repulsed him utterly.&nbsp; <br><br>Soon the entrance of the Siphon yawned before them, a semi-permeable membrane that reflected things that even Ancalrung could not begin to comprehend.&nbsp; A wide ridge of cartilage formed a dome over it, forcing it to keep a coherent form instead of rushing off out of reach.&nbsp; He placed his hand upon it, and at his touch the membrane shuddered and retracted to reveal a gaping passage that seemed to be in the middle of an attempt to crawl away.&nbsp; <br><br><strong>"Such a marvel, isn't it?"</strong> the dragon said idly, flicking his gaze back to the Prince.&nbsp; <strong>"You know, it is said that the disloyal will forever become lost should they enter this place.&nbsp; Fortunately you are guided by me this day.&nbsp; Of course,"</strong> he added, not quite hastily enough, <strong>"I am sure a loyal Son such as yourself would find his way just as easily alone."</strong><br><br>Waiting momentarily for Piren to dismount his dragon, his stare making it clear that he and he alone was welcome, the two would enter the writhing hall.&nbsp; For a moment nothing at all seemed to happen, but then a sudden tremor went through the tunnel.&nbsp; The way in front and behind sealed up with an audible sucking noise, and with a terrible lurch the fleshy capsule was spirited off into the upper reaches of the tower.&nbsp; Ancalrung seemed entirely calm and steady despite the chaotic shaking, though he likely had experienced the sensation millions of times already.&nbsp; Before their makeshift carriage even had a chance to stop he was already walking forward, and the solid stone hallway of the Throne Room opened up before his feet.&nbsp; <br><br><strong>"I trust you can make it from here, my Prince,"</strong> he said with a cruel smirk, bowing his head and gesturing towards the still lounging form of his Lord off in the distance.&nbsp; And that was that; his duties fulfilled, the dragon vanished back into the wall without so much as a sound, leaving both Father and Son alone.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Iksander</strong> on <strong>05-06-2010, 09:33:35</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>”Ah Ichiro, always playing the fool.&nbsp; If there weren't more pressing concerns...”</strong> Piren allowed the statement to trail off, though his own thoughts went to ways to counter and contain the possible threat, perhaps even win his wayward sibling over to his side.&nbsp; He followed along as well as he could, but Hurklin was still too young to carry a rider, barely out of its infancy.&nbsp; Hurklin, however, immediately realized the challenge placed before him by the elder dragon and eager to prove the genius of his master and, in many ways, father figure, gave chase after Ancalrung.&nbsp; Hurklin did not have to take flight, though her could have, instead he dashed forward on all four limbs, easily keeping pace with the elder dragon.&nbsp; The musculature was disturbingly easy to see beneath Hurklin's scales, in those spots where his bony armor had yet to completely conceal his natural armor, and Hurklin was clearly well developed, even for a dragon.&nbsp; It made a sort of twisted sense, since Piren had deprived his bonded dragon of the most fearsome weapon most dragons possess, that Hurklin would have to be stronger and more physically intimidating than most other dragons.&nbsp; In a few centuries, Ancalrung could already tell, Hurklin would most likely be one of the largest dragons in history, and those additional layers of armor, which seemed to not slow Hurklin in the least, would give him further advantages.<br><br>Piren does not rush himself, but neither does he go at a leisurely pace.&nbsp; He trails behind quite a bit, but his knowledge of the city's geography was one of the innumerable bits of information readily accessible to his own altered mind.&nbsp; Perhaps that is part of the reasoning behind Piren's lack of shame in altering other beings, he himself was beyond what genetics alone would have granted him.&nbsp; He arrived in time to hear Ancalrung's barb, though, and a wry smirk played across his lips before he retorted, <strong>”I prize loyalty as the highest of virtues.&nbsp; Those without loyalty, those without discipline are not fit to serve even as tools.&nbsp; Fortunately, you remain loyal enough to serve.”</strong><br><br>Piren's courage faded briefly as he gazed upon that membrane, the entrance to his father's most intimate domain.&nbsp; But he hid it well enough, though Ancalrung likely could see through Piren's best attempts, at least none of the citizens foolish enough to pass this way would see the hesitation and the doubt and the deep-seated terror that often plagued Piren as he grew closer to his father.&nbsp; He could face the worst horrors of war, armies arrayed against him, the terrible magics wrought by the Blessed, but it was here, in the place that should be most home to him, that he truly felt fear.<br><br>Before entering, though, he paused to speak a few words to Hurklin, encouragement and praise, before commanding his dragon to join his squadron of winged demons outside of town.&nbsp; If Piren emerged from the throne room intact, he would likely have little need of his entourage, and Hurklin would be of little use against his father, even if Ancalrung had allowed it.<br><br>Piren spoke nothing at Ancalrung's last words.&nbsp; As terrifying as the dragon was, he was but a fly in comparison to the presence of Azazel.&nbsp; Piren could only do his best to keep appearances up as he moved forward, coming to kneel before the throne that could not contain the full terror of Azazel's majesty.&nbsp; Piren bowed his head, collecting his thoughts, before turning his gaze up to meet his father's death mask, his own face a mask of stoic resolve.&nbsp; His voice, quieter and more tremulous than when he spoke with Ancalrung, sounded in the hall, louder than he had hoped, <strong>”I am here Father.&nbsp; I did not expect to have the honor of an audience with you so soon.&nbsp; How may I be of service this day?”</strong>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Shihong</strong> on <strong>06-06-2010, 03:48:17</strong>
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				<div align="center"><span style="font-size: 20pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong>Jahl'Ra</strong></span></div><br><div align="center">(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Landscapes/BloodCitadel.jpg)</div><br>As Piren knelt before the granite throne, his Father slowly seemed to come awake from some deep trance.&nbsp; When his limbs twitched to pull him from the chair their bones cracked obscenely in the stifling quiet of the chamber; a chorus of dull snaps like a skeleton being put through a meat grinder.&nbsp; Azazel loomed over his child like a blasphemous totem from some dark religion, and though his eyes were hidden behind the mask the boy would surely feel the burning of his gaze.&nbsp; He seemed to scrutinize Piren like a bird discovering a particularly curious insect, head twisting to and fro.&nbsp; It was a disturbingly animalistic movement.<br><br><em>"Rise, my dearest son,"</em> he spoke gently.&nbsp; It was barely more than a whisper, but it seemed to fill the room so utterly that the air seemed sucked away.&nbsp; <em>"We are family, yes?&nbsp; You need not be so formal with me.&nbsp; Though I appreciate the sentiment."</em><br><br>As Piren returned to his feet he would stalk around behind him and, in a gesture that would normally be construed as affectionate, gripped the young man by his shoulders and dug his fingers carefully against his collarbone.&nbsp; It was not a painful touch, but it was not one that could be broken away from either.<br><br><em>"What do you think of my throne, child?"</em> he asked, completely ignoring Piren's earlier question.&nbsp; <em>"Ancalrung seems to think it is not quite befitting one of my stature, but I cannot help but find pleasure in the contrast.&nbsp; He has always been a bit vain.&nbsp; Appearances are everything.&nbsp; You must look beautiful to be beautiful.&nbsp; You must look powerful to be powerful."</em><br><br>Azazel's head lowered until it brushed past Piren's to look him in the eyes.&nbsp; The mask leered silently.&nbsp; The only depictions of the Demon King's face were in old paintings and scriptures.&nbsp; No soul had seen what now lay beneath that mask in thousands of years.<br><br><em>"But you of all my Sons know that that is not the case,"</em> he whispered encouragingly, tightening his grip.&nbsp; <em>"You were always a frail boy, Piren.&nbsp; Even as a baby you were so small, so weak.&nbsp; Your mother said that it would be better to simply eat such a tiny, insignificant thing instead of granting it the honor of a full life."</em><br><br>The admission that he had pondered devouring his own child was hardly surprising, for hundreds had met a similar fate before.&nbsp; The only part that seemed out of place was the mention of Azazel's consort.&nbsp; Assuming she was still alive, it had always been unclear exactly who she was.&nbsp; Or <em>what</em> she was.&nbsp; Researching the matter was generally considered bad for one's health.<br><br>He let the statement sink in a bit before continuing, knowing that no child of his would dare speak until he'd finished addressing them.&nbsp; <em>"But I disagreed.&nbsp; Though no larger than a kitten, I smelled such potential in you,"</em> and a sharp inhale resounded in the room.&nbsp; <em>"That is why I have been so hard on you.&nbsp; Your brothers and sisters have natural talent, but they are stupid.&nbsp; Easily manipulated.&nbsp; Emotional.&nbsp; You are pragmatic.&nbsp; You have foresight.&nbsp; Patience.&nbsp; Those are virtues that I can respect."</em><br><br><em>"So I sent you to die in battle.&nbsp; And you not only lived, but conquered.&nbsp; So I sent you to die again, and again you met my expectations,"</em> he revealed happily.&nbsp; No doubt Piren had suspected his Father had merely wanted him out of the way.&nbsp; <em>"I could not be happier with your progress."</em><br><br>Finally he moved away from the boy, flowing back into the confines of the throne and resting his gauntlets on its sturdy arms.&nbsp; <em>"However, I have no new orders for you.&nbsp; I confess that I am curious as to why you have come here of your own accord, my son.&nbsp; If it is merely to resupply your forces there are plenty of other cities that could do so.&nbsp; Unless, of course, you wish to ask me something personally?"</em>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Iksander</strong> on <strong>06-06-2010, 04:19:16</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Piren certainly rose to his feet as commanded, but became absolutely still as Azazel circled around him.&nbsp; He fought hard to keep the beating of his heart from echoing within the chamber.&nbsp; When his father asks Piren his opinion on the throne, though, Piren is quick to often an answer, <strong>”We do not have to be ostentatious..&nbsp; Overt displays of power are for those who doubt their own power.&nbsp; Your throne speaks truly, it speaks bluntly, and it says that whoever sits upon it has no need for meek flattery, no desire for fawning praise.&nbsp; It says that you know just how much power you wield, Father.”</strong><br><br>But then Azazel begins to speak of Piren's past, of his frailty of his tremulous nature.&nbsp; And of his mother.&nbsp; That last causes his curiosity to overwhelm his fear and Piren watches Azazel for the slightest hint of information about her.&nbsp; His curiosity was more than personal, what he proposed could come to rely on her as well, if things truly were as bad as Piren imagined.<br><br>But then matters move to business and Piren's fear and doubt melts like fog before the sun.&nbsp; <strong>”Matters on the front may be more complicated than expected.&nbsp; The Blessed have fallen into a defensive position, abandoning several settlements along the Kraylik Mountains.&nbsp; I first thought it was due to weakness, that we had managed to subdue them and, perhaps, permanent gain new territory.&nbsp; But no, I ordered an assault on one of the large settlements, further westward, and the resistance was as fierce as ever.&nbsp; No, it was fiercer.<br><br>“This led me to suspect that they were waiting for <em>us</em> to show weakness.&nbsp; And so I purposefully left several fortifications underdefended, with, of course, careful plans to allow their retaking if they were conquered.&nbsp; But the Blessed did move, not an inch.&nbsp; This leads me to my final conclusion, the only one that can be ascertained from this information, the Blessed are preparing for some new assault that will make their previous attacks seems insignificant in comparison.<br><br>“I believe they are designing a new weapon of some sort, but whatever they have planned it is not good for us.&nbsp; I can only see two possible solutions to the problem.&nbsp; First, we could withdraw from the Blessed's territory, fortify the eastern side of the Kraylik mountains, build up our forces so that whatever they have planned they will meet some resistance.&nbsp; This is the least risky plan, but if their new weapon is as powerful as I fear it might be, they may be able to punch straight through our defensive lines and make a line for Jahl'Ra.”</strong><br><br>Piren was silent for a moment, allowing the ramifications of his prediction to set in.&nbsp; He then continued, <strong>”The other option is riskier by far, but it would yield us great results if successful.&nbsp; And I would oversee it personally, thus increasing our odds of success.”</strong>&nbsp; Piren knew this would take a lot to swallow, and so he took a deep breath before explaining in fully, <strong>”We would sign a peace treaty with the Blessed.&nbsp; But not on grounds of equality or submissiveness.&nbsp; I would lead an elite force, consisting of my personal army, and as many Children of Aurelis, dragons, warlocks, witches, and elves as we can muster.&nbsp; I would push through their front and make my way to Myrta.&nbsp; There, I would personally offer the terms of peace.”</strong><br><br>Piren flowed quickly into his next statement, hoping that his father's rage would not lash out immediately, <strong>”It would be a ploy of course.&nbsp; A way of buying time.&nbsp; This new weapon of theirs is most likely a recent innovation, but probably also the result of years of labor.&nbsp; Its mystery also makes it more powerful than it would otherwise be.&nbsp; During the peace, we could discover the nature of the weapon and how to neutralize it.&nbsp; Furthermore, we could develop weapons of our own.&nbsp; And... possibly... increase the numbers of the Children of Aurelis, to counter whatever threat our foes may pose.”</strong><br><br>And here Piren fell silent again, knowing that his words were close to heresy, next to treachery, but Piren's intentions were pure.&nbsp; He knew that something terrible was brewing in the lands of the Blessed, and he knew that if they failed to counter it, the end of the Cursed may be at hand.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Shihong</strong> on <strong>06-06-2010, 05:33:32</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Azazel was indeed a being known for fits of near-cataclysmic rage, but as Piren spoke cautiously of his deductions and possible courses of action, the Demon King merely sat and listened with the sort of patience wrought from over three-thousand years of life.&nbsp; He shifted almost imperceptibly at the mention of the Blessed's renewed ferocity and the possibility of a newly constructed weapon.&nbsp; But he did not interrupt the boy, apparently eager to hear his son speak his mind as fully and succinctly as possible.&nbsp; <br><br>He did not even move when Piren suggested the unthinkable, a plan that could not only fail spectacularly but possibly cripple the forces of the Cursed.&nbsp; The Blessed were supposedly pure and venerable beings, but they were just as capable of treachery and dishonorable conduct as the lowliest of demons.&nbsp; If anything they were simply more subtle with their devious machinations, cloaking their misdeeds in holy scriptures and pretentious ceremonies.&nbsp; The only difference between the two sides was that the forces of Darkness brandished their sword for all to see, while the forces of Light kept daggers hidden in their sleeves.<br><br>A vacuum seemed to fill the chamber as soon as Piren finished his appeal for action.&nbsp; The atmosphere was thick and laden with tension as Azazel stared directly into Piren's eyes without wavering.&nbsp; He seemed to be daring the boy to take back his words or flinch away, to show even the slightest sign of weakness.&nbsp; After what seemed like many long and painful minutes, he brought his hands just beneath his face and steepled them.&nbsp; The sudden click of metal caused the unnatural silence to evaporate immediately, and the room itself seemed to sigh with relief.<br><br><em>Excellent deductions all, my dearest Son,"</em> he praised, his head tilting approvingly.&nbsp; <em>"You are every bit as perceptive as I had hoped.&nbsp; Truly your Mother will be proud to learn that you have matured into such a fine specimen."</em><br><br>He said it almost casually, almost <em>teasingly</em>, as though he had sensed the boy's earlier hunger for knowledge.&nbsp; But business was business, and he did not seem inclined to delve any further into that matter.&nbsp; It did however reveal one tantalizing fact: she was still alive.<br><br><em>"What I am about to reveal to you is not widely known, but I consider you worthy enough to be enlightened."</em><br><br>He flicked his wrist as though batting away a fly, and a smaller granite throne heaved itself upwards at Piren's back.&nbsp; It was similarly unadorned and looked hideously uncomfortable, but given his son's earlier description of such a chair it did not seem insulting.&nbsp; It was, in fact, a compliment of the highest order.&nbsp; <br><br>Azazel motioned for him to sit before continuing, making it quite clear that the matter was of grave importance.&nbsp; <em>"There was a time, long before you were born, when I allowed my children to mate with one another.&nbsp; To know the joys that come with siring a newborn of their own.&nbsp; I now realize that this was a mistake.&nbsp; I have since learned not to make them, but this was in earlier days when I was not entirely accustomed to my position."</em><br><br><em>"One of my sons, a man I named <strong>Ashen</strong>, became problematic.&nbsp; He brought many Children into this world in secret, perhaps seeking to raise an army powerful enough to depose me through sheer strength alone.&nbsp; It was an unintelligent plan that was doomed to failure from the start, but his arrogance has now come back to haunt us.&nbsp; I know that you have surely researched the history of my rule in the past, my dear Piren, but there are some things I have chosen to omit.&nbsp; Your siblings are cowed into submission, but I would prefer not to give them any foolish ideas."&nbsp; </em><br><br>A sharp hiss sliced through the air like a knife, a brief instant of anger cut short.&nbsp; <em>"But it was not <strong>my</strong> child that vexed me.&nbsp; It was <strong>his</strong>.&nbsp; A boy named Asriel.&nbsp; He was weak of body, much like you, but unlike you he was stricken with a most unfortunate affliction.&nbsp; His eyes were blue, and his mind was incapable of understanding our ways.&nbsp; I should have realized such a disgusting mutation might come from inbreeding, but I did not expect something of his nature.</em><br><br><em>"Beaten and ridiculed by his siblings and perhaps even Ashen himself, the boy apparently fled into the lands of the Blessed seeking asylum and understanding.&nbsp; Even I do not know what occurred in his time abroad, but when he returned it was with vengeance burning in his heart, an army at his back, and the power of Light dancing from his fingertips.&nbsp; He was an abomination, but he was also a symbol of hope for our enemies.&nbsp; He showed them that it was possible for our kind to become <strong>pure</strong>.&nbsp; And so, in his impudence, he assaulted my kingdom in search of his father."</em><br><br>Azazel shook his head slowly, the weight of distant memories pressing down upon his wide and mighty shoulders.&nbsp; <em>"I was not so powerful then as I am now, my son.&nbsp; I was prone to acts of desperation, for I was vulnerable in those hoary days of youth.&nbsp; Seeking to end Asriel's life, I sent Ashen, his children, and even my own against him in a single battle.&nbsp; Throwing all my forces at a single target was a childish maneuver, but in the end it proved necessary.&nbsp; Asriel killed Ashen and many of my children, but in the end he was bested.&nbsp; Perhaps if I had risked an attack myself, if I had absorbed him with my own two hands, we would not be having this discussion now.&nbsp; But the past is the past.&nbsp; It is immutable."</em><br><br>He stared at Piren for a long moment.&nbsp; <em>"I assume you understand where this is leading, my son.&nbsp; Asriel was not the only Child of Aurelis to become a traitor to his own kind, but he was the first.&nbsp; Though I have since taken care to destroy the bodies of those that have been infected with his sense of justice, many of them vanished from the battlefield before I could do so.&nbsp; Spirited away for an unknown purpose.&nbsp; Until now."</em><br><br><em>"The Blessed would never call their actions mere <strong>necromancy</strong>, but what they are creating is indeed a force of those who should have remained dead.&nbsp; I have sensed them, as I sense all those with the blood of Aurelis swimming in their veins.&nbsp; Each one of these traitors-turned-martyrs were alone enough to pose a sizable threat to my Kingdom."</em><br><br>The gravity of the situation fully explained, Azazel stood from his throne.&nbsp; He motioned for Piren to remain seated where he was as he paced off to one side, staring up into the face of an ancient tapestry.&nbsp; On one side a figure brimming with blue light made his stand against a horde of darkness without the slightest sign of fear etched into his features.&nbsp; Most would wonder why such a thing would hang in the Demon King's throne room when it seemed better suited for the halls of the Blessed, but the intention was clear.&nbsp; Better to remember one's mistakes instead of shove them into the dark.<br><br><em>"I know that you realize that the Cursed and the Blessed have always been at war, my dear Piren.&nbsp; Neither side has ever had the audacity to ask for peace, for we are both just as stubborn and ruthless.&nbsp; There have been lulls in the conflict, but never anything so official as a ceasefire.&nbsp; Our pride could not stand for it, for it would be an admission of weakness."</em><br><br>As he turned to look over his shoulder, one could almost see the cruel smirk growing beneath the unyielding mask.&nbsp; <em>"So we will have peace.&nbsp; We will withdraw what forces we have stationed in their lands, and they from ours.&nbsp; The Kraylik's will be considered neutral ground between us, though our forces are better suited to such harsh terrain.&nbsp; We will show them clemency, and we shall show them understanding.&nbsp; We will show them things that they thought alien to our kind.&nbsp; We will show them that there is a possibility for change instead of mutual destruction." </em><br><br><em>"And when the time comes, I will personally wrench the heart from Asriel's chest."</em>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Iksander</strong> on <strong>06-06-2010, 20:55:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Piren claimed his seat readily, recognizing its significance immediately, and listened with eagerness to his father's every word.&nbsp; Though something tickled in the back of Piren's mind, that Azazel was not telling the entire truth.&nbsp; But he was telling the truth, that much appeared certain to Piren.&nbsp; It all fit together far too perfectly, filling those unseemly gaps in his knowledge of history and explaining the preparations of the Blessed.<br><br>When Piren spoke, his words were calm and measured, <strong>”The clarifies much, and removes a degree of the unknown.&nbsp; Their weapons are but men, albeit those amongst the very strongest and the most fierce in the history of the world.&nbsp; I could think of worse things to do battle with, for as strong in arms as our foes may be, they still have the mental frailties of man.<br><br>“But yes, now is not the time for assaults, it is time to reinforce out territory, dig in and prepare for them to betray us, as their hearts will no doubt do.&nbsp; Hrm, if there is time, I could do my best to convert the mountain range into an ally for us.&nbsp; We are naturally more acclimate to its treacherous paths, and with only a bit of effort, I could make it far more treacherous to our foes.<br><br>“And of course, there's the matter of Ichiro.&nbsp; I hear he's been making some trouble, and inside the Blessed's territory at that.&nbsp; We could offer to... remove him, as a sign of our willingness to abide by the peace.&nbsp; &nbsp;In any case, now that I know what exactly I face, we face, I can take the proper steps to ensure to our defense.”</strong><br><br>Piren was silent for a long moment as he pondered his exact battle strategies and lightly tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair that his father had summoned for him.&nbsp; <strong>”Lianna would help me greatly.&nbsp; And I will need a mobile strike force, something capable of moving with great speed in response to an arrival of one of these traitors on the front lines.&nbsp; And of course, I will need to see to the security of Jahl'Ra.&nbsp; There are many here who would be willing to throw aside their loyalty in exchange for a chance to grasp at greater power.<br><br>“But for the moment, I await your command, Father.”</strong>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Imogen</strong> on <strong>07-06-2010, 11:40:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The power surging outwards from the Tower sent ripples through the city streets. Here and there a fountain of rubble shot up in the air, and casters were running all over to minimize the damage to their precious city and its occupants. The shouts and cries echoing through the streets died down slowly as people hid in their houses or gathered in the safety of the city square. <br><br>When the tremors subsided, and no attacks followed the shaking earth, the men and women of Myrta allowed themselves to be reassured and went back about their business. The quake was the talk of the day and as she walked back to the Tower, Amber overheard many wild speculations as to its cause. Some of them made her chuckle, such as the one that ventured the Mother had lost her patience with the bureaucrats at last, and others that made her jaw set and twist her lips into a grim line.&nbsp; <br><br>Ascending the steps towards the Tower, Amber entered the premises proper and took off her helmet, carrying it in the curve of her right arm. She wiped the heel of her hand over her stinging eyes, wiping some of the grime and dust from her face. “Any news?” Amber lowered her voice as she stepped up to the guards, shooting a glance to the door behind them. “They are still inside?” She nodded, and pursed her lips, considering her options.&nbsp; The Mother would send for her if she needed her skills, and the fact that she had not was somewhat reassuring. At least, nothing had gone spectacularly wrong…&nbsp; By now, it would be known if the Mother had been successful, but she understood the reasons for secrecy. The enemy had eyes everywhere and it wouldn’t do to shout out their results towards the distant, ever burning fires of Jahl-Ra. <br><br>“There has been word of raids near the Aislin river.” She mused. “Unless the Mother needs me here, I shall travel there. If she inquires after the city, please inform her it is under control. We were fortunate. No one died, and only a few of the slow or careless suffered minor injuries.” Amber looked away from the door. <i>And I am sorry…</i>, she thought. <i>I could not save your children. I am truly, deeply sorry.</i><br><br>She saluted and turned, descending the stairs to the ground level where her own chambers were housed. <br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>playfullchick76</strong> on <strong>07-06-2010, 15:44:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The loss of two of her sisters hurt her greatly. They had passed on, but what they had done in their final minutes of life would never be forgotten. Laying in her bed in the healing temple, she felt the shockwave go thorugh the city and knew what that meant, powerfull magics at work.<br><br>She could draw on nature to be her eyes and ears. Trees and shrubs could be her ears, and fields of flowers could be her eyes when she needed them to be. She extended her senses and heard the panic from the people of the city. They had no idea what the Great Mother was doing, and it was better that way.<br><br>She needed to be in the Holy Temple, even if she wasnt completely rested, and sat up. The healers implored her not to go just yet, but she found that she could walk, abet shakily, and her own returning powers would aid her in returning to her full health.<br><br>Wrapping a patterned robe around her, she did it up around her waist and walked from the healing wing to where Asreil was adjusting to life and brimming with questions. Returning someone who was dead to full consciousness just like that was risky, it had to be done in steps, but the Great Mother knew what she was doing.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>sinoraa</strong> on <strong>08-06-2010, 00:52:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sinora Aurelis, slowly staggered forward, to the last of the cursed. Her left arm had gone completely numb, and so she'd dropped one of her twin blades, onto the ground. Ah well, wasn't like she'd ever use them again. She stumbled forward, and weakly raised her sword, to stab the large demon in front of her. It all was very pathetic from her perspective. She was leaning up against the demon, and scraped him with her blade repetitively, unable to cut threw his thick hide. She'd spent what seemed like a eternity, cutting down the small legion of cursed, but it truth, it could only have been a couple of moments. It most have seemed rather frightening from their perspective, as their numbers vanished, right before their eyes. She wondered if they could notice when she'd slowed down, when her cuts suddenly became rugged, and sloppy. Finally, her blade cut threw the demons hide, and with her last strength, she drove her sword into the foul beasts heart. There a quick surge of pain, orientating from her heart, before she fell back against the ground.<br><br>She couldn't recall much after that, there were a blinding light, and a indescribable warmth filling her. Wherever she were, she was happy.<br><br>Then she was suddenly pulled out of that happiness. Her eyes flew open, as she gasped desperately for air. Everything was such a blur, she could see figures, but no clear indication of what they might be. "Cursed!" She thought to herself. Her mind rewinded to moments before her supposed death. She most have missed some of them, and now, they most have taken her to their master, but they had been sloppy. They'd not tied her down, or indeed restrained her in anyway. Certainly odd, but she were in no position to question it. She leapt out of her casket, and with her magic, rushed down the hall. She'd not gotten far though, before her legs gave out. With a loud thud, followed by a high shriek of pain, as her muscles contracted from the strain, she crashed down on the cold, stone floor.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>playfullchick76</strong> on <strong>09-06-2010, 17:04:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She could have found the Temple of the Heavens blindfolded, along with many other places here. Her powers were weaker, and would be for a while, but she was still more than a match for a witch or other lesser magic user. She heard the cry that came from the lips of another Revenant, another child of Aurelis, and rushed to the Temple before the confused girl killed one of her sisters, or the Great Mother, gods forbid.<br><br>Entering the Holy Temple, she found the second child of aurelis. Sinora Aurelis, laying on the floor, shivering not just from shock, but from the cold, stone floor.<br><br>Kneeling down, she reached for the girl and traced her fingers along the girls forehead, then her cheeks. She could sense that the girl was weak, but would regain her strength soon. Once more, a Child of Aurelis had been suddenly woken up again.<br><br>"Its ok, your safe Sinora, safe in the land of the Blessed, and with the Great Mother", she said softly to calm the shivering girl. When you were as old as the Sorceresses were, and like her sisters, she was very old, Sinora Aurelis was a girl to her, abet one that would save the lands of the Blessed from the Cursed.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Shihong</strong> on <strong>09-06-2010, 17:30:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div align="center"><span style="font-size: 20pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong>Jahl'Ra</strong></span></div><br>Azazel relaxed in a single, fluid movement.&nbsp; Though encased in a thick hide of blackened steel, one could sense the unfathomable physical strength flowing and loosening until all tension was erased from his being.&nbsp; It was like watching a panther come to a sudden and complete rest after a long and arduous hunt.&nbsp; The Children of Aurelis were not immortal by nature, and he had lived longer than all before him.&nbsp; Thousands of years of memories were frozen within his skull for all eternity, and no other man but he had the sheer force of will required to preserver in spite of them.&nbsp; Age was a strange thing.&nbsp; The more years that passed by, the faster the next one seemed to fly past.&nbsp; <br><br>He allowed his son to speak his mind, but did not quite seem to be paying much attention.&nbsp; It was not an intentional slight or insult.&nbsp; It was merely a product of his state of being that he occasionally found himself ignoring the presence of lesser beings, even ones as important to him as Piren.&nbsp; To the Demon King the words of others often paled in comparison to his own thoughts.&nbsp; It was no more arrogant for him to forget his son than for an elephant to forget an ant in the grass.<br><br><em>"Yes, of course,"</em> he muttered absentmindedly, staring at the far wall behind his throne.&nbsp; For a brief moment he pondered revealing what was actually behind it, but ultimately decided against it.&nbsp; For now the matter was unimportant.&nbsp; Better that Piren be ignorant of such things until absolutely necessary.<br><br>After a moment he snapped back to attention, tilting his head back towards the no-doubt perplexed boy.&nbsp; <em>"You will have all the reinforcements that you desire, including the backing of all your brothers and sisters.&nbsp; I fear that I can no longer allow them to treat this as a game.&nbsp; They are strong in body, but woefully incompetent where it counts.&nbsp; I will trust you to whip them into shape.&nbsp; Those that are disobedient and do not fall under your command, you will send to me.&nbsp; I hope that I am understood."</em><br><br>Azazel clicked his teeth unpleasantly, gluttonously.&nbsp; The Demon King gave direct orders only rarely, but when they were given they were to be followed without the slightest show of impudence or hesitation.&nbsp; To do otherwise was wisely considered to be poor for one's health.&nbsp; <br><br>With a strange popping sound his body inverted upon itself, then reformed behind Piren's chair several feet taller than before.&nbsp; Again he rested his clawed hands on the boy's shoulders, pressing the tip of one finger against his slender chin and forcing his head to crane upwards.&nbsp; The mask's grin seemed to widen and curl upwards.<br><br><em>"I also have a special present for you, my child.&nbsp; The first of many.&nbsp; It is both an offering, and a task that only you can perform.&nbsp; Well,"</em> he added, chuckling softly, <em>"I would do it myself, but I enjoy seeing you happy, my dearest son."</em><br><br><em>"To begin with, I will grant you three new lives to mold as you wish,"</em> he whispered, and as his words faded the granite throne evaporated into dust.&nbsp; The stone platform upon which it once sat bubbled and churned like liquid, until at last it vomited up three massive tubes that shot straight upwards into the ceiling.&nbsp; Each one glowed a phosphorescent green, and suspended in each was a different specimen.<br><br>The first looked like a solid black orb, devoid of surface texture.&nbsp; It sapped both the light and the colour around it, corrupting both into an oily, ephemeral womb.&nbsp; Every so often a pulse shuddered from within, and the briefest glimpse of some abominable form writhed against a pale red backdrop.&nbsp; The egg of a Demon Lord, birthed from the union of a Greater Demon and a Witch powerful enough to tame it.<br><br>The second was far larger, about the size of a well-fed cow.&nbsp; It was also an egg, though of a far different sort.&nbsp; The outer shell was rugose and had the sort of unsavory, bloated texture of a horde of maggots.&nbsp; Indeed, the interior of it seemed to be absolutely brimming with life.&nbsp; Serpentine shapes struggled against one another in the dozens, each about the size of a man and all bound up together in a ball.&nbsp; <br><br><em>"An egg sac procured from a most unusual creature," </em> Azazel explained patiently.&nbsp; <em>"The Leviathan Worm of the Kraylick Mountains.&nbsp; Many men died to retrieve one from the depths of her lair.&nbsp; A remarkable find unlike any other."</em><br><br>The last tube carried a far more conventional sight, but was somehow more horrifying because of it.&nbsp; A Dark Elf woman, clearly pregnant and fully aware of her surroundings, pounded against the side of the glass in vain.&nbsp; Bubbles streamed from her open mouth, but it appeared that the fluid environment did not impede her ability to breathe.&nbsp; She was bereft of clothing and all hair had been shorn from her head and body, but it seemed that the desire for escape trumped the need for modesty.<br><br>The King's hands tightened on Piren's shoulders.&nbsp; <em>"Our little secret.&nbsp; Thus far you have been restricted to monsters.&nbsp; I wish to see what you can do with beauty, my child.&nbsp; I look forward to the results."</em><br><br><br><br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>sinoraa</strong> on <strong>12-06-2010, 16:46:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sinora's eyes widened, in disbelief. "T-the Great Mother?" She repeated, looking up at Mara, as if she looked for conformation, of what she'd just heard. Sinora had never actually meet the great mother, and she'd actually believed her to be dead. Sinora had been born, in a time where the cursed ruled the world. Sinora had inspired the people to rise up, and reclaim their lands, and within seven years, the blessed had a nation once again. <br><br>Though Sinora had lived a long life, for a human, she'd never meet the great mother, it was rumored she'd been killed by the cursed, and Sinoraa had believed it. Perhaps she'd been in hiding, or maybe she'd actually died, and came back? Tears started to roll down Sinora's eyes, and she embraced the sorceress in her arms. She'd won, the cursed most have been fought back, and the great mother had returned. "Thank you..." She said softly. "Thank you..." She had no idea she'd been dead for millenniums, so in her mind, the great mother's presence could only mean, the cursed were finally defeated.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>playfullchick76</strong> on <strong>12-06-2010, 17:59:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yes child, the Great Mother, she risked much, asking us to bring back your remains here to be given new life. Two of my sisters died during the crusade, and your the second one to awaken", she soflty told Sinora and smiled as the child, to Mara, she was a child, thanked her over and over and wrapped her arms around her.<br><br>"No Sinora, thank you. What you did, inspired many to rise up, to fight and beat the Cursed back. The Cursed are powerfull, and still fighting, but they do not rule all that they did when you last drew breath. They are on the move,and up to something. Thus, we were sent by the Great Mother to bring you here, your country needs your spirit and weapon arms again", she soflty said, talking and calming her down, then showed her the Great Mother, where she was being supported and soothed by two of Mara's sisters
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cameron182</strong> on <strong>14-06-2010, 08:56:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Azazel lives still....?" Asriel asked, reaching up with his right hand to run it through his long black hair as he watched the form of the Holy Mother infront of him, a woman he'd known his whole life, and now surprisingly in his second life. Asriel remembered the Demon King, though he hadn't been nearly as powerful before. His father, Ashen Aurelis, had been nearly as powerful as Azazel and it seemed as if he almost seemed to share the power with his father, that is until Asriel had taken the man's life, resulting in him losing his own.<br><br>However from what the Holy Mother had been explaining to him, it had seemed that Azazel's power had grown by leaps and bounds, twisting him into something completely inhuman and much more in tune with the demonic nature that resided in all Children of Aurelis. "Yes... and the Cursed Army is more powerful than it has ever been.... thankfully so are our forces, which is why we've been able to keep them at bay for so long. However don't be mistaken Asriel... we are slowly but surely losing this war, which is why we had no other choice but to awaken yourself and your siblings." She spoke to him, her voice soft, tears residing in the corners of her eyes, she had been heartbroken to hear that she'd ripped Asriel away from such a perfect place, never fully taking it into account before.<br><br>They'd been speaking for hours on end since Asriel's return, of course he'd needed a bit of time to clean himself up and come to grips with reality once more. "My power.... it feels.... different..." Asriel finally spoke, his icy blue eyes surveying his hand as black and blue energy seemed to crackle and spark along its length. Ever since he'd been reanimated, his power had felt...off somehow, in both aspects, the Blessing and the Curse, each had felt off-sync and different than he'd remembered.<br><br>"I don't know what could be causing that Asriel.... it may be that the energy of the world has changed since you had walked these lands, or it very well could be that because you were brought back it did something to your abilities.... I wish I could tell you more, but this is something that has never been done before, and I don't know what the side effects maybe have been..." She said, an apparent sadness in her voice. For what had to have been the hundredth time that day, she wondered if she had made a mistake by ruining their piece and forcing them back into this cruel and evil world.<br><br>Suddenly Asriel's entire body tensed and his eyes snapped towards the doorway leading out of the Holy Mother's private quarters, he felt a sudden spike of energy that wasn't unlike his own, and completely different from anyone else's he'd ever felt before. It was another one, another Revenant, one of the other four that had followed after him and become heroes among the Blessed people. "Another one has awakened...." He whispered softly, before suddenly bursting forward from his chair and heading out of the door without a moment's pause.<br><br>Several moments later he appeared in the doorway, his icy blue eyes catching the form of Mara, one of the Holy Mother's daughters, the Seven Sorceresses, kneeling by another woman, a woman with black hair, and from what Asriel could see from his vantage point, deep blue eyes. "Mara..." he said softly, with a friendly smile. He'd known Mara very well while he'd been alive, they had become good friends and had fought together on many occasions, it was good to see that she was still alive. It was surprising, that so many people he'd known had come to live for so long, thousands of years at a time, without seeming to age at all, it had have been due to the Holy bloodline that ran through their veins. His eyes moved towards the other girl, who looked alarmed and shaken, he didn't doubt that she would be. <br><br>"Hello... sister." He said simply, a comforting smile on his lips, it would be obvious that he was just as she, a Child of Aurelis that had been born with a trait of the Light and had betrayed the Cursed, it would also be apparent that he was Asriel Aurelis, the first of the Revenants, the actual face that so many statues and paintings had been created from, that so many legends had been passed down about, "Best thing to do is just breath deeply and focus your eyes... everything will make sense in a few moments..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>playfullchick76</strong> on <strong>14-06-2010, 15:28:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Mara continued to hold onto the girl until she was ready, then once she felt she was, she helped her to her feet, but supported her. The dead were supposed to rest in peace, but peace would have to wait until the Cursed were truly defeated. "We have much to talk about, but for now, your with friends, with the Blessed", Mara soflty told her, then looked up as the first child of aurelis to be woken up, Asriel, who had appeared in the doorway.<br><br>"Asriel, it is good to see you as well. It was I who brought your remains here. Your sister will be ok, she just needs to catch her breath, then test out her new powers. They will not be like they once were, but more than what they were", she said as she had been close to Asriel when he had been alive. He had trusted her and didnt mind her travelling with him on special missions. They had worked well together, and his death had hurt her greatly. But he was alive again, and she was happy to see him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>sinoraa</strong> on <strong>15-06-2010, 22:56:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sinora looked up at Asriel, with dark blue eyes, finding herself speechless. This was slightly more then she could handle. Not only had she just been brought back from the dead, she also found herself in company of the great mother, and her sorceresses, whom she'd believed to be long dead, and to top it all off Asriel, her great ancestor. "Just, what has happened?" She asked, standing up on her own, not fond of the trembling girl routine. Her body still ached, but she could feel her regenerative magic, already working threw her body. "The cursed beating us back, is hardly anything new. So why go to such extreme lengths this time?" She asked, trying to not sound ungrateful, for the new life she'd been given, but she felt she had to ask. The Blessed, and Cursed had been at war, sense long before her time, so she wasn't sure what made this time so critical.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>playfullchick76</strong> on <strong>16-06-2010, 14:56:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Living for many thousands of years, without seeming to age was a source of marvel to many, but it did have its drawbacks. One of which was watching those around you not part of the holy bloodline grow old and die. Her magics served the lands of the Blessed, and thus she was happy to live as long as she had. But the Cursed were tricky, and not to be trusted. Beware a Cursed bearing a gift, was a common saying, as that gift came with conditions.<br><br>So far two of the children of Aurelis were alive again, they would form the vanguard of the new push against the Cursed forces. Already Sinora was standing on her own, and would be herself again, and more by the end of the day.<br><br>Mara looked forward to seeing both Sinora and Asriel using and showing off their new powers.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cameron182</strong> on <strong>16-06-2010, 23:16:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Asriel looked towards Mara as the woman spoke, a somber expression crossing his features as he listened to her words. The Holy Mother had told him about her journey to retrieve his remains, and what had been lost in the process, it just further proved how important this mission was, the Holy Mother had known it would be a possibly fatal mission to send them on, she wouldn't have sent her own daughters to their death without good reason. "I know... I am sorry for your loss Mara.... I feel their death just as you do... but I am glad that you survived the journey.." He said with a soft smile, his eyes moving back towards Sinora as the woman started to speak. He had to admit, she had a good point, the Cursed and the Blessed had been at war for thousands upon thousands of years, way before his time, and there had never been a cease-fire, never been any kind of victory for either side, Zariah was constantly a battleground, with each side gaining and losing ground at random intervals, why go through such a task now?<br><br>"Because.... this war has to be won, it has to be finished. It's gone on for far too long..." He spoke in a soft tone, his eyes trailing towards the open window that looked out over a small part of the kingdom of Myrta. <br><br>"But for now..." he said, looking to Sinora, "I imagine you want a bath... and possibly something to eat." His tone brightening as a smile lit up his features, giving off a warm and comforting feel. "Or atleast that's what I wanted when I woke up..." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>sinoraa</strong> on <strong>18-06-2010, 10:48:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sinora raised a brow in thought. Asriel hadn't really answered her question, but had instead pointed out something painfully obvious. Of course they had to win the war, but what makes now so special? But it didn't seem very respectful to say, and there wasn't any real argument against his point. So instead she nodded, in a half bow. "Something to eat, would be wonderful." She said with a smile, feeling as a child, invited to the grownups table.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: -Revenants- (Epic Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rp)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>playfullchick76</strong> on <strong>18-06-2010, 18:32:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"In unity comes strength, and victory", Mara said, saying something that was the backbone of the Blessed fighting. The cursed fought and bickered with each other as much as they fought the Blessed, fighting for riches,power. Like the Holy Mothers other children, she did not seek power for powers sake. She put her magics and skills to the defense of the Blessed, and those that she was fighting with.<br><br>"My sisters gave their lives for Zariah, there can be no finer sacrifice", she said and&nbsp; let go of Sinora to see if she could stand on her own, and she could. Her weakness would fade, then Mara would test out Sinora's powers, as well as Asriel's. They needed to be tested out in controlled environments.<br><br>"Of course, you need a bath, then something to eat. I can set you up with a bath, a warm one, then a hot meal, then we can talk more when you're up to it", Mara said as she traced stray locks of hair from Sinora's temple and gestured for Asriel to come closer.<br><br>
			</dd>
		</dl>
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