New Rising

~in a soft whimper reya replies~ "i-im not even worthy to have your trust...i....i couldnt stop myself....these dark thoughts came over me....thoughts....that were akin to a true hearted drow.....i almost killed you....p-please i-if i lose myself again...dont stay your hand...strike me down....death is better than becoming like them....." ~she trails off into silence, tears again threatening to overtake her lovely lavender eyes. she felt like dirt...worse than dirt, these total strangers had put trust in her that she wasnt what she seemed and she almost rewarded that trust with the twin strike of her scimitars. "I should have stayed in ched nassad....at least there i would have been no threat to any of you...i dont even know what you are all doing...but...for as long as i can....as long as i am in my right mind.....i'll lend my blades." She states some of her resolve and inner fire comming back. but it was now dampened and tempered by the memories of how she had felt, how she had wanted their blood to stain her blades. even now she could barely keep her paws from drifting to the hilts of the fine weapon~

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Not far from where the confused and disoriented group came to their final decisions a lone dragoness stared off at the stars. She carried no weapons but the strong aura of magic emanating from her spoke of great power. a small pack of demons foolishly made the decision to attack and moments later lay dead, their bodies shredded. "demons seem to be getting more of a backbone lately" She says to herself again letting her thoughts drift away into nothingness content to stare at the stars hanging above the world, free of the strife that plagued this world. hours later she regretfully turned away from the stars and began the long run down the astral tunnel, returning to her masters plane. She would return again as soon as she tired there she vowed, determined to escape the call of her true name and the demon who controlled her. That damnable thing had discovered her true name and she was now bound to come to his call, his obsidian carving of her the link that violently pulled her back. It was beautifull nights like this one that made her regret her own strength, considered an astral creature on her masters plane, she lasted much longer than most. Whereas many astral creatures lasted a few hours, she could spend a week and more answering her masters call. Errtu the great winged demon was not a kind master, and his bloodlust had her doing things she despised.

((oh yes i went there))

(Fanboy giggle)

Sam held out his hand. "Reya. Let me just say that I have shared those feelings before. When I became half demon the demon tried to take me over countless times, it still does now. Even now I hear the whispers of darkness in my mind. It's a conscious decision and should be handled cautiously. But for now, I would much enjoy it if you stayed with us, or at least me. I dont know what everyone else is doing just now, and I truly hope that we do not all split simply because the reason for this quest has been captured. Naomi had the medallion... and we should be ready for what may be coming to finish us off. Unite or we will fall, and you're far too beautiful to cry, I would never want to see that." He looked up at the sky, night had fallen utterly now and it began to rain softly. "We should set up camp at least..."

Kote smiled a little at Naomi's answer to his plan, he thought it was good too, and now that she knew, he would have an easier time guiding Sam around. "One last thing." He said as he unstrapped the great sword from his back and handed it over. "Sam should have this back."

Naomi took the sword and found it as heavy as ever, the pair of medallions jingling around her neck as she looked at Kote. "Well, I promise I wont tell them, and I like the idea, expecially if they get to get that at the end, and you said that you would be willing as well. I do worry about Sam sometimes, but seeing me with this should make it a lot easier." She nodded a little. "So, shall we be heading back?"

Traven continued on his way. Luckily for him the base of the mountains was only a few miles away from where they were previously. He stopped briefly and turned around, wondering if it was wise to continue on his way.

Come.....hurry....

Traven flinched as the whispered entered his mind once again. But he had already made up his mind, and began his slow accend up to the frozen peaks of the mountain.

"Not there." Kote looked a little distant. "I have to drop you off on the other side of Waterwings, there are too many of them that can detect me and I dont want our plan being ruined." He took her paw and instantly appeared outside the west wall of waterwings. "Stay the night and head out in the morning, you're carrying the whole medallion again Naomi. Be careful." And with that, he was gone again.

Naomi sighed and walked into the city, getting a room for the night and crashing almost immediately.

~The rain suited Reya's dark mood just fine, though his words were supportive she still couldnt shake the feeling that she would someday lose herself to her black kin's calling.~ "i...*sniff* i'll travel with you...i dont want to travel alone anymore."

Hours seemed to have past as Traven continued his accent up the mountain side. He had moved off the road and was not literally climbing his way up through the rock and snow. The wind begun to howl feriously the higher he gotten. Traven finally managed to get himself on a ledge large enough to sit on and did so to catch his breath. The air had become much thinner during his climb and it was becoming noticibly harder to breath. The only comfort he had was the fact that thanks to his fur and robe he was protecting from the harsh tempature.

Higher....

"Oh give me a break will you....I just risked my life climbing halfway up this mountain, not knowing what im looking for and you still want me to keep climbing...."

Higher.....

Traven layed his head against the rock wall and closed his eyes, trying to ignore the whisper.

HIGHER!!!

The sudden yell caused Traven to jump, causing the ledge on which he sat apon to give away. Traven scrambled and managed to grab ahold of a small rock before he fell. " Why me...."

Sam walked over to the side of the road and began setting up the tents, glad most of them were still packed in the backpacks that were with them. "Right... everyone in, lets get some rest. Reya are you going to be okay to sleep?"

~shivering at the violent dreams she had, the last time she slept~ N-no i'll stand watch...im probably more efficient at it than you would be...." ~she replies softly. wrapping her tattered piwafwi around herself she enacts her levitation spell to rise to a tree limb perfect for keeping watch on the clearing, it also sheltered her decently from the incessant drizzle that had begun to fall.~ ^im afraid of myself...i dont know why i wanted blood...it was as if i was a true drow....abut i dont want to be that....^ kill them ~a voice whispers in the back of her mind~

"I'll stay up with you then." Sam leaned over and whispered. "I havent been able to sleep for two years because of the demon inside me, if you dont mind having a conversation partner for the night?"

Traven collasped onto the frozen ground as he finally reached the final ledge. He panted deeply, completely exhausted. After a few moments of laying there, Traven struggled to his feet and begun to drag himself along the frozen mountain side. After hours of walking, Traven came to a stop. A large rocky wall layed before him.

" Great....now what? There's no way around this. This is getting pretty rid- "

Traven stopped mid-sentence as the sound of cracking ice rang in his ears. Before he had a chance to move, the ground gave away and Traven fell into a large hidden icey cavern and landed face first into the ground. The hard impact knocking his senses for a loop but he quickly shook it off and got back to his feet. Looking up he saw that the hole in which he fell through was unreachable.

" This just keeps getting better and better for me..."

Come....

" Oh shutup...." muttered Traven as he began to walk through the ice cavern

*Maru had heard that this city was rough, for many a reason, but he was tired, and needed something to eat before his stomach shriveled up, but his funds were low, as usual, "Hmm, why didn't i ask the Emperor for a bit of money...?" He pondered to himself as he looked up at the building he was approaching "An Inn huh? A room and some cheap food sounds wonderful right now..." He pushed open the door to the inn, and to his benefit it was rather empty, but he caught a glance at a very peculiar girl as he entered, a Snow Leopard she was, and fairly young at that, but she was carrying such a large sword, so unfitting for her character, he was about to ask her what she was doing with something like that, but she immediately entered her room, possibly for the night, and it would be rude to beat on her door to ask her, so he just made his way to the counter, paid for his own room, and walked down the hall, passing by her own room and contemplating knocking anyway, but, again, that would be rude, and maybe punishable by a beating, he just opened his own room door, sat his bow and sword down, and curled up on his bed until he either fell asleep, or until she woke up*

Naomi woke up next morning, after having the first real sleep in a few days she stretched and wrapped a blanket around herself to get dressed, wagging her tail a bit and smiling as she looked around, both sides of the medallion jingling on her neck merrily as she got dressed. She had to leave early to make good time, but she knew they wouldnt have gotten much farther down the road without her, and she could run flat out a lot longer than humans so she'd be able to catch up with them no problem. She just hoped that Traven didnt take it too hard when she disappeared.

*Maru gave off a loud yawn as he stretched himself out on the tiny bed in his room, his large wings even knocking a few things over as he stood, he had to wrap his wings around himself tight to make sure that he didn't damage anything else in the little box he was given to live in, he was now a bit more rested, and ready to continue his wandering, but he had forgotten about the girl for a moment, it was odd, she had such a large weapon, and something odd around her neck, then again, what's truly normal in this world? He picked up his weapons a bit lazily, hoisting his bow over his shoulder while he simply held his sword and pushed the door to his room open with his body, his stomach rumbling loudly with the faint reminder that he had forgotten to get something to eat last night* Uuungh, i hope the food here is better than the rooms...

Naomi stepped out and strapped the sword ont her back, her pack above it as she walked out, inching through the door sideways because the weapon was so big. Why did Sam like it so much... She made her way down the stairs and tripped, the weight of the sword propelling her forward as she fell. "Ahh!"

*He was slightly startled by the sudden thud that came from down the stairs, was there a fight? A dispute? He peered down the stairs, and, to his amazement, there was the girl from last night, it had appeared that she had fallen down the stairs, hence the thud he had heard, he quickly scaled down the steps and stared down at her for a moment, the weight of the sword was pretty substantial, it might have hurt her even, he then slowly kneeled down beside her and unwrapped his wings to extend one of his bright, scaly claws down at her in an attempt to help her up* Are you alright? That looked like a right nasty fall

Naomi blushed in frustration and took his hand gently, trying to get back up. "Yeah... I'm fine, I'll have an interesting bruise to explain to my friends, but it's all because of this blasted greatsword. I dont know why Sam loves it so much, it's heavier than hell. I'm just glad I'll never have to use it." She brushed herself off and smiled. "Well, I havent seen a dragon in a long time. Name's Naomi."

*He shook her hand a bit as she rose, just to get that part out of the way* And this Sam character was a bit rude in asking you to carry it for you, that sword does look a bit heavy, even for me *He crossed his arms as he looked over his own sword, it was a kitchen knife in comparison, maybe the Imperial Guard was right, maybe Dragons should have heavier weapons* My name is Maru, Maru Rizen, it's a pleasure to meet you Naomi, and, might i ask where you might be headed with a weapon such as that?

"Well he didnt ask me to take it but it wound up in my posession. So I'm giving it back to him. I'm heading west outside of town why? Oh and it;s nice to meet you Maru" Naomi bowed a little, not exactly sure how to greet a dragon.

~looking over to sam she sighs~ "if you wish, i cant stop you from joining me. So your part demon? i thought they only existed on the lower planes....though my kin seem to be adept at summoning them.... I've never been adept at magic...one of the few females of my race that would never be a high priestess of the spider queen. Im a so called dissapointment to my family 6'th house of Ched Nassad, the only daughter of Matron De'vier, leaving house Atalania without a high priestess untill my mother births another female. but i carved out a name for myself in melee magtheree. every year i landed top spot in the grand melee. Even Beating out house Baenre's eldest son" ~she replies, her acomplishment in that feat was indeed a credit to her, for she had fought fair, while the rest had used deceit to win their fights, only she with her advanced blade mastery had fought to the top, defeating all who attacked her, even those who had tried to trick her with a false alliance.~

*That felt good, oddly good, he was bowed to for the first time in his life, now he knew why the Nobles like it so much* Well, i was wondering if i could assist you, that blade is rather large, and judging by that fall you just had, it would be wise to let someone else carry it, if...you wouldn't mind, of course

"You're so kind Maru, thank you. If you could carry it it would be much appreciated." Naomi smiled and handed it over, glad to be rid of it for the moment as she smiled.

It's no trouble Naomi, i'm just happy to help *He said back as he took the blade from her, and it was indeed heavy, so much so that he had to hoist it up with both hands to strap it onto his back* My, this would do wonders against a wall, but not an enemy...

"You should see Sam in action with it, even when he was just human he could kill things with a single well placed swing of that blade. It sure does wonders with someone trained right to use it." Naomi smiled as she walked out of the inn and headed to the west gate. "So what brings you here Maru?"