ENDLESS JOURNEYS (O/A)

[Nova Blancke]

" Bounty hunters are the last of our concerns at the moment. She let Shara in. She most likely changed her appearance but it is too much of a coincidence. A distraction at the barrier to draw away the stronger of the group and take out the weaker ones. Or in this case, gain sympathy. Kerana is too naive. She should go back to the Academy." Nova told her.  

[PixelMuse]

Trinity folded her arms and responded, "I'm afraid I must agree, we can't continue having this great risk because she thinks she's doing someone a favor. Alec on the other hand seems to be doing well considering how he's beginning to connect with his inner guardian. Though I doubt we can separate the two."  

[Nova Blancke]

"Then he goes as well. He is bound to her. But it is safer for both to continue their studies at the academy. I'll write a letter of recommendation for them. It has been a while since I have walked those halls but I suspect I still hold a great deal of influence." Nova replied finalizing the decision for himself.  

[PixelMuse]

Trinity nodded in agreement. "I guess it's another side stop… on our way to defeating the Necromancer. Speaking of which… we may have no choice but to leave Hasaii here if he can't come around in time. Right now these grounds aren't protected. He had mentioned that he needed to reactivate the Blood Seal. We may need to check on that guardian while we're at it… Wasn't the reason why we came here in the first place was to check out the Mana Well this tie was located near by? We may want to address those matters first before we return the kids to the academy. Hopefully they'll be able to handle that much."

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Rikki Tikki Travi

Nova Blancke

 

[Nova Blancke]

"Not a side stop. We send them on their way. We do not need to accompany them. Both still have the books I quickly compiled for them. They will be great mages in time, both of them. But especially Alec."

"But solely for their safety, we need to take care of matters here. After that, they go. Unless they give me a very good reason to let them stay. There is no place for children in this. It is going to sound cold and hard but I need total obedience from them. One wrong move on their part could get us all killed." Nova continued.

"Did you managed to see the extend of damage done to the golem? I might not be able to repair him. My knowledge is great but not infinite."  

[PixelMuse]

Trinity solemnly nodded. Even though they were the first to believe in her, the first to hear her story in a very long time, Nova was right. If they weren't going to listen to them they could very well get them killed.

"I'm afraid I didn't get a good look at the Golem when I left, but if we reestablish the Blood Seal somehow it might help it. Do you think that Valkyrie Moon Goddess within me could do it?"  

[Nova Blancke]

"There is that possibility. However it could very well be that she does not know how to do so. Being a creator of a race, at least, that is what I suspect she is, does not mean she has knowledge of the creations of that race." Nova told her, telling her of his opinion.

"We also do not know, if it would be wise to try and summon her once more. It is still unknown the toll it takes on your body in the long run. I highly recommend not summoning her"  

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

Kerana

"Not at all. I've go this special herb that I wouldn't mind sharing." she said as she took out a small bag.

Yea, I'll bet you wouldn't. Alec thought to himself. God's help him if he was wrong, but he wasn't about to let that witch hurt anyone in his group.

Alec took a container in his left hand and held it out to the woman. Just as he came within reaching distance he dropped the pitcher. His hope would be that she would be distracted by the "accident."

Before the pitcher hit the ground he felt something inside of him click. His right arm dropped enough to let gravity work the pairing knife out of his sleeve and into his palm. He tightened his grip on the handle and brought it forward.

He felt his teeth change as his jaw clenched. His spirit had worked it's way into him for this moment as he drove the knife toward the woman's core.

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Rikki Tikki Travi

Kerana thought for a moment. It did seem unusual to her but then again, does this kid know how to read a map or even read? She frowned a little at the thought as it was something she needed to consider. Not everyone has had the same opportunities she has when it comes to education. "Do you remember any of the adults' names that run the place? That take care of you and feed you?"

She wanted very much for Nova to be wrong. Even though it seems like she was stretching things a lot to try to help the kid. Which she has yet to figure out if the kid was a boy or a girl. She didn't want to be rude by asking, at least not right now.

Ash had figured there would be more probing questions. It decided that any sort of manipulation against a child would bring sympathy.

It opened it's mouth to answer, but it stopped just as if it had just forgotten something important. Tears welled up as it's eyes moved from side to side in feigned attempts at recollection. "I...I-I don't remember. I can't remember their faces o-or their names! Why *hic* can't I remember?"  

[PixelMuse]

Master she's here...

Trinity stormed in at the sound of the scream. "What the hell is going on?!" The fox girl had already run off. She approached the body at Alec's feet. "Geez kid, I didn't think you had it in you..." Her eyes narrowed at the brunette woman that was the cause of the fuss. This can't be the Shara, I was thinking of... She turned the body over, some of the make up rubbed off. Trinity's eyes widen this can't be right! she unbutton she unraveled her top just enough for her to see the wounds. She stared at it. "Nova... do you know of a way to kill the undead?"


Master she's holding me... the powerful ones are in the room... now's the time to strike while they focus me... please master hear me now.  

[Nova Blancke]

Nova also followed Trinity but not as fast. He knew something happened. Something to Kerana and Alec but no the other way around. Nova had a brow raised and half smirk on his face as he gave an approving nod.

"Good job Alec. You just changed my opinion on you." He said to Alec before looking over at Trinity. " Step back now Trinity. A knife is not enough to kill her. She is pretending." Nova sent his thoughts to her as well as Alec."You too Alec. Keep your distance"

"Oh but there are a few ways. The majority of the elements can do that. If the corpse can no longer function they will vanish once more. Fire, to turn her into ashes, Earth to crush her completely, Ice to freeze and shatter her. Lightning to fry everything inside of her. Telekinesis to rip her apart and of course, Light and Holy to sever the connection to her master. That...is the surefire way of killing an undead. I think I'll take off her legs and hands first so she can't run. Perhaps her eyes as well." Nova said growing more colder as he spoke. Every word was laced with the intent to do so. He would do so." They can still feel pain unless their master disables their sense of it."  

[Kittyusha]

(Dramatic and grande re-appearance!)

The hollow stone pillars of the temple resonated with the wind as it came in, and from them echoed the sounds of all around. Crickets, leaves, a stream, water drops, it all sounded so familiar; so casual. But this shouldn't have been. Where were the sounds of a bustling village? Where were the preachers preaching to gods? Then it all came back. And in a scream of pain, sixteen blades erupted from the hollow pillars and lodged themselves onto the stone pedestal on which Hasaii lay. Each lodged itself into either a joint or an organ, effectively pinning him, as two of the divinity statues came to life. Each went to the chest located in the back of the room, and from it drew a ceremonial blade; a set of falchion. They converged on Hasaii and, ignoring the muffled screams of pain in his eyes, went to drive the blades into his heart. But before they could do so, the statue to the left; the one representing Leerre, exploded, knocking the other statue off its balance and back a couple feet. In a scream of pain, the bloodied Hasaii unpinned his left arm.

"You can't... Kill me!" He growled in a much deeper, darker voice then he normally had. The blade(s) that were lodged in his left arm fell to the ground and shattered, power conjuration/destruction spells made to immobilize intruders, but useless once removed. As he slowly rose, unpinning himself more and more, the blood that had escaped him began to flow up and stain him, changing his physical appearance more and more to a more red, darker look then before. The statue, recovering from it's blowback, charged forwards, blade raised and posed to stab at the changing figure. In response, the bloodsoaked man raised his hand and pointed at the statue. "Sleep, I command thee! Your duty is done!" He ordered as a rune formed in the blood on his hand. The statue took five more steps, reaching the blade out just enough to poke the man in the chest, then froze and returned to being a statue. The man sighed in relief as his figure finalized in appearance. "Geez Father Illios, you really didn't want me back?" He said with a cough as the wounds sealed. He looked down at them and frowned. "Too bad this is the only time I can do this, or else I could have a whole lot more----" He froze as the memories of his host flashed through his head. "Well well well, who do we have here?" He asked himself, looking in the direction of their presence before fading away.

At the home, up in Hasaii's bed he lay silently dreaming of this, unknowing that it was actually happening, and that his time was up. The figure took shape right in front of his bed, just as Hasaii awoke. "You..." Hasaii muttered as he saw the figure standing above him. "Me." "Why are you here? Have you nothing better to do but mock these sacred grounds more with your presence?" "Actually, I've come to tell you your time is up. The charade is over. I hope you've made peace, because you're out of time now." "W-what? How did you---" But before Hasaii could finish, he felt an extreme pain in his heart. He placed his hand over it, coughing up blood, and when he removed it, he found it to be covered in the same red substance. "Fate has finally caught up, your borrowed time was one I lent you. Go in peace, but forget all you've known." The man simply concluded before leaning over Hasaii and placing a hand over his heart and every light in the room going out. There was a pause, a very silent moment it was, then when the lights came back laid the figure in Hasaii's place, now with blood red wings. "Now, to finish what he started."

(Reference appearance: "Bloodlust and Death soak the world, rejoice for your death might be swift")

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Nova Blancke

PixelMuse

 

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

Miles away, in a dimly lit room, the necromancer watched events unfold through the eyes of his little golem. He was intrigued to see the fox-kin girl suddenly abduct the child for it's own safety. It came as no surprise to him when Shara's voice reverberated from a cauldron that held a small wooden bowl of her remains floating atop a shallow pool of blood.

The mask he wore muffled the deep growl that slipped out. He pushed himself off of his stool and strode over to the cauldron. Gazing into he cauldron through his mask allowed him to see what she was seeing through her "dead" eyes.

There was Trinity, the wolf-kin boy with a bloodied knife (that did come as a surprise), and the ancient. They were talking, but the necromancer couldn't hear, only see.

The necromancer reached over to a pouch that lay on a nearby table. From it he withdrew a hand full of bone dust and spread it into a circle around the bowl of Shara's remains

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Alec was slowly coming down off the adrenaline high. His hand began to tremble a bit as he watched the adults discuss what to do with the witch. He was glad that Kerana wasn't there to see what had just happened. It was then that he realized there were two scents he couldn't make out as well as before.

"Where are Kerana and the child?" he asked aloud with peaked ears.

He had barely gotten the question out before the ground around Shara and Trinity began to tremble. The floor split and cracked before being razed by ten foot high, dense, and narrowly spaced bone teeth that surrounded the women like a cage.

Alec gasped in shock and dropped his paring knife.

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The child was confused by the sudden urgency in Kerana's action. It had expected her to stay with her guardian and ask what had caused the scream. Instead it found itself in her arms floating away from the homestead.

"What happened? Why're we leaving your friend?" it asked with feigned concern.