[hider=Status] Location: War room Health: Perfect Inventory: XXX Actions: Gets a hold of himself, demonstrate power, change name, make pledge of defense.[/hider] 9 felt guilty, these soft skins didn't have the right minds to fully comprehend what he was doing and as a result it caused them as much grief as his own. In turn this guilt fed his sorrow like wood to a flame. The emotions were taking over, the loss consuming everything he had. Rationality, logic, memories, they all were leaving him and being replaced with grief. Then something happened. A sound entered his mind unlike any that had before and it was beautiful. However it too was being drowned by the flood of emotion that was pushing against everything else. Reigning in the flood, 9 pushed against the current and fought through the emotions as the sound got clearer and more beautiful. Finally after fighting tooth and nail for what seemed like an eternity until he broke out of his mental prison. Blinking several times, 9 gazed upon the source of the sound and was filled with awe. The sound came from the antlered one and it enchanted his senses. However he couldn't help but think of his queen, but not in a way of sorrow. When 9 first hatched, like all hatchling, the queen sang to him. 9's song was one of defense and protection, to put himself before all threats that would come to the eggs and herself. In a way, it was his name and 9 would never forget it. When she finished, 9 had calmed significantly and felt like he should return the gesture. Before he could however, she said something that shocked him immensely. [i]“I never got the chance to thank you for protecting me, for saving me in the dungeon. I was surely meant to die down there and you saw me from that. I’m indebted to you, for that. In my home, we have a name for those we deem as saviors: Frelseren. And I bequeath that to you.”[/i] Frelseren. The word was foreign to him, but the meaning struck a cord deep within. Mulling it around, 9 contemplated the word before deciding that it sounded much better than "9". As the antlered one touched, his arm in what he assumed was in a show of comfort, memories of pain and suffering crashed through his mind as parts of her recent past came known to him. 9 shivered as he relived the pain himself and endured a torture unfamiliar to him. Whatever it was, he wouldn't wish it upon anyone. Shaking it off, 9 watched her leave for a place called the "Southern Ruins". 9 was about to fallow when web chest came to him and extended his hand in what seemed like support. Web chest spoke in his usual eloquent way and apologized to 9. About to say something, 9 was again interrupted by the entrance of the angry one. He brought troubling news, something about an incoming elven army. 9 didn't know what an "elven" was but it seemed like a bad thing. However there was something he 9 had to set strait. Sending a message, 9 cleared the air with web chest, "I apologize for my emotions, may you never experience what I have. It is a feeling I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy." Extending small feelers from the crevasses of his chitinous hands, 9 said "I cannot read minds as you say, but I can do this." As he finished that sentence, 9 gently grasped web chest's hand in his own. --- [i]In a flash, 9 was inside the memories of web chest. However they were fairly specific memories, well sort off. The prospect of hands was a new one to to 9, for all of his life he had claws. These small tentacles were not as the usual ones, they seemed to only articulate in one direction and they lacked any weapon besides small points at the ends. A far cry from his claws, but from the bone he broke they have great strength. So it was in this vein that 9 searched every memory web chest had on the uses of hands. The first was how to properly articulate them, as it stood 9 only grabbed things and crushed. He had know idea how to actually use these hands in any way other than that. Quickly, memories from various moments of web chest's life flashed into his memory. From there, 9 moved on to more advanced maneuvers. Handwriting, utensil etiquette, several obscene hand gestures and finally how to hold a sword. Of course, there were other weapons he could have looked at, but the saber seemed...better. Years of training, hundreds of battles, and many mishaps imprinted themselves into the mind and muscle memory of 9.[/i] --- What felt like years only took several seconds. Shaking his head a bit, 9 said "Again, I apologies. I cannot read minds, but I can read your memories. Adding your experiences to improve myself. When I gain a skill you could use, I will make sure to give it to you as payment for yours." Bringing himself up to his full height, 9 struck a pose regal in nature. Looking down at web che- Mundhir, 9 said "I cannot return home, there is nothing for me there. But I can help you protect yours. I shed my name as prisoner and gain the one given to me by my friend, from now on you shall call me Frelseren and I will be your sword."