---

If there was a single word that could describe the personality of the girl before Ar'oa, it would probably be brazen. From the unfiltered expression of her emotions to her willingness to befriend even someone as strange as an anubis, Ar´oa was at a loss for words. Stephanie, as she had called herself, had no qualms with revealing the origin of her grief and explaining her artifacts to someone who was practically a stranger. He thought about asking Asri to confirm if humans were usually this honest, but didn't think it would be a wise idea.

He approached Stephanie and enveloped her hand with one of his own, kneeling to reach it. The healing process would be faster if they were performing direct physical contact. That, and, he wanted to avoid the flashy appearance of his long distance magic when in front of those he didn't know very well. His hand looked gargantuan compared to hers, with fine black fur and gleaming canine nails that looked like polished marble. In less than a day he had gone from being one of the slimmest members of his clan to a giant among men.

"This will require no effort on your behalf. Maintain a physical connection until I finish."

Ar'oa was a member of a clan talented in emotional healing, and while his gift of physical healing had certainly been an indispensable tool for living in such hostile lands, he saw it as the cruder art of the two. Physical healing could only alleviate pain and wounds in their most simple and primal forms. Emotional healing could lift burdens, erase grudges, spring forth joy and happiness. It could fill oneself with a calm that could turn the hearts of beasts into men. If physical healers were medics that mended things together, then the emotional thaumaturges of his clan were masters of unspooling the fabrics of the soul, threading and weaving to create something whole. He healed the effect, they healed the cause. He pruned the weeds, they uprooted them entirely.

Gazing upon the pained and tear-stained face of the girl filled him with an inner grief at the futility of his actions. He could never make her forget the things that the woman she had mentioned, her own mother, had inflicted upon her. He could only make the light bruises from collapsing disappear. And so he did, once again confining the theatrics of his heart to the inside.

"I am sorry that you have suffered. I have healed what I can."

He stood up, unsatisfied at his limitations.

Interacting With: (@Landaus Five-One) Stephanie, (@HokumPocus) Ar´oa

Still crouched down next to Stephanie, Asri glanced up to the Anubis and offered a gentle nod of her head in thanks, though her attention returned back to the girl. "Rita..." she replied softly before letting out a slow breath. "So you're their daughter - I can see why you have such a negative reaction to them." Again, the ranger seemed to keep her calmness, patting the girl on the shoulder as the healing completed its work and standing up.

"I've had the unfortunate chance to encounter her once - what she was doing in Roughann is beyond me.. to say her and Derrick can be dangerous foes is a fair statement.." For the first time, Asri even hinted at her combat prowess, though she said no more as she gave the girl an empathic smile. "It must've been difficult - I'm sorry."

---

Stephanie had a smile of kindness on her face, even though her tears were still flowing like a river. As the Anubis approached her, which made her fill up with a bit of kindness. When he grabbed her hand, which much larger than hers. She had a confused look on her face, which what he said mostly confused her. The one thing that did help was his assurance of it’ll require no effort on her part. ”O-Oh okay. I will be a good patient I suppose.” Stephanie spoke with a nervous tone in her voice. However, it was sincere mostly because her confusion definitely helped in that.

She looked over to Asri when she heard her mother’s name from her lips. The additionally, with what Asri said made her to nod in tears. She felt her concussion, which was being healed by Ar’oa was no more and being lifted up by Asri and patting her shoulder. ”I-I thank you Ar’oa for healing the concussion. You did more for me than my parents h-have ever done. Asri, thank you for being here. T-The only person that cared for me in my hometown was the Mayor Sarah.” Stephanie said, which had a regretful tone in her voice. It was mostly because of that terrible nightmare, which she had. The tears started to come down again because of that.

Stephanie couldn’t believe what she had heard from Asri, which took her a double take just to get all in. Her parents went to Roughann, which was highly far away from Gondrevil for gods knows what and that Asri fought them. ”M-My father D-Derrick probably knew why they were there. H-He’s called Icebrand and they forced me to l-learn their weapons. Did you k-kick there ass, which they so kindly deserve?” Stephanie asked, with curiosity and tears going down her cheeks. The smile from Asri gave her a smile on her face and tried to calm down a bit. She nods at what Asri said last. ”Y-Yes, it was...” Stephanie said. She gently smiled at Asri and Ar’oa. In her bones, which was she never really liked the Firebrand Rapier and the Icebrand Shortsword but having a weapon is better than not. The mayor taught her that much at least.

---

The Veidish, its mangled mass of branches, trunks and roots shifted its gaze from the angel to the squishy. It smelled different. It wasn't blue or red. It was yellow-ish, with brands of purple. Something shifty, mysterious, like holes needing to be filled.

Filled...

WITH APPLES!

The creature shoke its head, its leaves shaking and flowers distending from itself. No, he wasn't welcoming it to his home, it was just saying hi. How do the weak and soft squishies say hi? Wait, no it just looked like one of them. Awful lot of blood. Even when flat, not so much. Maybe this squishy isn't squishy.

Its curiousity pressed its flat wood face against Vilias. It was an odd display suddenly pressing a flat piece of wood with dozens of glowing green eyes on someone but how else was the Nidhogan to look under his skin. It'd have to get very very close. A single action such as pushing it away or backing up would make the creature reset its mannerisms.

Green Magic was something else it was familiar with, and the man seemed to know what it was. Green Magic wasn't difficult, not for it, if anything the Green permeated its form, made it do things that just wouldn't be possible. Its arm swung out and a little light blossomed from under a mass of roots and leaves, and a small tree began to grow before he placed it down. It kept growing, glowing, but then stopped, the magic of the sancutary interfering with the Nidhogan's own. It looked at its creation with puzzlement for a moment before it turned its head, first to Thorin, then Suriel, then Vilias.

Then it got up and walked a few feet before turning to look if it would follow them. It was heading into the keep, towards the back gates. It wanted inside, it wanted all of them inside with it.

@GrizzTheMauler@ShwiggityShwah

Thorin did not budge a single step from his position no matter what movement Nidhogan made, simply looking up at the creature. The Amali shared a close relationship with nature however he was unsure if he was ready for the affection to be returned. He never would understand why the maiden of the sacred grove would ever create beings like this. Apple after apple bounced off the metal carapace of the construct like it was nothing more than a normal rain. He and the others were not created to handle situation like this. The best he could was to utilize the master's teachings. If anyone could properly understand the Veidish being before him, it would be the master. He did reason however that the cascade of apples was the creature's way of greeting or a gift to show its good nature.

"I thank you for the gift. However, please do not do it inside the castle." He kept his tone relaxed.

A mental sigh was released as Thorin complied with Nidhogan's wishes and walked over to Suriel's position along with the other guest. It appeared to be capable of at least rudimentary speech although with the maturity of a young child. The Anserian sentinel seemed to be just about finished with her work, the wounds of the dragon were barely noticeable at this point. The Veidish seemed to be extremely interested it her magic, which was understandable since it was the similar magic of life that flowed within Nidhogan. Thorin decided to turn his attention to Suriel for the moment.

"How is the young dragonling?" It asked with light sarcasm.

Suriel made let out a slightly annoyed sigh, and she would have rolled her eyes if she had them "Alive, of course. He should be waking up at any moment." Her response was quick and a bit harsh.

What was unexpected was the transformation into a human form that left the dragon's new body looking particular exposed. Suriel did feel a bit of pride being called an angel, however the mention of Dromon brought her focus back on Vilkas. Gramps? That would be in severe violation of the accords. No, if this was even the Dromon she was thinking of then he would never do such a thing. But if this child was a pupil of his, then... she was ripped out of her thoughts by Vilkas standing up. Suriel stood up herself and watched him to make sure there were no lingering effects of his wounds. She turned to face him while Thorin waked up to the back gate. The scars and markings on his body gave more credence to the possibility he was Dromon's student. All doubt was removed as Vilkas dropped Dromon's full title.

"You are a funny one, but you are welcome Vilkas." She began by accepting his thanks, nearly laughing at his naive notion "The Old Way? So that is his plan. I see." She thought out loud "That is correct, child. What you seek is here...along with a fresh wardrobe."

Thorin watched as the three interacted before observing Nidhogan making its way towards the door with a strange, expectant demeanor. Like a child, it did not have the slightest idea of the sanctity nor power of this place. And like a child, it would need to be instructed in proper behavior. All in good time. A resource that was very abundant here. He gestured for Suriel and Vilaks to come along and follow in the Veidish's large footsteps.

"It is time to enter the Sanctuary and join the others." He voiced strongly.

The wolfish construct approached the door and laid his hand upon the center where a noticeable exchange of energy was conducted. After removing his hand, the sound of several mechanisms moving preceded the actual opening of the large, single door. This entrance also lead into the central chamber, where they would regroup with Bradamante and the rest.

"Be sure to follow me and do not wander off. Without the master's blessing, you will find this place to be quite difficult to traverse." He gave this as both a warning and a piece of wisdom.

Thorin entered first and if Nidhogan had tried to rush in without him, he would had paralyzed him with magic before would get one branch in. A brief inconvenience at most. Suriel on the other hand would be the last one to enter. If one would take notice, none of the constructs made that much noise with their movements as one might expected of a person wearing full-plate armor. After a short walk into the interior of the castle and the central chamber, the four would join with those already standing in the center of the room.

---

@HokumPocus@Landaus Five-One@Lyla@Rune_Alchemist@GrizzTheMauler@ShwiggityShwah

Bradamante gaze shot directly at Tania after she cast the spell and ultimately caused the young Stephanie to faint at the sight of the illusionary snake. One fact that Tania knew after staying here was that no spell cast escaped the senses of the Sanctuary's elite guard. His gaze returned quickly to the group as they reacted to Stephanie. It was always fascinating to him to observe the actions of others when another is in need. One of the directives that drove him and the other sentinels was a code of minimal interference. They were supposed to refrain from using their magic and powers from assisting guests when at all possible. Everything that he observed pleased him. The compassion they had all expressed was very admirable. It would make their time at the Sanctuary all the more easier. However, not all who came to the Sanctuary were as open-minded as these three. From behind, he felt the presence of four others enter the Sanctuary and turned around to meet them. It seemed that Thorin and Suriel had managed to secure the missing guests.

"It appears the rest have arrived. Excellent. The master shall be here at any moment."



No long after he said this, a figure began to descend from the top of the large staircase. He was dressed in a black vest with a intricate pattern resembling vines just a shade lighter, with a white dress shirt underneath. Masterfully-crafted black leather gloves covered the entirety of his hands and were pulled over the sleeves of his dress shirt. A pair of high-quality, black pants covered his legs and a pair of black leather shoes were worn on his feet. The incredibly quality and craftsmanship was not nearly as the mask that covered the entirety of his face. One side was black while the other was white. Each side had an eye of opposite color that seemed to expand and contract to reflect the wearer's emotions. For anyone that could sense magical energy, he gave off an aura no more than a regular human. The master finished walking down the stairs and made his way over to the new group of guests and stood right next to Bradamante.

Every step he took was with a subtle elegance as there was no wasted energy. His back did not slouch for even a split-second nor did his muscles tense. Physically speaking, he was not that imposing or impressive for a human. Rez only stood at an average five foot eleven inches and while his body was clearly fit, its muscles were barely expressed. The only true remarkable feature that the group could see was the thick, well-groomed silver hair on his head. Even so, every movement he made seemed to carry with it a power of its own. The deep feeling that with a simple flick of his wrist could send any one of them into oblivion. His gaze drifted from the right to left, seemingly taking in each of the people he saw before him. Nidhogan would not see any yellow, red, blue, or green from this person. Only white. Rez placed his hands behind his back as he adopted a slightly wide stance, preparing to speak to the new children of his home.

"This is a rather large and diverse group I see." The eyes formed into crescents, with the two points of each crescent facing downwards "I am the master of this castle, that you may call the Sanctuary. I am pleased that after your long journey you can now find safety..." His attention shifted quickly to Stephanie, Vilkas, and Nidhogan "...and the answers that you seek." This time his attention turned towards Asri and Ar'oa, then looked at the group as a whole "You may call Mister R, Master R, or just R if you so choose."

Now this was the most interesting development in the Sanctuary for very long time. A group as large as this was rare on its own but never had he seen such a wide cast of individuals. The magic located in the necklace belonging to the human girl was clear to his eyes and its very presence irritated him. The invasion of one's personal thought was an extreme injustice, and to project such privacy to the world was unforgivable. It was clear to him just by examining her expressions that this was not the only torture she had gone through. No matter how much you try to hide it, that kind of life leaves behind permanent signs. This he knew.

Next was an Anubis of unusual size. His presence would surely cause Ve'tal to be ecstatic with a member of her kin in the Sanctuary once more. Rez could feel the mark of a powerful curse upon the young cub, one that was surprisingly strong. It was only sensible to assume that he had come here seeking to free himself of its influence. Rez could remove the curse in mere minutes yet that would not be nearly as beneficial if the Anubis managed to purge himself of the curse. The act of doing so would open more possibilities for the Anubis. Reading their expressions still proved to be a bit of a chore for him.

The presence he felt from the half-breed woman was the first time in centuries that he felt an genuine sense of unease. She did not need to speak or even make a gesture for Rez to understand the message she brought with her. There was only one other time he had felt such a presence. Already she appeared to be an accomplished warrior which would make the next months that much easier. As it turned out, she was not the only that had him reminiscing about the past. Rez could see right through Vilkas's human disguise and the mark that Divine Dragon Dromon has placed upon him. If his old friend was indeed training a disciple, then it appeared that time was coming. This place was the only one left in this world that could accomplish both of the goals held by Asri and Vilkas.

Upon seeing Nidhogan, Rez felt a feeling similar to a person seeing a treasured pet that they had not seen in a long time. It was not often one had the chance to see a new race emerge from the earth and grow. Green magic, or the Magic of Life as he knew it, was beautifully woven into the very essence of the one known as Nidhogan before him. The birth of the Veidish bent the very rules of the accords by which he was bound to, yet it so masterfully avoided breaking them. A spark of hope from the slight sorrow he felt from Asri and Vilkas.

"I would be grateful if you would all give me your name before we begin." He asked pleasantly.

Interacting With: (@Landaus Five-One) Stephanie, (@Ithradine) Master R

Asri chuckled at the young girl and gently pulled her up. "Let's just say they both left wanting.. I did not let them have what they sought.." She winked at the girl, giving her a comforting smile. The ranger was not much one to brag or even really show her level of skill unless needed, but this was one of those times indeed, as the daughter of those two needed to hear that her parents were put in their place.

However the scene was interrupted as the addition of the new guests came into view - a tree-being, which only made Asri smile softly, sensing the green magic flowing through it. She has seen their kind before within the scared grove in the north and had come to know them - much like children, but even some of them had grown wise like the druids that protected the wilds. The other being was a human, though there was likely more than met the eye. In fact, she had only personally felt this sort of presence twice, causing her eyebrow to raise slightly. He was so young though.

Asri's thoughts were suddenly torn as she looked up, watching the being known as the Master walking down the steps. Her whole being perked at the sense of energy she found in him. For the first time, she actually looked surprised, her eyes widening slightly in reaction. While Vilkas' presence was certainly not expected, this - this sense of aura - she had felt but once in her life. After a few moments of acceptance, she finally relaxed, letting out a calming sigh. "You may call me Asri.." she replied to the Master with a slight bow of her head, seemingly out of respect. At this point, the ranger lord did not speak any further, letting the others introduce themselves as they wished.

---

Stephanie smiled kindly when she heard Asri chuckle, which reinforced that one thing she wanted to hear. She couldn’t help give off a slight sigh of relief hearing that. ”T-That’s good… Asri I wanted to hear them being beaten for so long...” Stephanie responded to Asri. Her feelings were definitely a bit more happier with the smile that Asri gave her. The slight feeling of happiness happened to be about but she remembered her parents are still alive and went back to being depressed.

She saw the two new guests come into the room, which gave her a smile on her face. The sight of a tree-being made her remember, which what her parents said about the Vedish. However, all it did for her was smile at the tree-being because of the fact she wanted to not be her parents. She was oddly relaxed by the green magic, which flowed throughout the tree-being or Vedish. Then she eyed Vilkas and just waved at him not really understanding the feeling, which was flowing from him. However, this made her remember a time in Sarah’s mansion, which she was taught of the legend of the Holy Dragon Dromon. The funny thing about what Sarah said, which was never to piss off Dromon. ”T-That legend that Sarah told me was terrifying.” Stephanie thought to herself. The necklace glows in a dim color of greenish blue, which had the odd effect of sharing her inner thoughts as outer thoughts.

Stephanie had shock in her eyes when she saw the Master, which were walking down the steps. The shock was mostly from the fact, which was he was a human that had elegance and was definitely taller than her. She felt much safer here than she had ever done in Gondrevil, just by seeing the master of the Sanctuary. His voice showed an air of kindness and happiness, which she could feel better now than constantly having nightmares about things. She was a bit confusion, which was basically what they should call him but the last one felt easier to remember for her. When Asri greeted herself to R, which caused her to speak to him. ”M-My name is Stephanie Viola Delia-Mira. I thank you for allowing me to stay here R from the horribleness, which are my parents.” Stephanie said, with sadness in her tone of her voice at the very end of what she said. She couldn’t help but cry at all the horrible things her parents wanted to do to her or at least in her nightmares that is. After saying what she said, which caused her to put her hands on her face and started to cry uncontrollably since this latest nightmare is definitely still on her mind.

---

There seemed to be no shortage of fantastical sights around The Sanctuary, but Ar'oa struggled to think for a moment at the sight of an enormous tree creature being welcomed.

The closest Ar'oa had gone to seeing trees in the Wasteland outside of illusions were pale and hardy flora that were as determined to cling to life as his people were, and so the sight of just one tree would have been enough to leave him speechless. There was more than one however, and the beautiful forests around The Sanctuary had left an impression on him that he would most likely remember for the rest of his life. But... that wasn't the end of it. In front of him, also welcomed to stay at The Sanctuary, was a creature made entirely of trees and life. It transcended being described as something from a storybook and reached the status of legendary in his eyes. Its verdant and sprawling presence was something that required no artifacts to fully appreciate, and Ar'oa was at a total loss for words on how to perceive such a moving miracle. Every movement that it made would have no doubt sprouted dozens of caravan tales and songs devoted to it as a symbol of life and bloom. He had to focus on the task at hand, however, and resumed paying attention to the strange man's instructions.

Ar'oa felt unnerved by the man already knowing his goal for seeking this shelter out. It was unsurprising though, as The Sanctuary's existence had been made known to him by various rumors over its capabilities. The anubis blood within him felt dishonored at his secret having been alluded to so publicly, and in the Wasteland he would have doubtlessly taken the man's words as an act of hostility. But no one had reacted negatively towards him and Ar'oa's sense of calm had restored at the realization that none of these other races held the same conventions his did.

"You will call me Ar'oa." he stated. However, may you already know that as well, perhaps? he thought. He could be coy when he wanted to, but now wasn't the right time.

Tania was completely unfazed by Bradamante's gaze. The mischievous fey simply giggled and waved at the sentinel, giving him a wide grin as the new arrivals continued their interactions. So many new people. So many new stories to collect. Surely these new arrivals had some to tell themselves. Even a Viedish! A rare sight - reminded her of the trees of her home. Maybe she'd go say hi, heh. She had seen maybe...one before? Live a hundred years and sometimes your memory gets a little fuzzy, heh.

The ever so fashionably late Mister R soon walked into the entry hall, descending down from the staircase. Slow, graceful steps led him down to the floor with the others. Boring. Tania yawned, idly swinging her legs over the ledge of the paintings frame. Ah, he could at least make a little more bombastic entrance. Maybe a little flair? A bit of music? An accompanying trumpet. He really should learn how too or people are gonna think he's just a pushover. If it was her, she'd have an entire illusory band with her, hahah!

Silently continuing to watch, she made a quick mental note of their names. Stephanie, Ar'oa, and Asri. Good to know, heh. Hmm, now what to do, what to do. She should liven this party up a bit or it was going to be an entirely drab, boring, uneventful affair. She could mess with R, but that would be a terrible idea on all accounts. She already played with one of the new girls a bit, so she needed a new target. Hrm. Hmmm.

"Torann."

A simple wave of her head, and the spell was cast. A simple thing, made specifically for auditory illusions. Every time R would attempt to speak from here on out, Tania would play a random sound ranging from a bird call to random nonsense being spoken.

It was never said anywhere Tania was a masterful maker of good decisions.

"I have many names. Give me more."

---

No apple rains. Got it. The Nidhogan seemed receptive to the rules.

When Thorin suggested to remain close, the Nidhogan grew a vine that wrapped loosely around the armored knight, though the other vines offered to coil around Suriel and Vilikas. It was hard to read, but again, it was receptive the rules. They were supposed to stay close, so lets... hold hands?

"Hhhhhhhoooooommm." like trees cracking and branches falling, the creature bellowed its entrance into the Sanctuary. It popped off little flower petals and buds in its exuberance. It was a twelve foot tall dog that showed delight by growing things off its body. It reared up with the greeting of everyone in the grand chamber, a hall of so so so many voices. It bellowed that throaty song again, echoing it for all. The Green magic seemed to glow through its bark form, like lights of wisps that lived just underneath its bark.

It saw so many squishies! One was small, so small, one was blue, but young. Squishies called them girls, then there was a larger girl. She looked like a fighter with her metal weapon. One even looked like a four legged beast said enough of this, Ill walk on two thank you. but they all greeted him with some combination of yellow, and orange of alarm and the sooth of green. It made the Nidhogan's mask grow willow like blossom flowers. It nearly ran to them, dwarfing them to bask in their wonderful glows. It scampered its trunk like feet, its limbs budding into colored fruits. Hhhhh-heh-Hhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiii. It was a throated echo of words, like something trying to speak at the bottom of a well, the sound came with the snapping of dozens of sticks.

This changed when he saw the master. The flower petals, the moss, it all flowed back into his form, making the wood nearly white as birch. Indeed, the monster was just a display, getting its feelings out not with words but by actions and visual displays. The Nidhogan stepped back from the Master, shrinking down. It was a voice... it was a voice. Only the voices were white. Only they could be white or black. It had never seen them before on anything else. It seemed... frightened by the master. It moved forward suddenly, almost threateningly when he began to spoke, the Nidhoggan got half way to get infront of Stephanie, Ar'oa, and Asri, as if to protect them from such a frightening being. But when the mask directed its gaze at it, it shirked back into subservience. It almost whimpered before the Master.

It asked them for names... and this the Nidhogan was confused, the notion was foreign to it in some off ways. Stephanie, Ar'oa, Asri, Tania. Yes, yes its what the Squishies liked to be called. So they can tell eachother apart. It made sense in that way. But what was it's name? it had so many. It opened its maw and realized it wasn't going to work. They didn't understand the colors like it did. Whenever it tried, the squishies would flee, or fight. No, it needed another way. To be like them to speak like them.

Devoid of green or life upon it, even the eyes seemed to dull. The Nidhogan seemed to be completely motionless, finally looking something akin to the unmoving trees, or some profane monsterous sculpture of what the monster was behind. Out between the branches of its head however, came a single flower bulb of deep pink. It unfurled and bloomed like a flower in spring, and amongst the petals, seemingly made from them, a creature peaked out no bigger than a fairy, holding a petal to protect, to hide itself.

A little mouth, a little voice. It hadn't the time to blossom a full figure so this would have to do. "This one has many names." It was a girls voice, speaking in a whisper that was still heard throughout the vast hall. "The first given was The Nidhogan, then the Root that Marched Against the Flame, then The Monster of the Downs, The Thing in the Woods, The Bone Eater, Thorn Titan, The Scourge of Transalore, Abomination, Wrym at the Roots of the World Tree, Grandfather Oak, Guardian of the Grove, Mother of the Veidish, Veidish King, the Stomper. It, I, do not know what these are. What they mean. Why they are names. It has no name for myself. Everything is given by the voices. It gives itself nothing." It paused, looking to the others for a moment, then back at Master R, but it could not look at him for long. "It- I- this one- will watch over you. It answers the voices, no matter the color. You welcomed it. It was not welcomed before. Give it another name if you wish." The little fairy tightened her grip on the petals averting its gaze. "Something yellow, something green, if it please you." Such a small thing looked so sad, so scared.

---

Vilkas watched the Bosnian with a bemused expression. He knew the race was a bit strange, having seen the one Brand found nearly half dead. The apples it shed smelled rather pleasant to him and he waited for it to finish. "Well hello to you too. I see that you're happy to see me." Looking to Suriel he nodded. " that would b be appreciated." He took in the opportunity to take in his surroundings. It was a beautiful bastion. The architecture reminded him of a fortress Matriarch Jera created back home. Though hers was more metal and less stone since she created it with her magic. He noted that the others are moving so he follows.

Entering just before Suriel he feels the change from outside stone work to interior flooring with his bare feet. With a bit of mental effort his shifted his feet to reflect his scaly hide and boost his resistance to cold stone floors. He looked at the others, seeing a very strange group indeed. He'd oft heard From in talking about how the world was undergoing a shift. Something he mentioned that led to him to tell Vilkas he was a Harbinger of Change. Seeing this group he knew Fate was pushing him along. While usually subtle, Fate will sometimes push those it deems necessary.

As the Master entered, he could feel it. It was a similar feeling to how Dromon took up space, only softer. Even without being able to see magic, as he was still developing that, he could tell he was just as powerful as his teacher. He instantly wondered who was the older of the two, for the Master was definitely not Human if head be at one point. The mask to him, looked both very interesting and made him wonder what he looked like underneath.

"I am Vilkas, Uh." He looks around. " Dromon sends his regards and wishes the Sanctuary well."

---

Stephanie watched what was going on and it made her giggle somewhat, when the Vedish tried to protect them from someone that isn’t hostile. However, what made her eyes go wide was what came out of Vedish itself, which was a fairy made completely out of pedals. She was awed at what it was, it was so cute, which until it spoke it very cute. ”Aww… that is very cute tree-being fairy.” Stephanie thought to herself. The necklace glows in a dim color of greenish blue, which had the odd effect of sharing her inner thoughts as outer thoughts. She couldn’t help but smile and somewhat cheer up from what the Nidhogan was doing. She wiped off her tears and tried to be a bit more happier.

The instance, which made her shiver a bit when the man introduced himself specifically with what he said afterwards. It made her eyes open up a bit shocked, she couldn’t help but feel like she shouldn’t get on Vilkas’ bad side since he knows the Holy Dragon Dromon. ”Hi V-Vilkas.” Stephanie said, with a scared look in her eye but her smile is still plainly on her face. She was a bit nervous but at least. ”Also, you are cute Nidhogan in that tree-being fairy form.” Stephanie said, in awe of the form. Her tone of voice was a bit happier and calmed down enough to stop crying at least.

Stephanie had a happier on look on things mostly because of the fact, all these people are cheering her up. Mostly the Vedish, since she was sad for too long and needs to stop crying constantly. However, deep down within her mind, which she can’t release from her mind was when her mother came close to her to grab her rapier and try to cut her down. If it wasn’t for that Satelle Paladin order member there, she would be cutdown by her own mother. She was definitely grateful for that even though it’ll take her a bit to feel comfortable in the Sanctuary. ”I don’t need to wonder what my mother is doing… my parents took over my hometown by force probably. They are searching for m-me...” Stephanie thought to herself, with a determined look of not leaving the sanctuary for a bit. The necklace glows in a dim color of greenish blue, which had the odd effect of sharing her inner thoughts as outer thoughts. She was looking up to the ceiling of the Sanctuary and sighed a bit. She looked back to R with a look of wanting to see the facilities with a gentle smile on her face.

R listened intently as the group began to offer their names to him, placing them in the great expanse that was his memory. The first to give their name was the champion identified as Asri and that was all she had to say at the time. He preferred it that way since there was a conversation that they needed to have. After her was the human girl called Stephanie Viola Delia-Mira, a traumatized individual if he had ever seen one. Here she would not have to worry about watching her back. Next was the Anubis who announced himself as Ar'oa with the steel composure characteristic of his race. If R did not have hundreds of years to practice he doubt he read him like he could.

"Asri it shall be then. It suits you." He gave a nod in return.

"Do not cry for the past young Stephanie and instead smile for the future you have." R was firm but kind, a understanding and sympathy extending through his words.

"I will indeed. One I hope to speak often." If his mask was not present, he would have offered a smile.

As the rest continued, he noticed a particularly mischievous aand familiar energy source above them. It didn't surprise him that Tania was present for their new arrivals as he doubt she could miss a chance to mess with someone who was not aware she prowled the halls. However, it seemed she once again tried to pull one of her infamous pranks on him. No matter how many times he countered him she remained determined to make him one of her many victims. That kind of drive in the face of the impossible was something he could admire. R effortlessly deflected the spell and its effect without moving a single muscle and sent a spell of his own in return. It was a subtle spell that was near-undetectable. Slowly but surely her vision would begin to rotate degree by degree with the end goal being her vision completely flipped upside down like a carnival mirror. By the time introductions were finished, if he timed this properly, the disorientation should be having a strong effect on her. The vertigo alone would be enough to cause Tania to be quite nauseous he imagined.

Moving on, R was faced with the first Veidish he had ever seen in the Sanctuary and he was undeniably excited to see the results of her work. His fascination, which was hidden by the mask, was enormous as he watched it move and speak. It seemed to be wary of him which only peaked his curiosity more as this was his first time meeting one as aged as Nidghogan in person. Like a molting insect, the tree being appeared to shed its large shell for a far slimmer form that seemed capable of producing proper speech patterns. Pride swelled deep within him at the sight like a happy grandfather. However, something R was doing seemed to bother the creature greatly. Carefully he thought, bringing his arms from behind his back and gripping the bottom of his mask with his right hand. An epiphany dawned on him and suddenly the white color he gave off was briefly replaced by an vivid, sharp green for a brief second before succumbing to the white once more. A token of his good intentions.

"Do not fret. You not seem to be a being deserving of a red name." R paused for a moment as his mind was filled with possibilities. "From henceforth, You hold the name of Mirithal(Mere-eh-thaw). A name holds a special kind of power and I hope that this one serves you well."

The last person to introduce was no less interesting than the previous especially with the greetings he brought and with it the eyes on the mask returned to their original shape. R knew that Dromon would never break the accords so he could only help but wonder what the young Dragon had been taught. As long as Dromon lives, the island where the Dragons live is the safest place next to the Sanctuary. Asri and Vilkas. Two omens of times to come. R also observed that once again he could hear the young human speak without so much as moving her lips. What a troublesome thing. Speaking of which...the spell he placed on Tania should be starting to really affect her right about now.

"That is good to hear. It has been some time since we have last spoken." His calm voice hiding a devilish intent.

"Now that I have your names, we can begin a tour of the Sanctuary starting with the mess hall. But before we begin, I would like you all to meet one of the Sanctuary's finest residents." A slight sarcasm in his voice.

R held out the palm of his left and began to trace a pattern on it with his right while uttering words that were unable to be heard. Immediately, a bright light engulfed Tania alerting any who were looking that way to her hiding spot before the same light appeared in R's left palm. The intense light faded away to reveal Tania in his hand, her vision having been shifted by a whole 90 degrees at this point likely rendering any attempts at proper flying impossible. Every time Tania tried something like this he always had a new trick to try on her. This one was an old favorite of his, as it was harmless and the results were always rewarding

"Why don't you say 'hello'?" A smirk curled at his lips under the mask as he looked down at the Aetheri, before turning his attention back to the rest "She has been rather eager to meet you all."

@Landaus Five-One@GrizzTheMauler@ShwiggityShwah@Rune_Alchemist@HokumPocus@Lyla

Interacting With: (@Ithradine) Master R, (@Landaus Five-One) Stephanie, (@ShwiggityShwah) Mirithal, (@GrizzTheMauler) Vilkas

After a simple nod to the Master, Asri looked first to Vilkas, taken back a little by his greeting. 'Dromon? The Divine Dragon? My goodness - and to think I was the only one tasked by such powers.' Though she did not say anything, having a feeling the young dragon wasn't completely aware of his task here, still she offered him a friendly smile none-the-less. However her attention was snatched away from the Veidish jumping in front of her only to back off meekly in reaction to 'R', causing her to smile gently.

It seemed the creature was able to sense him as well as Asri, though it must've been something it hadn't encountered before, causing panic. She didn't interfere though as the Veidish produced a small fairy in order to speak. Just as she was about to think something, Steph's thoughts echoed out the same thing, causing Asri to scowl slightly as she noticed her lips not moving. She turned and flashed a soothing expression to the green creature - Asri excluding a strong, calming green tinted with flickers of white herself. 'Mirithal is fitting.'

As 'R' started to introduce the fairy - no doubt the one who created the snake - she only smirked slightly. It seemed this god-being had a sense of humor. She appreciated that. So far she had not gotten the chance to rest or have much fun, but there was much to be done. Still, as everyone's attention was more or less on the Aetheri, Asri leaned down to tap Stephanie's shoulder and moved to whisper in her ear. "I think it may be best you remove anything magical.. something is causing us to hear your inner thoughts, young one.. I'm sure you'd prefer your privacy, yes?" Asri stood back up slowly and just gave a very polite smile as she let the young woman process the information.

---

Stephanie heard the words from R, which soothed her soul a bit more since it was a dream come true to find somewhere she can relax. She smiled directly at R for what he had said. ”I will smile for the future instead of what I have been doing, R.” Stephanie said with a happy smile. She relaxed as if she was truly safe and never had to feel like she would have to keep an eye out for her parents. In her being, her emotions were swelling with a bit of happiness and calmness, which couldn’t cover up the sadness within her. There was many things she can’t wait to see about the Sanctuary since R will be their tour guide of it.

She couldn’t help but smile at the name, which R gave the tree-being that is Mirithal. The name itself was pretty easy to grasp since it felt like he spoke it slowly enough for everyone to hear it. ”That is a very suiting name for you, Mirithal.” Stephanie spoke to the tree-being fairy. Her entire emotional state was showing as a green state since the serenity of hearing that name was definitely good for her to hear. Her voice was a bit lower since she was addressing someone else.

Stephanie was looking at R for a bit until a ball of light appeared in his left hand, which shocked her was seeing an Aetheri in his hand. Her parents talked about a mischievous Aetheri but it didn’t really hit her about whom they were talking about. However, in her parents tone they didn’t really like her specifically and it was a female mischievous Aetheri. She sighed a bit and felt like she was pranked by that specific Aetheri, which is now in R’s hand. ”Hello… What’s your name?” Stephanie asked, towards the Aetheri in question. She had an annoyed look on her face but it was mostly at herself and not at the Aetheri in R’s hand. In the moment, which made her face palm at the fact she didn’t really pay attention to her parents term of ’mischievous’ that well.

Stephanie felt Asri tap her shoulder and heard what she had said. The look in her face was going through the motions of trying to figure out what Asri meant. She looked directly up to Asri, with a look of a bit of confusion. However, it took all the reactions of every single person she would speak to then tried to go into her thoughts. Her eyes went really wide about specifically whom gave it to her, which was her mother’s gift to her. She was shaken really badly about this realization and she couldn’t feel anything but absolute anger at her mother specifically for doing this to her. ”My own bitch of a mother invaded my privacy with an act of kindness… Thank you, Asri. You are the first one to tell me out of every single person in my hometown that people are hearing my inner thoughts.” Stephanie said, with a bit of anger in her voice mostly at her mother. However, the tone turned back to a normal calm tone towards Asri for telling her the truth.

She moved her hands and took off the necklace in question but held it in her hands. The necklace started to glow in an unnatural color but the magical engineered enchantment surrounding it turned off. It stayed glowing in this color as long as it was off of her neck. The entirety of her being was extremely angry at her mother for creating this awful necklace. She had always wondered why her mother was laughing at her during the forced training of learning the Firebrand Rapier. ”My family is the worst… I hope Sarah is alright.” Stephanie thought to herself with the realization of the fact her mother Rita was outright a bitch. All the necklace did was glow its strange unknown glow while in her hands but it had a slight tinge of multiple different colors it was glowing. Only the most perspective of the magical users could see this in question. She doesn’t know what was going on with the necklace in question.

"...eh?"

Suddenly, Tania's world began to spin. Literally. She could already tell the moment her vision started getting skewed. One who was good with illusions, also had to be able to tell when they were being affected by one on some level. Didn't mean she could do anything about it though. As the introductions continued, Tania stood - or attempted too, only to stumble lightly as she placed a hand on the wall to stabilize herself. If she couldn't rely on her eyes, then she'd just have to rely on her other senses. Closing her eyes, Tania stood without so much seemingly affected by the spell. Granted, she couldn't see anything but at least she wasn't stumbling around like a drunken butterfly.

"Hahaha, It'll take more than a little visual trick to beat me, you fool! I've learned much more sense our last encounter, haha!" She laughed confidently, placing her hands on her hips and brightly grinning, only for her enthusiasm to be cut incredibly short. "...eh?" Light suddenly engulfed her own vision, as she felt herself be pulled, tugged somewhere else. A teleport spell...? No. No, he wouldn't...!

"...Ah." Tania could guess what happened. He had teleported her from her hiding spot, to somewhere near the gathered group of newcomers. Argh! She hadn't wanted to introduce herself this early! No! Now she couldn't fuck with them! She wasn't going to totally play a game of tag, lead them on a wild choose chase or challenge them to a game of cards only to swindle their money from them! Aaargh, she wasn't even going to introduce herself as an Aetheri to start with.

Ah, so many fun plans ruined. Okay okay she could still salvage this. Play it cool, Tania.

"Huhu, well, it seems the esteemed and plain master R has foiled the great me's plans." Tania opened her eyes, momentarily forgetting about the effects of that spell as she stood. "Allow me to introduce myself - I am Tania and-wah!" She attempted to make a step, but only ended up stumbling over her own feet and taking a tumble that sent nearly tumbling over the edge of R's hand. "-Ahem. Tania. Aetheri entertainer, at your service!" Her head and vision was still swimming, but she had appearances to keep up so she tried moving as little as possible, despite the nausea. "Hey hey, mind cutting out the spell already? I got it, I'll be a good little fey. You know, unless you want me to throw up that apple I ate all over your hand."

That was most certainly a lie.

---

Stephanie approached the statue of gnarled wood to speak to the tiny creature. The Nidhogan fairy look at her with almond eyes, averting its gaze, it seemed not to really give off any facial expression, but like R, it was fearful of Stephanie, but did not withdraw, only using the branches of the Nihogans' mask to obscure its form. Stephanie spoke of cute. The whispering voice responded. "Squishies attack small things less often. Though... I wonder-"

R spoke again. The fairy gripped the leaves as he approached. This time she did look back. It was a world of bright white, whiter than starlight, the towers by the sea. It twisted back, allowing the soft verdancy go. The color of empathy, the color of calm, wellness, consideration. The color of life. The Master emanated the life that reflected back upon it. The fairy puzzled this but its released the leaves, walking forward to stand upon the head of its husks, flowers and moss growing where it stood upon the bark of its skin.

"Mir-eh-thal. Mirithal. My name is Mirithal. It is a green name." Nothing but a whisper and way the petals and life seemed to spread back into the body of the monster that she sprung from gave any indication of any kind of pleasantness. Strangely however, the area around the Nidhog- around Mirithal would take a sweet scent of citrus and water lilies. "This one thanks you. Thanks all of the soft barks. This one hopes for friendship. Have nothing outside of the groves. Can offer their splendor. I can spread the Green to this place if it brings the yellow."

The fairy looked at Stephanie, then Asri, each of them offering their own bit of welcome. With each, the petals of the fairy and her wings seemed to flutter. She shoke a little bit, visible golden pollen spilling forth from it. "Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked them, looking to each in kind.

Stephanie interrupted the question, her colors flaming with red and splashing with purples and blues. The fairy tilted her head when Asri commented. "Maybe Stephanie is infested with parasites? The pain brings out the red. She does not hide her colors. This one likes that." It was like when it heard the voices. Coming at random. There were too many right here to listen to any beyond.

The appearance of Tania, one her size, atleast of the form she could make made Mirithal look at herself and then to Tania, comparing features. She almost wasn't paying attention to what the Aetheri was saying. "She brims with yellow. This is a happy place." Could this be what it was looking for.

It was a relief to R when Stephanie appeared to take his words to heart and smiled beautifully. There was hardly anything more precious than a honest smile from someone who has suffered greatly. To find the strength to deal with such suffering was one thing, but to become heal and move past it was something even more difficult. R sincerely believed that Stephanie was capable of healing now that she was here. Her attitude spoke enough of the strength of her character to be so vulnerable and kind after what she must have been through. However, if she chooses to return to the normal world than she must prepare herself for future tragedy.

R was genuinely pleased that his name was well received and decided to remain silent in response to Mirithal's offer and choose to simply nod in return. The first days of this Sanctuary he turned any notion of thanks from people but he changed his mind when he observed that giving thanks made them more comfortable. He could not really speak on Mirithal's offer to bring the green here. It was a far more complex issue than he could elaborate at the moment.

Tania's reaction the spell couldn't have been any better and it seemed the teleportation had caught her off guard. He grinned underneath the ask as Tania introduced herself as an entertainer. It was was interesting cover story, one that he wouldn't mind playing along with now that she had been taught a small lesson.

"I'm sure you will." He said cheerfully. With his free hand, he snapped his fingers and the spell dissipated in an instant "I can assure that Tania is an expert at her craft. You will be hard pressed to find one with her skills." He addressed to the rest in a honest tone.

R hadn't exactly lied with what he said. though it perhaps was a tad deceptive. That was for them to figure out however. Now that he addressed that issue and had received all of their names, it was time to show the rest of the castle to them. Each of the Sentinels that had been present had since left as it was not like R particularly needed their help or protection. The entirety of the Sanctuary bent and conformed to his will so there was no one better than himself to give a tour.

"Now, if you would all kindly follow me I will show you around the Sanctuary."

---

The first stop was the large mess hall located just off the central chamber. Inside there were six long, heavy wooden tables with red table cloths with a golden trim running down their length. Each was decorated with centerpieces filled with exotic flowers. The tables were set with a fine assortment of silverware and porcelain plates, each with a unique design. Across from where they entered were five long windows that faced towards out to the main entrance, though they had not been visible from the outside. The left side of the mess hall was a large fire place complete with a few chairs for lounging and a small coffee table in front. The opposite end there was a kitchen that could be seen through an opening in the wall that acted like a window. R stated that the kitchen is free to use though most of the meals provided by the Sanctuary would not be made there. There were others inside the mess hall and that included a Wolf Amali by the name of Volfango, a half-elf named Voltaire, and a Draeni called Arton Yule. Volfango and Arton offered a warm introduction while Voltaire barely gave a nod in regards to the new guests. R voiced that there was three set meals throughout the day but they could come at any time for food. After bidding farewell to the three that were in the room, he took them to their next destination.


Traveling a bit farther into the Sanctuary, R led them into the what was the library of the Sanctuary. A network of staircases provided access to the five levels of the room. Its size seemed only a tad smaller than the central chamber and every walls was lined with bookcases. Multiple desks and fireplaces were located all throughout the library marking it as both a place of study and relaxation. R mentioned that one of the duties of the Sentinels was to collect information from the outside world and this library contained information from even before any of the current kingdoms existed. Everything from the most mundane of subjects to the very cutting edge of science and magical theory was located here. As a demonstration, R took a book from a shelf and held it under his hand that set ablaze. The book did not show even the smallest scorch when he took it away and placed it back on its shelf. He explained that a powerful enchantment was placed on each book that came into this library that made each of them near-indestructible, as knowledge is far more powerful than any weapon could ever be. R introduced them to Dragon Avatar, Cezzin, that was essentially the primary curator of this library and the individual that allowed the residents to take books from the library. He expressed great joy upon seeing Vilkas and even further so at the revelation he was a student of Dromon. Cezzin bid Vilkas come to speak with him after the tour so that he may hear from him about the current state of the dragon's homeland.

The next area that R showcased was a long hallway that he called the 'Hall of Worlds'. He revealed that each one of the doors led to the place marked above the door. Rather than explain it further, he opened the first door they came upon that read 'ocean'. The moment he opened it the unmistakable taste of salt entered the air along with a cool breeze. Through the doorframe, they could see waves crashing against a long stretch of sand with a brilliant sun high in the sky. Besides a few palm trees, there was no other life visible. After everyone had gotten a look, he closed the door and stated that there were many more just like this. R also said that there were four rooms that were reserved for training, one shooting range and three combat arenas. Each of the rooms he stated were able to be configure to any environment they so choose as long as they asked a Sentinel, or himself, to change it. R went to open the room that was marked 'shooting range' but the moment he so much as creaked it open a loud thud was heard hitting the door. He laughed lightly and explained that the room was currently occupied.

R took them to an area that resembled one of the academies in Altamea or Armintium. He announced that it was here that the Sentinels of the Sanctuary held classes on a wide range of subjects from cooking to casting high-level magic. It was here that he expressed to Vilkas and Asri that what they sought to learn could only be taught from him however. R also mentioned that some of the other residents took on the role of instructor as well. A warning was given that if any of them decided to take any of the combat courses from the Sentinels that they would be pushed to their very limits.

After the classrooms he took them to the workshop and laboratories where they could conduct experiments and craft anything they could think of. The walls were covered in half-finished projects and tools. All different kind of flasks were spread out on several tables, though it looked they had gone unused today. Above them in the center of the room the roof curved into a glass dome where light poured in from above. The center of the room was left bare except for a raised circular stone that had a complex and unreadable carving dug across the top of the stone. R stated that the circle was for containing any volatile creations. Any material within reason would be provided and there was a guarantee that they would always have what they need. The equipment here would be considered expensive and top of the line by any expert.

Along the way to their next destination, R decided to clear a few things up. The first was that the Sentinels were artificial constructs and what appeared to be armor was actually their body. The next was they were free to leave at any time. After he stated that there was not a strict set of rules that they needed to follow, except that any serious, unwanted physical or mental harm would be severely punished. His tone was quite serious even and though his mask hide his features it was clear this was not a joke.

---

At last, he took them to the final location of their tour. There were a series of doors in a row down a hallway, much like the Hall of Worlds. R asked that everyone remain where they were and proceeded to go down the hallway. Each door had a diamond-shaped metal plate on the front. He stopped at the first one and pressed his right pointer finger against the plate and slowly carved the name "Asri" into the center of the plate like he was playing with wet clay while he spoke a phrase in a unknown language.

"Uhrs rurzsiusiy e'ase ufuuhrs se'a zairsse'ar re'ahuhsr." His voice was but a whisper but every syllable spoken sent an subtle wave of power from the master. Each word flowed seamlessly into the next making it near impossible to separate them.

A white pulse of energy burst from the center of the metal plate and spread like a wave across the surface and disappearing as it reached the edges. R proceeded to perform this ritual to several more doors down the hall, though each time with another one of their names. Everyone present felt a slight headache after the last ritual was completed, the affliction had grown everytime he spoke those strange words. He walked back to them when he had finished hopeful that they would enjoy their own, personal slice of the Sanctuary.

"I apologize for any feelings of discomfort you may be feeling but I assure you that what you are about to see is quite worth it. I ask that you all stand in front of the door with your name on it, and place your palm on the metal plate." He turned to Mirithal "I would suppose a branch or vine would be sufficient." His voice kind before returning to the rest "Afterwards, please open your doors. From here on, you are free to use any of the Sanctuary's facilities. I will in the library if you have need of me." With one arm tucking behind him and the other held across his waist, he gave a brie bow "I do hope you enjoy your time here." He expressed happily before walking down the hall.

@ShwiggityShwah@Rune_Alchemist@Landaus Five-One@Lyla@HokumPocus@GrizzTheMauler

Interacting With: Stephanie (@Landaus Five-One), Mirithal (@ShwiggityShwah), Vey & Cisna (@Ithradine, Discord)

"It's quite okay.." she said in reply to Stephanie, just giving a soft smile. "I'm only glad I was able to help." Asri breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to be calm knowing that Stephanie could finally have some privacy - she could only imagine how paranoid the young girl might be for a little bit, but hopefully she was strong enough to bounce back from this. She has already gone through so much and in some ways, she reminded her of herself. While Asri has always been a prodigy and been seen as some subtle beacon of hope, she had her share of betrayals.

Looking back to Mirithal, Asri chuckled softly and approached just a little bit. "There is no reason not to be kind - I am also a friend of the wilds, Mirithal, and have had the honor of encountering one or two of your kind.. the druids oft spoke of your kind akin to the children of the wilds. So it was our duty to cast the best of our wisdom to you and yours." Coming a little close, she squatted for but a few moments with a bounce. While she was at the level of the fairy-like wood creature, she whispered softly words of green magic, causing the wind to brush the fairy cheerfully. As she stood up, she gave Mirithal a wink. "Also red would probably be what is called anger. It's something we do when someone has upset us.. but not in the way of blue."

That was when 'R' called them for the tour and showed them the splendor of the mystic castle, to which Asri was mostly quiet and simply observed - though when her name was mentioned during training, her expression got noticeably more serious, her aura flashing with more white, before calming back into a pleasant green. Before long they were at the rooms, which Asri held herself well with the magical headache. As they were allowed to view their room, she pushed it open slightly and just smiled before pulling it closed. Despite her pleased expression, she seemed to deem it fit to take her leave, finding her way eventually to a particular arena. It was shaped like a fighting pit with stadium-like seating. The ground was covered with fine sand, which made grounding oneself difficult for those accustomed to its feel. At the center were two of the residents in heated battle.