[IC] The Hand of Fate

[Cuddle Pot]

Dragons Cradle

The smith looked up from his work for the first time and looked intently towards the young girl. "You say your pap made you that creature? Not many elves know that kind of magic..." he looked thoughtful for a few moments and then continued, "Who's your pap lass? Was he a Tihaluhesi? Or one of those new bloods who are in charge? Speak honestly girl a lot's riding on this!"
@Mr Rage

Lost Woods

The old man gazed his eyes on the decaying knight and fell to his knees, "My Lord! Please I know it is selfish to ask more of you when you've already saved my life. But if anything happens to her then my life is meaningless!" He became choked up with emotion unable to continue for a while. When he composed himself he continued, "They took my Lucile. The same group of bandits who attacked us earlier. They live in an old logging camp to the east. I beg of you sire, the Knights of Radiance can't help me. I was hoping those of Ebonwood could..."
@Turbowraith

Sun Kingdom Forrest

"There's only one, easy pickens ea' boss?" Spoke a quiet voice in the night. It belonged to a goblin hidden in a tree, he and his boss where watching this stranger while four of his kin waited in the bushes to launch the ambush. "Quick not easy. You see that cloak? The book? That's a wizard. We got to do this fast before he can cast one of his spells and turn us all into ash. You sneak up behind him and and stick em' in the back. The others will come rushing to finish him up. I'll stay up here. If ya get involved o trouble I'll stick an arrow into him" his underling nodded satisfied with the sureness of the plan.

He signaled to the others by flashing a piece of glass and the moon rays. As he scampered down the tree and crept up on his prey, his boss was already creeping away from the whole scene. There was no way he was getting mixed up with a wizard! He was going straight to the raid master with his findings. His minion snuck along, ignorant of his abandonment and pulled a skinning knife from its sheath. It wasn't the most impressive blade, but it was good iron and would cause a lot of bleeding with a lucky blow. His was eight yards away from his target, when the wind shifted carrying his wretched stench to the hooded figure.
@Oraculum

[Mr Rage]

Her eyes narrowed at the mention of her Surname. Most people who knew it these days were not the friendly type. "...Yes, he was..." She said cautiously. She was tense now, more then she was before. She was prepared to send Zeke on a rampage.

[Cuddle Pot]

Dragons Cradle

"In that case lass, you'll need to get yourself to Kral Deresh, quickly! Your father was a good friend of the dwarves, when he lost his throne he met with king Dallenord to offer his council. He was having visions regarding the conqueror. The king offered him sanctuary for him and his family but he vanished in the night. Lord Dallenord has been seeking him ever since. We have no right to order you about young miss, but the king has imperative need of you or your pap. If you'll go I'll have captain Roric and his rangers offer protection." at this the captain spoke up "Honoured smith, I cannot leave you! In these times of war the mountains are no longer safe!" the aged smith turned his eyes to the captain, "Roric If Tihaluhesi was right then this girl and that golem will do much more for us than I ever could. If she goes leave me 8 warriors, that's more than enough to hold this place." he returned his gaze to the elf girl ""Your answer miss..."
@Mr Rage

Outskirts of Black Heart bog

"Truly this would be a lot quicker if I was still that dammed cat!" swore Kufue as he made his slow progress out of the massive swamp. It had been three days since he had left the witches cottage. "At this rate all the world will be swallowed by flame, and all the treasures will be Scazzvens!" he thought bitterly. Yet his fortune changed when he encountered the first wholesome creature he had seen in years, a Magpie, braving the swamp waters searching for sparkling treasures. Kufue had long had an affinity for scavengers and the like, and his 'gift' he had stolen from the witch had only strengthened this affinity.

He approached the bird carefully and closed his eyes making soft cooing sounds so that he was sure the magpie was looking at him. Then he opened his golden eye putting the bird in trance as it stared into its brilliant glory. "I'll need your help little mag, you and the crows have long shared a spirit with the people of Vershult. Go, find me this... silent martyr. And bring him to me." he closed his eye, then opened both of them. And with that the magpie flew off, to Vershult.
@Razael

[Mr Rage]

"I will go, a job is a job, and if my Father said I would be needed, then I am needed," She said confidently, she relaxed her posture some now that it was revealed that they felt her being her Father's daughter was a good thing. "I have Zeke, so I do not require much in the way of protecting, a small group travels faster and is less noticeable from afar, not to mention harder to track. However, a guide to show me the way, and someone to speak on my behalf so I am not turned away would be welcome... as would provisions."

Her stomach gurgled loudly.

She sheepishly grinned and chuckled a little as she reached up and scratched the back of her head. A fresh spread of red flushed across her checks.

[The Harbinger of Ferocity]

Hours, day in fact, had passed since the undertaking had began, and in spite of how fast the overland movement of beast versus man was - almost as though the wilderness abroad parted before it - there was much, much more left to continue alone all the same. It bode well that while the weather was favorable much progress could be made, but all the same it weighed upon the tremendous form; there was little time to rest, to recover, and the investure of so much divine power in the endeavor only further supported its importance. If time were not of the essence, then this "shadow-among-men" would get as deserved with the course of nature, but the urgency made this impossible. Even to sleep felt as though it cost too much time, no matter its necessity...

But the ordained figure, a legendary animal, was not easily swayed. It's dedication to the cause it was born to serve only fed further its resolve and amplified its power yet.

[Cuddle Pot]

Vershult

Over the sky's of Vershult flew a gathering murder of crows, and at their front navigated a small magpie. As he traveled to the cursed country he had called his kin to take flight and aid him in his quest to find the last of the Versultians. To the ravens, who roosted and raised their fledglings in the kin trees, Vershult and it's people were like brothers and they mourned its loss, in their own way. The murder had started at about 40, but the host was now numbering in the thousands and was spread throughout Vershult, looking for its savior, and it's destroyer. His destiny wasn't complete.

It was the little magpie who spotted him, lamenting the loss of his home. A caw went out, and the black flock fanned out, spreading across the land in a winding river of flapping wings leading to were miles and countries away, Kufue watched in stunned awe as the line reached all the way to were he was resting. The magpie landed near Vonsuer, and dipped his little head in a bird like bow, pecked lightly at his feet and motioned for him to follow.
@Razael

Dragons Cradle

The obsidian smith looked shock at the shear sound of the girls stomach growl. Then seeing her embarrassment he burst out laughing in a deep rolling tone. When he caught his breath he spoke on, "The girl has the hunger of a dwarf, and her belly speaks with the rumble of the mountain! Enough words eh? Tonight you will have the hospitality of Taurich lord of obsidian! And on the tomorrow you will set for the kings hall." in honor of their guests the camp chef prepared the good rations, mountain crab, sugary honey squash, smoked cave eel, Kral Deresh cheese (a hard mountain goat cheese with mushrooms in the rind), the last of the camps bread, snow apples, dwarven beer, and mushroom wine. The dwarf rangers were used to salted pork and pine needle tea, and were eager to break into the good stuff before they had to return from their expedition. The smith Taurich sat next to the elf and tried to make her feel welcome, like any good host. "Never got around to asking lass, what's your name?"
@Mr Rage

[Mr Rage]

"Einathesara Tihaluhesi, though I find that humans, who I do most of my odd jobs for, have too little patience or time to say long names. So I go mostly by Ein," she responded in reply with explanation. When the food did indeed come rolling out the young elf certainly did eat her share of it. She drank her fill of heavy tankards too. Elvish metabolism was much too efficient for the effects of all but the strongest of brews, so even elvish children could drink wines and meads. However, the Dwarven brew sat much heavier. While it still did not make her intoxicated, the weight of such a thick and hearty ale made her sick all the same. But even her vomiting seemed to make joy for the dwarven soldiers celebrating her.

'... why were they celebrating me again?' Ein asked herself as she started on another tankard, she felt guilty to waste their rations in this way, but when in Romeus, do as they do. 'Oh yeah, I job for the King. Ol' King Longbeard-Shortshin!'

And so the jocularity continued into the night until finally those who had night watch sobered up enough to go to their posts, and those who didn't have night watch, finally passed out from all the alcohol and heavy foods. Ein found a patch on the floor to lay on somewhere near one of the friendlier looking Dwarves and soon she too fell asleep. She did not sleep overly easy, though. She grew far too accustomed to sleeping with the stars in view, not into the depths of the earth where time could stand still and spin by impossibly fast without anyone noticing. She thought about that for a good long while before she finally could not lay their any longer and made her way back to the surface. The guards on watch seemed shocked that she was there at first, but enjoyed her company all the same. It was still before the dawn of a new day, but only by a matter of minutes, it seemed.

Satisfied that the world did not keep spinning and left her and the dwarves behind in the cave, she returned to it's depths to prepare for the journey ahead.

[Turbowraith]

Upon hearing these words, the wanderer lowered his head solemnly, as if to acknowledge the old man's words, but offered no solace. Instead, he inquired, his monotone voice displaying a hint of curiosity. "The Knights of Radiance... Unable to aid. Explain and I shall be on my way." Times were difficult indeed, but a minuscule amount of the realm's manpower could be more than enough to root out a petty band of outlaws, without their absence being a hindrance.

***

Perhaps the moonlight was playing its' usual tricks on the old man's eyes, for the knight's hollow sockets seemed to ignite with a faint light at their very center as the former went on with his answer. When the fisherman was done speaking, the knight simply nodded, and faced eastwards. After taking a few steps forward, he looked over his shoulder. "Return to your village. You will find her at dawn's first light. Tell no one of what you saw today. Or else I shall return. For you."

And, with that, the knight vanished. One moment in plain sight, the other, nothing but a shadow darting amongst the trunks and foliage to his destination. Seconds turned into minutes. The full moon hung low. The forest thinned. He was there. The camp lay a good hundred yards away. Crouched and wrapped with his cloak, he formulated his next move.

[The Harbinger of Ferocity]

A distinct, familiar scent wafted itself into the air, filling a small portion of a rough hewn trail that it was confined too. The vibrant eyes, alight with primal might, followed the nose as it drew in closer to inspect what it already knew; mortal's blood. It coated a rare path, appearing here and there upon leaves, stones, and even the earth itself. Nothing much, so not a grievous injury, but a distinct one all the same to the heightened senses of the great feline form and its inherent connection to life as an overarching concept. Unexpected was this turn of events, the introduction of someone this far and lost from home, and with how fresh its scent was as it filled the fang laden jowls? Not long ago, either.

The scale of a mighty paw toyed with the soil beneath it, turning it over and rubbing it in slight between the padded digits in thought; its tremendous pelt twitching faintly at the shoulder, the figure clearly debated if this had some sort of impact upon its goals. It was... strange, unusual at worst and a divine messenger at best. Few mortals would dare so far into the wood, so far away from home and safety. No less, the crossing of this path with his own was unlikely - he avoided dabbling in the affairs of the realm of men unless need be, but here in the domain of nature, this was his grant.

Looking on, seeing the trail before him, the leviathan beast started quietly up it; almost fading from sight in the forest, its clever, yet ornate mixtures of earthen brown and rich tan rendered it near impossible to see between the trees and the rays of light that drifted from above. Each grand paw bringing with it no sound, it moved like the spirit of the wilderness that it was with graceful concealment.

It would find this woman, whoever she was, and it would learn why fate would have it that she crossed an aspect of this world's path.

@Ojo chan 42

[Oraculum]

A sudden waft of foetor overtook the figure, causing it to abruptly halt in its tracks. It had been marching through the woods for hours at an almost mechanically steady, regular gait, barely taking any notice of its surroundings beyond the least degree necessary to avoid the tree-trunks which occasionally rose to bar its way. It would have been apparent to an onlooker that its mind was quite far from the path it was following, the trees surrounding it and the forest altogether; whether it might have been conceived just how far it had drifted from path, trees and forest, however, was a somewhat more difficult matter to determine. Nevertheless, presuming that some intellect of outstanding quality should have succeeded at that endeavour, it would have been, perhaps, somewhat surprised by the fact that even the stench of a goblin, vile though it might have been, should have prompted the absorbed traveller to gather his thoughts from such distant reaches and restore them to their bodily vessel swiftly enough to act in the latter's defense.

Weary though they might have been after their flight through the aether, the being's thoughts spun and sped along their twisted pathways with remarkable celerity, prompted by the reflection that any encounter - especially those of the unexpected sort - might potentially result in the failure of his task, which event he had come to regard as a fundamentally cosmic impossibility whose advent would have entailed, at the very least, the annihilation of all that he could conceive, which included most things pertaining to himself. A goblin was near behind him, this was apparent. His experiences with goblins had, to that day, been rare, yet generally unpleasant. The impish creatures he had encountered were rapacious, bellicose and tended to adopt a reaction toward unknown dangers diametrically opposed to that of humans - as long as they did not know what exactly stood before them, they were as intrepid as any folk tale hero. The one behind him had apparently never encountered anything resembling him, and its attempt at a stealthy approach suggested a hostile intent. A display of power was the most appropriate response the figure could devise; whether it might have been harmful or even lethal for the goblin or anything else in the environs was none of its concern.

As this conclusion reached its conscious mind, the goblin had probably crept a few steps closer. The figure cast its left hand high into the air, its fingers bent into a claw-like form, and uttered words which, despite not belonging to any of the worlds that those possessed of lips such as its had ever inhabited, had grown familiar to it through years of eldritch invocations: Yiyakhul uer-dhathh!
The air around the figure's outstretched hand was lit with grey-greenish blaze as it seemed to writhe and fold upon itself, its unnatural movements deforming the space adjacent to it in an advancing avalanche of eye-searing contortions reaching at each other in what might best be described as a circle propelling its centre beyond its circumference. The roiling enormity tore and clawed at all that was caught in its way: grass and undergrowth wilted ad crumbled to strangely-coloured dust, trees snapped as they were bent in circular shapes and turned upon their tops, hapless woodland creatures were twisted into nightmarish shapes before noiselessly crumpling into themselves. Throughout all of its ravages, no sound rose either from it or from the land it touched, as though the latter were too fearful even to cry out in pain.

After what might have been instants or minutes, the nameless distortions faded away, leaving only a few curious stirrings, barely discernible in the darkness, in the air to mark their wake. The figure cast a glance about itself, its unseen eyes gliding over the desolation wrought by its incantation: within a radius of some fifteen yards not a thing stood, the now barren soil covered with a fine dust whose hue might have puzzled a painter or miniaturist. Within some feet from it the dust bubbled in an almost liquid fashion, small clouds of it rising into the night air and drifting away upon a soft breeze. Having spared this phoenomenon but a cursory look, the figure turned about itself to face anything which might have remained of its would-be assailant.

[Ojo chan 42]

Sabriye walked and walked through the fores. The roof of leaves above her blocked any moonlight that might have reached her to illuminate her path. Fortunate for her, Sabriye lacked the need of light to 'see' as her bare feet saw everything with the help of nature. The black and grey inmage in her head guided her through the forest leading her to a big and old tree. She decided she had ran enough for today and wanted to lay down between the big roots that even grew above ground. Green grass grew on the ground and long vines made shelters between the roots. Big rocks laid here and there underneat the roots making it seem like the three had won a battle agains stone and time.

As Sabriye made her way underneat one the roots coverd with vines her feet touched the cold moss that felt very soft. She decided this was the spot she would rest in and laid down her blanket before sitting on it. She laid down and relaxed, until a sharp pain in her feet interupted her from her attempt to sleep. The pain was only now noticably because the adrinaline of that night started to wear off, making her border of pain drop again.

A small wound was located on the sole of her feet. It was not big, but it was big enough for it to have bled.

''Yaaraer lend me your strenght'' She spoke to the old tree as she read into his vines. The tree dicided to favor this young woman with his energie and help her heal. The old Oak introduced himself as Robur and with that ended their converstation, not granting any more time to this mere mortal that rested between his roots.
''Diola lle'' Sabriye thanked the tree as her foot got healed, but again the tree spoke not.

A yawn escaped Sabriye's mouth as she stretched herself, tired of running for almost an entire night. She curled around on her blanket, unbekownst of the foe or friend that might be lurking nearer than she realized.

@The Harbinger of Ferocity

[The Harbinger of Ferocity]

In the plentiful, ambient moonlight, a silhouette shrouded in shadows moved nearer and nearer still despite its clearly ever growing scale. Whatever lurked in this wood was massive beyond a doubt, as large as a mighty steed but without so much as the disturbance of a lone stone or dry twig. Silence in its footfall, it followed the wind and the scent trail that accompanied it until it loomed in the darkness not far from a great, old oak whose boughs concealed the foreign presence. The vastness of the tree was specific, at least so to the illuminated gaze which seemed to dwell on its figure for a time.

Rousing itself from its concealment, the brush and natural illusion disappearing, it stepped over the sprawling vines and planted a giant paw firmly to the soil, looking over the scene before it wherein it could see a figure not too far under the tree's warding.

"You would not be welcomed here... and yet you are." The powerful voice shook the air calmly, undoubtedly enough so to stir her from her sleep. A divine sound, it certainly was not that of any man she had ever heard - being slightly growled, low and gravelly; a strange vibration accompanied it too.

The muzzle tilted, deadly sword-sized canines protruding from its jowls in the silver light of the moon, glinting with otherworldly keenness. It was a figure of some sort of feline beast, far larger than anything this forest could regularly sustain and certainly a monster of legend. The mixture of shadow and moonglow made it hard to discern, but there was no doubt it was a presence of another realm she was in; something primal, ancient and pure.

"Tell me, small one of mortal blood, why is it that you have been spared by this place and its inhabitants?" It said, making no effort to draw her out from her hiding place.

@Ojo chan 42

[Ojo chan 42]

Sabriye walked around in her collourless dream, seeing noting but figures made of shadows. One part of her had secretly wished for the abbilety to see. She knew however, that being blind had made her the way she was now. Sabriye got her current family thanks to being born blind. Just when Sabriye thought her collourless dream began to lose its silence, a strong vibrationg voice resounded through the black sky of her floating world.

"You would not be welcomed here... and yet you are." it said as Sabriye shifted her body back in the real world. With a shock she turned around reaching for her wooden staff and slamming her hand on the ground.
What she could 'see' installed a small fear into her core as she pieced together the sillouet of this mighty being inside her head. The beast was big and his form reminded her of that of a housecat, only rougher and stronger.

"Tell me, small one of mortal blood, why is it that you have been spared by this place and its inhabitants?"

Sabriye crawled forwards while 'seeing' with her hands, feeling the soil in and between her fingers. Once she was before the beast she opend her eye's revealing her white orbs thats stared into nothingness.

''is this such a dangerous place then, mister? I did not know, I haven't been away from home much'' Sabriye said looking up towards where she sensed the beast stood.

''if it is indeed dangerous, than what are you doing here as well?'' She asked of the beast. Sabriye didn't sensed any killing intend from this mighty being so she decided to try and have an conversation with him.

@The Harbinger of Ferocity

[Cuddle Pot]

Lost Woods

"Sire? Are you aware of what is going on my lord? The Conqueror and his hordes have been pillaging all of the lands. Lord Godwin has marshaled all of the knights of radiance to try and hold them at the border. Men from all over are being conscripted to defend the cities and large towns while the lords are away. No one can be spared to defend the villages or uproot the bandits. Until the war changes we are on our own my lord. Dozens of our noble knights have already given their lives."

***

The bandits camp had once been a small logging camp before the lumberjacks had been conscripted. Nature would have reclaimed the log cabins if the bandits hadn't. The band was rather large and was busy trying to get fortified in case of attack. 8 men were hammering log poles into the earth to try and create a crude gate surrounding the encampment. Their were no tents set up so it was clear they hadn't filled up all of the cabins or quartermasters office. Three men with bows were watching the tree line in case of danger. Two with wicked looking lumber axes stood watch outside of the camps inn, which seemed to be the best shape of all the buildings. After a moment of observation, a disturbance occurred at the road leading to the entrance of the camp. Two riders drive through camp ropes tied to the saddle were dragging a armored knight behind them. Three more men emerged from the inn and dragged the knight inside, it was unclear if he was alive.
@Turbowraith

[The Harbinger of Ferocity]

A tremendous paw toyed the soil beneath it, each digit nearly as thick as a man's fist tensed gently in underlying thought. It was a subtle gesture, so subtle that the kind of men were unlikely to notice it, but those that could would have read it with an understanding that was as clear as day; the great cat was curious. While not unsure how to proceed, it certainly did not expect this - this small blind girl who laid blank eyes upon him, her sight having clearly been long since robbed. This turn of events was indeed as strange as it had perceived, but deeper intuition suggesting there was far, far more to come yet with this one.

She drew closer, seemingly unafraid of the strange voice and aura that filled the ambiance of the night, that which accompanied the resplendent figure of primeval kind.

By some means, she looked upon the leviathan, almost as though she could truly see it, and if she were to look upon its spirit there would be a divine radiance that would set the figure apart from the night like nothing else; a corona of ghostly white and gold fire would surround its form, drawn up from its soul. It breathed power like a settling mist, but not for a moment did it seem compelled to show its might in spite of the strangeness of this all.

"Is this such a dangerous place then, mister? I did not know, I haven't been away from home much."

Her soft voice spoke of innocence... certainly no trespasser or worse and her demeanor was just as curious as it was legitimate.

"If it is indeed dangerous, than what are you doing here as well?"

There drew a brief silence as the thick neck and mane guided itself toward the moon's ever waning light of the night, dimly lit eyes gazing upon it as the two basked in its glory. It knew that the girl truthfully had the answer as it was, but it would grace her with words spoken strangely in her tongue. Still and yet, it did not look away from the lunar body or its faint halo of light, rumbling the air of its tone while it replied.

"Some dangers are greater than others..." It began simply, exhaling while it mused, "Some flee them... some of us are them."

"But there are always more dangerous things, small one." The unearthly voice continued before returning its attention to the young woman before it.

"A shadow has fallen upon our world, one of terrible will and even more terrible might. It has claimed and taken that which is not of its domain, so in retribution, it must now pay the price of disturbing the order of things as they are. That is why I am here, but these matters do not concern you, at least not yet. What should concern you is, why are you here?"

@Ojo chan 42

[Ojo chan 42]

Sabriye felt a soft vibration going through the ground as the mighty beast placed his tremendous paw into the soil softly. This vibration told her one thing, the mighty beast was curious.

He shifted his position slightly and Sabriye digged her hands a bit deeper into the soil as to get a clearer view into her mind. The mighty beast seemed to look upwards, towards the moon as she guessed.

''Some dangers are greater than others..." the beast paused before continuing his sentance "Some flee them... some of us are them."

Sabriye thought about this sentence, she was unsure if the beast meant that he was dangerous or not. She however, felt no evil intend radianting from the migthy precence before her.

''But there are always more dangerous things, small one." The beast said shifting again, alerting Sabriye that his attention and gaze were back at her again. She had to giggle slighty when he called her small one. She guessed that in comparison to him she was ineed very small. She regretted not being able to lay her eye's upon his mighty appearence, For he was sure a sight to behold.

"A shadow has fallen upon our world, one of terrible will and even more terrible might. It has claimed and taken that which is not of its domain, so in retribution, it must now pay the price of disturbing the order of things as they are. That is why I am here, but these matters do not concern you, at least not yet. What should concern you is, why are you here?"

''why I am here?'' She said raising her voice a bit.
''If I told you I ran away from home and was resting here during my first flight alone in this world, what would you do?'' She asked of him.
''Sir, if I may say. Maybe I can help you against this shadow you speak of. I have been raised in a kingdom of light, so maybe I can be of use against the shadow'' Sabriye said offering her help. With some trouble she searched for her staff before standing up reaching out her hand towards the beast.
''my name is Sabriye. What is your name?'' She asked him.

@The Harbinger of Ferocity

[Cuddle Pot]

Dragons Cradle

The time for festivity and celebration had passed and the dwarves had returned to a grave and straightforward attitude. Roric stood pleading with the smith Taurich, "Sir, his highness will understand if you end the expedition early. Obsidian can be gathered another time! Your talents cannot." the aged smith hadn't even looked up from his work."Roric, you worry far too much for an old dwarf. You and five dwarves will not equal my doom. Make haste toKral Deresh." the younger captain sighed in defeat. With his party assembled he turned towards Ein and her colossal guardian. "Are you ready lass? I would get one last fresh breath, it's a four day trip by tunnel long time without the sun.".

***

If any of the dwarves had seen the small bat that had flown into the cave they would have shot it immediately. It had happened however that such vermin had managed to find a secluded vantage and had listened and observed the dwarves leave the outpost. It took wing and returned to its master deeper into the tunnels. It's lord heard his pet approach. He had never seen his bat or anything for that matter. He never would he was born without eyes like the rest of his people.

Xalos stroked his pet and listened to its report. His voice was quieter that a drop of rain, and cold and hallow as wind down the winding tunnels of a cave. "Tell the Khan's raiders the smith has lost men. Then tell my sirelings an elf travels the tunnels. Whoever drains her has earned my favor.". As his pet flew off, Xalos returned to his meal. The dwarf merchant had passed out from blood loss long before the cave vampire had had his fill. Yet Xalos was old and greedy.

@Mr Rage

[Mr Rage]

"I'm ready," Ein said in response. Tunnels. Not her favorite way to travel to be sure. Especially Dwarven tunnels. They had a tendency to be small, and because they all interconnect they invited demihuman monsters up from the deep. "Zeke is going to fit, right?" She asked as the party began descending into the deep.

The group kept traveling without response, so she assumed that Zeke would fit easily enough. These tunnels must have been intended to be some sort of dwarves highway, built taller and wider for merchants to transport their wares.

[The Harbinger of Ferocity]

"Sir, if I may say. Maybe I can help you against this shadow you speak of. I have been raised in a kingdom of light, so maybe I can be of use against the shadow."

The corner of a great jowl pulled ever so slightly at these words above all others she had uttered just as confidently before, seeing her forwardness as a good omen, as strange as it was; there was naivety, but genuine sincerity to the blind outsider's demeanor. This void, this dark heart of men, was not so easily banished by the forces of light and every shade of grey in between, but even a small girl - a blind girl lost among a forest no less, fleeing home - was willing to fight back the encroaching storm's shadow.

Watching in a calm idleness, remaining certain to take no action, it permitted her to lay hands upon her staff and reach out afterward in a gesture. Its focus swept over her, determining what it was she wished it to do, to which she elaborated further;

"My name is Sabriye. What is your name?"

"I?" Its chest rumbled in measured but mighty response, "I have many names in many tongues, but it does not change what it is that I am."

It inferred within its tone the irrelevancy of it having a name among the countless words of mortals, content only to be known as what it was; a great beast. A figure of legendary respect and fear, a creature powerful enough to wreck havoc upon kingdoms but noble enough to not do so without fearsome reason. There was little need for such a thing, as its titles were numerous as they were, but all would identify it without question.

"Your people might know me as a Lord of the Wild, be them men or otherwise."

"We are no strangers to one another, for good or ill... but there are times like these when we share a common foe." The grand voice continued, having spoken of its mythic identity; one that has lived and live again throughout ages past, predating times of history.

@Ojo chan 42

[Ojo chan 42]

''so you have no name'' Sabriye said exhaling her deep breath. She found herself being dissapointed, she looked forward to learning this beast's name. But from the sound of it he did not seem to care about a name, surly it was irreleavnt to him. A name was bestowed by your parents as by tradition. Somehow she felt a bit like him, for her real parents had also left her without a name. Her name now was granted by the lady of Solar, her mother.

''it will be difficult for me to adress you if you do not have a name, Sir..'' Sabriye thought out loud as she closed her eye's
''may I call you Heru?, in the Solar Woods it means lord'' She exclaimed happely clapping her hands together. She hoped she had not offended him by offering such a thing. It was more of a title than a name, so she hoped he'd accept.

'' so, where is it that you are going Sir?, you were going after a shadow am I right? Do you know where to find it? are there others that will join your cause?'' Sabriye rambles on and one, curious about the destination of his journey. There were so many new things for her to discover. The outsideworld had never sounded so exciting and different than she was thougt.