P.S.S. "The Legend Of The Primal Keys"::Ch.2 b- Desolation [IC]

[Ragnar]

As Gideon observes Absalom from the distance, the Turk has a mixed feelings towards of what he just witness a moment ago,

surely he was impressed by amazing display of light show coming out from the 'book', no, more like a map. On the other hand, he felt sorry for Absalom's lost. as the boy griefs for his father. But that all change as he comes to an conclusion based on what he just heard...what if the boy is just using them?... using this 'Elixir' as an excuse just to get what he wants, just to fulfill his own journey as treasure hunters. Well there's only one way to find out. Gideon confronts the boy.

.

"Impressive..." Gideon said as he step forth from the shadows, bluntly revealing himself. "Now talk, what exactly is in that elixir? and what makes you sure it can heal Stratos." Gideon doubts the boy. "Surely your'e no ordinary boy if you can perform all of that stuff. " Gideon questions Absalom.

Edited September 28, 2014 by typhlosionrulez

[Sutoratosu]

Absalom finally forced himself to calm after a minute or two. He looked over to find the book completely readable, the anceint dirosi tongue it had originally be Transcribed in now fully translated to the Common tongue. The thing felt warm in his hands as he retrieved it, like some type of small animal. The pages pulsated with a strange heat.

"It's an old legend..." Absalom said, beginning the lengthy explanation. he didn't bother to look up at Gideon. "Long ago, back just after the Sky Slaying had occurred and the Theocracy was dissolved, The first Sultan of the Dirosi fell deathly ill without warning. His court mages and wise men all tried to find a way to cure his malady, but none of them had any success, no matter what they tried, he only seemed to grow sicker. Everyone thought for sure that he would pass within a months time more... but then the unexpected occured; An unnamed Alchemist and Apothecary traveled together to the city of Lithania. They demanded access to the Castle library and supply rooms, saying that if they had access, they would cure the king and make it so that he and his blood descendants would never suffer malady ever again. No one knew what to do; The king, wasting away in his death bed, had specifically forbid them their request, despite their offer to save him. he felt that they were lying, that they would pilfer the store houses and Records and leave his people poor and stupid. But his son was fascinated by their words, he thought that they spoke nothing but the truth, that they would save his Lord Father if only they were given the resources... and so he secretly sneaked them into the areas they requested, having stolen the key from his dying father. every night at midnight, he would leave his chambers to meet them and grant them access to what they wanted, and for 21 nights he did this... and on the 22nd night, Their work was complete. They presented the prince with a stone the color of the sun, and told him to filter water over it's face and make his father drink of it. The next morning, the prince ordered the chef to do this. By noon, the king was out of his deathbed and more alive than ever. The two knowledgeable men disappeared that evening, before the Prince could reward them or even tell them thank you... but they left something behind; a note... a note saying that no matter what, The Prince needed to hide the stone they had given him somewhere safe; somewhere where it would not be found by those who might abuse it's power. And so the prince hid it in the Palace garden... and then his lord father eventually died, and the prince became the Sultan..."

Absalom stood up, thumbing through the book, looking for something. he stopped when he happened upon a certain portrait, and showed it to Gideon. On a double spread of the pages was an intricate painting of a lush garden with a marble fountain in the center, it's water glowing bright like the sun.

"He had a massive garden built beneath the royal palace," he continued. "Miles and miles beneath it in a cavern protected by the strongest of magics... and lit by a sphere of light that could rival the sun. It is here that he then moved the Stone when it was completed, hidden beneath the fountain waters. The stone is the filter that the structure uses to purify the stuff; and it inturn turns the water...into Elixir." He slammed the book shut abruptly, dropping it to the stones by his side as he looked at Gideon.

"If it could heal the first Sultan of the Dirosi..." he theorized. "Then there is no reason why it should not be able to heal the Sky Slayer as well... but there is one issue... according to the book, we need the company of a living descendant of the Sultan in order to enter the place... and with the entire Capital city having been destroyed by that hellish fire a few hours ago..."

***

It took him a few tries and do overs, but it seems those sewing lessons from his sister paid off; Darius had finally succeeded in sealing Zoliver's head wound. The unconscious warrior had given no response whatsoever...but he he was still breathing...so, at least he had that going for him, right?

****

Zoliver's mother paused over in the kitchen upon hearing her son's plans.

"So you're still going to pursue that little fantasy?" She sighed. there was genuine disappointment in her voice. If there was anything she had taught this boy about, Futility was definitely it. she braced her hands on the oak counter beside the water basin, staring down at the swirled pattern of the wood and mentally preparing herself for the conversation she knew was coming... "So your still going to try, despite all the times that it's already failed... Do you not remember the last time? it took you two months before your hands were healed enough to come back to the forge. Zoliver, who would even by such a weapon? the same exact thing can be achieved with magic so simple that it would only take a few minutes to learn... so why? what point is there in pursuing your little theory?"

She noticeably raised her voice a little towards the end. The irritation in her rose little by little... time and time again she had tried to tell the boy that his idea had no point because of Resonances... and time and time again, he had ignored her words and kept on... but not tonight, damnit. Tonight, by the laws of Renalim, he would become a legal adult and leave his parent's household in the morning. And she was not going to allow her only legally acknowledged child to go out into the world and get burned by a bad idea that he simply was too stubborn to give up. No...Tonight, she was going to MAKE him see the folly in his plan, how foolish it is. Tonight, she was going to MAKE choose something more sensible to specialize in... Around the table, both Alma and Aria instinctively sank down a little in their chairs, trying the make themselves less noticeable... they recognized that little tell in their mother's voice that signified when she was getting fed up with something. And when mother got irritated, it was not good for anyone...

((Alright! bring on the Parent-child argument that's gonna make you feel like complete shit afterwards because it's gonna be some of the last words you ever say to your mother before she dies, yeaaaah!))

[Aurorix]

"Well, what if magic went away? Then these tools would be worth good money right? Besides not everyone is super skilled in magic or maybe it'll help amplify their abilities." He began ranting on about how his inventions could be useful and he didn't have to stick to the traditional methods. "Though it doesn't mean I'm not gonna make regular armor and stuff like that, It's just gonna be my pass time."

[Sutoratosu]

"What Metal?" She sighed in defeat, glancing at Zoliver from over her shoulder. as usual, the boy had refused to give up on the concept...she blamed herself a little; all her children got their backbone from her, while all of their fathers had been completely spineless cowards... well no, not all...John had indeed had a pair of stones on him; walking out on her and their four year old son like he did. "It's obvious that I can't turn your head away from this path... I honestly don't think you should give it any time at all... but again, fine. Just tell me though, please, what metal are you going to work with? Silver, Gold, Miunnat, Steel? or do you plan to be an effete Black smith who specializes in something like Bronze or Copper... or even, God forbid, Tin? I just want to know that my son will be able to provide for himself, and one day for his own family as well."

Outside of the house...

"Oy, Jack!" a pirate called to his ship mate. "We got a nice lookin one over ere!"

"Really?" Jack asked excitedly. "What we looking at?" he crept over to the window beside the first pirate. in the room beyond they could see a family around a supper table, three children it seemed, with the mother hovering in the kitchen. The young woman at the table particularly caught his eye... little did Zoliver know that two men were peeking at his sister Alma.

"My... aren't you a pretty little thing?" He said disturbingly. "The things I would do to you..."

"Are you talking about the fusil?" his crew mate asked. his eyebrows were raised in confusion. "Mate, what the ell would you 'do' to a Fusil? That's rather strange from the way it sounded..."

"Not the fusil, Damnit!" jack shouted. "The girl!" the other man scanned the room, seeing what he was talking about.

"Oh, her?" he asked. "You interested in her, mate? because if you are, you just became a registered sex offender... the girl's only like, six, man, what in the sky lord's name is wrong with you!?" Jack simply ground his teeth. His friend here was acting stupid intentionally just to piss him off, like he always did. He glared at him, beginning to crept closer, hands raised in a choking gesture.

"Whoa, whoa, mate just a jest!" his friend said, putting up his hands defensively. "you need to lighten up a little, always so stuffy! anyways... the girl... yeah, I don't much care about her...but that table there and the things on their mantle... and the fusil, now, all of that would sell highly on the night market... and who knows what else we'll find inside. so...how do we get in?" Jack puased for a moment...thinking.

"We could try the window..."

"with them sitting just inside? haven't you heard of the Citezens army, mate? at least three of them will know who to use a weapon, and know how to use it well!"

"Alright, alright, fine..." Jack said, scratching his chin... so the window was not an option... hell, Captain would know what to do, outta go ask him. "Let's go get the Captain's advice!" With that, Jack stealthily crept down the hill leading up to the Nix residence, his ship mate following as the two of them picked their way back to the other side of the village towards the docks.

((BTW, those windows are very well soudproofed, ergo, you heard nothing of their conversation outside.))

[Ragnar]

"The secret cavern of the garden palace? I thought that's just an old fairytale my father told me back when i was a young lad..." Gideon said.

((just go with it))

"I don't know about any descendants, but my father once work for the sultan as a personal bodyguard, would this count?" Gideon briefly shows the emblem of sultan "if not, we just have to bust our way in into that place." he sighed. "we come this far to retrieve Stratos, we will not lose him again."

[Aurorix]

"Mom, you out of all people should know that I don't specialize in certain types of metals. Each Metal serves roles in a good tool. Whether it be for Performance, Design, or just pricing, and yes, I will know how to use some metals more than others but for the time being I'm not limiting myself to just one that I'm going to say 'Oh this metal is what I'm best at doing so you you want my best work it'll have to be in this type of metal'." Zolivar said with a slight hint of annoyance.

[Felicity]

Somewhat satisfied with his work, Darius sat back, waiting for Zoll to wake up, or for Gideon to return.

[Sutoratosu]

"I'm wished it could be that simple..." Absalom sighed a little dejectedly. "But the book... was very adamant that it had to be a blood descendant of the Dirosi royal family. Not even a badge from the king's guard like the one in your hand can equal to that. But maybe...wait..." he looked up at the Naga standing around the place idlely. They had traded Carrying duty for Stratos multiple times since he and Gideon had been speaking. Now the leader himself was shouldering the warriors weight.

"Where's the fast way out of here?" he demanded somewhat harshly.

"What are you talking about?" the head warrior asked.

Absalom pointed back towards the cliff where they had all entered the cavern, his face a mask of seriousness. "Don't you bullshit me!" he said in response, causing the warrior to shift a little nervously. "I know that there has to be another way in and out of here; you and your kind couldn't have possibly been living here, there's no signs of recent habitation!" The warrior retreated back a few steps, getting strangely defensive for some reason.

"I agreed to assissst the Sssky Sssslayer," he hissed. "Not you... I'm only going along becaussse you seem to be in hisss company; but you do not know what you are assssking of me boy...ssshowing you the way out of thisss place meanss certain death for usss all..."

"And staying here means certain death for Stratos!"

"Ssstop your quesstionsss, boy... I ssspeak nothing but the truth when I tell you that you don't want to go the other route from here. It issss like traveling through hell itsself..."

Absalom turned to Gideon, disgruntled at how damn evasive the Naga was being. "I think we need to convince him to talk..." he reached his hand to the quiver on his back, drawing two steel tipped arrows. He shot his free hand up to his shoulder, preparing to draw his bow and notch them...when he realized he didn't have it.

((Typhlosion, the Naga leader would be a bit of a tough fight, but it's a relatively fair match... but are you really gonna go attacking someone who is (as I feel I should remind you) unarmed?))

***

"Following in my foot steps I see," Zoliver's mother said. She finished slicing the bread loaf, preparing the four plates and ladelling the soup on the stove into each of the small bowls. Just as sreached down to carry them to the table, there came a loud, insistent knocking on the door of the shop downstairs. She put down the bowls, glancing at the stone passage way leading down to her forge.

"A bit late for a customer to be around," she muttered under her breath skeptically. The knocking continued, growing greater and more urgent. "Zoliver, hand out the food, No cheating your sisters, I'll be right back." with that said she headed down the stone stair case and disappeared from the kitchen.

Down at the docks...

"What in the blazes is this!?" John demanded as jack stood before him. "We are not looting the town, boy! we take only from these docks, then we leave before any alarm can be raised."

"But Cap'n," he interjected. "Why should we restrict ourselves to only ever hitting docks where ever we go? why can't we ever advance into the towns? You said it yourself, this place is a shit hole! who would give a dusty fuck if we raided the place and burned it as we sailed away?" John gripped his battleaxe, fingers bonewhite. Damn it... just what he didn't want to happen; they were beginning to question his ways... he'd have to stop things before they came to mutiny.

"Get back on that fucking ship," he said. "Now, Scallywag!" Jack stood there for a moment... then his face took on a look of defiance.

"No! fuck you, Nix!" he shouted, turning to the rest of the crew assembled on the docks. "Eh, boys, why we gotta live in the poor house just because Cap'n here is too much of a pussy to go and launch an actual raid? Why shouldn't we just stop listening to his horse shit explanations and just go loot the fucking place!?" Slowly but surely, murmurs began. John knew he was to late when the others began to echo Jack's idea.

"Eh... he's got a good point!" one said.

"Aye, that he does! isn't raiding how a pirate makes their living anyway?" another called.

"Indeed it is." a third added "smuggling ain't enough these days, what with the economy what it is. People just aren't buying." Their discontent soon grew into a drone of voices as they conversed back and forth about it... until Jack held up his hand in a rallying gesture.

"then you see what I'm talkin' about, don't you?" he said, raising his voice.

"AYE!" the entire crew shouted in mutiny. that was it, it was over. in just five minutes, John had lost complete control of the bastards and they had chosen Jack as their new captain. But even despite this little fiasco, John found himself laughing. Needless to say, it rather unsettled the mutineers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dty-vP1viUg

"OH, THAT'S JUST FUCKING GREAT THEN!" John shouted in a rage laced roar, tossing his head back and continuing the disturbing laugh "I LEAD YOU FUCKERS FOR ALMOST A DECADE AND A HALF NOW, AND YOU FUCKING BETRAY ME LIKE THIS!" he directed his gaze at them now, his eyes glowing a dark red as he initiated a fire resonance and the area around the docks began to grow ever darker. "That's all well and dandy, boys, but now you face the wraith of John Zoliver Nix!" The darkness closed in on them from all sides, overcoming their vision and plunging them all into blackness... except for john, who could see plain as day where they all where. He brought up his battle axe, the head bathed in scarlet flame as he took off towards jack, cleaving the man in two in an instant.

"Jack's dead!" he laughed into the darkness. The crew was horrified when they heard his cackle break through like that. "You're all next, you traitorous Nix Fuckers!"

What followed was a chorus of screams and shouting as John cut down more of the traitors, the scent of blood and magic fire hanging heavy in the air... but little did he know that the majority of them had already escaped and were preparing to loot the town and leave nothing behind but ashes...

***

Sinbad awoke at the bottom of the small hidden shaft he had fallen into shortly after beginning his search through the rubble. The sniper's head was a bit foggy, he found that he couldn't remember exactly what had happened; only that he'd moved one piece of wreckage in particular, and the next moment he had been falling. Light trickled down into the strange area from above. the floor at his feet was cobbled stone, covered with years and years of dust. Cobwebs as big as he was tall hung all over the place, obscuring the view any further into the area. The was a strange scuttling noise nearby. eight blue eyes peered at him from the darkness, set high off the floor.

"Ooooooh," a voice chimed. it sounded curious. "What has we here, who be you?"

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"Perhaps I am just a fly on the wall, or maybe I just fell down here, but either way I am not that important, just ignore me I did not mean to disturb you home if this is what this is." Sinbad said. He made no sudden movements, as he really had no idea what he was dealing with here, it was much to dark to tell. And nothing good ever had more than 2 eyes. He figured the creature could either see him with some sort of vision better suited for low-light, or that the creature, whatever it was, had some other keen sense that it knew he was here. Sinbad personally hoped it was something other than vision, if that was the case, it wouldn't have an exact handle on where he was and it would have more guess work to do, if it even wanted to harm him. He waited to hear it response before he tried to flee the area, maybe it would be friendly. SUPER unlikely, but maybe, and no sense being rash until one had to be rash.

[Sutoratosu]

"Oh, Flies..." a hissing sound filled the area. "Scrawl like flies... been so long he feast on them... long long time... not since people be here and feed scrawl for help." the scuttling sound came again, this time repeated and much faster. within an instant, a large arachnid stuck it's head into Sinbad's line of sight, opening it's mandibles wide and preparing to chow down... until it stopped for some reason.

"Wait..." he said, strafing around sinbad. The sniper could see all eight of his saphire blue eyes glued to him The giant spider had a golden carapace that shined in the light, casting a glow that illuminated a little more of the area. if Sinbad squinted, he would see it was some type of ancient library. "You not flies... Scrawl know you not... flies never talk before... only people and big bad snakes do..." The curious creature came back around to face Sinbad, finishing it's examination of him.

"I see no scales... so you must be person?" Scrawl said hesitantly. "Be Scrawl right? be you person? You have flies for Scrawl?" he smiled after the last question... a rather strange sight, on a spider that was seven feet tall and about the size of a horse drawn carriage... and whose legs were barbed and gleaming with spikes that looked as if they were steel, and longer than dirks.

((Helpful hint: Scrawl has the mental reasoning abilities of a six year old child... he'll do whatever you say if you can manipulate him just right...))

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"Hmm, I probably have some good Scrawl, though I wasn't exactly planning to fall down here. You see a bunch of the ruins above collapsed and I was trying to help a man get out from under some rubble. A right bastard that one is, but it isn't like me to let somebody that is traveling with me suffer that kind of a death. Either way, I took a nice tumble down here, and I met you. Funnily enough, out of the lot up there, you are probably better company." Sinbad mused to Scrawl looking through his pack of gear, making to effort to search for the flies. He almost certainly had none, but the Spider didn't know that. Scrawl seemed strange for a giant beast, especially a spider. Sinbad would figure a spider would think he look scrumptious and eat him right up. Lucky Sinbad, that this fellow had a taste for flies.

[Ragnar]

"Talk is cheap kid, these creatures maybe different, but they're warriors nevertheless" Gideon said to the boy and steps forth, Gideon turn his attention to the Naga leader "You there!" he call out. "Absalom is right, standing here while doing nothing will not get Stratos any better" Gideon sighed "since you're too stubborn to tell us something, ill make your decision for you."

"you're a warrior are you not? i challenge you duel to settle our difference in terms of combat, 1v1 me irl, ill rekt u" Gideon challenge the Nagas. "If you win, we'll leave you alone and never bother you again and you can do what you think is best for the skyslayer" Gideon pause as he looks at the reptilian dead in the eye. "but if i win, you tell us everything you know and you will follow the boy whims." Gideon said.

"whats it gonna be? accept my challenge or put shame to your race... i mean come on, Im just a man with two swords. what have you got to lose?" Gideon cockily said.

Edited October 4, 2014 by typhlosionrulez

[Aurorix]

"Ok....... mum" Zolivar said getting the food know what comes after she opens the door. Cringing as she moved closer and closer to the door.

[Felicity]

Darius heard a commotion coming from where Gideon and Absalom had ventured. He arrived in time to hearGideon proclaim his challenge. Shocked by this turn of events, Darius was forced to ask "What the fuck is happening?! Why are you Challenging our FUCKING ALLIES?"

[Ragnar]

Gideon sheepishly smile as he saw Darius from a far. "Glad you can join us Darius, it seems our scaly friends over here doesn't seem to cooperate and seems to be hiding something" Gideon said. "im not a man of words...so we settle our difference like man.. err snake..err, whatever, the point is ..i think we should establish some ground rules, this boy knows how to cure the skyslayer" Gideon pointed out Absalom "and these snakes over here are too stubborn to act or let alone point us to where suppose to be headed."

"My offer still stands, i'll represent the boy, you're welcome to join in if you like Darius, unless you can convince them, which is unlikely."

[Felicity]

Darius gave a great sigh. He wasn't THIS hot blooded when he was 16 for Azuaqyars sake... Hm, it was odd to think of that oath in these circumstances. Darius turned to the Naga Chief, hoping to talk reasonably with him. He had his hands at his hips and was giving Gideon and Absalom a glare whilst he spoke

"I'm not going to pretend I understand any reasoning you may have to refuse the help of Absalom here, but I will ask for you to maybe explain why you refuse? Also, like I said before, we are all allies here. We are all on Stratos' side. The friend of my friend is also my friend and all that, so there is no reason for us to go against you. I give you my word as Darius, Knight of Renalim on that."

[Sutoratosu]

"Wait...what that smell..." Scrawl said, snarling a little as he moved around sinbad and towards the hole the man had fallen through. "That smell.. Scrawl know that smell." the spider turned to the Sniper. His voice was noticeably a bit dejected. "That smell be Snake Man... but if it really Snake men..."

The spider began climbing up the steep wall of rubble leading down into the underground space, his barbed legs cracking holes into the rocky material as he gracefully made his way up to the top a few seconds later and stuck his head out.

"Noooes!" Sinbad could hear him cry in a panicked voice. Scrawl pulled himself up and out of the hole, leaving the man alone now. "Noooes! Scrawl be right; snake men get into city! Scrawl has failed!"

The holes that Scrawl had left in the rubble wall were more than large enough to serve as a foot hold for climbing, and they were spaced close enough together for it to be an easy exercise... but in the opposite direction, in the darkness of the room, gleamed a bright object... if Sinbad looked closely, he might even say that would be gold.

***

"My reassson iss plain and sssimple, Knight," The Naga Leader. "The only other way out of thisss cavern isss literally covered in liquid fire. The heat there isss ridiculousss; If any of usss were to try to traverssse it, we'd all die and be burned to crisps long before we reached where the passage ends. Going that way spellsss nothing but death, both for us and the Sssky Ssslayer." The Snake man turned away, handing Stratos off to another Naga as he continued. "That isss why I will not take you there or ssshow you the way. We are far more likely to sssucceed by sssimply taking the long route..."

Behind the group of conversing warriors and absalom, however... something strange moved up into the city from somewhere under the street...

"Noooes!" Cried Scrawl, thrusting his front two legs up in exasperation. "Noooes! Scrawl be right; snake men get into city! Scrawl has failed!" if they looked behind them, they'd see a strange, Giant spider the size of a horse drawn carriage with a carapace the color of gold and eight blazing blue eyes... it seemed to be the one shouting.

((@Exlink, Your dream is coming to an end soon. For now though, I'm gonna give a little focus to move things along with the others, but your little revisiting of the past will only last for about two or three more post at the most.))

[Felicity]

"Holy shit on a sandwich, what on earth, is that a great gold spider?! And what has it failed?!" Darius cried, too shocked to do anything bu gawp at the spider. Not a smart idea in Darius' mind,but a giant spider was what tipped his disbelief over the edge into sheer shock.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

SInbad disregarded the glinting object in the dark room, he would rather get to Scrawl, as the Spider could possibly help him get out of this place. He had no idea how long he had been in that hole, the others could have assumed he was dead by now. Then he remember there were Naga with the others, and Scrawl must have been shouting about them. He started to climb out, hoping Scrawl wouldn't crush him while he was freaking out. He pulled himself up as quickly as he could in the new holes Scrawl had made. The stone was rough on his hands, but he continued to climb anyway. Hopefully he would make it up in time before anything too crazy happened.

[Ragnar]

Gideon winced after he saw the eight legged freak run towards them, causing him to jump out of from where he stand and immediately draws his sword in shock. do my ears deceive me or did that spider just talk? how many creatures are there in this cave? Gideon question himself "Should we kill it? cause if so, im not touching that thing." Gideon lazily dangles his sword and steps back.

Yes.. the tough guy of the group has a certain fear of something and no, it isn't gold

Edited October 5, 2014 by typhlosionrulez

[Sutoratosu]

Sinbad popped up through the hole just in time to see the Spider rushing forward towards his companions, prepared to...oh my...never mind. Scrawl had leapt high into the air long before he reached Gideon and Darius, soaring right over their heads with more agility than even Stratos himself possesed. He landed with a CRASH!! behind the two men, kicking up copious amounts of dirt and stone upon landing and glaring right at the Naga.

"Scrawl honor old agreement!" the arachnid shouted. He drew back his right front leg, preparing to jab it forward and impale one of the serpentine bastards before him... when he stopped. "Wait... if you here...why no people screaming? why no hysteria in streets like scrawl remember from all other times? Why people no in tizzy over evil snake men come to kill them?" Then he glanced around at the surrounding cityscape, lowering his barbed leg, though not that the Naga felt any safer because of it.

"What happen to city?" Scrawl questioned. "Where people go? Why things look so dusty? What has happened to friends of Scrawl?"

"They left long ago," Absalom answered. "These 'people' you were protecting vacated this place as soon as the surface was safe again. They were all cowards, trying to wait out the nix war while those few warriors left continued to fight above."

Scrawl's face took on a confused look. "Leave? They...they leave? But..." He turned and looked back and forth between the boy and the Nagas. "But, if they leave...why old man ask for Scrawl's help to protect city? Why he do strange circle thing and shout at Scrawl and make him big?"

"I'm afraid I can't answer that question for you," Absalom shook his head. "There's no written records here that I can find besides those documenting the reason this place's old inhabitants came here at all, and that they left at some point and never came back. You've been down here alone...for nearly four thousand years it seems."

"But...but...contract..." Scrawl began taking a few paces back. obviously the news was rather hard for him to accept.

"Who ever made what contract with you is long since dead," Absalom again shook his head. "You've been completely free of whatever restraints you were formerly under for a very long time now."

What appeared in Scrawl's eyes was rather unexpected... especially on a giant spider. They were tears. "But...but why...?" he asked. "Scrawl thought friends needed him. Scrawl fought and bled for friends against snakes. Why friends lie to scrawl? why people lie to scrawl, why they leave scrawl here all alone and no say anything? Why they abandon Scrawl to rot forever? Where... where scrawl's promised flies?" the arachnid plopped down onto the broken cobblestones and began to weep silently... one honestly couldn't help but feel sorry for the thing. From what he said so far, it seemed as if he had sacrificed much in order to help whoever had lived down here long ago... and then they had just uped and left one day and left him behind to rot without even saying good bye...

"I don't know why..." Absalom said to Darius and Gideon. "But for some reason... I can't help but feel a little of this thing's pain. Betrayal's the worst crime someone can fall victim to... and it seems he might have fallen victim to it on a massive scale; getting manipulated, used and abused and then just left behind to die alone..."

***

When Zoliver's mother opened the door, she saw nothing other than two strangers staring at her on the other side. Smoke could be seen in the distance. But the thing that really caught her eye at this moment was the rampant looting around the town, people were warring in the streets, The town denizens against the invaders. And every one of the latter had a silver tear drop upon his chest.

"I can't believe the bit-" Jack couldn't even finished his sentence. Mama Nix had drawn and driven a dirk right through his trachea, retrieving it in a swift motion and lunging forwards at his friend, next driving the blade deep into his kidney. Both of them fell off the door step of the shop, laying dead in a pool of blood on the ground. Ironically, it was not silver, but the same crimson all men have in their veins. The fighting nearby was growing more intense. The townsfolk and the raiders seemed rather equally matched...but the glow of a growing blaze could be spotted not far away. She slammed the door shut, barricading it with a fully stocked weapon's rack nearby. Her first priority was to get all of her children to safety.

"Zoliver!" she shouted as she stormed up the stair way. She stopped at the door way, grabbing the fusil and loading it. "Take Aria and Alma and head up the road to Van's house! Go! there's no time to explain, just tell him we're under siege!" She tossed the weapon to him. "And kill anyone who dares try to harm your little sisters!"

((I will decide what happens on your escape attempt. just get out of the house and start running, assume that Aria and Alma comply without question to your mother's orders and follow you out.))

***

STRATOS

((Behold...))

"God... where am I?" Stratos said as his head began to clear of the thick fog enveloping his mind from the attack. He opened his eyes, peering up at the heavens. The sky was a brilliant orange and violet, swirled with snow white clouds of wisp with the sun shining in the distance, preparing to set and end the day...though it seemed to be stuck forever at the half way mark. A gentle wind blew, the air warm, completely lacking of humidity.

"What? Where..." He trailed off as a familiar voice spoke from nearby.

"I don't know the answer, so stop asking me, Stratos," Adurmedes sat nearby, looking out over the lush landscape and greenery of the country wilds before them. Stratos sat up, rubbing his head as the last of the pain from earlier faded. He touched his throat by mistake as he lowered his palm back down to his side, cringing as a sharp burning sensation laced throughout his finger tips. he brought them away from the area quickly, examining them. They were black as charcoals for a moment...then the skin slowly regained it's coloration.

"Do not touch that mark too often," Adurmedes warned. "We know nothing of what it may do or why that thing left it on you...but we can only assume that it was endowed with some maleficent intent."

"You won't have to tell me twice," Stratos examined his fingers one last time, making sure they were OK. His eyes turned down to the ground before him and Adurmedes, and then to the view beyond. They stood on a stone pavilion atop and hill; one that looked as if it had been built centuries ago. a variety of flora sprung up through the cracks in the columns and the floor, the roof itself was completely gone. Chunks of broken stone littered the hill side around the place; presumably what was left of the aforementioned architecture. All around them, a wide expanse of grassland spread out, the sea of green rippling in the soft wind and glowing in the evening light. Small trees and bushes lined the pavilion, overgrown just like all the other plants in it.

"Looks like I'm not alone here..." a boy's voice said from behind the two. They both turned to find a young man of about seventeen or so standing there. He wore nothing more than a simple pair of linen trousers and a creme colored tunic. His hair was a mess of black, his face young and his green eyes bright behind his wire rimmed spectacles. He stood non threateningly before Stratos and his soul bound, a slight twinge of sadness in his eyes.

"Who are you, boy?" The Sky Slayer asked...though, to be honest, Stratos himself in this form wasn't more than even ten years older then him. "What is this place?"

"It's Hell." The young man said simply.

"This? You honestly expect to believe that this is hell?"

The teen shoke his head. "Well...yes. It seems that the pre-Cithaloc legends were all true..." he looked at Stratos' armor and cloak, eyes raising in confusion. "I suppose I shouldn't have said that in the presence of a Church warrior..."

"What?" Stratos looked down at his gear. "Oh..don't pay any mind to this armor. My allegiance to that false establishment has long since died... and speaking of dying."

"Well I know for certain that I'm gone," the boy said, a bit of bitterness in his voice. "But you... for some reason I think something's different about your presence here. Especially that Dragon, too..."

"Hell, eh...?" Adurmedes interupted their conversation. "Ah... I should've known it... though you use the wrong word for it boy; The Cithals called it hell, but it's true name is Elise. Realm of reward for the valiant and the brave who have fallen." The Wrym let out a small chuckle. "To think... I transmuted myself in the first place to avoid coming here... the tales did a horrible job of selling this place's beauty." He turned a weary eye to Stratos. "seems you were right that those sins were only committed by you in name and not by hand."

"And yet I don't feel overly enthusiastic about being dead..." Stratos said in a sarcastic tone.

Adurmedes only smirked as he gazed out in the distance. "Well... who said you had to stay dead?"

"Pardon!?" Both Stratos and the Boy demanded simultaneously. that little comment had more than just caught their interest...

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Sinbad jumped onto the the back of the big spider suddenly and quickly. He started to pat his head. "Good Scrawl, your plight it sickens me." he said bawling his eyes out, Sinbad had a knack for theatrics, and they became even easier when you knew all to the well the feeling somebody was having. "To have people lie to you so easily, oh woe is me, I know how you feel my good Spider friend, I had many friends I thought were mine out on the open sea, people I thought cared about me. But no crew truly cares. They faslely accused me of mutiny!!!! MUTINY!!!! A MAN AS HONOURABLE AS ME DOES NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT WORD MEANS!!!! They mooroned me on a terrible isle that smelled of dead wet dogs, and moldy feet!!! And they left we with naught but my belongings, which were the clothes on my back and good ol' Bianca here!" he said, patting his bow rather affectionately. "I don't know what I would do without her, she is the apple of my eye!!" he hugged Scrawl's head, avoiding the spikes, it was probably not good to get stuck with one of those. "Oh and good Scrawl I am so sorry about the flies!!!! I really really thought I had some if it makes you feel better I promise you, you beautiful beautiful spider, I will pay my debts, A MAN AS HONOURABLE AS ME ALWAYS PAYS HIS DEBTS!!!!" he yelled crying onto Scrawl's head a little.

[Ragnar]

Gideon feels uncomfortable as the huge golden spider leaps into the group and was just a feet away from him, let alone was talking to them. The Turk steps back and looks at the spider in disgust, but somehow felt the sorry for the poor sap. really? nobody is gonna point out, that we're comforting a giant spider's feelings now? but then again, i'm challenging a snakeman to a duel, so really nothing ever surprises me in this place. Gideon sighed as he tries to keep his fear of spiders in check.

"nobody deserves that kind of treatment..even giant mutated golden spiders." Gideon said to Absalom as he feels Scrawl's pain.

[Aurorix]

"Come on girls, onto ol' Star Blazer." That was the name of their black and white spotted horse. Luckily Zolivar new the streets of his home well and went straight to Van's house with the girls and Star Blazer. Incidentally he still had the weapons and armor on from before.

[Felicity]

Darius had no words. The spider appearance alone had stunned him, but it's monologue just went right over his head, and with Sinbad appearing from nowhere. He could only gawk like a fish staring at a bright light.