Divided RP:

[Hyzenthlay]

The forest bowed to the strength of the wind. Riian looked on peacefully as nature danced around him. He was trying to meditate, but it was more difficult than the scholars made out. He found it extremely hard to focus when the world around him was so beautiful. From flower to mountain the world flowed in perfect harmony. His mind wandered again as he saw a bee buzz gleefully past, gather pollen from an outstretched orchid, and fly away just as gracefully as it had come. He sat on his log just admiring his surroundings with a faint smile.

For him the mana flowed into him just on the sight of this. No inner peace was required, not through the use of meditation anyway. The other colleges must have other methods of gathering their magical energy. For god’s sake, not everyone was cut out for simply not thinking for hours on end. Riian for one couldn’t fathom the usage of such boring techniques. Not when it was as simple as looking around, taking in the world. He found deep breathing was the perfect relaxation technique. It opened his mind to the mana flowing around him, in every river on every breeze. Granted not everyone could do this, not right away. Riian has found this method by accident. It probably came hand in hand with his laid-back approach to life.
A rustling. The bushes behind him moved disturbing the peace of the forest. Riians head shot round to catch a glimpse of a large group wandering in formation towards town.

“Soldiers!?” Muttered Riian.

True that the town wasn’t without its protection but normally these were the colleges own graduates. It was the tradition of Sol to use its own students after they passed. If they so wished to stay, that is. Riian shrugged, deciding that they must be a troupe of the king’s bodyguard. They were probably passing by the college town. The capital was just through a passage to the north after all. He tried to go back to his mana restoral, closing his eyes and listening to the leaves as they rustled past. The soldiers came back to his mind. Again he tried to concentrate. He opened his eyes and looked up as clouds formed familiar shapes. Had they been wearing black armour?

“Grrrrrrrrrrr. Quit it. You have an exam today!” He growled through gritted teeth.

The clouds continued to swirl but his mind was elsewhere. This was because, in fact, the soldiers had been wearing black, thick and gleaming battle armour. This was unusual in the country but not as unusual as having no crest. Each different college had its own crest, the king had his, and even the numerous religions had one each. Riian rose to his feet almost without thinking. His eyes darting left and right as ideas swirled in his head. He should investigate, it was his duty as a student of Sol. Maybe the soldiers were using the pass to invade the capital. The king would never expect that, that cavern was almost never used (except to send mail, or the odd college representative).

He shifted his feet, lifted his head and set off at an unsteady pace towards the Sar city passage. Trees whizzed by as he ran, jumped, dodged and weaved his body through the wood. He flew past at such a speed that he didn’t notice the silence around him. The deafening quiet of terrified nature. He didn’t even notice that the air he drew into his lungs was becoming thicker. With each metre he ran his heartbeat hastened, struggling hard against un-natural air. He stopped at the entrance to the grotto which held the Sar pass entrance. Two mounds stood at either side of him, spreading out into a half circle off natural wall. These two halves met at the edge of the vast, clear waters of Gara Lake. The scene ahead of him blocked out these awe-inspiring images. Two mages lay on the ground at the mouth of the passage. Behind them the cave mouth was caved in. He ran instinctively to the nearest body. It was lay face down, a slashed cloak lay soaking in blood. He knelt to take a look. A corpse, cold and without a pulse. His head slumped as a sigh passed his lips. He shook his head and looked over at the second body. This one slumped several metres away against a mound of upturned dirt. As he drew closer he realised that the mound was, in fact, sitting on the edge of a fresh and smouldering crater. The Sol mages had put up a fight. He felt tears stab at the corner of his eyes. There were no other bodies. The great and powerful soldiers of Sol had created no more than smoking holes. Had they died in vain? No others were dragged valiantly to the afterlife. He felt a lump in his throat. The tears forced their way through and he spluttered as he forced back sobs.

His mind cleared, he had to control himself and tell the college masters. He raised a sleeve to his eyes, mopping at the damp patches formed. Straightening up; he set off again at a run. It was only a short run to the college town and he barely took in any of the sights. His mind was on the burnt grass, the charred tree stumps and craters. Whoever had attacked them must have been a mages of unimaginable strength. Or warriors with speed he could only dream of. There was no other reasonable explanation. The town drew closer now, red roofs and white walls sprang into vision. He ran past the residents as they turned their heads in wonderment. The town was loud, as usual. But the people had never rushed anywhere. Riians sudden urgency made even the busybodies hush and stare.

At last he reached the path to the College grounds. Students sat taking in the afternoon sun. The mana was thick and plentiful as the older students meditated. They were disturbed as Riian raced past and some shouted angrily.

“Slow down, you idiot. Some of us are trying to concentrate. This is our home too you know.”

“Yeah, this is our home. We’ll never take that for granted like you, Riian!”

Up the dirt track he raced. Past pond and tree without stopping even for a second. As he reached the huge oak doors he barged them open. His pace never faltered. Up the stairs, along a corridors. Left, right, left. He came to the second flight of stairs. At the top of these stood the colleges Supreme Master. He walked up these, fearing that a sudden entrance may startle the old man into an early grave. As he reached the door he knocked and entered. Master Julio was sat behind his desk, he looked up as Riian entered and removed his spectacles. Placing his glasses gently on the desk he leaned with his elbows on the mahogany. His hand clasped together as if in prayer.

“Riian, my boy. To what do I owe this pleasure?”His voice was deep and commanding and barely suited his appearance at all.

Julio looked on curiously at the quivering form of his pupil. Riian breathed in deeply, suddenly aware of how little oxygen he had left in his lungs. He was panting furiously. Swallowing hard he fought out a reply.

“The Sar passage...” He gasped, gulping in a lungful of air. “...The guardians are dead. The pass is blocked and...” Again he wheezed and dragged at oxygen, “I saw strange soldiers. I think the king is in trouble.”

The Masters face fell into a frown, his fingers were now drumming in rhythm on his desk. He looked deep in thought as he rose to his feet. His grey hair swayed as he stepped out and walked out towards the door. Turning the handle he looked over his shoulder at Riian.

“I am afraid, dear boy, that the situation may be more dire than you think.”

“What do you m...” Started Riian, but he was cut off by Julio’s next remark;

“The pass was not blocked so we could not pursue. It was to prevent escape. I feared they would come for us. Sooner or later they would seek us out, I knew this. Yet, I did nothing to prevent it.” The old man looked panicked, “blindness or optimism, it matters not now...”

With that the old man threw open the door and disappeared behind it. Riian stood, dumbfounded. Somebody was attacking the college, or planning to? His mouth lay open. He stood for a few seconds, too shocked to move. He had never been scared about anything in his life. The sight of the Supreme Master worried had unnerved him. He decided to follow him as a scream came in through an open window. This spurred him on, the door once again flew open and Riian followed Julio down into the college gardens.

Outside was of stark contrast the harmony of just a few minutes before. Fires blazed and bodies lay scattered all around. Bleeding and broken amongst the magical scars upon the landscape. Riian fell to his knees and looked ahead as the Master prepared a spell. His eyes flashed white and his vision weakened. He felt his torso hit the floor, his face brushed against the cold of the grass. He hadn’t fainted, he was paralysed. Then, his mind stopped and he faded from consciousness.

[KeybladerXIII]

Felzen was at peace. Atop the Mount Suria reserved exclusively for Suin students during their meditation, he admired the Sar landscape as the wind blew in strong gusts. He was the only one near the peak of the mountain, the other students either not allowed or not willing to climb that high. He looked down at the at the verdant, green country, of which he was the self-proclaimed Lord of. "Argh!! Enough with the sight-seeing, I have to focus if I want to get any better," He thought to himself.

Hours passed, when Felzen again opened his eyes, to darkness. His steady concentration, caused the rock of the mountain to envelop him in it's solid embrace. "Wow...I'm getting pretty good at this," he muttered with a sly smile. He seperated the rock and drove it back into the mountain. "Well, I better get back, just hope nobody talks to me..." Felzen sighed and with a few stretches...jumped off the mountain side. As his foot hit the rock side of a craggy face, he flattened and morphed the jagged edges with his mana to make a single, smooth slide. Suddenly, he noticed three unusally large flying shapes zip past the air, almost causing Felzen to fall off the rock slide. "WHAT THE...?!?!?" Felzen was at a loss for words. He would've thought of them as the rare Ke'o birds which rarely, if ever pass through Sar, if not for two things: He saw the glint of metal on them, and they reeked of the Drasna magic that some of the students, or "heretics" as he called them, used only exponentially more powerful. With that sight on his mind, he rode the slide for a while more then leaped off about 80 feet from the ground, as he launched an obelisk from the valley ground for him to land on. As he created steps for him to walk down, he reformed the mountain rock back to its original form and lowered the obelisk.

"That was fun, I guess, but what were those things?" thought Felzen as he walked back to the collage, He passed by the Siltoan Caverns where Drasna students usually hung out, covering his nose to keep the stench of their magic from burning his nostrils. As he walked through the courtyard, another student, Sol by the feel of his mana, bright and active, tackled him to the floor. "Watch where you're going, hot-head!" Felzen yelled, but the student was already gone.

At his room, Felzen fell onto his bed, the black forms on his mind. "That metal. It's luster was quite unique....I've seen it before....AHA! It is Interium. It is found in only certain qualities of earth and is usually...made for...nah, they'd never come to Sar, I must be meditating too hard..." Felzen took a look at his tonfas, stacked against his dresser, and decided to practice a bit outside. As he walked downstairs, he jumped at the sound of an explosion. He ran outside to a disturbing, shocking scene. The town was ablaze in flames, and the corpses of his fellow students, some the only friends he had. In confusion, he looked to see that the forest, his beautiful forest, were torn asunder by giant chasms, scarring the once beautiful land. The stench emanating from the scars was disgusting, even worse than the Drasna magic. Suddenly, Felzen was surrounded by dark forms, the same ones from earlier. The smell was intoxicating, and an armored, clawed hand jutted out from the dark, shadowy....things, and struck Felzen in nerve. As he fell toward the cobblestone walkway, his body not responding he had a final thought. "Master Julio....where are you....."

[loaf]

The air was thin, the world around was black. Floating in place, Lortin can see himself sitting there, floating, meditating. This place didn't look anything like anywhere in the real world, it looked like space, but without stars and other things you would see in space. Just a very big empty space of black. "I can't wait to see what the Elder wants!" Lortin thought to himself, then waking up from his meditation. "I can't wait I can't wait!" he exclaimed, "I wonder what he will say." Lortin sits up on his bed, looking around his room, with a new thought every 2 seconds. Thoughts going in and out, back and forth, the thought of his visit with the elders soon, to sound he hears outside his room door to even the weather for the day, all becoming the number one thought quickly to the thought he can care less about. He gets up and walks to his desk, open up his book, which shows his progression in the college on the first page. Only 2 out of the 5 tests were completed. Someone for his level should have completed 4 so far, but due to his "disability", he is rather slow on the learning curve, but to the higher ups he is a strong minded user.

He turns the page, it shows the results of the first test, flawless, second test, barely passed. Some time after the first test, something happened and Lortin didn't remember. Maybe someone did this to him, maybe it was just met to be. He began to change from his night clothes to his formals to wear for the elders. "I might as well put these on, I'm not sure when the messenger will contact me," he thought to himself, "I could go into the quad and relax for a bit." "I remember seeing that fight almost break out the other day, that was a close call with the Fize student." "Those Fize students scare me, with all the electricity, electricity does do nice things, but it's just, to, bright." "Bright like the sun, but not as hot...I wonder if electricity can be as hot as fire." What is the feeling of electric shock." All of these thoughts, quickly in and out of his mind.

Lortin couldn't just stand around waiting, he had to do something. He opens his door and begins to quickly walk down the corridor, almost as if he was in a hurry to get somewhere. He stopped by the entrance to the quad, only to get bored of that and walk towards the eastern end of the college, stopping to observe his surroundings. He then turned around and began to walk towards the quad, he looked up and noticed the clock in the middle of the quad. It was barely 9 in the morning, but there were a large amount of students hanging around. It was the weekend, normally students have more free time during the weekends then the weekdays, due to training, meditating endless hours, classes, etc. "Wow last time I saw this many people, there was a panic in the school about some people from the north attacking, but that was a false alarm," Lortin thought. "A false alarm, like that time I thought I was losing all my power during the second test, but I just wasn't concentrating enough."

As Lortin was about to leave the quad, a man, even shorter then Lortin walked up to him. "Are you Lortin, uh, Lortin?" the short man said. "Me? My name is Lortin, unless there is another one here I am unaware of." Lortin rambled. "Is there another Lortin?" "No, you are the Lortin I am looking for, calm yourself." the short man explained, "please, come with me, the elder is waiting for you." Lortin followed the man into the college walls, up the first flight of stairs, up the second. There were no more stairs at this point, "why are we here, this is just a dead end," Lortin asked. "You are a Drasna student and you can't even figure this out?" the short man said harshly. "I don't know why the elder wants to speak to this dimwit," the man said under his breath. The man took a deep breath, "we must teleport to the third level," the man said to Lortin, "how do I know where to teleport to?" Lortin returned. "No need to worry," the man said as he walked towards a statue. He lifted one of the fingers on the statue and the statue moved inwards and then dropped; behind it was a small room with a glowing circle on the ground. "Simply stand on the circle, just use the energy within, and it will teleport you to the third floor," the man explained. Lortin walked in first, stood on the circle, closed his eyes and focused his energy and released it. After opening his eyes, he was in the same room, but the room outside of the circle room was different; a new place for him. Lortin walked out of the circle room to then see the small man appear on the circle. "Now, we have to do that two more times, the elder is waiting on the fifth floor." After finding the rooms, teleporting to the upper floors; they both stood in front of the elder's room. "Here you are sir, the elder awaits inside," the man said to Lortin. Just as Lortin was going to respond, the small man teleported away. Lortin begins to knock on the door, just as it slowly opens. In side was a rather large bedroom/lounge, with a throne at the end of it, which had a giant window that overlooked the college grounds. A man stood, staring out of the window. "I have been waiting for you young Lortin," the elder said, "I have a small task I wish to use you for."

[Freya]

There was a cold breeze in the room Wendy was sitting in. She shivered a bit, as she felt the cold on her legs. Her eyes searched for something. Something in front of her. On the wall, there was a huge shelf with tons of books. All of them contained basics about Ice magic. She needed to learn for her next test, so it was the only place to be for her.
Silence. There was nothing to be heard in the room. Outside, it was cold, so no one wanted to be there. Normally, there were many students playing around. They all didn't have much problems with casting magic, so they had enough time to spare outside. Also, they didn't shiver as Wendy was now. Absent-minded she pulled at her skirt, trying to make it longer so it covered her legs. Using the other hand she grabbed a book which was called "Ice Magic Casting II". Damn. She needed volume one, but didn't find it.

She looked around the room. Tons of books, a few chairs, a long table in the middle of the room. It was a round room with only bookshelves on the walls and places to read them in the middle. Nobody was there, there wasn't even a librarian. Normally when she came to this library, there was nobody.

Yet, suddenly a person was entering the room. Wendy quivered uncomfortably and looked in the direction of the door. There was a young boy in blue clothes who seemed to have run to the library. Wendy tried to hide from him, but he had already seen her.

"Oh... sorry, did I startle you?", the boy asked, smiling. Wendy shook her head. She didn't want to talk to that boy, she didn't even know what he wanted in the library. She just wished he hadn't noticed her.
Without hesitating, the boy closed the door and began to make his way to her. Wendy looked into each direction, just in case she had to escape. It hasn't been necessary before, but now she wished she'd taken her staff with her.

"Don't worry", the boy said, obviously knowing what his presence did to her. "I just want to study here."
She didn't believe him. Nobody's been to this library in this one year she'd been here. Again, she shook her head. The boy sighed.
"Okay, I'm sorry, but could you just let me read that book you're holding?"

Wendy looked down to the "Ice Magic Casting II". She hadn't noticed that she was still holding it. Without hesitating, she gave the book to the strange boy.

"Take it. Leave me alone", she said, angrily. Then she laid the book onto the large table and passed him by without even looking at him again. She had had enough of this encounter. Next time she'd go to the library at night.
Wendy smashed open the door, leaving a surprised boy behind. Then, she decided to attend classes and headed for the classrooms.

[loner-kid]

The room was dark, the faintest hint of incense hanging in the air like a paltry offering before a feast. In the centre of a hastily cleared space sat a young man, shrouded in the smoke filled darkness. Meditation, they say, is the key to understanding your flow of mana and from that you can pretty much do with it as you wish. That is the basic knowledge. In Drasna there are many ways to increase and decrease your mana flow that bypass meditation, most are... unsavory to say the least.

The young man let out a small sigh of anticipation as he withdrew a crumbling white stick of chalk from his belt. With a practised hand he drew a number of symbols and an enclosing pentagram into the floor in front of him, each perfectly formed despite the almost breaking chalk. He placed a hand into the centre of his workings causing the chalk to glow slightly illuminating a few strands of dark red hair. He hated this bit. Brilliant light burst into the room around him as his mana spiralled off his body to form into a pulsating orb that hovered in the centre of the pentagram. Slowly the orb began to take shape, limbs streaching out, head pushing foreward, tiny details potmarking its surface, and with one final burst of dazzling light the summoning was complete leaving the room to sink back into darkness.

'Damnit' Aloin thought as he watched the little grey dots dance along the back of his eyelids. He could feel a persistent tapping against the back of his hand but he ignored it, instead choosing to silently curse the nature of some summoning spells. Eventually though he did open his eyes, staring down at the creature that was gently knocking its head against his hand. It was a kind of glowing ferret, golden symbols dancing over its milky white fur in an endlessly changing waltz that spirals over its clean features. It stopped its gentle battering, rolling backwards onto its hind legs and peering with large saucepan eyes upwards in an attempt to lock eyes with the man who had summoned it. Aloin held out a hand, offering it up to the small creature as if asking it to take his hand. The ferret like beast lowered its head, resting the muzzle on his outstreached hand. Slowly it bit into the tender flesh of the palm drinking in the steady flow of blood from the wound. Aloin merely sat making no response as the beast continued to feed. There was a flash, golden light spiking up the veins in his arms and he threw his head back as he felt his senses crash into a wall and cease functioning entirely. It was always strange this part, when the summoners contract was joining your soul with the creatures. It was somewhat akin to weaving wool into thread, the different strands winding together into one tightly formed whole. Aloin let out a little breath of relief as he felt the warmth of the air around him and the smell of the heady incense. He didn’t like how forming the contract made him incredibly venerable and there was always the nibbling doubt that his senses wouldn’t return, leaving him in a comatose state until his body wasted away. Out of habit he glanced down at his right hand to confirm the contract seal before it faded away. Aloin smiled slightly, the corners of his mouth lifting painfully. He reached down and pulled off the creature that was still biting down quite hard on his hand. He held it up to his face staring into its face as it tried to scamper out of his grip.

“Ok then my little spirit tracker, let’s lay down some ground rules.” He said holding up a cautionary finger “Number one you can’t just drink my blood whenever you feel like it. Number two I know you don’t actually need to glow so I’d prefer you to stay as inconspicuous as possible. And number three I’m well aware that summons are capable of speech so no playing the dumb animal card on me.”

The creature stopped squirming, its movement ceasing completely as it wound its head away to one side deliberately avoiding any form of eye contact. Aloin reached over with one hand and turned its head back to face him. It had a nervous, almost cornered look on its face and its pupils darted from side to side. Finally it seemed to give up, its shoulders drooping and its little face letting out a defeated sigh.

“Damnit…” the creature muttered. It lifted it head to stare up at Aloin with drooping lids, its face the long drawn out mask of the truly bored. It shrugged its small front legs slightly as it tilted its head to one side. “Fine, ya know what I give up, you win mister summoner” It said in a shrill fast paced voice that oozed with exasperation “Anything else you want to drop on me. Another little rule perhaps?”

“I’m going to need to call you something so a name would be useful” Aloin said hopefully

“You want my name?” It said incredulously “Screw you, you’ll forget it anyway” This time it was Aloins time to shrug, causing the ferret like summon to shake its head. After a brief pause it opened its mouth to speak. “Ah damnit, the name’s Kiki oka-” It never finished.

Sound and lit flooded into the room as debris hurtled through the air. The rough stone work smashed into Aloins side accompanied by the long drawn out cracking as bones broke beneath his skin. The force of the collision pulled his unresisting body into the air, hurling him into the far wall like a child discarding an old rag doll. He groaned in pain as he tried to grasp desperately at the hastily fleeing trail of his conscious mind. With an effort he forced himself to asess the situation. Where once there had been a wall now stood a gaping hole, charred to blackened cinders along its jagged edge. But beyond that, framed by the devestated remnants of the wall, was a battle field. Bodies littered the ground, some little more than ash, others crushed to a bloody pulp, there were even some that lay entombed in ice their final screams frozen for all to see. Whatever fighting there had been had ended now, Aloin could only see corpses from where he sat propped up against the wall. Student corpses. The realisation struck him like the blow from a wayward hammer. Of all the dead that lay littered across that tainted earth, not a single one wore anything but the long dark robes of the Drasna studenthood. He swallowed hard, the invaders whoever they may be, had not been defeated. They had cut a bloody swathe through the helpless classes that had been practising outside, making their way towards the dormitries in an attempt to avoid the proffessors who lived in the main complex. He heard a shout from below followed swiftly by a wet crunch and a horrible silence. He had to move, gather some of the students and set up some defenses. Judging from the massacre outside attacking head on would be suicide. Aloin smiled to himself, if he managed to get through this he might even get a favour from a few of the higher ups. There was another strangled scream, closer now little more than a story away. Aloin tried to push himself up, there was a sickening crunch below him. Red hot pain coursed through his arm as if some one had doused it in burning pitch. It didn’t take long to see what was wrong. From the wrist up his arm lay shattered, the broken chunks of bone floating freely where they had been severed, even the shoulder had been dislocated making the whole thing hang listlessly. He reached over, taking a firm grip of the useless arm and gritted his teeth knowing full well what happened next. There was a muffled pop as he forced the wayward limb back into its socket. Barely a grunt escaped his lips but his face convulsed as the new wave of pain descended over him.

“Okay” he breathed out heavily “Kiki, I’m going to need you to keep an eye on the people killing the students. Whatever chance I may have had at fighting them is deffinately out of the question if I can’t use both my hands” Aloin said pulling himself back to his feet being careful not to hurt his useless arm anymore than it already was. The summoned creature nodded, its eyes shining with a respectful admiration of its master.
“How will I-” It began.

“Look for the group that is surrounded by other souls being killed, It should be on the floor below us”Aloin said barely pausing for breath as he turned to rummage through one of the many cabinets in his room. Kiki gave a shy smile and nodded its head.

“Got them” it said as aloin drew out the long, broad bladed spear.

[Imposter]

Erratic, unpredictable, blinding motion even to the most skilled of eyes. A power that not only lashed outwardly but also surged through the object it hit. Yet it only lasted an instant as it traveled from one place to another. Such beauty ‘would’ only be for a moment. Such was the common lightning bolt...

“Seriously?! Gyne! C’mon you know just as well as I do that the ‘common lightning bolt’ is old hat stuff, why are you getting me to recite this!! Real beauty is channelling the electricity around our bodies to jump from one point to another having the current flow through and on our own person is much more beautiful, and on top of that when you release it at your target they will regret crossing your path....hmph! Fize’s old citations written by old geezers aren’t for me. I’m so much more a practical learner.”

To add effect Zipporah tosses the book up into the air behind her and crosses her arms in disgust. She turns back to see a middle aged man catch the book as it falls through the air. His large build embraces the book and he mutters a curse at the young girl. Zipporah politely returns with a smile and steps towards him.

“Don’t even Gyne. You know full well I’m your best student and you couldn’t even try to hide the fact that you love me. After all I’ve shown all those other old coots just how powerful the teaching of Fize can be. You just gotta step outside the system of technique and routine.”

A large hand covered her face; the grip was strong enough to stop her from talking but still contained within it a sense of care. Gyne’s gruff voice held only kindness as it rebuked her.

“Listen girlie, sure you have impressed some people but I’m not doing this so much out of love as out of caution. I don’t think any of the other teachers could handle you with a class, and you would probably kill them accidently. I couldn’t have that on either of our consciences. Plus you aren’t even close to understanding the teachings of Fize or what mana even is! Sure you have branched out and stepped outside the box with how you conduct yourself when channelling mana but you have much to learn. Perhaps we should get back to the lesson.”

His grasp released and he tossed the book back at the young girl. She caught it with a half smile. How was it that she had the best teacher in the whole school teaching her one on one? The lesson continued the whole rest of the afternoon. She read through ‘the practice of magnetic field manipulation’ and ‘the basis of all electric transference’.

The evening hours always seemed to go slow for Zipporah. She would normally spend most of the time in her room humming songs to herself or would have her head stuck in a book. If the other students wanted to have some fun they would drop in and invite her out. This evening was such a time. She found herself with a small group swimming just outside the school property. It was a common hangout for most of the students and the waterfall was an amazing sight to behold. The water cascaded down catching the setting sun’s light and causing a beautiful array of colours. The water was refreshing and it was always nice to have some attention from people her age.

After the excursion the troupe returned back to the dorms and had begun preparing for the nights activities. Headmaster Cruxius, an elderly man who had quite the power over the mana around him, was going to be giving a lecture on the history of the college. Zipporah always enjoyed seeing the headmaster show his skill over the mana flow. Such an amalgamation of wisdom and skill resulted in a mastery over electricity.

As the students filled in and took their seats in the auditorium a very strange look rested on the headmaster one Zippy had never seen before. Was that worry beneath that large moustache and beard. Was the headmaster’s brow sunken too? What’s going on?! Soon everything was explained to the curious senior.

“My dear students I’m very sorrowful that tonight’s lecture will have to be cancelled. I have received some rather grave news and because of such we must take action quickly. We have received word that our patrol team has seen a group heading towards the campus, not only are they highly hostile they have already struck and immobilized the scouting team. So I humbly request your aid students in defending this place. I cannot guarantee the outcome of this oncoming attack.....but we must fight valiantly for this school. So now go students and prepare yourselves.”

The headmaster spoke quickly and rushed out towards the west hall leaving everyone to their own thoughts. Zippy made her way out as the throng dispersed to prepare or flee. A large hand stopped her in her tracks.

"Gyne!!" A wave of relief overcame her knowing he was here. Before she could speak and ask what was going on he spoke. The sternness in his voice was so powerful that Zipporah couldn't even think of something to say in retort.

“Come with me, quickly.”

Gyne’s grip was rough very much unlike it normally was, he pulled her towards his study and the door shut behind them.

“Listen Zipporah, what is happening here is going to change a great many things. I want you to be around when this is over. You have some much to learn and experience...”

He paused as he saw the tears stream down her eyes. She wiped them away quickly and yelled at him. Saying he was a dumb lug, she could fight so much better than the majority of the students. Anger and confusion dominating all other emotions as she ranted on at him saying this wasn’t farewell or anything like that and he couldn’t make her do anything against her wishes. He didn’t listen and began heading towards a stand at the back of his office. There stood a large set of armour that looked more like a human shaped prison.

“Listen Zipporah I’ve been working many years on this suit. The idea is simple it hinders the flow of mana of anything inside of it. I’ve never really tested it but now isn’t really the time to take a trial run. I’m sorry about this....really”

Zipporah couldn’t even react as his hand grabbed her and the electricity shocked her nerves. Her body stiffened but she didn’t lose consciousness. Her eyes burned with anger at her teacher. She knew full well what he was doing and the emotion behind it but why would he do this for her.

“The paralysis will wear off eventually, but I wouldn’t want you to hear and see what is going to ensue so I’m going to shock out again. You should wake up in a few days Zippy. I want you to live, and learn. I’m sorry for what I’m doing. Good bye my student, you know you were right....You were my favourite.”

With that her eyes began to get heavy. She couldn’t feel it but she imagined that his hand was on her sending a coursing stream electricity through her body and knocking her unconscious.

[loaf]

"I need you to run an errand for me young man."

"If you are up for it."

"I want you to travel east bound towards the mountains," the Elder began to explain, "there you will see a camp out in front of a cave." "That camp is home of a friend of mine who will help you locate what it is I am searching for," he continued, "please obtain this artifact and talk to the spirits in the temple to learn more about your magic abilities and then come back to me." The Elder continued to talk about the dangers of the cave, the monsters to be expected as well as the amount of magic floating within. "I want you to depart as soon as possible, I would like to have this artifact in my possession within 24 hours." Lortin agreed and asked "Will I have any assistance?" "My friend shall help you through the cave...it is a tricky place," the elder replied. The elder stepped towards Lortin, "I also am going to teach you a new technique." It is something similar to what you are taught but more stronger," the elder said as he raised his hand and placed it on Lortin's head. "Simply call this ability Mind Blast," he added "it's like shooting a powerful psychic blast to ones own mind, hurting them.

Within the next two hours, Lortin had gathered all his equipment, putting on his cloak and grabbing his bo staff he then set out on his walk to the cave to the east of the college. It was around noon, the sun was up in the sky, although the clouds made it just noticeable through the clouds. While walking down the path he continued to practice his new technique by just shooting it in the air, he can see the blasts fly through the air as if they were bullets. After 3 hours he stopped to take a rest at the fork in the road, one way leading towards the cave, the other towards the nearest town to the college on the east side of the campus. Lortin rested for almost an hour, regaining his strength for the next walk ahead, continuing to practice his mind blast.

Two more hours passed and he finally was able to see the camp in his line of sight, he was relieved to be done with all that walking. As he approached the camp he got a dark feeling inside, as if something else is here. "That must be all that magic the elder was telling me about," Lortin thought to himself. He walked up to the camp fire and saw 4 men resting. One of them had the symbol of the Drasna, signifying that he works for the school. He had long brown hair down passed his shoulders, wearing a simple cloth shirt and reinforced studded leather pants, he looked maybe in his mid 30's. "Hello, my name is Lortin, I am a Level 2 Student at the school, the elder sent me here to obtain the artifact deep in this cave." "A level 2? The elder sent a level 2 student to get this thing in this cave? Unbelievable." the man said, "do you know what dangers are in this place, I've met a few level 4s who had trouble surviving in this place." "But if the elder thinks you can handle it, then by all means, lets get started." The man gets up, walks to his tent and grabs his equipment. His giant bastard sword with a golden crest on the blade, he slips on his chain mail chest piece and some leather armor over his mail. "Shall we get going?" "The cave is just a few miles up the trail to the mountain, not a far of a walk," the man said as he pointed up towards the mountain.

Lortin and the man were walking front to back up the trail, silent, no conversation for about half of the walk. "Excuse me, I never got your name sir," Lortin asked to the man, "I would like to know the name of the person who is assisting me on this task." "Name's Murdon, I studied with Kaohn back when we were young," Murdon replied. "Who is Kaohn?" Lortin asked, "that is the elder that sent you here, one of the 7 elders that administrate the school, we go way back." "Intersting," Lortin said to himself. The two continued to walk up the path, within 30 minutes, they had arrived.

The cave reeked of a foul stench of dead animals, probably from the amount of magic floating around, it's just to much and to powerful for a simple animal to take. "Wait here young one, I'll summon the gate keeper," Murdon explained, "he isn't very strong, but his minions are tough." Murdon walks into the cave and immediately disappears into the darkness. 5 minutes pass, Murdon begins to run out slowly, "prepare yourself kid, the creature comes!"

An entity of a transparent black shade came out of the cave, floating there, Lortin didn't know what it was. "That beast is a phase beast, created from the psychic magic and creatures from within the cave, it guards to entrance," Murdon said to Lortin, "The elder didn't say anything about a gate monster," Lortin replied. Just then, the creature summoned two fighters beside it, one wielding a giant axe and the other a short sword and a tower shield. "Your fighting skills better be top notch my friend," Murdon said as he charged towards the creature wielding the axe. Shooting dark matter from his left hand at the creature, disrupting the creature balance Murdon swings at it. The creature tries to parry but it to slow and axe collides with Murdon's sword and the creature falls to the ground. Murdon jumps in the air for a final blow but is swept away by the gate keeper, hitting the wall next to Lortin. "What are you doing kid!" Murdon shouted, "attack the keeper!" Murdon gets up again and goes for the creature with the axe. Just then the creature with the shield charges Lortin, with his bo staff he quickly blocks the strike from the creature, struggling for the dominate outcome of this duel he tried one of his push spells, but fails due to the shield of the creature. Lortin looks over his shoulder to see Murdon battling it out with the axe creature, striking continuously not letting the creature any chance for a counter. The gate keeper then eyes down Lortin and begins to fly towards him, Lortin begins to focus more on the shield creature to defeat it quickly before having to fight two on one. Without thinking, he uses his newly learned technique. Lortin closes his eyes and blasts at the creature, the creature is stunned and drops it's equipment and fades away.

Just as Lortin turns around to face the gate keeper, the gate keeper entangles Murdon with some sort of restraint and the axe creature strikes Murdon in the chest with the handle of it's axe and Murdon flies in the air and lands hard on his back. He was struggling to sit back up, but he seemed to be in good shape. The gate keeper began heading towards Lortin again, and the axe creature back to Murdon. Lortin stops to catch his breath and remember what he was taught for combat. Unable to relax but still able to think he now can come to a conclusion of what spell to use. Lortin raises his hand and aims it towards the keeper and blasts a psychic force into the keepers mind. The creature flies fast and hard back into the cave and a bright flash of light quickly lightens up the cave and then back to darkness. Lortin looks over to Murdon who had finished the axe creature off with a few flesh wounds.

"Good job kid, you are one of the few to kill that being," Murdon said to Lortin, congratulating him. "Now if you don't mind, I am going to rest here and recover, you may enter the cave," when you find a stairway heading down, wait for me there. I shall accompany you there. Lortin enters the cave, to see a hallway slightly lighten up with torches. A giant doorway at the end, the lock was on the ground as if it was broken off by something. Lortin pushes open the door and steps inside.

[Hyzenthlay]

Riian jerked into consciousness, he choked air down as if he had been drowning. A blinding headache obliterating rational thoughts like a hammer to chalk. His immediate reaction was to stand, so he tried. This most simple of tasks proved difficult. He felt the back of his head for damage, none lay there. No injury was visible on his flesh. He managed, after another attempt, to get to one knee. His legs shaking wildly. Panting, he looked ahead with blurry eyes at the battleground before him. Red Flashes. His eyes slowly returned to normal, allowing him to fully survey the carnage. It was both horrible, and awe inspiring. A body lay a few feet away, blood soaked and staring with unblinking eyes at Riian. He felt a stab of pain in his chest. He had known this girl, he had taught her. Her name had been Charlie, her age not even into double figures. He slowly crawled over and rolled his fingers gently over her face, closing her eyes.

"No matter what path awaits you, you are with me. Always the memory, always the thought. If in death we meet again I will greet you my sister. Brave guardian of Sol..." He closed his eyes with a sigh. "...Sleep well Charlie."

This was the best Riian could do at that moment. In Sol the ritual is sacred, but this wasn't the time. He threw his eyes to the central path, his gaze moving slowly along to each of the bodies that lay there. There had to be at least a hundred all of varying ages and skill. Who could have done this, or what?

Then, at the end of the path and to the left, Julio stood tall. His arms moving in arced motions, his lips mumbling incantations. There was a boy next to him, too. So there were at last a few survivors. Riian rose, his legs almost buckling. He tarried for just a second before setting off at a sprint towards the two men. Just before he got there however he paused, astounded about the sight before him. A man materialized a few feet from the Sol Master mage. He appeared as if he had been sand on the breeze, seeming to flicker into sight in an instant. Julio threw his hands down and his head up towards the sky.

"INFERNO!" Yelled Julio.

The figure ahead of him grinned from under long, black hair. The grains that made up his being swished in the wind and he appeared a few feet to the right, still advancing on the Master. The man was the scariest Mage Riian had ever seen. He wore a dark, crimson coat. His long, jet lack hair fell about his shoulders like silk. An explosion erupted where the man had been stood creating a large crater in the ground.

"Don't play with me, Sol dog. Show me what you have. I want more!" Smiled the mystery mage.

Julio looked tired, yet for all his efforts not a single enemy lay about him. Or anywhere on the grounds, for that matter. The Master held out his palms, pushing them together hard. He pulled them back, crossing them against his chest. His eyes closed and he mumbled the incantation. They opened again and he threw out his right arm. Index finger extended, a grin spread across his face. The enemy mage smirked back, running a finger under his nose.

"HELLFIRE!"

The enemy mages eyes flashed, for a second he looked scared. Again the particles of his being blew away. A ripple of explosions lit the ground in orbs. Deafening cracks and bangs hit the ears of everyone for miles around. Dirt, rock and grass were thrown around. Riian was thrown to the ground from the sheer force of the Masters cast. Debris rained down upon them all and the areas in which the spell had caught burned endlessly. After the smoke cleared a deep chasm was visible. An earthbound sign of the awesome power of fire magic. This time, however, the mage appeared a dozen feet above them all. The sinister grin appeared back on his pale face.

"ENOUGH! I've had it with your pathetic excuse for magic, Julio! I thought the master of fire lore; the legendary, nay, infamous Julio Sol would at least be my match. Perhaps you carry no more than your ancestor, and this colleges name. No skill..." He disappeared and re-appeared beside Julio, whispering gently in his ear. "Your college... Is now... His!"

Master Julio was thrown hard against the boundary wall. Riian heard his breath leave him as the college Supreme Master blinked, and then, slumped. He couldn't believe his eyes. The enemy mage just slowly wandered over and raised a hand, palm up-facing. Julios body rose, not dead, in mid air. Held up by some unexplained force.

"Come Linear... Rafiel." Barked the mage.

Riian turned to the sight of two warriors stood no more than 100 metres away. They were spread apart, and each held a long and slightly curved Katana. Their clothes were immaculate, though they were surrounded by the corpses of black-armoured soldiers. All around these figures blood was lay soaking. It was sprayed up tree trunks, over walls. Even the grass gleamed with a scarlet hue. The nearest to Riian was a woman with silvery hair. It danced, ever moving, on a gentle breeze. She wore a tight fitting blue dress embroidered with white, intricate, cotton patterns. The one a bit further away was male. He had short, brown hair which he ran his fingers through with a grin. He looked relaxed and wore jeans and a black t-shirt, over which sat a long, black trench coat.

Each of these mages followed their instructions, disappearing in a flash of radiant light. Their method of travel looked far less dark than that of their friends. In fact, it almost looked beautiful. Especially the females. Riians head span again to where the third had been standing, but he had gone. Only Riian an the other boy stood there, in a sea of bodies. Riian was too confused to speak, too shocked to move. Had he really just seen what he though he had. A mumbled word passed his lips,

"Drasna?" He swallowed and muttered, under his breath. "It can't be Drasna... It just cant be."

Trying to get up; he stumbled back slightly, almost knocking into the other boy. He straightened up. His mind raced and his legs with it. He didn't know where to, but he ran. He had to find help. Help and hopefully answers along the way.

"Are you coming?" He yelled back to the other kid.

He didn't know if any others were alive. He couldn't spare a thought for them. Everybody had to run, if master Julio couldn't defeat these assassins, these... Demons then nobody else at Sol could, not without help.

"Drasna... I'll head out to Drasna. I need answers."

He knew confronting Drasna was not going to be easy. He'd do it though. Even if he died along with his fellow students, he'd get to the bottom of what had happened. One thing he did know what that there were two forces at work here. Who were the men in black, though? And who were the mystery mages?

~~~o0o~~~

The air was air was thick, especially for a mountain peak. For most people the winds would be so powerful it would've thrown them off the side, breaking them on the rocks below. Yet three people stood there, their mana as thick as the oxygen that seeped from their skin. Each of the people were deep in thought about the battle they had just won below.

"I hate this world." A woman sighed looking down at the college of Sol. "Everything about it... It's all customs and formalities."

"Calm yourself Linear, my love." The second voice spoke from just behind the first, perched on a rock upon the mountainside. He rubbed a rose red apple upon the lapel of his coat and took a bite. "We've done what we were told to do. Watching Sol burn is just as perk." Rafiel smirked and took another, larger bite of his apple.

"You know what I mean. All... this..." Linear waved her hand over the landscape with a look of distaste. "What an ugly country. They tell us what to do. They drive us from our home. Then they have the cheek of calling us the monsters. And why? Is it because we dared to go beyond what the other colleges did not? What, our college expanded our talents so we are monsters? No, Rafiel... No. We are the Masters and they are a virus, a choking smog stifling the potential of this country."

"The smog is lifting, my love. The seeds of mistrust have been sewn." Rafiel watched Linears silvery hair dance on a violent, unnatural breeze. His eyes glistening with blatant adoration.

"Not nearly quickly enough... I hate this world." Linears stern face turned to saddened longing.

An uneasy silence flashed over the mountainside. The air clogged as Linear Serens sadness poured out of her. She broke out into heart-warming, emotional song. Her voice carried on the wind; gentle and soothing. As her words came to an end the winds settled, the trees stopped their dance and the birds called out their praise. Linear dropped to her knees and looked out across Galarai.

"Has it not occurred to either of you that King Welias intentions are not all that sincere?" The third member of the group finally spoke from the shadows. His voice, in stark contrast to Linear and Rafiel, crashed like a tornado on listening ears. If his voice was anything to go on, which in the case of Wila college it was, he was an extremely adept 'Sage'. He looked at them both from under a mass of ebony hair.

"What do you mean by that, Lars? Are you saying he is deceiving, even using us?" Rafiel sounded surprised, his eyes slowly shifted from Linear to Lars.

"I am." Replied Lars simply, taking a long drag of a cigarette. He almost sounded amused.

"If you are sure; why go along with his plans?" Rafiel spoke again, rising from his crouched position. He jumped down beside Linear and placed his hand on her shoulder. Her eyes were now also upon the lean form of Lars.

"In truth, my dear friend, It is us who are using him. He'll prove useful when this war fully develops. When that day comes how easy will it be for us, three Sages of the lost college of Wila, to assassinate him and his bodyguard. I predict that we'll accomplish this without even breaking a sweat. I think we proved our worth to him against the students of Sol." Lars gave a satisfied grin. He took another drag of a cigarette, blew a smoke ring, and stared up at the sky.

"This could bring Wila back. We could be a college again. It's perfect..." The girl paused, a faint smile crossed her lips and faded as quickly as it came. "We should take Julio to king Welia." Linears gaze shot back to the land of Galarai, the sadness in her heart struggling with a glimmer of hope. She watched the smoke rings as they danced past, growing before breaking and disappearing on a breeze.

[Ulteka Mako]

As Nathan stood whatching the battle between Master Julio and the unknow attackers, a man formed out of nowere. The unknow man just put of the look of being evil. This man looked very powerful and also looked like he enjoyed what he did.

Master Julio said a few words to the man and the same from the man to master Julio. Then Master Julio casted the inferno spell at the unknow man. After the attack had done what it was ment to do, all that was on the man was a grin on his face. The attack seem to not even senge a hair on his body. The unknow man just laughed at the attack and Master Julio. Then after a few more words were said, Master Julio started enchanting another spell.

"What is this all about and who is this unknow man.?"

Nathan looked there stuned and dumb founded. Why was all this happening? Then Master Julio finished the enchantment and cast one of the most powerful fire spells known. Hellfire. The blast from the attack blew Nathan off of his feet sending him on his back on the ground. As Nathan started to get up from the ground, the explosion of fire was clearing. Once again the man seemed unharmed by the attack.

Then out of nowere the unknow man sent Master Julio flying against a wall like he was nothing. Nathan looked at Master julio laying there slumped like he was dead.

No, it can't be."

Then the unknow man walked over the Master Julio and raised him of the ground with an unknow force of power. After this the unknow man called for his two servents. They all disappered from the grounds of Sol.

"What the hell was that all about and who the hell was that?"

As Nathan stood there stunned, another kid looked over at me and walked toward Nathan. Then kid bumbed and to Nathan and then turned around. Are you coming? The kid said.

Nathan stood there still trying to figure out what the hell just happen. Then as the other kid started walking, he followed behind him.

"So... What the hell just happen? Also, what his your name and who the hell are you suppose to be?

After saying this, Nathan took a cigare case out of his left pocket and opened it and pulled out a cigare. He the struck a match and lit up the cigare. He puffed on the cigare and waited for the man to answer his first two questions.

Then the man spoke, but it was not of Nathans questions. He had said he was going to Drasna.

Who are what the hell is Drasna? Hold on, before you answer that, what the hell is your name and who the f**k was that had attacked us and took Master Julio?

Nathan still puffed on his cigare and waited for answers of his question from the other kid.

[Imposter]

“Have you ever awoke from a deep slumber and felt as though you were still in a dream? That is what it was like. I woke up and felt as though I had been put into some sort of awful, awful dream. Everything around me was heavy and hot, the air I tried to breathe was stale. My body felt so weighed down. Then all the recent past rushed to my mind, I remembered why everything was how it was. I tried to lift myself up but it was so much weight. The suit wasn’t meant for me. I remember trying over and over again to push myself up off the ground but it just didn’t work....”

As Zipporah’s voice continues to recount the incident her mind pulls her back to where it all began. There she lay on the floor of her teacher’s room clad in a suit like none she had ever seen before. The girl’s mind races to find a solution to the problem and finally settles among one. Her lips begin to overflow a memory of her childhood. Many find different ways to creep into the mana flow around them; the easiest for Zipporah was always her past. She quickly begins to think about the electromagnetic field surrounding the suit and a charge begins to intensify. The result was worth the wait. After the trial she was able to manipulate the suit much like she would do with her axe, making moving a lot easier.

When she got to her feet a great fear stopped her body from moving anymore. She had no clue on how much time had passed. Would she run into an attacker if she left the room? She shook her head, what was she thinking. This was her school, and her friends were out there. She opened the door and looked down the hall. Strangely nothing seemed any different. There was no sound of battle, no disruptions in the mana flow, or not visible signs of damage.

“That doesn’t make any sense....”

Zipporah ran down through the passageway back towards the main auditorium, then outside to the courtyard. The girl in the ebony suit froze in her tracks as she exited the building and saw the sight before her. There they all stood the whole school, teachers and students alike all facing her. A familiar face stepped forward amongst the throng. The elegant robes, large mustache, and beard, Cruxius, pointed a wooden staff towards Zipporah and yelled.

“Gyne, I do not know what deal you have stricken, or what you are planning but you shall be stopped here and now. We have long known about the taboo that you have done in your studies, we as a high council have been simply biding time for an opportunity to strike. Now that time is here. Renounce now your ties to Fize and we will not kill you but merely seal you from the mana flow. Take off the helm that we may see your face traitor.”

Zipporah just stood in awe before what she just heard. Gyne was playing the college the whole time?! They think I’m GYNE!!! All because of this suit he put me in....his favourite student, more like scapegoat.
Her hands grasped at the helmet and tried to pull it off but to no avail. Frantically she heaved, she yelled through the helmet but it seemed to have muffled her voice somehow. Her eyes began to tear up as she saw the mass of people all looking at her. They were going to kill her. She cried out but still nothing was heard from outside the suit.

“I don’t know what you are doing Gyne but it matters not, judgment will now be passed. Students release your incantations.”

The hellish hum rose up from the mass of people as the student recited incantations, then all at once they stopped. Zipporah screamed out at them to stop, that this wasn’t fair but her wailing fell only on deaf ears. Lightning of all sorts struck out from many different directions heading towards the ebony suit of armor before the throng of executioners. Zipporah crouched as the bolts came into striking distance knowing the impending destruction that awaited her.

Then....nothing! She looked up to see the same expression she felt on her face mirrored in the countless faces before her. Why was she still alive? She looked through the helm at her body and there it was totally intact.
“What is this?! So you did manage to create a mana influx Gyne. So it can take the simple incantations of the students but will it be able to hold the power of a true conductor of electricity. That armor will be nothing but a prison for you. Hmmm, I doubt you can even tap into the mana flow yourself within that armor. Are you relying on your strength solely? Foolish Gyne....now you shall see.”

Despite his appearance Cruxius was very intimidating especially as he rushed towards Zipporah. She tried to stop him, waving her arms as he came towards her. With a small grin Cruxius pointed his staff at the armor. Zipporah’s eyes flashed white and she could feel her body reeling in the air. This is it, my life ends here like this...

Her body hit the ground and she could feel dirt fall on top of her. She waited for her last breathe but once again it didn’t come. She raised her head from the ground and gasped at the sight before her. A huge crater lay where she was at moments before and where Cruxius now was. The old man stood up from the ground with blood soaking into his beard and mustache. He coughed and looked towards her, his eyes widened suddenly.

“Zipporah....my dear girl, have we all been deceived?”

Tears rolled down her face as she pleaded with the headmaster. She raised a hand up and touched her face, which was no longer encased in a helm. She could see it a few feet away from her looking back at her blankly.
“I didn’t know, after the announcement Gyne took me into his study, and put this on me. I tried to tell you....I swear I didn’t know. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

Cruxius quickly ran over and embraced her. Holding her close her whispered to her, “I’m the one who is sorry my dear child. We all have been tricked, and it looks like you have suffered the most for it Zipporah. Come with me, let us go get cleaned up. He helped her up and told the teachers to organize the students, the fiasco is over.
“And now here we are, Master Cruxius. Are you sure this is the only thing that can be done. Do you really not know how to get the rest of this off of me.”

“I am very sorry Zipporah but I do not have a clue, it was chance that the helmet came off after what I did to you. This is a very terrible burden to put on one such as you but it seems that these are the cards you have been dealt. As the headmaster you do know I cannot allow a student of mine to be taking in part in what is taboo to Fize whether or not they can control it or not. So as of today you can no longer attend here. I would like you to go get your things and leave as soon as possible....play your cards well.”

“You can be one huge jerk you know that?! Of course you would care about this school’s reputation more than me, but come on can’t you throw me a bone? Any ideas on how I can get rid of this!!!”

Zipporah points at the ebony chest plate wildly. She sighs angrily at the old man and stands up. “Whatever old man, I’ll be on my way then. No wonder Gyne betrayed you anyway!” She slams a fist down on the giant desk she was sitting beside and storms out.

“Perhaps...” Cruxius speaks softly, pay no attention to the temper tantrum of the young girl. “Perhaps those of the college of Drasna may be able to help you. I’ve already prepared a letter for you to give to the one in charge there. Maybe they’ll be able to point you in the right direction.” His voice stops as he holds out an envelope sealed with a crest totally different than that of Fize. Reluctantly Zippy takes it out of his hand and makes her way out of his office.

Within the hour Zipporah found herself outside the walls of the college clad in armour and axe in hand with a small tote of some things she thought she couldn’t part with out. I’ve never been much of a card player Cruxius but I guess now is as good as a time to learn.

[KeybladerXIII]

Silence. Felzen awoke to utter silence. "Wait, I hear something.....fire." Felzen slowly sat up. his neck throbbing in pain. "I was attacked by those..things....were they even human??" I have to get back to Suin Colllege and make sure everything's okay." Felzen limped his way to the college grounds. Sol and Suin were always friendly with one another, enough to build their colleges a short distance apart, for mutual protection. Felzen often walked Sol's grounds, he had one or two friends there. They were probably dead.

As he walked into the Suin courtyard, he found it to be no better off than Sol's ravaged grounds. The famous stone fountains were all but obliterated. Jagged spears of stone thrust out of the ground. Felzen tried to fix the mess, but to no avail, that disgusting magic that caused the fissures at Sol permeated the very earth here. And that smell, that horrible smell. Drasnian magic smelled like the morning grass compared to this abominable stench. Felzen made his way to his dorm building, one of the few that remained intact. He made his way back to his room and searched. He finally found it: The mace his father gave to him when he graduated his first year at Suin. It had a spring-loaded coil inside the handle, which allowed it to become a flail of sorts. Felzen put it into his pack, set his tonfas into his holders at his hip and left the quiet, dust-filled room.

He walked Suin's many halls, looking for survivors, but all he found were a few bodies, burning in the wreck of buildings. "Most of the students and teachers must've escaped," Felzen thought as he walked into the Sacred Library of Solten, the second largest collection of books and tomes anywhere in the Galarai, beaten only by Fize Library of Light. As he walked past the bookcases, he heared the slightest mutter of breath. As he turned, a figure in the shadows held out a hand. Before Felzen could blink, he was incased in a cocoon of stone. The figure stepped out of the shadows, revealing an old man with a brown beared that fell to his chest and clothed in dark brown and green. "Who are you that enters this sacred place of knowledge??"

"High-Mage Vis'aren, I-I am-m a student of Sui-Suin," Felzen choked out as the rock squeezed his body. "Are you now?" Vis'aren calmly replied, "Well then, What is the most ideal use of the Leviten Orkana technique?" Felzen slowly spoke out, "The Leviten Orkana is the technique used primarily to control a large portion of rock and stone in the air while one is upon it, a skill taught to students in their second year at the College. Basically a flying rock to transport oneself, only much more complicated." "Very well, student, I apologize," the High-Mage said as he broke the prison of rock around Felzen, " Most of the college has fled, including the professors. I remember seeing Prof. Jarn and Mage Diset leading some students. Some are dead. I have been waiting if the armored monsters that did this will return."

"Do you know what they are, teacher? The same incident occured at Sol. The land there has been rended by fissures and the earth on these grounds is soaked by some sort of magic, smellier then Drasna," Felzen said in a shaky voice. "More potent than Drasna magic, you said," Vis'aren replied, with a sudden look of worry, "This is troubling," As they spoke, Felzen noticed that horrible smell growing stronger. "Hey, do you smell tha-" Before he could finish, a horrendous flash of purple and black light filled the room. As Felzen turned to the High-Mage, he noticed him chanting something unintelligible. Then, to his horror, Felzen saw that the Mage was covered in black and purple lines, which formed sigils and signs he had never seen before. Vis'aren was in pain. The teacher was lifted off the ground, something no practitioner of Suin magic should be able to do. In a barrage of smell, light, and crackling noise, Felzen saw out of the corner of his eye, two shadowy figures with the glint of armor, holding their arms out at his teacher. In a final flash of light, the High-Mage vanished along with the figures and Felzen has hurled out of the Library, through its stained-glass window. Just before he crashed onto the ground, he muttered an incantation, and instead of hitting the hard earth, he crashed into a bed of sand. The fires burning at Suin College flared up with new life, it and Sol College lighting the night sky like burning Phoenixs.

[deanharagatsu]

The school bell rings as Dean walks down the hallway. His book steady in his hand as he is reading volume five of ice sword crafting. He was obvousley trying to cram for an exam as he gazed relentlessly murmurring to himself. The halls were crowded with everyday people that studied the powers of ice but he was only interested in the lower levels of their school foundation. He read more and more as he was cramming as much as he could. He looked a little bit tired since he was up all night figuring a way to get to the lower dungeons undetected.

[Lucid]

"Master Julio?!" Solan shouted in surprise and fear as he burst through the exterior doors and ran onto the courtyard of the school. All around him were dead bodies scattered across the bloody and broken ground, making it look more like a battlefield than a college garden. He was in complete disbelief. He knew something bad had happened when they reached the city entrance and found it had been blocked, but finding an alternate route just for the two of them hadn't been too difficult. As they neared the college, they had heard the explosion and seen the smoke from the road, but Solan had no idea that it was this bad. From behind him he could hear Marcellus as he struggled to catch up to him and the reality of the situation finally hit him as he frantically turned back toward his friend.

"Don't come out here Marcel!" Solan called out, raising his arms in a pathetic attempt to shield his young friend from the gruesome scene, but it was too late. Marcellus stood in the doorway in shock as he looked out into the garden. Solan started towards him in a panic, worried about how he may react after viewing such a horrible scene, but Marcellus only pushed him away before falling to his hands and knees and turning to vomit in the nearby bushes. Solan sighed somewhat in relief. Marcellus' mind hadn't been quite right ever since his accident and so he never knew what kind of situation might trigger some sort of reaction that could further damage him.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Solan said as he kneeled down by Marcellus to make sure he was all right. "I'm going to go check it out. Stay here, okay?" Solan didn't wait for an answer as he rose to leave, but was stopped by a tug on his cloak. Looking down he saw Marcellus' pale face looking up at him with a troubled expression.

"The earth is crying, Solan. And the wind is crying. I can hear it crying in pain ...and it's calling me." Marcellus said, putting his hands to his head as if it pained him. "Can't you hear it? It's deafening."

Solan couldn't hear anything, but nodded anyway as he kneeled. "You stay here and keep them company then, okay? I want to see if there are any survivors. I'll be back soon." Solan told him. Marcellus gave a small nod, but Solan wasn't even sure that he had heard him. He felt bad leaving him like that, but there didn't seem to be anymore danger, and plus there was little that he could do when Marcellus got into that state. It would be best just to leave him alone for now. He stood, then glanced back at Marcellus once more before turning to go survey the scene more thoroughly.

As he walked through the garden, he noticed that the smell of smoke and blood overwhelmed even the most fragrant of the foliage, and it made him sick. He took note of the bodies of students as well as black-armored soldiers and tried to think what in the world had taken place here. He clenched his fists in anger as he cursed himself. If he had only arrived sooner, then maybe he could have done something to prevent this. No, he shook his head. If Master Julio couldn't have prevented this, then he wouldn't have stood a chance either, no matter how early he had arrived. What could have happened to Master Julio anyways? He hadn't seen him amoung the other bodies, so where was he?

Solan had been so deep in thought that he hadn't even noticed voices coming from further in the garden until a familiar voice brought him back to reality, startling him in the process. He turned to see Marcellus standing behind him, looking in the direction of the voices. Upon investigation, they discovered two students talking, and fearing they may be hurt, Solan ran across the garden towards them.

"Hey you kids!" Solan called out as he ran. "Are you okay?!"

[Hyzenthlay]

"So... What the hell just happened? Also, what is your name and who the hell are you supposed to be?"

Riian had ceased running just a few metres away. The other boy had called out to him, but he was too deep in thought to take anything in. He tried to concentrate as the boy opened his mouth again.

"Who or what the hell is Drasna? Hold on, before you answer that, what the hell is your name and who the f**k was that who attacked us and took Master Julio?"

Riian thought this a strange question. This boy didnt know who Drasna were? Did he even know where he was himself? Maybe the boy hit his head when Hellfire was cast. He thought it better to fill him in on the current circumstances, and plan of action.

"Drasna is the Unknown college. You know, like ours is fire." Riian opened his palm and a flame danced there. He closed it again and looked the boy in the eyes. "My name is Riian Ulrich, I'm a 7th grade here at Sol... There are 9 grades..." He thought for a second on what he could say to the boys third question. "Master... Master Julio was taken by Drasna. At least, I think he was. From what I've studied in Magical Theology; Drasna is the only college that can teleport. No other college can shape their mana to transcend time and space."

Riian was about to speak again, to explain the plan of action, when he was interrupted.

"Hey you kids!"

He turned to see a teacher running towards him. It was Professor Veralow, an instructor that had taught Riian a fair few things. His browny grey, tied back hair flicked from side to side as he approached the two students. Riian felt his heart skip a beat. He was so happy to see a teacher alive that he thought he might cry.

"Are you okay?!" Called Professor Veralow again.

Riian gathered himself. His mind begged composure, though his next words would be far less than eloquent.

"Pr-Pro... Professis, erm... Professor Veralow!" He sighed and controlled himself. "Sir, I'm-I'm fine. I think my friend here may have hit his head." The orange gleam that emitted from his skin grew stronger. "How did you survive, sir? It-it all happened so fast... I... We couldn't do a thing." He felt shame wash through him as he looked at the lifeless bodies of his comrades around him. The professor would probably think him a coward. "I-I'm sorry, sir!"

~~~o0o~~~

A dimly lit hall lay within the centre of Castle Ultrela. It's embrace asphyxiating the joy of all who happened to be summoned to it. The only light were a few candles scattered along the walls. The room itself was windowless. It echoed feeling of claustrophobia, and had a stench of stale smoke and raw meat. The master of the hall sat with his arms crossed. The sight of him set an even more ominous feel to the scene. He looked down on the three figures stood before him. Raising a hand he stroked his forked beard with a grin.

"You have done well, children of Wila. Very well." His facial expressions screamed deception, while his voice commanded obedience. "Who would have thought that Wila would be the perfectly college to set against Sol?"

The master paused. Standing he folded his arms behind his back. His grin still stood on his face as he rocked gently.

"I would." He grinned and began striding down the steps towards the three Wila mages. Lars at the head with Rafiel and Linear behind. "I was the one who devised the plan. Fire cannot live without oxygen, just like humans. Your abilities to control that gave you power over them. Starving them of there power..." King welia smiled, staring blankly into space. "...Arty you sly old fox..." he spoke in a whisper. He shook his head and turned his attention once again to the Wila mages. He advanced once more down the marble steps but he didn't speak, he simply grinned at them all. "It seems my perfect plan is finally coming to fruition. This land will soon be Welias sister, and the others will quickly follow." King Welia stopped walking just in front of Lars.

"We ran into the PA. They cornered us at the Sar passage." Linear spoke, clearly unafraid of the man who stood before them.

"Did I ask the pawn to speak?" Welia spat at Lunar, angrily.

Rafiel lunged forward with gritted teeth, his hand upon the hilt of his katana. Lars' hand shot out, holding him back. Rafiel struggled for a second before turning back and stroking Linears hair.

"I would thank you to keep you tongue, King. Or lose it." Lars looked at Welia, his eyes tracing over him. The king looked back with anger, his face slowly returning to a subtle smile.

"Yes. Yes, of course. Loyal subjects should be rewarded with kinder words. I apologize." He patted Lars on the shoulder and turned back to his throne. "So the Paragon Alliance is involved, is it? I trust they were slain to the last?"

"Of course. Rafiel and Linear had orchestrated their demise before a word could be uttered, or a sword drawn." Lars looked at his nails with obvious boredom.

"Orchestrated? A perfect piece for my perfect symphony. You have outdone ourselves, and you shall be rewarded." King Welia turned to them once again. The smile on his face betrayed by his deceitful black eyes. "Rewarded greatly."

"Forgive me, King. I think the reward of which you speak is not befitting of our particular taste." Lars looked up from his hand, staring at Welia with hatred. King Welia ignored this. He threw his arms out and laughed, holding his stomach.

"My dear boy, you can have whatever you like. Just make the request and it shall be yours"

"I will." Smirked Lars. "By your leave..." Welia nodded, and with that Lars turned heel and marched from the hall. Linear and Rafiel followed at his side.

Once outside in the fresh air Lars turned his face towards the sun. He closed his eyes, taking in every beam of sunlight. He turned to Linear and Rafiel who were embracing just beside the doors. Rafiel nuzzled at Linears nose making her giggle gleefully.

"That man couldn't hide the sun at night." Lars still wore his sinister smile. "He thinks I'm blind to all but that which he tells us. It will be his end."

"Indeed. If he speaks that way to her again, it will be his end." Rafiel spoke with malice, his eyes dancing over the form of Linear.

"You misunderstand me, Rafiel. You are not seeing the whole picture, his splendid 'symphony' has us at it's core."

Rafiel pulled away from Linear though one arm remained at her waist.

"You've lost me." Rafiel scratched his head and smoothed his hair back again.

"He would have us feel that we are the conductor in his grand orchestra. When, in truth, we are not." Lars rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. Placing this to his lips he lit it with a match and looked again at Rafiel. "In an orchestra there is only one Conductor. Only one has control over the collective band. Where does that place us then? In amongst the nameless faces, that's where."

"What exactly do you mean, Lars?" This time it was the gentle voice Linear which replied. Her voice of timid curiosity.

"We have been placed alongside the unfortunate few. He cannot follow out his plan without us, literally." Lars took a drag of his cigarette and paused. He exhaled slowly and gathered his thoughts. "King Artemis Welia. The saviour of Wila? No. The only reason he is helping us is so that we in turn can help him. He has collected the finest mages from all the land. His plans are simple. He wishes to create the ultimate magic, to become the ultimate being. With this he can create worlds. Gateways to other dimensions, too. He could be the downfall of us all. Did you not see the darkness in his soul? In his eyes, even? The signs are worse than I thought. He plans to use us to gain the life force of these mages. To drain their powers from them- into him. Ice, Earth, Fire, unknown, electricity... With those he can make himself powerful, yes. However... For him to become the 'ultimate being', as he so craves, he needs Wind, also."

"But, but that means..." Linear looked to Rafiel. She looked into his eyes for comfort. Non lay there. His face was as awe-struck as her own.

"Yes... He intends to harvest one of us..."

[Psiko]

Ragnar's mind is a blur as he weaves his way through the fleeing crowd, his thoughts focused upon defending his home. His mind pauses for a moment, although his body continues to mechanically make its way through his fellow Suinians. This HAS become my home, to me. In spite of everything they do to me and all that they say behind my back...this is my real home. Funny how I never noticed that happening in my mind until now.

The clanging of the iron bell echoes louder in his ears as he reaches the outskirts of the town itself. Fires rage in every direction. Chaos dominates the peaceful civilians and they scramble to gather their most treasured belongings as they leave their homes behind. Men and children of all ages stand fierce in their doorways, brandishing any makeshift weapon they could gather in a hurry. Unfamiliar men, dressed in ragged clothing and wielding cutlasses, storm through the city without order. Several mages from Suin are gathering into a collective group to ward off the attack by the pirates. They take up a chant, but Ragnar's thoughts are broken by a pirate leaping in front of him.

The sharp edge of a cutlass tears through the air in the blink of an eye. Ragnar's command of his mana is even faster, forming an impenetrable armor of stone over his body. The blade breaks cleanly in two and the pirate stops grinning. Ragnar reaches up with his stone-encased arms and lifts the man into the air and hurls him at another pirate. Three pirates suddenly take notice of Ragnar and close in upon him. The one on Ragnar's left leaps forward with an overhead slash of his saber and Ragnar brings up his left arm, blocking the blow. To his right the pirate seeks to take advantage of the distraction and darts in low to tackle Ragnar, but a quick raising of the knee catches the pirate in the jaw and sets him reeling back, blood oozing from him mouth.

The final pirate drops his cutlass and falls to his knees, begging to be spared but Ragnar ignores the hollow pleas and swings hard with his right arm, rendering the man unconscious. By this time the professors from the university have put forth a defense of their own and slowly the pirate horde is being driven off. One of the pirates nearby grabs a young woman and starts to run off with her in tow. Ragnar makes a hasty decision and gives chase to the pirate, the ground trembling with each heavy step along the way as he is still encased in stone. He is gaining ground, slowly yet surely, and uses his mana to propel himself through the air, landing in front of the pirate. The scoundrel comes to a sliding halt and drops his captive, turning to run the other way but a large rock flies from Ragnar and cracks into the pirate's skull with a loud crack.

He picks up the sobbing maiden and carries her back to the original point of abduction. Ragnar fails to notice the wild stares in his direction: he is so used to being watched and mocked that he thinks nothing of it. He sets her down and, seeing the threat has left, drops the stone encasing from around his body. A loud gasp from the professors gives Ragnar pause, and he realizes the cause is him. They've never seen anyone able to be fully mobile while encased, except for Professor Jarn. The professor's words ring through Ragnar's mind:

This is very important, Ragnar: tell no one else what you can do.

He berates himself for the impulsive use of his power as the Administrator approaches him.

"Ragnar, I think you had best come with me to my office."

They turn to head back to the university when they notice something looks out of place. The Administrator screams out in horror upon the realization of what took place.

"Quick, everyone to the university! The pirate attack was a diversion! The ancient tomes must be saved at all cost!"

[Freya]

As Wendy walked down the hallway, she thought much about the guy she met in the library. This was strange. She'd never met anyone before in the library. She could smell a strange scent in the air, it wasn't the cold scent she normally felt, which was always around her, but something... dangerous.

"You're just getting paranoid, little girl", she muttered to herself. That had to be how it was: All the cold air was freezing her brain, she couldn't think clearly anymore. There was no point in thinking about something so irrelevant as meeting someone in the library. Yes, that had to be how it was. Absently, she nodded to herself and didn't recognize the person passing her by.
Wendy tried to walk faster so that she didn't feel the cold air anymore, but it had been useless to begin with. She always tried her best to not freeze, although she knew she'd tried many times and it was never warm here.

The hallway was a long, every now and then she saw classrooms on both sides, as well as notifications hanging at the walls. There were some students searching for others to learn with, some wanted to help the students who couldn't handle Ice Magic... Wendy stopped in front of that one. Her face showed a grim expression as she read it.
Student offering help in casting Ice Magic. If you've any problems, just ask me. You'll find me...
She didn't read any further, but suddenly grabbed it and teared it apart. She left the torn paper on the floor, not caring about it anymore - and went on, as if nothing had happened.
It was normal for her to not like people offering help. She was a person who wanted to be left alone, though she needed help. There was no way she could possibly learn something under these conditions.

Thinking about everything and still angry about the paper she just teared apart, she bumped into someone. She instantly faced the person she'd bumped into: A young man, looking like a soldier, all dressed in red. He wore a red bandana and his eyes showed the same anger as hers. As usual, he was very tall and Wendy had to look up to him.

"I-", she started her apology, but the strange man broke in on her words.
"Little girl, have you seen Master Glarrel?", he asked. His voice was harsh, his words sounded like a command. Wendy felt that he was used to giving commands, he knew how to make someone fear him. She shivered, but tried not to show it. She felt her face getting warmer and warmer - she blushed.

Absent-minded, she grabbed her skirt and tried to pull it so that it covered her entire legs. She always did this when she was nervous.
"I'm... I'm sorry, I haven't seen him today. I'm currently on my way to his classes in casting Ice Magic...", she stumbled, looking to the floor.
The strange man moved, but she just heard it. Then she felt him grabbing her.

"Which classroom?", he asked. "I need to find him. And you'll help me!"
Wendy shook her head, hardly knowing what to do next. She didn't trust this man, she had to escape - but how?

"Classroom... 203-F...", she mumbled, without noticing that she did it. When she realized what she'd done, she yelled "Wait!" but the man had already disappeared. With her mouth still open, ready to shout loudly, she stood there, watching the long hallway that seemed so friendly now. She felt the cold breeze around her even more intensly.
Perhaps she'd just dreamt it. Yes, she just imagined a man asking for Master Glarrel. Again, she nodded to her self, not noticing that someone tapped her on shoulder...

[Ulteka Mako]

Nathan took a large drag from his cigar as Riian explain the questions that he had asked. All this information was stunning to him. But as Riian spoke of this Drasna more and more, it brought back thoughs from the past when his Kung Fu master was telling him of a school that sounded just like Drasna. But the school sounded darker and could preform what Drasna could do and much more.

As Riian kept explaining, Nathan heard a voice from the distance. Nathan and Riians' head shot to the direction of which the voice was coming from. It was a man wearing a long cloak and he had brown hair that blew in the wind. Then Riian spoke to the man after he got up to them. It was as he thought. It was a teacher of Sol.

"Thank the God of Fire. There is someone alive besides us and he is a teacher of Sol. This is f**king awsome!!"

Nathan took another drag from his cigar and then started blowing smoke rings at of happieness. Now all that they needed to know was what they needed to do when they get to Drasna.

As Riian explain to the Professor Veralow what had happen, Nathan just paced back and forth and smoked on his cigar. Then Nathan stoped after he heard something. A very familare voice. Then he looked over and seen the black haired girl in a distance on a mountians' cliff. It was Nizuka. What the hell was she doing here again? But then as Nathan looked up to see if it was really her again, she was gone.

"How strange."

Nathan took one last drag of his cigar and french inhaled it, then droped it on the ground and looked toward Professor Veralow and Riian.

"So... Are we going to kick some ass and go to this Drasna place, are we going to sit here and cry about what we should have and didn't do? I vote on changeing it to doing something about this sh*t now. Who is with me?"

Nathan just waited for the two men to answer him. Nathan was only a secound year at Sol, but it was now his home, and if you mess were my home is, then you have to deal with people of the home. Nathan was ready to be one to deal with.

[KeybladerXIII]

"It can't be helped, Suin and Sol are finished," Felzen thought as he sat on a ridge overllooking the colleges, lighting up the night like burning stars. He had nowhere to go, so he walked....just walked. An hour ago, as he left the smoldering wreckage that was once his home and place of study, he could've sworn he heared voices coming from the Sol college. He heared the word Drasna muttered on the wind. Yet, Felzen didn't care. He just didn't. He would find out who did this on his own for now. If he met up with someone later, then he would join them, but for now, he had to do this on his own. Besides, he wasn't much of a people person.

"High-Mage Vis'aren....who could've dared to take you," Felzen thought as he continued his way down to the forest, his forest, opposite Mt. Suria. As he approached the tree-line, he saw to his horror that the putrid magic had taken control of the forest, and twisted it so that instead of its calm, welcoming presence, it exuded a deadly and dark aura.

"This smells of Drasna, but even they wouldn't destroy such a peaceful place. Someone else did this. Whoever was in that shining black armor, they did this to suit their own twisted desire......damn them."

Felzen treked across the dreary woodland, noticing the animals, dead or in pain, and the creek that flowed past which was now black and full of dead fish. trying to ignore these horrid sights, Felzen heared a noise, that of chanting. He crept ever so carefully to its source. He eventually came to a clearing, where he saw a hooded figure, kneeling in the middle of a symbol carved into the dirt. The magic the figure was summoning caused bits of bark and grass to float about. As the magic swept towards Felzen, he almost gagged at the stench.

"Whoever that is, they are not welcome," Felzen thought as he took out his tonfas. As quick as he could move his feet, Felzen struck out through the darkness and slammed the conjuror's face between both tonfas and struck them to the floor. The spell was ended and the stench subsided. Felzen walked up to the figure and ripped off the cloak.

[Freya]

Wendy was shocked. Only shocked about the boy who'd run into her. She'd been so much into her own thoughts that she didn't notice him approaching her. All that had happened a few minutes ago rushed through her head.
The boy in the library. The fact that she didn't find the book she searched for. Walking in the hall. Meeting the strange person asking about Master Glarrel. And now this boy running into her.
Wendy shook her head and ignored the helping hand he offered her.

"What...-", she started her question, yet didn't finish it. The boy wasn't what she expected him to be. She thought he'd be a stranger for sure, but he wasn't. He looked like a student of Cro. And as he was offering her a hand, he had to be.

Nevertheless, she crawled backwards on the floor to avoid him, carefully paying attention to not letting her skirt ride up too much for him to see her panties. That would be the worst case. She didn't even want him to look at her.
Her eyes narrowed as she noticed he'd blushed.

"Pervert! You're a pervert!", she yelled.

[Ulteka Mako]

Nathan stood there in the woods listening for any sighn of movement. He kept on puffing on his cigar and stay calm. The wind started blowing and it carried voice of chanting. Nathan knew of what kinda chanting it was. It was of a spell. Not any spells he knew of though. This was a different magic.

"So... I guess you have been looking for me. Well... I have been wanting you to find me, but only when I was ready for you to find me. It took you long enough."

This voice was coming from behind Nathan. He knew of the voice. It was a light and delicate voice. It was a femals voice. It was Nizuka's voice. Nathan turned around with both katans in his hands and smoking away on his cigar. When he was fully turned, he saw the face of Nizuka and smiled a slight grin. He was calm, but excited. More excited then anything. Nathan knew that this was coming from the first time Nizuka showed up in his room the night Sol was attacked. Ever since the attack, Nathan had a feeling Nizuka had something to do with it. But he didn't want anyone to know, because he wanted to take care of it. He wanted to take care of her. Now his chance has come.

Nathan: "So... You were with those people that attacked Sol? I kinda had a feeling after it happened. So you are apart of the school Drasna? Why did they attack Sol?

Nizuka: "You are so stupid Nathan. Mabey you should cut down on smoking that grass. It kills brain cells you know."

Nathan: "Your not in the position to be giving advise. Do you know how many people died because of you and Drasna?"

Nizuka: "It wasn't Drasna that attacked Sol. It was Wila. I am apart of Wila college."

Nathan: "Impossiable... Wila was destroyed so long ago. Everyone in the college was killed. They are gone."

Nizuka: "That is true that Wila was destroyed. But, some of us survived. Very few at that, but some are still around. I am one of those few and I am stronger then ever. We are all stronger then ever. Do you honestly thin that the worthes scum of Drasna could do that much damage and make a whole school vanish from the very world itself? Thats why I say cut down on that grass. Your looking pass the truth and not waying out your options. But it seems like someone survived from Sol. Now you have to die."

Nathan: "You bitch... Your a not part of Wila. I just think that you are trying to cover up the fact that Drasna is apart of all this and you are trying to protect them by sayng Wila has come back from the dead. But it is not going to work on me. But in any case, you are still going to die.

After all this was said, Nizuka started to chant word that Nathan heard why the wind was blowing. The words sound so dark and evil. Then the ground started to shake uncontrolably. The trees was swaying back in forth looking as if they were going to break from how strong the wind was blowing. Then all around Nathan and Nizuka, hands started busting out of the ground. They were grabing the land and pulling themselfs up. It was 30 or 40 undead men and Ninja attire. They all had Katans and throwing stars. There eyes were bright red and the part of the faces that were showing were cut deeply along with there attires gashed and ripped. Nathan still stood there with his cigar in his mouth, puffing away and griping his katans tightly. He was ready for whatever.

Nizuka: "These are Ninjas from 400 years ago. They were killed going by the honor that comes with being a Ninja. They died for that honor. Atleast they thought. They were all betrayed and are very pissed off. You are what they are going to take there anger out on. Have fun."

With this last saying, Nizuka vanish with teleporting just like the ones that attacked Sol. But Nathan could not worry about that at the moment. He had other matters to take care of. The army of undead Ninjas were closing in on Nathan. But Nathan was ready. His Cigar was done and he was nice and stoned. Now he was ready to kck some ass.

Nathan: "So you guys have a grudge? Well I am sorry for that and I can't help what happened to you in the past. But you guys are going to take this out on me. So I am going to have to send your undead, bad breath, skin falling off, ancient asses back to hell. So I hope you enjoyed being back."

Then Nathan ran toward one of them with his Katans and slashed an X shap downward cutting the undead Ninja in half.

Nathan: "One down and 29 to go."

Nathan ran back and forth slashing and burning dead ninjas back and forth. He was enjoying this. He finally was getting his hands dirty. It was the first time he got to kill anybody since he joined Sol. He was loving killing these bastards, even if they were already dead. Nathan then looked around and notice there were five of them left.

Nathan: "Sorry about having to do that to all your buddies. But its not like it was the first time you seen them get killed. Ohh... I am sorry... Did I go to far with that one? Well you guys can talk it over a nice glass of water. Oh my bad again.... I forgot they didn't have ice water in hell. You guys should look into getting some. You all could make a killing down there with that stuff. Well it was good talking to you guys, but I am starting to lose my high, so see ya later."

Nathan then pulled out a cigar that was already rolled earlier and put it in his mouth. He snaped his finger and a little flame appeared on his right index finger. He lit the cigar and then with one hit of the cigar he blew out some smoke of a smoke ring with an X in the middle.

Nathan: "X marks the spot. Inferno Tornado!"

With saying that with both hands thrusted outwards a giant flaming tornado engulfed the last remaining ninjas, turning them to dust. Nathan then put both Katans in their shethes on his back. He took the cigar out his mouth and blew more smoke out and started coughing.

Nathan: "Damn thats some good sh*t."

Nathan then started walking through the woods of Sol in search of Nizuka once more. He still had to go to Drasna, because she was apart of them and they attacked Sol. He had to go to his Kung Fu Master Hyrue first. He would know of what to do. Nathan was determined to bring this to an end. But he would need some help.

[Imposter]

I never would have thought about the amount of concentration it took to be constantly manipulating electronic fields in the air. The trip had been exhausting but now I had found myself in a small town a few days journey away from Fize. The quaint place seemed peaceful and homely, but too soon was I going to learn that things are never as they appear.

Zipporah pushed her body to step into the town entrance, her vision blurring with every step. Weakly she muttered ‘So heavy....’ before she collapsed in the dusty street. Now as her body finally began to recuperate from the journey. Strangely nothing is taught about the sub conscious and how it corresponds with the mana flow. Zipporah had dreams unlike any she had before. She found herself amongst students in different uniforms lying dead, there were others standing like her but they were too far to make out. Suddenly the mana flow screamed out in agony from what was happening. The sound was like nothing she could ever explain.

She awoke with a start and sat up; her surroundings were a small room with fresh air flowing from a window. She quickly surveyed everything only to find she was still encased in the ebony armour. She sighed and got out of bed. The rest definitely had helped her recover from the stress of constantly manipulating the fields around her. She walked out of the small room and asked the house if anyone was there. A small elderly lady stuck her head out from the other end of the hall.

“Oh! Well, well she lives! How are you feeling missy? Come, come you must be hungry you have been asleep for quite some time. I’m going to have to tell all the boys that have been coming by you are awake. Not often a pretty young lady comes here.”

Zippy blushed slightly but nodded and made her way to the small dining area and sat a little puzzled at everything that was going on. “Ummm, miss my name is Zipporah. Thanks for taking care of me, I don’t have much to give as a gift though...”

“Zipporah is it? My name’s Emme. No need to worry about paying me, I don’t have much to do nowadays, and it was nice to look after someone again. Here, here eat up. We can talk after you have a full stomach.”

As Zippy ate she recounted her story to Emme, and Emme shared her own past. She was a widow here in the village but was counted a grandmother by all the residents. Her husband was struck with leprosy and was excommunicated from the village in order to stop it from spreading. The tale stung Zipporah’s heart, but Emme was too joyful and carefree to let the story stop there. She told her how it was the Festival of Night here in the town, and that she would not let Zipporah leave without enjoying the festivities tonight. She said that instead of trying to walk the whole way to Dransa that it would be much easier to just take a ship tomorrow morning.

“You just relax and enjoy tonight alright Zippy girl. I’ll get everything worked out for you to travel tomorrow.”

“Thank you sooo much! That is really nice of you. I’m going to go for a walk for awhile is that alright Emme?”

The elderly lady nodded and moved the wrinkles in her face to form a kind smile. Zipporah arose and made her way out of the house. The town was busy and quiet at the same time. People greeted each other as the set up for the night’s festival. Zippy speedily made her way out of the city as she felt all eyes on her. Usually she didn’t mind the attention but this was different. There was a twinge of distrust in their stares. She suspected due to her new attire, she didn’t look like a student of Fize any longer, just some mercenary or soldier. Now that she was a ways from the town she could begin her studies.

I need to figure out what this suit can do. After what happened with Cruxius in front of the school there is definitely something up with this armour. Hmmm...It kinda reminds me of those who specialize in the conductor’s tract at school. Only it stores the energy and releases it in a much different manner. With the damage it did...it couldn’t have been just lightning, something was weird with the mana flow when it released Cruxius spell.

As she stood there away from the town she began to look at her surroundings, absently taking in the detail of the small clearing as she reflected back on the past few events at the school. She remembered when Gyne first came to her and wanted to know what tract she was going to take at school being in her last year. Three were given to her as options: Conductor, Field Manipulation, and Charge. Conductors focused mostly on the ability to control where a lightning strike would happen, manipulating nature’s rules to the occurrence, also enabling them to conduct where the bolt would strike next. Field Manipulation was simply put the ability to manipulate the fields around objects especially magnetic fields which made things like this prison easy to move in despite its weight. Charge was the most common of the three, specializing in charging the mana flow and casting forth powerful bolts of lightning from it, Cruxius who specialized in this could even charge the mana flow itself and shock anyone drawing from it. She had decided to specialize in Field Manipulation after much discussion with Gyne. Zipporah enjoyed it the most of the three and found it the easiest to focus on. Now though it would appear she wasn’t going to finish her studies.

“And there it is...”

She said coyly as the mana flow around her became simple and easy for her to draw from. Strangely she always found reflecting on the past the easiest way to open her mind to it. Thoughts of Gyne only brought feelings of betrayal and anger.

She smiled wrathfully as she produced a bolt of lightning and manipulated it to strike her. She could feel the warmth of the bolt as it was absorbed by the ebony armour. Just as she thought the suit acted as a conductor, even to the point that the lightning didn’t even strike her but was totally absorbed by the suit.

“I thought as much, now how does it release it...”
For hours she tried to figure out how the armour worked and its properties. In the end though it only led to a fit of frustration and very necessary cursing of her teacher Gyne.

“I’m going to kill that man when I see him again, after I get the stupid taboo off me!! Ugh! Stupid old fool trapped me in this! I hate him, and this prison!”

Slowly she regained some of her composer and picked up her axe and made her way back to the village. The sun was setting now, casting a beautiful horizon on the other end of the village. The village now was arrayed totally different. The whole atmosphere changed to something majestic and festive with its tapestries and lamps that danced wild flames. It easily overpowered Zippy’s angry mood and she soon found Emme. The two of them shared a wonderful evening together. Emme despite her age showed Zipporah how to do all the festive dances in the town square. The two would laugh together, and then Emme would push Zippy out to meet a boy and make her dance with him. It didn’t take long for Zipporah to feel like she was part of the village. It seemed the villagers had lightened up as well. As the night came to a conclusion she found herself back in her room.

“Thank you so much for everything Emme. Tonight was great!”

“Of course it was, I still got some life in me hahaha! Now listen here, no matter what comes your way after tomorrow never forget to have some fun alright. Your smile is too nice to be hiding behind anything alright? Now get some sleep, you’ll be leaving early tomorrow.”

As Emme left Zippy in the room, tears ran down the young students face. To end up in a place like this after all that happened to her was miraculous. A lot was a head of her but she was sure she would be back here after it all.

After a good night’s sleep, Zippy was now at the harbour with Emme already to head towards Dransa College. She hugged the elderly lady and waved good bye to the few villagers that also came to see her off.

“Thanks so much Emme, you better be alive when I come back ok? I won’t take no as an answer.”

“Listen here young missy; you aren’t in charge of me. You are welcome to come back after you get this mess all sorted out. Remember to enjoy as much of your life as you can!”

The raspy, crackling voice responded in kind and Zippy nodded. She ran up onto the boat as it weighed anchor and began to head towards Dransa.

I could hardly believe after all the things that had happened so quickly, I happened to find a place like that town. Phixius was its name. I would never forget it. Now I was on my way to Dransa College, hopefully a step closer to getting the armour off of me and a step closer to Gyne.

[Ulteka Mako]

Nathan kept on walking through the forest of Sol. He was passing rivers so big and beautiful that had water falls that droped anywere from 40 to 50 feet. But night fall was coming around and you can bearly see anything in these woods at night. But up ahead there was a little light coming out of a widow it seemed. As Nathan got closer and closer, he relized it was a two story cottage. The cottage was a pub. It was called *Drink Yourself Sober Pub* This was the first sighn of huan life for about 5 hours of walking.

"Thats one hell of a name, but I could use a drink. I could also use a place to crash. I pretty sure that they will have some rooms for rent."

Nathan walked up to the door of the pub. He could hear load talking and a lot of movement shuffling around the floors. He could heareveryones beer mugs hitting together with cheer and people singing of joy. It was most definetly a bar. So Nathan took one of his cigars out of his pockets and put it in his mouth and lit it. He then opened and walked into the pub. He walked right on over to the bar and sat down on a bar stool.

"Let me get a Jack and Coke. Thank you sir."

As the bartender went to go get the drink for Nathan, Nathan looked around as he puffed on his cigar. He noticed a group of people sitting at a table at the far left corner. They were all in black cloaks with their hoods covering their eyes. It was 20 of them. They seemed like they weren't up to anything, but Nathan didn't trust them. He knew something wasn't right. He had that gut feeling.

Bartender: "Here you go sir. Just give me a shout when you need anything else."

"Thank you. Here is a little tip."

Nathan took his drink and put 20 gold coins in the mans' hand. The mans' face lit up with happieness. He then walked off do handle another customer. Nathan sipped on his drink and smoked on his cigar. Then he felt something so wierd. The ground itself seemed to be growing hotter. Nathan knew of what this was. It was someone that could control earth spells. They where trying to communicate with someone from Sol.

Nathan jumped up from his br stool with his drink in hand and his cigar in his mouth. He pulled out one of his throwing knifes with his empty hand and walked toward the door. Nathan still didn't feel right about the cloaked people in the back.

"I have away to find out who you are." Nathan spoke to himself.

Nathan then turned around swiftly and threw his knife for the man in the middle at the back table in the left corner of the bar. It hit the man in the hood lifting it from his face and pinning the hood to the wall. His face was now showing and Nathan knew who this person was. It was someone he had grew up with. It was someone he had trained with. It was his brother Micheal Sherman. Nathan just stood there in shock. He hadn't seen his brother for 3 years. His brother finished training before him and went on his own. Nathan never seen him after that.

Nathan and Micheal looked at one another for at least 3 minutes. Michel seem to not even know who Nathan was. So Nathan then walked over to the table and up next to his brother. Micheal looked at Nathan.

Micheal: "Its been a long time little brother. A very long time. Come and have a seat."

Nathan sat down next to his brother and kept smoking on his cigar. Then after awail of chating and catching up, a big explosion blew the whole front half of the pub away. It sent debree everywere and people hit the floors for cover. I just sat there along with my brother passing my cigar back and forth. We both then stood up and walked toward the what use tgo be an entrance to a pub. Nathan knew something big was coming, but it wasn't that big of a threat. With him and his brother, it would be even easier to take down.

Nathan: "So what do you think it is?"

Micheal: *Its probably some dumbass armed forces. They think they run everything. They would get killed by damn near everything around this world."

Nathan: "I know thats right. Well if they give us any problems, we will show them we could kill them aswell."

Nathan and Micheal stood there, smoking on the cigar, drinking on their drink, and laughing at anything that pops into their heads, waiting for whatever it was the blew of the entrance to the pub to show up. Time was counting down to have fun. After this, Nathan will start looking for whoever is trying to contact a Sol student through the ground. That person is most likely in trouble. Nathan needed to get to that person and him and his brother would.

[deanharagatsu]

Dean walked down the hallway as many pweople passed him. He can barely hear due to how sleepy he was and he cared less about what was happening around him. His eyes blankley shut trying to cram a smuch as he can for his quizes. Usually he is great at ice magic period but it does not mean he can remember what hese doing word by word. He went down the magic help hall as doors showed evenly but no one wanted to talk to him about helping him caste magic. The very image of him made his teachers not even want to grade his papers because he seemed so fearce. They all avoided him. Except one today. It seems she was in the middle of the hallway yelling as he ran as fast as he could because the bell has rung saying they were late. He then bashed into her not paying attention because his head was burried in the book. His book flies out of his hand as they both fall and lands on Wendy's head. He layed down his eyes slightley closed as he slowley gets up yelling" hey watch where you'r ...." He pauses seeing how beautifulll she was as he blushes a little . His cheeks turning bright red he stands up and offers Freya a hand.

[Lucid]

Lucid & Hyzenthlay Joint post


As Solan drew closer, he was able to recognize the two students as Riian Ulrich and Nathan Sherman. The younger appeared more composed, nonchalantly smoking a cigar, but was probably just in shock. Riian, on the other hand, seemed considerably shaken as he struggled to form his words.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down, Riian," Solan said as he put a reassuring hand on the young man's shoulder in order to calm him. "I don't think there was anything you could have done even if you had tried. I'm just glad to see that you're all right. You two are really lucky to be alive after all of this. It was only by chance that I wasn't here at the time since Marcel and I were out running an errand..." Even as Solan spoke to him, Riian still seemed distraught and confused as his gaze wandered from the professor to the bodies on the ground around them. Wanting to keep the young man focused, Solan firmly, yet gently shook him in order to get his full attention.

"Riian, look at me," Solan said as he locked eyes with him, "It's not your fault. Believe me when I say that there was nothing you could have done. I know this may be hard for you, but there's no reason for you to be sorry. Now just take a deep breath and tell me what happened."

"I'm sorry, Professor." The boy shook his head, apparently trying to free himself from the merciless terror around him. "I'm usually so calm, this has all piled on me. On us." He shuffles his feet looking down at them. "I know I couldn't have done anything. That doesn't mean I shouldn't have tried."

Solan loosened his grip on Riian and sighed. "I get what you mean Riian, but don't try and kid yourself into thinking that only you, a student, could have made any difference in the outcome here. I'm not saying that you couldn't have done anything, but even if you had, you probably would have ended up just like the others here. I know I'm probably going to sound somewhat trite saying this, but you need to learn when to pick your battles. I don't even think I could have done anything had I been here. No, you both were spared for some reason..." Solan said as he put his hand to his mouth and began chewing on his thumbnail in contemplation, while he continued to mumble his thoughts. "Of course they had to leave witnesses...someone to tell others what they had seen happen here..."

He stopped halfway in the middle of his sentence, suddenly feeling like an idiot. Why hadn't he realized it until now? He had noticed Riian acting nervous, shuffling his feet and trying not to look at the scene around them, but he had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn't even put it together. "I...I'm sorry Riian, Nathan," he said, sounding flustered. "We shouldn't be here right now. We need to talk, but this definately isn't the time or place to do it."

He then looked over at Nathan who seemed ready for action and he could only sigh. "I know you want to do something, but I think it's best if you just slow down for a minute and at least come up with a plan before we go busting down the doors of Drasna, with an 'ask questions later' kind of attitude, especially when we don't have all the facts yet. I want to do something too, but rushing into something is only going to get us killed just as quickly." He hadn't meant to sound so harsh, but it was the truth. "Regardless, I think we should go to my office so you can all sit down and rest for a while. We'll have plenty of time to talk and think of a plan once you've gotten your thoughts straight. I'm not going to force you to come, and I won't try and stop you if you want to go your own way, but just remember what I've said."

Without waiting for an answer, Solan turned and began to make his way across the garden towards the exterior doors that he and Marcellus had come through earlier. Marcellus was more than happy to leave the garden as he hurriedly lead the way, but Riian, who chose to come, followed closely by Solan as he walked.

"Sir. They-they were teleporting. Does that mean it was Drasna? Did... Did Drasna do this to us?" Riian shifted his arm uncomfortably, following at Veralow's heel. "Were the black-clad soldiers ours, or theirs? And..." Riian paused. He had become strangely aware of how quickly he was speaking. He decided it best to wait for answers before continuing his inquisitive barrage.

A serious look came over Solan's face as he listened to Riian's questions, but he didn't have any definate answers for the young man, and that worried him. "I..." he stopped as he tried to think of something to say, but there was nothing he could say. He didn't know anymore then what the two students did, and that wasn't at all very comforting to him. "I don't know, Riian," he finally said, sounding defeated. So much for trying to seem like the person with all the answers. "I think maybe I'll know more when you can tell me the details of what happened, but only when you think you're ready to talk about it. This kind of thing won't be very easy to handle, so I still think you should rest a bit first. Even I had nightmares for months after..." he suddenly stopped himself, looking unsettled as he found himself talking too much. He then shook his head as he continued on. "...nevermind."

[loaf]

The door closed behind Lortin, only a few torches lit the way down the tunnel. As if it was intended for anyone who came in here to not be able to see their own hand in front of their face. "Murdon needs to hurry up and guide me through here." He grabbed a torch and began to proceed into the cave, only to be stopped shortly to a unusual fork, one going left and the other going somewhat of a straight drop down. Lortin eased over to see if he could see anything below, but saw nothing. He took the left path, only to have his torch go out. "Well this is great." He began walking back to get the other torch when his torch lit back on again. Puzzled, Lortin walked back down the left path, only to have his torch go out again. Seeing as there was no way for him to proceed left with no light and not taking the chance of a drop he had no idea where it led to; he slowly proceeded down the left tunnel. Lortin used the wall as a guide and the path began to curve towards the right and downwards going under the drop he thought was going to be bad. It turned out just to be a 8 foot drop from the level above him.

After maybe an hour of wondering in the pitch black cave, Lortin finally found himself in a giant room, lit up with torches everywhere. "Finally a place with some light," Lortin said with a sound of relief. He sat down to focus on what to do next. While Lortin was resting, he heard a faint sound from the other tunnel on the far end of the room. Three skeletal warriors emerged and began charging Lortin. He quickly got up and readied his staff. Using his telekinesis he took the sword from one of the skeletons and slashed off his leg, rendering him unable to walk, or so he thought; the leg just reattached itself back to the skeleton. Using his telekinesis one more time,he used it to grab hold of the skeleton and pushed it hard into the wall, crushing the skeleton into pieces, the skeleton did not reattach itself. With the other two skeletons were to close to Lortin to use magic he swung his staff to the closest skeleton and clashed weapons. With the other one moving in on his vulnerable side he used his Psychic blast at the skeleton's head and pushing it to the ground, buying him time to fight the other skeleton one on one. He released his clash and swung for the leg but missed terribly. The skeleton thrust for his head but Lortin deflected it with his staff which got cut in half. Now with two small staffs he charged the skeleton and swung from both sides and pummeled the skeleton to the ground. The third skeleton got up and like the second one, Lortin pummeled it with his broken staff.

With the skeletons taken care of, again Lortin stopped to catch his breath. Just then a man walked into the room with a bright light surrounding him, only this man wasn't Murdon. "Who are you?" asked Lortin, "I am here to guide you the rest of the way, their isn't much left of this tunnel, just the secret is what you will have troubles with," the man replied quickly. The man began walking down the path the skeletons came from and Lortin quickly followed behind.

"What happened to Murdon, I thought he was going to guide through here," Lortin said in curiosity. "Murdon was in no shape to guide and protect you in this cave," the man said back. Ahead of them stood two more skeletons, the man took our his sword and quickly charged at them and slashed them both in 3 ways, the skeletons did not reattach themselves. They continued to walk down the path and kept running into skeletons and other crazy creatures that Lortin couldn't even make out, the man killed them to quickly. This continued on for maybe another hour, and finally stopped at a dead end. "Well this is great, a dead end?" Lortin said disappointed. "This is why I am here," said the man. The man began chanting some unknown language to himself, with his hand closed together at his chest. After chanting his pushed his right hand towards the dead end and a door appeared. "Enter, young one."

Lortin opened the door and walked inside, the room was very dim and he saw 3 spirits roaming around the room, they stopped at the sight of Lortin. "Is this the boy Kaohn sent?" one of the spirits shouted, "Interesting, this boy has a unique flow of mana," the second spirit said. "Maybe that is why he was sent to us," said the third spirit. "I am Syne," said the first spirit. "I am Saern," replied the second spirit. "And I am Sone" said the third spirit. "We will share with you, our magics at the Elder's request."

"Stand still boy, relax your mind and your mana, and the power shall become within easily."

Lortin stood still with his eyes closed, as the Syne closed in on him and waved his arms around in a motion as a black ball of energy began to gloom and then it flew into Lortin. "It may feel overwhelming at first but that feeling will go away soon." Saern then came close to Lortin and did the same routine but his ball of energy was not visible, then Lortin felt the overwhelmness again and quickly it was gone. Sone went next to Lortin, except he wasn't doing hand motions, he stuck his hands out and two orbs formed on his hands, they were both clear like a crystal ball. They both shot into the air and came down into Lortin. "These simply will make you stronger in your physical self and your mental self," Sone said to Lortin. "You may open your eyes now boy."

Lortin opened his eyes and he looked at his hands and he could feel the power inside of him. "I feel amazing!" "I don't even feeling of doubt in myself anymore, like I did before." "Now grab the artifact on the pedestal boy," Sone said to Lortin. Just then the man who was guiding Lortin barged into the room. "No! I cannot let this weakling boy have the power I have longed for!" "I have waited five years for this and you choose this BOY!" the man yelled. "You had your chance Exian, five years ago and you blew it and if you guarded this cave it would heighten your chances of gaining our powers but we lied," Sone explained to Exian. "This is unfair! You lied to me! And now the boy will pay for it." Exian said as he drew his sword at Lortin.

"Kill the man Lortin, this is your next test, kill the one who was not worthy enough for our power," Sone said to Lortin. Exian charged at Lortin but with Lortin's new gained strength his used his Psychic Blast to push Exian back to the wall. "Use my new gained power!" Syne said to Lortin. Lortin brought his hand up and shot a beam of black into Exian's stomach. Exian dropped his sword and fell to the ground, dead. "He was not worthy of us Lortin, you were the true one we were waiting for, much like Murdon five years ago," Saern explained. "Also take his sword, since I noticed your staff was cut in half." Lortin grabbed the artifact and picked up Exian's sword, and before he knew it, he was outside the cave. Murdon greeted him, "Looks like you passed young one, like me five years ago," Murdon said to Lortin as he began to walk back to the camp.

At the camp, Lortin and Murdon sat down around the fire. "You were summoned here for a reason Lortin, your mana is very unique according to Kaohn and he wanted you to use it to it's fullest." Lortin just stared at Murdon. "Well, I better get heading back to the college, thanks for the help at the entrance." Lortin said to Murdon as he shook his hand. "Take care kid, we might cross paths again soon," Murdon replied as he waved at the walking Lortin.

The next morning back the college, Lortin was in the elders room, handing him the artifact. "Good, good boy," Kaohn said with excitement as Lortin handed the artifact to him. "I just need two more to finish it." "I am sending you out on another task, since you proved worthy for the first one," Kaohn said to Lortin. "Although I am giving you time to rest, come back when you wake up from a nice nap and I will explain your next task."

Six hours later Lortin arrived once again to Kaohn's room. Only to find no Kaohn, just a note on his desk. Sorry boy, I had to take care of something somewhere off of the campus. I need you to head east again, towards the cave you just were, except I need you to continue to head east, into a forest. In the center of the forest, a bright light shines into the heavens. You wont be able to see it outside of the forest, the forest covers it up from unwanted visitors. With your new powers, this shouldn't be a hard task for you. Bring me back the artifact that sits on a large tree stump in the center. P.S. I heard Sol was attacked recently, be careful out there.

[loner-kid]

Aloin raced down the corridors, the golden ferret perched desperately against his shoulder. There had been no time to bandage his broken arm and it trailed in the air behind him uselessly like a heavy scarf. He'd seen students rushing to the stairs, tried to warn them, only to see their torsos cartwheel leisurely through the air. In the floors above lay whoever was still alive, a collection of those lucky enough to flee and the younger mages who lived on the top floor. If he was lucky there might be a teacher, but even he laughed at such a feeble hope. Maybe they could channel their collective mana into a powerful spirit beast that could stop the invaders, but fledgling mages were more likely to destabalise the spell than form their mana flow correctly. It was frustrating, as far as he could see it their only chance was to just form a mana wall and hope the enemy couldn't break through. There was another loud explosion from downstairs and the whole building seemed to shake from its ferocity. To put it short they were utterlly screwed.
“Kiki, how many people are there in the floors above?” Aloin asked quietly as he rounded a corner , heading towards a flight of stairs.
The ferret didn’t speak, instead holding up a single hand. Each digit exposed, quickly opening and closing it in rapid succesion. Aloin counted a mere 35. Only 35 were left from a building that housed 200. He reached the stairs his pace unfaltering, not even stopping to look down at the enemy which lay below him. He felt a warm vibration in the air around him like the slight tremors before an earthquake and threw himself instinctively against the wall as a brilliant scarlet plume of flame plowed upwards, incinerating the trim stone satirway to a molten mess that bubbled slowly in the stale air. There was no time to rest. The vibration was back. He hurled himself back into his heady sprint, more bursts of flame following his hurried footsteps. He could feel the heat against his skin, his shoes burning against the super heated stone work. The smell filled his nostrils, cloying, choking, as if some living creature was trying to force its way down his throat. But there was no time to catch his breath. Around him the stairway was getting darker as thin tendrils of smoke began to pool together into writhing black clouds that filled the stairway like water pouring into a basin. With a desperate burst of speed he swung his body around the last bend, a rectangular ray of relief cutting through the arid smoke. He launched himself through the door of the final floor and lay there, panting on the floor as he tried to calm the frantic beat of his heart. The sound of flames died away. The enemy hadn’t pursued him. They could take their time after all.
Ahead of him, far away down the twisting corridor, lay a handful of survivors. They would probably be terrified, frightened little children, and there was nothing he could do to save them. He had only a hope that their collective mana might possibly manage to hold some form of defence. And what would happen if it failed, was he fated to die here? He couldn’t fight, he couldn’t flee. If he didn’t make it out of this then he’d have failed the very fondations of what he had set out to do so many years ago. His fear was almost palpable, a living force that despite his best efforts was seeping outwards into the confines of the narrow corridor.
Kiki frowned slightly as she picked up the scent of his terror and she leant foreward, her little mouth opening to speak. Aloin waved a hand dismissivly in front of her long face. His hand flew to the collar of his shirt, running a questing finger around his neck. There was a slight tinkle as his finger coiled around a slender silver chain. He pulled it gently from the recesses of his shirt and craddled the intricate locket that dangled from it in tender hands. As if it the locket were some magical talisman the whirlpool of fear that surrounded Aloin ebbed into oblivion. He stood up, his body creaking somewhat as if in protest, and without a word walked down the long corridor, the broad spear kicking up sparks as it was dragged mercilessly against the stone floor.
Surprisingly it didn’t take him long to find the surviving members of the dormitory, he’d thought that they would be in scattered pockets, holding each other in terror hoping they wouldn’t be found. But instead there stood a rather impressive mana shield around the door to the top story lounge. He prodded it with his spear, feeling a satisfyingly hard surface that gave off a hollow knocking sound. This of course raised a slight problem for Aloin, namely that he was outside. He sighed, placing his thumb over his eye in thought. The only real way in was to break either the mana wall, which could possibly knockout the mages casting it; or to break the walls around it, whoever had got the idea to for this had been a little lax in foresight. Of course he didn’t want to break down the walls because at the very least they were an extra line of defense. Maybe if he knocked they’d actually let him in. He ran the blade of his spear against the sheild as he tried to think of a way to persuade them to let him in. Aloins line of thought quickly ground to a halt as the blade passed straight through the shield, scoring the wooden door that lay behind it. He looked at the spear curiously, he knew he’d designed it to be able to cut spiritual entities but this was a litte unexpected. No, not really, if you assume that mana is spiritual in essence it would explain a lot about its nature and effects. But that was something to be looked into another time, right now he was more interested in the damage he’d inflicted on the mana shield. Strangly it had regenerated, as if a simple slice could easily be restored. Aloin grinned to himself as he tested his theory, watching the steadily larger cuts being healed without any negative affect on the shield. With a final slice aloin cut himself a gateway into the survivors sanctuary.
Aloin opened the door slowly, his hands in the air not wanting to threaten the already terrified occupants. With the absense of people attacking him he took a cautious step forward. The room was filled with children, each one head bowed in concentration. None of them had noticed him and it seemed that slicing the sheild had had no real affect on them. He closed the door quietly, trying not to disturb the mages that shivered slightly in aprehensive terror. The room was large, leather chairs and low tables strewn across its faded stone flooring. At the far end of the room he could see an ornate bookcase filled with a variety of old tatered books in a variety of different texts. Although he hadn’t seen it at first there was a larger body amongst the children, hunched over just like them but still noticably bigger. The figure was… feminine, probably. Despite the silky hazel hair that swept over its shoulders the proportions of the body were, from where he could see it, androgynous at best. There was nothing visibly masculine or feminine about it, and whatever little clues may have been there were disguised by an oversized robe that seemed more like a small blanket than school wear. He tapped the person slowly on the head, trying to get their attention without disturbing anyone else. Unfortunately she, yes he was quite sure it was a she now, screamed. The children lost their concentration as the high pitched wail reverberated through the room. Aloin groaned inwardly.
“Hello vanessa” he said, as the screaming came to wavering halt due to lack of air. Vanessa looked up her eyes filled with both confusion and relief. She was a member of his class, wealthy yet a little simple minded. She’d always been at the back of the class, trying to hide herself more than dodge out of learning. After all Aloins class had a number of girls who vastly more physically mature than vanessa, and even a stranger could see it made her self conscious. On one hand he was somewhat glad to see that someone he knew had survived, but her speciality was in warp space control, which meant that she should have been able to teleport by now. The fact that she had remained probably meant that teleportation was impossible, or that she was behind on her studies. Not that it made any difference to him because he was unable to teleport, except in the special tele friendly zones that the school had put up. Unforunately they were used primarily to segregate the graded students in the main school so there weren’t any in the dormitry, hence why he hadn’t attempted such an escape plan. However these thoughts were quickly shelved as Vanessa jumped at him, her eyes filling with tears.
“We’re all going to die!” she screamed, grasping at Aloin with a vice like embrace. There was a somewhat awkward silence as Aloin tried to wrestle the sobbing girl off him. She was suprisingly strong, the broken arm not really helping him much, and he eventually just gave up. Kiki coughed quietly next to his ear.
“You may want to replace the barrier before we really do get killed” she said, trying to draw as little attention as possible to herself. Aloin glanced over at the panicing children who ran or cowared in the expansive room. Organising this rabble would be near impossible now, whatever Vanessa had done to keep them calm had been shattered when she broke down in front of them. They still had some time though so one step at a time would do for now. There was an explosion from downstairs, almost directly below where they now stood. On second thought time was of the essence

[loaf]

Lortin continued once again east, back towards Murdon's camp. The day was very muggy, Lortin was sweating up a storm on his walk towards this forest. "I wonder what I'm going to encounter in this forest," Lortin thought to himself, "some gnomes that cast vicious magic at me? Or even a snake?" Lortin just sighed and continued to walk down the eastern path to the base of the mountains where Murdon's camp sits. He walked by the camp, intended not to do anything there, where he noticed that nobody was at the camp. "Maybe he is helping Kaohn with his task." Lortin thought. He continued to walk up the mountain path.

The afternoon was coming to an end, and Lortin was nowhere near the center of this mountain range where this forest lay. Also coming unprepared to set up a camp in the mountains, he had to find shelter before anything happens up there. The sun was minutes away from disappearing when Lortin found a small cave, with a fire pit. "Looks like someone had the same idea as me." There was a couple pieces of wood left unburned from the previous wanderer, but left nothing to light a fire. Lortin went outside the cave to quickly get something to light the fire, to his luck, it didn't take very long; although it was a pain since there was no sun to guide him. Lortin not only brought back something to start the fire with, he brought a few more pieces of fire wood to help him through the night. He started a fire and pulled out some rations that he brought with him. He sat next to the fire pondering, at what the elder really wants.

"It's strange that he summons me of all people."

"I mean, I'm behind on my studies...
well, not anymore I don't think."

"And why does he wants these strange artifacts, Elder Kaohn has been acting strange since he summoned me."

"I felt a strange darkness from that cave I was in the other day, like nothing I've ever smelt or felt in my life around mana."

Lortin finally put his mind the rest and began to dose off to sleep.

It was dawn, and it had started raining very calmly, a light shower. Lortin walked out of the cave to notice a strange creature feeding on a dead animal. This creature looked incredibly vicious, with 4 long sharp fangs and 3 horns coming out of it's head and a wicked tail to say the least. Before Lortin could try and walk away unnoticed, the creature stopped and stuck it's head up and focused it's eyes on Lortin. It's eyes were pitch black, but had meaning to them, like it was ready to kill on sight. The creature charged at Lortin at full speed, unable to pull out his sword quick enough he tried to push it back with a Psychic Blast, but the creatures force and will was to strong and it only prevented a direct hit from it's horns, sending Lortin flying into a wall. He fell down and kneeled with his hand on his hilt, ready for a fight. The beast readied another charge and once again did it at full speed. This time Lortin was ready, and used his Mind Blast to weaken the creature for a more lethal strike from his blade. When the creature got close enough it lunched out for a strike with it's horns, Lortin slid under it with his blade sticking upwards and slashed straight through it's stomach, a clean kill. Although this beast looked edible, it's insides looked to disgusting to even consider eating. "I'll just eat my rations instead," Lortin said to himself as he continued to walk deeper into the mountain range.

The sun was almost at it's highest peek when Lortin arrived at the forest. The trees were black and brown, this wasn't your normal forest, the forest was evil, and alive; he could feel it. Lortin walked into the forest confident enough to take on whatever was in there. For an hour Lortin encountered nothing, he didn't hear anything, only his footsteps and his own thoughts. As he continued to go deeper and deeper into the forest, it started to get darker and darker. "How can it be this dark when the afternoon just started," Lortin asked himself as he looked up towards the top of the forest, only to see little to no light. Just then he heard a branch smack into a tree, he turned around and saw a tree violently swinging it's branches everywhere, as if it was alive. "This place is very spooky." Lortin ignored the tree since it posed no threat to him and he felt a light in the distance, he was near the center of the forest.

As Lortin drew closer to the center, the forest became brighter and brighter, but this wasn't light from the sun, it was light from mana. This mana was pure, manipulated with light and good, unlike most of the forest which Lortin sensed manipulated with evil and darkness. In the center, as Elder Kaohn had stated in his note was a tree stump with a 6 inch tall rusted goblet, half of the bowl was broken. Lortin grabbed the goblet and began to leave back through the darkness of the forest to head back to the college. Until he felt a presence, a presence of mana. He turned around to see a boy, maybe even younger then he was, wearing combat robes and pale skin standing just as tall as Lortin with hood over his head wielding an axe with both his hands.

"Who are you!?" the boy demanded, "and what are you doing here!"

"Who am I? Who are you and where did you come from!" Lortin demanded back, "I was here first."

"My name is not of any importance to you, and you have no need to know where I came from, just hand me that goblet and I shall let you live," the boy said to Lortin.

"No," Lortin said.

"Then I shall take it from you by force."

The boy readied his axe and waited for Lortin to ready himself. Lortin created a Psychic Blast from his hand and let the orb float around him ready for launch and then grabbed his sword, holding it with both hands next to his head ready to parry his enemy's attack. The boy jumped in the air and came flying down at Lortin strong, Lortin dodged forward and turned around and readied his weapon still at the same position. The boy got up and charged Lortin and swung, as Lortin parried the swing and shot his Psychic Blast at the boys chest and the boy was pushed back several feet. Infuriated the boy charged again at Lortin, this time with a lesser strength in his swing. Lortin parried the boys attack upward and swung downwards. The boy jumped back to avoid a cut down the center of his chest, he grinned and began to slow down the pace of the fight. He held his axe in one hand as he walked calmly towards Lortin, but Lortin was prepared. After a few feet, the boy lunged out again but was blasted back by another Psychic Blast, unprepared for this kind of blow, it left the boy open. Lortin took this opportunity and shot the beam of black right at the boy. The blast hit but only to be negated by a shield the boy had conjured and then the boy put his axe away.

"That beam...."

The boy then disappeared without a trace.

[Ulteka Mako]

Nathan listens as Veralow and Riian spoke. Veralow decided that it was not wise to talk about whatever was needed to be talked here on the ground of Sol. Veralow spoke and Riian followed. But Nathan didn't want to go with them. He wanted to go his own way.

"I will see you guys around. I have to go and search for answers elsewere. Good luck to you two. I hope we meet up again."

Nathan whatched Veralow and Riian walk away. Nathan walked over toward the east into the woods of Sol. As he got into the woods, he seen a nearby stump and went over an sat down it. He pulled out a cigar and a small bag of marijuana. He took one of his knifes and then licked the cigar and then cut it down the center. He then dumped all off the tabacoo out of the cigar and put some weed in it. He then rolled it back up and put it in his mouth. He then snaped his fingers and a little flame formed out the tip of his finger. Nathan then lit the cigar with the flame on his finger. He took a big hit and then blew out the flame on his finger with the smoke.

"Now thats more like it. Now I can think straight and figure out were I am going to go. I should find Nizuka. Should should know some answers about something. She is always around."

Nathan then started walking through the woods of Sol. He was just going to walk and whenever he finds villages, he would ask direction to were Drasna is. That is were he is going. Someone there will have answers. Nathan knew they would. Then he would go and find his Kung Fu teacher Hyrue and ask him for answers about this Nizuka girl.

"I know she has something to do with what happened at Sol. If she did, then I will kill her."

Nathan kept walking why he smoked on his cigar. He then stoped and drew his two katanas. He heard something shuffle around in a farther part of the woods. He was feeling like he was being whatched as soon as he walked into the woods. But he didn't thank about it so much. He wasn't really worried. But now he was. He could sense an awsome amount of power. A evil power.

"Come on you bastard" Nathan though to himself. "What the hell are you?"

Nathan stood and looked around in every direction of the woods, waiting for anything, anyone, to come at him. He was ready for whatever. He stood there on guard with his katans and puffing away on his cigars.

[deanharagatsu]

Dean looked at her as his book slid off of her head. He then looked on the ground and stopped blushing immediatley. He gulped as he put his hand back at his side and still looking at her beauty. Dean always had a problem with talking to wemon but in this circumstance he was forced to. Everyone was turned in Dean and Wendy's direction as she had made a scene. Dean then blurted out too tired to think of what he is saying" I am not a pervert I just think you'r pretty ok?" He then walked to his book slowley picking it up and flips it open angrilly to the last chapter he was reading of casting ice magic threw his weapon. He then put a bookmark in it and closed it as he reached for her once more and askes" now listen I have a class to get to and this is holding up my time so would you want me to help you up by choice or force?" It was pretty uch made clear that he is very cranky when bothered in his sleep. Right now he cared less what he was saying. All he knew is somone was making fun of him again and he was quite annoyed. Let along that he hasent slept in a long while.

Two students dressed in other wila schools cloths walked towards us as we had made the scene. One student blew me straight to the ground knocking my book straight out of my left arm and hand using a lance and hit me with it as he laughed"this is going to be a peace of cake." He sayed obviousley was taking it easy on me as Dean took out his katannas. He held his lance facing me. Another student had a wooden staff as he attempted to blow Wendy further up. Dean then leaped in the air and slashed as fast as he could at the student with the lance with his right katanna bladee as an icy breeze flung straight at him and froze him were he stood. Dean's eyes glew an icy tone as He growled at them both saying" I......was......reading that!!" He yelled as he gathered water around his left kattana blade and blasted it straight at the guy with the stick and he attempts to defelect it by twirling it around as he falls on the ground. Dean's eyes focused upon the student with the lance covered in ice as it was about to break. the ice around his bodie slowley shattered as Dean growled more in anger. Dean was mad to the fulelst because he hasent had sleep and now these guys from another academy choses to pick on him. Dean held his blade tight faced at them ready for battle as the hole school broke out in a war zone with other students from the same academy as the ones he was facing.

[Hyzenthlay]

The dead of night fell over the kingdom of Welia. It's ebony embrace almost eerie. A gentle breeze whistled through the forest which encircled castle Ultrela. A battalion of black armoured troops hid amoungst the foliage. The head of the group peered above a thick bunch of brambles before him. Silence was on the air as he held up his left hand. His next move would determine their fate. If his fingers balled into a fist they were to charge. If he pulled down his arm, they'd retreat. Suddenly the sky lit with a bright, near blinding light. It illuminated the scene showing up to fifty battalions lining the forests edge. Each group was a hundred men strong. The captains hand rolled in on itself and he rose, drawing his sword.

"Charge!.. For god!" The captain leapt forward, his sword held alongside his head and brandished in both hands.

He was followed by the five thousand strong army of the Paragon Alliance. Each running in unison towards the open castle gate. To the onlooking guardsman the scene seemed as if in slow motion. The defensive bells rang out, on after another. These proved futile, however. The town was already washed in a sea of shining black armour. The PA's war-cries blew through the town instilling terror. Everyone who met their sights soon met a blades edge. At first they met very little resistance. Only a few of King Welias 'Loyalists' were around and they were spread thinly. The captain of the PA met a small pocket on the straight that led to the castles keep. It was a group of Welias elite Loyalists alright. Each one were garbed in no more than green kilts. Their faces and body were painted with sky blue paint. They held twin shortswords in front of them, swinging them manacingly. These mercenaries were obviously from the barbarian country of Garea, the country beside the sea. The head of the group had long, unkempt hair. It was tangled and tied back, leaving a black beard covering his face.

"Captain, what a surprise." Spoke the husky barbarian, his heavily scarred face shifting to a distorted smile. "One step ahead, as always." He looked around at the Paragon Alliance knights that surrounded his small band.

"Stand aside, Greyloch. We have no quarrel with Garea. There is no need to spill innocent blood." The captain lowered his sword and stood forward.

"It's too late for that, I think. You are a fine chief. Serving you was an honour. I could ask no more than to fall to the same sword I had recently followed." The barbarian general stepped back for better grip, readying himself.

"The honour was mine. Im sorry, my friend."

The captain leapt forward, swinging his sword in an upward arched motion. Greyloch raised his twin swords in defense and pushed forward, shifting his body weight. This was a fatal error. The captains sword shifted direction, moving downwards he cut deep into Greylochs shoulder. The edge of his blade connected with the barbarians spine. With a grunt Greyloch tipped to the side and released his blades. He blinked and dropped as the life left him. The rest of the resistance soon fell alongside their leader. The PA captain knelt beside Greylock, closing his eyelids. He paused for a second in thought, rose and set off again at a march towards the keep. Screams echoed through the city streets alongside the cheers of the PA as each mercenary force fell. The thing that troubled the captain, however, was the lack of a breeze. The bells had ceased which could only mean that he controlled the walls. Still, the un-natural feel of the city set him on edge. Though his fears mounted he marched on. He had to achieve his goal. His troops met the gate to the keep. The walls of the courtyard were covered with PA troops, not a single Welian soldier had met them here. The captain paused, his stomach dropped. The gate had been ajar, the entrance to the courtyard had been left open. He slapped his forehead and pointed to the gate.

"HOLD THAT! HOLD IT!"

His men rushed to keep the courtyard gate open. If the gate were to close they would be walled in. His men managed it and the captain let out a sigh of relief. It was all too easy. He turned to the keeps doors once more and signalled for his men to open it. Again, this wasn't necessary. The huge doors flew open with a simple kick. The captain paused in though. 'What are you planning, Artemis?' he thought to himself. 'What do you have lurking within your dark citadel?' A shrill cry came from the front of the group and the captain forced his way towards it. The soldier at the head was pointing inside the doors, his eyes wide. The captain looked to just within the torchlight, a swamp of blood lay before them. The only sign of anyone inside was a hacked, lifeless corpse. It wasn't a PA night that much was certain. The captain help up his hand, spreading his fingers. The PA stormed in, lighting torches. Each newly lit torch revealed a unique and terrifying scene. There were at least a few hundred bodies lay before them. The reception halls floor was covered in blood, every inch. Not a body in the place could have been recognised beyond dental records. The captain held his arm up to cover his nose as he took in the scene. The purpose of this force was obvious. It was meant to head the Paragon Army off, to hold their advance. They were the best King Welia had to offer. The pride and joy of his Loyalist armies. This begged the question; who could have done this?

"Spread. First battalion, take the sleeping chambers. Second, on me. The rest of you, scower the town. I want Welia and the prisoners alive!"

The troops obeyed and went in their respective directions. The captain stood fast as he watched first battalion head off in the direction of the dorms. He the turned, his long brown hair swaying in a sudden breeze. He felt a shiver run down his spine and an ominous feeling wash over him. Wila couldn't be here. He'd made sure that they had left before entering. Then, who can track somebody that moves with the wind? He shook his head and continued his march towards the Kings own lodgings. the breeze seemed to follow him. He halted outside the door to King Welias estate.

"Leave this to me!" He spoke over his shoulder. "The last thing I need if for you to mess this up." He swept his cloak to the side and sheathed his sword. Tying back his long, brown hair he pulled up his hood. This shadowed his eyes making him hard to recognise. His hand took the door-handle filrmly in its grasp, turning it slowly.

Once within the room he looked around. This room was as dismal as the rest of the city. It's walls were bare save for a single window. In the centre stood a messy, moth eaten bed. He had to stop himself from choking as a damp, musty smell hit his nostrils. Upon a chair, by the window, sat the King. His eyes staring out upon his burning city. He clapped his hands slowly and turned to the captain.

"You've won, Zelgius. Who would have thought my own brother would be my downfall? The once proud general of my army reduced to the ranks of a traitor!" The last of these words were spat. King Welia stood although he made no attempt to advance on Captain Zelgius. Instead he looked at the floor. "Tell me, though... Brother; how did you achieve this? How did you get past Lars?"

Zelgius laughed, his troubled face at last dropping to a look of profound relief.

"Lars? That's who was leading your forces? Oh, brother. You have been a fool..." He set off in a riot of laughter that almost made him buckle. "Who do you think sent us here?" He straightened up and wiped his eyes, looking upon the form of his older brother.

"Wila has sided with you? I offered you glory, I offered riches, I..."

"YOU OFFERED DEATH!" Anger pulsated through Zelgius' body. He forces himself to calm, realizing that his schedule was running almost over. "Besides, he didn't side with us... We sided with him."

King Welias eyebrows raised. A sword was thrust through his chest from behind, Lars' smirk appeared at his shoulder as his lips neared the Kings ears.

"It will be I that rules this world. The Gods tell me I am destined to be great..." He removed his sword from Artemis' ribcage. The King fell to the floor with an echoing thud. "... And I will be." He smiled down at the corpse of the late king and spat before looking to Zelgius. "Well done... General. You've shown your worth. I could have use for you."

"I live to serve you, my lord." Zelgius bowed low, his troops following his example.

Lars smirked and nodded, allowing them to straighten up. "Bring me the prisoners, I'm ready..."

"They are on their way, my lord." Said Zelgius awaiting further praise.

"Good, very good." Lars' smile was, for once, overwhelmed with joy. "Artemis, I've decided what I want as a reward..." Laughed Lars looking down at the dead king.

"Sir, what of Linear and Rafiel?" Asked Zelgius with concern.

"Ohhhhhhh... Bring them to me..." Lars spoke as if he were bored, waving his hand passively.

----o0o----

"Linear, I'm telling you. I don't feel right." Rafiel spoke with panic, his eyes scouting out into the darkness of the forest.

"Shhhhhh, be quiet darling. Lars told us to hold this position and that we will. It's for the good of Wila. That's what he told us!"

"That's just it. We're just sat here in the dark, does that no seem strange to you? What the heck are we waiting for?"

"Has he ever lead us astray?" Linear looked Rafiel in the eyes, touching his cheek and gently stroking with her thumb.

"Well... No..."

"Exactly, so just be patient. There's no need to get all shaky because he's trusted us with the defense of the king. That's a merit to us, I think. Lars' way of showing he trusts us." She removed her hand from his cheek with a smile, turning to again scout the treeline.

Rafiel reached out an arm, locking it around Linears waist with a sigh. He was looking at the floor, deep in thought. The only thing that truly bothered him about the situation was some of Lars' words. he'd said 'harvest' not use, absorb or acquire their talent... Harvest like they were crops. It had sent him on edge all day and night. They had left those days behind them, no more evil; they had taken an oath. Somehow he felt that Lars wanted to start up the whole thing again. Rafiel felt a shiver run down his spine and pulled Linear in closer.

"Lars asks for you both to come to the kings quarters." A voice from behind them made Rafiel jump. He felt stupid when he turned to find a servant standing before him. No more than a pathetic non-user. A sub-human had made him jump. He felt a laugh pass his lips as he and Linear followed the servant off into the city walls.

Once inside he had to stop and take in what he saw fully. Fire. It was all around them and a smell of flesh was on the air. How had he not noticed this when they were outside? Of course! The wind direction. It was blowing the smoke away from them. He couldn't feel it in the air or smell it on the breeze. Another shiver fell down his spine hard, this time it made him shudder. He linked Linears hand, gripping it hard. Feeling her whince he lightened his grip.

"Sorry, it's all just so... Horrifying." He said, kissing her forehead gently. She smile back and nodded taking his hand in the same tight grip.

As they pressed on the true extent of the carnage could be seen. Not one of the mercenary groups was left. Here and there a soldier of the PA was seen scattered amongst the endless droves of Welian corpses. Wherever Lars was he was probably with the only survivors. Rafiel and Linear would find it hard to used WindTravel now, with all the carbon dioxide from the smoke. This too made Rafiel feel strange. Almost defenseless. It wasn't normally the PA's style to burn the cities they took. They normally acted as liberators.

Finally they reached the castle. Here stood a last defense. Dead Loyalists were scattered in a near ocean of blood. It was a truly terrifying scene. Not a single enemy lay with them. Rafiel stopped but was pulled along by Linear. He wanted nothing more than to leave but he couldn't. He would follow his love to the end of eternity. If she wanted to continue, he would act as her escort. Her bodyguard in passion.

The kings quarters were dark. Rafiel couldn't see anything but Lars sat at a desk. his face lit by a single flickering candle. Lars ran his fingers over the flame. He looked up at Rafiel and Linear with a smile and stood from the chair.

"Ah, my friends. We have had a great victory here today. Almost too easy." He moved around the desk towards Rafiel, the smile still on his face.

"And how would you say that? I saw how many dead we have." Replied Rafiel, his eyes narrowing.

"Oh, no. We had very few casualties." Lars placed his hand on Rafiels shoulder. The smile on his face had faded and his voice dropped to a more serious tone. "The king has kindly agreed to advocate the throne." He pionted to the lifeless body of King Welia though his eyes were still upon Rafiel.

"You managed this? Why didn't you tell us? We, we could have helped!" Rafiels eyes were looking into Lars' and Lars' into his.

Linear had moved to check the kings pulse. She knelt beside him and looked back at the two Wila men. She made a move to speak but a hand silenced her. A palm lay over her mouth and one around her chest. A figure held her at the edge of the darkness. Soldiers emerged from the abyss standing in a circle and surrounding around the room.

"I didn't require your assistance, old friend." Lars tightened his grip on Rafiels shoulder, the smirk back on his sinister face. Rafiel was looking around the room, open mouthed. "I only have one more use for you..."

"And what is that?" Rafiels voice was that of panic as his eyes fell upon Linear, who was now restrained by two PA soldiers. He made for her but Lars' grip restrained him rather too effectively. Then Rafiel smelled it. The distinctive smell of Sols magic. It was powerful magic, too. He could feel the mana dripping from Rafiel as if he had been in a stream of it. "What have you done Lars?"

"I took what is rightfully mine... Power. What I require from you two is yours. I need your strength. You see, Rafiel, my magic is somewhat... Distorted. Sixty years of pillaging life forces can have that effect on a man. I need a couple of purer souls to feed mine back to strength." Again the smirk lit his face. Lars' hand began to glow a sky blue upon Rafiels shoulder. Rafiel felt his legs buckle and he fell to a kneeling position on the floor. "That's where you two come in..." Smiled Lars, he followed Rafiels eye-line to Linear. "Don't worry, I won't hurt her. You are my friends, after all. It will be painless."

Linears eyes filled with tears as she fought in vain against the soldiers grips. She watched as the life faded from Rafiels eyes and his torso hit the floor. A scream left her lips and a surge of power passed through her. It threw the PA from her and she ran to the window.

"RESTRAIN HER!" Lars' voice cut through her like a knife as she threw open the window. Her form faded and she flew along a self-made breeze. She made sure to avoid the smoke that billowed in towers from the town. "NOOOOOOOOOO!" Lars' voice followed her on the wind. But he wasn't pursuing her. All she could guess was that smoke had come in through the window and prevented him.

Her mind raced and her heart pounded. She felt tears building up like oceans behind her eyes. The air which she had become built as if it were a raincloud. Her body ached almost unbearably under this new breed of pain. She raced for hours, her emotions making her a storm as she passed over Sar. She wasn't thinking and before she knew what she was doing she had landed neatly in the gardens of Sol. Surrounded by the men she had killed just a day or so before. The pain in her heart seemed to threaten her life. She curled up in a ball just beside the door to the college. Her body was too weak to move. Her mana to weak for her to WindTravel. She tried to cry out but no sound left her lips. The pain was so intense that only one could have soothed her. He was gone, though. Her stomach rolled as she vomited on the grass. Again she tried to scream but, once more, no sound left her lips. Had she lost her voice? Rafiels face was the last thing she saw, and then, she passed out.

----o0o----

Back inside Castle Ultrela Lars paced his new quarters. He stopped in front of the group of Paragon Alliance soldiers. At it's head stood Zelgius, two of the PA soldiers lay dead at his feet. Zelgius' blade dripped with fresh blood.

"I cannot apologize enough for my troops' incompetence, my lord." Said Zelgius with a bow. His voice was wobbling uncontrollably.

"Bring her to me. Only with her can my power by limitless... I need her, Zelgius. I want her!" Lars' voice shook with obvious fury. His eyes piercing into Zelgius. "And bring me the rest of the prisoners. Master Julios power is just the beginning."

"As you wish..." Zelgius marched from the room with his troops at his feet.

"Soon, the world will fall under one banner. I will create a world with limitless mana. I will create a world where there are no sub-humans." Lars' trademark smirk adorned his face again. "I will create a world where I am a god."