Mystics Apprentice

--Yevgeni Malachite-- "I am not certain," Yev responded to Rabiyu's musing over the Source of All Life's usage. "Though it does appear–" He was unable to finish as he was hoisted up by none other than Queen Shiva's retainer. The elf couldn't help but smirk. "Eclaire," he started, though fell silent to hear what the woman had to say. Yevgeni's gaze softened once she was finished conveying her plea to himself and the rest of the individuals standing there, his previous mockery replaced with some other new expression. Was it respect? "I am willing to set our differences aside, Eclaire." He bowed his head respectfully toward the succubus, blond locks falling over his shoulder and into his face. "Alas, you would be correct. I will aid you and lend you my holy magic: a gift from Queen Shiva's father." His father, too, but for some reason he could not bring himself to say it. Stealing a sweeping glance over Eclaire, he gripped her sides and lifted her up, rising into the air as he did so. He allowed some of his magical energy to pour into her, though just as he prepared to throw her the winds began to die down. Yevgeni frowned. "Something is wrong," he said stiffly, still gripping Eclaire firmly and yet losing altitude. "I do not think this is wise–" An entirely new entity appeared in place of Odin and Nergal, this individual appearing to be a cross between both, and yet this seemed impossible. Yevgeni's boots clicked as they hit the ground, placing Eclaire tenderly down beside him as he withdrew his rapier from his sheath. "Who are you?" Yev demanded. "And how do you propose to make the Overworld 'better'? That term is . . . subjective." Yevgeni's gaze fell to Nergal's glaive gripped in one hand and his heart sank. This was indeed partially Nergal, or so it seemed. Nergal had vowed not to use the Source without him, and yet here he was. The elf felt saddened, disappointed, irritated, and . . . understanding. With Odin charging him it was likely that Nergal had no choice, and perhaps it wasn't of his own volition that he took the form that stood before them now. Regardless, things suddenly felt more grave. Yevgeni gripped the hilt of his rapier tighter, preparing to make his move depending on what Nergodin's response was. --Elia Cabret-- "Please take good care of him," Elia murmured to Mikhail, her gaze falling on Henry's pallid face. He could not die; she could not forgive herself if he did. Already they had lost too many friends as it were. The raven-haired girl tenderly planted a kiss on Henry's forehead, her eyes welling with tears before she quickly swept away. Everyth watched the scene with a curious expression, though said nothing as the fairy left. She joined Helios' side, giving him a nod as though encouraging him on. "Our worlds can stand united," Elia continued. "I have seen so much loss of life, so much bloodshed, and it has been between us fey! These poor humans just want to live in peace and harmony, and we are depriving them of that very chance. Our superiority complex is doing us no favors; only more and more people are continuing to get hurt." Her violet eyes met Helios, and it was then that she recognized him. It had been a very long time, so long since she had seen him. She had been such a young fairy then, and at the time she was mostly fixated on her sister to notice her friend. "You knew Ari . . . didn't you?" she whispered, eyes wide. "You were her friend. I remember now." --Alderon Niles-- "And if we join you, what then?" It did not take sight for Alderon to discern that something was amiss. There he stood, firmly planted several feet before Nergodin, claymore digging into the granite below their feet. He lifted his head in the speaker's direction, though his gaze fell to the ground. "I do not see how my ambitions are considered a 'mad wish'. You speak in riddles to me, which I am not fond of. So how about you answer me this, before we all charge in to take your life: what will you do with the worlds, if you were to so choose?"

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Why? Because of those Wallmasters; they had me terrified as a kid. But seriously, I do not play many scary games. I don't get much enjoyment out of a scare, or horror in general.

The situation was going from bad to worse. Thankfully Tibarn couldn't hear Solomond's attempt at mental communication, else he would've gone into a greater flight of panic. Tibarn knew that his wound was grievous, though he didn't think that it warranted cauterization. The thought made him shudder, yet he understood that he needed to cooperate if he desired to survive. "Look, Solomond, just focus on them," Tibarn said finally, unrolling a package of gauze that he found and stuffing it into his wound. "They need your help if they want to survive, and the ship needs them to survive if it ever wants to go on another voyage. I'm sure that I'll figure out . . . something." A thought occurred to the brunet, albeit probably not a favorable one, yet one all the same. "Hey, Addie's got some shady friends in this space station. They own some kind of apothecary but deal in wet smuggling. Maybe I should hop over to this guy's place and see if he can't help us?"–Tibarn grimaced, his perplexing growing pale–"or rather, perhaps he ought to do the skipping. It's Apothecary Sal, if I recall right, and his name's Eddie. What d'you think?" Or cauterize the wound, Tibarn thought, though he really was not looking forward to that possibility. Dang, why did he have to take on those losers the way that he had?

The raven-haired young man noticed a shift in Lukkel's mood from their arrival, which struck him as curious. He seemed . . . irritated? Impatient? Upset? Kolm wasn't quite certain how to properly gauge the emotions of his new friend, though it did unnerve him a little to see Lukkel so out-of-character. Or, at least, the character that he had known upon his arrival. Lifting the bowl to his lips, he sipped in some of the stew's broth before his eyes fell upon two newcomers: Henry and Ceres. "Hello," he started to say to both Henry and Ceres, though they were quick to engage with Pang. It seemed that everyone here was a close-knit group, which did enthuse Kolm to an extent. He was unfamiliar with camaraderie and friendship. Those he'd been employed under were never . . . particularly friendly, let alone someone that he would want to work with. "Something the matter?" Kolm eventually hissed at Lukkel, when the others were–hopefully–not paying attention and too busy interacting with Pang. (No worries at all about taking some extra time to respond. You were still quite timely. . Real life comes first. I hope that all is well)

Kolm's eyes ignited with joy as his bowl of soup was placed tenderly in front of him by the automated servant. Not at the soup, but by the servant who served it. "Fascinating!" Kolm cried, intrigued by the servant as it swept away. "Does magic keep it running as well?" Perhaps this line of work would become quite interesting. Already Kolm grew less and less interested in interrogating the higher-ups and more so in the environment. There would be much to see and do, and he partially could not wait to get started. He scooped a spoonful of soup, watching it steam in front of him for several moments before he took a bite. His expression changed from blissful, to curious, to hesitant. Kolm glanced down at the bowl. "I had ordered Uzume stew," he said, frowning at a chunk of meat that hovered near the surface. "But, uh . . . what kind of meat is that? It is like none that I have ever tasted." It then occurred to him that he would probably regret asking, to which he shook his head. "You know what . . . tell me another time, perhaps. Right now I am famished, and I do not feel like vomiting anymore today." He took in all that Winona had to say, considering the possibility of tasks at hand while carefully chewing a bite of his stew. Eventually he swallowed, dabbed his mouth with a napkin, and said: "So it sounds like there is not a considerable amount of risk involved in the job, unless you want to take it. That is good. I like that we have options, and that we don't have to kill people if we don't wish to." Kolm's aqua eyes flittered around the room, scanning the cafeteria for the woman (Lucia) he'd seen on the outskirts of the arena earlier that day. He would've fancied meeting her, if he found the opportunity.

What a kiss-up, Kolm thought to himself as he watched Lukkel praise Galla. Perhaps his friend genuinely liked her, though he could not ever imagine why. There was positively nothing to like about Galla, in Kolm's opinion. Sure, she did appear rather stunning, and those eyes were entrancing–but that was it. Her demeanor was colder than even Kolm's, and, being a cold mage, that said something. Kolm fell in line behind Winona, though the raven-haired man didn't particularly like the fact that she had to summon everyone. He admired the halls and the simple yet elegant decor selected throughout. It crossed his mind that perhaps the staff had chosen it rather than the higher-ups, if what Winona stated were true about them and that they didn't grace the others with their presence. Once they arrived Kolm couldn't help noticing the somberness that filled the air. It struck him as curious, making him wonder if perhaps things were always this grim here in Haven, but then he recalled that he, Lukkel, and several others were brought in as replacements. Replacements of their fallen friends. I wonder if they will resent us for it, Kolm thought, stealing a sideways glance at Winona as she took a seat and proffered the one at her side. It seemed as though Winnie still looked upon them fondly enough, even if the loss of her fellow companions did strike her hard. Kolm had experience with simple cafeterias: food laid out, which you would select and then pay for. This method of ordering was entirely new and exhilarating to him, however. He fingered the screen tentatively, uncertain of how machines worked. "This is a . . . machine, did you call it?" Kolm's lips twisted into an odd smile. "We didn't have anything like this in my home world. Incredible! Is it run off of magic?" It certainly felt like magic to Kolm as he flipped through the various screens, trying to determine what he would like. Most of which he had never even heard of before. He settled on a simple sandwich of bacon, lettuce, and tomato, with a side of soup that he was unfamiliar with. As he awaited his meal he folded his hands in his lap, turning to Winona on her left side as he inquired: "So . . . when do you think we will be given our first mission? And how does it work? I think I heard something about . . . disappearing, was it, if we don't act often enough?"

Please do not choke, my friend. We can certainly wait as long as need be!

I believe that he is working a lot, most likely. I haven't seen him much as of late. Perhaps PM?

Winona had a great deal of useful information to offer Kolm, which he was certain that he could make use of later. He was convinced that this dark-haired girl would make an excellent companion. Perhaps making himself at home in Haven wasn't going to be quite so challenging, after all. Kolm was musing over a response to offer Winnie when Lukkel returned. He seemed much more refreshed than he had moments ago, which pleased him. Kolm clapped the youth on the shoulder, his aqua gaze intensely boring into him. "Worry not, though I am wondering what got into you just a moment ago. That was . . . unusual behavior." Perhaps it sounded rude, but Kolm wasn't certain how else to address it. Amidst the moment it seemed that the battle commenced, Pang emerging as the victor of the match below. Kolm's gaze flicked over to Lucia, his curiosity burning with an odd intensity as to her identity. Why was he so curious? What would it matter? He knew next to nothing about her, and why should he care? Yet he did, which was infuriating to him. "Anyway," Kolm said finally, tearing his gaze from the two. "I think I am going to go exploring around Haven a bit more, perhaps see about finding something to eat. Winona, do you happen to know where the cafeteria is? I believe that Pang was going to show us, but decided to head to the arena instead."

Upon Odin's prayer the blue crystal began to glow, its eerie light casting a blue aura upon the faces nearby. A loud hum filled the chamber, though only the words spoken could be heard by Odin and, ironically, Nergal. It seemed as though several voices were speaking, though their words were perfectly synchronized, its voice being neither masculine nor feminine. "Odin One-Eye," it said, its words falling to Odin and Nergal alone. "We have awaited your arrival for many a millennia and knew this day would come. Inside your heart may be a desire for power, yet your desires for that power are darker still. We have awakened from our slumber and descended upon the Overworld due to a great loss, in order to revive that which has been devoid of all life. Your use of us is not in our design, and yet we will not prohibit you from your wish. The results, however, may not be as you would envision them." With that, a wind began to blow through the changeless city, slow at first before picking up into a violent gust. It began to swirl around Odin, ensnaring him in a mini typhoon, though Nergal, too, was barely caught within its radius. What should happen if Nergal were to do anything to prevent Odin from obtaining the Source's power? Yevgeni Malachite The blond said nothing to Rabiyu's words of optimism, the fellow elf believing in his ability to change. His loyalty to his late father was unwavering, though his ambition had indeed wavered. Several times, in fact. In his heart he secretly doubted his actions, though he did not voice his concerns to the others. Odin was a nice distraction from his inner reflection, albeit an unwelcome one. The Mystran Lord seemingly embraced the Source of All Life as his own, having snatched it up from his friend and fellow comrade. Yevgeni shot a glare at Soren, whose words cut through him nearly as sharp as any blade. "To what are you insinuating, traitorous demon?" he snapped. "That I will not aid him, or switch sides so flippantly that I might as well be trying on hats? That was you, dear friend, and not me. At least I have been consistent in my dealings, even if they were abhorrent." He flicked his blond locks over his shoulder, emerald eyes flashing over toward the position where Nergal and Odin stood. "However, you would be correct. Nergal has not known me for long, but never have I seen such a loyal soul, willing to do the bidding that even I myself couldn't be entrusted with. He has followed me through it all, and I cannot abandon him. Even if we haven't seen eye-to-eye always, I must at least do my part and aid him." With that, he turned toward his new temporary allies, eyes falling upon his nephew, Jynn. "Your Highness, I would advise you to not get too close to Odin just yet. The humans and fey of Kilkis Seres need you alive. Without you, who else could possibly lead them to prosperity? Allow me and Lady Eliltari to take up the front." Yev nodded toward Rabiyu respectfully, entirely ignoring Soren–deliberately–and gliding along the battlefield swiftly. Not swiftly enough, however, for before he could make a motion toward Odin he found himself and Nergal to be ensnared by the winds of the Source of All Life. "No," he murmured, eyes darting between them frantically. "There's no way that this could be happening. Not like this." Elia Cabret and Everyth Castanova "Please don't let him die," implored the fairy, glancing at the Witcher with a tear-stained face. "Do what you must. We have come so far." Even still, Elia was blaming herself for Henry's current affliction. Never would she have guessed that the Mystran Lord would betray even his own, but had Elia not insisted she wasn't so sure that Henry would've been within the line of fire that he had. A handkerchief was visible from the corner of Elia's eye, which she turned to accept. It was being extended by an elderly woman, her violet gaze vibrant and fixated on Henry. "He will be alright," she assured Elia. "I've seen him go through worse, or nearly. Henry is strong, and he knows that we need him. He'll pull through, child, just watch."

Out of all the KH games I think 358/2 Days would make the best novel. The way in which the game is laid out would be quite interesting in novel form, plus it has plenty of story-telling content outside of combat and world exploration that it would be an interesting read. I'm not typically one to enjoy video game novel adaptions, but I am quite intrigued by this one. I might have to check it out.

--Athena, Everyth, and Alderon – Isopolis: City of Isolation The princess seemed confused when Aura voiced her concerns about Henry, not being particularly familiar with the dreadnaught. While he had been imprisoned by her father at one point in time, she was seldom privy to the activities that went down in the labs and prisons. She glanced over in that direction, though there was so much chaos that she had difficulty pinpointing which one was Henry. "It seems that Raiden has betrayed us," Athena explained to her father in short. "He has attacked one of our own, Henry, and proceeds to move toward our opponent." The king chortled at the mention of Henry. "It is odd to think of Henry as being 'one of our own,' though trust me: if anyone can survive a death blow, it would be him. I have been . . . surprised by how resilient he is." Feeling his way around, the king rose to his feet, using his claymore as a cane for guidance. "I would like to speak to Raiden myself. If one of you young women would help me over . . . ?" "No, Father," Athena insisted. "I will not get you that close to the fighting. It is too dangerous with your eyesight being robbed of you." "It is what I must do," he explained to her grimly. "I have an obligation to my people to serve, Athena, regardless of my current state. Surely you must understand to some extent?" "I do not," Athena replied stubbornly, folding her arms over her chest. "You cannot see. I do not know what you can possibly do that would–" "Raiden was a companion, ally, but also friend," Alderon said, his tone imploring. "I must speak with him. Surely there must be some explanation to his actions other than treason. He would not double-cross us so, or at least I should think not." "I beg your pardon, milord, but you did not assume that Lady Midnea would double-cross you, and there she is." The aged Everyth appeared from seemingly out of nowhere, causing Athena to give a start. Alderon did not seem bothered, though was uncertain of who she was. When he inquired the aged woman merely gave a hollow laugh, before gripping the king's upper arm. "Oh, what we've become. I being a ragged hag, while you a blind king. We both have been made rather useless, but we might as well put ourselves to the best of use that we can. Come, my lord, allow me to be your eyes and lead you to Lord Raiden." "Lady Everyth," Athena muttered sadly, watching as the shadow of her former guardian led her blinded father away in the direction of the action, before Nergal and the altar. Alderon could not see, yet this did not weaken his determination. He stood proudly, head and shoulders held high, his claymore rooted firmly between his feet. He turned his head in the direction of Odin's voice, though his gray eyes did not leave the ground as he spoke. "Lord Raiden," he said, voice strained. "What is the meaning of your actions? Why have you forsaken one of our own? Have you gone back on your word, your promise to me? What about our dream of unity and peace–has it been all but forgotten to you now?" --Yevgeni Malachite -- Isopolis: City of Isolation "I seldom knew Raiden," Yevgeni admitted. "But I somewhat doubt that this was his plan all along. Very few even knew of the existence of the Source of All Life. For him to predict this turn of events and play us all from the beginning would've been highly unlikely, considering he has been preaching unity and peace for over a millennia. Something must have changed for him, whether it have been at the Gate or otherwise." The blond paused, recalling the Infiltrator that he had met, negotiating a war and recalling the individual's disdain for Raiden. Was the infiltrator somehow involved? Yevgeni had no way to determine it, and the present was no time for him to reflect upon this longer. This was the moment, the perfect moment to get the upper hand while there was confusion among their ranks, and yet . . . why could he not bring himself to attack? Instead he moved past their group, pausing at Rabiyu's side as he spoke. "Things have indeed changed. For now I must protect the Source of All Life, because, while my motives are far from pure, at least they are not involving further destruction. If Raiden has forsaken his life's ambition, who knows what his goal is with the Source of All Life? If you will permit me, Lady Eliltari, I would like to aid you in stopping the Mystran Lord. I will not set aside my goal, but for the time being I would like to lend you my blade, if you will accept. There is no telling what harm he will do if the Source is in his hands, which I cannot permit. We have a common goal."

Kolm's aqua-blue eyes met Winona's dark ones challengingly. "Perhaps we can tie for first, or battle in the arena for the opportunity." It interested the young man that Winona aspired to meet the higher-ups, and why they desired to be so allusive. Why bring so many individuals to fight for their cause against their will, only to lack even showing your face to greet them personally and make them feel at home? Something felt amiss to Kolm, and he wasn't going to sit idly by without trying to gather more information. Perhaps Winona could be his accomplice in this task, once he got to know her and determined whether he could trust her or not. "Kolm Haranwy," was the raven-haired man's response to their newest companion, accepting her outstretched hand to shake it. Kolm started to turn to Lukkel, but was surprised by his new friend's reaction. He reached toward his pocket, his demeanor turning cold and the cheer dying in his eyes. Kolm watched him leave, his face slackened as bewilderment washed over him. What a curious reaction, and all because Winona had mentioned that her friends had perished? Apart of him wanted to follow Lukkel to ensure that he was alright, but he felt that Winona may have answers since she had been here longer. Winona seemed about as perplexed as Kolm, to which the cold mage shrugged to. "I . . . have not known him for very long. We were both just recruited, though I will admit that scene was . . . very out of character. It was odd indeed." He pauses a moment, before at last adding: "So you say that you will be the first to meet the higher-ups . . . . Do you actually have an idea of how to meet them? Are they on the premises? And how long has anyone actually been here? Are you among the longest?" So many questions, and perhaps many of them improper for their first meeting, though manners were not things that Kolm was properly taught in his youth.

I'd probably join in as well. I too was a part of the original, though for multiple reasons had to leave it prematurely. I look forward to seeing what you have in mind for this round.

For a moment Kolm looked as though he was going to get angry, but then his expression softened with Lukkel's goofiness and general friendliness. How could he be irritated with him? Perhaps he was the friend he needed–if he were going to have any friends. He still wasn't used to the idea of trusting people. Lukkel seemed shocked that Kolm thought of leaving, to which Kolm was equally shocked. A frown furrowed his dark brows. "Well, perhaps I would like to leave because I was brought here against my will? I don't know why that is so acceptable to everyone; it's called abduction, and it's not okay. If I didn't see this as beneficial to me I would be up in arms and try to escape, but for right now I am going to accept the arrangement, because the situation is mutually beneficial." He paused, feeling as though his statement was contradictory, though moved on. "I would, however, like to meet the people in charge here. Has Pang mentioned anything about them to you?" He thought if anyone were to know anything that it would be the tiger, though when he could approach him alone about this he wasn't sure. At least no one would die from this match.

Yevgeni Malachite -- Isopolis: City of Isolation Despite stating his stance, it seemed that some were hesitant to kill him, and some even pleading for him to change his mind. This did give the elf pause. Were there some people that, despite all the lives he stole, still had a fondness for him and didn't wish for his demise? Did people actually care? For so many centuries he had been alone, with no friends and no one to confide in, and yet Jynn had confessed looking up to him, and Aqua and Rabiyu seemed greatly disinclined to harm him. Eclaire seemed interested, though it was understandable; he had, after all, ordered the death of her beloved. If that didn't attract some hate, what else would? Yevgeni sensed Rabiyu's reservations; while her bow was aimed at him, her eyes kept darting toward Eclaire. Was she considering aiding him? Would she turn on her fellow comrade? As much as he would've appreciated the sentiment, he didn't wish for her to make such an action. If she turned on her allies it would cost her her life, and enough lives were already being paid. It surprised Yevgeni when Aqua returned to his side, his expression looking as though he'd been slapped before his emerald eyes narrowed. "I thought that I told you to take cover and get away," he said crossly to her. "No good will come being near me. I am their target, and thus you are in danger." He listened as Aqua asked if there was anything or anyone that he cared about, to which he took a moment's pause before answering. "Those who care about me, and who I cared about, have long since perished in the Great War. I have been without anything, anyone, for too long that I do not even remember what it was like to have someone to call a friend or loved one." He rubbed his chin. "Perhaps . . . there are a few individuals who would fall into this category of mine, but none who would deter me from my vow to King Alexander. To live and die as his will has been my purpose for over a thousand years. That is a very long time to be devoted to a cause; it is hard to dissuade from." He then tilted his head, considering Rabiyu's words. "I suppose we all have made many sacrifices, and yet it seems that we all will not get what we want in the end. But tell me: should I decide to relent to your cause, what would that even mean? I certainly don't suppose your human friends would welcome me with open arms, and–" The words died in his throat, his sword arm falling to his side, as he watched the spectacle that Odin had created. Astoundingly, the Mystran lord had seemingly slain Henry while brusquely harming Helios, all to rush Nergal. "Well, that is certainly quite the scene. I thought that most of you were serving Raiden, and yet he seems not to care about his fellow comrades. It seems that you all have been played." Yevgeni turned toward Rabiyu once more. "I do not have the Source, even if I desired to give it to you. Though presently it seems we have another matter to deal with. I wonder: what did the lord give up in the final trial? Did it spawn such . . . madness?" Amidst the confusion of Odin's betrayal would've presented Yevgeni with the perfect opportunity to strike, and yet he chose not to. Perhaps he viewed fighting these individuals as pointless, or perhaps he didn't wish any of them harm. Even he wasn't certain which it was. Elia Cabret -- Isopolis: City of Isolation "NOOOOOO!!!!! HENRY!!!" The fairy dropped what she was doing and flew over to Henry's side, shaking her head and murmuring "no" repeatedly as she clumsily landed. She scuffed her knee and her leggings tore, but she didn't care. Her small pallid hands fled over his chest, eyeing his injuries and feeling the tears begin to well and blur her vision. "No, I'm so sorry!" she sobbed. She wished to heal him, and normally she could, but . . . her white magic was the price that she paid to come there, and thus she could only watch, helpless, as a dear friend died before her. She placed her head against his chest, listening for a heartbeat but could hear none. "I'm sorry, Henry," she murmured through tears. "This is all my fault. I'm the one that suggested that you come to this accursed place. I'm the one that enlisted your help." Her gaze met Mikhail's solemnly, which she averted quickly as she murmured an apology to him, as though she somehow held the burden alone of his death. His coughing caught the raven-haired fairy by surprise, causing her to blink several times before tackling the wounded man in a big bear hug (which should be dubbed Elia hugs, as she gives them often). "Oh, Henry, you're alright! I thought that we lost you!" Athena and Alderon Niles -- Isopolis: City of Isolation "Perhaps you are right about the djinni's powers," Athena agreed with Aura. "You would probably know more about the way this world works than myself. I have not been here for very long and am still learning." They had barely reached the human king's side when Raiden had portrayed his true colors, striking Henry and moving on for Nergal. At the sudden outburst of Raiden's name throughout the chamber, Alderon began to grow curious as to what occurred. "Daughter? Aura?" he inquired, hoping to arrest the attention of one of the young women. "What has happened? Why is everyone disgruntled toward Raiden?" It seemed that Raiden had betrayed them, though Alderon could not believe it. He had spoken in length with the Mystran lord, confided in him, befriended him! Surely he was not merely using him, as Alderon had little the offer and only to gain. Raiden seemed like a man desirous of true peace, so what could have happened? And then it occurred to him. "No," he murmured darkly, shaking his head. "He couldn't have . . . . The chamber back there . . . . Did he give up his desire for peace and unity?!" And, if this were so, it would mean that they would have something very terrible to reckon with.

Solomond's laughter felt good for the rogue to hear, especially with things looking so grim. "Yeah, well, what else is new? I know how to sniff out trouble." The sudden throbbing of his shoulder brought him back to the present, causing him to wince. He glanced back over his shoulder at his "friends," which were soon barricaded by the flames that Solomond shot up. Tibarn would've laughed, but the pain distracted him. "Talk about lighting things up," Tibarn commented, leaning against Solomond for support as his comrade balanced him on his shoulder. "But no, they need you in there–don't worry about me. I can take care of myself. Honest." Truth be told he was not honest, but Tibarn knew that the others needed his help. If he tried to relax and stop the blood flow he could probably make it until Adamina returned . . . probably. Tibarn was feeling a bit ill, and exerting himself whilst trying to outrun the crewmen didn't help his cause. Once Solomond and Tibarn were further into the space station and fully immersed with all the other passersby, Tibarn stopped short to brace his hand against a while, proffering a light smile to Solomond. His lips were growing increasingly pale. "I'll just rest for a bit and then make it back to our ship. You go to the others, except, say, you don't have a spare commlink anywhere, do you?"

I had been waiting on Solomond, but since you went ahead and posted I'll try to get a post in today. As for Endless Thundaga, I am assuming that he has left us.

Yevgeni Malachite -- City of Isolation The elf nodded upon Jynn's words. "It would seem that you have indeed grown since we have been apart. It takes a strong man to curb his desire for revenge in exchange for mercy. I am surprised that you would spare my life, considering I have taken that of your mother, along with countless others from the world below." Rabiyu's arrow came whizzing overhead, arresting Yevgeni's attention. He rose and jerked to the side to avoid its range of fire, before landing a mere few feet in front of Jynn, Eclaire and Rabiyu now at the future king's side. Yevgeni smiled sadly. "It would seem that we are at an impasse, then. You are unwilling to change your mind, and I cannot meet you at your request. Everything sacrificed would be in vain, something that I simply cannot allow. King Alexander has given up too much, as have I, as has Shiva herself–" He lifted his rapier, though did not point it at any of them. "As I mentioned earlier, I do not wish to do either of you harm. Goodness knows that I have taken enough lives to weigh on my mind, however"–he straightened, sword outstretched–"I will do what I must to serve, even to the last breath." (Sorry for the short response; I'll try to make up for it next time)

The name Surses didn't sound familiar to the mage, but until that day he hadn't even began to contemplate that there were other worlds beside his own. If he didn't possess magic he might try to refute everything as a delusion, but, seeing as he did, Kolm accepted rather than questioned. "I am sorry that your real parents aren't ideal, either." The words came out awkwardly, and even Kolm did not recognize his own voice as he spoke them. "It seems that the people whom adopted you are good to you, though. I wish that I could say the same about those who bought me." He fell silent after that, not feeling as though this were the time or place to discuss Rhogan and the other criminals. Instead he took a stab at being friendly, something he saw more than actually put into practice. "I'm glad to have met you, Lukkel. It will be . . . nice to work around someone like you." "Do you suppose that we'll ever get the opportunity to return to our home worlds?" Kolm asked, the question that had been eating at him for a while.

He is Jack Sparrow's first mate/right-hand man in the Pirates of the Caribbean films.

Don't worry about it. I think we all understand that real life takes precedence. Please take as much time as you need in updating. We'll be here!

Even if Jynn lets Yev live, I have a feeling that Eclaire would not.

Yevgeni Malachite: City of Isolation The green aura around Yev's body, which concentrated mostly around his torso, began to fade, the wound knitting itself closed as fresh flesh clothed it. Just as this occurred Jynn approached him, sword drawn, to which Yevgeni offers him a wry smile. "What do you suppose the difference will be, between my surrendering now or fighting to the death? Either way you plan to kill me, yes? At least this way I can fulfill my promise to both Veriti and your grandfather, whereas surrendering will do me nothing. I do wonder, though"–he tilted his head considering the prince–"what is it that you would use the Source of All Life for? Would you bring your mother back?" Yevgeni got to his feet, swaying slightly. While his wound may have healed, he was still weak from a lack of both blood and magical energy, the healing process having drained him much of his sources. His gaze did not falter from that of his nephew's. "I am truly sorry that things have come to this, Jynn. I am sorry for the pain that I have brought upon you. This was not a fate that you deserved, though I had been hoping to deliver a perfected kingdom to you, one of men and fey. Perhaps, though, there is a grain of truth to what you all say: there will always be conflict and war, whether human or fey. I had thought–no, hoped–that by purifying our worlds and uniting them we could ensure an era of peace, but there will always be new generations, and history will always repeat." The elf lowered his head, seemingly deep in thought. "I wonder," he voiced at long last, "if the Source of All Life could grant eternal peace to both worlds, restoring that of which the humans lost while maintaining a war-free world for us fey. Perhaps it could divide our worlds fully, once and for all. This . . . deviates from the path that King Alexander considered, though it is perhaps possible."

The rogue was losing blood rapidly, becoming lightheaded and a bit tipsy. The crewmen, thankfully, decided to pursue him, out of the hangar and into the brothel. They readied their guns, though held fire when Tibarn wove his way through the other patrons. They wouldn't risk firing and shooting employee and client alike, lest they have the entire Rose's Grace on their tail. Tibarn chuckled lightly upon realizing that Adamina heard his witty comment, though was unable to linger on it too long as a bullet whizzed past his head. "Don't let him get away!" one of them cried, causing a couple of girls to shriek and run for cover. By now all eyes were on Tibarn, though he didn't slow his pace. I'm heading for him. Take care, you guys. At the entrance to The Rose's Grace Tibarn was relieved to stumble upon Solomond. He let out a sigh, holding his wounded shoulder. A short distance away, the crewmen were still following Tibarn, and now they were more willing to fire since they were out of the brothel. A few let their bullets fly in his direction, though none were a very good shot and Tibarn was able to avoid them with ease. "Hey, long time no see, Sol," Tibarn said nonchalantly, very much unlike a man who was just shot and still being pursued by his shooter. "Do you have a plan? I might need to sit down soon. I'm getting a little woozy."