Mystics Apprentice

--Yevgeni Malachite -- Isopolis: The City of Isolation-- The elf watched his fellow kin retrieve her orb of light and move away, his eyes following her somberly. He'd wanted Rabiyu as an ally. He wanted to call her his friend. At one point perhaps they had been friends. If he'd been able to tell her of his plans, would it have somehow made a difference? Would he have still gone through with this, or would they have worked things out differently, together? No, he couldn't afford to regret his actions, not now. Nergal was his friend, and he was on his side; that was what he had to focus on at present. Eclaire tore herself from her mother's arms, offering Yev a speech which he listened to patiently. Her words came down hard and cold, especially in voicing her thoughts on King Alexander. Yevgeni gritted his teeth, baring his rapier to parry with her strike. He leaned in, putting his weight behind his blade to hopefully push the queen's retainer back slightly. "I do not suppose Shiva would take kindly to you speaking of her father in such a manner, nor do I." He shoved and leaped up into the air once more, hovering several feet above her. "King Alexander was a great man, who was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice so that we maintain peace, even if it meant his own daughter. Tell me what ruler is willing to sacrifice their own blood, if not a great and powerful one? I always wanted to be someone he was proud of, to be someone worthy of calling his son." The words slipped from his mouth before he could pause and consider them. Realizing his error, he lashed out, sending four beams of light to strike from the heavens, which extended in an X-formation around Eclaire. It was around then that Eclaire's light blasts shot out from her wings; he swerved to dodge them, though one managed to strike his left shoulder, causing him to hiss in pain. Thankfully it was not his sword arm, though it would be difficult for him to make use of his left arm in any manner now. As Eclaire began to strike his chest again Mariel charged in his direction, having to charge through his rune without taking too much damage and, the damage she had taken, she did well. Before Yevgeni could react she charged into him, sending him to the ground behind the altar. It took him a moment to collect himself from the damage, slowly rising from the ground and eyeing the angel coolly. He whipped his rapier to the side, brushing back stray strands of hair that had fallen into his face. "I do not think we have been properly introduced," Yev murmured darkly, slowly walking up to Mariel, his left arm hanging limp thanks to the damage that Eclaire had wrought. "It would be a pleasure to make the acquaintance of the woman whose life I am about to take." The elf ran a finger along the tip of his sword, causing it glow. He then proceeds to slash the air in front of her, sending a shockwave of light energy. It was wide in radius, about five feet, and Yev came up shortly behind it. He sent a few strikes in her direction, slashing mostly toward her midsection. Meanwhile, Athena noticed Sifrei and Aura struggle and briefly left her father in a safe corner to head over to them. "Come, Aura," she said tenderly, remembering the girl from the rooftop. "I'll take you over here to my father, who cannot see as well."

Alright, so Tibarn's gone off and decided to be the center of attention. He might've just either made his crew mates lives better or worse, depending on how this plays out. I didn't post for the loading crew, Heart, because I thought they might be your NPCs. It may be best if you control them to keep things moving well, but if you would prefer it I have no trouble controlling the ones that Tibarn is encountering, either. Whatever you choose is fine with me.

The brunet perked up a bit at the thought of Adamina's kiss, though was saddened when she left without bestowing it upon him. Hey, he hissed mentally, what about that peck you were just talking about?! Is that meant to be rewarded after I play the hero and possibly die?! He turned to Eclaire, who denied him a kiss as well, to which he couldn't help shaking his head and letting out a sigh. "Why is it so tough to pick up cute chicks these days?" Once everyone had fled the boxes–or at least had ample time to do so–Tibarn drew in a breath and jammed the button on the lure. He didn't know what was going to happen now, but one thing was for certain: all attention would be directed on him. He crouched down and readied himself, a throwing knife in one hand and his dagger gripped in the other. If they came around the crates he was ready to perform an assault.

Whatever magic Lukkel used on Kolm seemed to work. He didn't appreciate being touched without permission (which he never actually gave–ever), though he could hardly complain given the ease that his stomach was left in. He proffered Lukkel a swift nod. "Thank you." There was a long awkward pause, until Kolm finally added: "My name is Kolm. Kolm Aleksi Haranwy. And yourself?" So many questions swarmed through the mage's thoughts, most of which were rather overwhelming; Pang only scratched the surface. None of these folk looked like the bandits that he'd been sold to, thankfully, and thus it didn't seem probable that they were behind this operation. Perhaps this was his chance to outrun them once and for all. Despite not enjoying the fact that he was brought here against his will, he wasn't entirely opposed to the notion of having a fresh start, without fearing for his life around every corner. But was this a new form of enslavement, much like the one that he'd escaped from? Would they require him to kill as well? "I apologize for being torn from my surroundings and burdening you, then," Kolm replied gruffly to Galla, before finally turning to face Pang. It felt odd to see a tiger so . . . human. He had no choice but to just roll with it. Kolm cleared his throat. "I would very much like some water and refreshments," he responded. "Also, when you say that you do not like this line of work, what exactly . . . is it? And do we have the option to return to our former lives, if we so desire?" Deep down he already knew the answer, but he felt the need to ask anyway. He proceeded to follow Pang to the main hall, hopefully to curb the sickness in his stomach before it returned.

And my did she speak with fury. Yev is wondering what in the world got into her.

Yevgeni Malachite -- City of Isolation Yevgeni lowered himself slightly as Rabiyu addressed him. He bowed his head in respect. "Lady Eliltari," he said, pausing to consider her words. "I did want to inform you of my plans. I tried to tell you, in fact, until that fool of an ally came barging into the bar that day demanding your lamp." He shook his head, as though the memory pained him. "I did not want things to end this way. We are similar, you and I, though we have made different promises that we must upkeep. I take no pleasure in marking myself your enemy, Eli, but I have come too far to surrender now. Besides"–he offered her a thin smile–"my surrender would mean what, exactly? That I would be given a swift execution in front of an audience? Perhaps locked away in the depths of Isopolis? Your kind would never pardon me for my crimes, no matter what I do now. It is too late for me." There was regret in his tone, as though the situation pained him. Did he truly wish that he could do things differently, excepting that he thought it were too late? "And as for you"–he flicked his head in the direction of Jynn, slightly irritated by his words–"last I recall you were never coronated because you never returned to Kilkis Seres. And you are not the only one who has lost, and made sacrifices, so do not be a fool, boy, and pretend that you know everything when you do not." He rose back up to meet Jynn's eye, his emerald gaze boring into him. "It seems to me that you do not know your grandfather very well. I did, so allow me to enlighten you: he was a callous king. A fearless leader, though arrogant and bold. He regretted Shiva being his heir, he told me so much one day in the throne room. He entrusted me with Kilkis Seres instead, even though he could not give me his throne by birthright, entrusting me with what ever would need to be done. I promised him, Jynn, and I will not falter like Shiva did. I must be stronger than she was." The grapple hook was sent to strike Yev's hand, though the elf released his rune before it could do so, it glowing a bright pink as it burned brilliantly before him. Anything that came into contact with the rune would burn and wither. He swooped down alongside Nergal, handing the Source of All Life to his friend. "I am trusting you," he murmured close to his ear, "do not use it without me. I implore you." Yevgeni then heard a familiar voice speak, only this one did not exclaim in protest against him. He slowly turned to meet his apprentice's gaze, the one whom he thought likely hated him forever since the war. "Aqua?" he said disbelievingly. This was not like her, the gentle woman whom he'd trained and befriended. In fact, many of this band were not themselves. What did the Gate take from her? (Hope that was alright, Elrandir. I noticed the glyph above Yev but I did not have him attack. If I need to edit just say the word.)

Galla's welcome was not as warm as Kolm would've liked. He narrowed his eyes. "And if I do not follow?" She hadn't answered his question on whether she brought him there or not, though as time went on he increasingly suspected that there was a higher power involved. This was confirmed upon meeting with Pang. Kolm observed the beast with interest. During his many travels he hadn't seen anything even remotely similar. Now he was quite certain that Haven wasn't connected to the world from which he heralded. "Wait a moment, did you say 'as well'?" Kolm asked, curiosity piqued. "Were others brought here like me?" Suddenly Kolm's queasinss returned, causing him to brace himself against the sturdy wall. He took several deep breaths and closed his eyes; he couldn't be sick in front of everyone.

"Hmm, thanks." Tibarn took the lure device and shifted it in his hands. It would be considerably useful, though he wondered how one was to activate it without being present. He didn't have much time to consider this, though, upon hearing the approach of the workers. "No time," Tibarn hissed, getting ready to jam the button on the lure. "You guys start getting a move on. I'll hit this button and cause a diversion. Hopefully I'll slip away before being sighted, but if not, well, it was nice knowing you folks." A sideways grin found its way onto his face as he added: "I'm always up for a good luck kiss from one of the ladies, though. Or a farewell one, if I am to die here so that you can walk free."

Did he have a six-foot-long sword?

Yevgeni Malachite -- We all know where The elf's face fell as he listened to Jynn, shoulders sagging slightly as though being weighed down by each word uttered by the prince. "What I have done," he voiced, barely louder than a whisper, "is unforgivable. There is no coming back from it. I have indeed been . . . selfish, but it was to meet another end. I promised your grandfather many, many years ago that I would keep the humans away from the Overworld. That I would maintain peace"–Yev hesitated, his grip tightening upon the sapphire stone in his hand–"even if it meant stopping your mother through force. While I have had my own ulterior motives throughout this quest, I have never intended to walk away from this unscathed. I will be held accountable for my actions, though not yet. I have just one more task to accomplish." This was not quite the Yevgeni that they had once faced. The regent, who once held his head high, shrank down in defeat, seeming increasingly humiliated as Jynn prattled on. With his pride stripped from him, he had less confidence to fall back upon. The accusations placed upon Nergal caught Yevgeni by surprise. He turned to his companion, raising an eyebrow. "Is this true, Nergal?" he asked. "Did you truly try to murder him?" He glanced back at Mariel and Eclaire, the two who'd attempted to charge him first. The angel seemed familiar, though he couldn't place from where. Perhaps he had seen her with Odin. His gaze then fell upon Eclaire's sword, a weapon to most, but a symbol to him. "Where did you get that?" he asked her, surprised. "I don't suppose your girlfriend bestowed it upon you?" Seeing Jynn's pain, rage, and sorrow struck something within Yev, and he was mildly taken aback when Jynn punched his iridescent magic shield. The spell shattered into a flurry of sparkles, the force of Jynn's punch breaking through and meeting with Yevgeni's jaw. The elf reeled back upon the granite slate, falling backward and barely missing a nasty collide with the altar. Blood trickled down the side of his mouth, which he wiped away with the back of his hand. "It is not that I do not care, Jynn," he said, tone indifferent as he rose to his feet. "It is that I simply have a job to do. I am, however, sorry for your pain. It was never my desire to make you suffer so. For what it is worth, I never truly wanted your mother dead, not really. I tried so very hard to steer her on the correct path, but she would not sway." Meanwhile, Helios transformed into his white dragon self, charging directly for the regent while lashing his tail out at Nergal. While Helios may have been smaller than him in his human form, the dragon was considerably larger. Yevgeni kicked off the ground and flew high, avoiding the collision between himself and Helios. He brandished his rapier, tracing a rune in the sky, which glowed upon activation. "Consider this your last warning, one and all: go back now, and none of you shall be harmed. I do not wish for this to end in bloodshed, though I will do what I must. For the glory of men and fey."

--Alderon, Athena, Everyth, Elia, and Yevgeni -- Isopolis City Ruins-- Yevgeni sighed as Eclaire charged toward him, extending a palm and creating an iridescent shield. "Oh, noble retainer, if only you had listened and stayed where you belong," he drawled, shaking his head. "I truly bode you no ill. I thought we could get along rather wonderfully–" His words fell short when Mariel decided to charge him as well, and he wasn't certain if his barrier would be able to hold both of them back. Thankfully Nergal had him covered with his glaive, though drawing their blood made his stomach queasy. The blond leapt back to stand upon the altar, now looking down upon those who despised him. "I would take the wise words from your friends, if I were you," Yev stated warningly. "Neither of us want to harm you, though if you keep assaulting us with weapons rather than words we might have to defend ourselves, and I cannot promise that drawing a little bit of blood won't come with it." His gaze fell upon Jynn, eyes meeting with that of his nephew's. "I never tried to kill you, Prince Jynn, so I have no idea what you are talking about. I will confess that I was behind your mother's assassination, because she could not differentiate between fantasy and reality, and I needed her to see the light but she refused. As you will come to find, if you survive this day, trying to maintain a kingdom is not as easy as it seems. Between her having lied to you, and my using her to meet certain means, you can probably start to see that." Alderon stepped forward clumsily, unable to see and feeling much like a fool. "Daughter," he murmured, reaching out a hand. "Athena, are you here?" The princess, who hadn't spoken a word since the gate, fled to her father's side, grasping his hand and bringing it to her cheek. "Yes, I'm here, but what happened to you? Where is Arthur?" The human king huffed. "Well, I haven't seen him, but then again I cannot see anything, so it wouldn't surprise me if he were here." It was then that Athena realized that his eyes were out of focus; he could not see. She bit her lip, glancing around the platform at all of her companions, searching for the face of her beloved but failing to find it. "I am so sorry, Father," she murmured. "If only I hadn't come–" "It would've made no difference; what is done is done. I accept my fate if this is the price to restore our world." Meanwhile Everyth approached Henry and Elia, whom stood to the side with Alex's journal. "Something seems different about you, Henry," she spoke, in a voice that she herself did not recognize. It was high and gravelly with age, and her appearance made Elia give a start. "Your eyes are glowing, but what does this mean? Did we both pay a steep price to come here?" "Who are you?" Elia asked with a frown, to which Everyth merely responded with a dry laugh. "Quick to forget your human allies, are you? But then again, I wouldn't recognize me either, I think, with the additional sixty years handed to me." It was around this time that Jynn had assaulted Nergal even further with his electrical orbs, causing Yevgeni to frown. He leapt from his position and gracefully landed in front of Nergal, casting his shield in front of them both for the orbs to dance off of. "Must all of your actions be offensive?" he asked. "What happened to 'friendly negotiations,' or is this all that your mother taught you?" He glanced around at the rest of the group. Many of them shot questions, each revolving around the same concept. "I did what had to to be done," was his simple response. "Both worlds would've perished in combat had I not intervened, and now peace will be everlasting. I have finally fulfilled the promise that I made to King Alexander, as well as the one that I made to my dying sister." His fingers stroked the smooth surface of the Source of All Life. "I will see her again, and bring her back into the world that she was removed from all too soon."

There's actually a few things that I need to fix in the latest update. My apologies, everyone; I was distracted earlier and I was trying to get a lot written out. The general idea remains the same, though I need to add something to it and clarify another point. I will fix that as soon as I can. EDIT: It has been fixed. My, Eclaire is certainly charging in for the jugular, isn't she?

I just wanted to clarify that Yevgeni and Nergal did not vanish; the Source of Life did and was seemingly used. They are still there, though they seem to have obtained its power, potentially.

Earlier that day, Yevgeni Malachite -- The Final Trial Isopolis, thus far, had proved to be simple. The riddles, the labyrinth . . . . Nothing stretched farther than his and Nergal's capabilities, the two even having a bit of time to reflect upon many things and learn more about each other. The blond elf paused when he found himself engulfed in an endless white, stretching as far as his eye could see. Before him stood a mirror image of himself, his grin smug and arms crossed over his chest. "What I hold most dear," he murmured, considering this for a moment. "That would be my sister, would it not?" "She is not yours to give," replied Yev's double. "You have already parted ways with her. But there are other things. Think hard! What is it that you care about?" This did take Yevgeni much time to muse over, as there were many things of which he cared about but none that he could truly give as tribute. Eventually understanding did hit him, however, and he removed his ornate robe from over his shoulders, leaving him in a solid white tunic and plain pants. "Take this," he said, "as a symbol of what I am parting with. For it is not only my robe that I bestow upon you, but the emotions from which they stem from. I take great pride in being an accomplished person, and my pride is incredibly important to me. Strip me of it, so that I may cross this threshold and embrace what matters more." His double's eyes lit anew as he seized the robe, stepping to the side and granting Yevgeni entrance to the gate. "Then by all means, proceed. I do wonder, however: what are you, if not an arrogant, prideful individual?" Yevgeni shrugged, avoiding meeting his double's gaze as he moved forward into the bleakness of the gate beyond. "I suppose we will find out, won't we?" (Yevgeni has lost his pride) Elia -- The Final Trial One moment Elia had been surrounded by the two angels, and now she stood alone, with nothing but white surrounding her. "Hello? Sifrei? Mariel?" She cupped her hands to call out their names, hoping that one of them would answer, but instead she found herself looking at . . . herself, only it couldn't be because she was herself. The girl frowned. "What's going on?" Panic started to flood her, until her double gripped her shoulders firmly, explaining the price of proceeding. A frown furrowed Elia's brow, as she considered what it was that she held most dear. "Well, I guess my life is not what is most important, even though it is pretty important to me," she admitted finally. "I think, what I want most of all, is to help others. I want to save everyone." Her double bit her lip and nodded grimly, in agreement for what she must part with. Elia sighed, reaching in toward her chest and procuring an amber orb. It hovered in her outstretched palms, before the clone Elia snatched it away and brought it to her chest, to where it dissolved into her. "Go," her clone barely whispered. "Save the World Below. You've done well." The raven-haired fairy barely nodded as she emerged into the unknown ahead. (Elia has lost her ability to help others, and can no longer use any form of white magic) Everyth -- The Final Trial "Hmm, this looks ominous," Everyth commented, placing her hands on her hips as she eyed some unknown text along the sides of the gate. "I really had no idea that they fey knew so many languages. What happens if I can't read it?" "How about I just fill you in and we can skip all of that?" Eyes wide, Everyth turned to find her mirror image behind her. Did she really look that old? She straightened her spine, arms falling at her sides. "Who are you supposed to be?" "I am you, and you are me," said her clone calmly. "Though what that means is the real mystery. What are we really, in this massive universe?" Everyth shrugged and crossed her arms. "Look, I do not have time to figure out the philosophy of existence and the universe. What I need is to find my way back to the others. Can you do that for me?" Her clone then explained the cost, and what it would mean to proceed. All the color flooded from Everyth's face; she knew instantly what meant most to her. "No," she muttered, backing up until her exposed flesh hit the cold of the gate behind her. "I can't–you mustn't ask me to–" The clone laughed. "That didn't take you long to catch on. And sadly, it is the only way, darling. It's either that, or you can keep me company here forever. Take your pick." The raven-haired sorceress looked like she might cry. Her clone looked merciless, however, hand outstretched, as if impatiently waiting for the price that she would pay. Everyth reluctantly took her hand in her own; the clone's skin felt cold and lifeless, with no pulse that she could detect. In moments Everyth had aged years, until finally she was entirely unrecognizable. Her clothing sagged on her smaller, sallow form, the exposed flesh wrinkled beyond her years. Her hand, which held that of her younger clone, was bony with visible veins sticking out. She reached for her long hair, once so thick, lush, and of a deep ebony, now blanched white. Deep sobs came from her chest as her throat tightened painfully. "Go now, you hideous hag," Everyth's clone barked, pointing at the gate. "See if anyone would want you now." And Everyth left, without daring to glance back at the clone that once was her. (Everyth has lost her youth, and now is akin to an 80-year-old woman) Alderon -- The Final Trial Alderon glanced around apprehensively. Nothing was in sight, except for a gate in languages that he could not comprehend, and– "What are you, a demon?" Alderon demanded, raising his claymore high, prepared to cleave his double in two if it came to it. His clone raised a hand defensively, trying to instill calm in the human king. "No, I am you. It is a troublesome tale, but hear me out if you want to move onward and save our world." Alderon lowered his weapon slightly, though he still was distrusting of the clone. "To give up what I hold most dear is to see my daughter, quite simply," Alderon said, voice growing hoarse. "But I can't–I will not–" "I will make it easy for you," his clone said, before suddenly slamming his claymore into the ground. A brilliant light surrounded them, one that was brighter and more intense than any Alderon had ever encountered. After several moments Alderon expected it to go away, but it did not. "Will you stop it?!" Alderon roared, swinging his claymore blindly about. "But I have," was the response from his double. "You just cannot see it." Alderon paused mid-swing, realization suddenly sinking in. "Do you mean to say . . . ?" "I am afraid so," the double replied grimly. "You will never see your daughter–or your kingdom–again." At least it did not cost Athena's life, Alderon thought bitterly, taking a step forward. This was terrible, just awful. How could he aid the others in restoring the world now? He had no magic, and now he could not even fight. Regardless, he would press onward until his last breath, and thus he did, using his sword as a guide as he moved through the gate. (Alderon has lost his sight, and will never be able to see his daughter again.) Athena -- The Final Trial "That is ridiculous," Athena murmured under her breath. "I cannot pay such a price! My world is gone as it is!" Her clone offered her a look of indifference, one that Athena wondered if she herself gave others when she was annoyed but didn't want to show it. "But was your world truly what you held most dear? Is it?" No, Athena answered inwardly, there is something. Someone, but– She looked up and gulped. "But I cannot give up Arthur! I just reunited with him, and I love him with all my being–" "Then you will have to leave your world in its current state," the Athena clone replied sympathetically. "No one is forcing you. It is your choice." Was she truly willing to give up the one she loved, for her world? After all, her and Arthur could build a home in the Overworld, and her father was here; what more did she want? And yet, she could not turn back. Not now, when they had come so far, and everyone had sacrificed so much. Athena fell to her knees sobbing, before procuring an envelope from her pocket. "Take it," she whispered. "It is the letter which Arthur wrote to me, just before he came to the Overworld." The princess clone nodded, taking the letter and ripping it in half. "Arthur is now gone from you. You will never see or speak to him again." Tears continued to stream down her cheeks but she attempted to keep a brave face. She strode carefully through the gate to see what was on the other side. (Athena has lost Arthur, and will be unable to see or communicate with him in any manner, even if he can see her.) ((I wanted to post this first, but the update will come shortly.)) Isopolis: The City of Isolation Upon paying the toll each person was granted access to the gate. You merge through it, and find yourself standing upon a ruined slate of granite. Your allies surround you, each having paid their own price to get here. Above you is a sunset sky, the sun burning a deep orange low in the sky. It is set permanently, however, and here it seems that time has stopped. Around you there are ruins of buildings, though you seem to be above most of them. If they are real or illusory it is difficult to say, though jumping off your platform to find out may not be ideal. Ahead rests two crumbled figures on the ground. Indistinguishable at first, though upon closer inspection one would find the black knight, Alex, a journal clutched under his arm, and the dark witch Midnea, her face an ashen gray. Elia darts ahead, falling at Alex's side and extending her palms before remembering that she cannot even attempt healing him. Her eyes then fall to the book, which she snatches up from his lead arm and peels back the cover. "Henry," she says, walking over to the dreadnaught with book in hand. "What's this?" Before you is an altar, where the Source of All Life once rested. Standing before the altar are Nergal and Yevgeni, the latter holding a small sapphire-blue stone in his hand. The stone was no larger than a golf ball and the shape of a diamond. Yevgeni's eyes fell onto your group, before muttering lowly, "So you came. I had a feeling that you would, but you are too late." He holds the crystal over his head, and it begins to glow. A sound, no, a voice, echoes around you, though its words are unintelligible. Something seems to have happened, but what? What have they done, and what are they planning to do? What can you do?

I think we've got almost everyone's sacrifices in (and in record time, if I may say so ). I'm planning to write a post up real quick, and then I think we're just waiting on Endless and we'll enter the dwelling place of the Source of All Life. I will update shortly after Endless posts. . . . . I'm so psyched! I love it when everything ties together in such an awesome way. It was the perfect opportunity for Rhea to emerge, and it was done quite nicely, if I may say so.

It's all good. Cam and I posted at the same time and said we'd be in the same room, but Cam changed the room around so that Kolm still meets Galla.

My thanks for the edit. I was fearing the possibility of having to change my post around, as it heavily relied on being in that room.

Ah, we posted at nearly the same moment, and we both chose to be in the same room. . Hmm . . . .

Within room 79 stood a young man clad in a navy blue mage robe over a shirt and pants of black, who rather quickly fell to his knees in a cold sweat. After hauling the remains of his last meal onto the marble floor, he wiped his brow with the back of his hand and glanced around. The room was at first a blur, though slowly his bout of illness cleared and he was able to better focus on his surroundings. A bed neatly made lay behind him, along with a few other furnishings that one would ofttimes find within a room. His quarterstaff still remained clutched tightly in his hand, which he used to brace himself as he rose clumsily to his feet. He felt terrible about the mess on the ground, though there was nothing that he could really do about it unless he chose to use the bedding or his own clothing to pick it up. Instead he chose to wander to the door, hand resting on the brass handle. How had he gotten here? Last Kolm remembered he was leaving an inn after paying his respects to a fallen comrade, and now he found himself here. Was this somehow a dream, or an alternate reality? If so, it was quite realistic, if evident from his vomiting all over the floor. He tested the door, though thankfully he found that he was not locked in. The door swung open with ease, revealing a woman that Kolm was quite certain he had never seen in his life, and revealing a hall of a similar nature. The raven-haired man folded his arms across his chest and put on one of his most intense glares. "Who are you?" he demanded of Galla, perhaps more harshly than he should have. "Did you bring me here?"

Tibarn withdrew one of his throwing knives and twirled it about his index finger, eyeing the two ships from behind the boxes that Adamina concealed herself with. His gaze followed the working crew men, before eyeing the nicer ship. "I'd say let's go for that one," he said lowly, nodding his head in the direction of the finer ship. "If I were Greyhawk I would want to travel in a lap of luxury to commit my atrocities. That other thing looks like it's going to fall apart if someone breathes on it." He jerked his thumb in the direction of the onramp. "Those fellows are busy loading up, so if we're careful we should be able to sneak onto the other ship. We'll just have to be quick, and it wouldn't hurt if we created a diversion away from us. Anyone got some explosives handy?"

Sorry, I wasn't home yesterday and had a full day today. I will try to post tonight.

Okay, final trial has been posted. I apologize for the lack of transition from the previous scene, but I felt it was best to move onward without the lingering too long on the room with the gem. No worries; I'm sure that you have been busy. Thanks for keeping me posted. I'm glad that you have been able to keep up with reading. . I have just posted the final trial, so this would be a very opportune time to insert Aqua again. Regardless, I look forward to reading whatever you have in store!

The Final Trial: The Gate Upon leaving the dragon's lair you have entered a space of white, with seemingly no end in any direction, and you are alone. Before you is a large gate, with engravings in many a foreign tongue. In Ancient Elvish upon the gate's archway it reads: "To gain is to lose, and to know thyself is the absolute truth." Before you stands yourself: the perfect mirror image. Your double smiles at you, taking a step closer. “Well done,” it says to you. “You are almost there. Beyond this door lies that which you seek: the Source of All Life. Without it we would not be, yet with it we cannot truly live. If you truly desire what lies ahead you must be willing to pay the toll.” Your other self extends a hand. “You must surrender to me what is most dear to you, and you mustn’t lie: we both know what that is.” ​Note to the player: You may choose how you wish to translate this, and give up what you see fit. You may get creative with what you choose to sacrifice (for instance, desiring to see someone again may mean that you lose your sight). The only "law" to the sacrifice is that it cannot affect the existence of other characters, unless it is mutually agreed upon by both players. Do not feel discouraged by giving up something, because:

Thanks, Endless, for doing a superb job at constructing the Xeno'jiva battle. The third trial has now been completed, and we're moving on to the fourth and final trial before the Source of All Life. We're approaching the end, folks. The fourth trial will be a unique one, one which may be disliked by some, though I hope that it proves at least a bit interesting. I was going to post it tonight, but I'm going to give it until tomorrow so that everyone has time to leave the Xeno'jiva lair if they so wish. If not, I will post a conclusion then and provide the final trial.

--Alderon, Elia, Everyth, and Athena -- Heading into the Final Trial-- Pale-faced, Elia gratefully accepted the aid of both angels and emerged back on solid ground. She smiled at each in turn, smoothing down her dress awkwardly. "Thank you, both," she said. "I wouldn't have survived if it weren't for you. I guess it's true what they say about angels!" Meanwhile, the dragon had fallen victim to the party, leaving taunting words in its wake. Alderon grunted, a look of satisfaction twisting his features. He withdrew his claymore and braced it over his left shoulder, frowning ahead at the uncertain path. "Clear as mud, it would seem," he murmured under his breath, before noticing something aglow within the dragon's remains. "I think you would be correct, young Aura," he voiced, moving forward and hacking the beast open. It was a grotesque image, causing Everyth to roll her eyes and distance herself as far as she could from the dissection, though Alderon emerged with the glowing jewel in his hand, its appearance reminiscent to a heart. "Is this useful?" Alderon asked, moving toward Soren and his fellows. (I will post the final trial sometime tomorrow, but wanted to give a little bit of time to allow everyone to clear out of the room if they so wished)