Unsteady Ground [IC]

[MiscChaos]

Clife gives a small sigh at Jengen's words. It really wouldn't surprise her if she got dumped off because she was "inconvenient" to them. She's seen enough of the world to know that loyalty is a foreign, not understood concept in it. She'd think that Angels would be above such backstabbing like that, but there are Angels with the morality of a demon only "good" because it's pointed at demons. Still, until she's betrayed, this is the side she's on, so she'll roll with it until the end. On that thought, she starts keeping an eye out for Lirithia's scouts. One doesn't get as powerful as her without knowing what threads to cut loose if they impede the battle against demons. She keeps her inner snark for Relia to herself though. If Lirithia wanted to kill her, she'd be dead. Probably before she realized it.

So withdrawn into her thoughts, she barely notices when she hits fertile land, the only reason she does is because of the huge burst of energy she gets from being here. She takes a deep breath, glad for the sight of lively greens and browns and to smell the scent of the wind carrying pollen and life instead of the emptiness of the past environment.

'That's the stuff! This is the kind of place I need to be!' she happily thinks to herself as she takes it all in. With Relia's question about the Silverwood, Clife closes her eyes and feels out the area with her nature magic, trying to find by feel rather than sight the rare tree.

[Sortaix]

Sort dashed ahead to grab the woman for questioning, but his attempts were foiled when he got hit, by a bright light. He then quickly fell to the ground as his ears were ringing like church bells. It took him a few seconds to get his bearings and get back up. Great, trip wire fire scrolls, as if this assignment wasn't annoying enough already.He groaned a little as he came back to his senses and got back on his feet, standing still for a few minutes to get his bearings and the ringing to stop. However upon finding the woman's clip board, Sort quickly grabbed it, after checking to see of there were and more surprises waiting for him. He wanted at least some idea of what was going on down here. He would then read the board, and not worry about chasing her down till he found out what was going on down here.

[Zender_Solarheart]

Noticing the clear path between him and the door, Jered almost decides to go for it then and there...but it's hasty actions like that which brought him all those past tragedies. With that in mind, he instead keeps a close eye open for any sentries that may be looking in the direction of his perceived path, and takes a quick mental note of all the spots he could duck into for last-minute hiding, just in case one turns around suddenly. If it turns out that no such hiding spots exist, he'll just wait for the first chance he gets to slip past the sentries' fields of vision, then make a break right for the door. If he's fast enough, they might not have time to get any distinct details on him. Either way though, he's going to do his best to move to the door as quickly as he can while maintaining a reasonably low profile.

This could turn out badly if I'm unlucky...but hey, nothing worthwhile is ever easy...

[Icaelus]

Viv blinked in surprise as she was allowed into the telepathic conversation. Apparently she was trusted enough for this. She couldn't help but give a rather pleased smile at that thought. She stayed quiet throughout the conversation. That demon, Gralmich and possibly the Margrave would not appreciate her speaking out of turn, especially if she had nothing useful to add. The telepathic link cut off as Xierante ordered Gralmich to meet them in the Central Chamber, wherever that was. She noticed Cier shuffling closer to her out of the corner of her eye, his expression tense. She wanted to ask what was wrong, but Gralmich gave his reply, mentally interrupting her thoughts. Hm.

Xierante gestured to Vivienne to follow as he walked out the door. Cier reached out to take her hand as usual, but suddenly drew his hand back. It seemed like they did notice the changes in her, then.. Viv sighed as Cier instead gestured with a thumb for her to stay close to him.
"Don't be a stranger, Cier. We're still friends, aren't we? Even though you didn't make a very good first impression.."
Viv raised a hand and flicked Cier's thumb with her index finger, taking hold of his hand herself and walking alongside him as he walked out the door after his father. The door swung open and a swarm of various demons rushed down the stairs, both weapons and magic armed and ready to go. The Journal was quite the important item, it seemed..

The progressed down the stairs, a wide berth given to them as usual for the imposing Margrave. They proceeded into the courtyard where they were joined by two uniformed demons equipped with rifles. SVN soldiers, the elite of Tear Stone Castle. Even she knew that much, especially since she had regained her memory. Little bits of information just popped into place.
Cier explained more on the current situation as they walked through the town of the inner castle. Apparently Talphalos had helped a lone infiltrator get into the Margrave's bedroom and steal the journal. He would possibly still be on castle grounds due to the spell on the book preventing it from leaving the grounds.
"Tal helped the invader? Hm. This Journal of Urun, though. Is it so important that this guy has to go on a suicide mission like this? I mean..this is Demon HQ, after all. Idiocy at it's finest, I suppose.."
Viv shook her head at the stupidity of the act. Trying to steal something so important from a place as heavily guarded as Tear Stone. Must've been one of those really dumb paladin types that rushed in with all that so-called righteous anger without thinking twice. Hmph. They would've plenty of time to think when they were rotting in the dungeons. Or looking upon their dead bodies, whether it be from up in Heaven or all the way down in Hell.
A glint up in the sky caught her attention and she glanced up, raising a hand to shield her eyes from the sun. Two black and white dots danced like dragonflies in the skies, blasting flames at each other. Nil and Tal. An argument, obviously.
"Nilgalos and Talphalos have a bit of a disagreement, apparently.."
Viv decided to mention the dogfight up above, pointing her already raised hand towards the two dragons.

[Reaver]

RazajIn nods and pours himself a glass full of the whiskey before drinking the whole glass in a gulp. Most of the time he doesn't drink because he likes to stay clear headed but seeing how he's in Tear Stone castle he should be safe from any enemies. "It's nice to meet you my jarl, and I must say your nephew is quite the warrior himself. I am here on business for the the Margrave but I'm afraid I can't tell you the specifics." Razajin likes this guy but telling him the report would be a huge breach of security and plus the question might be politically motivated and Razajin does not get involved in politics. "However sir I can tell you I had the very grand pleasure of defeating a young angel and raping her." He gives the room a quick look around, hoping to see the Margrave so he could give his report and hopefully claim a reward.

[napsii]

Jered -

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

The idle warehouse workers, too doped up on their own boredom to do much beyond scan the crates and check off boxes on their clipboards, barely give a glance to the door as you dashed for it, moving with a tiger's finesse through the neat rows of crates and then sliding the last of the way to the door, which to your prediction, was unlocked. There was a brief moment of panic, though, as one of the workers tilted his head up to spy a moth that'd been buzzing around the room. You duck down fast enough, though, and he returned to his duties leaving you to twist open the door slowly but surely. The metal frame gave a groan as you slipped it open, but you hastily ducked into the other side before anyone could notice, clicking it shut behind you. You turn and look to your surroundings.

You felt the need to sigh in relief. Now that was not very fun.

Good. That is likely not the only room of its kind, however, so keep cautious. commended the telepathic angel calmly. To your extended relief, however, you find yourself in what is merely a corridor, rather than another bomb filled room. Like the storage room previous, the architecture here is plain and sturdy, cut plainly from stone. A few glowing torches illuminate the walls up and down the long corridor, with labeled metal doors of various color dotting the walls. To your left -- the south -- it seems to be more storage rooms for varying purposes, though the doors would likely be locked. Still, they may be worth a visit. To the far end, just barely visible in the distance, though, is a pair of large, sealed black double doors labeled "RESTRICTED ROOM -- DO NOT ACCESS".

I get a bad feeling from that room, but it is not worth our time. Head right. commanded the angel as your eyes brushed over it. To your right -- the north -- you see similar rooms, all of them locked (including one door painted black and white curiously labeled "Tal and Nil's Clothes & Stuff -- KEEP OUT!") where at the far end, you see a stone spiral staircase begin to wind upwards at a T-junction, with two paths leading east and west, presumably to more rooms. This multi-floored basement houses both storage rooms and even living quarters for some lowly servants and other things, you cannot imagine what strange things are kept and live here.

It would be best if you leave right now, but the Journal is bound to the castle. It must be removed before you can escape. If there is nothing else for you to do here, please proceed up the stairs. It will take you to the main complex of the castle. added the Angel.

You seem to be alone, though, so it would be a straight run to the staircase assuming nobody stepped from the numerous doors around you. The stone architecture creates an echo. Almost any action will be very loud, but so will your enemies'.

Vivienne -

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

"Ehehehe..." Cier laughed nervously, trying to save face for his obvious anxiety. Regret practically poured out of his eyes at how he had um... "introduced" himself to you. Now, he struck you as a little more modest than most demons. Xierante's insistence on being personable had rubbed off on him, it seemed. He squeezed your hand in return as you walked along. The castle town provided a strange amount of vibrancy and amusement for a village that was run by usually crass demons. The buildings had been mostly repurposed to fit some darker needs, but still expressed strong architecture and maintenance, which gave the demons under Xier's close command an unusually organized feel, though beyond the elite SVN, a few distinguished Demonic Knights you passed along the way and some mind-controlled servants, there isn't too much courtesy to be had.

Naturally, though, you do get a few looks yourself. It is not every day someone of your physique is in the castle. Not anyone that you don't have to pay dearly for, anyway.

And of course, one sharp look from the Margrave almost has their heads exploding. You don't imagine you will run into any trouble here.

Xier looked up to the dueling Nil and Tal thoughtfully, but gave no comment. Cier, conversely, lingered on it for a while, his eyes flickering with concentration as he tried to break Nil's mental barrier.

You felt a few sharp pains in your head, and then the black dragon's thoughts poured in.

UNF! URGH! Ugh, sorry... distracted! Tal's really mad and stuff! She said she just really liked the guy and wanted to -- DURF! -- help him! she explained telepathically through some snarling in the background. You got an intense vibe from her. Sorry, gotta g- Nil was cut off. There was a long, loud whistling sound, and you looked up again to an astoundingly bright flash. Your ears were split with an echoing pair of roars atop a sonic boom produced by that explosion. For a moment, it was all eyes on the sky as the silhouettes of Nil and Tal collided together, illuminated by flames of black and white. There were more roars, and they flailed, snapping at each other one last time before they seemed to lose control of themselves and plummet with a great force back to earth.

"What the hell!?" Cier gawked as the twin dragons dissolved mid flight back into their human form, leaving them like little arrows falling back to the castle. They seemed prime to crash into the castle's main complex, the doors to which you had just arrived at, but presumably by magic, they were grabbed by an invisible hand just as they would have struck the ground, leaving them motionless in mid-air before they faded down over the castle walls, guided by whomever had caught them. Looking to Xier, you can see he was deep in thought, obviously communicating via telepathy with somebody. Cier grit his teeth, seeming to panic. Clearly, he did like Nilgalos.

"Don't fret, Cier. They are unhurt. I just do not want them destroying my castle." he explained tersely over his shoulder.

"But... how did you do that!? I've never-" Cier was cut off.

"A new weapon I had engineered by Ms. Gallwin just for this scenario. Now, let's get a move on." dismissed Xier to Cier's reluctant growling as the magnificent double doors of the castle's main complex were pulled open for you...

Razajin -

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Norith hummed, tapping his own glass before giving an understanding laugh.

"Hahaha, I can sympathize. Secrecy and all that... a gruesome thing, but I'm no stranger to it." he grinned, taking a sip of his drink. At that moment, the purple-dressed elf girl from before stepped back over silently, depositing a small platter of hot biscuits onto the table. Nodding his thanks (to which the elf inclined her head) the Jarl took one and bit in. The biscuits looked plain, but extraordinarily well made -- you guess either magic was involved, or the Margrave had an ace chef on his payroll. Or, well... soul roll. Material wealth seemed less valuable ever since the great magic of Soul Essence was unlocked to mortals. And yet even though they did not fight, the nobles and even the servants here reeked of Soul Essence -- Norith especially.

At your mention of an angel, the Jarl scratched his chin and hummed thoughtfully, seeming to find your phrasing a little boorish, but tolerable nonetheless.

"Mmh, so I see. It seems a rather crude task, but there is no evil to be had in thinning the Angels' ranks as far as I'm concerned, hahaha. Their power wanes, you know. The Holy Church of this mortal world does not like it, but the stale society the Angels seem content with does not transfer well to you mortals." commented the Jarl with keen insight. While there are many small religions fixed around the Divine in general, the Holy Church was endorsed long ago by Autum's leadership and thus its ideals remain the most widespread throughout Autum, possessing the most magnificent churches and cathedrals. As such, the symbol of the Holy Cross has become a prime target for the demons' hatred.

"Now, I had a favor to ask since you are here." said the Jarl after a pause. He leaned in closer, folding his hands on the table. "Perhaps it may be not worthy of your esteem, but I've been plotting a little prank on my business partner Gliun for a while now. Our business deal went south and... well, let's just say I'd like to get some payback." grinned the Jarl. Reaching into his coat, he withdrew what looked to be an ornate silver compass.

"As I recently discovered, Gliun took one of my favored objects: an enchanted rod which can stimulate any emotion in what it touches. I have bound this compass to it, so that I would always know where it is, but I cannot retrieve it without inciting a hellstorm. If you would use this compass, and retrieve, then I have a reward for you." proposed the Jarl. The compass' needle seemed directed at the wall next to you -- in the next room over, perhaps?

"Get my possession back without raising an alarm. That is all I ask." he raised an eyebrow expectantly.

Clife -

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Stepping onto the grass did indeed energize you. Like a shot of pure energy, you felt your vitality come back to you, and link into the nearby land with your power as Jegen and Reila search about fruitlessly... though Jegen seemed more concentrated on panting and his liquor flask than anything. You feel on top of the world! Your performance in battle is boosted a little bit. Extending your power in every direction, you found yourself running into an unusual amount of life considering an ashen forest stood but a hundred yards behind your back. Field mice, snakes, birds and even a fish in a small pond underground can be detected -- the winds of war have not reached here yet, except for one spot.

Reaching for the earth around that glimmering silver, you picked up an odd cocktail of destruction, but also life. Dots of lifelessness permeated one very large and very powerful presence that sprung up noticeably among the other trees. From your brief experiences with Silverwood, you are aware this is what you're looking for. The immense vitality of a Silverwood is something that cannot be replicated easily. And, of course, most importantly of all, a far smaller and shaky presence can be perceived at the base of the tree itself. That must have been the person who sent the letter to Lirithia. Tuning in on it, you felt the person is alive and rather uninjured, but battered up by the recent events.

Reila squinted toward the silver glimmer of the tree.

"Dat must be 'it, yeah! Wot else is silvah and glimmahs like dat, anyway?" reasoned the girl in her thick accent.

"Silver?" commented Jegen sarcastically as he stuffed his flask away, stepping over to you two.

Reila harrumphed and skipped off the boulder that was her lookout, her wood sword in hand.

"Well, caman! Ain't gunna 'git much done standin' 'ound here, no sir-ee!" Reila waved a hand excitedly, and dashed off down the shallow field of grass, headed toward the road with Jegen pausing behind her. Procuring what seemed to be a whistle, he raised it toward the sky and blew, loosing a loud, sharp noise. Nothing happened immediately, but you presume that's what he used to summon Reila's men.

With that, he brushed off after her, leaving you standing there.

At that moment, though, you could have looked to the sky and saw an odd silhouette. It seemed to be an extraordinarily large bird, colored an unnatural maroon red with eyes of gleaming gold. You were rather well versed in Autum's native species, and that bird came off as too strange for your liking, but it only seems to orbit about and so you dismissed it for now. It is probably a 1 or 2 minute run to the Silverwood tree.

Sortaix -

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Dashing on ahead helped to clear your dizzying head, having you steadied by the time you could jog up to the hastily-wrought clipboard that had been left behind. You picked it up and looked down on it. The number of parchment pages were thoroughly laden with graphics and text of all kind, some of it written in a demonic scripture you only loosely decipher -- most of it mentioning "water" and "distribution" in vague formats -- while others in plain Common. The telltale mark of a necromancer's involvement.

The pictures were far clearer. While crude, they depicted what seemed to have been going on. Along with a complex formula for an alchemy potion you don't understand, and runes for a small but thorough spell of corrosion, you saw a rough sketch of the water distribution system's tunnels, as well as in what direction the water is funneled to from the reservoir marked with arrows. As you thought, the cultists clearly had something in mind for the city's water supply. What it is doesn't even need to be known to quicken your steps, though -- the city's ability to sustain its own water needs is critical in helping to defend it against the many factions which besiege it. With no water, the city would fall in a matter of days. You decided to keep the pages on the clipboard for later reference.

Sortaix got: Necromancers' Plans - A collection of four pieces of paper bound together at the corner, with detailed though vague information spelling out an attack on Marche's water supply.

On ahead was a shallow staircase running alongside an incline in the river of water. Beyond that should be the entrance to the reservoir.

[That_One_Guy]

(I had forgotten all about this, my apologies)

Garian looked at the mini automaton and then, to show he wasn't a threat, took off his sword and stabbed it into the ground, leaving him weaponless. "I am Garian Jorell, former soldier, me and my ally here got thrown far beyond where we had left off as a punishment for the crime I had committed. I seek help from your lady-ship in granting us shelter and a teleportation back to civilization, if that is alright with her. If not, then please allow us a few days rest before we head out." He said to the sentry, stating his business and appearing as harmless as possible to show he doesn't mean to hurt anyone.

[MiscChaos]

Clife breathes a sigh of contentment. It's good to get back to nature after all this time in dead land. The animal life, the plant life, just life! Shit is good! At least it was until she hit pockets of death and destruction around the surge of life she's come to associate with a Silverwood tree. Those pieces are probably where people fell, shuffling off their moral coils, and it's never been a fun experience to stumble across those. Then she gets a beat on someone still alive, even if it is just barely because the energies of the Silverwood far exceed the life form's. The life form seems alive, if battered, so it's not too late for it.

Clife is almost gone before Reila and Jegen, though she just can't beat the girl's limitless energy, so she's the last to get going. That bird she spotted does make her uneasy so, while she's not going to worry about it for now, she pulls out her spear and has it at the ready. No sense in being careless now, is there?

"Watch for the person at the base of the tree. They're a little beaten, but they should be able to tell us about what killed everyone but them." she says to the other two.

[Sortaix]

Sort was rather happy at finding a clipboard, hopefully it would tell him what was going on. He was not happy when he read the board. While he couldn't read all of it, the pictures and the few words he could make out, were rather unsettling. It appears the cultists were charting how the water flowed and the paths it took as it distributed water. Cultists marking down the way a city, that resisted their dark master, water flowed was not a good thing. Sort didn't know what these guys had in store for the peoples water, but it can't be a good thing. He doubted they were going to pour a vast amount of sugar into the water, so everyone's water tastes better, out of the kindness of their hearts, since they don't have hearts. He put the plans in his pack and drew his bow, notching an arrow. He then walked forward toward the reservoir, ready for anyone to jump out at him. He also walked cautios for people and any more traps as he did his best to scan for more surprises, left by his enemies.

[Icaelus]

Viv sighed and then smiled at Cier's response. He was quite modest for a demon, wasn't he? Still, he did give her hand one of those comforting squeezes as they walked. Perhaps their relationship now wasn't as strained as she had thought..she was no longer naive and obviously not innocent, but she was still Viv. No one could live through those years of torture without changing..
She didn't pay much attention to the path as they walked, most of her attention focused on the black and white dragons, battling in the skies above. Viv glanced over at Cier curiously. He seemed to be trying to break Nil's mental barriers..and probably succeeding, of course, as a sharp pain coursed through her mind. Viv winced, blinking her eyes rapidly to clear the tears that had welled up. Nil's thoughts burst into her mind, explaining the situation with Talphalos with the occasional grunt or two. The telepathy cut off as Nil and Tal ended the fight in a draw, losing control of themselves and beginning to fall back down to earth..aimed directly for Tear Stone. It was no problem, however. Despite the several thousand demons probably freaking out at the sight of two humongous dragons about to pancake the castle, Nilgalos and Talphalos just promptly transformed back into their human forms..their possibly fatal impact on the castle softened by an invisible hand, leaving them floating in mid air. The invisible hand moved, bringing the two dragons down over the wall..

Vivienne gave the Margrave an inquiring look and he glanced over his shoulder as if he had felt her eyes on her back, explaining what had just happened. Apparently the testing of a new weapon, created by this..Ms. Gallwin person.
"Interesting.."
Viv murmured, her voice deafened by the sound of the double doors of the castle's main complex dragged open for them to enter..

[Zender_Solarheart]

When he glances south, Jered does feel tempted to pilfer one of the supply rooms to the south...but something tells him he might get more than he bargained for if he does. He then hears the angelic telepath's order to head right, and keeps his pace light and stealthy. However, the slight echo of his foot softly rolling down onto the pavement - inaudible to the average pair of ears - is picked up by his keen sense of sound, signaling the acoustic properties of the chamber. It seems light footwork is even more important here than in the explosives storage, hard as that may be to believe.

The angel commander then suggests he head up the stairs ahead of him, which will take him to the castle's main complex. As tempting as the storage-pilfering idea was, that seems the more logical move; last thing he needs is to alert a sentry in another bomb room, and have a messy run-or-go-boom situation on his hands. So, with that in mind, Jered moves forward to the stairs as quietly as he can, preferring to not take chances with the room's echo properties if he can help it. Though, if someone were to walk out from a side room and discover him, he has a few ideas on how to evade them...

[napsii]

Jered -

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

As you snuck through the barren hallways -- which for a demon's refuge, are kept oddly clean -- you picked up on the chorus of noises filtering through the doors, which conceal a spectrum of odd noises. You heard everything from muted, almost senseless chatter to the distinct clanging and banging of carpentry to the eldritch hiss of spells being cast as you made quietly for the staircase. Midway through, there was a stunning bang of a firearm behind you (dulled by the thick walls) followed by a stream of smoke and expletives pouring out from beneath one doorway, but nobody emerged. Thankful but feeling antsy, you dashed the rest of the corridor to the spiral staircase and parked yourself on the narrow steps. They wound up for several floors, bright light streaming in from the top. Heading upwards, you find your ears greeting with an increasingly lucid chorus of sound.

Orchestral music, water trickling from a fountain and the shuffle of silken clothes gave warning to what you would walk into. Reaching the top of the staircase, you found a secure wood door at the top landing, which you were cautious to push open and peek your head through.

The sight before you was magnificent, in a luxurious way: tall, wide and open hallways with the walls carved from pure yellow-white stone and decorated with gold and jewelry, the polished floor a large black and white diamond pattern of marble covered with a strip of gilded blue carpet. No doors were to be seen here. Instead, large, wide archways in the walls masked by red silk curtains made for easy exits into the many finely carpeted lounging rooms (and even an extremely well stocked bar) in which dwelled a number of lavish demonic nobles and their servants. Across the walls, tapestries depicting various scenes from Autum's history (including one being woven by a busy female imp, depicting the conquer of Tear Stone by Xierante) could be seen. Classical music flowed through the brightly illuminated hallways, though the lounging rooms were darker and filled instead with chatter.

This circular structure was the Main Halls, which held a variety of purposes including these Lounging Halls. At the center, directly under the main keep stood the grand chamber: the centerpiece of Tear Stone.

You seemed to be alone, but through the silk curtains the demonic nobles chatted among themselves, oblivious to you as of yet. There were a number of lounging rooms unoccupied, though, that one might duck into.

I must remove the spell over the Journal of Urun personally. Meet me in the Servants' Hostel. It will be empty. Cut through the lounging room to your left. said the bird angel. Doing as he suggested would find you at another plain door in the wall another hallway over, which lead to the Servants' Hostel.

So that you do not hesitate later on, I will tell you now that you must be the one who escorts the Journal from the castle. Xierante's other spells will fight against me should I take it. added the bird angel after a moment of pause.

Vivienne -

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

The colossal double doors which led into the Main Halls gestured to the magnificence beyond. Creaking open, they revealed an intense display of bright white and black marble flooring and finely adorned gold and white walls that made up the colossal, arched corridor that led to the Grand Chamber. As soon as you stepped in, you felt a little smaller. Tal or Nil in their dragon form could almost fit in here, as the walls and ceilings were so high and wide. The tall archways were inscribed with many old runes, as well as studded with gems or coated with brilliant white gold as testament to Tear Stone's history. Tapestries and small marble statues of famous demons could be found in recesses in the wall. The concave roof had been painted to tell a story as one walked along to the similarly large double doors at the far end of the long hallway: the construction of Tear Stone, to the many battles it had faced afterward, then the first visit of Angels and Demons to Autum, then the unification of the continent during the Dark War about 600 years ago and finally its capture by Xierante's armies but months ago.

"Welcome to the Grand Hall," echoed Xierante in a light tone as you walked along, "Much history lies in this complex. When you have time, I suggest you visit to get a better appreciation for the past -- both of your Autum and our Underworld." he said, indicating to another tapestry being woven nearby: a pale skinned young woman with a cloak of raven feathers and red eyes standing levitating over a fiery field of bodies with a fearsome sword in hand. Pulling open the doors at the end of the hallway, you found yourself in an even more magnificent room: The Grand Chamber itself! A colossal, dome shaped room with four large doorways in each cardinal direction, the Grand Chamber was Tear Stone's most famous room. Sunlight gleamed in through slats in the walls onto the elaborate floor, which like the rest of the priceless white-gold architecture told a tale if one looked closely. The roof, like the Grand Hall's, was one large masterpiece of an oil painting currently being reworked by artisans suspended by rope from the ceiling.

Eight large, framed paintings adorned the spaces in between the four doorways: each depicted a noble and intimidating Margrave or Margravine of the past, including a very new one of Xierante himself.

Cier, though still bitter at the attack on Nil and Tal, couldn't help but lighten up at seeing this magnificent room again.

"I always like coming here." he commented. Xierante, folding his hands behind his back, took a moment to admire the scenery before looking to you.

"Ms. Wishgate, I must ask: have you ever slain an Angel?" queried the Margrave after staring you down for a good ten seconds.

Cier's smile faded, but he kept silent...

Clife -

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

"Hnnnh! I shudda figga'd thay wud still be aloive 'n such!" Reila shot back at your remark, seeming almost annoyed anyone remained alive. Given that she was an infamous bandit warlord's daughter, though, you guessed she had come to hate inconveniences where theft was concerned. After a good run, with Jegen just ahead of you, the battle scene on the road became evident. While shadowed by the large, mature trees on either side of the road, the bloodstains and bodies of human, dwarf, elf, gnome and neko were visible hunched lifelessly on the ground, their weapons buried into the grass nearby. There were at least 11 bodies, most stuck with arrows or sword wounds.

Reila pinched her nose, stepping over a body as she climbed to the road from the ditch next it.

She paused.

"Wooooaahhhh!" she beamed nasally, looking up to the enormous, shimmering silver tree which stood out from all the rest. Like an eternal deity, the magnificent Silverwood tree -- its roots stretching for what felt like kilometres beneath the earth, and its brimming green leaves rustling with emotion -- stood before you on the other side of the road. Its silver sheen pulsated, seeming distressed as the instinct lent by your powers would tell you.

Compared to the other trees, the Silverwood seemed almost sentient, and keenly aware of its surroundings. Merely coming close to it, too, had you feeling both awe and a new rush of energy. Its presence in your mind was very distinct.

Stepping over the gleaming silver roots, Jegen and Reila hopped up to it, placing a hand.

They yelped and leapt back, simultaneously, as silver sparks leapt to their hand, singing them.

"Ack!"

"OWI!"

The duo hissed and stepped back. It seemed the Silverwood repelled their very presence. You did hear a rumor, once, that the Silverwood had noble intentions despite being a tree -- that those with darkness in their souls would be cast away by it. Irritated, but not discouraged, Reila and Jegen had just begun to hop off for the massive, crashed caravan wagon rolled into the ditch when a groan was heard. Reila's hand flew for her sword, but you knew what was coming: it was a person. A woman...still alive, but only faintly.

Her steps slow and her clothes bloodsoaked, a human woman with blonde hair stepped out from behind the tree:



Her skin seemed blemished with old scars. You note that the blood on her body is not only demonic, but human. Oddly, she did not look to be in pain, nor too debilitated from the multiple stab wounds on her body.

"You three... Demon or Angel?" she questioned, slowly, in an indifferent voice.

Reila and Jegen, too befuddled by the situation, left you to answer as they backpedaled slowly for the wagon.

Sortaix -

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Courtesy of your first hand experience with the necromancers' traps, you managed to deftly step past a number more tripwires and even a number of magical bombs enchanted to explode should the air around them be disturbed. While you most of them seemed too dangerous to even touch, you did manage to spy one of the small traps lying unarmed on the steps of the staircase: a notched, metal cylinder filled with some luminescent green fluid, the frame inscribed with runes. It seemed likely that, in her haste, that woman from before had not set all of the traps she had deemed to put down. Regardless, it came to your advantage: the bomb was evil in nature, but necromancers' magics will devour any life, including their own. As such, it may have made a good weapon whether as a trap or a grenade. You decided to take it -- even if you do not use it, it made sense to remove it from the necros' hands.

Sortaix got: Chema Bomb (Acid) - The Chema Bomb is a cylindrical glass and metal frame that can be filled with explosives, liquid spells or poisons to be used as a grenade or set as a proximity mine. It is the mainstay weapon of many alchemists both noble and demonic due to its flexibility. This particular bomb will release a cloud of acid when it explodes. Handle with care! It will burst on impact if thrown.

Proceeding down the steps, you soon found yourself at a short stretch of walkway before a small door at a dead end. The river beyond this wall was sealed with a thick grate, flowing down into the reservoir, but this door lead into the small stone plateau overlooking the great and deep reservoir itself. It is a dead end from there, minus leaping into the reservoir: the necromancer woman and her cohorts have likely made their home base on this plateau.

[MiscChaos]

Clife thinks maybe she should've kept her mouth shut about there being a survivor, what with this being a bandit child. Still, she brushes that off as they arrive at the battlefield, growing extremely displeased as the spots of lifelessness she sensed became actual bodies to see and smell. By the lack of demon follower blood surrounding their corpses, these guys never stood a chance. They drew their weapons, sure, but they're clean. This battle was entirely one sided it looks like. Still, there's something around that'll easily take her mind off this carnage: The Silverwood tree.

She's seen them before, but she's never been this close. She's never felt the emotions the tree gives off to seem more human than most humans she'd met, the majesty of nature in its purest form. Or at least she thinks she hasn't. There's a few blank years that the covenant blasted out of her mind in an attempt to curb her nature magic tendencies. All that did was piss her off though. She comes out of her revere as she notices the distress of the Silverwood, the fact that the tree is worried almost bringing tears to her eyes. She walks up to it and hugs it, or at least as much of a hug as she can get with a tree this massive, trying to dispel its fears as best she can. She gives a small smirk at the other two being burnt off the tree, but something this pure shouldn't be forced to stand people who don't understand its majesty.

When the woman groans, Clife steps back from the tree to take a look, figuring this is the bruised and batter presence she felt before. The human blood on her clothes bothered Clife, but she could just pass that off as her taking out Demon followers as well as demons themselves. She seems a step up from the 11 fallen behind her, having her share of battle scars and looking to have a few more on the way should she survive this.

"I can't speak for these two, but I'm on the side of the Angels. You?" she asks cautiously. Just because she's bruised and battered doesn't mean she's on their side. The demon blood is a point in her favor, but still, caution never hurt no one.

[Sortaix]

Sort was amazed at all the traps he came across.
"How could one even set up so many in such a short amount of time? Oh well, at least he can dodge...Oh hey look This one isn't armed. I think I'll just take this one. Oh look it's an acid trap, this will come in handy."
With that Sort grabs the acid trap and puts it in his pack. He then stealths his way around the traps as he makes his way down the hall to where a door is waiting for him. This door is the end of the line if he remembers correctly, so he gets a wicked idea. He then reaches into his pack and pulls out the acid container, and kicks the door open, ready to throw the acid at the first group of bad peoples he sees.

[Reaver]

Razajin thinks about the job and although it seemed pretty simple there would probably be a catch later on. "I make it my point sir not to get involved with politics or buisness partners but since I know your nephew I'll help you." He takes a bite out of the biscuit before getting up. "If someone gets in my way do you want them dead or disabled?" He waits for an answer before walking towards the door that the compass was pointing to. He stands by the door, straining to hear something while trying to look casual.

[Icaelus]

All the magnificence of the Grand Hall evaporated, seeming to flow into the Margrave as soon as he asked that question which she had been expecting for so long. Xierante had never felt as imposing as he was right now. He seemed to simply..take up every thought of her mind as he stared her down. Those ten seconds where he had kept his gaze locked on her eyes passed in unending silence. A cold, silence filled with tension. She had been expecting the question..but it wasn't an easy one to answer convincingly..
The girl's stormy eyes gleamed with intent as she returned the Margrave's glare stubbornly.
"Margrave. You know a bit of my story..and my previous self that had stepped in so abruptly with Cier here. I was weak, innocent and naive. I am different now. I will tell you my story..and you can judge my conviction from that."
Vivienne said, taking a calming breath before speaking again.
"My parents abandoned me to a covenant of witches that had wanted me only for my magical power. I was only five. I had that naive mindset...that Angels and humans were always good and would come to save you if you prayed hard enough. I'm not sure if I prayed hard enough for their so-called God to save me as that witch started inscribing my back with their ritualistic tattoos. I'm quite sure I did. But no one ever came. No Angels, no humans. No one but the witches for eleven years. Eleven years of torture.." Viv was visibly trembling now. She may have been stronger than she had ever been mentally, but the memory of the fear of the witches daily experiments was overwhelming. Even when it was all over now..
The girl blinked back tears as she opened her mouth to speak again.
"I have never encountered an Angel before. But I would be willing and eager to do so now.."
Viv said, straightening up. A sad smile drew upon her pretty features, full of misery.
"Because..good and evil or not, Angels and Demons aren't that different after all, are they..?"
The Angels..they were true hypocrites, were they not? Defenders of light and justice and so on? Liar, liar..

[Zender_Solarheart]

Jered does as the bird angel ordered, moving through the unoccupied lounging room to where he was instructed to meet his telepathic guide. Good thing there was a room left open for this, seeing how he'll need the angel's help to dispell the Journal of Urun's binding seal. After all the time he's spent being told where to go by him, Jered is also rather curious what this powerful commander will look like. It'll be their first in-person meeting, after all...

[napsii]

Jered -

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

You had to admit: the velvety lounging room had a relaxing charm to it. Thick, red carpet so soft one didn't even need shoes, a variety of luxury furniture, a table full of drinks and food and a compact bar at the far end where drinks would be mixed by a servant imp set the stage for a nice place to chat with friends. It was only a shame that the castle's amenities had been redressed to suit demonic tastes. You swear some of the crystalline bottles of liquor at the bar could kill a human man in a single sip...

Pushing past the curtains on the far side, you found an unassuming door in a wall at the end of this corridor marked "Servants' Quarters". Cautiously, and slowly, you step up and crack it open, taking a cursory glance inside before slipping in, thankfully unnoticed by the one or two servants who slipped in and out of the curtained rooms. As soon as you stepped in, though, an inexplicable feeling came over you. One of power, and reverence, but also a cascade of calm that had the intensity of sneaking through the castle fading from your body.

Turning around, you barely noticed the cramped surroundings. For, standing before you was none other than an angel!

A tall and statue-esque man, the wizened looking, blonde-haired angel -- his enormous feathery wings folded on his back -- seemed too imposing and noble to even be standing in the mortal realm. Though age had begun to scar his face, his deep blue eyes expressed sharp fortitude and his elaborate, divine-forged armor -- white, trimmed with gold -- radiated a faint gold aura. His sharp and tall face had a catlike look to it, his hair combed back aggressively, and the fearsome broadsword at his hip had him radiating all the glory and prowess of his younger days.

His sheer presence swallowed the room, which was decorated plainly. Some bunk beds, a cramped kitchen and a dining table. But you got the feeling this was no ordinary angel.

"Greetings, Jered Alkaid." he spoke in a clear, noble voice that hinted at his vast experience. Far more commanding in person.

"I am the Archangel Ayrenis. I apologize I could not introduce myself earlier, but I had to make certain you were of a noble spirit." he spoke. Ayrenis! You're nearly stunned. One of the strongest of the Archangels, Ayrenis is known even to mortals as one of the strongest Angelic Knights ever. He is known to have nearly slain the previous Archdemon about 4 centuries ago, as well as having successfully dispatched several of his highest ranking soldiers. The famous city of Iyren in Northwestern Autum is named for him.

"Ah, you look so much more confident in person. Your body does not betray the depth of your thoughts...that is an uncommon gift." he commended you, the royal blue cape on his back swaying slightly.

"You need not mute your voice in here. These walls are sealed against sound, for the benefit of the castle's guests. Now...may I have the Journal?" he then spoke, holding out a gauntlet-garbed hand.

Vivienne -

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

The Margrave inclined his head in obvious satisfaction, raising a chain to stroke his chin thoughtfully as you moved to speak. It seemed that you'd collected his interest even in your brief time here -- a rather impressive feat. Cier, similarly, had his ears tuned to you, but you felt his curiosity was a touch more innocent than his stepfather's. While Xierante did not give much hint of emotion, he did punctually nod his head or cock an eyebrow at the high points of your story. You had the feeling in the back of your head that whatever his opinion was, it supported you. Cier was far more outward, however, his face cringing with distaste and bitter hate for the witches who had tortured you.

His ears twitched, and by the end he had an arm around you.

The Margrave tilted his head up as if to speak, but then--

"Wrong. We weren't cut from the same thread."

Shoes clacked slowly on the marble floor, accompanied by a constant whirling noise. Looking around, you spied a hawkish-looking figure emerging from the doorways to the north end of the Grand Chamber. Tall and lithe, the red-eyed, raven-haired man was dressed in the slick, intimidating uniform of the SVN, minus a facemask. Silver spurs clicked on the heels his sleek, expensive black leather shoes and a silver SVN emblem adorned his lapel. Atop his head, the signature red beret of the SVN. His face was young and aggressive, hair combed back. But most of all, it was the sophisticated silver revolver which whirled theatrically around his finger. A leather bandolier of bullets was seen across his chest, along with two holsters for weapons on his body. One empty.

Stepping toward you with an almost scary intent, the man eyed you up and down, then looked to the Margrave.

"This is really our new ally?" he questioned antagonistically.

Cier leapt in to your defense.

"Weren't you listening to what she just said, Gralmich? She's been through enough shit to be worth our time." he snapped.

Gralmich looked to him, his spinning revolver clicking to a halt in his hand. Stowing it away, he gave a mocking shrug.

"I never said she wasn't."

Cier rolled his eyes, looking to Xierante.

"Let us not get unprofessional. Now, Commander, please enlighten us on the situation." the Margrave was quick to dismiss the argument, turning to the business at hand. Gralmich indicated with a leather gloved hand to the door whence he had came.

"We've got the two dragon women under guard beyond there. All gates and auxiliary exits are locked, and we've got patrols searching every corner of the castle. Most of the wards are online -- enough to contain the thief." Gralmich explained.

"Has he left any trail?" asked Xierante calmly. His composure over all this was impressive.

"Like a stampeding bull, but it's not that easy. We think he and the thief in the main complex." Gralmich replied.

"And... you're not searching it." the Margrave raised an eyebrow.

"No need. Trust me, he'll come to us. We just finished locking all of the exits out of here. He won't destroy the Journal, anyway." Gralmich said confidently.

Cier drummed his thighs impatiently.

"So then what do we do? Just stand around?" he demanded. Xierante, sensing his anxiety, looked between him and you.

"If it would have your nerves calmed, then you may search these halls. Just do not disturb our guests." he proposed. You get the feeling he was doing this just to placate Cier, though. The wolf boy nodded, turning to you.

"Okay, let's start wi-" he was cut off--

"Hey, don't leave me behind. I'll come with you, if you're unsure of my work. Besides, I have to acquaint myself with our new ally." Gralmich grinned, stepping up to you and giving a quick nod of the head. Cier frowned intensely, but Xierante did not seem to care. Huffing a silent "whatever" he gestured with a thumb to the westward door.

"Wanna go?" he questioned to you. Just as he did, a gnomish servant skipped into the room, prompting Xierante to kneel down to listen to what it had to say. He nodded, and then the servant ran off.

Razajin -

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Norith inclined his head in understanding as you stood up. You guess that he was no stranger to politics, either, but he seemed confident enough in you. The compass needle shivered as you stepped around, seeming unsure on where it wanted to go until it finally settled back on that door. Tilting his head over his shoulder, the Jarl cast his words to you with a subtle spell so that only you might hear from among the crowd.

"Aha, my boy. Either choice would be your doom. But do not fret. With the skill my nephew claims you to possess, you should not have to draw steel at all." spoke the Jarl with a chuckle before the elf servant stepped back over to him, a juicy and well-garnished T-bone steak on a plate placed in front of him.

"Gliun hangs around the corridors a few rooms over. You can't miss him, as he always wears a gigantic blue fur coat. Re-acquire it without incident, and you'll certainly have my blessing. Now, this steak won't eat itself. Well, not steak made in Autum, anyway. Good luck!" the Jarl illustrated his mission again before the words faded away. Stepping past a few more tables and chatting nobles (few of whom paid attention to you) you moved past a fancy marble pillar to the half open doors that lead into the next room. A cold shiver crawled up your spine as you reached for the door, however. Like a ghost, an SVN soldier glided from a patch of shadow near the wall to intercept your hand, opening the door for you while shooting you a threatening look before stowing back away to his post.

The bad vibe you got from that vanished as soon as you saw what the next room. Couches and beds of all shapes and sizes dotted this comfy room, along with tables full of drugs of all kind. Rather normal, except for the dozens of demons who sat, laid, crouched and stood getting laid by girls and guys of all kind. This was clearly the...em, orgy room? Humans, elves, succubi and beyond, wearing the distinct slave collars, produced a loud chorus of lewd noises as they were screwed every which way possible by their masters. An obnoxious scent floated in the air because of all this, but it was largely defused by the herb incenses being woven around by the platonic servant girls. Shuttered windows on the other wall allowed some light to filter in to the rectangular room.

You look around for Gliun, almost tempted to join in, but you know it's not the time. Besides the demons here probably not being willing to share, the few unoccupied girls sat at the bar at the bottom of the room had no collars, making it clear they were only for the highest bidder. Out of your price range, probably. Not seeing the distinct blue fur coat Norith mentioned as Gliun's trademark wear, though, you figure you should move on. A door could be seen at the north end of the room, leading further into the Nobles' Hall.

Clife -

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

The blonde-haired woman gave you a critical stare, which seemed focused even through her almost mortal injuries. Reila and Jegen, nearby whispered to each other with a frantic pace before with a cough, declared themselves to the woman, who turned her head onerously to glare at them.

"I, Reila Redspike, don't owe no uh-lee-gunsh to any'un!" Reila thumped her chest, folding her hands behind her back with a serious expression on her face. Jegen nodded.

"Just the same, I have no faith in the Divines nor the Underworld." he spoke with a sigh. The obese trader swirled his metal flask around; you guess he's had a long history with religion and such.

Their responses left the woman humming, though. You would have thought she'd be collapsing, but she did not. In fact, listening to you seemed to rejuvenate her... and her opinions. She locked her look on you, as you had been the most outspoken.

"Good enough," she coughed, stepping over to the body of an elf to check the corpse's pulse. It was gone, but the woman gave no hint of emotion. Standing up, she repeated the same for a few corpses before deciding the process worthless.

"I will assume, solely from your presence, that you killed the messenger bird Felna had sent. But... it doesn't matter. They wouldn't have come." she then spoke with stunning insight, gesturing to the bloodied body of an elf woman at her feet. Reila rubbed her neck, turning to examine the wagon. Jegen sighed again, clearly thinking this was a mistake.

"Did you come to ransack the wagon? Or did you have brighter intentions in mind?" she coughed, seeming bitter, but not immediately hostile. This had Reila and Jegen pausing, clearly unsure of how to mask their intentions, and so they just stood around, Reila in particular awaiting your answer. Humming to herself, Beatrix tapped her bodice. Curiously, the stab wound that had been there just seconds ago seemed to have all but vanished, leaving only a stain of blood behind. Pausing, she added:

"Ah, as long as I am still alive, I should mention... my name is Beatrix."

You suddenly have a bad feeling about this woman.

Sortaix -

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Like a lightning bolt, you swept into the area beyond the door. Smashing the unlocked door off its hinges, you bolted in with due caution and scanned around carefully. You found yourself what seemed to be an extremely large, flat stone plateau inside an enormous stone cave, stalagmites and stalactites all around. On the far edge of the plateau, over the edge, you might have seen the seemingly endless pit of blue water that flowed as a large lake about a hundred feet below. A whitewashed waterfall flowed, as well, having almost drowned out the sound of grating metal as you turned to the more immediate threat...

Standing before you was what seemed to be a pair of decaying, humanoid skeletons dressed head to toe in thick black and gold platemail, wielding a sword and an axe respectively in addition to a shield. Hissing, the glowing undead servants turned from where they had been facing to meet you as you bust down the door, only to pause about thirty feet away. The unarmored skeletal joints of their knees and elbows seemed rather frail.

An obnoxious tapping could be heard, and from behind the duo of skeletal knights, a familiar girl could be seen:



Flicking her hood down, the smirking girl cocked an eyebrow, leaning confidently against one of her undead knights' shoulders.

"Hello there, angel-boy. I'm glad to see the Church wasn't too tardy to send one of their...ah, paladins." she greeted lightly, studying you.

"Mrow, quite the piece of work. There's nothing like a fit human body, eh?" her words had you a little uncomfortable already.

"But, let's not get ahead of ourselves. We'll see how you fare against these two, first." the necromancer girl laughed, tapping a glowing hand to the undead duo's shoulders. Hissing, they began to plod forward but slowly, their shields raised to guard your arrows. The girl, conversely, took a few steps back and retreated toward the small, book laden table at the other end of the plateau to prop herself up on the edge and observe.

The first Skeleton Knight strafed off on a 45-degree angle from you, slowly closing in step by step with his shield raised in front of his body and sword at the ready.

The second Skeleton Knight, wielding an axe, took a more direct route and proceeded straight forward at you, his shield also raised. There was plenty of space to move around here, but you would be backed up against the wall if you don't move left (putting you toward the edge) or right (putting you toward the center of the plateau). As well, there was no cover to be seen, but the tapering stalagmites near the walls could be of use.

Sortaix HP - 350/350
Skeleton Knight 1 HP - 300/300
Skeleton Knight 2 HP - 300/300
Necromancer Girl HP - ???/??? (watching passively)

[Sortaix]

Sort would have taken some time to observe the complex system that supplied the cities water. taken some time to admire, all the work and effort it took to build this amazing labyrinth, but he was now facing two un-dead minions while their owner sat back to watch. He took a few seconds to observe his surroundings, and upon spotting a few stalactites on the ceiling above he got a wicked idea. He then gauged as best he could where the Skeletons would be and which stalactite was above that point. He then threw the acid canister at the stalactite as hard as he could, hoping to crush at least one of them. Upon viewing the result of his attempt, he would then make a mad dash for the edge of the plateau. Upon arriving at the edge of the plateau he then turned around and got his arrows ready. He knew his arrows wouldn't do anything against their armor or shields, unless he enchanted it with his light magic, but that was a last resort. He then took to aiming for their skeletal joints, if any were exposed, attempting to disarm his opponent, in more ways than one, or maybe even take their legs out from under them.

[MiscChaos]

"Yes, the messenger bird accidentally ended up dead. You wouldn't believe me if I told ya how." Clife says, shooting a look back at Relia. It's during this look that she notices that the girl turns to look at the wagon and releases a sigh almost at the same time as Jegen. That girl's gonna make them some enemies... But that's a little less important as the woman's wounds seem to fix themselves, the blood flowing a little less seriously, her strength seeming to return the longer this goes on. Then Clife has a realization that makes her feel retarded: When she sensed a lifeform earlier, they had been bruised and beaten, but not seriously harmed! This woman was on the verge of freaking death when they showed up. Now completely on her guard, she starts up her scans to get a feel for the lifeform in front of her, because no race she knows can recover from such grievous wounds such as hers so quickly.

"I myself, no." Clife answers, her suspicion coloring her voice and her grip on her spear tightening. "I came because I work with angels, so hearing that their forces are under siege is generally bad news to me." That part's a lie, but the thing in front of her doesn't know that. Then the wound completely disappears, sending Clife to fight mode. She doesn't know the name Beatrix, but she does know that the woman is bad news.

"What are you and what are you doing here?" she asks, full on letting her suspicions play through and analyzing everything Beatrix says from now on.