Pinacle of The Art

[Tacitus]

*The skies begin to burn as a great message burns itself into the clouds. By now the Gem is glowing so brightly it is hard to look at. When May looks up, the sky stops burning and a great message is spraled across the sky. "The Cleansing Flames Shall Consume"*

May: ....cleansing....

*Pheonix jerks up and stares at the sky for a moment. A bright light issues forth from the joints on each of the constructs. A great ball of flame explodes around them, blocking them out of sight from anyone watching the interesting sight. The ball of flame grows slightly, beginning to glow with a golden light from within. The flames seem to freeze for a moment, then with a thunderous metallic clang and the roar of flames, the fireball explodes outwards. It envelopes every last undead as well as the entire town within the gates. From within the flames Crack and Ashes seem to jump down from about 30 feet in the air, Burn, meanwhile, seems to fold in upon himself and reduce to his normal size. The flames cause most of the undead to burst and explode, spraying blood and other bodily fluids across the walls. The flames have an opposite effect upon everyone within the walls, the flames rejuvinate them and heal their wounds. The healing is not a complete healing, but it is just enough to finish off the sall group that approaches from the south, ony about 2 dozen, the fell behind due to already having seen battle and recuperating from injuries. Out in the battlefield Pheonix appears to have been fighting for several months on end. The three slowly limp back to the gates, Crack and Ashes seem to ahve been flattened slightly, as if having been hit against something hard*

 

[bamthedoc]

[color=royal blue]Ryu looks at Pheonix with a strange feeling of both understanding and remorse. He knows that what they went through was propably similar Dimensional Press. Ryu looks at May for a second before he speaks.

Ryu: May... This does not smell like my brother...this attack, I mean.
May: To me... I think it was the Marlin brothers.
Ryu: They're testing us, you know.
May: I am beginning to realize why you dislike your brother.
Ryu: I am beginning to see our exact prediciment.
May: I thought you understood.
Ryu: When Darz joined, the situation changed.
May: And the Marlin brothers?
Ryu: They never changed a thing for me. I made a mistake, and that is all.
May: Don't hate yourself.
Ryu: *smiling* Phoenix isn't completely annoying.
May: *shaking her head* No. I must admit they came in handy.
Ryu: May... I need you to promise me somthing.
May: What?
Ryu: I need you to have some Elite spells to help me...[/color]

 

[Tacitus]

*May is about to speak, but Pheonix walks up slowly, Burn's leg seems nearly destroyed*

Pheonix (voice distorted): Cleansing comp, complete, completed.

May: Is there anything I can do to aid you? You seem in bad shape.

Pheonix: We shall...
Crack:... repair oursel...
Ashes: ...ves within...
Burn: a short time.
Pheonix: Do not worry about us, all will be well soon.

*as they finish speaking Burn's leg unfolds and small wisps of blue light surround the leg as small mechanical protrusions begin mending the leg.*

Pheonix: If we can return to Kortuganor after we finish this, we will find a scribe and he will be able to repair us more extensively.

May (turning to Ryu): What did you have in mind?

 

[bamthedoc]

[color=royal blue]Ryu: You saw the spell I cast?
May: Yes. However...
Ryu: I know. I want whatever Clerical spells you can think of. I need spells for those...mages we ran across. I'll need a lot more holy energy than I'd want to cast in one fight.
May: I think I could handle it. How soon do you think we'll run across them?
Ryu: Knowing Darz, either the next outpost...or the one after. You and I both know what those abominations are. I don't want them to harm anyone.
May: I'd concur. I'll think about it. Hmm? In the meantime, you have enough...
Ryu: *openning a portal* Done. Just whisper to my psionically when you want to return.
May: Very well. Pheonix...

May and Pheonix walk through the portal to the Kortugan capital. Ryu closes the portal when they walk through and looks out over the horizon. That was not an intelligent move... Was it you, Darz? Or did the Marlin brothers want to further test our stamina. Either way, it wasn't like you..., brother![/color]

 

[Tacitus]

*May sends Pheonix on to the main Lab while she flies ahead in order to have preperations ready. Pheonix takes a long time to get to the Lab because of their condition. When they finally arrive, Ashes's face is no longer twisted and destroyed and Crack's leg seems a lot less damaged than before.*

Pheonix (voice only slightly distorted): Reporting for rep.. rep... rep... repairs.

Main Scribe: I'm guessing you unleashed the Flame?

May: Well, we were in a bit of a bind, if not for Pheonix, several, possibly up to thousands, may have been severely injured or even killed.

Main Scribe: Well, whatever advances the War. I'm just glad he made it back successfully. I thought the Flame would cause much greater damage to their outer shell. *Burn falls to the ground and splits in half* Shit! Get a scribe team over here now!

*A group of nearly a dozen scribes rush over and lift the brken pieces of Burn onto a table and begin the delicate process of repairing Burn.*

Scribe 2: Internal damage extensive on prototype 2.

Scribe 7: External damage minimal

Main Scribe: Someone check the other 2!

Scribe 4: On it. *he rushes over to Ashes and Crack and begins examining them. The two climb up onto their own two tables and as they shut down, the cold expression on their faces actually go limp. The Scribe pulls of the front of their chest plates and begins tinkering inside.* Internal damage to critical area minimal. Extremities seem battered but functional, these two can wait. *he rshes back over to Burn, who is now been completely separated into two seperate havles with 6 scribes working on each. Soon Burn's torso is back in one piece, but without any limbs or a head, his head sits on the table whistling to itself inceasantly*

May: Can you make him shut up?

*a scribe kicks the head off the table, the sound stop as Burn's head clangs across the floor, now it's singing epic tales of the gods*

 

[bamthedoc]

Darz: *looking over a paper from a spy* I see. You may leave.
Spy: Yes, Master Darz.

The spy disappears right before his eyes, but Darz simply smirks and rereads the paper before him. Interesting. I never thought that automoton had such power.

Darz: Ha! Too bad Ryu proved to have recovered...
Giles: *walking up to Darz* What is that?
Darz: A note of some one's failure in sending such a massive army.
Giles: We have more information now.
Darz: Not what we need... Which of you was it, again, who wanted to fight my brother?
Giles: You know. You're just trying to talk me out of it again. I want him stronger than he's ever been!
Darz: It will happen, if you take my advice.
Giles: Then what would you advise?
Darz: Change tactics. The first outpost they arrive at should have those mages. Let them almost have the outpost before they attack. Make it apparent, however, that Ryu will want to be in his dragonoid form beforehand, however.
Giles: Hmm? I can do that easily enough.
Darz: Yes. Also, about Tsukin`asu... Ryu is at his weakest when enraged or veangefull. As it stands, he's mearly angry. You'd prefer to keep him that way if you want him at his best.

[color=royal blue]As Ryu walks back into the room he's sharing with his sister, he looks at her. He feels sleep crawl over him for the first time in the past few nights. He looks at Aphra in astonishment as her finger is "doodling" in the air forming the Rune of Sleep. Ryu cannot help it as he collapses in sleep.[/color]

 

[Tacitus]

*Over the next 24 hours, the group rests up and the Scribes repair Pheonix. Soon Pheonix stands ready to battle once again, with a few small modifications.*

May: Do I owe you anything for your services?
Head Scribe: No, we are obligated to repair the Pheonix.
May: Well, i still feel you should be paid for your services.
Head Scribe: We will not accept anything you could have to offer us.
May: Very Well, I thank you and bid you farewell.

*Pheonix and May Leave the Lab and head towards the gates [May: Ryu, portal...]. As they approach the gates, they begin to shimmer as a portal opens before them.*

May: Back into the...
Pheonix (interupts): Fray
May: Not what i was going to say, but it'll work...

 

[bamthedoc]

[color=royal blue]May: *catching Ryu yawn* Have a nice rest?
Ryu: My sister put a sleeping spell on me.
Aphra: *wide grin* Can't blame me for trying to help my brother!
May: I'd have to agree.
Ryu: :rolleyes Unfortunately, so does my body. I'm much more rested.
Aphra: I'm afraid the others may need more time.
Ryu: Yeah... We may as well plan.
Aphra: Yes. Where to next, anyway?[/color]

 

[Tacitus]

*May sits down on a chair that seems to be ade of pure air and force.*

May: I had planned on taking the northernmost outpost, yet i beleive that it may be expected, just a...hunch, i geuss you could say. We will press on striaght through the center. Once the others have had time to rest, we will move out.

*May folds her wings around her and holds her Gem in her left hand, simply staring at it, she seems very distant.*

 

[bamthedoc]

[color=royal blue]Ryu: I know what you mean. All this just seems like... I don't know...
Aphra: Darz again?
Ryu: No, I... May? *long pause* May?!
May: *as if out of a daze* I'm sorry.
Ryu: You want to talk about him now?
May: Hmm?
Aphra: Ryu!
Ryu: She needs to talk about him. Listen, May, we both know already. And I'm sure Pheonix will leave or "forget" about this conversation. But... I think it's about time we had a good conversation about...Trias.[/color]

 

[Tacitus]

May: I...I...I don't know if I can. There is both a deep sorrow surrounding the subject and a sence of joy and warmth. *she begins stroking the Gem* There is much I do not know, even when his mind is open to me. I feel there is much I do not wish to know...

*May begins to cry slowly, Pheonix moves to assist her, thinking she is in pain. She raises a hand to stop them. With a shooing motion of her hand, they slowly leave the room. After a few minutes, Burn pops back in*

Burn: You need bandages?

May: No, *sniff* thank you but please leave.

*May lays down on a couch formed of air, and folds her wings around her so as to completely cover herself up.*

May: Let me think upon it for a few moments...

*with these words the gem begins glowing dully*

[in her head]
Trias: There are many things you MUST know which have been lost to me. My...*pauses*...death for example. I know not how I died, or even the events leading up to it. Please May, just talk to them.
May: Why should I? Its not them that left me, it was you! You should give me my answers!
Trias: I simply do not have many of them.
May: What kind of answer is that? Tell me something! Anything!
Trias: You know that i cannot, for you know all that I know. My knowledge and memories have been passed on to you.
May: Thats not good enough! I may know what is inside your mind, but i will never understand it as you have. Just answer me this one question, Why did you leave me? Why did you leave US?
Trias: I don't know...

*May begins sobbing into her wing. She rips the Necklace off and throws it, not caring where it will land. It strikes the ground and she convulses in pain, then returns to crying*

 

[bamthedoc]

[color=royal blue]Ryu: Trias...

Ryu leans forward, and pulls May's wings so they separate. He stares at her with a stern expression upon his face. May sits in surprise, and she doesn't know what to think. Her tears stop as Ryu sighs.

Ryu: You know more of Trias than I ever would have.
May: But...
Ryu: Listen! When he was about to die... He could think about nothing but you and Castus.
May: You know of him...
Ryu: Only from what Trias could tell me. I'm not even sure how I found out, exactly.
May: Then...how would you know?

*psionic communication*​

Ryu: This is what I saw!

May can see, before her now as clear as day, the final days of Trias. His tears, his sleepless nights, his abhorations of himself, everything! Ryu stares at her as he speaks. He reminds her of Trias' life, his responsibilities. He reminds her of Castus and his rearing. He does have one line that sticks with her...

Ryu: I no not why he couldn't stay with you. He couldn't tell me! No! Couldn't! He would have told me if only so you would eventually learn.[/color]

 

[Tacitus]

*The Gem lays in the corner, glowing brightly, its chain rippling on the ground, as if it were screaming.*

May: Well, i guess I might be able to accept a few thing now...but, Why did he return? His soul bound to this small Gem.

*She sits up, slowly gets up, and strides over to the Gem. As she draws near the Gem seems to calm and become peaceful. As she touches it the burn on her cheek shines with red light. She replaces the Gem around her neck and immediately falls into dreams. Her sleeping body is laid down by unseen hands upon an unseen couch or bed.*

[~~dream one~~]

*May finds herself standing upon a wide plain, death and sulfur fills the air. Mounds of shadowed bodies flash into existance. In the center a bright begins to fade. She runs to it, but by the time she arrives, it is gone.*

[~~dream two~~]

*May finds herself in a small room, part of a temple of stone and neutrality. A great darkness walks the halls. The darkness approaches. She turns to face it. She sees only shadows.*

[~~dream four~~]

*She watches as a man fight against a great darkness*

[~~dream three~~]

*A small house upon an endless plain, screaming heard from within, and outside. Pain and suffering. Most of all, Regret...*

*She slowly wakes*

 

[Hot Action Akule]

"A tall man with long flowing black hair and a black silvery sword steps from the shadow, his blue scars still glowing. His pale face looks up as his crystal blue glazed eyes fix on the party. Hero's wings unfold, now an angel of the divine..."

How may i help...

 

[bamthedoc]

[color=royal blue]Ryu has one simple question for May. It is an unspoken question, as it remains a simple glance. May knows well enough the question, but she doubts the answer exists within her. That question being: Do you understand now? May sits and ponders. She still doesn't know if she can ever trust the man she gave her heart to.

Satisfied that May is thinking on the matters, now. Ryu rises and looks at Hero, returned from his travels. He lets out a light sigh as he thinks upon the matters of the past week. Ryu looks Hero in the eyes, and Hero realizes the importance of the next words.

Ryu: Simply put... We need your help.
Hero: I am at your service.
Ryu: First... Can you cast Elite spells? If not..., I'm afraid you may be of little use in the coming battle.[/color]

 

[Hot Action Akule]

Hero walks forward, and lifts off into the ground, before landing in front of may. His wing twitches as he holds out a hand.

Hero: Its good to see you again...

Hero's wings start to dissappear, and suddenly he is weaing his black coat, pants, and his case for splice is on his back. his long hair neatly combed and wrapped in a pony tail, hero waits for a response.

 

[Tacitus]

*May stares at Hero for a moment, her Gem glowing. For an instant, when he arrived, she had mistaken him for Trias somehow. After a few moment, she turns to Ryu*

May: Many things remain unanswered, yet for the moment, I am satisfied. It is now time for us to move on. Our offensive straight through the center of their forces will not be easy. Once we break through to the gates, We *she oddly says we instead of I, Ryu notes this as she continues on* will errect a temporary barrier with my magics while the rest of you prepare. Once the barrier falls, we will be under siege. Forces from all over the valley will be converging on our position. Pheonix has gone through repairs and has had several upgrades to their systems, so if they are needed, they will pull us through. Ryu, I cannot stress enough the dangers of planeswalker on this half of the valley. The stresses and evil magics could cause serious harm to both you and millions of others. If we encounter the Marlins or Darz on the way, you are not to engage them. we will be receiving no support on this, I have even insisted upon it. We leave in one hour.

*she grips the Gem tightly in her left hand as she walks away*

 

[Hot Action Akule]

Hero stars on after her for a moment, and as ryu notices he suddenly pulls out his sword. He walks straight toward the bar, not caring what the outcome is.

Hero: 40 ounces to freedom....

he downs another bottle.

Come get me when we leave.

 

[Tacitus]

*While May is away a group of 6 militia walk up to Ryu. They seem a bit tall, but Ryu dismisses it, anybody can be tall, right?*

Militia Leader: We are reporting in to assist you on the offensive you are about to make upon the Rurikan Kingdom.

Ryu: I thought we weren't receiving reinforcements.

Militia 2: Plans have changed, command has spared a few of us to assist. We have the overwhelming urge to kill what has already died...*lets a slight smile pass his cold features, barely noticable*

*The Militia leader screams and hits the floor as a huge crossbow bolt pierces his right shoulder. May is seen standing at least 50 yards away with a large crossbow, Gem glowing brightly, wings pointing forward, having given a burst of wind to propell the bolt faster.*

May: Ryu, GET DOWN!!

*Ryu ducks just in time as five lightning bolts fly around him. The militia have cast off their rags and are now robed in a strange black cloth. They each have tentacles protruding from their necks, which are flailing wildly. The "militia leader" stands and rips the bolt from his body. Several portals open as 4 more individuals, dressed in like attire, step forth. With a flash of light, 8 of them, Ryu, and May disappear. Pheonix, not knowing what to do, charges one of the remaining two in a charge to attack, but they are thrown back by a wave of force as one glances towards them. The "militia leader" who remains, speaks up*

ML: They are doomed to death by our Lord, try not to find them. As for the rest of you, death awaits as a secondary option to surrender.

*Inside the bar, Hero hears the happenings outside and decides to swhats going on.*

 

[bamthedoc]

OOC: I'm assuming that the Rurikan king, Darz, or the Marlin brothers sent them. If that's the case, Darz would have advised (partially for an odd "sibling" love he has for her) them not to harm Aphra.
BOT:
[color=royal blue]
The ML looks at the two remaining with him. He silently orders them to seek out a specific individual. Hero looks at them as they circle around and avoid him. The ML simply stands there, smirking.

ML: Do you wish to seek death now? Or would you rather make the right choice and surrender?

meanwhile​

The other two are searching the town, sometimes tearing up bars or street alleys. They avoid many houses, but prepare to enter any inns.

in another place​

Ryu awakens in a darkened area; though, he can see as clear as day. He looks around and cannot see any sign of either May or the strange figures who brought him here.

Ryu: *sniffing the air* Hmm? Might be best to take May's advice here...

I can use it for short distances in fights...but planeswalking will be a bad idea. Ryu gets up and realizes that there are chains, magical possibly, are holding him to a specific area. He smirks, knowing he'll have to fight his way out.

Ryu: I wonder if I'll get a chance to fix my mistake...[/color]