57 replies to this topic

[Selena]

Selena was going to hell at Goose for summoning up such a stupid looking 'beast' to try and take on that Iron Knuckle. But as she started to stride over to Goose, she stopped in her tracks after seeing just what that little puppet sheep could do. Her jaw dropped, and for a moment, she almost had to turn away due to how utterly... disgusting it was!

Looking to her right, where Rhiannon stood, Selena placed her hand over the Captain's eyes, hoping to shield the younger girl from the pure horror of it all. She wanted them to become more twisted, yes, but sweet god, there was such a thing as baby steps. This was somewhat similar to that cursed white rabbit of legend, who'd slaughtered countless knights of the Hall of Heroes, back in the glory days.

"Okay, Goose, I think the Knuckle's dead now, so you ca-," Selena began, but flinched when the summoned creature began to try and devour the Iron Knuckle whole, from the eyes up! "Good god, Goose, what the HELL is that thing?! It's like some stuffed nightmare from my dreams as a young girl or something."

After the chaos had settled a bit, she approached the slaughtered soldiers, raising up her palm. But first... it was wise to try and get that summoned thing under control. Knowing no better, Selena pointed to it, glaring. "Sit! Stay!"

Whilst keeping an eye on it, she whispered a few words and, calling on her most impressive of her dark arts, the spell that made her so feared by the Alliance, a dark mist settled over the corpses, including the Iron Knuckle. Their flesh began to rapidly decay, leaving only rotting meat on their bones, some still covered in their armor. With a death rattle, now perhaps called a rebirth rattle, the corpses began to twitch to life again. Some still lay prone on the ground, clutching their weapons. Others stood up, staring back with lifeless eyes. But they didn't attack. They would never attack their new creator.

"Well," Selena said, "this should keep any Alliance soldiers at bay if they think they can reclaim what is theirs. We'll send a group out later to take it all back. Until then, our newly undead friends here will watch over the convoy, waiting for our return."

She bent over, picked up the lockbox, and wandered back towards her horse. "I think now's a good as time as any to get this thing home and get it open."


----------

ooc: Next person can bring us back to Ikana, unless you have something else planned.

[Rhiannon]

Rhiannon missed what had happened but she was sure it was great. The huge massive monster thing had vanished completely. She hurriedly ran up to Goose and gave a him a huge hug. She knew he could do it.

Just before starting the ride back to the Canyon Rhia and noticed Lena pick up something from the ground. Wondering what it was, she kept close to Lena the whole ride back, making light conversation of their next lesson.

Back at the Canyon, Rhia immediately ran to NYC and convinced her to throw a celebration party. NYC was known around the Canyon for such things and was completely up to it. Before no time, there were drunken skeletons everywhere.

It's nice to be home Rhia thought. Now where's Lena and that thing she picked up....?

[Hana-Nezumi]

"They're partying already?" said Krystal, who had just returned from looking for his charm around the convoy. He was so busy searching that he had missed the whole fight. I wonder if anyone has seen it..., he thought.

Just then Krystal noticed that his bracelet had become visible! He knew it would look strange that it was suspended around the bone of his arm, when it looked like it should fall right off. So he quickly took it off and threw it off to the side. From his experience with using this spell before, he knew that his socks and shoes would probably be the next to become visible, so he took them off ahead of time and hid them under a pile of rocks. To have the effect last longer on the rest of his body and clothes, Krystal focused his energy again and chanted an enchancement spell. He then continued on to go ask random people if they've seen his charm, since he couldn't think of anything else he could do.

[Goose]

"BAAA!" said the little puppet sheep sitting atop Gooses shoulder. Once Lena had tried to control it, Goose called the thing over to him, and was about to banish him to the Demon realm he had been born in, but when Goose was about to make the incantation, the sheep looked at him with those cute little beady eyes, which were, coincedentally, beads of some sort. Goose couldn't say goodbye to such a creature, so he picked it up, put it on his shoulder bone and gave him a rib to naw on.

"I shall hug you and squeeze you and call you George." So there George did stay, on Gooses shoulder bone, glaring at all around him. Even Bell didn't know how to take this thing, but once the two glared at eachother long enough, they quckly became friends.

As he put Bell into the stables, People kept looking at him and George, But Goose didn't care, George may be a demonic being that should never have been created, but he was his demonic being that should never have been created, and thats what counted.

And so Goose went to entertain the crowds that were partying, and he had fun.

[Selena]

Selena didn't usually participate in the celebrations and merriment that accompanied a victory. Such was a side effect of being a social recluse. She'd been that way since the Labyrinth days, really. But this time, she thought she'd hang around a bit. They needed a moral boost like this, even it was a small thing. A leader present would be a good thing. So she took part in it, although she mainly sat idly, drinking a glass of blood red wine that they'd procured from the castle's cellars. There were all sorts of good things left over from the age of the Ikana Kingdom.

And while the bards sang, and while the rest socialized, Selena stood, laughing dryly at a few antics the soldiers were pulling off. She began to walk back towards the castle, taking a bit of time for herself. She'd ordered a few groups of Ikana soldiers out to claim all the supplies they'd left behind. Hopefully they wouldn't run into any trouble. Still, that box they'd taken back. She needed to get to work on cracking that baby open. She made a mental note to do that once the festivities ended. And to get Goose to banish that... sheep... thing.

Then, she noticed, that one rookie that had gone with them looked very... lost. And Selena began to pick up on some internal vibe that was informing her that something was wrong. Yet she couldn't quite place her finger on it. Approaching Krystal from behind, Selena stared at him while he looked around. Smirking, her teeth looking almost animal-like in the dim light of the afternoon, Selena alerted him of her presence.

"You look confused, rookie. Are you having a problem of some kind?" She asked, not sounding at all kind when compared to anyone else. But then again, this was Selena we were talking about. For her, however, that was amazingly polite.

[Rhiannon]

Rhia, following close behind Selena in order to find out what she had been hiding, saw the new one flinch as Lena walked up behind him. Poor kid she thought. She was about to walk up and give the kid a drink to loosen him up a bit, when she noticed that Selena was carrying something. Quickly and carefully, as Lena was distracted, she grasped the box with her mind. She knew she had to be quick since Lena was quite sharp so she focused entirely on the object. She had managed to get the object a pretty substantial distance when she heard the distinct sound of a footstep behind her. The object fell with a clatter to the ground.

"Oops."

[ninja kitten]

Unwinding was the only thing on Shiima's mind when she arrived back at Ikana Castle. Quickly passing through the crowds of skeletons and avoiding all glances she practically flew to the quiet solitude of her room. Locking the door behind her she drew a warm bath and slowly took off her armor. After bathing and washing off all the dirt from the raid, she sat down to bind her wounds, always a painful and tear filled experience. Exhausted she dragged herself over to her bed and collapsed into a deep sleep.

[Hana-Nezumi]

"Well, you see I lost my..." Krystal was explaining to the leader, when he heard a clank and looked over in the direction of the sound. He was surprised to see his charm lying there on the ground. "That's it!" he shouted, and he ran over to pick it up. "Oh I'm so glad I found it again..." he sighed in relief. He looked up and saw Rhiannon there staring at him and Selena, and Selena was glaring at Rhia for some reason. He said to the others "I've gotta... umm, get a drink... over there!" He tried to lose them by winding through a crowd of partying Boners. Once he was sure they could no longer see him, he dashed behind the pile of rocks that he hid his shoes in. He was just in time too: he could see that a lock of his hair was already becoming slightly translucent. He put his socks and shoes back on and casted the spell with the charm. He was engulfed in a small light and soon he was back to complete undead form. He ran back out and after getting a drink he went back to rejoin Rhia and Selena.

Edited by enchantedtoast, 01 June 2006 - 12:38 PM.

[Selena]

Selena pivoted on her heel, alarmed. Both the trinket she had collected and the box recovered from the raid flew from her hand, hitting the ground with a clatter. The charm was soon gone, snatched up by that little rookie that had gone with them. Selena was about to shout out in anger after him, but then noticed... that her disciple was there. Her discipe. With telekinetic powers. Selena's eye twitched slightly.

In the land's history, even before Khuffie's reign began, the mentor-disciple relationship had been an important one. Youth learned from those who had walked the world before them. The inexperienced gained insight from those who had seen years worth of bloodshed. Selena had also once had a mentor, deep within the Labyrinth - none other than Chikara herself. And she had mentors. And they had their mentors as well. It was supposed to be an almost sacred bond between two members of the Alliance. You did not go against your master.

Selena looked sideways for a moment. Well, she sort of had, but that was entirely different.

Regardless, Selena marched forward, taking off one of her steel gauntlets. She would not tolerate anyone, especially her disciple of all people, going against her! Lena walked right up to Rhia, getting two inches away from the other girl's face. In a flash, her fist found Rhiannon's neck, and she held her disciple there, threatening to strangle her.

"Just what do you think you're doing, little girl?" Selena asked, her voice laced with venom. "Did I say that you could watch over what we recovered? Did you even consider asking me about it? Such insubordination. I'm disappointed. A warrior of Ikana, downgraded to a petty thief."

Selena let go of her, and straightened out her own clothing, ruffled up in the encounter. Leaning over and putting her gauntlet back on, she grabbed up the box once more, keeping her grip tight should Rhia try any more of her mind tricks. The Ikana consul plastered a grimace on her face and glared at that rookie, now back and watching the action.

"And you!" Selena said to Krystal. "Do you think you can just run in here and steal things as well? That's pretty bold for just a newblood. You know, back in the old days, people used to have their hands chopped off for such an offense. Pray I don't reinstate such a rule. Give me back that trinket. You're both sorry excuses for warriors of this Canyon."

[Hana-Nezumi]

"Umm... this was my thingie I lost, Misses Your Highness Lady..." Krystal said with a pout. Playing the cute card had gotten him places with the Lalvican pirates, but... it didn't seem to work this time. Maybe it had something to do with the fact he looked like a zombie. Seeing how the expression on Selena's face hadn't softened one bit, he tried to think of a way to prove his ownership of the item. He focused his magical energy on it to make it glow a little. "See? I know how to make it work," he explained.

[Goose]

"BAAA!" said the sheep. (When translated it meant. "Something is not right over there, lets go look and get in the way" ) Goose was learning to speak the language of his little pet, and it was quite a nice little creature, if you like your creatures mean and the like.

So goose wandered over to see what the fuss was about, and to also see if he could suck up enough to get his hands on his leaders sacred book, the one with all the cool dark magic spells. He knew a lot of spells, but those were just even cooler.

[Rhiannon]

"Lena you overreact so much. I was not stealing, I was simply borrowing. Why were you keeping it such a secret anyway?"

Rhia felt a twinge of pity for the new one. She was used to Selena's rants and threats, but this new kid seemed much more soft than she was. Too soft almost. Regardless, she went to stand beside him.

"Lena just leave him alone, if it was his in the first place then let him have it."

Selena's eyes flashed with something unrecongnizable. Rhia was scared. Just then, Goose came wandering in. Thankful for the break in tension she ran up to him, gave him a hug and hid behind him, fearful of Selena's wrath.

Edited by Rhiannon, 03 June 2006 - 11:11 AM.

[Goose]

Goose was glad to be there to protect Rhia, he was just a nice dead guy. "So highnessness, what be our next move??" He asked, because surely they couldn't sit around and party the whole time. He was running out of tricks to keep people entertained. The fart flamethrower only worked so many times before it really started to hurt.

"I say we storm the land of the KHUFF!!... with me staying here to keep the thrown warm for you. "

[Selena]

Selena sighed, and waved her arm in dismissal. It got so chaotic when they were all clammering at once. First things first, though, she had to clear the air and explain what her motives were. Maybe then, she'd get them to understand and hopefully that would bring her some kind of peace and order to the scene.

"Our next move," she began, pacing a bit, "would be to get this damned lockbox open. The Alliance usually keeps its orders and classified documents in cases like this. I'd at least like to know what a convoy of weapons and soldiers were doing heading for Lanasach of all places."

She then turned to stare at Rhia, "And if one had asked me about this earlier, rather than try and telekinetically 'borrow' key items from me, I would have gladly explained this then."

The dark consul tossed the box back to the sands below, pointing to it. "I don't have any magic tricks or telekinetic powers that can possibly pry open the lock to this thing. I tried a few different lockpicks, but none seem to have done the job. I was hoping that perhaps one of you had the skills to get it open. If either of you would like to try and break the lock, please, go ahead. I'm eager to see what Khuffie has in mind for our little desert country to the east."

Selena crossed her arms then, taking a good long and examining look to Krystal. Something definitely did not seem right with this rookie. She would have to keep a close eye on him. Perhaps order the others to monitor his activities if she could not. She clicked her tongue, and took another look at his charm.

"As for you, I did not know that was yours. Nor was I aware you had arcane magic skills," she said slowly. "This is most interesting. Keep it, then. And if you also have the skills, perhaps YOU can get this blasted box open should the other two fail."

[Xeres]

It was in the silence that followed Selena's request that Xeres chose to make her entrance. Appearing in a cloud of dark vapour, she eyed the room warily, acknowledging the presence of Ikana's warriors. She would have preferred to speak to Selena alone, as she had no particular desire to speak with those assembled. Keeping her facial features unseen, she spoke in something akin to chilling whisper.

"...There is an arcane spell on this lock."

She extended a gloved hand and pointed at the lockbox, causing it to shimmer in a dark aura momentarily.

"I'm certain a skilled spellcaster would be able to remove the enchantment easily."

She eyed the bony bard, not amused by his parlor tricks.

"...But I suppose this one will have to do."

Making sure to remain at a distance, she bowed her head and waited. She had pressing news for Selena, but knew better than to speak out of turn, and had no desire to disclose more than she had to with these others present, the newcomer especially. There was a certain aura about him that Xeres could not place, and it bothered her.

[Goose]

"Well if your going to be like that, maybe I wont unlock it. I have feelings too your know!" Goose said, as George the sheep looked over that assaisin. He could so take the thing down quite easily.

Selena stared at Goose, just a long stare. The ice could be felt from the other room.

"ok ok, I'll do it. But not for her, but for you." and with that Goose uttered a few words and broke the enchantment.

[Selena]

Selena turned to look at Xeres as she approached, but said nothing, knowing full well that neither of them enjoyed speaking unless it was needed. Instead, the consul turned back to Goose and watched as he broke the spell, ignoring some of his blabbering beforehand. When the lock clicked, Lena instantly knelt down and flipped open the lid. Inside was nothing more than a letter with the seal of the alliance keeping it shut.

With a small smirk and a tone of voice that was perhaps a bit sarcastic, Selena gave Goose a salute and said, "Many thanks, master magician."

She stood back up, letter in hand, and ripped the seal off the envelope entirely. With a certain degree of controlled haste, she pulled the letter out from within, unfolding it. It was beginning to get dark, which mean any normal person would've had to squint to make it out, but years upon years in the depths of the Labyrinth made her eyes feel most at ease in dimly lit areas. It was no problem to make out the fine script even in the dusk.

"Well," Selena began to say, "here is what it says."

And with that, she began to recite the letter, verbatim, to her soldiers and assassin. It didn't appear to be directly from Khuffie himself, but rather from one of the other members of his inner circle.

"To the most exalted representative of Lanasach,

You have our thanks for your loyal support of the Alliance in these trying times. We are well aware that your forces are already stretched due to the persistant raids in the Innagos Desert, and as such, your volunteers will be given the best treatment the Alliance has to offer. In addition, for each volunteer Lanasach provides, we will pay the nation approximately 100 gold pieces for your generosity.

We do not expect Sornaiid to be in a state of unrest for much longer. And increased Alliance presence in the north will put a stop to any ill feelings the citizens there may have. When the insurrection comes to a close, your forces will be returned to you, and we will make it a priority to place more of the regular infantry in the desert to protect your trading routes.

Many thanks for your support. It will not be forgotten."

With that, Selena folded the letter back up, and placed it in her pocket for safe keeping. That was... most interesting. Sornaiid was in a state of rebellion, was it? She hadn't heard much from the outside world since Ikana was forced to retreat from the War. While Sornaiid had always been the thorn in the Alliance's side, she didn't expect it to rebel. Though with the chaos of war, perhaps it was now the most opportune time. For Ikana, as well.

Putting a hand to her chin thoughtfully, Selena continued on. "Well, then, it sounds like we may be able to take advantage of such a situation. With Sornaiid in disarray, we may be able to worsen the situation with a few strategic attacks. This will be most fortunate. Sornaiid is on the border of the Lost Woods. Establishing an outpost there to strike from would be most beneficial when we seek our vengeance on those forest dwelling fools."

She grunted, realizing it was growing late. "But, that's another day's matter. We've been out all day, and now it is time to rest. I want you all to resume your festivities and then get a good night's sleep. Who knows. We may be off on a vacation soon."

The consul then turned to head back into the castle, but before entering completely, she turned back around and stared at Xeres, whose presence was both unexpected and intriguing.

"If you had something to report, Xeres, enter and speak with me."

[Rhiannon]

Rhia was fairly confused. She was tired and wasn't really interested at seeing a smiple letter. Also, Xeres came, which meant something important happened and she would want to talk to Lena and get rid of the others around. She left quietly, but not before taking back Selena's scythe to practice with. One day she'd be just as good as her master, but now, she was only in training, a fact in which Lena never let her forget.

[Xeres]

Xeres pursed her lips, her thoughtful expression hidden well beneath the hood of her cloak. She pondered Selena's words carefully, in tune with her recent intelligence. While it always comforted her to know that the Alliance was in a state of civil unrest, she was largely unaware of Sornaiid's insurrection.

It took her a moment to realize that Selena was requesting her presence. Setting her recent thoughts aside, she turned to the issue at hand. She did indeed have news to report.

She made a slight bow to the bard, acknowledging his skill, but having no inclination to praise him further. She noted that the sheep was a new addition, and wondered exactly what kind of magic he had invoked to summon the creature, curious as it was. Another question to ponder later, lest she be sidetracked from her current business in Ikana.

She glided noiselessly across the ground, following Selena's lead up and into the castle, away from the supposed merriment she had no desire to partake in. Trailing behind her chosen leader, they entered a deserted drawing room, one that they usually met in. After a moment's hesitation, Xeres spoke up, still in that same death-whisper.

"...Are you sure it's safe to speak? After seeing that suspicious rookie... I wonder... It's not like you, to accept a new recruit into the inner sanctum so readily. Were the losses in the Dorm Wars really so severe?"

She contemplated her surroundings quietly. She remembered the former glory of Ikana, and it was rooms like these which hailed back to the grand days of the empire. She took greater comfort in these areas than associating with the shambling undead.

[Selena]

Upon entering the drawing room, Selena discarded the sand laden cloak she'd worn out to the desert, draping it across the back of an oversized chair. Preferring to stand, she leaned up against the wall, crossing her arms and watching Xeres for a moment before mustering up a reply. Thank goodness someone else had noticed that something was... off. Perhaps the others had, but simply didn't dare to say anything. So she hoped.

"I'm glad I'm not the only one who picked up on something unusual about that newblood," Selena said, looking to make sure all the doors to the room were tightly sealed. "I plan on keeping an eye on him at all times, to which the undead will help with. It's possible he's a spy sent by one of the other domains. Some of the Ikana soldiers are 'quirky,' shall we say, but he seems more out of place than anyone else. But this room should be secure enough for any conversation."

Taking a step away from the wall, she continued. "And yes, it's not like me to allow someone new in so quickly. Things have indeed been hectic since the war. The army we once had is no more. The soldiers we have now have been revitalized via the same methods by which I awakened them initially. Plenty are still injured and some are just now making their way back from being missing in action. It's a bit chaotic - difficult to keep track of people as they return. I'm anxious to rebuild before either dorm attempts to finish us off, I suppose. But on the bright side, if he does turn out to be a spy, we can hold him and interrogate him."

Shaking her head, she decided it was best to move on from the subject. That obviously wasn't what either of them had originally come here to discuss. Cut off from the outside world since the end of the war, if someone had any intel or news, Selena made it a priority to know what that was. So, cutting back to the point, Selena motioned for Xeres to take a seat, should she choose to.

"But that's another matter entirely. As I said, this room is secure. You may sit, if you'd like," she said. "Tell me what you've uncovered during your last outing."

[Xeres]

Xeres nodded, crossing her arms and glancing out the solitary window at the merriment that was continuing outside. A small shake of her head communicating her lack of understanding of such celebration. Before continuing, she felt the need to communicate something that had been weighing heavy on her mind for the past while. Rather than take a seat to make herself comfortable, Xeres drew back her hood, revealing a face that had never seen a stage of undeath. Pale white skin contrasted by dark blue eyes and a dull shade of red peered out, as Xeres adjusted to being exposed, a feeling she never had an easy time accepting.

"...I... Apologize for failing to rally with you in the war. I feel... Responsible for our loss, and the damage that has been caused... I was far away, and heard only of the war when it was too late. I have been absent in the wake of the war as well... But this time my reasons are much more beneficial to our cause."

She met Selena's gaze, feeling much too vunerable to continue on that tangent, and nearly disgusted at her sentimental relapse. She'd discarded such feelings long ago.

"Yes, I do have news that I feel is worth reporting to you."

She eyed the room warily, all too aware of the influx of spies that had appeared after the Dorm Wars. She'd run into and dealth with a number of lesser peons already.

"The dorms are in a state of disrepair. The conflict left no faction uninjured. Most are still licking their wounds, so I feel that any large-scale invasion is not a threat to us currently."

She met Selena's gaze now, hoping to impart some information of value.

"While the other domains muster their forces, not nearly as capable of regeneration as Ikana is, the cities of the Alliance are ripe with intel and supplies. Scores of mercenaries and assassins tell tales of unrest in cities, much like the news you gathered today. There is one tale I find interesting... Involving an artifact that I believe belonged to the original royalty of Ikana."

She looked around the room, spotted the book she wanted to reference, opened it and slid it across the table towards her.

"They stole it from us, and are currently investigating it, trying to unlock its magical properties... Rumor has it... It originally came from the Labyrinth."

She paused for a moment, knowing that should catch Selena's interest, if nothing else.

"I believe it can restore Ikana to its former glory... And our options are limited in this endeavour. I know we are short on supplies, and there are less convoys running through the desert... Khuffie has grown wise to your tactics, I would assume."

Nearly spitting the name of the ruler of the Legends Alliance, she looked away, aware it was a sore subject for both of them.

"I wonder... Perhaps you would be interested in recovering this artifact... I mean... It did belong to you, once."

She looked at Selena again, a slight smile crossing her lips.

"Did it not?"

[Selena]

Well, Xeres' little ploy had worked. At the mere mention of the Labyrinth, Selena's ears perked up and she leaned forward in interest, perhaps too much. No longer focusing on the assassin's apology for being abroad during the war, Selena instead snatched the book that was slid her way, staring at the pages left open. It was an old encyclopaedia entry, outdated and all ready she could spot several errors in the text, but the point hit home.

The Labyrinth didn't dwell on trinkets and charms, or other such artifacts. That was mainly something people would've found in the former domains that practiced magic more fervently, like the Chamber or the Village. Her old home didn't keep many things for themselves aside from a healthy supply of alcohol and standard weapons, but there were one or two things that definitely could be considered valuable. And Xeres had heard of one of them.

The Kanagida. Hell, Selena had thought that thing lost years ago.

"I... are you sure they were talking about this?" She asked incredulously. The consul then shook her head. "It was the spear I used during the war between the older dorms. When Jericho took over the Hall and attempted to invade the Labyrinth's territory using his newly acquired army. I was young then and didn't know what I was doing. I found that thing in the bowels of the underground, and thought it would be useful. It's a dangerous weapon. It amplifies your arcane powers to amazing levels, yes, but it takes away your logic and reason if you use it. It makes you run on pure instinct."

She shrugged. "I haven't seen it since the Labyrinth was flooded years ago. It was made long ago, before my time. An older ruler created it, sacrificing himself in order to transfer his own energies to the weapon so that future rulers of the Labyrinth could decimate any enemy that came their way. But, like any Labyrinth leader, he was quite corrupt. And so his anger and bitterness went with it. It is the antithesis of weapons such as the Master Sword and the weapon Jericho used during the war. It's rumored to kill anyone not in the Labyrinth's line of succession if they lay a hand on it."

It must've washed up in one of the tunnels, she reasoned, and some idiot had found it. No doubt he was dead by now, trying to pick it up, or had gone insane from the weapon's energies. But still, leaving the Kanagida in the hands of surface dwellers who hadn't the faintest idea what it could do was a most definite no-no. It needed to be at her side again, to that she could pass it along to her next of kin or her successor, Labyrinth still in existence or not. No one else was worthy of handling it, and naturally, some damn hero would try to melt it down and purge the world of its 'evil,' and she couldn't have that.

"Well, I won't have it making reckless, wannabe evil supermen out of commoners," Selena declared. "Tell me of this rumor you heard. Who has it now? Khuffie? Sornaiid?"

At least it wasn't that goddamned molten spork of Chik's.

[Xeres]

Xeres listened intently, sizing up whether Selena's tale was in line with the information she'd gathered. She found herself nodding along with each fact. It did indeed seem that this was the item she'd heard of. Their most recent intel seemed to have something to do with it as well.

"...I've heard that the item was in transit, and that wherever it traveled, rebellion erupted... So yes, it would have most recently been in Sornaiid. That coincides with what I've heard, as well. Judging by the status of the rebellion, it appears that the spear has left Sornaiid, but only recently. I can only assume that the Alliance has discovered it cannot be wielded by any mere human. It would probably be on its way to Glenien..."

She paused, and scowled noticably before continuing.

"As it is where the most knowledgeable scholars and blacksmiths concerning weaponry are stationed. Khuffie no doubt wants to harness this power to add to his own... And it would certainly bring disaster upon us and all the other dorms if he were to succeed."

She peered at her commander, finding her excited state to be slightly disconcerting, and somewhat amusing.

"It would appear my intel was correct, and you do indeed have a personal connection with this weapon."

She strode across the room, standing directly behind Selena, reading the text with little interest.

"I would assume that recovering this artifact would be in our best interest... I have no desire to grant Khuffie any more power... I assume you feel the same way?"

[Rhiannon]

Rhia couldn't sleep. She had tried everything from warm milk to counting sheep, nothing worked. Finally she decided to take a walk, the castle was quite nice at night, and walking through the empty halls were quite soothing.

After walking about for about 20 minutes she found her self in front of closed door, yet the light was still on. She was just about to turn the knob on the door so she could turn the lights off when she heard the hushing of whispers between two people. Instantly she knew one belonged to Selena and she suddenly felt a twang of guilt for what she had done earlier. She did trust Selena, but often became timid when it came to asking her about important things. Maybe she would get to speak to her tomorrow, for now, she had better get away from the door before someone noticed her and Lena became even more dissapointed. Ever so quietly she tip-toed backwards into the hall, tripping on her way and falling to the floor with a loud thud.

"Only me," she sighed and instantly got up and ran down the hallway so Lena wouldn't see her.

[Selena]

Selena opened her mouth to say something when she heard a thud from outside. Jumping up, she flung open the door. It crashed against the wall and she closely examined the hall, but found it to be barren. Well. That was slightly unnerving. It was difficult to hear from outside the room, that she knew, but if someone was even attempting to eavesdrop on her conversation, then it was time to put an end to it.

Shutting the door again, Selena turned back to Xeres. "I think it's time we conclude this discussion for safety's sake. As you said, it is in our best interest to recover the Kanagida. Perhaps we'll find more information in Sornaiid. I planned on paying it a visit anyway. I'll assemble a team in the morning. If you intend on sticking around, I could use someone with the ability to move covertly. More people with flesh would be good too. I feel fat here."

She collected her discarded cloak, draping it across her arms. Afterwards, she closed the book and returned it to the shelf, leaving nothing for anyone to examine should they enter later. The consul sighed deeply, her muscles sore from the day's adventures. She opened the door once more, ready to take her leave, but most definitely not heading to her bedchambers.

"If you do intend on coming with me, I hope you like pirates. I suggest getting a decent night's rest. You've probably been travelling all day anyway. Good night, Xeres. Keep your eyes on that potential spy for me. I have an errand to see to."

With that, Selena left, putting her cloak back on and heading out of the castle.

Edited by Selena, 19 June 2006 - 06:37 PM.

[Xeres]

Xeres cursed silently at the interuption, first for not being able to forsee it and second for disrupting her conversation. She nodded, deciding that her presence would be more valuable with the other Ikana warriors, at least for now.

"I will accompany you as long as I see fit, of course. With our lack of strong numbers... My aid will be somewhat necessary."

She made a mental note to discover who had the gall to eavesdrop, and to discuss that with them 'personally'.

"I trust you will keep me informed. You will know where to find me."

As soon as the door was opened, Xeres concealed herself in her cloak, not wanting the wandering eyes of Ikana to spy on her expressions. Finding herself far from enamoured with the helplessness of sleep, she exited the room and made her way to the roof of the ancient castle, content to look out on the desert landscape until morning, or until she was contacted otherwise.

[Rhiannon]

Rhia was out of breath. She ran as fast as she could. She knew that Lena would maybe probably understand but whoever she was with may not. She hadn't meant to disturb them, and cursed herself over and over again for her clumsiness.

She sat down in a corner, mostly concealed in the darkness and almost instantly fell asleep in the most awkward sleeping position ever, the moon's light shining ightly on her legs.

[Selena]

Selena left the castle grounds, her cloack wrapped around her body protectively as she occasionally looked back to make sure no one was following her. The most likely candidate for that would've been Rhiannon, but the girl seemed to have disappeared for the moment - though that was also somewhat unnerving. She headed behind the castle, via a small path that lead up the canyon walls. It was secluded enough, certainly out of view for most everyone in the main part of the Canyon.

She reached an outcropping of rocks, the ground not nearly at as much of an incline as the rest of the path. Once there, she knelt down to the ground, and brushed away several handfuls of sand, revealing the lid to a rectangular entrance of some kind. She used her fingers to pry it open, lifting up the heavy lid up with a decent amount of strength. Once open, she descended down into blackness, slamming the lid shut behind her.

Inside, the average human could've seen nothing. It was pitch black, but comfortably warm from the desert heat partially seeping through the stone during the day. But Selena could see perfectly, her eyes adjusting automatically. She walked down the straight, underground path, dodging the traps she knew were on the way, until she reached a small portal of swirling blue on the floor. She took a step forward onto it... and vanished entirely.

...She reappeared instantly, but much farther away. The engineers of this underground structure had foresight and wisdom enough to place those warp points at strategic locations, so that travel through the underground paths would be efficiently short. The new location she appeared in was still in a mountainous area, but it was far from Ikana. She had reached a certain nexus point in the tunnels, two other warp points in the chamber she was at. Instead of using one, she headed up through another passage, which was at a bit of an incline, taking her back up to the surface. Unlatching it, she opened it up and climbed onto the rocky ground above. It was dark ground, and not just because of the evening hours. The scent of volcanic ash and otherwise stagnant air filled her lungs, though for her, it was refreshing. Like coming home after a long day's work.

She was in the mountains. Below, far below, was a deep ravine between the peaks, and nestled under THAT was the main structure of a certain former dark empire. Selena hadn't been home in a while. In fact, neither of them had...

Selena approached the other figure waiting there, her disposition now a thousand times better than it had been at Ikana. It was amazing what a change in scenery could do for that. She turned to the other person, and smirked.

"Been waiting long?"

Cloaked in dark robes that were not quite a perfect shade of black, speckled by the same ash that floated around them like lifeless, muted butterflies, Selena's audience of one didn't even move their head to acknowledge that the Ikana leader had entered their presence. Instead they began to respond, "I'd say I haven't been holding my breath for you to come, but what breath?"

Pleased by their own sarcastic joke, the barely visible lips of the entity curled up mischievously. "You didn't come here just to enjoy the good weather, I assume?"

"Certainly not to enjoy your company," Selena replied dryly.

She moved a few paces forward, to stand shoulder to shoulder with the other person, looking down at the crevice below, where her home was located. Though it would have been more than fun to take a break and retreat down the mountain to go mingle with the others, she had business to attend to. And neither of them could spare much time here before someone noticed that they had gone.

"I'm here to see how the rest of the world is faring after our little dorm war. Ikana suffered an unfortunate defeat, but as far as I know, the others took quite a beating as well, yes?" Selena asked.

“You know how relentless those tree-dwellers can be,” the other responded, sounding a little bored by it all. It was often the same thing in the business of spying, these days. “They remain strong in theory, yet their focus is entirely internal. Quibbling amongst themselves about the laws of their land, practicing their artistic skills rather than filling their armory. The works of a frail organization. With any luck, they may yet bring themselves to ruin.”

The nameless individual lifted a single finger, twirling it in the air absently. The person knew that they were rambling. “The pirates, as always, have a fierce leader, but a wanton lot of drunkards as backup. The last battles did not help their morale, but that was only to be expected. Unless you ask me more direct questions, I can only think to tell you the general status of the enemies. Hell only knows that I find these powers so lowly in comparison to our home that it is difficult for me to even think of ways that they might be a threat.”

"I'm tempted to just start the operation now," Selena replied, crossing her arms. "But mark me down as being overly cautious, I suppose. I don't want to charge in too soon. As shown by the war itself, they can be a bit unpredictable, and I don't enjoy that variable much. Not that I'm at all emotional about Ikana's defeat, but still."

Figuring she might as well share some information of her own, Selena thought it wise to relay the data she had acquired from both her little raiding party as well what she had heard from Xeres. Having that spear on the loose, in a chaotic environment no less, was not comforting.

"I've heard that Sornaiid was in a state of rebellion. I plan on heading up there with an Ikana task force to shake things up further. In addition..." Selena began, pausing if, for nothing else, dramatic effect, "...I just heard that my old spear's surfaced somewhere up there. On it's way to Khuffie and the Tower, I imagine. I'll try to recover it when I'm up there, but should it get out of range and into his inner territories, I would hope you'd snatch it for me."

“I can make an attempt,” replied the faceless cloak, “But you must remember my position. With all eyes watching me so closely, including Khuffie himself, I must pretend to be unassuming and loyal at all times. Any wrong move could compromise everything. My power, yours…if our plans are discovered prematurely, we might have more wrath than we’d like hailing down upon us. I may be able to swipe your weapon, but too many favors will draw attention.” Fervent eyes glanced at Selena, a hint of anger entering their voice now. “I would have laid waste to the majority of them long ago if not for worry of backlash. Undying or not, our loyalists are still far more sparse than I would prefer. Too many have chosen open air or the more distant caves for their homes.”

“With his current position, even your brother could now be a threat, should he fail to properly align his loyalties. Not that I expect that he would dare.” They shrugged, dropping the topic like a rotting fish. “The spear will be back in your hands with any luck, and I will allow you to do any and all of the dirty work that you please. As always, just ask and I will do any behind-the-scenes assassinations or threats.”

The being stopped, shaking their head slowly. “Forgive me for my ambiguous words. Far too used to prying ears. And it’s so hard these days to rip them off without anyone noticing…”

"Well, don't worry. I'm sure that someday we'll be back to gutting and maiming anyone we care to," Selena said, grinning a bit. "In the meantime, I wouldn't worry too terribly much about the rest of our loyal soldiers. While some did disappear after the cataclysm that put the last dorms out of commission, remember that we have agents in all of the current groups, and in every level of the Alliance social structure."

Selena then chuckled. "Isn't it amusing that, save for one or two people, Ikana has no idea who they're really working for?"

"But I digress. I don't expect to run into much pirate trouble if I cross the sea, but Sornaiid might prove to be difficult with the Alliance on high alert. Not that I'm asking you to lower it down too far, but giving an order to put some gaps in the naval patrols would be most helpful. The more chaos I can create there, the better."

Selena then twitched her lips into a smirk, leaning in and elbowing the other person. "It's a shame you miss out on all the fun these days."

The other individual seemed to flinch, unaccustomed to being touched so freely. But it took only a bare few seconds for them to return a quick punch at Selena’s arm, a sign of the strange friendship that they shared. “Being a supposedly unbiased onlooker has its drawbacks, but I would do it for an eternity if it could somehow help the cause.”

They pointed in the direction of an entirely random rock face, or rather past it and into the unknown, “I will plead my case that more of the ocean-dwellers defenses should be on the barricades of their fortress instead of the border, but expect also that I might contact you with the times and locations that our own might be on patrol duty. A shame that I cannot join in on causing havoc in Sornaiid itself.”

The black cloak shifted as their attention was drawn back toward Selena and the being spoke in a low, almost accusing tone, “I worry that you grow too close to those canyon inhabitants. You may watch and protect them for now, but if I dare catch wind that you’re growing soft…”

Selena grunted. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to here? The ones that don't know of us are cannon fodder like the rest of the pitiful people we're going up against. Until that day comes, however, I've got to look like a decent leader. You know how that goes."

"Though, speaking of them, we should both be getting back. Ikana's guards will no doubt be making their rounds again, and my absence won't go unnoticed," she added, turning back to the way she came from. She then turned her head back around, scowling. "And if you dare insinuate I'm going soft one more time, so help me, I'll gut you, and not in the fun drunken bar fight way."

She wrapped her own clothing around her body tighter. Her skin had gotten used to desert heat. It felt unusually cold here now, and she clicked her tongue in annoyance at that fact. "Anyway. I'll no doubt be on my way in the morning. I'll try to keep in touch with you somehow, but my next report might not be for a few days. Longer if I have to deal with Juno's forces."

As she made her way towards the entrance, she waved her hand, in an attempt to shoo the other person away. "Well, go on before Khuffie notices his lapdog's missing. Oh, wait, sorry. Did you want a hug first?"

She stretched out her arms with an overly innocent look on her face, in an attempt to piss the other person off.

If Selena thought that her movements to leave had given her some distance from the second party in this conversation, she was sorely mistaken. A hand bearing talon-like nails lunged for the neck of Ikana’s sovereign, and with it a mouth holding back venomous words was close to the woman’s ear. “You have proven your strength from the beginning, but don’t forget who we are, or what I am. Lapdogs still have teeth, dear.”

They pushed away again and retreated a few steps, smirking with achieved satisfaction. “Go back to your motley troupe of soldiers now. Any longer so close to your real home, and you may just catch a cold.”

Years of this kind of behavior had made Selena somewhat immune to any kind of shock about such an 'attack.' Instead, she remained perfectly still while the other woman spat at her, and coughed once after her throat was released, but not because it had really hurt all that much. With a sigh, Selena brushed off her clothing.

"You're so cuddly."

She kicked open the entrance of the underground passage and turned back to give the other person a mocking and overly dramatic salute.

"Goodnight, your highness."

Selena left her companion then, sliding back down into the tunnel below and heading back to the warp point. Following the same path as before, she returned to Ikana, sliding into her own bed, thoughts of visiting Sornaiid in her mind. It was no doubt going to be an... interesting journey.





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ooc: End Ikana's first story arc. Will start a new thread soon. Maybe after Goose gets back. Or one of you can. We'll talk.