Ryudo Lee's Legacy

[Gareeku]

As Winger and Aisha talked, a hand suddenly rested on the panther's shoulder.
"I hope you're not planning on going anywhere without me." Gareeku said, smiling warmly at Aisha before turning to Winger, bowing slightly. "Gareeku Manoko at your service."

[Cogidubnus]

Cog brushed a bit of the sawdust from his trousers and stood up.
"I've seen a lot of intimidating people in my time, and seen a lot of strange users of dark magic. I haven't seen one stupider than that." He says, leaving a silver coin on the table. "She walks into a tavern, proceeds to declare her malevolent intentions, and waits calmly while spellcasters and rogues tear her to pieces. Surely, I have not met a more polite foe. If only all dark wizards were as courteous." He turned to leave, and his eyes drifted towards Sebastian, who was still standing near the spot the mage had died. His eyes seemed to be focused on the air.
"Is he okay?" Cog says,

[Stygian]

The bat seemed to hear Cognidubnus' words immediately, for his ear twitched and he turned, walking up to them and smiling.
   "Fear not, good man. I am merely pondering what this could mean to us all, if indeed another angel has fallen", he said, clasping his hands behind his back and tilting his head to the side while 'looking' at them with a curious expression. "You were not aware that I knew about these events?", he continued with a sly smile. "It's really more simple than you might think; after what took place last time something like this happened I was assigned the duty of watchman over the situation by the Holy Matre who had been in communion with Justice. The whole of the conlectio is quite concerned about the situation." His tone was brisk and clear. "I've had my eyes on many of you for quite some time." Somehow, Cog seemed to sense his attention went to Aisha, Gareeku and the avian.

   The voice speaking to Slevrani stopped, and for a moment she could feel irritation and fury unshielded through whatever link it had made with her. It was a horrible feeling, as if she were a mouse trapped under a huge paw that pressed harder on her for a moment. She could not help but shiver. Or rather, at the loss of a physical form, feel something that was in a way more profound than that. Then she fell into darkness, and she felt movement, somehow.
   It was not the voice of a god, the voice of what had taken her, she realized. She didn't know why she made that conclusion, but probably she was so used to dealing with these kinds of entities and powers that it came naturally. No, the unmasked voice of a god, no matter its nature, was a power that would have made any creature either quake with fear, cry with joy or topple with confusion; a blaze and a whisper all in the same. This voice was cold and unfeeling, and only made her feel empty and alone.
   It was not the voice of a demon; they were chaotic and forceful, mostly either violent, seductive or plainly repulsive. Like bones crushing underfoot, or ones that seemed to come at you through a haze of alcohol and other intoxicants, or hacking coughs and rasping slithers. This voice was not violent, for it did not have to be. It did not try to sweep her aside, but clawed at and around her carefully, as if sensing and testing her.
   It was not the voice of an angel; they were vibrant and clear, resounding and powerful, and gentle at the same time. This one was not nearly so pleasant, quite the opposite in fact. It held emotion and thought, but it was devoid of life. It did not call to her and reverberate in her mind; it creeped through her and chilled her to the bone.
   What was it?

   "Of course. But not an unbearable one, We think. Not even to someone as accustomed to power as you. Should you choose to accept, you will renounce all other allegiances, cut all other bonds and unswear all faiths. You will answer only to us, until We release you from servitude. In return, we will imbue you with power; a power that We do not think you will be all that unfamiliar to. And, of course, we will restore you to full health and find you a new vessel."

   The bat-priest walked up to Aisha and Gareeku.
   "In our mutual interests, may I ask that I be permitted to lend you my assistance?", he said, and made a small bow.

   "Your perception will be changed to suit your new form, as will your name, so you can better serve us. And you will serve without hesitation, though your mind will still be your own. Rest assured that your memory and personality will be unaltered. Them, we need."
   The voice made a short pause.
   "What is your answer?"

[Aisha deCabre]

Upon feeling Gareeku's hand on her shoulder, she turned to him with a grin; the panther should've seen that one coming.  The opportunity for adventure wasn't lost on her friend, nor herself.  "I wouldn't dream of it, amigo," she answered and turned her head back to Winger to hear his reply.

Then, her ear swiveled to catch Sebastian's voice, and she turned around to eye him with interest at his words.  Something about him was indeed strange.  She couldn't put her finger on it...it was even disturbing, the fact that he had been watching the activities of some of the quest's adventurers after it had all been over.

Regardless, the panther just tried to shrug it off, sending the bat a welcoming smirk.  "Well, if this is anything like last time, and you know as much as you say you do, then we may need all the help we can get," she pointed out, her eyes wandering back over the old and new members of the party, led now by Winger it seemed.  "Definitely like old times..."

[Cheese Foxlee]

"Shall we go then?" Winger chuckled as he ask, and motioned to the door. Winger Shuttered a bit as he stepped into the door way; half with exicetment, and half with terror.  He liked the Idea of another adventure, but he was also looking forward to returning home.  As he stepped out into the night for the fourth or fith time that night he sniffed the air clicked his beak acouple of times  and steped out stepped forward, following an almost familiar pillar of smoke growing out of the west.

[Azlan]

"I think it would be best to go.  Things falling from the heavens is rather disturbing and quite auspicious that it should happen when so many of us gather in one place."  Carran stated as he nodded, "prophecy and soothsaying may just be an art of stringing unrelated coincidences together cleverly, but one cannot discount that some things are best investigated."

The fox mage bowed to those assembled, "I apologize for dropping in on conversations without invitation, but adventure must be taken when presented... rarely is it ever scheduled.  I am known as Carra'Rosgon Su'Arraen-Ernil, or simply Carran"

[That is "car-in", like you drive a car and go in the house.  Just trying to curtail those that call him "karen".]

[topher chee]

    Topher struggled to free himself from his predators grasp.  The figures that held him down had gas masks on and were dressed in a rather creepy apparel.  He attempted to kick one of the figures in the chest in hoping to free his arm, but he could not free either of his legs so he turned to the only thing he could have.  Flames began to take over each of his limbs and his eyes began to glow.  He gritted his teeth.  Suddenly his entire body was blazing with a fierce flame. The figures let Topher go and he dashed for the one of the walls.  He pressed hisopen hand against the wall and used all of his might to get through.  Slowly but surely he began to melt his way out. With a hole melted big enough for him to stick his arm through, he shot flames outward and up toward the sky, in hope of drawing someones attention.  A moment later, one of the figures found a way to pull him back.(They must've put on some really heat-resistant gloves)  As Topher was pulled back he peered out the hole he left, it soon began to close over.  In the distance he saw smoke rising through the skies.  Had he caused a fire?

[Snuggles]

(You know Topher that Pen and me are in the room right?)
Rei seeing the seen in front of her, she gasps. Topher looks to be in trouble by these... things, is the best way she could explain it to herself. "Hey you guys stop that right now... Let him go!"

[Aisha deCabre]

"Glad to have you with us again, Carran," Aisha nodded with a polite bow back and turned where Winger was.  Stepping out of the doorway, Aisha's neck craned up to the sky where the pillar of smoke was quite visible even in the evening sky.  "Hum, I hope we don't hope to travel all night," she muttered and kept a hand on the handle of her boomerang, just more comfortable traveling when it's getting dark to keep a weapon handy.

Looking about at everyone who was coming, the panther smirked.  The party looked small so far, at least those who voiced actively that they were coming, but everyone in their own right was talented in adventuring it seemed.  They could get the job done.

From the corner of her eye, Aisha also spotted something else shooting into the sky.  It was very brief flare, but bright.  "What was that?" she said and turned around, wondering if it was just her imagination.

[Stygian]

"It would appear", the bat priest introduced as Sebastian said, and made a slight pause, "that magic is in the work. Fire, from the look of it. And it has a... certain flavour to it. I can trace it, if you like."

   The voice resumed, and sounded agitated.
  "Time is running low, Slevrani. Serve us or die. The choice is yours."

[Cogidubnus]

"As opposed to wizards, Clerics are people whom I do highly respect." Cog says, tipping his hat to Sebastian. "They usually have a sense of gravity and...responsibility, that Wizards do so often lack." He says as he walks outside the tavern. He grabs his sword from where it was leaning on the wall, and looks up at the rising smoke in the distance.
"I do hope all of you don't mind, but I've been very bored with sitting around drinking, and I'd like to see what's flown out of the sky this time. Don't get me wrong, that's some nice whiskey...but a little excitement might do me good." He says grinning, still staring at the smoke.

[topher chee]

   Noticing that Pan and Rei were in the room, Topher rushed to their side and began to ease a bit now that he had companions.  He threw his arms into the air and yelled.  A large flame emersed from his fingertips and a blaze swallowed the figures.
   As the figures fell to the floor Topher and the others rushed to the wall.  Topher began to melt his way through the wall this time with both hands.  Two holes begann to form and he began to grow tired.  His flames began to die and he could no longer use his ability.  He shot the last flames he could into the sky hoping more would come to help.

[Snuggles]

Rei still keeping an eye on the other figures in the room. Started to edge back to where Topher was then in a moments time she tries to grab him and run but he was too hot for her to grab and burned herself on him. "Oww, That hurt..."She looks at him. "Why did it do that?"

[topher chee]

  Topher turns to Rei, don't worry about me, get yourselves ouut here.  Returns to his normal state.  Topher then throws a pouch to Rei.  "Get an aloe vera strip from my pouch.  Apply it gently and get out of here it isn't safe.  Try and contact the others.  I'll be ok for a little while longer." 
  He then returns to his tapped form and begins to melt his way through the wall again.  A whole widens big enough for Rei and her friend Pan to leave.  "I wish I could go with you but the wall will close on me as soon as I get a chance.  I'll keep it open for you for as long as I can.  Go now before more come!"

[Cheese Foxlee]

[Sorry for not posting again]

Winger walk on, being sure not to get ahead of the others. "The Impact sight is not far from heres it shouldn't take more than a few minutes."  Hopefully what ever crashed there hasn't  been discovered yet.  As he stepped thoughhen noticed the fire shooting into the sky.  "Did anyone else see that?"

[Joat]

When Cogidubnus makes his comment, Sylva thinks, I wonder if he thinks of me as one of the exceptions to that rule.

“That first part, I can definitely do. I am loyal to nobody. As for slavery, that’s my shtick. I hate you for adding servitude to your conditions and I will no doubt hate you more when I figure out what you have planned, but… it seems I have little choice in the matter. Fine, servitude it is,” Slevrani says.



“Listen, Topher. If I were to leave you here, I would (1) be haunted by my conscience and (2) probably get fired for it. The motto of the police department is ‘to protect and serve’. Also, you are aware that I can teleport you out with me, right?” Pan says to Topher.



“Pan hasn’t come back yet. I sure hope he’s okay,” Sylva thinks aloud. She then sees the fire in the sky and says, “Which one are we going to investigate first? On one hand, this ‘angel’ is very important, from what I gather. On the other hand, I don’t think that was a normal fire and shooting flames or something similar when one is in trouble is common practice where I come from.”

[Azlan]

The fox mage smiled, "It is most delightful to see you again Aisha and you as well Winger.  It is also good to meet a capable wolf such as yourself Gareeku.  I had hoped to find Ryudo again, but that must wait, we have some happenings that should be investigated."

Carran turned to regard the sky outside, "Hmmm, fire in the sky... I know there is song about that from some other world, but I can not seem to remember it.  I have a feeling that examining the fire may be a slightly more immediate concern."

The fox walked forward and outside, following his sense to lead him to the outburst of fire.

[Stygian]

At Cognidubnus' remark, Sebastian gave him a short smile and a small bow of thanks.
   "Maybe that is true. Maybe", he said, and then his face turned serious. "But what kind of responsible man would I be if I left my own behind? I am sorry, but I will have to catch up with you in a short while. I have someone I need to alert." He started walking quickly in another direction.
   "Worry not. This will not take long", he said, and waved at them all. "I will be back before you can say your prayers." Whatever that was supposed to mean, they didn't know.

   "Good", the voice continued with a musing tone. "Hatred is something We are used to, so don't overexert yourself. And We think you might actually like what is to come..."
   Slevrani was suddenly overwhelmed by something of the oddest and most powerful sensation she had ever felt. Shadows seeped into her, crawled into and merged with her, forcing her shadowy remnant of a form to grow. She felt herself changing, something that was made even more dramatic by her incorporeal state. It was pain and pleasure at the same time, disgusting and wonderful all in the same. She lost consciousness, and slipped into darkness...

   A minute or so later, in a bar down the street not much more than a block from where the bat-priest had left the group, Clarissa was finishing her round. There hadn't been much customers in that day, and most of her working hours had been spent in the kitchen rather than up in front of the desk. The lupine woman had just changed out of her working clothes and gone to the bathroom. Janice, the feline barmaid who shared Clarissa's shift, was still working, washing off and looking herself over in the big full-wall mirror over the sinks outside the toilet booths.
   "I'll be out of here in a half. You're going right to your place, right?", she asked while straightening her blouse.
   "Yeah", Clarissa replied. "Come by and we can pick up Mary after the park, okay?"
   "Got it", the feline replied and then walked out with rapping heels.
   Clarissa finished her business and got out of her booth, turning a tap with the tip of her fingers and washing her hands. After hours, she and her friends worked a bit at the theatre, often doing stand-ins or side-roles. But she was really hoping to make a more serious career of acting later, if she could only afford it.
   All of a sudden, the water in the tap stopped running. Clarissa looked at it, puzzled. She twisted the knobs, but no water would come out. That's when she got the feeling of being watched, as if she were not alone in the bathroom. She looked up in the mirror, but couldn't see anything. Everything was silent and still.
   Then, one of the booth doors made a tiny squeak. She turned against it.
   Something shot into her from behind. She made a short scream as she contorted, and was then thrown up against a wall. She would have kept screaming, except all the air seemed to have been pressed out of her lungs. And there was something else. Something moving...
   She was thrown again, pressed up by something invisible against the ceiling. She twitched and shook, and the world began to darken...

[Gareeku]

Grinning at Aisha's reply, then Gareeku turned his head upon hearing Sebastian's words.
"Fine by me." the wolf replied with a smile. However, he wasn't sure what it was, but there was something strange about the stranger.

Turning to Carran, Gareeku smiled.
"And it is an honour to meet a skilled Mage such as yourself." the wolf replied, bowing politely as he spoke.

Following the others, Gareeku looked into the sky, observing the rising pillar of smoke billowing from the woods in the distance as he walked with his allies. Hearing Aisha's words and glancing at her, Gareeku smirked slightly.
"Typical feline; always on edge." Gareeku joked, a grin on his face as he spoke. However, he too had a hand resting on his weapon, as he also knew it was better to be safe than sorry.

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha's eyes were tuned to the sky where she thought the flare was...how could only she have noticed it?  Such light should have stood out in darkness...

Her ears swiveled back to catch what conversations had been started with the traveling party, with a roll of her eyes at Gareeku upon his statement.  She turned around and listened to a few others' responses, a little less frustrated at the fact that she wasn't the only one.  "See, I'm not crazy," she chuckled with a half-humor and glanced back to the sky between that spot and where the smoke was still rising, only looking with slight curiosity at the fact that Sebastian had paused and left for a moment.

"Does anyone else think that the angel...or whatever it is...can wait for a second?  Maybe a few others of our party is missing..." she said, unsheathing her weapon.  The panther's priorities were always easy when it came to trouble: near, then far.

[Cogidubnus]

"I hope that it will not take too long to gather out party." Cog says, sliding his sword into his belt. "I think that whatever this is, if it is indeed harmful, will not likely wait for the any defenses to gather." His eyes turn over to Aisha, and he adjusts his shades. "IS anyone missing? I didn't notice someone being spirited away, but I do miss such things on occasion."

He grabs a single charm from the inside of his jacket, and loops the chain around his neck. The air around him curdles for a moment, seemingly twisting, and then fades back to normal.

[Cheese Foxlee]

Winger ignored everyones conversation and pressed on.  "If it's really so important to you, go investigate those flames.  I'm moving forward."  Winger paused for a moment. then turned around and laughed a bit.  "If any of you who are going to investigate see Rei, tell her that I said thanks for not taking my bag when the witch appeared." then with a Little shutter, the bird fluffed his feathers, and continued walking.  He didn't want to leave anyone behind, but he knew that here werealready evil forces at work, and what ever had fallen in the woods, may have something to do with the event of two years earlier.  Fast action had to be taken.

[Joat]

“I regret saying this, but since both of these tasks seem to be vital, splitting up may be our only choice. It’s risky, but we can’t be in two places at once,” Sylva says.

[Gareeku]

Listening to what the others said, Gareeku nodded his head in agreement upon hearing what Sylva had to say.
"I agree. There are strange things going on around here, and I don't think any of these "events" should be left unchecked." the wolf stated calmly. "I know it doesn't sound like the best plan of action, but we need to split up into two groups."

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha nodded, straightening up a little bit and bringing her gaze back to the group, first answering Cog's quick inquiry, her tail flickering with thought.  "Well, I'm not sure myself how many there originally were...many of the tavern's people fled upon the arrival of that witch.  But there was one who seemed to disappear straight from sight..."

She shrugged.  "Maybe that's the one who had sent that flare.  At any rate," she turned to the group, "We can't let Winger go investigate that meteor thing alone either."

Thoughtfully, she glanced towards the avian.  Though both situations were now of equal importance to the adventurers, splitting up was indeed the best way.  She nodded before making her decision.  "I'll go with Winger.  We've seen the fallen angel before and would probably better handle the situation if it is indeed the same.  But it's your choice, the rest of you.  We can meet up later."  She smirked and pointed up.  "Just follow the big smoke trail."

[Stygian]

Stygian really liked all of this. It had taken much less effort than they had expected to lead things on, and now that the fallen had descended again they might really get to see it this time. To boot, the adventurers, which admittedly they were though that term was plainly a loose one, were talking about splitting up. Watching them from the darkness of a nearby rooftop, they had to make an effort not to growl with delight. And even then a low purr escaped their lips. They checked themselves quickly though. They weren't sure of the capabilities of these people, but at least one of them they knew was very good at detecting them despite their capabilities. In fact, she was the only one who had managed to in quite some time.
   Their attention fixated on the panthress who had just spoken. They remembered her clearly now, just as they did the wolf, who plainly was just as intriguing to them. And they had recovered something that concerned her as well. They mused a little, wondering at the circumstances of things and thinking ahead a bit. But they quickly returned to the present, as they felt their new 'companion' growing impatient, in addition to her frustration. They were a bit impatient too, actually. This business didn't seem like it could lead much anywhere. But they had to play along, so they slithered off the roof and down the alley beneath it.

   "May I advise then that we send those that are best for combat purpouses to aid our friend in need?" the bat-priest queried as he walked out from an alley around the corner. "I came as fast as I could. Has the situation changed?" He tilted his head to the side a bit, looking them over. Then he seemed to realize he had forgotten something. There was someone with him, striding along just behind him. He turned to her.
   "Sorry, I forgot. This is my secretary, miss Fors," he said.
   She turned out to be a wolf of about the same age as him, perhaps a bit younger. She was tall, though some inches short of him, and had fair fur and hair almost as blond as his own, with just some few small black patterns and black eartips. Athletically built, she was shapely and beautiful, though in an unpolished way. Her hair was neatly cropped at shoulderlength, and a forelock fell over her well-formed face, with prominent cheekbones, a straight muzzle and green-grey eyes with a hint of amber in them. She wore an outfit that held semblance to his in many ways, with a blouse, vest and hood, and a sort of parted skirt over a pair of short pants. She smiled confidently, and bore herself with a sort of practiced determination as she walked up to them and made a small curtsy, but her cheeks were slightly red, though whether she was shy or flustered you couldn't tell.
   "A pleasure," she said simply in a smooth alto.

[Azlan]

Carran came running back from around the corner, he had thought everyone had made up their mind to move, "We really should go to investigate these occurrences."

Carran calmly held his long sword in his right hand and his staff in the left.  He noticed the bat priest and smiled, it was so nice to have a priest along.  They were wonderful companions and excellent orators in spiritual methods and the furre condition.  Carran sincerely hoped this was an open minded theurgist and not a religious extremist.

The fox waited patiently for the others to decide where to go, he would follow.

[Gareeku]

Listening to what Aisha said, Gareeku nodded.
"Ok then. One half of the group will investigate where the flare came from, and the others can go with Aisha and Winger to invesitage the crash site. We'll meet up again at the crash later." the wolf said, before beginning to walk off towards where the flare had come from.

[Stygian]

Without hesitation, the bat-priest sided up beside Gareeku, and his secretary just behind them. He handed her his coat, while swinging that cross-shaped sword with a sharp-edged wooshing sound by his side.
   "No wasting time. I like that," he said, sounding pleased. "Let us go then. But haste not too much, for that may as well lead to unthoughtful action." His voice was melodious and seemed almost reciting, but there was too much thought put into it to be a mere recitation.

[Cheese Foxlee]

Winger pressed on, knowing that he would soon be followed by a small group of adventurers.  He was hoping that they would hurry up and decide who was going where, because so much time had already been waisted.  " We're going to be late." Winger gritted his beak and doubled his pace.  Walking seemed like it was more trouble than it was worth, but something was telling him that it wasn't safe for him to take to the sky.