"It seems they want to hang you for small crimes. It's unfortunate, truly. You could be an asset to something, somewhere. I guess Since we're close to death, We may as well tell each other everything about us. It will be our last days, and they should be good."

Carlyle feeling the wall behind him, began to relax his body. He looked at the bars. It was dreadful to him, feeling like a slave. Knowing his life would end in 4 days. It was awful.

"I was born August 8th. The year is irrelevant, I was born into poverty. Grew up and only knew how to fight with a sword, fist, and any blunt object. It had no practicality. I grew up, my mother was miserable. She gave all she could for me and my brother, or sister I can't remember. He or she died as an infant unfortunately. My mother was a wreck, and I needed a job to support us. As previously mentioned, I only knew one thing, that was to use weapons. When I was 14 I was recruited into the kings military, by 16 I was already on the frontlines of war."

He paused for a moment as he had to word things correctly.

"The king promised food and shelter for my family. He never made good of his word. It disgusted me, more than the pointless killing I had to do to remain alive. I still fight. And killing is easier, but. That's not something I gained over time. Its this dreadful gaunlet." He raised his hand to the sunlight that was slowly peaking in. "This gaunlet is cursed, some say possessed, others say powerful. I say dreadful."


Carlyle stopped his story as the guards patrolled the cell block to make sure no one was talking. And so Carlyle whispered. "We'll continue later. We've still got 3 days."

As strange as it seemed, Elyan chuckled at Aizengard's words.

"Put the bow down? Sure, I'd be more than happy to."

He immediately dropped his bow and arrow. As he did, his right hand started glowing a faint blue color. Slowly, against his will, Aizengard started pulling his knife away from Elyan's throat. After the knife was safely away from him, Elyan turned around and shoved his right palm towards Aizengard, knocking him backwards with a burst of psionic energy strong enough to throw him into a nearby wall. Elyan then drew his sword and glared at Aizengard intensely.

"You know, I was really hoping that I wouldn't have to do that. But since I've got you here in this position, let's talk a little more about your proposition. I'll make you a deal. Two of us go with you to make sure that you're not trying to pull anything while everyone else makes preparations to storm the castle. Sound fair? I hope so, since I'm pretty sure that you're really not going to like the alternative."

He pointed his sword at Aizengard's neck.

"I've come a long way to get here. Everyone I talked to back home said that I was insane to even come here. They said it was suicide. There wasn't a single person in my village that didn't beg me to stay, but I still left because I couldn't do what they were doing. I couldn't just sit around and wait for things to get better out here just because it wasn't affecting me back home. So try to get this through that thick skull of yours if you can; if there's even a slight chance that someone could betray us, that's a chance that I'm not willing to take!"

There were two quick clonks that left Elyan and Aizengard rubbing their heads.

"You two, KNOCK IT OFF! IF EITHER OF YOU MAKES JUST ONE MORE MACHO THREAT OR RAISES A WEAPON, I WILL LEAVE BOTH OF YOU INCAPABLE OF PLEASURING A WOMAN FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES! AND IF YOU REALLY TEST ME, I SWEAR TO EVERY DEITY THERE IS, I WILL LEAVE YOU WANTING TO HUMP THE NEAREST SHEEP!"

Mathuriel, bathing complete, redressed, putting down his scepter in order to do so after delivering said clonking.
He looked back at them, fuming.

"For better or worse, we're going together. We can't split up, because that's stupid, because they're going to be expecting us and we'll be overpowered and murdered. We also don't want to take the chance that he's lying, because that leaves an innocent girl in trouble. So you two either behave yourselves, or I will -."
Mathuriel then rattled off a list of things too rude and explicitly horrible to write down in polite company. (I have standards, after all, and my GF reads this ) "So make up now, and please, SHUT UP!"

With that infuriated threat, Mathuriel turned to the ladies.
"Waiting on you, mademoiselles."

The man raised an eyebrow.
"Tragic hero type. Haven't met one of those before," he said rolling his eyes sarcastically.
"Anyways, you're right. Three more days til our execution. So may as well have time with our thoughts."
He sat back, and promptly fell asleep.

Zenith comforted Serena as she got started. They got up and stretched.
"Boys, out. The women get to bathe now. Privately."

OOT : AW damn things just got serious lol

Ella shook her head at the two. If it wasnt for Marthuriel stepping she would have done it giving the two men the 'shock of their lives' (take that as you may lol)
"I'm ready when you are. I think we can take a small detour. That way we can prepare ourselves for going after the king"
Ella looked at Zenith
"I think ill pass, the swim last night was enough for me"

Allora got up and stretched once more
"As much as I'd like to join you I need to find my brother. I know he is close"
she looked down at spirit
"Spirit has been tracking him down and we thought he was with you but his sent had since faded"

"Hey, you got to see me bathe," Mathuriel pointed out, a twinkle in his eye.
"I don't suppose you could let me return the favor..."
He went for the weak target.
"Ella..."
He stepped closer, and turned on the puppy dog eyes - they had never failed.
"Can I stay to protect you while the girls bathe? Pwease?"
He looked at Zenith with a grin.
"She's team leader, if she says I can stay then you have to deal with it" - instant transition back to looking into Ella's eyes making his own as wide as possible - "Pweaase?"

Elyan rubbed his head after putting his sword away. He turned towards Mathuriel.

"Fine, whatever. It's way too early in the morning for me to be dealing with this kind of stuff, anyhow."

He turned back over to the ladies.

"You won't have any problems from me, go ahead and bathe in peace. Never let it be said that I can't be reasonable."

He then went outside and found a nice tree to sit under.

Ella looked away and shook her head
" I said i wasn't going to bathe and i don't think zenith and serena would want you perving on them"
She took hold of his ear and started walking out of the cave. She looked at the other man who was still in the room
"you out....NOW"
Her eyes started glowing blue. then she proceeded to walk dragging mathuriel by his ear
"I might be 'team leader' But I, nor the other girls need your protecting, we can protect ourselves"
She dragged him outside of the cave then let go of his ear
"Now then your going to behave yourself, your frightening the little girl"
she crossed her arm and waited for the other two to come out
"If you dont get out here now i will come in there and do the same to you as i did mathuriel!!"

"Ow, ow, worth a shot, ow -"

Mathuriel bowed his head when she let go. "For Serena's sake, I'll behave."
Then he waited for Aizengard to come out, and for the ladies to do their thing. He sat back, letting his imagination play in his head...

(OOT: Meant to say this in the last post. Thanks for butting in and ruining my fun, Captain Castration. To quote Yusei from the Yu-gi-oh Abridged Movie, "I totally won that duel!")

Elyan grinned widely at Ella's treatment of Mathuriel. He talked to her as they were walking out of the cave.

"You know, at first I was worried that there wouldn't be anyone worth talking to on this little journey...but you, I like. Let me know if you ever want to talk to someone who isn't a complete idiot for a while, I'd be happy to oblige."

MateusseDarkslight wrote:

An arrow thudded by Valun's head.
A group of archers stood on the battlements, laughing.
One of them threw a decapitated wolf's head onto the ground in front of the wildman, the terrified eyes staring unseeingly.
Another arrow thudded.
"Go on, run away, monkey man!" they jeered. "Yah, yah!"

He reached up to the head, his fingers over it's eyelids.
'You are with Gaia now, brother.' Valan closed its eyes. 'Be at peace.'
He left the head where it lay, and slowly stood, walking away from the taunts and arrows of the archers.

Ella smiled
"I'll take that into consideration. I don't think we officially met"
She held out her hand
"I'm Ella, apparently I'm the 'leader' in all this"
She sighed
"Everyone just happened to show up at my estate and then it was burned down and that's how we ended up out here running for our lives. I have my reasons to go after the king as well as everyone else in this group. I just want to stop his reign of terror on everyone. I've see what he is capable of"
She closed her eyes for a moment taking a deep breath before opening them again
"He just needs to be stopped"

Elyan shook Ella's hand and listened to her story. After she finished, he folded his arms in thought.

"Yeah, he does. We'll make it happen somehow. We might have to face down half the king's army to do it, but has that ever stopped us before?"

He then spoke in a much softer tone, almost a whisper.

"It sounds like this might be something personal for you, too. I know how that goes...if you ever want to talk about it, I'll listen."

Then, not wanting to draw any attention from the others, he lied down on the grass and started talking like his usual self again.

"I'll be here until all the fun, exciting stuff starts happening. But not sleeping. I know better than to sleep around some of you."

OOT: Sorry I was go for so long today I had a lot of stuff that needed to be done

Aizengard perked up his ears at what Elyan said. "Ah, it's good to see that the princess has a softer side. I'll keep that in mind next time he threatens my life. Oh and umm.... you, the guy who hit me, I'm sorry about all that commotion. I'll be sure to say I'm sorry to the little one. I just don't take threats to well." He said.

Getting up to leave the area he grabs his knife and shakes his head felling dizzy after casting his last spell.

"Oh... gotta remember I can't be using that spell to often. I wish I had a drink..." He said stumbling out of the area.

When Elyan spoke to her in a whispered tone she simply nodded and whispered her thanks back. To her going after the king was personal. Ella looked over to Aizengard
"It might be a few days before we are able to come across a town, let alone a bar. you might want to get used to being sober or you might not make it"

Zenith and Serena went to the water once everyone else was gone. They scrubbed themselves and helped each other clean their backs.

Serena smiled then began to cry.
"It's like I have my sister back."

Zenith held her close.
"It's okay, Serena." she comforted. They scrubbed their clothes, put them back on, and swam back out.

Peace seemed to have been achieved all round.
"Good good. Just waiting on the ladies, then we'll head on out."
Mathuriel looked up at the morning sky.
"Today feels like a better day than yesterday... though that's not hard."
He looked down at his group.
"We ready to move out?"

Ella nodded
"I am, I prefer not to be in one place out in the open like this any longer then we have to"
She looked up in the trees
"You never know who could be watching"

Allora came out from the cave on top of spirit
"I'm going to go find my brother, maybe we will meet again"
with that she and spirit vanished into the woods following the scent of her brother
"He cant be too far. We were soo close"

"As long as we make a stop in my hometown I'm ready."


OOT: Sorry for the short post. I'm not feeling it today

Hearing Mathuriel's call, Elyan stood up and replied.

"Ready when you are. Who's taking point?"

Mathuriel looked at them all.
"Sweet. Ella, take point - unlike me, you know where we're going."
He paused.
"And even if you don't, I trust your judgement. So... yeah."
He waited for her to move out.

Ella looked at the men
"Well since we are taking a slight detour into a town along the way, I think Aizenguard should show us the way"

""Oh Carlyle. You must wake up. Death isn't an option at this point. You've got too much strength built up from us. You can vanquish all of your foes. Even these weak guards."

"SHUT UP" He said in his head, To no avail the voices didn't subside. "SHUT UP!!" A second effort was still pointless. Until finally, he woke himself up from yelling. "SHUT UP!!!" Looking around the cell he noticed he may have woken anyone on the block up.

"I will not be another slave to you, Never. NEVER again!" Was all he thought in his head, the voices began again.

"Quit being do Melodramatic You know you want to unleash your demons, we just want to assist you in your conquest of going so. Look, Your inmate seems to have a strong soul force. Why dont you take him?."

"I can't".

Suddenly a vision entered into his head. It was of a city burning down. A man standing in the center... Jericho. It was when he initially walked to the kingdom after destroying a neighboring city of the castle. He was smiling, He was strong. And above all ominous.


Jericho, Was sitting in a chair, His horse stabled outside, relaxing in a desolate room. He stated at the door, He was sinking hours into dimension walking. He has almost gained the ability to go for an hour. It was going quickly for him. He must be a natural. Truthfully he wasn't in the current dimension with Carlyle, the king, or Mathuriel.

He however, Was slowly returning back home. He was in an alternate dimension for 2 hours before he gave out. "Soon. I'll be all powerful."

Aizengard perked his head up and walk to the front of the group.

"Alright miss I'll do just that though I don't know exactly where we are. When I found you guys I was on my way home but we had taken a slight detour if I recall." Aizengard says with a laugh. "But I guess I'll have to go with my instinct so let's go... that way."

Aizengard pointed to the north and moved in the direction.

One moment later, Jericho was in the king's court room, with no clue as to how he suddenly appeared there. The king looked down at him, an amused twinkle in his dark eye.
"I wasn't aware I authorized you to take on any little side projects..." His voice was half interested, half threatening.

Mathuriel rolled his eyes.
"Groovy. Oh well. Allonsy!" He followed, waiting for the others to move so he didn't look like a complete idiot.

"Nightmares?"
The man opposite Carlyle chuckled, a ragged sound.
"I used to have those. Ran out of them in the end."