World of Sylfe: The New Age - IC

The sky was gloomy and overcast. It had been barely two weeks since the shocking events of the City. The word had spread around like wildfire and all the towns and villages were bustling with preparations for defense. Surprisingly though, in the days that followed the attack, no other monsters had been sighted.

Villagers, in their idle time, gathered in groups near the middle of the assortment of ramshackle buildings, discussing in low tones what the reason could possibly be. "Aye! I tell ya, they be waiting for the perfect time to attack. Blimey! I know the peddler who saw the ruins, you would no believe the carnage!" said one.

"Bah! Nonsense, ze evidence points to ze fact that zey are tired of attacking and pillaging" interjected another in the accents of a northerner.

"Listen" said one of the villagers that had little sense left in him. "The countryside is unnaturally quiet." Sure enough, the stillness in the air was menacing.

One man opened his mouth to object, but then all hell broke loose. From where there had only been grass, grotesque shapes now towered, they descended into the town, glaring eyes bent upon seeing the blood drained from the inhabitants.

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Nocru walked in the forest, his alerons dangling limply, and the silver pendant on his collar tinkling softly. It was one of the places where he found solace. He looked around both warily and wearily, watching the forest for any signs of others. This was his territory and he wanted no one, friendly or hostile in it. It was the only place that the visions left him for an extended period.

He sat down at the edge of a clearing, fearful of closing his eyes for the visions it might bring. He was hungry, and thirsty, not having come upon food and water for two days already, exhaustion was taking him. "And let it!" he growled in his mind. It was curse, a damnable curse. The ancestors had condemned him to a life of solitude. A life where with every individual he met, he saw a hundred ways that they would meet their doom.

The visions were etching away his sanity. He wanted to scream. To plunge a knife blade right into his heart, yet every time he attempted, he knew that there would come someone to heal him. He had seen the strands of time, and he had seen every time he would try to take his own life, but to no avail, all of them involved someone bringing him back from the edge. His own fate, though, he could not see.

"Mother... Father..." he began, before draconic sobs blocked his throat. He sat there, lamenting his fate until sadness eventually lulled him to slumber. Before the visions had a chance to begin, Nocru was woken by a hollow grating sound that resounded through his forest. Passing through the clearing directly in front of him was a large living... statue. He could find no words to describe it. Intrigued, he watched it. He gave an audible gasp when he realized, no visions were taking him upon setting sight on the creature. That only served to intrigue him more.

Many days ago, the small community of Bright Scales was assaulted by many destabilizing events. First, some of the scouts noticed many ceree running into the forest, in such despair that no one tried to stop them. Rumors about monsters were common, or even quick sights, but nothing like a invasion occured before. And then appeared the mortally hurt.

The elders were consulted, but no possible answer could solve this mystery. Many scoults were sent to the city lying nearby, but no one came back, and the excursions outside the limits of the community soon halted. Against his father's will, Are'Zel was convened both as a scout and a curer, for his knowledge and abbility to grow herbs. And during one incursion to the limits of the seccure forest, he saw the creature made of pure stone, heading firmly to an unknown part of the lands. When returned home, he told his sister about the occurred, but lied to his father, enough worried about the situation.

For a few days, Are'Zel became sadder than usual; or as Francheza would say "I don't see Kerwel anymore. He will not sing to me, Avarel?". His mind was always returning to the recent event, and helping the injured was not an encouraging activity. They were dying quickly, screaming about unspeakable terrors.

Tired of his own doubts, he tried to locate that big thing again, paying attention to any sounds or weird movements in the forest. With his green and brown coat, he was a perfect part of the forest around him. And in a given moment, he waited.

The darkness in the forest made it look like nighttime. The gray ceree's eyes blended with the surroundings, and so did his fur. But his eyes clearly showed his overwhelming killing intent. He was fast, faster than a Lycandu. He was searching for prey, not for the meat or for sport, but the satisfaction of killing his prey, the way it screamed, gasping for final breaths, he desired every moment of it.

Soon enough, he encountered a Lycandu, a perfect prey. He approached it very quickly, and it was a swift end for the Lycandu, Syagrus bit through his neck and sliced with his alerons. He quickly switched to his human form and chopped it into pieces using his blades. Not long, the body was almost unrecognizable. Syagrus lips formed a huge grin, feral and maniacal, laughing with glee. He had savored every part of the killing, the way it screamed, its cry of anguish, it's pleas for help, its last breath and the way blood stained his teeth and the way blood dripped from his blade. He laughed, it was an ecstasy that he enjoyed greatly and he wanted more, much much more.

He trudged on until he reached the center of the forest, where a clearing was ahead of him. He then saw a ceree gray, with a blue silver tattoo that runs through his body. Syagrus wasn't against killing one of his own kind, in fact, for him it was the ultimate ecstasy. But the way he moved, it was as if he suffered greatly and the way it stared at a part of the forest, he decided he wasn't worth killing. He lifted his gaze to match the ceree's, and saw a moving rock trudging through the forest. From a gaze, he knew this being was hard to kill, but it only made him crave more for his blood. He decided to follow the rock.

a young ceree cried out in fear, the little male ran as fast as he could. sadly the lumbering beast pursuing him gave no signs of slowing or turning away. the little male hoped he could possibly trick it by hiding under some crates in a small alley. deciding it was his beast bet he turned to run between the closest houses... and found nothing. he was boxed in on all sides but one, he turned to go back to way he came, but found it was blocked by the monster.

the little male whimpered and curled into a ball to pray for his life. the monster stepped forward once... then let out a shrill shriek of pain. a teenage female ceree and leaped up and bit down onto the monster's arm. he little male looked up to see his savior. he recognized her immediately... but was still surprised as to who she was.

growling as she clamped her jaws on the beast's arm was a light blue ceree, adorned with black markings. he mane was left to grow a little long, emphasized by it getting throw about as the beast tried to shake her off. one feature on her stuck out the most... she had two tails, lashing about like whips and cutting with twin klimnu. it was none other than Tia'Mara, the daughter of the legendary ceree.

Tia growled as she held on as long as she could. sadly her moment of heroism was ruined when the creature smashed her against a wall, forcing her to let go. she dropped down next to the still terrified little male. the beast roared and stepped forward... then it was obliterated by burning funnel of powerful purple fire. with an angry snort, the legend himself turned and walked into the little alleyway.

the little ceree looked up in awe at the purple and yellow ceree, the legendary hero Raducon. except he didn't seem happy, seeing this the little one thanked them and scuttled past Radu. waiting till the little one was gone, Radu turned to Tia. he growled at Tia "what where you doing!?" he roared at her. "i told you to stay at the house with your mother where it was safe
Tia stood, shaking herself. she narrowed her golden eyes into the identical eyes of her father "dad, i just wanted to help! i was doing fine till i got thrown against the wall" she muttered
Radu narrowed his eyes, about to make an argument. a sudden roar caught his attention. he growled as he turned in it's direction "i'll deal with you later... but go home and try to avoid any more monsters he ordered as he ran off
"grrr..." Tia sighed.... she just wanted to help.

Nocru was staring at the rock, as though entranced. His eyes wandered across its body, drinking in every detail of the stony armor that covered it. His ears bathed in the sound of grating as it moved, rather, lumbered across the clearing. Its tail rasped against the ground, leaving a deep winding furrow. Nocru's lips twisted in a smile. Was it his cure, to gaze upon this creature? He could not tell.

He sat up straight, as though electrified, alerons stiffening in response to probable danger. A soft crack was what had alerted him to another presence. It must have stepped on a twig. Nocru decided to remain in his place, unmoving save for his Alerons that had now risen a bit and were swaying softly in the breeze, the Klimnu already sharpened to a razor edge. A leaf that fell upon one was cut cleanly in half.

His fragmented sanity was whole for the moment. This was his forest and he had heard the footfall of an unwanted intruder. "Damn the trespasser, he knows not what he is getting in to" muttered Nocru under his breath. He had no quarrel against the uninvited guest, but he was more concerned for its wellbeing than the security of his territory. It didn't matter, though, his staying still, the trespasser's gaze was fixed on the stone beast.

Nocru only saw it from his peripheral vision, fearful that any direct gaze would lead to an outburst of visions. He continued observing from the sides of his vision, careful not to allow it to wander directly in front of him. From the edge of the clearing emerged a gray Ceree, much like himself, but its gait was different.

It loped by, fangs slightly bared, head low and body tensed. It walked with a killer's poise. Its eyes bore not fury, not hate, but ecstasy; they glimmered with bloodlust. From its maw dripped a dark liquid, probably blood, judging from the pieces of meat that hung from in between its large, serrated fangs. This was a Ceree reared in bloodbath, a killer born, a killer destined.

It was too late, but due to his intrigue, Nocru's eyes drifted towards the Ceree. Once it was caught in his gaze, he convulsed, vision blurring as images flashed in his mind. His alerons flailed about, ripping free chunks of the tree behind him. Bark flew into the air as Nocru sank deeper into stupor.

An ornate blade... linked by a chain to its bearer's hand...

Nocru fell from his pose, his hands flinging out in front of him to stop his fall. The vision was so strong, far more intense than what he had seen before.

The blade stabbed into a gaping wound... a wound in its master's stomach...

By then, Nocru had started convulsing on the ground, drawing deep ragged breaths as his mind was assaulted with visions. His eyes were beginning to glow, the dams that held back his immense magic were beginning to open, the first flows began turning the edges of each leaf in the area into razor sharp blades coated with silvery metal.

A crown soaked in blood

The trees began to cry. From every edifice began to flow crimson blood. Across the forest floor, a thin layer of fog began to appear, rolling ever closer to the shuddering Ceree. Nocru's tattoos were beginning to glow too, his eyes already enveloped in a diffused silver glow, the pupils like full moons, wide and staring, his nostrils flaring in an effort to breathe.

Screams of the dying... Monsters streaming into paved streets

A guttural howl came from almost everywhere at once, probably magnified by the magic that was flowing through the forest at that moment. Nocru was already crying, tears streaming down his face, the visions so hard and so vivid that he seemed to be living through them himself.

Fire.. Burning, scalding fire... Yellow-red tongues lapping at an intricately carved blade, chain and limp hand, the fingers of which were dripping blood. drip... drip... drip...

A crackling filled the clearing, fire lapping at the drops of blood streaming from the trees, the leaves gleaming silver, and rustling with a metallic tingling. There was chaos everywhere, critters running through the forest floor, flocks of birds cawing, screeching and fluttering high above the lofty treetops. Fire began to race through the forest, sending up thick plumes of white smoke.

Rain.. cold biting rain sliding upon an icy stone grave...

The leaves were torn from the trees and began to fly with lethal speed towards the middle of the clearing. One nicked Nocru's thrashing aleron and left a bleeding line across it. The vision was beginning to fade, but the magic had already been set in motion. Nocru got up weakly, nursing a bleeding gash and tumbled through blood-sweating trees, cutting silver leaves and rolling mist away from the clearing. Anywhere away from anyone...

"Into the void of death... Into the cold embrace... Into peaceful rest..."

Syagrus continued following the rock. He licked his lips in anticipation, he could barely hold himself, just looking at him satisfied his cravings. Unconsciously, he assumed a killer's stance, with his fangs slightly bared, head low and body tensed. His focus on the creature was so great that he barely heard the continuous screams of pain and anguish. Usually, when he heard those kinds of screams, he would approach it and immediately kill it, it was an annoyance to him, but it would be immediately replaced by bouts of ecstasy as he killed the annoyance. He lost his focus on the beast when the leaves sliced through him.

Acting quickly, he grew his wings and flew upward, and looked for the beast, he was gone. Clearly annoyed, he unleashed a plume of flame towards the leaves, though it did little as the leaves kept rushing towards him. He then flew higher until the leaves were a distance from him. He shape shifted into his human form and quickly infused his blades with magic. The runes on the blades glowed a bright blue and then the blades were surrounded with a multicolored aura, He spun his blades around him, making all approaching leaves disintegrate upon contact with the blades. Some however, did escape that cruel fate and sliced through his thigh and forearm. He cringed in pain and immediately growled in annoyance. He then released blue-white flames that burned every leaf to ash.

He descended, very careful to sense any more leaves or other annoyances that may disturb him. He let his wings disappear and he muttered a spell. He let magic coat his arm and let the magic slowly heal his injuries. He limped to the forest, where the he had last seen the rock.

Are'Zel was sat, feeling the earth around him, that terrible vibration coming to him like the shivering of a huge creature. Despair, anguish, and the approach of violence. He was never so intuitive, but the magic was thick as a fog, moving in waves, the air like liquid cries. He stood up again and approached the cleraing with the eyes barely open, and witnessed the fight between the magic beyond life, the horror and the desire to kill. That was when the world erupted.

All the forest screamed to him, and that sound was just as terrible as the sounds of the ceree who seemed agonizing in the middle of the clearing. Everything around him was being hurt, with little chance to fight back. He never felt the smell of blood in such intensity before, and that would be nauseating if all his senses weren't so overwhelmed. The leaves flying like arrows started to pass near him, and at first he could use his magic to deflect them; but his power started to fail, since it's extension was strong in plants, and they were not the same, the living beings he was so used to be with.

Little blades passed through him making little cuts; the magic would enter his body, his defenses. But he could not move. He was connected to that disaster, to that... sadness. He could devise another ceree fighting the same phenomenon, but his attention was now floating here and there. A deeper cut in his shoulder brought him back for a moment, and he tried to use his dark red fire to destroy the leaves, while his paws were slipping in that dark liquid like blood coming from the trees.
"My home... was never my home. I never knew what powers lied beyond what I can see. I just feel it... and that makes me sad. And now I'm losing the forest I ever considered my whole world." His thoughts started swirling; he should talk to the elders, move the community... But another scouts were nearby, they would see the smoke, and that would sound the alarm. Fire is a danger they were always prepared to fight or avoid, living in the forest for so long. No, he should do something about that.

"I must protect what I have left. This thing can't reach my home. And Francheza" Step after step, Are'Zel followed the gray ceree who started all this, using his alerons frantically, his fire, his magic to move both plants and the earth. His intuition was guiding him more than his senses, among all that chaos. He could feelthe anguish and desire to run away coming from the other, but his sadness was also pushing Are'Zel in his direction. Soon, he found himself almost running, every muscle in his body tensing, his breath sharp and quick.

Maetesk's eyes were fastened to a point far in the south, there was something there that disturbed him. He didn't know how it was possible, but he had become able to feel emotion once he was reawakened. Of course he didn't know which emotion was which, but the emotion that surged through him in that clearing had not been his own. It was heavy, almost binding. It left him half-lethargic.

He realized then that his old life had been empty. No emotion, no pain, simply driven by an overwhelming desire to follow, a desire for power. He had no recollection of a life before he had become a living statue, although he suspected that he was once a Ceree.

He had been lost in his thoughts, thoughts that seemed less cloudy as the wound on his back began to heal. He thought that whatever it was, far to the south would be momentary, like the opening of a world gate or the destruction of one. However, all world gates in Sylfe had been opened already and Destiny, defeated.

Something clicked inside him, and he smiled, as much as a smile his stony body could accommodate. His face shed dust and smaller pieces of rock. He knew where he had to go.
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"I promise you. It will be a long, drawn out, punishing death for you if you do not get that pillar right!" yelled the tall man with a silver mane. His high-collared black cloak billowing around him in an invisible wind as he brandished a hollow silvery-black metal staff. It was intricate, the metal itself providing all the design it required. His glaring green eyes, combined with his high cheekbone and angular face gave him an almost sinister quality.

From the outside, his palace would look as though it was just being built. True, to some extent, but the throne room, his quarters and a special room that he himself made were complete. It was all he needed, everything else was just a facade. Already his empire was beginning to take shape, the small clearing in the forest had become nearly a kilometer in diameter. A number of residences had been put up by excellent builders from Ehvin in a perfect grid radiating from his castle.

"Lord Merun" piped a servant behind him. Meron took his time to turn around and looked at the servant with such intensity, it averted its gaze and shifted its feet. "The room has been prepared your majesty."

"It is good to hear. At least you have not disappointed me today." The servant smiled up at Meron hopefully. Meron was compelled to add "Who knows? Maybe you'll live through tonight" He laughed a laugh full of mirth but bore every indication that he was dead serious. He strode through the corridors, his cloak billowing behind him. His laugh echoed through the halls and wherever he passed, workers stopped what they were doing to stare.

He glided into his special room, the doors swinging shut without a sound behind him. In the middle was a simple pedestal with a crystal bowl surrounded by five pillars, etched into each was the Haienic word for the primal elements. In a corner of the room was a table whose surface was a map. On it he tracked the attacks of his armies. Soon he would take all of the west. No one even knew that they were being conquered. He laughed, a bone-rattling laugh as he realized that his conquest would not fail.

He walked across the room to the pedestal and began to chant.
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Nocru stumbled through the forest. The fog was disorientating. He had heard another Ceree enter the clearing just before he had left. He had to fight every urge to run away from it.

Branches were gouging wounds into his face at nearly every turn. His feet hurt from tripping countless times on roots he could not see. His fur was marred with caked blood that streamed from the trees. He hoped that he would die there. He hoped that the Ancestors, wherever they might be, would take him from the world, but that was not the case.

He nearly landed face-first at the next turn and realized that there was no more fog. He was outside his forest. He looked around to see a beautiful countryside, carpeted in lush green grass. He ogled at it for a moment and then the vision hit. It was one he had countless times so it had little impact. The land became gray and desolate, the trees barren, rocks floating and the sky, the sky was dark and ominous.

He shook it off and began to wander aimlessly, he hoped that hunger would take him before someone else did.

Tia'Mara sighed as she walked away from the town, more than half free of monsters via the efforts of her father. she paused to look back... watching a purple explosion and several chunks of monter flying up... yeah, dad was messy when he was in a rush. snorting, she turned around. why did he have to be so protective of her all the time? she could handle herself... okay, she hadn't been in perfect form during that fight with the monster but she might of managed... Liara, her mother told her he was just naturally over protective of everyone, especially his family.

Tia had to agree with that, but he always seemed more protective of her. she glanced behind her, watching her twin tails sway in unison. why did she have to be born so... unnatural? was this how the ancestor's repaid one of their warriors? she doubted that much. it was just strange, she was the only recorded ceree in history to have such a strange deformity.

as she was walking she turned around to look forward again, and across the small stretch of field that separated her from the forest... she saw a ceree stumbling out. she crouched in the tall grass, hoping she hadn't been seen. she spied on the ceree from her spot... it was red... no it was dripping red, red blood. it seemed weak and delerious... she should probably go help it... maybe observe it a little longer

Trudging on didn't help Syagrus with his problem, in fact, it made the wounds on his arm and legs worse. He tripped on a small rock and fell face first to the ground. He grunted with irritation, his mind persisted on following the moving chunk of rock, but his body was stubborn and its message was clear: he was exhausted and cannot move an inch. Reluctantly, he gave up and let magic coat his wounds once more, hoping the application of more magic on the wounds would speed up the healing process. Lying on the grass, he slept, knowing sleep accelerates healing, at least, that's what he thought.

The place was dark, not even a single ray of light touched the place. But the darkness stirred, as if beings were embedded in the darkness itself. Syagrus looked at himself. He was pale blue, just like before. Syagrus then saw colors, very faint, but in the darkness they were very visible. A spot of pale blue and dark blue, stirring as if they were having a conversation. He approached the colors, and he heard their voices, but he could only make out a few words.

Sylfe...

Shadows...

Power... blades...

Syagrus...

He was surprised to hear his own name in the darkness. He tried to approach the colors, but they were already fading fast. He tried to catch up to them, but they were already gone. The darkness stirred once more, this time he had started to sink into the darkness. He tried calling for help, but his voice would not work. He continued descending into eternal shadow.

The obstacles on Are'Zel way became sparse, as the forest started to end. He managed to get out with no deep wounds, but his muscles were trembling with the high adrenalin. He tried to stabilize his breath again, and searched the area with his eyes, looking for any familiarity.

He found the other ceree again, now that the mist was over. He was worried that the other could just wander again to the dangerous places of the forest, knowing little about the region. But by the way he moved, maybe he was not so unfamiliar to that forest... In such situation, any judgement would be precipitate. Moving his eyes a little to the right, he found the city, and that also made his body shiver. The buildings half covered in wreckage and dust, while screech sounds were emanating from there made his mind to roll back to the deeply wounded victims who reached his home, sometimes in so serious situation that they died in the moment the adrenalin was not enough to make their bodies move. All that impregnated in panic.

He was afraid that the gray ceree could approach too much the city. He started running again through the tall grass, still covered in leaves, dirt and blood of the trees, so green and red like a part of the forest just too wild to stay in the same place. When approaching the other, million thought came to his head. "I know a safe place", "Don't approach the city!", "You can't push yourself too hard", "Do you know what is happening?", "Stay calm, I want to help you!", "Please, help me!!"

But when he reached, nearly jumping over the other, all Are'Zel managed to say in his short breath and chaotic state, turning around to look in Nocru's eyes was "Please... Stop."

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The last ceree were being evacuated to a safer place, scouted and assisted by the stronger ones. A sentinel soon gave the alarm of danger and fire, and the community moved together to a higher place, after a rocky area with many little streams carved in the rock, with little and rustic bridges over them. Having a little area with no trees, the fire would take longer to spread there, and the little watercourses would help the few ceree skilled enough to do water magic while putting out the fire in the forest limits.

Are'Zel father was too worried again. He could convince Francheza to stay there in the refuge, but his first bornl hasn't came back. He could feel what was about to happen. "Once again you were perfectly right, my dear. There are things we cannot escape. I just hope that the things won't end the way you predicted... or that you were not capable to see the real end of this story.". He sighed and turned his back.

Tia'mara watched a second ceree come out. this one, like the other was covered in blood... where had it come from? they seemed to weak to of recently killed something. and to have that much blood in there fur they either rolled in blood or had it poured on them... her curiousity urged her to jump out of the trees and offer assitance, but her common sense and slight fear of new people kept her hiding in the grass.

the second one seemed intent upon helping the first, even though he was also tired from running. tia sighed, raking her claws through the ground. see didn't know these two, yet this undeniable urge to go to them kept pulling at her mind. that wasn't the only thing, another feeling, stronger than the other, pulled her to the forest itself. she could sense a powerful being, moving slowly but in a fixed direction. it seemed so familiar, yet she knew she had never encountered it as long as she had been alive.

this confused feeling raged in her mind, and finally won out. she groaned to herself before standing, walking out of the tall grass. once she was in clear veiw, she quickly held her tails together. at a distance it looked like she just had one oddly thick tail. she looked to the two ceree, still a distance away, but she knew if they looked they could see her. she sighed and began to slowly walk towards them, doing what she could to make sure she looked non-threatening as possible

Nocru shivered as the two other Ceree approached him, offering help, not knowing that they were risking their very lives by that simple meritorious act. A list of names and faces burned in his mind, names of those people killed by his epileptic visions. Each name, each face passed by his eyes and each sent a stabbing pain into his heart. It was already so long, he did not want to add to it any more.

When the male green neared him, Nocru shut his eyes, unable to force them open for fear of being seized by another vision. He lay there, in an almost-fetal position, his tail wrapped around his unconscious form. His muscles were very tense, his alerons stiff. Every part of his body ached with fatigue and stress, it was as though his entire being was cramping.

He had not eaten in two days, nor taken a drink and his body was suffering for it. Yet, in his mind, he was reveling at how near he was to death's embrace. Soon, he would be gone and the torment that he felt would leave him. Soon, but not yet. He tried to sigh, but all it brought forth was a strangled sound.

His mind clouded over, the lack of sustenance suddenly taking hold. He whined as the effects ravaged his body after being so long kept at bay. He began slipping away. Slipping away into the bliss of unconsciousness and eventual death.
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Merun Al'Caar was standing in his room, watching silently as the pieces on the table moved themselves. The armies were getting in position. Tonight was the night of the full moon, and tonight, he would begin his rise to power. He would establish grand cities and temples in his name. All in the space of a day.

With the artifact he held in his hands, he had the power to mold Sylfe as the Ancestors once did. Unlike the Dark One, however, before him, he would grasp the people with fear. He would not defile the land, he would not bathe it in fire and brimstone.

No. Merun Al'Caar was far above that. His family had once been noble. His great-great-grandfather the lord of all the southlands. He and his kin looked perfectly like humans, but they were much more. They had the ability to live for thousands of years. In fact, had he not killed his father and grand father they would still be alive. However, they were idiots, not wanting to take place upon the throne their family so rightfully deserved. No, they were fools.

Merun Al'Caar would turn Sylfe into a grand utopia. Its fields filled with crops, its cities built of gold and marble, but most of all, he would be at the heart of the grandest city in the land, upon his head the crown and upon the throne himself.

At Midnight, when the moon was at its highest, Merun Al'Caar's reign would begin. He laughed a bitter, triumphant laugh, his mirth echoing across the room.

Are'Zel panicked seeing the other pass out in front of his eyes, and reached out his shoulder "C'mon, I'll help y-" but his talk was shut. A deep physical pain waved through his body, while many visions started running in front of his eyes, making all the landscape disappear in a mere second. He could not move away, but his body pulsed with the close of the bond. Random parts of the other Ceree experiences and fears passed through him in a blur, like memories of his own, deeply buried and now coming back. Scenes with blood, screams, the umberable missing. An overwhelming guilt.

The presence of the gray ceree was weakening and he tried to take him back. Like a battle inside their minds, Are'Zel pulled him, and felt resistance. He really wanted to rest, to escape, he deserved peace. But he couldn't die there. "Give me some of your pain and rest. Your sleep will have no dreams. I can give you void, but not death.... Are'Zel felt the other presence faint, and when he retired, the sensation of surfacing from the deep waters was too much.

He was sat, the landscape becoming visible again in a swirl. Panting heavily, he looked the other lying on the ground, too thin and dirty but still breathing, and blurred. But that was because he cried. For how long that happened?

He noticed another ceree approaching, a young female coming cautiously. He could see that something about her was a little off.... but his mind couldn't work with that right now. He was not recognizing the daughter of the hero, even if he told many stories about her and her father in little festivals to the younglings. Probably he was a sad view now, covered in the blood of the trees, with many little cuts over his body. But, somehow, maybe the proximity of another ceree with different disposition helped him to bring Kerwel back to his heart, and he gave a tired smile. "Hello... Don't be scared. And go to a safe place, the forest is still burning. But I think the scouts are taking care of that." He stood up, trembling. "I must carry him to a place where he can rest..." Are'Zel was now talking more to himself than to anyone else, a sign of his exhaustion "And then prepare some tranquilizer for when he wakes up... "He tried to put the gray ceree over his back to carry him, being slightly bigger, but his legs started trembling too much. He was unable to give one step.

Tia'Mara gasped running up to the two weak ceree. they where both covered in blood and clearly exhuasted. she didn't know these two, but it was obvious the slightly smaller one hadn't eaten in awhile and needed help, and the other was just to tired to help him at the moment. she ran up to them both, not noticing as her tails uncoiled and both of them moved freely.

she ran along side the one who spoke to her "please sir, let me carry him. your far to weak to be carrying someone like that" not waiting for his permission, she quickly moved nocru onto her back. the weight was quite a bit of Tia'mara, after all this ceree was quite a bit older and larger... but she would manage, being raised under her legendary parents and wanting to help people just like then, she had always kept herself in very good condition... thus she could carry this ceree for a fair distance.

with a slight grunt, she looked up at the other ceree, now freed of his burden "sir let me help you, just show me where a safe place to go would be... then maybe i could help you treat him there" her twin tails swayed back and froth everyonce in awhile, shifting her weight to keep nocru from falling off

Merun stood in front of the crystal bowl in the middle of the room. Five similarly made pillars surrounded it. His face was twisted in an evil smile, waiting for the correct number of individuals to be brought together underneath the castle to make the well of a large enough magnitude to allow the spell to be completed.

All the monster attacks in the past few weeks had one objective, gather up enough people to create a well under Merun's palace. He laughed, a hollow, resounding laugh that echoed in the room. It was cut short when he felt the well enlarge to a sufficient size. One look at his enchanted table showed the last of the monster groups move into place. Chaos was about to ensue.

Merun stroked the hollow staff, momentarily, in his vision, a network of pulsing green streams of energy revealed itself. The lifestream, he had expected it to be something of great magnitude, but instead he realized it is something of great beauty. A very thick stream floated directly skyward, the wrist thick strands that made it up diffusing through the floor of the room, another property of the bowl, the ability to harness the life that fed the well in the area.

Merun placed the staff over the bowl, it transformed into a hollow rod that was just a little bit larger than the diameter of the bowl's rim. He began to chant. As he did so, the rod began to spin, picking up speed as his chant grew in intensity. When the moon was at its brightest, his armies would attack and all of Sylfe would be his.
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Nocru's eyes fluttered open and he breathed a single sentence. "Stay low... stay away from the trees..." He lost consciousness after rasping the barely-heard warning. When his eyes closed once more, the sun began to cross the sky with great speed. The sky darkened and the stars began to shine. Then slowly, ever slowly, the moon began to rise from the horizon. A great wind howled across the land and it whistled in the ears of all who would hear it. It seemed to bear the triumphant laugh of a great warlock, and the dying moans of thousands of people.

Are'Zel shook his head to clear his mind from the last traces of his trance state, and looked to the yound female near him, like noticing her for the first time. "Now I know." He smiled "You're just like I thought you would be, milady. Please, don't push yourself too hard. I can carry him part of the way" He pointed a place a little to the East of the city "There is a refuge near the rocky side of a valley there-"

He was interrupted by the whispering sound of the ceree in her back, saying something about the trees ... to avoid the trees. He looked to the forest, still burning and covered in that terrible blood; his home became a nightmare, maybe lost forever. And now it was dark, even the sky.... "Wait, the sun is... setting" he thought out loud, his eyes wide to the premature night and impending moon. When the wind hit his ears, he body felt the electric shock of more death.

"We must run! There are others with you? Maybe we'll have no time to warn them..." Are'Zel eyes were moving frantically, his thoughts shooting with no pause. The earth itself knew what was about to happen, but he could only have a hint. "We should reunite as many people as possible but it's not safe right now. Later, you can try to talk to your father and your comunity. C'mon. If he's too heavy to you, you can pass him back to me, I'm fine." Now that the bond with Nocru had weakened, he could feel his small amount of energy returning. He started his walk bordering the forest, but not too much close to the trees.

Merun smiled, the bowl had begun to shatter. The moment it did, he would have succeeded in the spell. Within moments, the bowl shattered and Merun thought to himself, "My time is coming fast. Soon, I shall be the most powerful creature in Sylfe. I have what the Dark One lacked, brilliance. I am and will be a conniving, scheming ruler. All Sylfe will bow knee to me, whether they know it, or not."

Merun would have to find a way to make another bowl of night and day, but that could wait. It was not vital in any other parts of his plan. Above him, the roof opened to show a view of the night sky. The moon was moving into position. In a few minutes, it would be ripe and full.
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"Get... Down!" said Nocru more forcefully, albeit, not anything more than a hoarse whisper. They were near the trees, but they had little cover. The Moon was just about reaching its Zenith in the night sky and Nocru's vision told him it would not be pleasant to be out in the open.

In a flash of magic, one of the few that the visions brought, Nocru forced the two Ceree accompanying him to the ground and long roots bound them there. He cast another spell that made all the grass around them to grow tall. In another instant, consciousness had left him.
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When the moon reached its peak, shining brightly and illuminating the branches of even the lowest trees, the beasts knew that the time had come to strike. Grotesque monstrosities shifted weapons, hefted spears and buckled shields. Tonight would be a night of gore and bloodletting. That much, they looked forward to.

When the horn sounded off in the distance, it was joined by a thousand more in an eerie chorus. Fog began to seep across the land and the heavy thump of a myriad drums made it a scene of nightmares. Beasts threw back their heads and laughed an undulating, guttural laugh that would make any Ceree's hackles rise.

When the horns stopped and the drums were the only background, foreshadowing events, the trees exploded with life as countless monsters streamed out to attack the villages. Upon their battle standard, three circles with three undulating lines. The symbol of Destiny.

The village was in ruins and all those inhabit it were dead.The air smelled of blood and smoke, her house burnt to ashes and Arienor found herself beside the dead bodies of her family."Ma!Pa!Irienor!Lorien!"Arienor cried in grief.Wings sprouted from her back as she heard a voice laughing in the background like a maniac sending chills through her spine and made her cry again.Then a monstrous creature appeared in front of her, opening its enormous jaws to devour her, the last Chieftain of the Highwind...........

Arienor sat straight, waking up from her nightmare.She was sweating and she was relieved that it was all a bad dream.She was then alarmed by the bell in their village for it was ringing back and forth as if an invasion was coming.It was also a signal to the fighters of the tribe to assemble. Without further ado she went out of her room and checked on her bedridden sister who was somehow peacefully asleep.

'Ma must probably gave her a heavy dose of sleeping medicine. Arienor thought kissing her sister on the forehead.She left her sister's room and went looking for her father."Pa where are you?"she called out the house her voice low so as not to wake up her younger brother."It's about time you wake up,your father is at the square waiting for you."said her mother, Eleanor who just came from Lorien's bedroom."be careful Arien."She kissed her second daughter on the cheek. "I will ma."Arienor replied running towards the square.

"Where is my daughter?" Vador, chieftain of the Highwind asked as he paced impatiently on the square's platform.He had already ordered his fighters to arm themselves for the incoming invasion.For a scout had returned from his post badly injured coming to his house in the middle of the night to tell him that an army of monsters were coming to the village.Upon hearing his report, he had the scout treated with the healers, roused his wife telling her to wake Arienor and immediately contacted the elders and told them what is to come.The elders in response just said "Prepare and wait."And here was he waiting for his daughter and the fighters to finish their preparations.

Just as he was about to look for her daughter, Arienor arrived panting."Pa!What's happening?"she asked worry tinging her voice.Vador answered."Be prepared to fight and defend our home."

Regaining consciousness, Syagrus' attention went to his arms and thigh. He was satisfied to know that his wounds are fully healed, but he quickly became annoyed at the fact that he wasted too much time healing his wounds. He rose up and quickly followed the path where the rock had been. He had no scent, but it made him easier to track. He used magic enhance his sense of smell, to sense strong scents. Everything had a scent, and he could find a track which had no scent, which would lead him to his goal. He followed a path back to the forest, went through countless trees, roots and branches, slicing everything that blocked his path, and after a few minutes, had reached the end of the forest. He was more than eager to get out of that wretched forest, but his instincts told him to crouch and observe. He sharpened his senses so he could know what made him so tense. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He was able to see with acuity, hear with clarity, feel with sensitivity, smell with intensity and taste with accuracy. He quickly scanned the landscape. And his heart sank.

Facing him was a huge army of monstrous beasts. Their grotesque appearances made him want to shut his eyes. They were many varieties of beasts that even with Syagrus' sharpened sight, he could barely count them all. He heard the chants of the army, as if they were off to war. He could smell the blood dripping from their teeth which would've made Syagrus craving the blood, but with the putrid stink of the beasts mixed with the scent of blood, it made him want to throw up. He could feel the marching of the army, which felt like an earthquake to him. The taste of blood was in the air, but he was too terrified to even crave for blood. He was surprised. He is never terrified. Never. He shivered. If they saw him, he'd be dead. He had to survive. He decided to take them one by one. Kill the ones lagging behind, they tend to be the weakest. Reserve most of his strength for the ones up front.

He quickly moved, making sure he didn't make a sound. He accidentally stepped on a fallen branch, crushing it and making a loud noise. He silently cursed the branch and looked to see if someone noticed the noise. Fortunately, in the middle of the marching, no one heard a thing. He continued moving,

At the first moment, Are'Zel was scared with the roots coming from the ground, but when the chilling sound of the monsters reached his ears, he understood the situation, and was very grateful to the ceree who used his last forces to protect them all. Using his own magic, he completed the disguise; feeling seeds on the ground, he made them sprout in brambles around them, in a safe little distance of their bodies, making the place look unreacheble for the monsters, and impossible for everyone to hide. Little aromatic plants unleashed their strong and fresh scent, covering the scent of the three ceree.

He looked to Tia'Mara and whispered in a barely audible tone "When they pass by, I'll remove the roots and we can try to continue. With all this turmoil, they won't notice the grass moving slightly." He stopped, looking for a monster approach, apart from the bigger group. He couldn't see them, but he was getting worringly close. "Oh my..."

When the monster reached the tall grass, Are'Zel used his magic to manipulate the earth from beneath the monster's feet. In a second, it grew a pointed thorn, stabbing the monster and retracting in the next moment. It fell in the tall grass without making any noise and the group continued. The terrible smell of the monster blood stink all around them. Are'Zel was trembling, trying to convince himself that this was just a consequence of his sudden use of magic. But it was probably because he never had to kill before with such cruelty.

He hardened his heart, the reasonable part of Avarel coming to make his mind clear. This is what you will face now. The time for music and stories is gone. If you survive for enough time, maybe you will face a day when your story will be told. And you must write it now. With more resolution, he started to think a way to guide Tia'Mara to a safe place, maybe together with her father, and somewhere to treat the unconscious fellow. He also had the urge to find Francheza and be sure that she was okay; their comunity should be be prepared to fight. Their armors, used as decoration for a long time, would face another battle.

The army in Syagrus' vicinity kept on marching, unaware that there was a killer nearby. The weaker beasts would be able to take him if they were to strike all at once, but not if he took the down one by one. Luck had been on Syagrus' side for more than was warranted. It was only to be suspected when the wind shifted and carried his scent to the gathered warriors. A few raised assorted snouts, wolves, pigs, dogs, cats, each baring teeth as they growled. They turned around, looking for the source of the scent, muscular bodies tensed for the kill.
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Nocru's area fared no better. A continuous stream of monsters flowed out from the forest. Nocru's consciousness returned in relatively short bursts. This time, he had another message for his two companions. "Stop..." he croaked.

The forest burst out in a cacophony of cries, shrieks, rustles and cracks as trees were damaged when large bird-like creatures flew out of the lofty tops. Their cawing was horrible, blood-curdling even. Some birds sang with the voices of lamenting women. "We have to head into town..." muttered Nocru, keeping his eyes shut in fear of extracting another vision.

His visions had not shown him why, but he knew that they had to go into town to be relatively safe.
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Merun Al'Caar laughed, it was time to begin the second part of his plan. From his balcony high atop the first completed tower, he had watched as the surrounding countryside went up in flames of dissent. A number of villages were burning already, black towering shapes moving through the streets. The occasional citizen was captured and ripped to shreds, the others herded into pens for later use. Most, though, were sensible to remain inside their homes, provided that they were not burning.

The beasts obviously had no inkling of his plans. He smiled, the second phase would be something no one expected, save, of course, for his agents. He lifted the staff and it turned into a trident. He opened his mouth and yelled into the skies, weaving his magic, aided with the power of the lattice.

"Haëll Megarun A'Vimanal Alna'Caar, Mal'Krajji z'dën mal'krog Keth z'dën Haien'Echti!(Hail Megarun A'Vimanal AlnaCaar, The King of the sphere Keth of the Plane of Seven Spheres!)" He had used the name of his soul, using it in a spell granted him immense power. A great wind began to blow across the land. The sky began to glow green, beside the moon, another, smaller moon began to form. It glowed light green. It was to be Merun's anchor to Sylfe. It would grant him near immortality as long as it shone.

His voice boomed across the land. At that moment, his agents knew that they needed to proceed with the second part of the plan.

elsewhere, the legendary hero Raducon was still fighting in the streets of the town. blood was splattered around him to the point of ankle deep pools of it on the ground in some areas. he roared, using his teeth to rip apart the throat of yet another beast. he had been at this for hours, but he was beginning to slow. it all seemed to come to an end as a particularly large group of monsters ran towards him. many thought this was the end of the tired hero... but this was not so.
an ear splitting roar echoed for miles and miles, as for the first time in the many centuries after the near destruction of sylfe, the image of a true dragon was seen. Radu took his dragon form, going from a a ceree of nearly 6 feet at the shoulder, to a powerful dragon of nearly 20 feet at the shoulder. he glared down at the group of monsters, raising a paw with long talons like swords. he brought it down, and with two stomps he had dispatched the group. lucky for them he wouldn't dare breathing fire in the middle of the city, but the giant raging dragon was going to serious thin the monster ranks very quickly...

Tia'mara heard the roar and knew what was happening. she had never seen her father take the take the form of a dragon, but the idea scared her none the less. she was always afraid of seeing him that way. hearing what nocru said she hesitated... "go to the town!? i... i'm not sure if thats a good idea, it's being over run and well... my father, is trying to defend it, i'm not sure if we should bother him right now" she managed

Syagrus bit back a curse. The wind just had to blow towards the enemy carrying his scent. He tensed, watching as the army tried to sense him, growling in anticipation for their desired prey. If they would strike one by one, he could've easily killed them, but they started moving as a group, luck had left him completely. He bared his fangs, if he would die, he might as well die fighting.

He immediately unleashed a plume of blue fire at the nearby enemy, instantly disintegrating the first row of the army facing him. His wings appeared, and he flew as his alerons thwacked any enemies that were trying to grasp him. He released another pilllar of fire but the enemy's huge numbers, slowly overpowered him. His killing instincts had been overpowered by his survival instincts. He needed to get out of here. They had pinned him to the ground. They were slowly beating him to a pulp. They beat him with clubs, swords and spears. He was completely helpless and stiff. Sheer terror had made him frozen. He close his eyes, and opened them to reveal blue eyes.

Syagrus released a huge burst of magic that made the enemy falter. He had shifted to his human form, holding his blades. His blades, now glowing with blue light, the runes a brilliant blue, were coated with magic. He struck his blades to the ground, and shadows, about ten or twenty had emerged from the ground. He attacked, and the shadow warriors followed him. He was in a frenzy, with one swipe killing one person at a time. The warriors were holding their own as well. But soon, fatigue had taken over him, and the blue in his eyes were starting to fade. He turned back to his ceree form, and escaped via flying. As he escaped, the shadows had disappeared as well. He had hid in a cave, and as soon as he had landed, he fell to the ground and started snoring.

Nocru was beginning to become desperate. The town was the only safe place to be, or so the vision suggested. "Please... we have to go to town..." The need to save his two companions overrode Nocru's own wanting to die. He had to get them to safety. He could not have them added to the list that burned in his head, besides, the town was the only relatively safe place to go to. Although, it had its own trouble coming.

With all the little strength he had left, he began tugging them in the direction of the town. It was pathetic, he was simply too weakened to make any difference. He was determined, though, to put a stop to the deaths. He was determined to see them through the night. He tried reaching for Samar'havin but as usual, he ran headlong into the wall he had put between him and magic.

When he had developed that wall, it had been months of psychological pain and torment. Emptiness and a feeling of loneliness even in the companionship of scores of animals chipped away at his fragile mind. His blood seemed to burn for the comfort of magic, the power that coursed through his veins, but he fought it. He kept telling himself "It's better this way..."

He had been prepared to die then, but another stranger had the stupidity, rather, ignorance to help him. Sure enough, a vision ravaged him the moment he set sight on the stranger and the wall crumbled to dust. Magic flowed out from him in copious amounts and when the dust settled, nothing remained of the stranger and every animal around him save for perfectly pristine bones.

He somehow felt that the other Ceree, a male, was slightly proficient in magic. He had an idea, it would mean their deaths if it did not work, but it was all he had to go by. "Can you please... blind me?"
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Raducan, the hero was still in battle in the town, the hordes of monsters seeming to thin out after a while. However, he did not know the nature of these beasts nor of their master. He knew not that this was an orchestrated attack. Merun saw all this from his balcony high atop the tower. He laughed and said to himself "Poor Raducan, you do not know that each creature you kill just comes back again and again!"

He was, after all, in control of the lifestream, the web of magic that originated at the Lattice that linked all living beings across Sylfe. Why, he could make a forest erupt from the ground underneath Raducan's feet, but he wouldn't want the hero's death to be instantaneous. He wanted him to die at the hands of an immortal army, although that would not happen just yet.
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In the towns where the fighting was over and beasts freely roamed the streets, looking for humans to kill, three figures dressed in white hooded robes entered each town. They proceeded to the town squares and using magic wove a ward that pushed the monsters out of town.

The inhabitants were transfixed and they gathered around the square. "We offer you protection, in exchange for your faith. Cast away what foolish belief you have in the Paganistic ways of the Ancestors, or even the blasphemy of Shara'Hsbin and Sabra'no'a. Have they protected you and your loved ones through this night?" said one of the hooded figures in a town not far from the one Raducan was fighting in.

"No!" screamed one woman who had lost her husband and two children in the battle. She had kept her eldest in the house and when the fighting had subsided, went with her remaining son and dragged the dead into her home.

"Then join us and the true Religion! We have no need for Gods, we have a mighty god-king who gave us the power to stop this rampage of beasts! Look into the sky and tell us what you see" said the second figure. Eyes followed his hand as he pointed skyward and audible gasps were heard. "That is a miracle of our Lord. With His power, we can put an end to evil and bring peace to our land!" he shouted.

The crowd was already nodding assent. Much of what had happened in the past years had already set their hearts away from the old religions, now, they were beginning to absorb the new one proposed. "How can we know that what you say is true?" demanded one of the villagers, the others bobbing their heads in hushed agreement.

"Ahh.. always the doubtful. We have our ways" The ward vanished and the monsters began to stream back into town. Their blood curdling roars sent shivers down the townspeople's spines. They were almost upon them and many were crouched to accept the inevitable embrace of death. However, with a few gestures of their hands, the three 'priests' killed every monster in sight. They exploded into a rain of blood.

"This is your baptism in blood. Welcome into your hearts the Triune Church of Al'Caar and receive in yourselves the power he vested in us" said the last figure.

"but.. what of our dead? Is there nothing you can do?" asked the woman who had so eagerly accepted the new teachings. The middle figure simply threw back his cloak and smiled, there was something unsettling about his eyes. From his sleeve, he drew out a small bottle made of glowing silvery-black strands of metal. It seemed as though the glowing green liquid inside it should spill, but it did not. He threw it into the air and a glowing green rain bathed the town. Hewn limbs vanished and blood was cleansed from the ground. Soon enough, the dead were walking once more.

"I embrace the Triune Church..." said the woman, shaking.

"Then kneel before us, close your eyes and receive the blessing." The woman did as asked. The man in the middle began to chant "Haëll Megarun A'Vimanal Alna'Caar, Mal'Krajji z'dën mal'krog Keth z'dën Haien'Echti!" The second and third man drew out from their sleeves the halves of a cup made from the same material as the small bottle. They put the halves together and they seamlessly merged into one.

"Drink from this" said the two in unison. The woman did and they asked her to stand and face the people. When she did, and she opened her eyes, their pupils were in the shape of crescent moons.