:: he tapped lightly on the heavy pine door, the slat snapping open a moment later. the man gave him a quick scan, shutting the slat. the sound of locks being undone were followed by the creak of the door as it swung open, the man stepping aside to allow entrance. he stepped in quickly, determined strindes carrying him over the Ebony tiles. he came to a stop before the stone door. the stone was laced with gold, an intricate pattern twisting out from the center. he took a deep breath, pushing inside. the room was wide,a large lantern hung from the walls to the left and right who's light did little to illuminate the darkness of the throne. the throne itself sat center, three anceint looking tapestries hung in a crescent backing, each bearing the Crimson Moon and Dagger. he knelt before his master, a smile spreading over his lips ::

:: he grinned, rising to his feet, his ash grey eyes rising to meet his masters :: ..we have relocated the cargo, and I have met with the reporter and made our claim...what next, my lord..?

:: he gave a questioning look, his head canted slightly :: ...where, my lord?

:: now it was his turn to laugh :: ..capable? ...I am capable of whatever you desire, my lord...it is not a question...:: he gave a slight bow :: ...and it shall be done immediately...:: he turned to leave, moving quickly for the door ::

It is not too late in the evening when Alain finally arrives at the guild hall....knocking at the door to be admitted inside, and to make final preparations with his new comrades. His very generously-paying comrades. The old army truck he is using is parked nearby. His blasters and other secondary weapons are secured on his person, many of them in the pockets of his long dust jacket. He's as ready as he'll ever be.

An astounded Alain steps in after Pidane, a "what do you mean, postponed?" look on his face....but in ten minutes, he is stepping back out, looking very smug. A new plan is in place. A new angle. A little less ambitious, but he feels that, eventually, it will produce the same end result. He has been entrusted with two new tasks....and he intends to carry them out with an efficiency that will make his name legendary in the West End.

Tonight, something unexpected happened in the West End.

"A-town down. Yer boy and the goon patrol. No show." "You girls still out for blood?" "The guy juss wasted my night an' has avoided two attacks. We don't have any patience left for his sorry-ass." "I'm all set to knock on his door. Can you, and will you, make it here" Fast?" "The dance hall, right' No special locale?" "I'll leave the door open. ...Hope I can still dance when you get here." "Count ta' twenty, A-town."

In a dark, unusually crowded alley in the West End, the young mercenary is crouched down. Tired. His nerves tried by what already feels like months of deception, even though it's only been a week or two. There's unusual company in the alleyway, too. A swordsman who supposedly has a few years on Father Time. A samurai. A crazy old mage who keeps wondering where his ninjas are, but is supposed to know his stuff - he'd better, because he's one of the few hired help tonight. A creepy cat, literally: a human/tiger hybrid who's getting pretty psyched. Psychic, too. And then, a pack of what looks like ordinary street thugs, some of them part of the lovely KW's crew, others "friends" of Alain's he met in past smuggling gigs. Half of them are armed with a variety of medieval weaponry, the other, with blaster pistols. Ironically, they're all paid in silver that was supposed to be for actually improving the Nightblade Guildhall's surveillance in such a way that it might've been able to stop something like this from happening.

Regrets, huh. Alain removes a large black rectangle from his belt, squints at it in the moonlight, and twists a knob. And something happens.

Every piece of anti-personnel explosive in the Guildhall, from the one right by the front door where poor Mr. Shaggy-hair Crazy-eyes might be sitting right now, to the two right in the entrance to the north and west hallways off of the front room, to those located in corners of the mess hall, to the pair in the treasury room, to the one at the path to the throneroom, recieve a little signal. They come to life. Now, not only do they know their names (for example, the three located near the front know that they're part of the A group, and that their individual designations are 117, 118, and 119), but they also have a purpose. Two purposes. Two jobs. The first is to obey their master. The second"

Well, the first unfortunate sap to touch one of them will find out.

The thing about Claymore-styled mines is, yes, they launch little spherical metal projectiles that rip through flesh and aren't much good for anything but anti-personnel activities. Do damage to a wall, blow down a door, emit fire and a concussive blast, you can forget it. However, if someone has been taking these things apart very delicately and packing and wiring up enough C4 to really go over the explosive charge these babies are supposed to have....well, the anti-personnel stuff doesn't matter so much anymore. It's just extra shrapnel in a very powerful hand grenade. And a number of these devices have been rigged up with C4.

Two more knobs are simultaneously twisted, and two things happen at once. One, a little signal goes out to D group, one of the two groups of four explosive devices located in the commons, to let them know it's go time. These little devils haven't been packed with any extra C4, just those little metal balls, lots of them, that shoot out with deadly force. And they do, with a great crack from the four bombs. Anyone located in the commons, with all those balls bouncing around, is probably a) dead or b) losing limbs from those devilish little projectiles and well on his or her way to bleeding to death. A fifth device from the second group is set off by a stray projectile, but hey. Nobody's perfect.

As for group A" Misters 117, 118, and 119 in the front room' Those have a little more in the way of C4. The front door is split in three pieces and blown out across the street, and the other two just add to the chaos. Anyone nearby enough is going to get torn to shreds. Anyone in the front room' Yeah. A flash of fire, and then the smoke's clearing through the hole that was once the front door.

And immediately, the Guildhall is stormed. Alain brings up the rear while shots are taken with crossbows and blaster pistols at any Nightblade emerging into the hallways to stop these guys, though everyone remains in or near the front room for now. Seeing what the first wave brings.

:: He was indeed suprised by this little twist of events, though it had been just as the note had said...This was surely why Pidane had assumed command after the death of Meleagure....He was silent as his gaze followed the trails of smoke that rose from their home, questions starting to bubble up his mind ::

:: she was leaning back against the roof, her vision growing blurry as her hand moved to her brother's :: ...so...what now...? :: she whispered to her brother, her crystaline gaze never leaving the scne of the destruction. ::

"I., be advised, goons not out your way to play. The dance hall was empty when we got here, the party's on the roof south side of the street, about one hundred yards east of my position. Am in the front room....They haven't moved." He lowers his comlink, staying in position with his rifle. Trying to watch them, but of course, he can only pick out several of them.

:: he felt the wind from the shot as it narrowly missed his neck. his cold snowly gaze fell upon the tiny figure of Alain as he stood before his former home. with a heavy sigh, he lifted a hand, palm up as he reached toward the sky.

tiny beads of light sparked to life, white as snow as they were drawn to his hand. Both hands now above his head, the light growing to an immense gleaming pearl, rising from the rooftops of the WestEnd. the light grew darker, shifting to a burning crimson as it shot foreward, dozens of tendrils of light whipping toward the Guildhall.

the light would collect in the skies above, melting together to form the crimson moon and dagger. The sign hung a moment, suspended above them before shattering into thousands of tiny shards of light. the light would fade before reaching the ground, Pidane and the Nightblades with it ::

He sighs deeply....before opening up his comlink. "...We're done here. Rendezvous at your place." He watches his group disperse, some of them disappointed to leave without a good fight, others all too happy to be paid to do nothing. Shouldering his rifle, he, too, leaves this disappointing scene.

:: he stood a long while at the door to the ruined Guildhall, thoughts, questions flashing through his mind. he dared not step inside, not for fear of collapsing rubble, or physical injury...it was the fear of finding Pidane...he couldn't stand to see his brother's corpse lain out before him...though he had to know...he had to find out....and so, he took that first, nervous step inside. the gloom of the hall hadn't changed, the only difference being the shredded look of everything inside. he wandered the halls for some time, not really wanting to open the heavy doors of the throne room. after some time, he'd found himself before the massive doors. he took a deep breath, pushing the doors aside. the room was black. the only light in the room spilled in through the double doors, though even in that faint light he could tell the room was empty.

Outside, he sat a long while on the curb, his snowy gaze turned skyward, seeking an answer in the glittering points of light above. he gave a light sigh, accompanied by a slow shake of his head. his brother had escaped...that much was certain...though he'd no idea where to...he prayed silently, hoping for Pidane's safety in the coming days. if only mother were here.. another sigh rose to his lips, a look of distant remembrance spread over his face. She could certainly convince him to drop this whole thing...She'd be able to show him that he'd only get himself killed this way....if only...he stood, brushing himself off. he turned, heading home, a fleeting glance backward before he was off ::

He materialized inside the Nightblade Guildhall. He looked around the place and it was and had been long abandoned, dust covered the once sacred nightblade symbols. "Oh, Pindane...How long has it been since the darkness truly has taken its place?" He shook his head, talking to himself was never going to provide an answer for anything.



He took a stroll to the main power switch and it turned on its own and the lights came on, revealing a history of battle and evil. "What was...will be again? he said with his typical non threatening voice, again nobody here to hear it. He snapped his fingers and a foul smelling wind swirled around the hall in all of its rooms and the damage that had been done to it in the past was repaired, and made better. The walls were endowed with the same powers of the Red Dragon Inn and a self repairing aspect became one with the Hall. Its stealth powers became thirty fold stronger, betrayal was no longer an option against the structure and organization, if it was seeked by one of light alignment, or one pretending to be dark, they would never find it. The armory was restocked with many various weapons, more than enough variety for even the most die hard weapon fanatic and psychopath.

Beneath the Hall formed a great labryinth to serve as a prison for people, and had various special rooms fitted with magical torture traps. Speaking of magical, the hall itself had now developed multiple magical resistances, and rooms filled with magical supplies that would make any high level lich jealous. The hall had no visible doorways now. Bob created his own method of travel as he knew it, with portals, anybody not invited would be eaten by chaos elementals between the realms.



The Hall was not perfect, what would the fun in that be. Bob saw that the hall was good and ready for a return, all that was needed now, was the master of the nightblades to return to his rightful place.

The Abyss looked around the hall and liked it for what he did with the place. Now it was time to wait for the right time. The Fortress of Darkness was ready, and hungry for revenge. Bob just kinda faded away in a black electrical bolt of power.

Welcome back, Nightblades.

Cal made her way down the dark streets of West End, something about that man had certainly caught her interest. She had sought him out which proved to be difficult with how many wrong turns she made, she didn't even know where to find this mysterious person which only rendered it even more impossible. She stopped in front of a building and a strange sensation washed over her as she made her way to the door. A fist met wood and she stilled herself so that her movements were noiseless, she waited to see if there would be a response or perhaps she would simply leave. Nonetheless she was adorned in several shades of black, the chains she usually wore had been left behind. It probably wasn't a good idea to come so late in the night but what did she care? Her head tilted up to examine the sky and a pale glow from the moon illuminated only a part of her face. Saphire hues locked on the door and another rap on the surface before she stood, waiting.

Cal's hand closed around a knob almost immediately upon entry and she began to wander around the place, she chose to explore a bit. She didn't see any harm done in doing so....A charcoal trench coat hugged her abnormally thin frame and nearly encompassed her whole body, the thing nearly drowned her but she didn't seem to pay no mind to it. Right now her attention was transfixed on what might lay beyond that door....However her mind drifted to that pocket at her left and she reached down to place her hand inside....No matches. She looked around a bit with fire on the mind and a strange premonition was felt....

Cal didn't even feel her feet move, she made her way over to those flames almost as though she were in a trance. She reached out to touch the fire that flickered before her eyes, her head turned and she picked up a book. She leafed the the pages, indulging herself in that obsession of hers. The very thought of controlling the element she loved caused hands to turn pages quickly, her gaze moving up and down the pages eagerly as though to somehow lock every bit of it in her memory.

She took the seat without so much of a flance upwards from that book, fingers flipped the delicate pages. It were almost as though she were filling a craving that couldn't be quite satisfied. She would be there for quite some time, her gaze never strayed too far from those ginger and nutmeg scented pages. Though the smoke given off by the fire would overwhelm that very smell and drown it out. Her head would raise only, and if only, the book should ever end or someone might seek her acquaintances.

::The opening would open and let her inside::

::The portal closed behind her, inside she would only see one doorway, but nothing else inside, just hallways, then infront of her a portal would open, where it lead only she would know. This portal would take her to what she was best with, where that was, only she knew::

::She was transported into some unknown level of the hall, when she would step out of the portal she would see an entire armory of magical weapons, none equal to her own World Breaker of course but many lesser weapons of magic none the less. They spread out from where she was to at least 300 feet from her and 50 rows of weapons. Infront of her there was a catalog of information, detaling every type of weapon in the arsenal, and exactly how it was used.

Behind her was living quarters, she could live here in comfort and luxury and appear here any time she wished to what she did next was up to her. Swords Bows Knives and weapons of all kinds each with a special power were hers to deliver at anytime she desired, there seemed no end to the weapons. The room itself was well lit and very clean.::

::He appeared infront of the Hall and raised his hands::

Tonight I add one more layer of protection upon you...tonight!

::He made a few arcane hand movements and the Nightblade Guildhall vanished entirely, the nexus took it and all that was in it, now it was perfectly safe from any who dared try and attack it by surprise his magic would not be overcome by any lame power of this world, the abyss itself was guarding this building::

Well, thats stage one, stage two comes soon...

::He walked into the night air and was gone::

::He strolled down the halls of the hall and pushed a few buttons::

It is time for phase 2 to begin.

::The building fired beams of purple light and they hit in various places in rhydin, transforming them into what they were prepared to be over all this time Jaymz would have found himself in an armory, this is where he has been all this time apparently as he had vanished since he entered::

:: a slight grin spread across his lips as he sat in the silence and dark. Bob was gone, who knew for how long, and there was a laundry list of things that needed to be done...rising from his seat, the shadows surrounding him moved, black silk parting from the darkness. pale white eyes gleamed with hunger as he strode toward the door in a cloud of black, laughter rising through the halls ::

:: he stood silent, the gentle night breeze swirling around him. pale white eyes were locked on the blazing moon and dagger above the main entrance to the hall. He'd called a meeting of the servants outfront, and they all stood shaking in the cool night air before him. his golden robes billowed as he turned, heading into the shadows of Rhy'Din. ::

"Burn it.."

The air around them became very cold all of the sudden, yeah. Bob was standing right there beside her and had his left arm around her shoulder there."Well then. I see you have found, what has once been lost. A part of me feels responsible for this disaster. Thank you. Lilly."

Bob took his arm back and stepped towards the building. "My old friend, how long has it been since you have served your purpose?" He was talking to the building as if it were alive or something. "No, you are not done yet. Sure your master may have abandoned you and I may have been...elsewhere, for that I am sorry. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. I know you have one somewhere in there."

Bob raised his arm and hand to the sky, to the moon that was oddly full and burning bright red, from his fingertips came arcs of black energies and they filled themselves into the building, or what was left of it. "Rise, Rise again for me!"

The shambling darkness began to construct it self in an eerie manner unnatural to the laws of reality. It was basically noiseless in the process, but the stones, the wood and the steel would be forced back into place. It almost looked painful the way it happened. The ashes of the all consuming flames poured out mixing with the pooled water from the weather. It looked like the black blood being purged with the powers of the darkness that now empowered it's very being.

The spring brought new life to all things, good and bad alike. This was bad to be sure, but that word was so, weak and useless compared to it's true purpose. And that purpose would be revealed soon enough in time. He then took a step back regained his spot beside Lilly.

"Well, what do you think of it now?"

There it was, black as the heart it came from so long ago and oddly enough it looked plain as anyother building in the area. On the doorway was that famliar symbol, in deep red in the fashion of the Moon and a dagger.

"Tell the others, the time is growing near and it is time to begin the plan." He smiled and watched as the building returned to its burnt down state, an illusion for those who were looking for it and those who might be keeping watch on the streets of their newly reclaimed streets of the west end. "When we need to find it all we must do is go here and enter into it. The original defenses are now reactivated. Gather the others and let them know as well. Nobody gets in here until all of them are accounted for and ready to enter."

"Do you understand?"

"Excellent". That kiss would of course be followed with what she wanted, the negative energies that came from her would indeed, shock her on contact."Tell the others at once to come here, those who are willing that is."

Bob walked towards the door and pressed it open with one hand. It was as if he was coming home for the first time, again. Then his dark from slipped into the darkness of the hall and the door remained open, she could come in if she wanted to, but the lady had work to do now. She could think of it as, a test of sorts.

The Nightblade guildhall had risen to life once more. There is nothing to do now but wait for the princess to return. Those large doors closed behind him and he would sit upon the throne of the hall. It was empty and abandoned. Not to mention dark as it should be.

"While the members are being gathered, perhaps it is time to..have alittle fun." Bob was never very good at fun though and he would have to think of something to do, something no doubt interesting as well.