Topic: No rest for the wicked

Rhaine · Date: 2006-10-24 06:01 EST

High Priestess returned from G'fenvass, frustrated by the need to be official, by the need to press on someone, to argue and order. Now the only thing she needed was a quiet evening... preferrably petting a big cat, or talking to Artemus which was a worthy equivalent. Shifter's presence always helped her to relax. With him she felt.. human. Delightfully mortal.

Surprisingly, Artemus was not at the Twilight Isle. Instead there was an odd company of Syous, gnome Gnimish, Rena and Archmage Topaz, listening to Gnimish's story. Topaz noticed the vampiress and they exchanged greetings - as official as possible. Rhaine had no need to vex Isle's Archmage. She was merely tired.

"You're looking fine this evening, Rhaine. What's the occasion?" Topaz inquired curiously.
"Just have not changed from negotiations I had to participate in."

Art, when will you get your lazy feline rear and get down to the Isle... Rhaine looked at the Tower of Earth impatiently.

"Oh, just negotiations, nothing fun," the fairy's lips curved slightly.

"Definitely. Especially when some fool thinks I did no background checks and tries to deceive me," vampiress' voice was embodiment of tired.

"Will you all be here for tomorrow's quiz?" the faery didn't stop pulling her nerves.

"Quiz? I will try, though I have to file my report and before that I have to write it..." gods, that was the worst thing to think about. Every diplomatic interaction had to be logged and submitted into archives.... "Results of negotiations, suggested further actions, all that boring stuff that is politics... Luckily it's not in RhyDin, so I can rest here from the dull talks."

"Sounds like they bore you quite a bit," at least Topaz could understand a tiny share of it. Rhaine was about to explain that she started as a knight and preferred action to boring talks, as the fairy continued.

"I meant to ask you something, and you glancing over at that tower reminded me. Do you know of a creature that works with shadow or umbra magic, may even be made out of that stuff, and tends to grow fangs in whatever it posesses? Someone said you might be the one with a helpful answer."

Rhaine · Date: 2006-10-24 06:32 EST

Rhaine almost bit off the neck of the water bottle. "Where... where did you see it?" she asked. Girrash! But Artemus would have told her if his demonic feline half was getting uncontrollable...

"In Artemus, or in a more of a round around Artemus sort of way. I didn't get to gather much information, what with it eating magic."

The tired look was gone from her eyes as if it never existed . "He did tell me he found some compromise with the girrash... But eating magic?! That's weird for the shadowcat."

It was puzzling. She remembered her encounters with girrash... the need to pull him off to allow Artemus normal sleep... the hunts. Would he eat magic? Never. He was a blood thirsty feline, but never a good mage.

"Compromise with such a creature? It's called a girrash then.... isn't that some sort of wraith like creature? Yes, he tried to drain the energy from the ward last week. I put a stop to that of course and the ward's fine. But it was quite a surprise that Artemus would do this, so I took the next chance I got to check on him."

"Girrash is an extra-planar shadow feline. Somewhat a morpher," the priestess explained, taking a pull from the bottle. This was all so... wrong. "Eating magic... Girrash is quite bloodthirsty, and aggressive, but not a magic eater."

"Hmm. Is it possible that Artemus needs some help, or could this sort of behavior be part of the compromise?" Archmage asked.

"Art has found this compromise a long time ago, and never behaved this way..." - oh, he never did... but how much do you know of his recent months, vampire? You were so busy with yourself, with the tasks given by your Lord... you never had a chance to check on how's the shifter doing...

"Hmm, so maybe what possesses him uses the girrash as well?"

"It may," Rhaine shuddered. Who would have power matching to that of girrash? enough to possess him and his human half? That had to be a lich, or one of her kin... In the latter case - crap, no, it can't be a Bound. A Bound would create a body, not possess it. "I know of several kinds of beings that may feed on magic," she started carefully

"What could it be then?" - what Topaz lacked was asmodean patience. Rhaine paced back and forth, her eyes returning to the Tower. "Umbran magic..." she muttered, frowning. There was something important to it. It was a momentary dawn. "The book... you son-of-a-cat, if you got to it again....!"

"Book? What book are you talking about?"

Yes! Now, where did he leave the book... the accursed tome that pulled him in... Art, you damn fluffy monstrocity, I'll skin you alive... "Not that we can get a hold of it at the moment," the priestess replied, searching frantically in her memory. Where did Artemus leave it? But the event demanded explanation, and she started to spit out the facts.

"About a year ago... a few months before meeting Shandren, Artemus was almost obsessed with studying umbran magic. He got that book from somewhere - he said it was kept in some old potion store, I had no reasons to think it was a lie... But he was hiding it all the time, and once it simply came to the isle. He said something about a fight... that he bested someone when the book pulled him in... he was so glad that he gained some skill with that umbran magic... why would he poke his nose into the book again..."

Syous was looking North, towards volcanoes in the distance. He might be eavesdropping, but Rhaine cared little. The situation was bad enough already.

"Odd, so he caused the posession himself. Well, that doesn't change that he's in a quandery now. So, anyway, that's specualtion...what do we do to help him get rid of the possessor?"

Practical Topaz. But Rhaine knew no answer to this. She wished to see him... to know what has happened to him. For a moment the vivid image flared in her mind - the dark chamber, rattling strained breath from behind her shoulder... blackness overcoming familiar spectral features, blackness in his eyes - as black as the pale cyan blue mist that clouded hers... There were some warnings, some phrases about storming the tower and one of Isle officials getting a 12-hour amnesia, but she cared little.

"Better if I simply tell you if I find out anything, and if there are any existing data that we can use," she spoke, deep in thought. Why would Artemus delve in the umbran book again? He had no reason to do this... probably. And why would he absorb magic? And how much magic?

Meanwhile the dispute continued. Topaz and Syous got into purely theoretical aspects of destabilizing the isle. That had to be cut short. Rhaine knew how easily advanced casters get carried away. And she needed to leave.

"Any of my brethren is taught to avoid assuming too much," she spoke calmly.

"That's good advice, Rhaine," Topaz agreed.

"Standard practice," her fingers played with a ruby-silver-hematite medallion dangling on a silver chain from her neck - sigil of asmodean priest. She waited. And as Topaz left, she rushed towards the Tower of Earth.

Rhaine · Date: 2006-10-24 07:19 EST

The door opened, and she rushed in. Her voice was laced with genuine concern as she shouted out his name. The entrance hall was empty save the statues of past keepers. No one here... To the portal room in this case. The geode-like control device had no manual. Rhaine almost decided to try every combination when a faint whisper rustled near her ears.

"Red and blue will see you through....green and white will send you into the night... Orange and yellow make odd bedfellows, purple and gold lead to places ages old."

"Audiomanual," she frowned, starting with first combination, no matter how tempted she was to start with second.

The white light illuminating the stalagtites flickered before they light up, corresponding with the two smaller crystals on the stand and a pale purple light revealed a long hallway with smooth limestone flooring, the walls like bark, and the doors liniing the walls made to look like trees, handles carved into knots. The doors looked tempting, but at the moment Rhaine's mind contained only one thought, that buzzed like a bee hitting on a glass window. Artemus.... Artemus... you silly shifter... Only one door at the end of the hall was standing wide open with a faint light glimmering.

This new room was a mirror of the last with a minor difference. The crystals were all white and set into a pyramid shake with a crystal missing. Just like in the study hall in Ythvern, the traditional stack-moving exercise.

"Artemus... wait till I get to your ears, cat," she hissed. This puzzle game was getting annoying. "Puzzle freak," she muttered, using vampire speed to assemble the puzzle, leaving the top slot open.
"Everyone has a hobby I'm told..." that voice whispered again as the portal flickered to life showing a new floor. Open and vast looking much like the main hall with one minor difference. There stood row upon row of statues carved in the image of the current Keeper. Each one made from darkest obsidian.

"Nice portraits, Artemus. But I would prefer seeing the Keeper, not images of the Keeper," she tried to be calm. Was Art vexing her intentionally? Or was this a trap, was the shifter truly possessed by someone who made this Tower a trap for overly curious biomage?

In unison the statues took a step and turned, black robed arms pointing to a door carved into the back wall. Ancient runes glowed in a pale green light around the frame. "The way of the heart will open the door, the way of desire will mark the path, the way of balance will light your way."

"You're doing your best to tick me off, Art..." Rhaine muttered, walking to the door. Another of his stupid jokes. The door was locked. Damn... The audiomanual repeated the text.

"Do abstract categories count?" she asked, irritated by it.

"Think hard and think clear, thy way will appear," the rhymed sentences were getting on her nerves.

"Heart wants... my kin do not have a heart. We don't even use such an idiom... Art, fluffy, how did you possibly get into this..." she sighed leaning on the door. Does this game include dumb statements and confessions?

"Yes, I'm here for one shifter that managed to become the center of my system of coordinates... foolish but true. Even though Topaz hinted that it isn't him anymore..."

Surprisingly, the door cracked open slowly. She slipped in. She stood on a landing that overlooked a deep abyss. Her area of movement was a five feet by five feet square of quartz crystal that illuminated internally. Once again that voice whispered. "The way of desire will mark the path"

"Another step..." Rhaine sighed. Was someone interviewing her? "Desire? Mainly freedom from most confines imposed by my initiation... freedom from the threat of dissolution, from standard path of my kin.. And how can such an abstract category mark anything?"

"Desire to achieve a goal creates motivation.." the voice replied. And like that a door at the far end of the chasm lit up, showing her the path. All that was left was to light the way. She looked down into abyss, standing on the edge lacking fear as a class.

"Motivation for?" she asked, expecting the sentence to be completed. The medallion with the symbol was still strongly clenched in her fist. "Though the last question is hardly a challenge... at least for an asmodean. For my Lord is the ultimate balancer of my existence..."

"To thy own mind, body, and spirit be true..." came the voice again

"You wish me to spout some pathetic bullshit like "the Lord is my shepherd"? Hell no. He only creates the guidelines we follow, the line to walk on. We choose it willingly, but not as sheep. Combination of will and faith?"

"For each the balancer between mind and heart is a different variable. That which determines the ratio will answer the equation."

So it was a derivative of function of will in the point described by current and persistent motivation. Not a general one. What was the balance between wish to find the shifter and the desire to be... free and herself? Damn binding...

Admit it at last to yourself, Rhaine. Or you've no guts to admit this?

"... love doesn't balance, it only creates chaos and unbalances," she whispered. And twelve white tiles lit up leading halfway to the illuminated exit. Each one seemed to hover above empty space. It looked like the bridge to Tor Lara. " Before peace can settle, chaos must exist," the voice retorted.

"Chaos is a tool for order," priestess commented coldly. It was a common practice, and she felt on familiar ground. Six more tiles lit up along her path and a soft clapping was heard "Good, asmodean, you're almost there."

"Chaos is a tool for order, where lies the need for love if chaos creates order?"

"Active source of creative energy?" Rhaine-bound was speaking, calmly and freely. "We call it the primer, the "what if" - potential that can spring into being with energy applied. Love rather works this way... as a primer. Primer for crystal, like in synthesis of order from molten chaos. Primer for synthesis of new DNA - in the chaos of creation".

The interview was obviously over, as the last tiles lit up.

Rhaine · Date: 2006-10-25 01:36 EST

The room beyond the door was elegantly decorated much like a throne room. At the end sat a large black throne with three heads carved onto the high back and arms. The features of these faces resembled Topaz in a way. Faeries. Rhaine crossed her arms on her chest, a typical asmodean knight gesture.

"Now, that is getting me annoyed."

"Welcome to the heart asmodean," the voice was not unlike Art's in a way. But now it was irritating.

"What in the name of Nessus is this heart place? And how did it get into Tower of Earth? And who in the Hells are you, to play these riddle games?" with every question she was drawing on cold anger.

"The heart is linked with all places and none at the same time. For those who know to find it and these games are those that will see the dark mage locked back where he should have stayed."

"The dark mage?" she frowned. Well, someone like herself at least. Something more or less familiar. "What did set him free?"

"A youth with a fate beyond his mortal understanding. A youth who defies his place in the world and seeks to create his own destiny."

Been there, done that. She could hardly keep away a sarcastic comment. "So, where do we go from here? To lock up the mentioned mage and get Artemus out?"

"The book is the key, and the key is the book. The druid's past is where you must look."

So she was correct in her assumptions. Excellent. The book was the beginning of this menacing process... it has to be the end.

"Where's Artemus now?" Rhaine asked.

"The power of an ancient beast to him calls, it's secrets locked away in the most ancient of halls. Three drops of blood created the line, but the curse of vengeance bound his fate for all time."

Luckily she did overhear a few things about Chimaera. Artemus was nice enough to mention it to her. But the rhymes were giving her a headache.

"The Chimaera. What's the curse of vengeance? How did it originate?"

"Begun by blood, and by blood undone. Find the the second line with a mirror fate, friend and foe will become one."

"Second line with a mirror fate? Line of? Kurgen bloodline, Chimaera as dragon-menace... Mirror in which aspect? Friend and foe... Tass would fry me alive if I poke my nose into the Isles," she muttered to herself, browsing through potential solutions. It felt like a dumb quest game, something she could not tolerate for long. For she was one of those who carved their own destiny, who made mistakes and paid for them. And hated to be a part of a game.

"The time for questions has come and passed, seek the dragon who chronicles all and you'll know what to ask."

"Fine. If I'm to take part in this damn quest, let it be," she spat out the words angrily.

"Seek the the tent'd field where all began and the path of the dragon will be revealed on the hand."

The black throne faded from sight as thick shadows began to swallow up the room. A shaft of white light came to being directly behind the asmodean flickering like a portal. "He draws near, and the road is far what aid could be given has been handed o'er here. Find the king, find the wolf, and on his hand will reveal what you need."

You'll certainly pay for each moment of this interview, Artemus Kurgen, she cussed inside. But first I will get you out of there. Now... the wolf. Who has seen Sylus last?

Rhaine · Date: 2006-10-25 01:36 EST

I watched the twilight in my hideout. New fancy thing I enjoyed was stainless steel - rather an archaic alloy, but a steel cup looked good with black coffee. A cup, a fireplace with dark crimson fire (I couldn't get rid of this tint after the "visit" of my lord) and all of the time to myself.

Was it an illusion? What happened in the Tower of Earth? Was the mage that supposedly possessed Artemus playing with me? Or was it all real?

I would have sensed an illusion - probably. The illusions are not hard to distinguish, the magical pattern is obvious. However there are other ways to drive someone insane. Am I here, in my lair, or back in the Tower, imprisoned within my own mind? Was I over-confident when I thought that a dark mage can hardly alter my memory?

There is no answer. Do I need to accept the game and start looking for Sylus... Stop. Why Sylus? The book that began the madness, what would Sy know of it? The voice mentioned wolf, king and the dratted logging dragon in connection with "curse of vengeance". Why would I bother with chasing the solution for removing it? Find the book, investigate whatever is related to Art's past, and lock up the dark mage... if this is real, not some hallucination in my imprisoned mind.

But can I sit here and do nothing, when I know I can help Artemus? The shifter that has used me as living shield in Myr'khul temple - and who has risked his life to set me free from a deadly trap... I looked at a sphere of sparkling magical field, where an orchid levitated, preserved by magic and un-time.

Fine. Who'd have eye and memory for every event in the Arenas? And won't babble about my visit?

And when is the best time to go to Dojo Darelir?

Rhaine · Date: 2006-10-25 02:28 EST

I'm usually not the one to whine "Why does that happen to me". Mainly because I know well enough WHY. Not that I'm never tempted to cry about the unfair destiny of being one of my kin... but would it be of any use? Whining has never helped anyone beside those who use pretty crying woman's face to gain assistance.

If it's true that Artemus is trapped, the curse of Bound is being redundant. In the beginning it was giving me much more nonstandard problems - repeating imprisonment as a way to deprive me of anyone who becomes dear is becoming a cliche.

I remembered the feeling of using blade circuit of one of our rituals to sense the one who would join me in battle, and the shock of finding naught but darkness and shadow behind the familiar shell. The pain of looking into the hellflame-colored eyes of Tenebris and seeing them... dead. Glassy and unfeeling, without the inner flame that enlivened his pale face. How I experimented first with using crystal affinity to craft a compass-stone, that led me to the cocoon where Tenebris was held - the crimson-black ellyptical mound among millions of larvae crawling along the shores of Styx. Does the story go in circles? I found him - for a few hours, until the Temple of Morrigu dragged him in... until I could do nothing but hammer my fists onto the glassy wall of the Halls, screaming out his name and realizing that there was no return...

Had I been more reserved... had I followed the recommendation of my colleagues to use "heartless intellect" behavior pattern... would Artemus be free now? Or whatever happened, was his own doing? His own reckless action? His own hunger for power?

Questions, questions... Too many "what if"s. A fortress in our own minds, restraint every moment and illusion of security... Security that is a trap. A tomb where my kin lock themselves.

(overheard in/inspired by "FORTRESS" in "End of All Days" by RAGE)

Rhaine · Date: 2006-10-31 08:20 EST

"What makes this guy so special that rather than challenge and see him booted out of power to make dealing with him easier, you're talking amongst yourselves and treating it like something unusual?"

The Druid's voice was ringing cold. What's so special... He IS special, more special than anyone in the Isle, Rhaine was tempted to say, but remained as reserved as always. She discussed peculiarities of interdimensional portals with Topaz, opened a rift to illustrate... Time was so sloooow....

When the faerie left, Rhaine abandoned the basic rift, and walked towards the shore. She needed a gust of wind, some noise of the waves... She needed some time alone. Where would the book be? It was not anywhere in the hideout. Would it be in the Kurgen Keep? Or in the Tower?

For a second she looked at the Tower of Earth, and blinding pain that had been curling inside her, sprang free. Art, where are you, how can I help you - she was about to scream. She walked towards the stairway, hardly noticing the path. Perhaps there would be a miracle and he's in the Tower?

She sat down on the stairs, leaning on heavy door that led into the Tower of Earth. All of a sudden a voice that sounded perfectly her own, broke off the haunting thoughts.

"You know returning to that place would be illogical."

Rhaine · Date: 2006-10-31 08:26 EST

Near the rift stood a shape she would have seen in a mirror. A doppelganger? But it was shadow, shadow and shadow. Not a hint of dark crimson and green characteristic for true doppel's. A baatezu sent to make sure she's not forgetting her duty? But her responsibilities didn't require her presence at the moment, even more - she was truly successful in the last mission... Power and a new assignment is a reward for a job well done?

"Not always are we guided by logics," she answered aloud, walking down, towards the rift.

"There is something quite strange about a priestess of Asmodeus who cares for a being from a inferior religion."

She knew two magic users who would meddle with shadow magic. But Melgarth wouldn't play with such illusions. Artemus! It was a flicker of hope, faint but strengthening. Who else would play such silly jokes... But why would he?

"And when did religion placed first in the matters of caring for another?" she asked almost cheerfully.

"Since asmodeans do not generally care for anyone or anything that cannot serve their purposes," her own voice replied. Art... isn't it time to end the joke?

"Perhaps the correct assumption would be - caring for a being of that so-called inferior religion does serve some purpose?" she smiled, looking at her own image. "Art, quit playing with illusions, it may look funny for you but you know I can't see it the normal way."

"How can it when this being's problems seem to pull us away from what our Lord orders? Oh and how was the meeting at the castle? I slept most of the time some of the games were quite boring."

Do I actually speak like that? No wonder the Knights considered me a toxic bitch, she thought. "Sleep less," she answered, the toxin filling her voice.

"Oh...you don't like games?" the image turned in place. Yes, that was Artemus... but why was his image so flooded with shadow? "And it sounds as though someone needs a strong cup of coffee," his voice was so familiar... so missed...

"Definitely," she was at the bar already, pouring herself some coffee. "And I'm not in the mood for that game"

"Which game?" keeper's smile was a slightly amused one.

"I do not appreciate illusions. As well as interviews when I don't want them."

"Interviews you say? That must have been boring, they make you wear uncomfortable clothing or was it casual dress?"

But do you not remember what an interview is like? Did my memory not have a full set of them, did you not see them when we were linked?

"Interview isn't about the outside... it's about learning what's inside. We do dress up for the interviews traditionally though," she spoke reluctantly.
The priestess did not wish to believe her own eyes and ears.

"So, do you think your interviewer learned anything? Or just what's already known?" Artemus appeared curious.

"I don't think your attempt of interviewing me resulted in any valuable information exchange," her own smile was a bit unsure. Art?

"Me? I haven't seen you since you left for that meeting.." expression of slight confusion, so familiar and endearing.. "What purpose would I have for interviewing you, we both learned enough on the other during our linked period."

And that was unexpected. Did he not ask her before she left, to talk to him... Shifter's voice, so silky and convincing, rang in her ears. "Rhaine...I want to hear these memories from your own lips...hear how you felt as each event happened, what you were thinking at the time...." What could change from that time? Did he just lose interest? Was that a whim, a momentary weird wish? She put the cup down, and moved to hug him.

"I return from the meeting and hear weird news about you getting into shadowmagic again. Who knows how your studies would affect you..."

It was a touch of momentary, damp chill. The shadow around him was so thick, she shivered. Looking into his face, the priestess hardly repressed a scream. What happened... The change was just as drastic as the one during Art's initiation with the dark book!

Rhaine · Date: 2006-10-31 08:28 EST

Shifter's arms wrapped around her to return the hug, a kiss placed atop her head. "I've been studying shadow magic since after the book. And I wouldn't make a joke at your expense over something you hate...when there are far more enjoyable ways to play with you."

"What happened to you, Art? I remember the traces shadow has left in you when you were a sort of initiated... did you undergo something similar?" she kept close to him, sensing the nuances of every touch.

"Nothing has happened to me, Rhaine. I'm the same as I've always been, sure there are a few spots in my memory where I can't remember what I did, but that's not uncommon. And I wasn't fully initiated, something happened during it that I still can't place, I passed the test, but at the same time..failed."

Good sneak-out, she thought. You never mentioned you were Artemus. So you neither lie nor confess anything... Are you Artemus? Or was Topaz and these voices in the Tower correct, you are something that possesses him?

"Perhaps it's some spot in your memory... responsible for the change so obvious? You're darker. I hardly recognized you".

"Perhaps this is for the best...I have a level of control now I had not previously... I'm still me".

He met that pale mist in her eyes leveling, face hovering inches abover her own. Any question asked, he used to slide off the subject.

"Nevermind. I'm probably too happy to see you," Rhaine finally sighed. The data she collected, was more than enough to confirm her suspicions. Now - where is the dratted book?

"You're probably the only person that is ever happy to see me aside from Amaris...and that is all I need. I could care less about how the others percieve my actions.." his arms tightened around her then holding her close.

"Quite natural. Why shouldn't I be happy to see the shifter I love.. though you seem so soaked in the the shadow that it hurts to look at you"

"I'm merely starting to enjoy the use of my powers, no longer practicing restraint, and I'm liking each moment of it. There are still moments where my memory is spotty, but those pass quick enough".

It was not too characteristic for Artemus, but again - yet another proof of strange influence. "I'm still curious about the effect of the book and that initiation... do you continue using it?" Her whisper was so soft near his ear... and her lips touched his neck gently.

"I have no reason to use the book..it was the key to my initiation and nothing more. I needed it to finish."

The book is the key, and the key is the book... The druid's past is where you must look...

"Oh... okay... Don't touch it again, will you? I fear for you, Art. You mean so much to me... "

"Fear not, for I am always by your side. Isn't that how the saying goes?"

"I hope you locked it safely in the Kurgen Keep," Rhaine used her best feline manner. Soft, silky, sneaky feline manner.

"It's in a far safer locale. One that is many miles away from everything. So you need not fear for the book, besides I can always burn it, not like it is much use to me."

I don't fear for the book, she sighed inside. But never allowed it to show.

Rhaine · Date: 2006-11-01 05:28 EST

Rhaine arrived at the Isle when the queue was almost closed for Halloween dueling. What could be more natural than vampire dressed as a vampire? She lightened her skin color to liquid-paper white, and put on a dress that looked like these skin-tight gowns of cartoon vampire women. It was horribly vulgar, but at least served the purpose.

The Isle appeared to be full of illusions. One of them moved in the air too close to her, and did a rapid last-second turn.

"Get your treats here!" sounded from the left. Rhaine noticed something stirring in an evil-looking cauldron.

"Evening, Archmage," she greeted Topaz. Yesterday's meeting ruined her appetite. Lyrt hopped into the Isle, with one tiny Halloween trick-and-treat Rhaine hoped to make work. The cat carried a rather good imitation of a rat in his teeth - rat made of chocolate truffle, with fur imitation of almond and hazelnut crumbs.

Gnimish ordered a zombie goblin to bring a plate of what looked like dirtcakes, but Rhaine declined with a sneaky fanged grin.
"Thank you, but I would offend my cat if I don't try his treat first. Want some?"
"Naaah, I already had some foot," gnome answered, pointing at the cauldron. So far it was going fun. Vampiress took one cupcake, and a glass of tomato juice that easily imitated fresh blood from the bar.
"Rats are good for you," she noted with a grin, and offered the treat to Topaz. "Would you like some?"
"Are they anything like Unga's arms and feet?" the fairy asked, still taking the rat. Of course the gnome made a face that could hardly be anything but laughable. "I dunno if I'd chance it, fairy."
"It isn't dong anything," Topaz appeared disappointed.
"I...uh...just think it's a rat," Gnimish seemed a bit nauseous.
"And what did you expect my cat to bring..." vampiress smirked. Come on, Topaz.. And yes, she did bite into the creepy looking treat!
"Ewwwww, fairy!" - poor Gnimish....
"It's chocolate and nuts!" - Topaz seemed more than eager to disclose a tiny secret. At least it was something to lighten the ten-ton weight on Rhaine's heart. Vampiress sipped juice from her glass thoughtfully.

"I have seen the person we've discussed, Archmage," she finally said.

Rhaine · Date: 2006-11-01 05:43 EST

"What happened, Rhaine?" Topaz asked, between sips of coffee and bites from the chocolate rat.

"Nothing scary. He merely convinced me that we're correct," vampiress spoke calmly. Calmness of ruins. She was pondering on how much she could reveal without disclosing potentially dangerous information.

"What looks like Artemus, was here, at the Isle. While we talked, he did use mentionings of some facts that were in place before his ... first experience with the tome I mentioned. However some events that happened in the near time, escaped him."

Events and attitudes. Attitudes were what mattered. It reminded the Ritual of Unity, the one asmodeans used for hunts together, that involved circuit of blades and seeing what's behind the shell of someone you'd trust in battle. She remembered one particular case, when she was so shocked to feel nothing but darkness and shadow behind the image of someone precious... Did the Spiral make a full turn?

"Hmm, so it was actually Art you got to talk to rather than the thing?" Topaz distracted her from the thought.

"At the same time it was him... and it wasn't," she was rather unwilling to speak further. "In any case, I have a set of things to do, and I will do them whatever it takes. For example, find that tome."

"He didn't say where, did he?" the fairy inquired.

"Naturally. I'm of no importance to him - not enough at least. But I have a tiny idea to use..." the priestess' eyes narrowed dangerously. A tiny feline image appeared on the sand. Yes. Amaris would be someone more important to someone occupying shifter's body. And Amaris may be used. Anyone may be used.

"Someone of importance. Tiny someone," Rhaine said, her voice spoke tons of cold calculation.

"Oh! The one of heart. Can she do that?" Topaz nodded at the drawing.

"We will see. Worth a try."

"It certainly will be. Now we just need to get all the participants in one place," the fairy even smiled.

"I do not know if it's obvious... or not really... but there's little I wouldn't do or use in this case," Rhaine's voice was quiet, almost a whisper. Anything. "Where do you think would be something "many miles away from everything"? I would say it's another dimension which would be same distance of many miles away. But perhaps it isn't that literal...?"

"Many isn't very precise. In a way the isle is many miles away from everything, it being it's own pocket dimension. So it could be any place, really."

"Figured. And I can't make a compass-stone, I don't have the precise spectrum of the tome," and momentarily she realized she said too much. Would a true vampire use magical spectrums of items and beings?

A voice whispered into her ear - voice speaking language of Baator. Those from the spell in the Tower? Or another dumb trick from pseudo-Artemus?
"In the Moors Black lies what you seek, but the path is not for the meek."

Slight smirk curved her lips, arrogant smirk of an asmodean knight. Meek? That was hardly the word for any who dared to be a member of Midnight Legion.

"Why am I suddenly thinking of the swamp?" Topaz spoke with a shadow of surprise.

"M-hmm. Hope you're not having hallucinations in audible form. Hallucinations aren't a virus though," Rhaine remarked. A fairy would hardly know language of Baator, but she could sense the meaning and imagery. So...

But would this not be a trap? Rhaine's mind browsed through variants. How about a rush on a starfighter? Dar'Sai would be flattered to participate in another mission, she loved them.

"I hope you've no fear of modern technology?"

Rhaine · Date: 2006-11-01 05:53 EST

"No, not fear. I find most of it incomprehensible and often downright useless, though," Topaz said. Fairies! But technology is a good assistant when casting a combat spell becomes a pain. Or when a teleport can be detected and traced. Rhaine did not wish to underestimate the enemy.

"I'll make it as smooth as possible. I don't want magic to give us away," she said. Rolling up a sleeve, that concealed a comm bracelet, vampiress typed in the emergency code. "Keith, I need Dar. Be outside the temple gates in fifteen minutes."

"What magic?"

"Teleports or transportations. Rift is hardly detectable, but someone passing through one - is"

"You're leaving now?"

"And you are not? Hallucinations are no virus... we won't have the same hallucination."

"Oh. I see what you're saying. My magic will not be detected and I should pick up my sword at least and change into something more befitting such an adventure than this sparkling pink monstrocity," - true, sparkling pink was not the best idea for rushing into Black Moor.

"M-hmm. Let's get moving, we have fifteen minutes and one portal ahead of us. Fourteen," she corrected herself.

"The book will just have to wait. I'm sure it won't run off," Topaz tried to resist.

"Yeah, it won't. But I will. Quick action has advantage of being unexpected," or was it just an excuse to do ANYTHING? Rhaine could hardly undershand herself. Is she rushing into trouble?

"It also has the disadvantage of getting one into trouble unprepared," Topaz was as reasonable as always.

"Calculate your risks if you wish. Unless we have Vanion or someone similar there, we're prepared. We'll have an hour before landing. Eleven minutes. Archmage, I can't throw a rift to the Temple directly from here," the infinitely patient tone and confident assumption that the fairy would join her, were bound to work.

"And you'd change in something fitting for adventure onboard. More reliable," Rhaine added.

While archmage changed the color of her gown, one more precious minute passed. "Onboard of what?" she asked, between spells.

"Keith and Dar will be waiting... Dar is a ship. Nine."

"One of those air ships, I would hope," fairy said with a grin. In a few minutes someone brought her a rapier with aura somewhat reminding Rhaine about the antimagic shell.

"In a way," vampiress said, opening a rift. "She'd be offended if we're late. We'll go in two jumps... security above all."

And in they went.

Rhaine · Date: 2006-11-03 03:50 EST

"I suggest to wear a hermo-suit, Archmage. It would keep you safe from the swamp beings, and unnoticeable enough with the stealthmode", Rhaine spoke calmly. The ship had a soothing feel - there was no humming of engines, soft quiet embraced them. The walls were opalescent violet-blue-grey color. "Brute force is the dumbest solution to use in the situation, you know," vampiress added, tapping her fingers gently on the keyboard.

"Thank you, I appreciate the offer and am heading the warning, but no thanks. I'm far more comfortable with shields. It also would be very unwise to restrict freedom of movement and what I'm otherwised used to just when heading into something that's potentially dagerous," Topaz was giggling, like a fairy - well, a fairy she was. "Yea - do I look like brute force would make sense in any situation?"

Wha-a-atever. Rhaine shrugged, and stepped under what looked like a dark glass hemisphere. It stretched down to the floor, and there was some bubbling heard, and some sparks inside. Manipulators weaved the near-impenetrable skin of hermo-suit around her. Occasionally her voice was heard giving an order - "No medikit. Servomuscle - add. Plasmagun-two-add." There was no need for medikit, not that it could be useful on her in any way. Weapons and servomuscles were of extreme value, who knows what happens. When she was out in a minute, she appeared to be a statue of dark glass, with additional sculptured pattern and several belts and tubes on the body, sort of helmet covering her head, transparent glass visor shielding her face.

"The offer still stands. If we don't sneak around unnoticed, we'd have to carve our way through. Scanners show the swamp as densely populated," Rhaine's voice was a bit transformed by the visor.

"That's quite all right, Rhaine, really," Topaz seemed disgusted. Well, everyone has their won preferences. "It looks like it hurt. A lot," fairy grinned.
"Oh? No, it doesn't. In the slightest. It's like skin... you don't even feel it," Rhaine was adjusting the servomuscles, making sure they react adequately. Artemus was good with traps - who knows, he could use some warding, where she'd need all of her own enhancements and much more...

Despite fairy's obvious curiosity, she did not ask questions. Rhaine checked stealthmode, activated typical asmodean knight spellshields, and allowed Souldrinker to materialize. Topaz also displayed some magical activity.

"Can you still see me all right? " she asked. Well, why wouldn't Rhaine see her?

"Of course," vampiress nodded. "Nothing to hinder my eyesight as of yet"

"So you actually believe in fairies. Odd with all this modern stuff around."

Believe in fairies? And why would I not? I believe what my eyes are telling me, and I'm no idiot to deny obvious....

The ship glided over Blackmoor.

Rhaine · Date: 2006-11-04 16:57 EST

Returning from the trip was the least of problems. Rhaine looked at Sylus' unconscious form. It would take a while for him to recover, probably a couple of days. But at least the wolf has been found, and she'd be disappointed in herself if she won't get any information out of him. And the book...

What could be essential in Art's past enough to link to current shadowy trouble? Her own ability with dark magic was mainly due to her priestly duties, Binding (and especially the recent visit to dead Halls) has taken too much. She was hoping to recover with time - yet did she have any time left? What would dealing with the book involve?

Who cares. The book was in her hands now. Rhaine hesitated a bit. She would need to analyze the scripts and spells, and make sure she does no mistakes. However a strange feeling was gnawing on her mind.

Why would she aid Artemus? A dhoine who would still die in fifteen years? A dhoine that is of no use to the Lord? So far she has been foolishly forgiving anything he has done to her - and he realized that well enough. Once he has gotten her into the way of Vanion's annihilation spell. Now only mentari technology saved her from imminent lethargy and eventual death in null-magic area. Not speaking about becoming an outcast among her colleagues for sparing his life. What would be next? And in place of Artemus is now an entity that deserves existence...

Rhaine · Date: 2006-11-10 03:05 EST

Was it a dream... a nightmare?

She was again in her hideout. The warding of the place shimmered soothingly to her eyes. Scent of good mentari coffee.

"It was the first to bloom in my garden, thought you might like to have it, certainly would look lovely in your hair..."

Familiar voice. Artemus? Yes... she turned to look at the shifter. It was him.. in his current form, blackness spread in his spectral image.

The orchid he handed to her, was black with green spots. Kind of a photo negative from a real flower. As soon as the flower touched her hair, it turned into green slithering snake with beady eyes, that stared straight into her face. Serpent's head grew to the size of hers, the scaled cold body wrapped around her.

"I wish to know Rhaine the woman, not the Bound," it hissed, looking her into the eyes.

"Leave me alone," she whispered. "There's no woman anymore..."

Time seemed to stand still. The snake squeezed her, cold coils wrapped around her waist, around her chest, pressing her arms to her body, making her immobile. And she felt human... mortal and defenseless.

"Yesss... no woman anymore. Tell that to Artemusssss. To the one you will never sssssee again."

A bronze-colored chitin-covered hand ripped the snake off her, and threw it away. Saelbain looked seriously infuriated.

"Quit that, War Bishop. We do not expect our mortal partners to act recklessly".

With one smooth move the baatezu took the flower, and crushed it in his hand. Several swift steps took him into the hideout. In a second, sphere of un-time field was broken with a gentle ringing sound. The real orchid, result of Art's gardening experiments, floated gently on the floor. Saelbain stepped on it.

"Stop this foolishness, Rhaine. You're making sure this mortal kills you with maximum efficiency," the baatezu Templar looked at her, his faceted eyes held an icy glare. "We are not forbidden to care for others, but when someone becomes more important to you than anything, that makes your weaknesses likely to be exploited. If you do not stop being distracted from your duty, expect your loyalty to be tested".

"Had I not done my duty?"

"You have. But now you concentrate on anything but your work. True, the mortal you admire so much," Saelbain's voice had a "bleh" ring to it, as if he had been mentioning something so disgusting it made him nauseous, "had been replaced by an entity that under no circumstances falls into our plans. However it is not interfering with them yet. Your duty should be to investigate this entity and make a judgement of usability or even evaluate a possible alliance. You are working at elimination instead - just because of your so-called heart speaking for you."

"You know the procedure. I expect you to be at the Temple by sunset with the results".

She woke up from uneasy sleep she tried to use to replace Trance, and froze. Tiny drops of water sparkled on the carpet, surrounding crushed pale orchid.

Rhaine · Date: 2006-11-17 00:21 EST

The rift opened to a large area, surrounded by thick forest. The ground was glassy, as if from some explosion. On the glassy cold molten soil stood an arc that looked like grown from the ground itself, made of black basalt and gabbro, and black, crimson, tiny blue and green sparks forming a curtain in it.

"Would that be one of your portals?" the fairy asked

"Yes. See... " Rhaine touched several strands of gabbro, and blue sparks lit up stronger in the vivid fluidity of the portal. "This is the basic firewall portal I used with few totally restricted users. Five entry points, one exit point"

"Five of them?"

Vampiress walked towards tall solid wall of black marble and basalt, with ruby and silver glyps somehow embedded into it. An arched gate led in. A skeletal warrior opened the gate and bowed, inviting them to come in.

"Five entry points. We have bypassed them. I do not need to give you any extra stress," Rhaine's voice was even and indifferent.

"It doesn't appear to rely on any particular of the elements," Topaz mused. She seemed grateful for more or less smooth transition. Firewall portal could be worse.

"This place has several energy sources. One being a typical geo-energetic node, others are... not allowed to speak about," Rhaine continued. "Wish to come in? The gateway is another, in-place portal. I'm sorry but you would have to pass this zero-distance teleporter"

The priestess repeated skeleton's inviting gesture - more in a mock manner.

"I am honored by your invitation and I accept gladly," fairy's answer was softened with a smile.

"See... that's what I'd call being a security freak," Rhaine commented, looking slightly embarrassed, and summoned a scheme of basic firewall structure. She hoped no harm came to Topaz and her child.

They now were in the outer circle of walls. Heavy slabs of granite, garnet and silver decorations, tall cypress trees... The place had soothingly tranquil look - but tranquility of death.

"I will open another rift from here. I have permissions to do this. Inner wards are... less pleasant," priestess smiled slightly. "less pleasant" was the mildest definition. Another rift rose from the ground. It ended beyond the protected walls, in a very well equipped lab

Rhaine · Date: 2006-11-17 01:06 EST

Fairy's eyes grew wide. She seemed impressed by the place, combining most refined techological and magical equipment. Rhaine could have explained it was the perfectionistic nature of her kin... but did not care to. The book (and why else was this entire visit planned) rested on a black marble table. There were no windows, light streamed from seemingly nowhere.
"I don't expect anyone coming usually, so some reagents aren't put away..." she pushed a couple of boxes under the table. "I didn't wish to allow anyone to see it.So far I have done preliminary scanning, but I would prefer to hear your opinion first."

A floating armchair glided to Topaz, as if offering to sit down.

"Oh, the book! All this is about the book" light dawned on fairy's pretty face. "Wow, I must really be tired to have missed that. So you found something noteworthy?"

"So what did you find?" Topaz asked curiously.

For a second, Rhaine's hand caressed book cover gently, with a shadow of a smile curving her lips... Vampiress seemingly fought herself for a split second before passing the book to Topaz.
"First... scripts are useless," she said, dropping into second armchair. "Or incomplete... at least for me. It's like a puzzle..."

"We suspected that much." Topaz nodded. She accepted the book carefully, looked it over without opening it. "It looks surprisingly innocent, doesn't it? It has an aura just like the altered Artemus does, well, not exactly, but close. I wonder if some of what didn't fit into one body got stuck in here."

Rhaine's fingers touched something in the air over the book pages. "Yes... might be possible..." she had an odd dreamy look. "But more... If you can see auras, look, be attentive..."

"We're not seeing quite the same thing, are we?"

"Perhaps... It has not only shadow... Or am I having hallucinations..."

"Let's see, describe to me what you see"

Vampiress struggled to shake off the euphoria.

"It seems to miss a chunk of itself. The puzzle misses a few pieces. But more over - either some black pieces were intentionally green, or... they were replaced by something painfully familiar..."

That could be interpreted quite easily. But Rhaine could do nothing with herself... it was a trace of Art. Of Fluffy. Of the shifter that for some reason meant way too much...

"Is green what Art looks or tastes or feels like to you? And black would be the according something for what has possessed him?" Topaz asked. This brought a human-like blush to the cheeks of vampiress.

"Yep... Sorry, if my weird emotional state affects my judgement. But if it has Artemus imprinted into it... sad I can't annihilate it. And you don't see it?"

Rhaine · Date: 2006-11-17 01:54 EST

"Auras so close together are not so easy to interpret. Perhaps we find more once we open the book," fairy suggested. "You didn't experience any reluctance on the part of the book about it being opened, did you?"

"Not anything I couldn't deal with," Rhaine's fingers touched the script, as if reading Braille.

"If you don't mind me asking, and it's okay not to answer if it's too personal, I just want to make sure it wasn't the book.... Are you all right?"

"Perfectly. Functionality not affected," the words seemed to pull her out of euphoric state. "And it wouldn't be a secret that there was a flock of females competing for Art's attention..."

"I'm sorry, it's just, I never saw you smile quite so much as this evening. It's by no means a bad thing. It looks good on you, really"

"It looks foolish on me, I think," Rhaine frowned. Her tone was now much more business-like. "I guess I was too happy to see even these traces in book's aura. So.. do you think we can restore any spells from these fragments?"

"Art... hmm, so you like him a little more than I thought. I'm sorry and I hope you hve everything in you you need for this. Naw, not foolish, I'm just not used to it."

"I hope I have everything I need to... finish this off. And eliminate my presence. As it is meant to be."

"Did you consider just telling Art once it's Art again?"

"About scripts and spells missing in the book? Definitely. He'd been into this type of magic too much, " she traced the script in the book with her fingers. "I'm afraid we have to find a way to complete this. No matter what I was told about the book being the key, this key is little use without all information in it"

Topaz did notice the missing chunks of scripts. She obviously decided to slip off dangerous topic.

"I totally agree. Power can be a seductive thing, especialy when one persues a goal that appearantly requires such. But why would he take pages out and tuin a perfectly good book. Well, bad book - same difference..."

"If I was in his place... I'd do it for security reasons. To make sure no one gets a clue and gives me more problems. But it's me... an old paranoid neckbiter"

"Hmm, he could have just put a spell on the book... " the fairy rubbed her tamples as if to activate thinking along unfamiliar ways.

"It's like... missing fragments of aura are linked to missing fragments of script," the priestess traced the writing, and outlined the missing fragment of the book's spectral image. "I don't know if you can see any writing on this page"

"I'm trying hard not to see any writing...but look - it's not torn"

"It's like erased... no, faded. Like someone used a solvent. But spells have magical writing - I don't know of a solvent that would wipe out the traces of magic. It reminds me somehow of...certain past experiences" she shuddered at the vivid memory. "But it doesn't have a gem embedded"

"That awful swamp temple?" the fairy seemed disgusted. But no... Rhaine rubbed the pseudoskin that concealed the searing cyan gems of Bindrune.

"No."

"Should it have a gem?"

"No, I never said that...." she decided to share the image even if it didn't matter. "I don't know if I should tell this to you... a long time ago, before I came to RhyDin, I had... to use a soulgem as a compass to find a certain person. Some trends seem familiar. But it has no gems and no crystallic structure for embedding"

Topaz pondered that for several moments.
"Could the pages themselves hold what your looking for in a gem, or if not the paper than the ink or the letters?" she said, dropping a clue into asmodean's mind.

It was a flashback of vivid memory... too bright too keep eyes open.

"It's a damn flashback... Perhaps because the situation is similar..." and she "woke up" looking at Topaz "You think scripting can be used... Oh.. May be."

Rhaine · Date: 2006-11-17 02:28 EST

"I don't know much of this, Topaz," Rhaine admitted. It was embarrassing, but her kin had almost no access to Spirit realm. Soulgems and transfer from body to body were about the only applications they could use. The fairy chuckled softly.

"Just nothing so far Art's been up to of late is anything I'm familiar with. So the impossible seems suddenly possible, if that makes any sense?"

"It does," she traced absent-mindedly several lines of script that looked greenish and flowing. "Fluffy might have known more of it."

"This correlates to green piece of puzzle..." vampiress smiled slightly. It was a feeling of familiar warm hand... as she traced, her fingers moved to another line. It was dry cold of shadow. "And this to black. I don't feel comfortable asking you - but do they look different to you?"

The fragments looked like two different handwritings to Topaz, but like different affinity fragments to Rhaine. It reminded of soulgems - without a gem.

"If we assume that potential is same for one soul over time... we would have a conclusion... " vampiress paused. Equivalent exchange?

" I wonder if the same sort of thing is going on in Art, and we should come up with something that puts all the dark into the book, and all the green back into Art."

"May be. But... Topaz, I'm not an expert in this field! my colleagues don't have access to spirit area... we're deprived of it. I only have some ability with it because I'm a priest of Asmodeus... We can't use soul filtering... for majority of us, souls are atomary. I would hate to harm Art..." she finally allowed the fear to spill.

They discussed the options. In the end, it became Topaz's work to design the filter spell... For once Rhaine trusted someone else with dangerous work.

Rhaine · Date: 2006-11-17 06:21 EST

She stared at the dark fires of sacrificial flame. The words of pseudo-Artemus rang in her ears, with numbing pain.

"The one you love is no more. I am his true self".

No. She refused to believe this. It would have been too... standard. The Curse of Bound would have never repeated itself so blatantly. She will test, experiment and make sure Topaz's spell would work properly. Anything... just to walk away when time comes. For the dubious pleasure of seeing the shifter happy with another.

Where would he be? Probably at the Arena. He has ambitions, or at least could be bored enough to watch. She needed to check his patterns of energy absorption...

As she expected, pseudo-Artemus was there. He sipped scotch where he put some powder that radiated in sub-light spectrum. Getting herself a glass of her favorite liquor, Rhaine watched him. A soft smile prepared a trick.

"How about a snack..." her voice appeared in the air near the shadowy one's ears. It was an old trick of asmodean Snake Sect she learned from Orciencor.

"Why not feed now.. they're all watching, no one would notice..."

The dark mage sipped the magic - softly and accurately, so no one noticed. Only the Bound that watched him, analyzing the patterns... He got a small sphere that seemed to sip magic. Like a tiny black hole, Rhaine thought. Pseudo-Artemus treated it with such gentle care, that it reminded of a child found in the cold. Wrapping it into padded soft fabric, he put it away into a pocket probably.

Interesting... And how'd you react to my wavelength.... she wondered, allowing a crack in the encapsulating magical field, and a leak of thin pale mist escaping. The mist tendril seemed to look around. The dark mage sniffed the air. A shadow of vague recollection was noticeable enough for the deep blue eyes that watched him from behind a misty visor.

So you know about us.

Finally the people started to leave. And that's when the unexpected happened. Pseudo-Artemus stood by the door instead of leaving. Was he trying to isolate, find the biomage that was tracking him? She remained sitting, expecting him to leave. Finally, he went out of the doors. Probably, he'd use shadow-warp as soon as he's out, Rhaine thought, and walked out of Arena...

That was a mistake. Her forearms were pinned to the walls of staircase with shifter strength.
"Don't expect your trap to work on me, biomage.." he spoke, looking into her face
"Which trap?" Rhaine blinked, with her favorite innocent look. The shadowy being only grinned.
"You know. And be a dear, take a good care of the book for me. I shall come for it soon".

She gasped for air. Umbran magic was close enough to the opposite edge of the Spectrum, and biomage was suffocating. The mage left in an impressive explosion of darkness (what a waste of energy, a part of her commented). A child's thin voice whispered a few rhymed lines about impossibility to destroy someone who'd already dead and a King of Shades...

"We're not good with destruction," Rhaine forced herself to grin.

"We're neither. But we play with her nonetheless," an odd example of mischief it was, as he partially re-emerged from the wall, stealing a kiss, and left again. Dark priestess was ready to wipe her lips on the metal-silken sleeve of her dress - only her manners were stopping her.

Rhaine · Date: 2006-11-20 10:33 EST

The sensors blinked in infrared, as the intruder classification seemed a bit too complicated. Rhaine looked up from the computer she used for simulation. Oh.. that was someone in Art's quarters. Someone with bio-print quite similar to his.

The darkmage. Her lips curved in a grimace of slight disgust. "I should have forbidden him to come here... or warded up the place", she whispered, rising from the deep cushioned armchair. Soft dark-blue silk flowed over her, like water. Smooth silent steps took her into Art's chambers. Priestess was slightly angered, but in the end, as an asmodean she knew when she was to blame herself for any mistakes.

He was there. Eyes closed, hands clasped under his head, floating atop the water of the pool. Dark stream of umbran magic that tainted him beyond recognition. The sensors transmitted the visual image - pale body a bit whiter than could possibly be healthy, nothing else seemed changed in him physically compared to Artemus. The veins dotting his lean frame were a soft pale blue. A soft smile alighted on his lips as he sensed her presence.

"You again," Rhaine's voice was calm. "I should have expected that."

"Care to join me Rhaine? The water is perfect," his voice was nonchalant and soft as he looked at her, just lounging about as if right at home. "I promise not to bite, but you can feed all you want.."

Lips of dark priestess smiled, while eyes were stone-cold. "Why not. I had to talk to you in any case."

"Oh now, don't give me that look..you don't hate me. I've done nothing to you, all you hold against me is that I'm in the one you love," Though his eyes widened just a hair. "You did eh? Now how might I be of service, Rhaine?"

Cloud of dark blue silk flowed down, as she stepped out of it and sat on the edge of the pool, bare feet in the water, only dark blue tunic outlining her shape.
"I have to find out the prospective of potential collaboration between you and Temple of Asmodeus. Not a permanent alliance, but we have to be sure you do not stand in our way at least"

That made pseudo-Artemus look at her curiously. "I only seek to exist as everything else does. I derserve existance as much as the man I inhabit." His voice still calm, eyes moving to watch the cieling - all he did was remain floating on the water's surface.

"Both you and Artemus deserve existance, and we have nothing against that," her voice was almost emotionless as she spoke. It was duty, not something to be meddled with. "However you're eliminating Artemus. Not both of you exist at the same time"

"I haven't eliminated him," umbran replied evenly, turning to look at her as he lowered his legs to tread water lightly. "He is very much alive, but do you really think he would share? He put me in a cage once already for the fun I had in Eldicore, I'll not let that happen again. He's merely getting a taste of his own medicine as we speak. But I assure you, he is very much alive because to kill him, would be to kill myself and I can't allow that."

That did break through the emotionless mask - for a split second there was a glimmer of life and hope in unfeeling eyes of the Bound. But only for a split second. Umbran did see that break and smiled softly, moving closer to her in the pool. "Do you wish to see him, Rhaine? I have nothing against visitations, though he denied me such pleasures...do you want to speak with him?"

Rhaine · Date: 2006-11-20 11:26 EST

Yes, she was about to scream, it would mean everything to me - to see him. But that could easily be a trap. How much did the umbran know about her kin? Would he wish to trap a creature like her? So she continued with a slight smile, as if nothing happened.

"Are you confined to using this specific body... by the way, do you have a name for yourself?"

"I have many names, none of which are me, but I am confined to using the body of he who opened my book until I can create a proper body for myself, which of course I have planned. This one is far to deminuitive for my tastes. He lacks power," it was spoken as it had no importance. Well, Bound did have little problem with switching between bodies. But Bound were "professionals" in design. Umbrans hardly could do this with same ease. Rhaine's memory recorded the phrase. This might be important.

"And when you create one for yourself?" - she asked in nonchalant tone.

"The real party can begin..." umbran was a foot from her now, just watching her carefully. "And I have answered your questions, but you have yet to answer mine. Do you not wish to speak with your precious.."fluffy"? "

She closed her eyes for a moment. The answer was so obvious that it smelled like a trap. Why would he be so persistent in offering her this chance to see Artemus? The toxin in the way he pronounced "fluffy"... yes, she did use that pet-name for Art... and it hurt to hear it from umbran's lips. "I hope this visit would be limited to several minutes? I know well enough how deceitful you can be - as any of us can be."

"Oh, don't worry...you'll know when your time is up, young Rhaine," his hands rose slowly to touch the side of her face, fingers played along the temple and cheek. It took some willpower not to stir from disgust. "Just step into my parlor...."

With the release of a command word everything around them fell into darkness. At first there was a sharp pain, then nothingness. When she opened her eyes, she found herself standing before a large cage made of pure energy, hundled in dingy robes within was Art. Around the cage was nothingness. Just an impossible darkness but a light shown above the cage well enough. Beautiful, she thought to herself. Design solution worthy of a Bound.

"Artemus?" she called, kneeling near the cage. Emotional overload, mind of Bound diagnosed. Already weak in the knees when you see him. What would follow? Insanity, like Darquan's?

Her voice was audible suprise for Artemus. His face lifted up from the cold floor of the cage as if in disbelief, eyes widening before he looked around. "Is this some kind of a trick Errtu!? Playing your mind games again?"

"So his name is Errtu," Rhaine smiled reassuringly. "Obviously he's playing them with me either."

Rhaine · Date: 2006-11-20 11:43 EST

His features became guarded as quiet steps took him to the edge of the cage, a face in much need of a shave watched her cautiously. "He's smarter than to let you see me..... "

"I do think he would listen to us. At least I would in his place. Art..." she did her best not to show tears. What in the hells am I doing, something inside her asked. Any information I give away may be used against me.

"Oh, I know he's listening. The jerk is arrogant, not stupid. He caught me...though it's really stupid how he got out," a hand reached through the bars, to brush along her cheek. Dark priestess nuzzled into this touch.

"How did he do it? I will not speak of anything Topaz and myself have checked or done... I'm as much of a security freak as him"

"It was Topaz," he spoke soflty as his thumb brushed over her lips. "The cage I sealed him in was made of negative energy so that any magic he used to get out would only strengthen the bars, much as what he's done here. But in a duel, Topaz hit me twice with a netherray while I was summoning my own spells. Part of the two blasts got past my internal wards and hit the cage. The two negative forces cancelled each other out and allowed his bonds to weaken enough to escape. I should have asked her before the match began not to use that spell, but I didn't think about it."

"How did you cage him in - in the past?" her hand touched his cheek gently, in a shadow of caress. "Feels like a date in jail.... stinks of a vulgar book for female reading," Rhaine did try to be her usual toxic self, taking time to grin at herself. Some sarcasm could brighten him up a bit, at least... Shifter's eyes looked around briefly as if he didn't want to reveal that but as her hand touched his cheek he smiled soflty. "I know it does, but glad I'm not a female into that crap," his laugh was soft as velvet as his hand rose and brushed over hers. "How are you doing Rhaine?"

"Mainly missing you," was an honest but laconic reply. It was so much more... but would she have time to express all the emotional overload she's been through? She grinned slightly. "What else did you expect?"

"Half expected you to capitalize on a distraction free time.." a slight smile as that grin on her face danced into his eyes. "You look good Rhaine, but then you do every time I see you," shifter was careful not to touch the bars as he moved a bit closer to her. He used that to pull her close, pressing his forehead against hers, though he hand to bend at the knees soflty to do it. "It's good to see you love..." hands rising through the bars to cup her face.

Nuzzling into the touch, dark priestess sighed. "I would prefer seeing you back in reality, love. I miss you. Too much probably. And distractions... you are no distraction. Art... while I can see you... how did you cage him previously? I do not wish to bump into same mistakes"

"I'm not huh? Guess I'll need to fix that when I'm out of here," his voice dropped then to a barely audible whisper, much softer than most could hear, except possibly a shifter and a vampire. "I know there's not much time left Rhaine, but you have to trust me, do not let him get near that book. If you do its game over, that book is like he and I. For each bit of his essence that came out of the book, mine went in. Equivalent exchange. As for how I caged him, that's not easy to explain as it was derived from desperation. I thought I killed him in that fight when I was first pulled in the book, but I was mistaken. He's far stronger than you may imagine, and older than anything I know," his voice was hushed but quickly spoken.

"I know well enough, love," she kissed palm of his hand softly. "And everyone has limitations. What may be the key to his imprisonment in your past? Art, please... try to remember. Beside the book - what did you use... Anything in your past training that assisted you?"

"The only limitation I've found is in his feeding, what he takes in, he has to use. He can only handle so much magic before having to find something to do with the excess. Like a balloon, fill it with too much air, and he'll pop. I used the book and myself. I had to split myself into three beings. One ruled by logic, another by his heart, and the third a perfect ballance. It was how he was put in the book the first time. The book is just a tool like a bag of holding. It's pages empty, but the magic of his soul used to put down the spells. That's what I didn't see when I began studying. To master the magic, you have to defeat the one who came before you. I don't know who put him in there, but they knew their stuff... "

"We will see how much he needs. Mind games of Errtu?" a shadow of grin was all she could allow herself. "He may be ancient and powerful, but... we'll see."

Rhaine · Date: 2006-11-20 12:11 EST

"I can imagine what would be "party" he mentioned.." she shuddered as if from cold. "It would definitely interfere with the plans of my Lord."

And so I can ask Him for help. Someone trying to distort the flawless flow of events in our intermediary base - that would certainly cause a bit of resonance. If Asmodeus granted her enough energy to ward the Temple, would He not assist His loyal priestess with removing an obstacle like Errtu? The power to save Artemus can be a side effect here. A damn useful side effect.

"Well times up my love birds!" came a voice perfeclty matching Arts' from a ways off to the side. And there stood the man himself, black staff in hand and shredded robes about nonexistant frame. A circlet of black rubies dotted his forehead, as red tinged eyes watched them with a sinister smile. Rhaine stood up, with a slight grin gracing her lips. "As you wish. Excellent design by the way, my compliments, Errtu."

It was definitely an appearance that didn't go well with Artemus's face. The skin white as alabaster, hair matching the shadow made cloth of his robes. "Thank you for visiting Umbran Sanitarium, I certainly hope you enjoyed your time with us, stop by any time," his tone just dripped with sarcasm. Not something that could shake asmodean's nerves. She beamed a fanged smile.

"Gladly. When I'm in the mood for it."

That made the umbran laugh, the sound like nails being drug across a chalk board. He commented with a quite insulting innuendo... well, insulting a RhyDin-bred woman. For someone of Rhaine's upbringing, mentioning of closer part in lovers' relations was insignificant. Back in her homeland, sex was never a tabu to discuss among Gifted of Ythvern. And if he wished to trigger reaction of jealousy by mentioning Vasvrae, he also failed - jealousy was hardly an issue for an asmodean. The only troubling thing was Errtu's access to Art's memory, but with the unstructured, unmodified, unindexed memory type the shifter had, this was not a serious danger.

"Interesting term for a bit of entertainment. Anyways, if my visit is over, it's over."

"Oh but everything is entertaining... When you see only this for several millenia." The robed figure again shrugged, and glided towards Rhaine and Artemus. "I hope you two said all your endearments....though I was hoping to get a bit of a show like in those cheap shows on that portal box.. "

"Use someone else for a show, I guess. I'm not any good in acting. The drowess might be better, their kin are excellent in performing arts," a fanged grin from dark priestess seemed appropriate for the situation. Could she allow herself an outburst of fury, so well known to Knights of Asmodeus? No. Never.

"Ahh but live drama is the best of all, in the game of life all are actors. Whether they chose to or not," though his eyes remained on Artemus for a long while. "You didn't plan on this happening did you, boyo? Well live and learn, and know before I'm through your world will be changed, for better or worse depends on you and if you wish your daughter to remain in one piece." that said he looked at Rhaine. "You're free to go..."

And he reached over and tapped her nose, in that instant the shadows faded and she was near the pool right where she started, but Errtu was nowhere to be found. Only momento of his being there was a simple black rose floating on the water.

There was only one sign of fury that raged in Rhaine's soul. The rose instantly decayed under her eyes, whichever remaints of life were gone from the flower.

At that his laughter echoed faintly through the room.
"So entertaining, you all are. And the game will continue for many years to come."

You damn umbran son of a ..., she thought. Play as long as you like - but I'll outplay you.

Rhaine · Date: 2006-12-07 11:17 EST

After a stressfull time in G'fenvass she needed a time alone. She wandered through the portal to Twilight Isle - in soft silent steps, black in dress, black in mind. Kicking a goblin into bringing her a cup of fragrant black drink she seemed to like so much, Rhaine sat down on the sand and closed her eyes.

"Good evening. No heels or black dress this evening, I see," the fairy was there, she liked it or not. Topaz seemed mainly concerned about elegant clothing for Yule - something Rhaine could hardly advise about. Incredibly elegant and totally comfortable - that was a compromise she could hardly deal with. Especially with so many other things on her mind.

Amaris was nowhere to be found. Obviously the child was in Errtu's hands, and well hidden. Mentioning of the child brought a memory to Topaz's face. The fairy spoke of a feline woman that became a newcomer to the Isle. The lass claimed that Artemus sent her with a message, but Topaz couldn't figure what the message was. There were no new data...

Why would Errtu allow someone to see Artemus, and who would that be? If the darkmage wished to torture the shifter, the choice was obvious - a woman that had some kind of a relationship with Art. Fairy's words confirmed vampiress' suspicions. The girl managed to develop some emotional attachment to Art - something he asked her not to do.

This rang so familiar. So redundant. She remembered how Artemus told her about a tigress girl he helped, and how upset he sounded when he informed Rhaine that young tigress had become emotionally attached to him. Another wheel turn. Rhaine laughed silently.

"What a type... Well, isn't that a sign that we'll manage to smack down this Errtu..."

"At least she was telling the truth as she knows it," the fairy was probably thinking the laugh was due to insufficiency of information...

Her laughter was partly a hysteria. The pain of waiting for the inevitable to happen, was getting out.

"Precisely. We've now no reason to doubt. Simple, straightforward, naive, mortal, fragile... I should have never hoped for the wheel turns to end. Purely emotional attachment, you said... Gods, I wish I could get drunk"

"Those are extremely kind words. That woman means trouble. That was even more obvious than her speaking the truth."

"She may mean trouble... but if the emotional attachment is strong enough, it's good. If we don't find Amaris, we can use this girl."

Yes, I will walk over anyone's corpse to free you, shifter...

Rhaine · Date: 2006-12-07 11:46 EST

"Do you think it's remotely possible that he sent her over to find us because we can't locate Amaris?" Topaz asked. Rhaine frowned slightly. That was a possibility she was thinking about.

"Perhaps Art knows where Errtu keeps the kid, and knows we can't reach her," she mused aloud. Next thing the fairy said, burned her.

"It'll be a one sided emotional attachment," Topaz seemed sure...

"One-sided? Oh, Topaz, it won't be. It will change as soon as Art is out of danger. That has happened before, and will happen again..."

But it wasn't time for dwelling on pain. The new information was essential. According to Topaz, the cat-woman had a half fae sister and Errtu was acting like he was violently allergic to fairy dust. That vampiress found quite possible. Fae magic by nature belonged to Light in the Spectrum... Perhaps the allergy isn't that violent, but anything can be used. Former Commander of the Legion learned the lessons...

The portal's field shivered. "Speak of the... there she is," the fairy spoke quietly.

The feline girl seemed embarrassed slightly - and a good, healthy contrast. I felt old... old, cold and cynical. What would power, creativity, magic mean - when it's not worth a moment of being with someone precious?! What would immortality mean when compared to endearing, sweet fraility of mortal flesh and soul? What would artifical flawless design of my physical body mean against natural beauty?

But I have pride... at least pride to go on. I grinned to myself. It was another wheel turn - a punishment for a Bound too bold to accept the fate of my kin. She is a mortal, and akin to felines... mortal, beautiful, fertile. Ideal woman for the shifter. Yet another one of the flock. Do I have a chance now? none. So... it would be as it has been before. Finish your work, Bound, Rhaine G'iarre Lerdann. Finish your work, and step away.

I never allowed any of these thoughts to slither through the mask I wear. An asmodean priest of my rank must have the necessary skill, and I'm not the worst among the priests my Lord has.

"Well, fits the pattern," Rhaine spoke quietly. She raised her voice a bit, and a slight smile appeared on her lips. "Good evening. So I guess you are the lass that was looking for Topaz and for me."

Rhaine · Date: 2006-12-07 12:02 EST

The girl's manners were quite normal for RhyDin. She walks up to them, grabbing a chair, spinning it around to straddle it backwards.
"Yeah. The jackass let me talk to Art and he told me to find you. You must be..."

Obviously she meant an official introduction. After this, Rhaine tried to get any additional information out of the girl - everything could bear a precious hint.

"Do you remember precisely the text of the message? As detailed as you can?" she asked, looking at Kitty.

"Briefly. Art mentioned a woman who had recently admitted feelings for him. I'm assuming it was you, since I know Topaz is with someone."

"As if it makes any difference," vampiress muttered, but the momentary blush on her cheeks was obvious.

"He said to find you, because he knew you were up to something to free him. I could see him.. in that cage."

"Yea, I've feelings for Art too..." the fairy grineed. "The kind that make me want to throttle him for letting this mess happen."

This has lighted up the vamp's laughter. Definitely Artemus needed a slight bashing.

"My place in his life is disposable. Always has been. And yes, I'd like to smack him a good one too," Kitty nodded at Topaz in agreement.

"I can remove my presence from his life, Kitty. It won't be easy for me, but I've done that once, and will do that again," it took all of iron resolve asmodean Knights were famous for. Now...

"Why?" the feline girl was obviously confused "Oh! Wait.. neither of you know about Helstons," she considered it important for some reasons. What could it be - some inbreeding family clan forbidden to mate outsiders?

"I definitely do not know of the Helstons, and would appreciate the information," vampiress was ideally calm now.

"Most of the Helstons are of the inccubus or succubus variety. I may not be either, but I certainly fit in with the family in certain ways. Soooo... yeah. Not a big emotional thing. He will always be a dear dear friend to me. And seeing him locked up broke my heart. But otherwise.. it was just sex."

Who cares. Rhaine smiled to herself. Smiled with sad knowledge. It's "insignificant" now, but it will develop. The curse of Bound will work uninterrupted, as ever.

"A dear, dear friend. Do you think that fits into the system?"

Rhaine · Date: 2006-12-08 09:47 EST

"I've a feeling I know why Arty told Kitty to find us. If we use Art as center of coordinates, Kitty would fit the three-fold system. Not an extreme case, but a fitting case."

"Can't say I like it, but Art probably is the expert on the subject," Topaz seemed hardly happy to hear this. But was there any choice? Rhaine looked at the feline girl. She had little idea about magic, perhaps only the dueling type that won't be able to light a candle without matches. But it's Art's choice, she reminded herself. Did magic make you any happier? Did the ascension from a mere adept of life magic to the heights of skill turn you into more than yourself? Never... For so many it had taken away the human soul - she remembered those that dissolved, turned into mindless slaves of Trance. Was it worth doing?

"I only wonder why it's Art that invents problems, and us that try to solve them," Rhaine spoke with a hint of sarcasm. The question needed no answers. She knew well enough - why. The sparkling, impatient, power-hungry person Artemus was - it had to create trouble.

"Because he's a damn man," Kitty seemed to have her own answer. She pointed at the table "I swear.. as soon as he's fixed and we're sure he's nice and healthy and hunky dory again? I'm beating his ass."

"Okay, you're third in the line," Rhaine smiled in response. "Fine, second... I can wait."

"I'm good with that," Kitty gave her human thumbs-up gesture. "I'll even have my sister heal him after each beating so we have fresh starts."

"I can deal with the healing, I'm already used to having Arty as a patient"

Using mentioning of patients and healing, Topaz asked about Sylus, the wolf shifter. Rhaine reported whatever scarce information she had about Sy's amnesia. The werewolf seemed to dislike vampires immensely - enough to keep her from checking his health.

Kitty spoke about the incident with pixie that led her to think about Errtu having an allergy to fae magic. The evidence seemed quite good. However, there was no way Rhaine could rely on a single factor in the case of eliminating obstacle like Errtu.

Do your duty, Bound. The darkmage causing havoc in RhyDin may lead to formation of a strong centralized government. You should not allow this. The intermediary base needs to remain neutral and diverse. Democratic government the dhoine are planning, fits - while Errtu or Divine Light do not.

And Artemus? What of Artemus? A side effect, a reward for a job well done. You are disposable for him - he should be disposable for you. Strengthen your resolve, Bound.

The plan emerged easily, it became a logical consequence of facts given. The book could lure the darkmage into the trap. Temple of Asmodeus will not allow outsider to use magic without explicit permission from the High Priestess. Pixie dust will keep Errtu trapped, as well as warding of the Temple.

There was no hatred. Nothing but clarity. For a second, Rhaine closed her eyes. She knew what she needed to do... Her memory browsed through the images of fae faces in the Heart throne room, through the ancient tomes of asmodean library, through endless data sequences... They had no right to fail. Especially while bringing in fae allies - useful tools in this situation.

Rhaine · Date: 2007-01-03 10:40 EST

The days in G'fenvass were shorter, and timeflow - faster. She hated this job - returning to RhyDin after two weeks, and finding that it's been only eight days...

At least the work could help her not to dwell on thoughts that had been haunting the priestess.

When would Topaz finalize her magical planning? Would fairy's pregnancy affect it in any way? She knew so little about fae folk... And if they manage to force Errtu out of Artemus... no, she corrected herself, not IF but WHEN... would Artemus still wish to see her sometimes? At least sometimes...

I have no right to hope for more. Anything more... it would kill him. I have had enough of dealing with Curse of Bound in the past - I would not dare to endanger him.

Rhaine · Date: 2007-01-24 23:02 EST

Curiosity kills a cat, and I'm almost sure that it's a virus. Either it's always a part of me, or I caught it from Artemus.

When Teleperien told Errtu during the Diamond Quest that some rose is losing petals, and intrigued me. Naturally, I asked if I could see Arty's creation.

The elven castle smelled with elves and with suffocating, headache-filled presence. Valar. The emanation of these light-filled ones are a pain for a true asmodean. I followed the Queen into the portal, and first few seconds I was thinking how to cope with the presence that would have ruined even the nicest invitation to this place.

"The rose appeared without notice within my private tower," the elven queen said softly.

"Arty's trademark. He'd never ask anyone's permission," I smiled to myself.

She stopped at a door, hand on the handle. "Rhaine, I trust you will not speak of what you see. Not of the rose, but of the room it is kept."
"I do not have a habit of running around and forcing others to listen to unnecessary information," I could only shrug slightly. If my Lord wishes, he would simply take the information from my memory. And forcefully spreading around other's secrets... does she really consider me that dumb?

It was a well appointed library. books lined the walls except for a door to the right. Teleperien lit a candle for some reason, and drew a key. Aha, so it's behind that door.

"If Arty's creation bothers you so much, I guess it's odd enough... "
"it is odd indeed," the elf agreed. She led up a stair that followed a circular turret. At the top there was a small, circular room. One side of the room was full of shelves with jars, vials and other items used for work.
The table held a crystal globe, a bowl and a bell jar. Within there was a rose of perfect shape. On the bottom of the jar, on the marble plate, rested two petals. The queen stood back, as if allowing me to watch.

The only thing I could say was.. "Weird combination". The flower bore a distinct touch of Art's magic, unmasked, so damn unsecure! Plus some soulprint. Not Arty's. Unaware of my own move, I tried to touch these petals. Darkness and life. Two magic types that seldom combine - perhaps only in unbiased oddities like Bound.

"I would not expect such a combination of magic from Artemus," I spoke calmly.

"You can read this? I see it holds a power, but I am not familiar with it"

"It's hard for me to explain how I sense it.. "

Oh yes. It would be explaining rainbow to a blind. I don't see the normal spectrum, she doesn't see energy the way I do. And one thing is seeing, another - speaking of it without disclosing too much. She dislikes Artemus... why would I try to interpret what I see, and translate it into their terms?

"It would be a good idea to remove it from here. But not to give it to Artemus the way he is now," I said finally.

Such a magic print, given to Errtu, would mean a huge security breach. I'm not about to allow anything to threaten Artemus. We have Errtu, this is more than enough.

Elf's brows knit together.
"I didn't want to move it for fear of harming it or Artemus. Obviously you think otherwise. What power does it hold Rhaine? I will not repeat this to Artemus."

"It's not the case of keeping it a secret from him. It's a case of being understandable. When did it appear here?"

"About a year back, I had a period of madness. I was .. possessed by the thing that holds Artemus. I slept with a man I did not know, was a creation of the monster. Afterward.. the rose appeared." a fierce anger in elven eyes. "Artemus has never been welcome here since. Though he has appeared without notice or invitation. That's how it came here. I cannot tell you more. I told you more than I have even told my husband. Only the wizard knows this."

DAMN. I cussed in my mind. Artemus would get a serious bashing when we get him out. And a lecture on magical security.

"The magical frequency this rose has been created with, more reminds me of my old colleagues. And we're always ridiculously attentive to details," I remarked.

There was something from Artemus in the flower beside the signature in creation style. And I wasn't about to risk anything now. Artemus... I know I will have to leave him, he has Kitty, he needs someone mortal and sweet, not a cynical old biomage...there are gifts that should not be taken, for there's nothing worthy to give in return... But it's a drug, and I'm addicted. I cherish this addiction, like a drug user would sell his soul for another dosage of sweet oblivion. Aedd Ginwael. Shard of Ice.(*)

"I will trust you in this. Take the rose," Teleperien said suddenly.

And I left, carrying the fragile flower, encapsulated in my magic and the magical field that is my true self. The queen was nice enough to open the wards for me, so that I could simply warp out. And place the flower securily in the Temple of Asmodeus.

Errtu will not get it.

(*) Reference to Andzhei Sapkowski's "Blade of Destiny" (Geralt cycle, book 2)

Rhaine · Date: 2007-01-30 23:24 EST

We asmodean priests tend to use our intuition quite a bit. It's a prerequisite for becoming a priest of Asmodeus, and a damn useful tool. When all else fails, it's the best idea to use. And now my intuition was pulling me to Twilight Isle.

Errtu was there already, pulling on the energy of the wards. Topaz came up at approximately the same second as myself. Great. My reflexes of an asmodean Knight were faster than my thoughts. With a quiet "b-zanng" the standard set of shield went up, including the precious gift of my Lord - antimagic shell. The Isle is domain of Topaz and of this quasi-Keeper, I'm at disadvantage here... but do I have a choice?

Errtu didn't go around without guards. The sensors of my shields screamed to me, as a hulking mass leapt from the trees, with its four arms, black fur, and an outline that hurt human eyes. Girrash. Guess he either feared Errtu more than myself, or has forgotten the lessons from our previous encounters. I disabled him precisely the way I dealt with him previously. Rather hard to deal with a biomage, who can short circuit your nervous system and paralyze your muscles, isn't it? Now I could pay some attention to Errtu.

Topaz didn't waste a single moment and gave the shadowmage a good shower of pixie dust which was supposed to be his allergy. Not a sneeze.
"See, I kind of exaggerated that allergy," he laughed, as Topaz worked with her spell. "You think I need this body now? Puh-lease. This is a rental. My new body is already made....and waiting occupation."

As a response, Errtu unleashed a wave of negative energy at Topaz. I expanded antimagic shell to cover the fairy. The umbran started gathering darkness around himself. Psh. How vulgar. For a while, I was thinking in terms of classic magical duel, enjoyed in the sparring rooms of Temple of Asmodeus. I replied in a basic non-darkness based spell - soundblast. An inhuman screech came from the billowing darkness as the waves went into it, and a duplicate of Artemus appeared. Now that was getting odd. Topaz sent some command to the magic she used. I could see a net around the dark fog. Someone had to distract him while Topaz casts.

And I unleashed a spell of my kin-and-colleagues, distortion.
(to be continued)

Rhaine · Date: 2007-01-31 10:32 EST

Surprisingly, Errtu had little problem with distortion. Aimed at rippling through magical compound of magic-active creatures, it seemed to give him a pain in the rear, but didn't produce half of effect I've counted on. Meanwhile Topaz's magic was doing its careful work. A second group of magic bits was directed into the cloud, to do as they saw fit to disrupt it.

"Did you happen to bring the book?" the fairy kept her eyes on Errtu, but I knew she was talking to me (and who else would bring the book here?).
"Naturally," I replied, and used my amulet of asmodean priest to summon the book and a piece of warding that kept it safe. Call me a security freak - I won't let my own carelessness to ruin our efforts.

The umbramancer sounded slightly insane, growling when the book appeared. Not that I bothered to check if it's driving him mad. Topaz summoned Kitty to complete the circle. This seemed to alarm Errtu enough to summon some insectoid living objects.

How could I forget that Errtu knows what I am... I felt dizzy from these thousands of color spots.

"No Lucien to save you now, Topaz. He's asleep," there was ill-hidden joy in his voice. I closed my eyes, trying to activate filtering.
"Keep thinking that," I heard Topaz speak calmly, as thunder rolled while dark clouds gathered above.

Magic similar to Foul Fog spell spread in the air, and the fog smelled of meat. Lightning flashed - short, precise flares. I felt a tugging at the bindrune, embedded into my skin. My own spell-like ability that I used for feeding, absorbed the insectoids' lives, turning them into heaps of dust.

"I've had enough playing around," the voice of Errtu came together with the feeling of invocation to elemental Earth condensed power. He's using the key! While Topaz pulled Kitty onto the Isle, the quasi-Keeper drew on the key's energy.

(to be continued)

Rhaine · Date: 2007-02-04 13:02 EST

The spell filled the air with energy. Meteors showered from the sky, and stalagmites blasted up through the ground. Topaz was annihilating those directed at her with precise lightning strikes. Yet this was something a Bound can have no access to. A stone slammed in my shoulder, cracking the bone, a spike pierced my leg... Instead of blood, the wound fumed with thick mist. So it's THAT bad. Pain sobered me.

"How long can you keep that up Topaz?" Errtu almost laughed. This very moment the circle was locked. Topaz signalled that she was ready. The umbran muttered something about the book being a gift to his unborn self, about something else.... It was insignificant. Errtu blasted us with something reminding of ice-raze of Clandestine. Too late. Shards directed at me, were absorbed by the wound, sucking all energy possible just to heal.

Disguise was no longer among my concerns. As Topaz commanded the magic, I kept the book sealed within the warding, and patiently forced my energy to flow into the circle. Do it, Topaz. Just do. Kitty seemed to have some psionic shield. He was in our hands now... or was he?

"Well then, guess there's only one thing to do...night ladies," tipping an imaginary hat, he turned. And vanished from visible. I disabled filtering, and spread haze thin. Now if he moves, we will see him... Anything moving on physical or shadow plane would have distorted the complex pattern of my trap.

Some silicoid life form seemed to be coming up. Silicoids. I remembered how Artemus and myself worked at the golems in the Tower. Destruction is so much easier than Creation... A few precious seconds wasted - and they turned into sand.

All the while the umbran kept fighting off the summons of the spell. He was resisting with all of his being, and I could understand him. Despaired, he threw at us every single spell or power he had handy. Scarabs, arctic blasts, wraiths. Too late.

Black in mind... When there's no point in making it...

Obsidian dagger slid from my sleeve. Like a tiny snake, a reminder of what I am. Ritual dagger that has seen so many initiations and promotions... A reminder that beside being a Bound, I am a priest of Asmodeus.

I took it. It was clear now what I had to do. Fending off Errtu's spells was distracting me. But a wound in my artifical body would try to heal, and take energy from the outside world. I set myself to absorb damaging spells, taking pain designated for Topaz and Kitty. At the same time I plunged the dagger under my collarbone, dangerously close to one of nerve knots. Now my body would absorb every bit of energy to heal. It's like riding a bicycle... stability of motion, you stop - you drop.

All hell was breaking loose around us. The key of Earth still belonged to Errtu. Scarabs he summoned, fell into tiny heaps of dust, golems turned into sand, but he kept shaking the ground. It felt like a bumblebee, trapped in a spider's web, angrily shaking it. Would Topaz have a chance to finish the spell?

Would I have a chance to see Artemus again?

Black in mind... When there's no hope for love, I'm so black in mind...

Boulders, lightning, ice, fire. He called an it all to crush our circle, all the while the ground continued to shift.
This had to stop. Kitty is deep in the circle. Topaz commands the magic. What can I do? No... what would I risk?

Power of Asmodeus, power of Baator? But what would it do against a shadowmage? Do I want to experiment? Highly likely it would strengthen him.
Life magic? Hardly, it's not as destructive as I wish it would have been. And he's hardly a life form.
What else do I have against him?
Myself.
The energy of binding, pure and untainted. Binding. Magic, untouched by mundane strife of light and darkness, by standard solutions, intrigue and backstab. Binding - reason to live and change. Pure as plasma.

I took a deep breath, pulling a globule of condensed energy from the link. It was like pulling out a piece of your own flesh, like pulling out a nerve or a vein... Hurling it at Errtu, I noticed how the air shivered around from magic. Either this works, or...

It hit the target.