Index of Chapters to this SL.

The Tale of Two Sisters in Magic

~Dedicated to all you big sisters and big brothers that will go out on a limb for the sake of a sibling. Bless you all, especially my older brother and sister~

Prologue
Chapter 1 - A Dire Warning
Chapter 2 - Sisters Bound
Chapter 3 - Forging of Staff and Sword
Chapter 4 - New Magic - Dark Secrets
Chapter 5 - Creating Shi'ido Oor
Chapter 6 - Courting the Darker Side
Chapter 7 - The Awakening of Keys

(Inspirational Music for editing this post: Nightwish - Taikatalvi)

Waves crashed on the moonlit beach. A nice camp fire crackled and popped in its cozy bed of sand. Lene sat on a blanket watching the flames, a metal poker with a hotdog skewered upon it, roasting. Her crimson red hair was pulled back in a pony tail with a few tendrils that had gotten loose that blew across her muzzle. Her gray eyes glinted in the fire light. She was in a flannel shirt and jeans. For the moment Lene looked both young and old. A bit worn around the edges.

Walking down the beach at night, Rawsh was returning from being out in the woods with Ajax and he was perched on her shoulder. She wore her denim jacket over a blue loose fitting shirt and brown pants. Seeing the campfire further up the beach, Rawsh started walking that way.

A small smile touched Lene's muzzle. Tonight, she was allowed to have some personal time as Moonshine watched Cal. Father and son were bonding, and momma was off to face her demons and nightmares from the necromancers captivity. The wind blew and she shivered a little, the pup tent she had rustled. She closed her eyes for a little bit, and the memories of being locked in stone, cut off from reality and life chilled her to the bone. She snapped awake and scooted closer to the fire.

Rawsha smelt the hotdog roasting on the campfire and saw that someone had set up a small camp, she slowly moved along the shore. Today she had been in the woods letting Ajax, run and play, he was learning how to hunt..or strengthening skills he had naturally, though he hadn't yet learned how to fly the little dragon was fast when he ran, the two spoke over their bond silently as both sets of eyes watched the camp they were slowly moving toward-

Soon the hotdog was cooked and Lene plucked it off of the poker. She munched on it a bit stiffly and huddled in her flannel shirt. Maybe she should have invited someone out tonight. She watched the fire. Feelings of loneliness, helplessness and insanity tried to cling to her heart. Maybe Moonshine was right about coming out alone to face her fears and being really hard. Lifting a mug of cocoa she sipped it, hearing the cackle of Artisia's ghoul in her mind. She shook with another shiver and looked out into the darkness of the beach.

"Easy, Lene. Just your memories going wild. Artisia is dead, father said so. There is nothing to worry about.... nothing to worry about..." Lene rubbed her arms.

Now why do you say she's dead? Hmm? Takhasis is dead and she's bugged us before.... A voice whispered to her.

Lene looked around for the voice and saw herself standing in front of the fire. She blinked and rubbed her eyes. There stood a double of herself in tattered armor, holding a crystal staff. A glowing ruby replaced a missing left eye, her hair was grayed around the temples.

I'm not a figment of your imagination. The image leaned out and touched Lene's forehead. Lene jumped back, tripped over the blanket and hit the sand. She struggled with the blankets and finally came up, Myrlene M'sai, her sword, flashed brilliantly in the firelight as she held it in shaking paws. The image was gone.

Rawsha blinked a bit as she saw it was Lene, a feeling of relief came over her as smiled, at least it wasn't a stranger. She still felt a bit nervous around new people, never really wanted to come upon a strangers camp. Her thoughts went back to multiple nights in her past, but she shook her head as Ajax nipped at her ear, she nodded at him and moved closer, calling out toward the camp as she came closer. "Aawo Lene!"

Lene shivered then heard Rawsha. She looked over at her sister with wide, frightened eyes.

Rawsha stopped as she camp up closer to the camp..Lene seemed to be looking at something, she watched her and her eyes followed Lene's gaze to the fire, Ajax nuzzled Rawsha's cheek and Rawsha remained quiet just watching for the moment, she stayed back as she saw Lene bowl over backwards and blinked as she met her sisters frightened look. "...hi.Lene.."

She let the sword drop to the sand and sank to her knees. "Are you real?" she asked Rawsha?

Rawsha watched her lower the sword, "..yes...im real...are you okay?" She looked back toward the area near the fire where Lene had been looking and then back to her, "...you looked like you saw a ghost or something.."

"I....saw myself, old, tired, powerful and alone." she started to tremble. "I've been hearing voices again, the ghoul and the dreams where I am locked in stone." she started crying. "I'm going insane."

Ajax hopped down from Rawsha's shoulder to the sand and sat near the fire, Rawsha moved over to Lene and hugged her. "You... we have been through a lot"

Insane? Bah. Jumpy perhaps, but not insane. Another whisper and the double of Lene was sitting on a rock staring at Lene and Rawsha.

Graying red hair fell down to frame the thinner, leaner face with fur no longer light purple, but dark amethyst. The ruby glowing eerily in the night. The double was almost see through. Lene jumped again seeing the double.

Iimii and Grimanth walk down the beach together, he clad in a casual Maasi'imi'i. Grimmy's got her horrid crown on tonight, which looks like a bejeweled web woven around her crown. They both saw the campfire on the beach and head towards it.

Am I truly that frightening Lene? The figure asked amused.

Rawsha sees the image of the older Lene, she blinks softly, noticing simularities in the two of them and smiles, "Aawo....uhm." she thought of what to call the figure. "Lene?"

Please, call me Myrlene Winter Paw. That is Lene. The figure points to Lene on the sand.

"You can see her?" she said to Rawsha, paw going for the dropped sword.

Ah. Myrlene M'sai, my old sword. I don't think so. Myrlene flicked her wrist of her left paw and the sword came to rest by her.

Lene gaped as her sword moved away. "How? My sword is spelled only to me!"

Well now, I guess that means I am you, silly girl.

Rawsha watched the sword and nodded to Myrlene..looking at Lene, she smiled and nodded, "yes i can see her sis..." Ajax came to Rawsha again and she scooped him into her arms.

And it is nice to see you as well, Rawsha the Eternal. Now then, Lene, get up, get a hold of yourself, and plant your butt by the fire.

Rawsha heard Myrlene call her 'The Eternal' and she tilted her head, she would move to sit next the the fire, waving at Iimii and cuddling Ajax in her arms softly, the psuedo-dragon was watching the astral projection closely, the mage and her familiar were amazed.

The figure simply nodded to Rawsha. Yes, The Eternal. In time you will understand Rawsha.

"Okay, Rawsha, I guess... I'm not nuts." Lene hesitantly drew near to the fire and sat down.

Rawsha blinked softly and smiles, "No you're not nuts Lene" She watched Myrlene, but she pets Ajax-

Iimiidiina stops and blinks. Is that... two Lene's? He and Grimanth look at each other confused. That other one can't be Lene. Too old. It looks terribly like her, though. He blinks several times, then slowly approaches the gathering. "What the Fen..." He says to himself as he checks old Lene's aura. He saw a figure that was an astral projection, the aura around it was old, powerful, the type you find with master mages of the old days.

"What are you?" Iimii asks louder, half fascinated, half terrified, as he approaches the old Lene.

The figure glances at Iimiidiina. Ah, it seems you are still alive back then.

"You say you're Myrlene Winter Paw. How so? My name is Myrlene Wolf-Spiritor. Lene said in confusion.

Your name was Wolf-Spiritor. It is now simply Winter Paw, reflecting your true title among the magi of Lupinoss.

"Was? What does that mean? What magi of Lupinoss?"

Iimiidiina blinks, just as confused as his older sister, and he looks between Lene and Myrlene.

You go back to Lupinoss and become the grand mage of Lupinoss, and soon, so soon I'll become Mistress of the Magic Spark. Yet many paths lie before you all. Perhaps not everything I know may come to pass. The future is like that. Myrlene sighed.

"Anybody can tell anybody that. What purpose are you here for? Have you been sent? Or are you just a memory of things yet to come?" Iimii said to Myrlene.

Myrlene laughed at Iimiidiina. I come and go as I wish. I am Lene in 120 years, 3 months, 5 days, and 10 hours. I have indeed used astral projection to speak with Lene and Rawsha, perhaps you as well, Iimii, if the cards are in your favor. These sisters, have things to come that will test their friendships, and at times their trust. The figure had a far away look in its lone grey eye.

"Then what is this? A warning, or a puppet show?" Iimii demanded.

Mind your temper Iimiidiina Foxingale-Walley, lest you travel the same path to your own destruction. Myrlene settled a little bit more. Perhaps my visit is both. Maybe I wish to kill them and you? Maybe I just wish to see myself one more time before I pass away. That is the complications of the future visiting the past.

Iimiidiina looks at Myrlene, then places a paw nervously on Grimanth's leg. Easy, little one.

Myrlene looked to Rawsh intently. Rawsha, dear sister, many forces are at work around and in you. A web is being spun for you. I ask you to be careful, and remember those you love. A time will come when you are given a choice. That choice must be made with your true heart.

Rawsha heard Iimii and frowned, but then she looked at Myrlene, she didnt know what to say to the projection, she listened to the plea and nodded.

Emuna was tending to the shop thinking about her friends which she hadn't seen in ages. She sits in a chair with a feather duster in hand and a thought of Myrlene crosses her mind. Closing her eyes, Emuna pictures her friend in her mind and was startled when she feels a whoosh of strong air and her eyes pop open with a start and finds her self on a beach that she has not seen before.

Lene sat there watching Myrlene in shock and stunned silence. The teleporting Emuna caught her off guard completely. Lene rolled away weaving a spell for either protection or destruction.

Iimii doesn't much respond to Emuna popping up from nowhere.

"Uhhhhhh hi?" Bewilderment was written all over Emuna's face

Iimiidiina does wave, however, to Emuna. It had been a long time since he saw her.

Lene. Stand down. Just a friend of your mothers. You don't want to harm her.

Lene let the spell fizzle. "Hi... I think." she said to Emuna and sat down again. So help her, the next person that just pops up is getting fire balled.

Turning back to Rawsha, Myrlene moved graying hair out of her eyes. You grew to be a powerful mage Rawsha, and much more, perhaps...angelic.

Iimiidiina blinksed. Rawsha... a Looa?

Myrlene looked to Lene now. Lene, your paths are about to become very dark in the next few years. You'll stumble for light along these paths, search the depths of life itself and cry for death to come many time. Hope is within your reach. Build your mental walls strongly and steel your hear for the grief will be sharp and dire.

Rawsha did a double take looking over at Emuna once, then once again and blinked then waved, then she looked at Myrlene, her smile brightened, but then she heard the word angelic, she thought a moment, "but...uhm..." her throat was dry and her voice cracked, she just snapped her muzzle closed.

Lene looked at her paws and blinked a few tears away hearing more dark times were to come. "Why me and Rawsha? What is the meaning of this future?"

I do not know if you can stand the news now, at this young age. But if you two really wish it, I will say what I can while, I can. Myrlene seemed to look about her for something in the future. Rawsha the Eternal has not found me yet. I am safe still.

Emuna tries to get up to find that her butt is firmly stuck in the sand. With a sigh she says "I hate getting sand in my fir. Little help?" She wiggles around a bit.

Rawsha looked over at Emuna and uses a steady currents of wind to help Emuna to her feet and remove sand from her fur.

Emuna flailed around a bit.

"Hey!" Lene snarled. "If you're really the older me, you know riddles and hints piss me off. Out with it." she glared at her older self.

Iimiidiina: "Myrlene... if that is really you... are you trying to say that older Rawsha is after you?"

Myrlene looked ancient hearing that question from Iimiidiina. Yes. Two sisters at one, loving and trusting each other, over time have fallen and now are set against each other. One will die and one will live on.

Rawsha blinks and looks from the projection to Lene and back, "But, I love Lene and would never hurt her."

"What the hell would cause me to hurt Rawsha?"

Grimanth starts to growl, baring her teeth. "You have spoken too much now... Rawsha would never turn on Lene, on any of us."

Emuna: -she spits out some sand as she walks forward towards the group. She flops down next to Myrlene and starts to feel the tension. Her face jerks into a funny expression as her feather duster she was working with jab her buttocks from sitting down to fast. She pulls it out of her back pocket and lays it on the ground.

So say those who have not seen the forces at work. When one loves a mate dearly and closer than any mortal mates can be, as that of the soul bonded, death of a mate, if it doesn't kill the other, is maddening. She looked up at Lene, tears glistening down taught cheek fur. I bear the soul gem of Moonshine, our lover in my eye, the eye torn out by Rawsha a century ago.

Iimiidiina stood, now furious. "That's enough now! We've been through enough, we don't need you making things hard for us again! Begone!"

Sit. Ancient power latched out and bound Iimii.

Ajax looked back and forth between them all, he might have been young but those storm grey eyes showed dragon knowledge and magic, maybe something more in them as he looked up at Rawsha, she blinked at the words she was hearing, she looked at Ajax, they spoke to each other silently, she then looked back to the group-

Iimiidiina sat, but he is still furious as Grimanth's tail waves, agitated. "You have no right to be telling us this now!"

I say this all now, because I dearly miss my sister Rawsha, and wish for a future of peace. I take no pleasure in laying this ill news at your feet, but it must be done, or else, the future will go down this path and in time, I may kill Rawsha, or she may finally capture me and make me her thrall.

"We're just trying to heal, and this news is only going to open fresh wounds. Begone!" Though his voice is more pleading now than angry.

Rawsha looked down, going very quiet, she was staring at a certain grain of sand just inches from her feet, her mind was starting to play with her. Though she could feel the warmth of the campfire, she felt cold, the waves on the beach could be heard nearby but she was hearing a trickle of water somewhere in a nearby darkness in her mind, but her expression at the moment hadn't changed.

If not now, when? You all will be healing for a long time. Tis the nature of this family, except for me. For Lene. She will never be an angel. The only one who will truly know fear and mortality. The figure suddenly stood and looked worried.

I must go now. Bear this in mind, you two, not with fear, or anguish, but as a guide to realize that no matter what happens, dark or light, you are sisters, for Canis' sake!

Then Myrlene ran, something followed her, in black robes, angelic wings darkened with evil or perhaps death. Fingers missing on a particular hand, and a savage looking imp that was huge now, following in its wake. The imagery vanished.

(Musical inspiration for this posts editing: Do This Anymore - Nickelback)

Inside the beach house, not much was going on. Well at least in most of the usual rooms. If you go past the living room, through the right side door and head left up the hall, you'll hear the sounds of muttering, chanting and the faint sounds of Nickel Back in the background from an open door. This door leads to the bedroom shared by Ammy, Fleety and Mirius though they were all gone on errands for the night.

If one was to enter that bedroom, a suit of armor would be standing off to the left and a bookshelf swung out to the right. Revealed behind the book shelf was a heavy, black metal door with several runes and alchemy arrays etched deeply on it. By its own nature the door should be quite stout, nigh impenetrable and locked tight. Today it was wide open. The music would get louder from within a large room that was a bit dim and dark when viewed from the bedroom.

Rawsha had been outside with Ajax, enjoying the stars, she was wearing her maroon shirt and brown leather pants, and having finished half a sandwich and a glass of milk she soon carried the plate and glass back into the kitchen. Ajax was perched on her shoulder; she looked down the hall toward Ammy's room as she heard the music and the faint chanting, and she took the dishes to the kitchen then made her way to the door of Ammy's room and peeked inside curiously.

Rawsha would be curious for sure given that anything Ammy listened to was instrumental or directly from Blackmore's Night. The music playing had a wilder, more daring youth appeal to it. She'd see the unknown door open, the suit of armor to the left of the door, the book shelf that was swung to the right. A comfy king sized bed rested on a Celtic knot work rug and it radiated a feeling of happiness and love. A steamer trunk was at the foot of the bed. Near Rawsha, to her left was Fleety's favorite rocking chair, a bookmarked tome in Lupesh and a night stand with a darkened glow orb rested on the night stand.

To her right was a large chest-of-drawers that had a sheathed, well used, and well loved sword resting on top of it. It radiated deity power and had a familiar aura of Fleety to it. A mirror at the back of the room reflected Rawsha's image and to her left, near the suit of armor was a glass collection case with a variety of artifacts and magical talismans. Many looked old, ancient, and powerful and some radiated cold, vile darkness to them. The chanting kept going, and from time to time now, the high ring of something crystalline chiming.

Rawsha moved inside Ammy's room, the music wasn't Ammy-like; she saw the open door with the arrays and runes. She hadn't been in the bedroom, very many times, except when she had fallen to sleep after a story or randomly, she was about to go to the black metal door when she saw Fleety's sword, she could feel the auras coming from the sword and moved over to the chest-of-drawers looking at the sword, she reached a paw up and touched the hilt, Ajax chirped softly and reminded her to be careful, she nodded and let her fingers move along the hilt but didn?t pick the weapon up.

The sword was a great sword in design. It radiated with power from Lupis and Canis. A sword fusing the two deities? power into one being, yet it looked quite plain as well. A simple leather wrapped handle, steel cross guard, and a silver pommel in the shape of a howling wolf head. Next to the sword was a small box with a glass lid. Within the box, glinting from time to time was the remains of a shattered katana. It radiated strongly of Lupis.

Rawsha put her paw around the handle a moment, but then she heard the crystalline chiming from beyond the door, and the music that was playing made her ears perk a bit, she would leave the sword alone and move toward the rune printed black metal door, she got close enough and looked past the door a moment she thought Ammy was out of the house but she just moved slowly through the doorway.

Tesh li'ivaas i'ini'i t vey. Vey sproo i'ini'it don. Don li'ivaas i'ini'it besh. Nas aatoos yi'ituu paantpaam. A female voice, sounding young, old, tired, strong, soft and sharp spoke in the dimly lit room somewhere to Rawsha's left. Another chime of crystal sounded.

Rawsha blinks and looks off toward the voice and her eyes might shimmer just a bit as the dark vision she gained from the skin graft lets her see in the dark, dimly lit room. She recognized the voice and wondered what Lene was up to, the music had her attention as well, she moved further into the room-

Streepa har i'ina ish i'insi'i gi'ima gli'is. Moo ras sproo struum i'in oomas paari'is ni'isk. More chanting. As Rawsha enters she'd feel the heavy power and presence of Ammy in every part of this room, much like her lab back in the Den, but stronger here. Lene was standing at a table in the far right corner of the room. Her back was to Rawsha, and Lene was oddly dressed. She seemed to be wearing a robe with a hood and it was up covering her head.

The table?s contents were obscured some by Lene's position, but several candles of blue, black, gold, and red were lit. With that dark vision and a little more from the fiend grafts, Rawsha would see an eddying current of violet black energy swirling around Lene chasing a swirling current golden energy in some infinite yin and yang motion.

Rawsha stays back for the moment just watching, listening and speaking silently to her familiar through their bond. The room had Ammy's magical signatures all over it and she was somewhat comforted there. She watched Lene from near the door...she knew never to interrupt any caster she respected, she could see the items on the table and the flow and currents of magic, and she stood back and watched.

Lenes arms were moving as she chanted. She never moved outside of her arms moving. Mas, Tesh, Hal, Don li'ivaas i'ini't gi'ima gli'is. A sudden spike of energy swirled through the lab, cooling, heating, making one feel humid, and finally dry as ancient earth. Aavaa!

The buildup of energy increased until anyone sensitive to magic would feel like screaming from the pressure and weight of it. Current of good, evil, life, death, and much, much more mixed into that energy. As sudden as the buildup came, a sharp, piercing cry and a ring of multiple crystal bells erupted in the lab at the same time a blast of white light flooded the room to be swallowed by pitch black that no light could penetrate. The room stayed pitch black for a few minutes as something was heard, thumping to the mosaic tiled floor.

Rawsha reached a paw up to pet Ajax's head gently; they felt the changes in the room and then the finishing words of spells, the toll of the bells and the feeling of the spiking magics. Rawshas fur stood on end, then settled as the feelings of pressure in the room built and the darkness thickened, she heard the thump in the pitch black magical darkness, she felt as if the magic was heavy upon her, her paws and feet felt heavy as if weighted down as if her body was pinned in place...but the feeling started to pass.

The darkness in that lab would fade, eeking away from blown out candles, and something glass had shattered on the floor from one of the tables on the other side of the room. Briefly, a ghostly image of a severe looking woman of beauty, yet with an image of multiple dragon heads stared at something on the floor then at the image of an old man in gray robes who radiated light. They both vanished in seconds.

On the floor, lay Lene within those robes, not stirring. On the table, heavily inlaid with binding and controlling runes and arrays was a staff about 5 feet in length of dark amethyst. It glowed softly like a black light. The entire staff was crystal and flowed with sigils and runes all along it. The top of the staff had a fused soul gem atop of it of a brilliant, icy blue that glowed with a soft azure light.

Rawsha took a few quiet breaths taken, her eyes opened, just in time for her to see the images before they vanished and she would take a few steps closer to the table, she called out softly. "Lene?" She was still a bit curious and confused about what Lene was doing, and then she looked at the items on the table and sees the staff. Near the staff was a delicate looking sword that seemed made for a small person, it was Lene's sword, Myrlene M'sai. A gift remade long ago by a friend. It glowed with a faint green and light blue aura now, and the two items seemed to hum and ring lowly as if they were two crystals ringing in harmony.

Lene didn't respond. Her robes seemed to glow with a few brilliant crimson runes on them and they were not pleasant looking runes, maybe sinister and severe dark magic.

Rawsha knelt down by Lene, she saw the runes but her paw moved to her sisters face and rubbed her cheek softly, "Lene?" She spoke softly again. She looked up at the items on the table, she could hear the ringing of their powers, and she looked back down at her big sister.

Whatever may be evil around Lene didn't affect Rawsha. Actually it seemed to like her and caress her fur. The energy felt like Lene's aura, but it was twisted, evil, filled with pain, hate and violence. Lene whimpered a bit when her cheek was brushed. The aura would swirl then fade and turn back to the usual presence Lene held.

Rawsha stopped a moment, she kept her paw near Lene, but feeling the presence, she thought of great power, things she had been tempted with and even the imp and Artisia; things she shouldn?t have been even thinking about dabbling in. But the feeling passed and she blinked a bit and patted Lene's cheek again. "Lene...wake up..please" She sat by her sister feeling the presence shift to the peaceful one she was used to around Lene.

Lene opened one eye and it had a hard time focusing on Rawsha. "R..aw?"

Marilla had made her way to the beach house in that same hover car that she had driven on that day they were attacked by a bunch of Lycans. When she got there she made it power down and then got a couple medium sized boxes with some fun toys inside. She was wearing black denim pants and a long sleeve denim shirt. The smell of oil and there was burn marks and holes in many places on her clothes. Marilla went up to the door and set the boxes down on the porch and took out a key that Ammy had given her for the home. She stuck her head into the house after opening the door some. "Anybody home?" she called out.

"Yes I?m here..sis..what?s going on?" Rawsha sat on the floor next to Lene.

"Hu..h?" Lene asked dazed. "Where...am I?'

Rawsha looked around the room they sat in and then back to her sister. "A room off of Ammy's bedroom." She looked up at the staff on the table and stood up, she went to the table and looked, over the amethyst, sigil and rune staff, her paw moves to it slowly and she smiled a little-

Hearing no answer Marilla shrugged a little and opened up the door fully. Then she brought the boxes in and sat them down in the living by a table. Then she heard music. It sounded like someone is home. She then went to walk down the hallway some and called out again. "Hello?" Marilla didn't want to go into anyone's room if they were doing something.

Lene stirred more. "Moms.... lab... gonna be in trouble... if...caught...." she winced and yipped in pain and stayed sill.

Marilla would hear Nickel Back playing in the background coming from the hall, and given her magical sensitivity would notice that the energy in the house felt turbulent and stirred up.

Rawsha heard someone calling back in the main part of the house and looked back at Lene, she heard that second call a bit clearer and smiled. "That?s Aunt Marilla" She called out toward the bedroom- "In here Aunt Marilla!" She looked at Lene and blinked. "You made...this staff?" She was looking back at the magical item-

Lene blinked a few times, huddling under her robe. The tiled floor felt so cool and soothing to her for the moment. "Staff?" Her mind seemed to be a bit rattled or perhaps stunned for the moment.

Marilla heard the yip and her niece Rawsha and moved through the house. Marilla would move through the rooms and felt the magic going on. She got to the room where the two were at. "What's going on in here?"

Rawsha nodded and looked at Lene. "It?s up here on the table...by your sword.." she took the staff in her paw and lifted it from the table, holding it carefully, she looked up hearing Marilla. "..Aawo...um Lene was doing magic." she looked at the staff and blinked, somehow it seemed familiar.

What Rawsha said sounded familiar. Lene looked around from the floor and she remembered what she did and she started to scream in terror, curling up.

Rawsha held the staff in her paw. It was a bit tall for her but felt natural as she holds it. She heard Lene scream and moved to her after setting the staff next to the sword. "Lene..? What?s the matter?" She kneeled and hugged her sister.

Marilla moved into the room and would kneel down by Rawsha and put a paw on Myrlene's shoulder. "Why are you screaming, Lene?"

The hug made Lene scream more. Under her robes she had burns on her body. Within her mind the horrors of what Takhasis taught her flooded, the seals she used had broken when she performed the rituals. Within her mind, Takhasis was finally punishing her wayward envoy by flaying the fur off of Lene who, in her mind was strung up, and being slashed by a fiery whip. Cackles around her are heard mocking her for delving into the dark arts again.

Rawsha blinked softly and pulled back from the hug; she could feel something was wrong and slowly pulled back a bit of the robe, she could smell burnt fur and flesh...and then saw the wounds. Rawsha would reach out to Lene and take her paw, letting green leafy light trail around her own fingers then the healing light found its way up Lene's arm, slowly it would start to heal wounds and comfort the burns, her voice reaching to Lene's mind. "Lene..your alright...we are at home...safe and with friends."

Feeling the searing lash of her dark mistress' ire and disappointment score across her back, Lene's physical body arched from the pain on the floor. She was crying and shaking. Pain was everywhere and she was going insane. Bracing for another lash, Lene tensed, waiting. Nothing came, only the voice of Rawsha. Lene looked up in her mind and saw her sister in those shimmering robes, reaching out a healing hand to her. Safety, peace, security and healing were there. She just had to reach out and take it. Lene's paw closed around Rawsha's as she lay there, and she stopped screaming. The pain faded, the burns lessening and healing. Soon, even her crying was quiet and nearly gone.

Rawsha would continue to let the leafy green light move around Lene from her paw, she just stayed next to her sister. "I'm here Lene...we are safe...your alright" She kept speaking calming words with that peaceful inflection on her voice.

Lene went quiet. The burns were gone now. "Rawsha..." she whispered. "I was a fool." she stayed laying down, then moved her head. A glance to Marilla with wide eyes. Oh crap, she was going to be in trouble once mom found out she broke into her lab. "Uhm... hi Marilla." Lene said weakly.

Rawsha looked at Lene and then to the lab. "Lene...we should.. probably move to the living room or something..?" She looked at Marilla and smiled then looked back at Lene.

"Yeah...help me up, then grab the staff and sword." she sat up weakly. "I... don't want mom scolding you for my stupidity."

Rawsha helped Lene up slowly to sit up, then to her feet and made sure she was steady-

"Thank's sis." A glance to Marilla and Lene lowered her head. "Marilla.... will you not tell my mom we were in here? She... sealed this lab from anyone to use... and I broke in."

Rawsha went to the table and picked up the sword in one paw the staff in the other and would move toward the door with them both, she was looking at both items studying them.

Marilla sighed when Myrlene was feeling better. "Well first I'm going to say what are you two doing in here anyways?" Marilla crossed her arms and gave them both a look.

Rawsha looked at Marilla. "Umm I found Lene in there...and was watching what she was doing for a lil while" She moved into Ammy's room and Ajax moved over to her from the bed and hopped up to her shoulder to perch, he was looking at the sword and the staff in her paws interested.

"Don't... blame Rawsha.. I left the door open." she kept her head bowed in shame now and shuffled out of the lab a bit wobbly. Marilla would most likely sense that the labs energy has been used for good and evil things over time. Perhaps more evil than good?

"And what were you doing in here, Lene?" Marilla questioned her as she moved out of the room and would help Lene keep her balance

"I... uhm... well... " Lene stumbled over her words. "Found a part of a ritual for making magical things in dads library. It was only half of the ritual. I... wanted to do something special for me and Rawsha and make us something cool. The spell dad had had a note that the other half was in a lab in this house...I found it and well....tricked the wards into letting me in."

"Something cool?" Marilla asked in disbelief and looked back at the lab then at her and Rawsha. "Nothing cool is worth getting yourself hurt or killed over. If you kids keep getting into trouble I am definitely going to tell your mothers and your father, got it?" Marilla warned them both.

Lene walked for a couch and slid out of the black robes. They had a vile energy to them. She willed a rift to open and the robes were placed into flat space for storage. The black robes had the symbol of a 5 headed dragon on the chest. Lene was now in singed jean shorts and what was left of a halter top. She plopped on her butt panting. The ritual about sucked her soul out.

Rawsha looked back into the lab a moment and then looked up at the two of them, she looked down a little and wished that Ammy wouldn't find out about this, she moved out into the hall and toward the living room.

"Yes... Marilla." she said with a whimper and a whine that she hadn't done since she was six. Lene still wondered how she let good judgment slip this far. "The...lab will close up in a few minutes on its own.... I'll do anything you want Marilla... just keep this all a secret?" she glanced at the crystal staff and the sword Rawsha held. Both artifacts radiated power.

Rawsha looked from the sword to the staff, she could feel the power of both, she would lay Lene's sword down carefully but held the staff in her paw, she looked at Marilla, she looked down a little, she shouldn't have followed Lene into the lab...but something bad might have happened if Lene was left alone in there.. she sat down by her sister-

Marilla walked with them both back to the living room and stood there with her tail swaying as she thought and stared at Myrlene and Rawsha. "This time I won't, but next time you do something stupid I will. Got it? And holding out on you kids getting into danger falls onto me, too, since I know that you both did it."

Lene hunched over more, really sorry now. The two items were powerful, but not activated and tuned to each user just yet.

Rawsha looked up at Marilla. "..we..we will try not to get into more trouble" She thought about the last few days, she had been in a battle with lycanthropes with Sean and his daughter...wow she was racking up things she was keeping quiet about.

Lene gave Rawsha a look and sent a message via bond. You get used to keeping secrets alot. I am betting you have questions to ask me after seeing some things?

"Yeah that's what I'm hoping." She sighed. "So, where's your parents anyways? Are you two home alone here?"

(Inspiration for editing this post: Bad Company - Five Finger Death Punch)

The Glen was nice and serene tonight. Lene was walking the trails and she was wearing those black robes of hers with the eerie arcane runes upon them. It was the only wizard robes she had, evil as they may be. She walked calmly for a clearing ringed by old trees. She walked towards the center of the clearing and stopped. She closed her eyes and focused on feeling the magical energy.

Rawsha appeared in one of her usual spots in a column of wind, she came into view near the lakes edge, looking around cautiously, still a bit nervous since seeing Artisia nights ago...then the feelings she got last night and that smell she had smelt, but tonight she was looking for her sister....Lene had told her to meet her and a brief explanation of where...she had left Ajax back in her bedroom...she walked for a trail.

Lene felt the tingles of a faded energy in the circle. It was a place she recalled that Mokksha spoke of where Lene's soul guardian Fen Stridar had died and she had summoned Kali, goddess of death to bring him back. The act of revival and resurrection had made the veil between the living and the Beyond thin at this point; a necessity to her plans.

Rawsha quietly moved along the trail, tonight she wears her mage robes, she could feel the flow of energy as she moved along the trail.

Nodding to herself that this was the place, she opened a dimensional pocket to the Hall of Relics that her father gave her charge of a year ago and reach inside. She withdrew a pack that was well stocked with items and closed the dimensional pocket. She opened the pack and began taking items out for the ritual.

As Rawsha moved further down the path she came into the circle of old trees, she saw Lene there as the dimensional pocket was closed, watching her for a second she smiled a little, then spoke softly. "Aawo sis"

Lene looked over and smiled wide. "Aawo Raw!" she stood, walked over to Rawsha and gave her a big hug. "Are you getting bigger?"

Taeree moved along a trail in the glen while holding a book that held information about summoning various creatures. He wears white pants and a dark red shirt. And as always he had all of his rings and accessories and he also was wearing a backpack that carried more books and his other items inside. But he seemed a bit irritated tonight. His wife was sleeping with someone else that had to do with some bargain. Sometimes he wondered why he even married her.

Rawsha hugged Lene and smiled. "Maybe a bit" She laughs softly, "how are you sis?" She was growing up, just a bit, but it was about time..though she was still very much a pup.

"Oh, you know, tired from being a mom and a wife and trying to help keep Lassie sane and so on." she laughed gently. "I'm glad you came. I am going to work a ritual tonight and I want you to help me." She said and moved to the pack. She removed a lot of items. Among were ritual items of an obsidian wand, an iron knife, several different colored candles, a snazzy looking white silk piece of cloth, a small worn tome, a bottle of sake, a sack of diamond dust, and the most bizarre piece, a 6 in crystal skull made of dark amethyst.

Rawsha moved over to Lene and nodded. "What kind of ritual?" She looked over the items as they were set out..it looked like most of the items were nice or expensive components.

Lene sat now and opened the tome to look over the steps and the runes and setup needed. "Well..." She paused for a long moment. "I know I was reckless in mom's lab the other day when I made our sister weapons... but I had a thought. Our family gets attacked or in trouble so much that everyone gets hurt a lot or captured or surprised. So, I was going to get a sentient spirit into that skull and make a sentient shadow orb. Then it can make shadow clones of enemies or people we want to spar with and we can train and get better. Maybe get over our fears of some things or learn better healing techniques. So many things it can be used for. But I want to know if you're okay with this? I mean... the ritual is a little... on the dark side." she side softly. For a big sister not wanting little sister dabbling in the dark arts she wasn't taking her own advice.

As Taree read he would occasionally look up just to see where he was going then look back down at the book. Then he went to turn around some and slide it back into the book bag after opening the book bag. Then he'd take out another and open it up. It was a book about Flora magic. He was excellent in his magic already, but he had to make sure he wasn't missing anything. He wanted to know every detail he could take advantage of for his own uses.

Taeree may feel the pull of old magic and the feeling of thinness to the veil between the mortal world and the world of dead.

Rawsha listened to Lene and nods softly. "well it would be good to practice with...but sis...what if it got into someone?s bad paws?" She was worried a lot lately.

Lene put a finger to the tome written in her own script and in common. It was old, neat writing from a time she was... someone else. "We'll be using several runes of Restriction on it so it only works for our family. And here is the activation spells that'll let it copy the holder of the skull if they say this phrase, or a memory of the holder when they say that phrase. The skull can hold up to 100 shadow clones."

Taeree stopped in his tracks feeling the pull of the old magic. Taeree closed the book and held it in a paw and looked around curiously and cautiously. The mage started to make his way towards the magic. It was as if magic called to him and he was always curious of what magic?s went on and who was using them.

Rawsha nodded. "oh..alright.." She felt a little better about the whole thing and smiled, she could feel the veil between worlds, as she stood in this circle...it flowed near the center and almost felt as if it was reaching out for her before. Drifting away from her, it was almost like the waves of the ocean..tingling feelings went through her at times then settled.

Lene nodded. "Okay. You can help me prepare the ritual, and then, you'll need to help me offer some energy to placate the spirit we call to the skull. Once it is satisfied it should stay." She stood and took the iron knife and walked to the center of the clearing. Feeling the veil the weakest here, she paced out 10 steps and moved around scoring a circle deep into the ground.

"Alright" Rawsha stood watching Lene, she would let her mind clear a for a moment so she could call upon magic when needed, she took a breath and waited for Lene to instruct her.

Taeree followed the energy whether or not it was good or evil. All magic fascinated the ambitious mage and he wanted to know as much as possible. The feeling the magic felt stronger as he was getting much closer

Circle done, she looked to Rawsha. "Okay. Put the white cloth in the middle of the circle where the veil feels the thinnest." She walked over and grabbed the candles and set a white one to east, a red to the west, a blue to the north and a yellow to the south.

Rawsha would take the white cloth and lay it on the ground where she felt the veil between worlds grow thin blanketing the cloth over the soft grass in the center of the clearing she stepped back a few feet-

Lene walked over and sat the last candle, the black candle in the center. "Okay then. Next, get the crystal skull and the sake while I inscribe the runes into the earth. Be careful where you step now." she said gently.

Rawsha moved over to the crystal skull and took it carefully in her paws looking at it a moment then she took up the sake, she watched Lene for a moment, she stood still so she could see where to step not wanting to step on the inscriptions or scuff the spells for the ritual.

Lene knelt on one side of the cloth to allow Rawsha to approach without damaging anything vital. Using the iron knife she was inscribing runes of an ancient language often found in the abyss with a touch of lighter magical forces found in the higher planes, an unusual mix.

Stopping at a tree near the clearing he watched Rawsha and the other girl prepare what seemed to be a ritual. Taeree just grinned to himself and watched in silence. He wanted to see how well this would turn out and what made it more interesting was to see Rawsha dabbling around such old dark magic.

As the girls prepared the ritual area, it would seem the veil would grow weaker and a chill from the other side would creep into the mortal world. A feeling enough to make the fur stand on end and the skin prickle itchily as if something spooky flitted by.

Rawsha moved carefully over to Lene and knelt down on the other side of the cloth opposite from Lene and held the skull and the sake...she glanced at the veil..she could now see a thin shimmer from it as it moved and the coldness of the other side trickled over her senses...it reminded her of the cold she was trapped in when Artisia had her...but for some odd reason from this source it felt comforting.

"Okay, set the skull by the candle, then open the bottle of sake and pour it in a circle around the skull until the bottle is empty.? Lene instructed Rawsha.

A tilt of his head was given wondering what these two young girls were doing but Taeree wasn't going to interrupt. He took his book bag off and set it on the ground and placed the book back inside of it. After that he leaned against the tree with his arms crossed while he watched them intently.

Rawsha set the gem skull by the candle and uncorked the sake bottle, she carefully poured it in a circle around the skull, working to make the circle evenly saturated and round, as the fur on her arms stood on end the runes of the skin graft on her arm started to glow and pulse under her robe sleeve, she felt as if she was being watched from multiple points around the forest but she continued to pour the sake until the bottle was empty.

Lene had inscribed the runes for calling a spirit to the north side of the white cloth then inscribed the runes of binding permanently to the skull to the south of the cloth; Runes of restraint to the west of the cloth and finally runes of activation to east all the while being careful not to bump into Rawsha or smudge the runes.

Power was starting to gather to the circle now. Neither good nor evil, but energy, pure, simple, and ancient. A binding commanding presence.

Lene stood up now, rubbed her back and looked over the runes and all four sides three times. "Okay. I think we have them correctly down." she walked over, being careful not to scuff the circle and took the sack of diamond dust. Opening it, she held it out to Rawsha and grabbed a paw full of the clear, glittering dust. "Okay Raw, grab a paw full and spread it evenly into the runes. You take the south and west, I'll the north and east." She moved to the top of the cloth and started scattering the dust.

Rawsha took a paw full of diamond dust, she worked quietly to spread the dust into the runes, the south one first, she smiled softly as she was learning the ritual watching Lene set it up as she helped, she then went to the west one and spread more of the dust there, she carefully moved so not to smudge the runes.

Once the runes were covered, Lene checked them again. She smiled. "Good job Rawsha. You're good at this ritual stuff. Takhasis whipped me several times till I got this ritual right." she grinned. She took one more paw full of diamond dust and gently blew a fine mist of it onto the skull. Everything glittered with a cold beauty now. She took the sack, closed it and waved Rawsha to follow her out of the circle as she consulted her tome for the final steps.

A few ghostly spirits may be whispering now around the glen. Languages unknown, fears unfelt, happiness unknown, duties undone flowing over the thin veil; this was indeed a ritual teetering on the knife edge of good or evil magic.

The feel of the magic was a temptation to Taeree to intervene, to have the want of getting involved in the ritual, but he knew it was best not to do such a thing. He had done rituals before and his mate interrupted him and problems had happened.

Rawsha would follow her sister, the steps of the ritual seemed to be collected in her memory, she had after all helped Artisia set up another ritual...maybe they were something she could do rather well, she stood near Lene.

"Okay then. Now the hard part. Be brave okay sis?" she said to Rawsha. "We stand before the skull." she picked up both the iron knife and the obsidian wand and stepped carefully into the circle. Her fur poofed out as she felt the swirl of cold energy from the beyond flowing into the circle now and flowing in a gathering wind tunnel with the energy of the mortal world.

Sensing the crescendo of the ritual, the spirits no longer whispered or murmured, but many howled now, a few screamed, and may laughed at each other, making quite a disconcerting racket in the clearing.

Rawsha followed Lene into the circle and carefully moved to stand before the skull, her ears flattened back as she heard the sounds from beyond, her short sandy fur was already on end and she stood being as brave as she could before the skull.

Taeree continued to watch silently. The spirits of the other world did not bother him too much as he had done many things that involved spirits and souls. His arms stayed crossed as all of his attention was on the ritual. To him at least there was something interesting going on that kept the thoughts of his wife trying to sleep with other males away.

Lene put a comforting hand on Rawsha's shoulder for a moment to reassure her. Taking her paw from Raswsha's shoulder, she took the iron dagger and slit her wrist. Blood welled up, hot and fast. She was smart though and slit it the right way to allow quick healing and slow blood loss. Starting with the North runes she would drizzle blood over the diamond dusted runes, walking the circle, covering all of the runes.

Rawsha smiled as Lene's touch reassured her, she watched her sister and winced as she saw the cut and the blood, watching Lene spread the blood over each rune, she stood still and observed the spirits and what was going on in the circle.

Blood spilled Lene stood again with Rawsha and let the blood drip as she stood there with Rawsha. Taking up the obsidian wand she jabbed the thinned veil and sliced it open.

The spirits went silent. The clearing was deathly still. The energy pulsed more now and a battle of good versus evil energy now raged in the circle. What would happen next?

Rawsha watched the veil as the wand sliced it open, she stayed silent and watched as she stood next to Lene, she felt and heard the sudden silence around them.

Lene quivered with a bit of fear and pain from her slit wrist. She forced it all aside as she searched her memory for the spirit that helped her the most during her darkest days. "Before the veil a path is cut. Before the veil a vein is cut. Before the veil is set a merit. Before the veil I seek a spirit. Before the veil I seek to snare it. Come to me O spirit, I call thy name. Iltheus of the Nine Tails, Bane of the 8th Hell. Come!"

The energy built high then swept out of the circle and into the rift in the veil, feeling like a tidal current sucking in the blood spattered diamond dust.

Lene braced herself and waved a paw at the candles, each one lighting in the order they were placed, serving as a beacon to light a path for the spirit she called as darkness seemed to ooze out of the rift.

This interested Taeree further and leaned down to take a book about rituals out of the backpack. He flipped to the index while every couple seconds looking back up at the ritual just to see if anything similar was in this book.

Rawsha watched the ritual, the spirits and all, she felt the energies in the circle and the strange power she felt from the veil, she stood still and stayed quiet.

Soon the energy eased, then ceased. Then inside of the circle was deathly still and silent. Breathing was sharply and loudly heard around Lene and Rawsha. Darkness crept more from the ripped veil.

"Come to me O spirit, I call thy name. Iltheus of the Nine Tails, Bane of the 8th Hell. Come! I have spilled blood and offered the finest sake to ease your eternal thirst. Come!" Lene called again with firm authority to her voice.

Something stirred in the darkness of the slit. Something large, moving on eight legs, maybe furred, maybe scaled, maybe with multiple tails, maybe with multiple heads. It was hard to see. Bright orange orbs glowed from the darkness. Who calls me out of my realm of rest? The voice was rumbling, loud and the smell of brimstone and cherry blossoms flowed from the rift.

Rawsha?s eyes widen as she sees the being come from the rip in the veil, she watched it and was tempted to take a step back but she swallowed and stood her ground.

"Myrlene Wolf-Spiritor, Right hand of Takhasis, watcher of the Winter Wastelands of Krynn." Lene spoke with unwavering courage.

The voice made Taeree stop looking at his book and take his full attention. This was getting more interesting to him.

It has been decades, nigh centuries since you have spoken to me, Myrlene Winterpaws. Are you still bound by my dark mistress?

"No longer." Lene spoke firmly. A steady dripping sound of her life blood was heard tapping out on the ground.

Rawsha watched the creature and blinked softly-

The glowing orange orbs fastened on Rawsha. I do not know the young one. Her presence hurts my eyes with the brilliance she produces yet she smells of delicious taint. The eyes grew larger as they drew close to Rawsha. The scent or rotten rice balls and molded dried fish rolled over her as the thing breathed on her. It's body impossible to see in the darkness around it.

Rawsha stayed still and let him come close she gathered her nerve and watched him standing completely still, though the creatures breath made her slightly sick.

What is your name child? The voice rumbled deep enough to rattle the ground.

Lene stayed quiet now. The spirit spoke to Rawsha and it would be rude for Lene to interrupt.

"I am Rawsha.." She watched the eyes and the face of the creature, her attention on him.

Rawsha? Only Rawsha? No other titles for one of much power? Pitty. Shall I name thee Rawsha the Eternal? It rumbled a chuckle that threatened to cause an earthquake.

Rawsha blinked softly. "If you must spirit...it is a name i have heard once before" Rawsha spoke calmly to the spirit-

Modesty. Something you lack yourself, Winterpaws. Though you were brought up cruelly to command power. Power you shirk and shy from. Very well. Rawsha the Modest, is Rawsha the Eternal. I believe it fits the wings she wears. Another booming chuckle.

Lene remained quiet.

Rawsha tilted her head at the spirit and smiled softly, though she felt the chill from beyond, she watched him, she wasn't sure what he meant or why the name was chosen for her, but it must be something important.

A mirror appeared in the veil reflecting the image of Lene and Rawsha. They appeared like the vision they saw but young like themselves. Rawsha though had angelic wings, small and still growing, but proudly spread behind her.

Spirits like these always made Taeree more intrigued into learning magic. There was so many things that could be done and happen. It was like a never ending experience and there was something always exciting.

Now then, enough with the chit chat. You have summoned me. Now I demand my price.

Lene nodded slowly. "What is your price?"

Rawsha looked up seeing the mirror shimmer into being and those deep-sea blue eyes widened again as she saw the image of herself..she watched it for a short moment but then turned to watch the spirit and her sister.

Energy from the both of you as well as combat against you, Winterpaws. Defeat your own shadow and I'll serve thee as I have in the past.

"We agree to the energy but I do not agree to the combat alone. You must face us both." Lene demanded.

Rawsha is not the one who has defied my mistress. While we were allies once, I must, of course, challenge you as the rules of old dictate. Defeat me and I serve you. You and only you can fight me, Myrlene Winterpaws.

This was going to be fun to watch. Taeree sat down on the ground and watched them quietly. He used some of his flora magic to make a flower nearby sprout out of the ground and even be able to walk. it moved to Taeree's side and he picked it up in its paws and stroked its pedals as if it was a pet.

(Inspiration for editing this post: Schala's Theme Remixed - Chrono Trigger)

Marilla was heading to the beach house in her hover car to see how her family was doing. She hadn't visited in a while and felt she needed to check up on them, though she had been in a little trouble herself lately. Around her left arm was lots of bandaging and they'd show well since she was wearing a sleeveless blue shirt and she was also wearing a pair of blue jeans.

Lene was on the beach in front of the house, sitting cross legged on the sand and meditating. She wore black shorts, a black halter top and her red hair was tightly braided down her back. Her wings were hidden today, and her dragon tattoos, one blue, one red twining around her arm were in vivid contrast to her purple fur. She was breathing calmly and deeply, a sword sheathed across her lap, and a long amethyst crystal staff lying in front of her.

Rawsha appeared walking on the beach, she had been walking along the lakeshore and decided it was time to be heading closer to home, Ajax flew into view behind her..flapping his wings he would glide and land on her shoulder, she grinned up at him- "Aawo Ajax...have a good hunt?" -He nuzzled her along the ear, then gave a happy roar...the pair kept moving toward the beach house-

Marilla used her magitek and turned on the radio in the car and made it start playing some kind of relaxing electronic music, but she had the volume low. As she drove along the beach she saw Rawsha ahead up on the beach and smiled. She slowed down and would pull up to Rawsha's side, but she kept the vehicle at a safe difference from Rawsha. She made the window move down and poked her head out of the car. "Hey there, Rawsha."

Lene could sense Rawsha was getting closer to the house. She breathed slow and deep again, calling to her mind the energy needed for what she was planning. While she waited she let a small sphere of aqua light swirl to being to illuminate her in the darkness on the beach, bathing her in a light blue wash of luminescence.

Rawsha heard the hovercar and looked back down the beach, she pats Ajax along his neck and down a wing and waved at Marilla. "Aawo Aunt Marilla!" She smiled and walking along she did feel Lene up head on the beach and saw the shining blue light down the beach...she wondered what Lene was up to...her walk had helped her settle her mind from all the thoughts she had been having-

"Was heading back to y'alls home. Feel like riding with me there or ya just wanna keep walking? I'll even walk with ya if ya want." Marilla smiled at her.

Soon the sphere would hover, dance and spiral to a pattern in Lene?s mind as if to a song unheard. In her mind she was in a winter land, keeping guard of a frozen tundra cold, alone, feeling the eyes of hungry monsters unseen.

Rawsha smiled, "You can walk with me if ya like." She nodded, Ajax perched on Rawsha's shoulder as she stopped so she could wait for Marilla.

Marilla giggled a little. "Alright, I'll walk with ya." She unbuckled her seatbelt and then opened the door and stepped out of the car and closed the door. She would start to talk with Rawsha and used her magitek to have the car slowly follow them. "How's my niece been?" Marilla would also go to give Rawsha a big hug

Rawsha hesitated to answer that question as they walked. "I've been ookaa...how are you doing?" Ajax moved to the sling which hung around Rawsha's form, she walked with her aunt, thoughts of her mother and father wanted to come back to her mind but she just forced a smile.

"Well..." Marilla pointed to all that bandaging on her arm. "Apparently, trouble followed your mama to my place. Turns out my ship didn't self destruct and someone decided to take a joy ride in my ship and it just so happened to auto-pilot back to my airfield. Nearly got killed, but all is fine. Don't tell your mother, though. She might freak out over it."

Lene kept this mental landscape as it kept her mind focused and clear. Eyes still closed, she drew more energy and soon, the floating orb of aqua light shivered and split, birthing an orb of vibrant red that would slowly chase the aqua orb in its patterns. Her breathing picked up slightly as she now kept two focuses of power under control and moved them through a few astral gates to work on bring about a third foci. The two orbs whirled a bit faster around Lene as she fed more energy into them, channeling energy from around her, through her soul, using the soul as a focusing crystal to split the energy like a prism into the two current foci. Her breathing picked up more. The orbs shuddered and now a third orb flowed in concert, a crackling ball of yellow energy. Her winter landscape was starting to melt as the monsters of thought were getting closer to her being. Her brows furrowed.

Rawsha blinked and looked over to Marilla a bit, she nodded. "I won't tell her...glad you are alright though." She looked on down the beach and saw Lene there, still a good ways off, she kept walking with Marilla. "I have been taking long walks lately...found a place to meditate and practice...."

"Have ya? That's good. Meditation to me is like just taking one of my simple planes up into the sky and just simply flying. Looking up at the stars above and at the ground below. It makes everything look so peaceful and beautiful."

Raising her paws, Lene slid the orbs through the air, touching the gates of Air, Earth, Water, Fire, Positive, Negative, and Light. The three orbs chased around her paws, weaved around her arms and flicked past her ears and hair as she worked on creating the four foci. Her breathing quickened more. Her mental landscape of ice and tundra was warming up and melting to hot summertime and memories of spending time with her family as a pup threatened to break her concentration. Lene needed to shift her soul just right to get the forth foci to line up and it was a difficult spectrum of energy to obtain. She started to chant, using verbal words and rhythm to help keep her mind focused and build the energy.

~Aqua lights of earth of life swirl tonight, chase the sparks of fire light~ Lene clapped her paws once. ~Into brilliant yellow energy do we all burn bright, lights of earth and life, chase the sparks of fire light~ Clap of paws. ~Into this dance of life and light do we breathe the mother night. By her radiance do we see, by her warmth we are free, bound to her for eternity. Come to us, radiant light, spark of the sun, purity on high, burn the night with your brilliance, chase the shadows from on high.~ She drew in a lot of power now, and even funneled some back from the now hectic orbs flitting around her.

Rawsha smiled at her great aunt and stopped on the beach as they came closer to Lene, she watched the energy's flow around her adopted sister and her eyes glimmered a bit, she was watching and maybe even sizing Lene up, maybe she was thinking about the offer to get her parents back...or perhaps the use of magic was reminding her of the feeling she got on that hill top.

When they got closer to Lene, Marilla dimmed the headlights on the hovercar so it wouldn't bother Myrlene and she watched her other great niece. "You kids never stop doing magic do ya?" Marilla grinned down at Rawsha.

At the center of Lene?s chest a small glimmer, like a clear diamond sparkled at first. Lenes breathing became fast and quick as she pulled more energy. Working elemental energy on the positive side of things was harder than blasting things with raw negative energy and she was out of shape. The diamond started to swell into an intense, pure white light that seemed to purify all the shadows it touched. Once it reached soft ball size it rose and slowly orbited like a sun attracting the other three.

Rawsha heard Marilla but continued to watch Lene and Ajax poked his head up from the sling, she spoke softly. "Magic is ...part of me...and I am part of it" The statement was a little eerie...or maybe it was the way it was said, but then Rawsha blinked and just watched he ritual and her sister.

"I know, hon. I was just joking some." Marilla sat down beside Rawsha while they watched Myrlene. "So, ya know what she's doing anyways?"

Lene lowered her arms and shook as she kept her eyes closed. The power was still being focused, held, charged and stored in those four balls. They each felt like massive magic batteries with several types of elemental magic in them. It was a complex ritual that was difficult at best and the strain was showing on Lene. Her breathing was ragged pants at this point with small low whines now then in them but she kept focusing.

Rawsha tilted her head as she watched the ritual. "It seems to be...a ritual to gather energy" She motioned her paw to the sword and her crystal staff on Lene's lap- "Oh..she must be activating..those."

After a few seconds of reinforcing her mental image of a frozen tundra to ward off distraction, Lene lifted her right paw to the orbs and let tendrils of energy from each flow into her open palm. With her left paw she made a cross sign in the air and enclosed it in a circle. Sacrii Crucii Aavaa.~ A swirling sphere of glowing orange energy ringed in whine runes hung in the air before her. A blast of searing heat came from the sphere.

"Hmm." Marilla watched closely and quietly as Myrlene did her magic. Marilla rubbed her wounded arm for a moment. "Oh, how's your magitek coming along, Rawsha? Need any help with any of it?"

Lene lowered her left paw, unsheathed the sword with a flick of her wrist, eyes still closed. "Myrlene M'sai now is the time of your awakening. Now is the time of your need." she plunged the sword into the burning orb showing no sign of being singed or in pain. ~Aavaa Myrlene M'sai.~ The swirling orbs streaked through the huge burning one and streaked back out. Lene withdrew the sword and placed it on the sand. It seemed to steam and glow brilliant white as if freshly forged in fire. She took up Rawsha's staff now.

"Staff of Rawsha the Eternal, now is the time of your awakening. Now is the time of your need. Now is the time for you to teach and for you to learn." She plunged the staff into hot orb let out a hiss of pain as something hurt. ~Aavaa Staff of Rawsha the Eternal!~ The swirling orbs streaked in once more and vanished within, never coming out. Lene held the amethyst staff in that magical crucible and placed her right paw on it as well. The magical orb doubled in heat and swelled in sized. "Nnngg...!" she gritted her teeth. She knew the staff was powerful but this was... beyond her own belief. ~Aavaa Staff of Rawsha the Eternal. Aavaa! Awaken and learn! Awaken and teach!~ Lene spoke in pain not letting go of the staff.

Rawsha watched from the distance as Lene spoke the words and the staff responded, she watched as the power of the staff was hinted at she could see and feel the energy of it and smiled. "Oh my magitek..well i haven?t really practiced with it the last few days..."

Marilla smiled at Rawsha some, but what Myrlene was doing was making her a bit edgy. Marilla was never around many rituals, at least not magical ones. "That's alright, Rawsha. I took a lot of breaks from Magitek when I was learning it. It can driva ya nuts sometimes trying to figure out some things with it."

So close. The staff was rebelling against her will and was refusing to activate. Lene took a deep breath, focused all the energy left into that crucible but she needed more. Just a bit more would do she was sure of it. She needed something primal. Lene bit her lip hard and felt the coppery tang of blood in her mouth, she began to swallow and felt the flickers of blood rage ignite in her. Lene's fur rippled as the rage flowed into her and she took the berserk rage and siphoned it from her mind and emotions and shunted it directly into the crucible. The orb swelled, the heat felt like a huge furnace now and the white runes started to wink out around the orb.

Wheeeeeeeeeeettttt ? Thooooooooooommmm - The orb erupted instantly vanishing in a loud booming bass that shook the ground. The eruption separated Lene and staff violently and sent her arcing into the nearby lagoon water. The staff spun wildly for Rawsha, spinning madly. Lene skipped along the shallow waters and slowed to a stop on her back, face up breathing hard somewhere down the dark beach a good 500 feet away.

Rawsha saw the staff fly up and she urged it to come to her silently opening her left paw toward it. "Come to me..." The spin on the staff stopped and the staff floated gracefully and powerfully thumped into her paw as she caught it, a near blinding white flash quickly went up both the staff and her arm and an icy wind blew around them then the light and the wind settled. She looked at the staff and held it in one paw then the other, the staff and the young mage seemed to be bonding, it was learning about her but not in a way Ajax had...the staff was another extension of herself...Ajax was but their bond was something far different, she smiled as the three of them could feel the power...she looked up at Marilla and then off down the beach, she started to walk the dark edge of the water looking for Lene.

Marilla saw Rawsha catch the staff, but saw Myrlene go flying into the water and she stood up. "Lene!" Marilla called out in worry. "Oh, crap...Rawsha, can ya do something? Because if not I'm gonna get her."

"Th..at... was... stupid Lene.." she whimpered to herself. She just lay in the cool waters not sure if she hurt or not. She felt tired and her ears rang so much she could barely hear herself think. Opening her eyes, the starts were all doubled and tripled. "Pre...tty..." she said in addled confusion.

Rawsha saw Lene as a little lump in the water further down the beach. "She's down here... let's go see if..she is alright" She didn't know how she could see as far as she could but she watched as Lene's eyes opened...even though she was so far away, she moved quickly that way.

Lene raised a paw and noted it was blistered, the fur was missing, and it was a double image. She found it funny and started to giggle. "Coo..l.. oh... mee..ntal note.... blood berserk and riu..al magic... big no..no...hehe..." She laid the burn paw back down in the cool water.

Rawsha stopped when she was even with Lene on the beach and watched her, she used a spell and a large black hand would scoop Lene out of the water and float just above the water with her onto dry land, Rawsha spoke softly as she looked at Lene. "It was not wise..Lene...but thank you for trying.." She held the crystalline staff in her left paw the large hand laid Lene on the sand and disappeared.

Marilla followed Rawsha and saw that Myrlene was okay. At least she seemed okay at first. "Lene. Ya alright?"

Both of Lene?s paws were burnt and furless up to the elbows and her forelocks were now a severe premature gray from roots to tip as if she had aged somehow. A few blinks of Lene eyes as she heard something muffled said around her then she could hear again a bit better. She looked at Rawsha and Marilla. "I...went boom!" She giggled.

Marilla sighed and put a paw over her face. "I swear I'm gonna start telling y'alls parents if y'all keep doing this crap."

Rawsha took out the black cloth from her pocket and it started to grow..she pulled the blanket it turned into around Lene's shoulders to help start drying her off, she would touch her and let healing power flow into her.

"Did not need this tonight.." Marilla sighed. She just stood there and watched them. She didn't really know what to do.

Lenes eyes closed as Rawsha worked on healing her. Her paws and fur was returning to normal thanks to Rawsha's healing.

Rawsha watched Lene a moment staring at her she shook thoughts away, they were unknowingly evil thoughts she was having, but she heard Lene call her name and looked at her. "Lene you alright?"

"Yeah, my head hurts a little.?

Rawsha watched her, she was holding the staff in her left paw. "Ya took a really hard hit of magic"

Lene did pick up her sword that appeared by her side on the sand. "Guess things worked." Lene stood, sword in paw and moved a bit. "Nothing is broken or missing. I.. think this is the last magic ritual I am ever doing again. I?m going to get killed if I push my luck again. Where you guys out for a walk?"

Rawsha stood beside Marilla and watched Lene then nodded. "I was walking home and...Marilla met up with me" She turned the staff in her paw lightly.

Lene nodded and propped her sword on a shoulder. "Okay. I'll walk with you guys. Nice to see you taking to the stubborn staff." She walked over and gave them both a hug. She wasn't aware that they had seen the whole ritual go boom.

Rawsha hugged Lene and turned back toward the house. "It?s not stubborn" She said with a little of a defensive tone to her voice but the tone passed as she looked at her. "Glad your alright."

Lene just grinned and nodded.