Topic: Carpathian Hunters

Lucien · Date: 2006-06-18 23:09 EST

As I faded into the visible spectrum, and searched the beach area of Twilight Isle, I caught sight and scent of the fairy. She was dressed in a light blue dress that flowed and moved around her as a living thing caressing her magical form. She carried a rapier at her hip, and I noticed that there were no flowers in her hair. She should always wear flowers in her hair. Something is missing when such a lovely creature is devoid of the beauty of flowers.

I could sense that others had been on the Isle, and I asked Topaz if she had sent anyone preceding us to the Isle.

She smiled and said good evening, observing the social niceties that I had just failed to observe, "Good evening to you. It is possible, the portal was not disabled, but no, I did not send anyone. And the goblins live here, of course."

It was not the goblins I could sense. Whomever had been here was human. I turned and gave her a long look, "We stick together on this, right? No separation." I knew it was asking too much for her to wait right here on the beach and let me search. She had already exhibited a propensity for failing to allow the Hunters to do their jobs while she remained safely behind.

"Yes, Sir." Came her reply, with a practiced ease that sounded suspiciously like she was having fun with me.

I gave her a slight grin, "with sufficient practice, you may become good at that." However, I know she is not ever going to learn to show respect when it matters. She will always throw herself into the fray without regard for her safety.

She chuckled, "not too good, I hope."

I quirked a black brow at her, "Is it possible to become too good at being a woman? One day, you must explain to me this disrespect men have for their women in this realm." I knew it would needle her, and I find that thought pleasing.

Her laugh rippled across my skin, "I've always been that, female I mean. So that part comes naturally." She laughed again, "hmmm, and you're asking me?"

I was scanning the tree line, "we should begin along the edge of the plains where we found their cave." I doubted that they had come through in that cave, but I was hoping to get a better feel for their magic signatures, and that should help me recognize other works. They would have set the cave with defenses; things to drive the curious away, or to entrap the too bold. It was a good place to start.

I nodded at her, "well, since you seem to agree with their disrespect, yes." She was the first female that I thought would give me a straight answer that was not representative of Rigel. I know why the Marchioness does such things, but it does not sit any easier with me even knowing.

She looked toward the treeline, "lead the way."

I unsheathed the ancient dagger that I had brought along to deal with these things. It was the dagger I'd brought the other night as well. It is a holy relic from the time of the Crusades. There are not many of the undead who could face such a weapon, and it was not silver, which would have been impossible for me to wield. I glanced at her in the habitual twilight of the Isle, "do you require light?"

Lucien · Date: 2006-06-18 23:13 EST

The fairy gave me a puzzled look, "It is not disrespect. Much the opposite, they trust in my abilities. If they wouldn't, they would be less respectful, but more protective. Or, just take unwanted liberties. That kind walks around in these parts too." She chuckled softly and I looked askance at her. She gave me an impish smile, "The twilight of the isle will be sufficient."

I shook my head, still scanning the plains before us, "in my home, females are few and treasured. They understand that their men, the Hunters, are quite capable of dealing with the threats. We are a dying species. They are our healers and our nurturers, not warriors." The disparity between my world and the outside worlds I have encountered never ceased to amaze me. Our women are strong, and yet, they see no need to go charging off into dangerous situations, nor do they see a need to hunt the undead. They have faith in us.

She walked beside me as we began to approach the cave where we had had the standoff earlier. "I'm no good at healing. I tried. And I am not domestic in any sense of the word." She was defending her skills and desire to be in the Hunt.

I was still watching for traces of the Lyches, and hoping no more had come through their entry point. "Domesticity is not all there is for our women. They are the keepers of knowledge, they manager our disguises, they are the light to the darkness that runs in all of our males." How do you explain the role of our salvation to someone who does not see the need to stay away from Hunting?

She kept up with my hard pace, but did allow me to be slightly in the lead. "Do you keep them in cages?"

I paused, turning to give her an incredulous look, "Cages? Why ever would you think such a thing? They are treasures!!" Her question took me by surprise, and every fiber of my being rebelled at such a notion.

"Cages, huts, caves, castles - same difference. Some around these parts do and call it being protective. Treasures as in the sort of stuff Dragon's sleep on?" She believes our women had no say in their lives??

"We respect their gifts, and they respect ours. It is not disrespectful to them. It is mutual respect for one the other's abilities." I paused as we reached the cave entrance. "Do you feel the power signature?" I raised my hands and let the magic that made up the outer wards flow through my sense.

She smiled, "Then it's really not all that different. Most who know me come to respect my abilities and me theirs." She didn't see that hunting was not for females. To her, it was alright for a woman to hunt the undead!

I paused, turning to frown at her, "You put yourself in danger."

She disagreed, "I can't, not with all these spells. And yes, so did everyone else."

I gave a human-like sigh, "but you do not realize that when a woman is along, the Hunters are distracted, they are required first and foremost to protect you." The idea that a female should perish on a hunt is unthinkable, and our focus is always split rather than single-mindedly bent on the destruction of the undead.

She gave me one of her charming smiles, "did I distract you?"

"Of course." I moved silently toward the mouth of the small cave.

She gave me an enigmatic smile, "thank you," before following me toward the opening. "Why is your race dying out?" Her footfalls were nearly silent as we paused at the entrance. There were no Lyches within, but the reek of their power lingered.

Lucien · Date: 2006-06-18 23:15 EST

I remained very still, focusing on the energy signatures just inside the cave. They had spent a lot of time here in this cave, and had erected some strong safeguards, but nothing I could not unweave. "The spent a lot of time here, but this is not where they came through," I told Topaz without turning to look at her. My attention needed to be focused entirely on what I was doing, or I could wind up hurting one of us should I be careless.

I allowed some minutes to pass before answering her next query, "That is the question of our people. Fewer and fewer children are born to us. The last one was born over 200 years ago." I have never spoken of my people to any outsider beyond the Marchioness. It seemed very strange to do so now.

I could feel her work some of her magic as she watched me unravel the wards, "So you are alive. Two centuries is a long time. How do you make babies, and what are the dangers involved?"

Her questions sounded as though she'd thought of me as not quite alive, and so very strange that we did not have children as most over humanoids did. "They did not come through here, but I desire a closer look at some of the remaining defenses they set up."

She had used her magic to find the origin of the nasty signatures inside of the cave as I paused, turning my gaze on her, "We must find our other half. The half of our soul, unless we do, it is possible to turn Vampyr. But, for those who do found our mates, we love and have children the same way as everyone else." We are living creatures. Her questions suggest that perhaps she does not believe that is so.

She cocked her head slightly, "like everyone else laying eggs, or like everyone having lots at a time, or like everyone else just one at a time, how often?"

My laughter surprised even me in the cavern, "One at a time, when we are very lucky, but most of the newborns die within the first year." I could not picture having many at once. Children are a rare gift that we have not had in several centuries. But, finding a lifemate is even more rare, and sadly, the reason so many of our males turn Vampyr.

Topaz doubted that we would find much in the way of defenses, she had observed that they relied mostly on speed, and it was then that I learned that she and Vincent had done something to slow down the Lyches. They were very fast, but everything helped that night. She did not see the magical remnants of their defenses, but I did. She paused, "why do they die?"

"Yes, but this construct is not like any I have seen before. It is not typical undead." My hands traced the weavings and echoes of magic. Where would they likely have come onto the Isle?

"Agreed, one of them had fangs, and the way he moved, it was a lot like the common run of Vampires in this town. Vanion excluded." She was watching me as I studied the residues.

"Are there other caves on this island?" I was pondering the most logical entry point, and they seemed to like the protection afforded by such natural spots. Out of the light that there was, naturaly defensed, and difficult to see from the air.

She searched her memory, "no, no caves. Hot springs, a lake, the towers, forest, beaches, cliffs?. Maybe in the cliffs. But if then more like overhands and small hollows, not real caves." She knew her isle well, it would make it easier to search.

I turned then to face her, "hot springs?" Hot springs are usually created by geothermal vents that reach the surface and have a continuous source of water; these are places that came from the bowels of the land, and would be a fine place to hide.

Lucien · Date: 2006-06-18 23:16 EST

She misunderstood my question, "Yes, puddles with hot water bubbling out of the ground. Some are deep enough to sit in."

So these springs were small. Too small to hide the Lyches from what she was describing. "How deep is the lake?"

She frowned slightly, "I don't know. I have not spent any time in the lake."

I turned then, "The way they used this cave, I am suspecting there must be others, it is the best place to open a rift." I know the Isle is protected against such things, but there are ways to shield a rift, and they did not simply walk through the portal to gain access to the Isle.

She was still pondering as well, "the magic they used was not limited to the kind one might expect lich lords to use either." She had recognized these as something new as well.

I nodded slowly, "no, it was not. Show me the lake." I paused, "if you would." It seemed that the social niceties worked better here than simply being expedient.

She groaned, "A rift? As they're not stupid, they'd put one somewhere where it wouldn't cause the isle to split up. Around the rim, or somewhere would be my choice for one."

I gave her a quick nod, "or an underwater cavern." I glanced at her then, "can you go underwater with those wings?" She would need to set up some warning markers on the Isle after this. The Lyches had shown that rifts were indeed possible here, and without warning magic, could go undetected. But I would talk to her later about ways to set alarms.

She nodded thoughtfully, "water breathing is certainly within their spell abilities." Then she gave me a smile, "yes." Water would not destroy her wings.

I gave her a devilish smile, "Pity". If she couldn't have gone underwater, I might have convinced her to return to the beach and wait.

She seemed surprised, "Why is that?"

I flashed her a fanged grin, "I thought I had found a way to keep you safe and not in the thick of the Hunt."

She grinned back, "You were not trying very hard, I hope?"

I gave her a smug grin, "were I to try at all, you would know it. I desire a look underwater. Do you see the bits of flesh there in the sand?" The bits of rotting flesh led from the lake. I could find no where that they had led into the lake. All led away.

She looked at where I was pointing, "yes, obviously there were at least here, and I doubt it was washing up."

I knelt in the sand studying the ebb and flow of the lake. "No, unless they dumped bodies in here." I stood slowly, offering her my arm as I did so, "shall we go for a swim then?"

She needed no preparations, and the dress she wore was the stuff of magic, "as we didn't find anything but bits of green skin off the victims, I would suspect they didn't have any waste to dump. Though I never heard of a lich or a vampire consuming bones. It bothers me that we never saw any." She took my arm and was ready to step into the water. "Ten minutes is my limit for under water though."

Lucien · Date: 2006-06-18 23:18 EST

I glanced down at where her fingers curled around my arm, "they consumed everything. Hang on tight then, this will be a quick trip." Without a word further of warning, I shifted into the form of a barracuda and dove into the lake without a splash. I would be the largest fish in the lake this way, and few things would take on an 8 foot predator with teeth. Fresh water predators don't grow nearly as large as the salt water predators, and I could not see any sharks or whales in the lake.

She managed to hang onto my dorsal fin as I cut through the water, and I darted down along the deeper parts of the lake, seeking caverns or caves. About 20' down from the surface, I moved in on a black hole in the walls and the water.

She remained silent, and I caught the echo of her thought, she could not speak underwater. I would need to remember that for future reference. She also was beginning to wonder just how many forms I could assume. Perhaps one day I will satisfy her curiosity. Snapping the barracuda's jaws together, I startled a small school of blue gills.

I swam warily into the black opening. It was a small cave, it had an air bubble trapped in the ceiling. I shifted into humanoid form and lifted my head into the air space. It was stale, but breathable. As she too surfaced, I commented that the Lyches had indeed been here.

She let some of her protection spells fall enough that she could better sense the lingering presence of the Lyches. "The bubble is a bad sign." She clung closely to me, hanging onto my arm the entire time.

I nodded thoughtfully, "yes." Then reaching upward, I watched as the ceiling moved beneath my hand. We had found it. The place of entry was here.

Topaz elected to shift out of the visible spectrum and cloak herself in the magic of her kind. There was curiosity, and just a hint of alarm in her actions as I traced my hand over the remnants of magic. The ceiling shifted and moved before dropping thousands of leeches in massive swarms out of the shifting rock. The water splashed as they flopped into the black water around us.

She put up a shield to keep the leeches from attaching to her. Teeth and suckers from the leeches sought to sink into flesh and suck dry whatever had the misfortune to stumble into this place. They writhed and floated at the surface before wriggling downward, seeking blood.

I maintained my focus, unweaving the spell, slowly and very precisely. Topaz was well aware that things were not going precisely the way we had wanted them to go. We had found the entry point, but it was well guarded. I worked on, dismantling the protections.

She watched as the leeches slowly floated to the surface, dead or dying around us. "Naturally weak, or your doing?"

I kept working, " It is the nature of a vampyre to send the foul things of the land at a Hunter who unravels their protection spells. There will be other traps. This was done by the one who you said had fangs like a vampyre." I could not predict what would be sent at us next, but it was there, and I could feel the swarming growing as I worked at undoing the weave.

She watched me closely, "You say that word so differently. What you suspect is not the common Rhydin sort of vampire then?"

The sense of foreboding grew, "this one is not like those I have run into in RhyDin, no." A non-magic user would have been run off now as the waves of fear radiated from the weaving. This ward was meant to send inquisitive souls running in abject terror.

She remained beyond the visible, but her words carried in the small cave, "I really only ever met one to have any kind of conversation with. That one didn't like being undead though. Beyond my experience then." I could hear the smile in her voice. She was considering this as a new kind of learning experience! "Well, I always like learning something new. I just wish they'd 'feel' better."

Lucien · Date: 2006-06-18 23:20 EST

I glanced down at where her fingers curled around my arm, "they consumed everything. Hang on tight then, this will be a quick trip." Without a word further of warning, I shifted into the form of a barracuda and dove into the lake without a splash. I would be the largest fish in the lake this way, and few things would take on an 8 foot predator with teeth. Fresh water predators don't grow nearly as large as the salt water predators, and I could not see any sharks or whales in the lake.

She managed to hang onto my dorsal fin as I cut through the water, and I darted down along the deeper parts of the lake, seeking caverns or caves. About 20' down from the surface, I moved in on a black hole in the walls and the water.

She remained silent, and I caught the echo of her thought, she could not speak underwater. I would need to remember that for future reference. She also was beginning to wonder just how many forms I could assume. Perhaps one day I will satisfy her curiosity. Snapping the barracuda's jaws together, I startled a small school of blue gills.

I swam warily into the black opening. It was a small cave, it had an air bubble trapped in the ceiling. I shifted into humanoid form and lifted my head into the air space. It was stale, but breathable. As she too surfaced, I commented that the Lyches had indeed been here.

She let some of her protection spells fall enough that she could better sense the lingering presence of the Lyches. "The bubble is a bad sign." She clung closely to me, hanging onto my arm the entire time.

I nodded thoughtfully, "yes." Then reaching upward, I watched as the ceiling moved beneath my hand. We had found it. The place of entry was here.

Topaz elected to shift out of the visible spectrum and cloak herself in the magic of her kind. There was curiosity, and just a hint of alarm in her actions as I traced my hand over the remnants of magic. The ceiling shifted and moved before dropping thousands of leeches in massive swarms out of the shifting rock. The water splashed as they flopped into the black water around us.

She put up a shield to keep the leeches from attaching to her. Teeth and suckers from the leeches sought to sink into flesh and suck dry whatever had the misfortune to stumble into this place. They writhed and floated at the surface before wriggling downward, seeking blood.

I maintained my focus, unweaving the spell, slowly and very precisely. Topaz was well aware that things were not going precisely the way we had wanted them to go. We had found the entry point, but it was well guarded. I worked on, dismantling the protections.

She watched as the leeches slowly floated to the surface, dead or dying around us. "Naturally weak, or your doing?"

I kept working, " It is the nature of a vampyre to send the foul things of the land at a Hunter who unravels their protection spells. There will be other traps. This was done by the one who you said had fangs like a vampyre." I could not predict what would be sent at us next, but it was there, and I could feel the swarming growing as I worked at undoing the weave.

She watched me closely, "You say that word so differently. What you suspect is not the common Rhydin sort of vampire then?"

The sense of foreboding grew, "this one is not like those I have run into in RhyDin, no." A non-magic user would have been run off now as the waves of fear radiated from the weaving. This ward was meant to send inquisitive souls running in abject terror.

She remained beyond the visible, but her words carried in the small cave, "I really only ever met one to have any kind of conversation with. That one didn't like being undead though. Beyond my experience then." I could hear the smile in her voice. She was considering this as a new kind of learning experience! "Well, I always like learning something new. I just wish they'd 'feel' better."

Lucien · Date: 2006-06-18 23:21 EST

I turned to look toward where I could sense her presence, "they are lost souls. They have given up their soul for the quick thrill of 'feeling' during the kill. They must be stopped. That is what Hunters do. They are friends, family, and each time we must Hunt one, a part of us dies." How long have I hunted old friends, family. People much younger than I who could not hold out and who could not face the dawn? Perhaps there is a reason we lose the ability to feel when we are so young. To hunt our own for so long, how could she understand?

Topaz dropped enough of the 'visibility-magic' that I could see her shiver at the 'nastyness' of these creatures and what they will surround themselves with. She had been pondering what I had told her about our newborns dying, "There may be one on the other side. I am sorry. Is that what happens to your babies?"

My hands continued to work at unraveling the weave above our heads as I shook my head negatively, "no." I was expecting another of the lych things to be on the other side. If for no reason than to assure that no Hunter came through into their plane. I could feel her trying to include me in her shielding. It felt light, like the brush of those glittering wings, but it was her signature.

A crack opened in the rock, stinging scorpions drop by the thousands out of the widening split. They are ensorceled to attack and sting anything they touch, and their poison was painful and lethal. I had encircled us just in time, and they fell harmlessly into the water, floating at the surface amidst the carcasses of the now dead leeches.

"Whatever will they think of next," came her slightly sarcastic comment.

I buried my laughter. If she only knew. "We are close." The crack in the rock widened, and abruptly there is a foul stench that is all too familiar. I had gotten us through the defenses, and we now had access to the place our lyches had come from. Twin red orbs glittered maliciously and a split second later, taloned fingers rakes out at us. It made a grab for my throat, screaming as it's nails were burned in the contact with my shields.

Topaz reflexively moved back and didn't make a sound, but before I could reach for the Lych, she cast a spell from the Isle. Fire erupted toward the red orbs, the immolation spell licking greedily at the creature.

I drew the ancient dagger and sank it into the rotting flesh. The sickening scent of burning, rotting flesh greeted us as the blade sank deeply into the creature. The bones and rotted flesh flopped into the water with us, it had fallen through the rift into Twilight Isle.

Her immolation spell didn't last long in the watery environment, and she sought then to protect herself against electricity. I smiled. She'd seen me direct lightening to destroy one of the Lyches, but I could not draw the lightening through the rock.

Leaving the dagger embedded in the corpse, I looked at her, she was not a hysterical, screaming female like so many I have met in Rhydin, and I respected her for her composure. "Leave the dagger where it is for now. This is how they came through." I indicated the rent in the rock overhead, where a plane of darkness and stench was now connected to Twilight Isle.

She did wince at that, but remained otherwise silent.

Lucien · Date: 2006-06-18 23:22 EST

I gave her a smirk, "I trust you do not desire this door to remain open?"

"No! Much the opposite." She was rather emphatic about that, and in the dim light appeared to be turning just a little green in the stinking air bubble, which had grown decidedly more odoriferous.

I nodded and turned back to the rift as she snapped the spells she had cocooned herself in earlier. The closure of this rift would take old magic, and I began the sealing spell in my native language. Ancient Romanian has a music all its own. It has lulled many into its spell, entrancing and beautiful, and deadly when needed.

My hands wove a new sorcery here, and as my hands moved closed, so too did the rock above us. It crushed together with a resounding boom before fusing into one rock above. The corpse floated in the water as I turned toward her.

"You call that music?" She smiled. Perhaps our tastes in music were less than in harmony.

I gave her an unrepentant smile, "well, the finale with the rocks was a bit grating."

"A bit much" she agreed with a grin.

I reached for the dagger and the corpse it was sunk deeply inside before turning to her, "shall we go?"

She took a not quite so deep breath of the reeking air as I allowed her to once more take my arm. I swam toward the surface in humanoid form with both the fairy and the corpse. Had anyone witnessed such an incongruous sight, they would have been shocked for certain. I dragged the stinking bundle onto the shore, and was clean and dry in the way of my people before we got past the damp sand of the shore line. I turned toward the Lych thing, and the clouds overhead darkened and roiled. Blue-white lightening ripped down from the darkened clouds over the beach, incinerating the thing there, and when the smoke cleared, the ancient dagger was laying in pristine sand. I reached down to pick up the ornately decorated blade, sliding it once more into my boot.

As I straightened, she smiled, "so, you made the sky darken."

"Yes."

"I guess I wasted time on worrying about lightening striking me for naught." She admitted.

I gave her a grin, white teeth glistening in the twilight. "You worried about being struck?" I held out my hand and a ball of blue-white crackled there in my palm. "We have dominion over the storm." I held my hand out toward her.

"I don't usually stay in the air during a lightening storm. And during the fighting, there was too much going on to look if the energy might be controlled."

So, she had been concerned about the storm. I had not given it much thought then, but now I could see her reason for concern.

I slowly moved the snapping, crackling ball back toward her, "have you ever touched lightening?"

She looked out over the lake, "I am very glad you insisted on coming along. I would have eventually thought of looking under water and done probably just what you did, unraveling the tainted magic. Even if I had stopped before the thing came through." Then she turned toward me and the offered lightening sphere, "no, I haven't." She lifted a finger toward the crackling ball with more curiosity than care.

I held it still as the sensation of crackling greeted her fingers, and static began to lift tendrils of her hair, "how would you have killed it? And how would you have closed the rift?"

Her fingers played along the surface of the sphere in my hand, "In hindsight, by letting the magic bits decide what they wanted to do. But, I'd not have been quick enough. Of course, I would have left well enough alone and gone for help after having noticed the creature's closeness. I still feel queasy."

Lucien · Date: 2006-06-18 23:24 EST

I released the lightening, "I shall take you back immediately." I had not realized she was still not feeling well. It had been a distressing evening for her.

She glanced at me quickly, "I wish you wouldn't. I'll be right as rain quick enough now that there's fresh air and no rift open to that horrible place."

I sent my senses out seeking, "we are finished, I do not feel another, do you?"

She shook her head, "no, but with the spells back in place, I wouldn't until it was close. The downside of living where there are so many people."

She had to cloak her abilities living in close proximity to others. Her innate talents would be deemed intrusive or dangerous, and so she deliberately masks what she can feel and sense in others. It is not something I would wish to do with my skills, and yet she seems content enough to live among humans even though it means keeping her abilities reined tightly in.

"They waste away. We cannot nourish them properly.: It was time to answer her questions, even though I do not have the real answer. Even Gregory has no answers. Francesca, Gregory, Shea, they all work to find an answer, a solution, and yet there is little hope right now.

She pushed on, "what kind of nourishment do they require?"

I took a deep breath, that was the crux of the question, "their needs seem to have changed over time." Then, deciding it was time to change the subject, I offered her my arm, "Show me the rest of the Isle."

She was not so easily distracted, and as she took my arm, she observed, "so it is changing away from the same thing as adults, just easier to digest and smaller pieces?"

I stared across the lake, watching fireflies blink and dart along the shore, "Adults require blood. Infants cannot." We have tried nursing our young, but it does not seem to be enough, and yet, they cannot drink blood as we do. Their metabolism has changed, and we cannot nourish our young as biology had made so successful for other mammals.

She began walking beside me, "well, you already know this beach here, and the rings, both caves," she winked at me in teasing since I'd found the second cavern, "the Towers are hard to miss. Over around here is the goblin's beach, but they forget they have one to themselves." She watched me closely as she went back to the subject of our children. "You have no chain of stores where one can shop for dinner?"

I turned and gave her a slow look, images of jars and containers of various blood types skittered through her thoughts, "we live in the wilds, far away from most of the land's inhabitants. Infants cannot live on blood, and the normal means of feeding infants does not succeed."

"What is the normal means?" She was not assuming anything, and in some ways that is a good thing, but it was putting me in uncomfortable territory.

"It is not until a child reaches 5 or 6 years that they can handle blood." I smiled uncomfortably at her, "we are mammals, just as humans or elves." I hoped she would understand that it meant we should be able to nurse our young, but for some reason, that avenue of nourishing our young was no longer sufficient. Something has changed and our young cannot thrive in that manner any longer.

She gave me a thoughtful look, "so why doesn't the old way not work for the babies anymore? Is there evolution at work?"

I do not have the answers, and that makes this discussion very difficult. "We believe there is evolution causing this, yes. We are a dying race Topaz. Our children die more often than ot, and our last one to survive was born over 200 years ago. We are hunted. We lose family to Vampyr. Our Prince tries to seek a solution, but there has been no resolution yet."

"That oughta be fixable. Did you try importing wet nurses? Or an animal alternative?" She was trying to offer ideas, and she truly did not know my people. It was very kind of her, and at the same time offered pain. We have spent centuries trying to discover the cause of our infant mortality rate, to no avail.

"We have. Those measure succeed no better than any other. This is a maudlin topic. Not fit for such a lovely night." I needed to divert her train of thought.

Lucien · Date: 2006-06-18 23:25 EST

She gathered my need to change the subject, "I'm sorry, my curiosity is running off with me."

"You do not need to apologize. We are a rare species." I gave her a wink and continued walking, "And fairies must be very curious creatures indeed." I am uncertain whether to consider her actions due mostly to curiosity, or to something else entirely.

She laughed merrily, "if I'm anything to go by, yes."

I kept walking slowly, "Will the Keepers watch the Isle for signs of others?" It would behoove her to have the Keeper's watch for signs that we may have missed another entry point. I doubted that we had, but they could have used one of the others to open a rift I had not detected.

She nodded, "Yes, they will. Usually the isle communicated with the Archmage."

If the Isle communicated with the Archmage, how had these abominations been missed? I looked down at her, "You will not remain upon the Isle until we are certain." It was not a question, but if she was as wise as I believed, she would not argue with me on this point.

"Not by myself, and not overnight." She was hedging. She would come to the Isle, but at least she would not remain alone here.

I gave her a grave nod, "what happened to 'yes sir?'"

She had already moved on to another topic, "Do you think there might be dancing at the wedding?" Then she gave me an impish smile, "Sir," she added with an utterly unrepentant grin.

I lifted a brow at her, "I have never attended a royal affair that did not include civilized dancing."

Her eyes sparkled, "splendid. That is, dancing is something you know how to do?"

The little minx! I raised both brows in disbelief at her temerity, "I lead splendidly. I trust you will not step upon my toes?"

She chuckled merrily, "I won't. Can't say the same for the tentacles. So how many of those do you have?" She was feeling better in the clean air, and away from the dark places of the Isle, and we walked along the cliffs overlooking the ocean below. "Would you like to go up there and check out the view?"

I glanced up the cliffs. We would be silhouetted against the skyline up there, but I could not detect danger at the moment. "Yes. The tentacles?" I gave her a somewhat puzzled look.

She led me along the path that led up to the cliffs, and it dawned on me just what she was speaking about. "How many do I have? I have never counted them. As I can shape shift, I can create monsters of the ground."

She laughed gayly, "I could have sworn at least one of them was attached to you. What all can you change into?" Her curiosity might garner her more answers than she's prepared to accept.

I gave her a gallic shrug, "They are at my command. How far can you fly?" I turned my gaze out over the vista before us.

"That depends on the weather for the most part. In optimal conditions.: She shrugged, "I don't really know." She was enjoying the closest thing to a bird's eye view of the Isle from our perch atop the cliffs.

I glanced at the iridescent wings, "you cannot fly in bad weather?"

She stood watching birds soar over the water, "In strong wind, no. And during lightening storms it is not to be recommended. Extreme cold is just bad for the cold. Too much heat isn't nice either."

Lucien · Date: 2006-06-18 23:26 EST

I chuckled and reached out to lightly touch the shimmering wings, "And here mastery of the storm is my forte!"

She grinned up at me as I could feel her shields in place protecting her wings, "aye, you are very dangerous."

I gave her a slow, lethal smile, "only when necessary. For the most part, Gabriel and I keep a low profile." It is far safer for our people if we do keep a very low profile. Drawing attention to us would only exterminate us faster than we are already dying out.

She believed Gabriel looks like me in every possible way, and I confirmed what she had clearly seen, ?we are twins.?

She informed me that Gabriel had come to the Isle just after I had left, and that she had mistaken him for me. I knew that but now was not the time to explain that Gabriel and I share everything we learn, even when he was hunting me.

I smiled, ?It is he however that gets into trouble.?

She gave me a puzzled look, ?how so??

I laughed inside, the stories I could tell her would give even the fairy grey hair. ?He came to bring assistance for Brigath. I have saved his sorry hide many times over the last two millennia.?

That surprised her. She thought it would get boring, but in truth, I cannot say I have ever been bored. Humanity is much to interesting, and the changes in society with time are amazing. I shook my head, ?There was this time in France when he surprised me, and locked us both in the ground.?

?Why would he do that?? She gave me a chuckle, ?It could not have been a very good lock, cause here you are. Where is France?? She was full of questions, and the whole reason for forcing Gabriel to hunt me is a complex tale. How to distill it into something short and comprehensible rather than going into the whole history?

?He believed I had turned Vampyr, and we have an agreement. Should one of us turn, the other must hunt. He was too close to turning, and so I convinced him that I had turned Vampyr, so that he must hunt me, and not hunt others, risking that he would kill during feeding or hunting. We were locked in the ground for nearly two centuries. I would call that a very good trap. France is from our original home world. It is a geographical and political area on one of our continents.?

She gave me a confused look, ?obviously hunting means something different when you use the word.?

I smiled slightly, ?My people have Hunters. We protect our dwindling numbers from those who have become Vampyr. We slay the undead. All of which were once Carpathian.? How do you explain that the terrors of the night are actually my people who have given up their souls rather than hold out for their true lifemates?

She mulled over my words carefully, ?how do they become undead??

That was a topic I did not wish to elaborate on just now. ?Have fairies no protectors??

She laughed, ?fairies do not usually get into situations where a protector is needed.?

I turned to look at her, ?But the undead do not distinguish between humans, Carpathians, Elves, nor fairies. Those that we hunted the other evening would have eaten you as well as that unfortunate elf.? It is the reason we move among the humans of our world. Vampyrs do not mind terrorizing anyone unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

She walked onward along the cliffs, ?In the forest is little need to cull one?s senses. Danger and its direction can be felt miles before it gets anywhere near. That is plenty of time for even the slowest to hide or move away. Those that we hunted would have never seen a fairy if not for me.?

So they relied on avoiding trouble in their natural habitat. ?So you mask your abilities??

She nodded, ?Most of the time. It's just too much information will all the strangers, and less than half of them decent beings.? Then she laughed merrily, ?I'd be sick all the time if I didn't. And people get really antsy when they think their privacy got invaded.?

I flashed her a fanged smile, here she was, a creature of light and peace walking along a cliff edge with a creature many considered darkness incarnate. ?You would be amazed at the decadence of this nexus. You are wise to protect yourself thusly.?

She winked conspiratorially. ?I know.?

Lucien · Date: 2006-06-18 23:27 EST

I paused, watching the sea birds swoop low over the waters surface. ?Darkness grows inside each of our males, until we find our light. If we find our light. Many give up, yielding their souls to the temptation offered when we feed.? She cannot know the temptation during feeding. The insidious whisper of the heart and sweet taste of blood, that if not careful, becomes laced with adrenaline. It is an intoxicating thing to know that a life hangs in the balance, and that if we lift the enthrallment, terror will release adrenaline into the blood, and that high is unlike any other.

She pondered, ?only the males. Odd that, ?feed?, that?s different from eating??

I smiled indulgently, yes, feeding is very different from eating. ?Centuries of no emotion, no feeling, no color drive many to give in to the temptation to take that last bit of life from one they feed upon. Terror and adrenaline are a powerful intoxication.?

She quickly smiled, ?my favorite food is steak with fresh fruit. And chocolate.?

She could not know that consuming such would require me to reject all ingested materials at a later time. ?We males are the only ones who become Vampyr, and I cannot imagine eating as you. I find the thought of consuming the dead repulsive.? The notion of cutting up dead animals and consuming them is nauseating in the least.

Her fingers tightened slightly on my arm, ?no feeling whatsoever? That is sad. Really? No joy over pretty thing or comforts, no worrying, likes, dislikes? Hunger, warm, cold, really nothing?

For creatures who never lose their emotions, I am certain this sounds very strange. ?Until we find our light. Our soul mate. We lose the ability to see in color and to feel by the time we are around 300 years of age.? It is the reason temptation grows, and only a man?s honor keeps him from yielding his soul to the temptation be become Vampyr. ?I consume living blood.? To answer her question about what I needed to survive.

That gave her pause, ?from what range of species?? At least revulsion was not in her features.

?Humanoid.? Others can work, but the best nourishment comes from humanoid blood rather than animal or lesser life forms.

She is too observant sometimes. ?Obviously there are exceptions.? It was a statement and not a question.

I was enchanted, ?Yes, blood is never taken from Vampyr. Demons are not preferred. Why do you enjoy the consumption of dead flesh?? Perhaps I can get her to see that the consumption of living blood is much less repulsive than the ingestion of dead animals.

She turned, ?Do wild ones have a gamey taste? Good questions, I?m guessing it?s taste buds and what things the body needs to make energy. When the body needs something, it makes one crave a particular taste, until one finds just the right thing to stop the craving.? She took an eminently pragmatic look at something that generally sent most people screaming into the night.

I relaxed slightly, ?blood is likened to wine. Healthy athletes provide the richest blood, drug addicts and the infirm require removal of the poisons in their blood.? It wasn?t necessary to explain how that is done.

She nodded, ?and the stuff of magic in it or lots of metals? Like dragon blood or unicorn blood? Are they even considered humanoid and their preferred from being those of animals??

Unicorns are not considered humanoid. All blood can be consumed. Some is more nutritious than others. Jacques survived on insects for decades until Shea found him.

?Poor guy,? her words were softly spoken and with compassion and no sarcasm.

I nodded, ?He had been hunted by fanatics who cannot tell the difference between Vampyr and Carpathian. They tortured him, and buried him staked in a coffin. The only things he could reach were the insects that ate at the rotting coffin they had buried him inside. We should return to RhyDin. There are things I must do before morning.?

She gave me a radiant smile, :all this talk of food made you hungry? Umm, I meant to say Yes, Sir,:: But her wink said she hadn?t forgotten, and she was enjoying teasing me.

I gave her a very toothy grin, white fangs gleaming in the twilight, ?I fed before coming.?

She surprised me then, ?I like your smile.?

I turns for the beach with her, ?You are a rare one. Your smile is pleasing as well. Will you allow me ot return you to RhyDin??

She linked her arm once more in mine, ?more than that, I am happy you offered.?

I leaned down and picked up a night blooming jasmine, threading it into her hair, ?you whould be wrapped in flowers.?

Azjah · Date: 2006-06-18 23:36 EST

I had spent the evening calling matches on Twilight Isle bordering on public tears. Every time the spell foul fog was cast, I couldn?t help but remember the teasing Brig and I had shared. But now he was gone. And that loss hurt deeply. It was pain that I have never considered, that I would lose the only other man I?d ever given my heart to, and each memory came to the fore front as I struggled to get through the night.

At the close of my shift, I walked through the portal from Twilight Isle and headed for my car. Gabriel was just behind me as I arrived at my car. There sat the white wolf I had seen before; the same one that had gone streaking across the beach and vanished through the portal. Now the female wolf sat patiently waiting, for me it seemed. I paused to study her, ?I?m afraid I don?t understand. Brig said you might come to the door, but?.?

I was just about to ask Gabriel to speak to the wolf, and I had knelt down beside her when a cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows from around the corner of a nearby building. My name was spoken softly from the cloaked figure. My attention snapped toward the unrecognizable figure as I felt Gabriel tense. My left hand reaching instinctively for the shoulder holster I always wore. The gun slid from the holster and was raised toward the approaching figure.

He quickly held up his hands to show they are empty, and then slowly reached one hand up to draw the hood back, revealing his face, ?I?d really prefer not to die again, if it? all the same to you.? A familiar lopsided grin met my disbelieving stare.

The barrel of the gun wavered slightly, ?Brigath?? I blinked, it couldn?t be. Brig was dead. I?d seen it myself. Gabriel had assured me the body had been cremated in its entirety. Yes here was a man who could only have been Brigath approaching me with caution.

He kept his hand up, ?rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.? There was a sadness in his smile, but there was also a twinkle of mischief that I had seen so many times before. The voice was right, the inflections were right, even the movements were right, but, Brigath had died. I had been there!

I rose slowly from my crouched position beside the wolf, never taking my aim from dead center of his chest. ?I saw your body. There was no life in it. Lucien confirmed that you were gone.? Lucien had assured me that there was no chance to bring him back. He?d entered Brig?s body and confirmed nothing could be done. Lucien would never make a mistake such as that.

The man claiming to be Brigath nodded, ?Gone indeed. When my neck broke, my spirit was transferred to my dear friend there,? and he gave a slight nod to the white wolf beside me.

I hazarded a glance at the wolf, and struggled to find my voice, ?Gabriel cremated your remains.? I was bordering on shock, and the events of the previous night was in counterpoint to what I was seeing and talking with right now.

Brigath maintained a soft spoken demeanor, ?Your warnings of the night before did not go unheeded, you see.?

The wolf continued to gaze up stoicly at me while Brigath spoke.

I gave him a suspicious look, ?Tell me then, if you are Brigath, what was the name of the woman you left for me?? I needed to know for certain. It was no great thing to obtain charms that allowed one to take on the outer appearance of another, but only Brig would remember the woman?s name.

He chuckled low, ?well, you certainly prefer a painful memory. Merewyne Bane Branneth.? He slowly lowered his hands, but they remained in clear sight.

I winced, slowly lowering the gun barrel. Painful? Why? Had he regretted our time together? Had I brought him pain rather than happiness during our time? But the name was right.

He continued, ?If you like, I can also tell you the wine that we drank that night. Or the texture of the silk robe you wore.?

Azjah · Date: 2006-06-18 23:39 EST

My temper finally surfaced beyond the pure, unadulterated shock he had just given me. ?You foolish, pig headed, OBDURATE excuse for a sorcerer!? I took a deep breath before continuing because I was about to let on that I did still care more than I?d ever said since my return to RhyDin and I couldn?t do that now. ?I believed you DEAD! You, you??how could you let me believe you were dead?? Words simply failed.

He was wincing as I started, as though dreading what I would say. He stepped forward, his arms stretching out, but stopping just short of enfolding me in them; waiting for me to close that distance. ?I came back as quickly as Kayla to get me here. I have purposefully not appeared anywhere until I could speak to you in person, so you didn?t hear rumors and not know what the truth was.? He remained there, uncertain if he should wrap his arms around me, or wait for me to come to him.

I raised pale blue eyes to him, ?I am of two minds right now Brigath Cedran! I am so relieved to see you, and so angry, I could shoot you personally!? But my actions gave me away, my hand stole up of its own volition to lightly touch his cheek, to assure myself he was not merely a wish or a dream, but warm flesh and blood.

He braced himself as I reached up, perhaps expecting me to slap him again. I noted his slight flinch and stoic expression, and then lightly brushed my fingertips across his cheek. ?I already slapped you for your temerity to die on me! How? How did you work this out with Kayla?? I glanced at the wolf, but then gazed up into his eyes and hugged him fiercely.

Brig closed his arms around me tightly. I could hear his heartbeat beneath my cheek as it rested against him, his whisper heard more through his chest than the air around us, ?I?m so sorry I put you through that.? He lifted his head enough to look down at me, ?Kayla and I go back a long way.?

I began to relax a bit into his arms, my forehead still resting against his chest, ?I believed you dead. I?d lost you for good, and that hurt more than I can put into words.? I slid a sideways glance at the wolf, ?she is more than she appears, isn?t she?? He said they had been together a long time, and she had been the one to save Brigath somehow.

Brig gave the wolf an affectionate look, and she shook her head and laid down to wait, as though bored by this whole human interaction. Brig laughed and looked at me, ?Indeed she is, while at the same time, you will never find a creature more truly wolf than Kayla. But, the spell that we carried through together, we have done before.?

I leaned back, giving him an incredulous look, before punching his shoulder soundly, ?You could have told me! You could have given me something to trust in that you would be safe in the end from those things!? He?d let me think he had no back up plan at all!

He nodded gravely, ?you?re right. I could have and should have. I honestly didn?t think it would be necessary though. After I called Kayla, I almost changed my mind, but she forced me to go through with it.?

There was more to this than he was letting on right now. Something he didn?t want to share if I didn?t ask. Whatever it was, I was so relieved to see him alive, I?d overlook many things for this gift. I shook my head, ?something whispered that that hunt was bad news. I?m not clairvoyant, but something felt wrong.? I turned to once more look at the wolf, and softly said to her, ?thank you Kayla.? Then turning back to Brig and reaching for my DE again, ?and now I am going to shoot him for good measure!? How could he still make my emotions run the gamut from crushing sadness to pure elation?

Kayla lifted her head and dipped her muzzle in acknowledgement of my thanks, and a whisper in my mind told me not to forgive him too quickly.

Brig let me go, backing away slightly with a chuckle that might have held just a bit of worry, ?You have that right Azjah, if anyone does.? He then turned and knelt with his back toward me, ?Just please make it quick.?

I shook my head, I have never shot anyone in the back, and certainly not this man. ?For all the time we?ve known one another, do you really think I could??

He glances back over his shoulder with a grin, ?If I did, I?d be running rather than kneeling here.?

I took my foot and gave him a shove in the butt, unbalancing him onto the pavement.
_________________

Azjah · Date: 2006-06-18 23:41 EST

I have pondered for long periods just what my feelings are regarding Brigath's return. Here was a man whom I have held dear for years, suddenly turned monster. Brig killed another to take his body! And this was not the first time, by his own admission.

The turmoil had kept me restless all day. Lucien had checked on me several times, but there were no answers for me about how I should feel about this. It was maddening. Part of me was thrilled to have him back, and part of me was completely repulsed. How could I ever look at him the same way, knowing that he was collecting other's bodies so that he could live on?

Klinton came in from his workout, and invited me to join him for dinner out. He knew the situation, I had shared with him what had happened. Not all of the details, but enough to assure he had a solid grasp of what had transpired, and just how badly that knowledge was tormenting me. I accepted his suggestion, believing that such would take my mind off Brig for a while. I was wrong! After dinner, we headed for Twilight Island and the Beach Bash party that Brigath was hosting.

I stepped through the portal with my arm linked in Klinton's to see Brig preparing to host the party. He was decked out festively in floral leis and the goblins were diligently trying to encase everyone in a grass skirt. Several of the patrons were glowering at the goblins; Lucien included. His expression was thunderous as one of the goblins sidled closer to him with the flowing grass skirt.

Kllinton's voice was soft, "that is so unbelievable?" We had decided on keeping our normal routine, and not avoiding Brig, but the details surprised Klinton as much as they had shocked me.

I leaned closer, "Yes, but I am not certain I can face him right now Klinton. He's a body snatcher, before the body is even uninhabited." I shuddered as I headed for my usual chaise. I am not really ready to see him because I still have not resolved my own feelings. I could say something completely unforgivable, and I did not want to do that.

Kyndra slipped through the portal, and looked around. I smiled, "Hello Kyndra." She waved and I felt Klinton tense beside me. He'd wrapped an arm around my shoulder, and I felt him tense slightly as Kyndra arrived. He gave her a nod, but quickly averted his eyes. I asked her if she was going to participate in the dueling, and she smiled radiantly, "yes, I thought I would throw my hat into the ring tonight."

She sent a goblin in search of a couple of coconuts, and about then Brig tossed a couple of leis indiscriminately into the growing group on the beach. Brig's voice lifted across the beach, "Evening everyone!"

Klinton caught a lei and swooned at Brig, who promptly blew Klinton a kiss. It was light hearted, but pulled at something deeper within me. Klinton suggested we get a drink and enjoy the festivities. I flagged a goblin and asked it to bring me a scotch, and Klinton decided to let the goblins bring him a surprise. I am not certain that I would allow such liberties, as one never knows just what they will decide is the drink of the night. It could be truly wretched, but I leaned over and asked the goblin to bring Klinton a surprise. It squeaked with delight and ran off.

Kyndra walked over to Brigath, wrapping her arms around him I could hear her tell him it was good to see him, and something twisted again. She was working on her party outfit, and Brig in turn encased her in a tight hug. He then conjured a coconut much too small and halved it for her. They gave new meaning to "itsy bitsy" bikini tops. I do not believe even Kalinda wears such daring devices. But, she chuckled and demurred, saying they were not big enough, and merriment danced in his eyes, "I know." She grinned as she took the hulls, and promised to be right back. Then she disappeared through the portal.

Azjah · Date: 2006-06-18 23:45 EST

Lucien leaned against a tree trunk behind me, watching Brigath with an intensity that was unsettling.

The goblin soon returned with my scotch, and a layered concoction that was carefully set down before Klinton. He nodded at the goblin and then glanced uneasily toward Kyndra. He shifted his gaze and smiled at me before tasting the layered concoction the goblins had brought to him.

Kyndra returned shortly wearing her grass skirt and coconut half bikini top. I blinked, she was stunning. There were several wolf whistles, and Lucien watched Kyndra closely before gliding closer to Brigath. Brig glanced quickly at Klinton and I, .and I felt Lucien's antagonism as he asked Brig if the flowers were for his funeral. I winced. Lucien was extremely displeased with Brigath, and the tension was growing. I know that no one but Brig and I heard Lucien, but that did not allay my concerns over Lucien's current state of mind. And then Lucien gave Brig a fanged smile that was anything but reassuring as Brig suddenly realized Lucien was as close as he was.

Brig's gaze narrowed at Lucien, but whatever he was thinking did not pass his lips at that point.

Klinton sipped his drink and gasped. Whatever the goblins had brought was rough. And he was avoiding looking at Kyndra despite the wolf whistles from the appreciative males on the Isle. I had to chuckle though at the expression on his face, whether it was from the drink or Kyndra, I can't be certain, but it was priceless.

I kicked off the stilettos and curled up against Klinton. "she looks festive," I commented. She was talking with Brigath, and asking where her lei was, as he took one from around his neck and dropped it over her head.

Lucien glided back to stand behind me, but his focus remained on Brig.

I leaned against Klinton's shoulder, "we didn't dress the part my dear." I was trying very hard not to look at Brig, but found my gaze shifting that direction repeatedly. We had come from dinner out, and I had no grass skirt nor flowers in my hair, he grinned, "at least I have a lei."

I chuckled softly, "you will always have a lei."

We were teasing one another amiably as he announced that he would hold me to that promise. He was propped up in the sand beside my chaise and tried another sip of the goblin special, so I reached for his lei, tugging gently to gain his attention.

Kyndra was telling Brigath that she hoped to be a bit distracting for the party, and perhaps a certain dragon. I heard Brig tell her that said dragon would not be there as he had withdrawn his entry, but there was no remorse in Brig's expression. He was savoring being in Kyndra's spotlight.

The Roman, Cassius sailed onto the beach, and abruptly shot a look at Brigath, "I thought you were dead."

Brig chuckled, "Ah, that death thin, yeah, that rumor was going around. But, as you can see, I'm alive and well."

I shuddered. It was no rumor; he HAD been dead. And was only here now because he has become a body snatcher. He was only here because someone else was dead. Klinton tightened his arm around me, inquiring if I was cold. I was, but it was not an externally induced chill. I rubbed my hands up and down my arms, glancing at Klinton, "Just a sudden chill."

Cassius was struggling with a toga, and Brigath tossed him a lei, "here, just wear this, it's more appropriate for tonight."

Azjah · Date: 2006-06-18 23:46 EST

About then, Vanion arrived. I noted that Brig seemed less than happy to see the vampire, and frowned as Vanion announced that he was here for Brig's 'party'. Vanion went on trying to goad Brigath, "such a shame to see that the reports of your demise were greatly exaggerated. I suppose they won't just hand me the Keys to the Tower of Air now."

Brig gave him a sickly sweet smile that I knew too well, "Yes, I really hate to disappoint you in that regard." Then he tossed a flowery lei at Vanion's shadowy figure. Vanion's only reply was a cruel smile.

Lucien watched Vanion briefly, but his attention was riveted on Brigath, and trouble fairly shimmered in the air. Goblins continued to try to get grass skirts on the new comers, and Vanion and Lucien were the most formidable of their attempted victims.

I leaned toward Klinton, speaking softly, "what none of them realize is that Brig's become a body snatcher, and it could have been any one of them used for his needs. I simply cannot believe he did that." A shudder rippled down my spine.

Klinton looks up at me, shaking his head as he glanced around the Isle, he nodded gravely, "It could have been me, or you." He then gave me an odd look, "How does one just 'become' a body snatcher?.isn't that something you have to be born with or something?"

I hazarded a quick glance at Brigath, but averted my gaze quickly, then very softly leaned closer to Klinton, "do you have another term for taking a soul out of its living body and then inhabiting it?" Shaking my head, I took a sip of the scotch, wanting to forget the images my mind was creating. Brig had said he'd done this before, and my mind was trying to imagine what the person had looked like that Brig had killed when we were together. It was most unsettling.

He broke my morbid thoughts then, " No...I would say that's body snatching...but, it's hard for me to believe that this is the first time it's ever happened." I hadn't told him that Brig freely admitted to several such events, and that is the terror of it, he?s done it several times previously.

Vanion was trying to pull together a team for the tournament, and was being none too subtle about his goals. Domination of the match, and create his own clique for the evening. Personally I cannot imagine Vanion forming lasting alliances, but that is unkind and unfair since I do not really know him at all.

His call to arms brought the current Keeper of Earth forth, and Kelathe made her way toward him through the crowd. They held their own discussion too low for me to hear, and apparently reached a satisfactory alignment for she remained with Vanion for the start of the Tournament. They concluded their negotiations with Vanion offering Kelathe a firm but reasonably gentle handshake.

Rab trudged in wearing an amazingly clean shirt. Normally the carpenter was less than spotless, but tonight he had made an effort to be presentable. He grinned and looked around before greeting everyone in his usual open good natured way, "hullo Magikers!"

Brigath flung a lei at Rab, who first yelped, then sniffed his flowers, smiling at Brig, ?very nice.? Rab took a serepticious look around the Isle to see how everyone else was wearing their leis before draping it around his neck.

Kyndra smiled invitingly at Brigath, ?I guess you?ll have to enjoy my outfit tonight since said dragon won?t be here tonight??

Klinton finally glanced at Kyndra, ?Brig wouldn?t be the only one enjoying the outfit.? But he quickly looked at me, and I had to chuckle.
Rab suddenly blinked, ?er, Brig! Yeh look great! I?d heard yeh were?. unwell, as it were.? Rab too had heard that Brig had died.

?A vicious lie! I was sunning myself in Tahiti!!? Brig refuted.

Azjah · Date: 2006-06-18 23:48 EST

Klinton shook his head, ?how long has he been doing it??

I sipped the scotch before answering very softly, ?he said ?several? times, and when I asked just how old he was, he simply said a couple of hundred years,? He actually is not certain how old he is right now.

Klinton sighed quietly, ?are you mad that he is a body snatcher, or mad that you just found out about it??

And there was the crux of the problem, I didn?t know.

Serveral goblins were attempting to tie a grass skirt around Rab?s middle, and I had to chuckle as Rab started dancing clumsily away from the goblins. ?Whoa there,? he yelled, endeavoring to drive them away, ?no, no, no, see, I?ve had my dayful of goblin doin?s arready!? But they were ignoring him and continued trying to get him decked out in a grass skirt.

I heard a sharp hiss and turned to see a bold goblin trying to get close to Lucien, and then saw one goblin manage to get part of a skirt shoved into Rab?s belt. ?Ack!? Rab made for the punchbowl and was trailing a half applied grass skirt as flaps behind him. Rab was ineffectually shooing goblins, ?g?on! Pester someone else!?

Lucien was not being a good sport about it, he snarled at the goblins pestering him, and showed long white fangs every time they tried to get close to him. Abruptly Lucien turned into a half wolf, half Carpathian and lunged at the goblins who were pressing their luck. They ran off in a multitude of directions, each taking part of the grass skirt they were trying to get on Lucien.

Rab seemed to have a change of heart, his expression changed and he muttered, ?ah, yeh little bleeders, jest doin? yer job now, eh?? Then Rab caught sight of Lucien, and let out a screech, ?AH!!!!!!!!? taking a few hasty steps back before muttering, ?Magikers!?

Lucien?s dead black eyes locked onto Rab in that half wolven form and Rab grinned meagerly, ?nice wolfie, er, halfie wolfie.? As he continued to backstep away from Lucien, Lucien began to stalk him.

I was answering Klinton?s question, toying with the glass of scotch, ?I do not believe I am angry. Shocked, taken back, repulsed?. But?.?

Rab retreated double time toward my chaise as Lucien snarled, ?er? was all I heard before looking up to see Rab wide-eyed watching Lucien approach. Rab was towering behind me, but looked very uncertain, ?er, Azjah? That Magiker is stalkin? me. Make it stop.? And he pointed at Lucien.

I had to struggle not to smile. Lucien wouldn?t hurt Rab, so I looked up at the half and half form Lucien had taken, ?Lucien, that is playing unfairly.?

Rab waved his big, callused and very empty hands at Lucien, ?I left me mallet home, not fightin at all.?

Lucien then shifted into an entirely wolven form and resumed stalking Rab. Who looked at me with wide eyes, ?Azjah, I thought yeh?d help! Now lookit him!? I glanced at Lucien, who had taken the form of a very large, dark grey wolf with slavering jaws, and drool dripping onto the sand from very long canines.

Rab began rummaging rather franticly around in his pockets, a look of inspiration on his face. He produced a large sandwich of very questionable contents, ?here yeh go, wolfie man?. Where upon he flung the cheesy mass at Lucien.

About that time, Brigath?s voice bellowed out, ?LUCIEN! BACK OFF THE GUEST STARS!?

Lucien lifted his head disdainfully, and glowered at Brigath. I smiled at Rab, ?he won?t hurt you Rab, he?s enjoying terrorizing you.?

Azjah · Date: 2006-06-18 23:49 EST

Brigath made a kissy face at Lucien, who simply snapped his teeth together at him, and then leaped at Rab. It was a flagrantly provocative challenge that Brigath answered by shifting into wolven form and leaping between Lucien and Rab, snapping back at Lucien.

Rab shouted at Lucien, "Ah! Get of Brig, yeh foul creature! Quick! A mallet!" He was frantically looking around for something to use as a mallet like weapon, forgetting for the moment that Lucien had initially pounced at him. But it was designed to get Brig into a fight, I could tell by Lucien's actions. It was Brig he was angry with. "someone, me plot of land for a mallet!"

Lucien and Brigath snarled at one another, Lucien baring his teeth threateningly.

Des arrived about then, and Rab ran toward her, "Des! This wolf is about to kill Brig! We cant have it! There'll be no tourney! The drinks will disappear! No snacks!"

I shook my head at Rab, "No Rab, Lucien will not harm Brig anymore than he would have hurt you."

At that, Brig shifted back into human form, "lay off man. You got attitude, take it up with me after." With that, he shook his head and turned back toward the rings and the pending party. With that, he turned away and proceeded to ignore Lucien for the remainder of the tournament.

Lucien shifted as smoothly and as easily as Brigath, "you made that invitation, be prepared." And with that, Lucien moved once more to the tree he had earlier been leaning against. He watched as Rab took refuge behind a woman.

Rab was not convinced, "he was about to hurt me, he saw I was unarmed!" But he relaxed slightly behind Des, "Magikers, egad." It wasn't long before Rab was wandering amongst the guests looking for something to snack on. He headed for Rena, greeted her, and commented on her lei.

Klinton sat back, nodding thoughtfully, "but think Azjah, if he was not one of those, he would not have been around to be with you." He took another sip of the goblin's drink, "What is this stuff?" He choked out a whisper to me.

I was considering Klinton's argument when Vanion turned toward me, "What of you, Azjah? Are you fighting tonight?"

I turned arctic azure eyes on the dark vampiric elf, "I thank you for the invitation, but tonight I am only a spectator." Having declined Vanion's invitation, I looked at Klinton, then shook my head at Lucien's actions. "He's got a decidedly twisted sense of humor lately."

Rab gave Lucien an uncomfortable glance while he was talking with Rena.

Berrin arrived, and walked slowly through the portal in silence. He glanced around, and then gave Klinton and I a scoff before heading toward Delroy.

Des was very cheerful and looked lovely as she settled in to prepare to be a commentator for the event. She smiled at Rena and Lucien, as Kyndra teased her asking where her costume was for the beach bash. She waved at Klinton and I before taking a festive looking drink with a little umbrella poked into it.

Kyndra waved at Lucien, who nodded at her, "You are in the spirit of things Lady." She smiled again, "well, Brig said everybody would be dressed up. I think he was still playing a trick on me." Lucien's expression darkened as she mentioned Brig's name. "Not everyone dresses festively" was Lucien's only remark back to Kyndra.

Azjah · Date: 2006-06-18 23:50 EST

Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 1:04 am Post subject:

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Xerzes arrived, and Rab gave him a grin, "Xerzes was eliminated in the lobby!" And Brig broke into laughter hearing him. Xerzes however did not see the humor in being ribbed.

Klinton looked up at me, his goblin surprise only partly consumed. "Wanna go put on swim suits?"

I leaned close and kissed his cheek, "we could." It would be easier for me to slip into the water than it would be to remain here and listen to Brig
right now. Klinton watched me closely a moment before adding that we could depart and have our own party. I gave him a bright smile, but then I caught sight of Berrin. Threading my fingers around Klinton's lei, I
remained close to him as Berrin simply stared at me. "What kind of party
did you have in mind?" I was trying hard to ignor Berrin and Brig, but it
wasn't working.

Des suddenly saw Vanion, and she fairly squeaked and ran to hide behind Rab as she began gesticulating wildly at Vanion, "ACK!" She was speaking rapidly, something about Vanion having tried to kill her earlier.

Rab was shielding Des, and commenting to Rena about her tall thin drink
with flowers poked up out of it, and holding a gigantic pineapple in his
other hand. "I found this fruit., they said it was a garnish, but I know
it's a pineapple." He studied the pineapple and then tried to tuck it into
his pocket. "OW!" Rab yelped over Brig's announcements, and hastily pulled it from his pocket, muttering to himself.

Querylon greeted Vincent with a bright smile as she draped a lei around his neck. Somehow the image of Vincent wearing flowers seemed so out of place given the dealings I have had with the man. But he returned her smile and they listened politely to Brig's opening announcements.

Azjah · Date: 2006-06-18 23:50 EST

Brig hovered above the crowd. "OK!" His voice booming magically over the assembled crowd. "We've got a rumble comin' up here!" He pointed to the ring that had been expanded to allow for 10 magic users simultaneously rather than just 2. "Everyone gets in, when we're ready to go, I'll announce the start of the round."

Rab chimed up seeing Xerzes, "Xerzes! Yer already ganged up on and knocked out, sit down." He gave Xerzes a quick grin, and waved his pineapple at the magic user.

Brigath looked at Xerzes, "ahh damn, now I gotta adjust my paperwork."

Xerzes looked at Rab, "Hush you." And he snorted at the carpenter on his way toward the ring.

Klinton leaned over toward me, "The one that doesn't involve swim suits, but what would people think?"

I blushed slightly, but noticed then that his gaze followed Kyndra to the ring. Patting the chaise beside me, I invited him to join me up on the chaise rather than sitting in the sand beside me. He shook his head then, "I'm gonna throw a suit on, come with me." He winked and then tried to pull me off the chaise.

With a laugh, I agreed and told him "Alright, I'm all yours." We slipped through the portal to return later in swimsuits prepared to enjoy the warm waters around Twilight Isle.