Topic: Cutter Strikes Again!

Shauri · Date: 2007-01-15 17:26 EST

She headed further into RhyDin town on a night like any other night, except that this night she was going to the Inn instead. For many evenings, she'd spent her time near the market area fixing up the old Exodii City stores while Alex had been trying to put together the jump gates between RhyDin and Exodii city. Tonight, she needed a break.

Icer was there along with some of her family and friends. She had met some very nice new people ... Aerendir and Knite ... and even met Brian's brother, Alex Ravenlock. She even met one who seemed not so nice at first.

Having drawn his sword, in the middle of a bunch of dragons noless, this one started demanding to know where a red dragon was who killed his family. It was only after talking to him that he finally calmed down and realized none of the dragons there fit the bill he was looking for. Gabe was his name. He had lost his family because of this red dragon. It was good that he came to his senses and calmed down.

The evening seemed to have a calmness about it, and yet excitement of play was definitely on the wind. Even the Nexus kept picking on Sha'uri, whisking her out of the room and dumping her in the cold, cold depths of space for some reason. It never occurred to her that it was trying to tell her something.... She'd teleport back, shivering cold, though she refused to allow that to dampen the night.

Sha'uri was having a wonderful time, playing stupid games she hadn't done in so long. Everyone was covered in cornflakes, milk and or confetti ... wearing red scarfs or pink bunny ears. It was memorable for her as Alex learned a whole new meaning to the phrase, tarred and feathered; And She would forever think of Knite every time she looked at pink bunny ears, slippers, wings and tails.

Knite... He made her smile, warmed her inside and out, and she felt some kind of a connection with him. Perhaps they were just on the same wave length that night, or something. She swore quietly to herself that he kept reading her mind as they kept doing or saying nearly the same things almost at the same times. It felt good to have that kind of a connection with someone, something she hadn't felt in a long, long time.

The evening had been pleasurably fun until the door opened and the Necromancer stepped inside the Inn....

He entered and the stench of the dead and of graves rolled into the inn. Those black eyes looked about as the large grey skinned man entered. His hands bore a staff topped with a skull and an attached ribcage that held a still beating heart.

He slowly moved inside, his eyes traveling around the room until they land on Sha'uri.
"Ahhh...the Woodshadow...I want your daughters......"

Icer's voice cut through the crowd.
"What did I tell you about returning here..."

"Is that him, Icer?"
Sha'uri's visage hardened, remembering her friend's warning that Cutter was in Town. She'd felt it before and Icer only confirmed it. Now she had a face with the name.... and a soul to link with it, too.

She silently cursed herself, though, for having too much fun, letting her guard down for a moment knowing he was around. Why she did, she wouldn't ponder now. Oddly, at that moment, the nexus decided to take the necromancer away... gone, as were a few others.

Nearly falling into a chair, so shaken by the sight of him, she briefly explained what was happening and who Cutter was... and who he was after, her daughter. She was amazed and grateful for the offered help, people she'd just met. It endeared them all to her. And they all proved their worth as Cutter came back in again, this time ready for the fight.

His hand rose, forming a portal behind Sha'uri. With a thrust of air and help from a nether ray, he forced her out of the chair, flying towards the portal.

She reached out, grasping for anything that would stop her movement, but to no avail. Alex jumped to tackle her, but the force of the nether rays moved her swiftly. Knite tried to augment himself with quickened spells, but he was too late to catch her. Only a portion of her sleeve was left in his clawed grasp.

She tried to warn him away, screaming his name, but the dragon shifted form into his humanoid self and followed her into the portal as it closed.

The others attacked and went after Cutter, chasing him into the Alley .....

Shauri · Date: 2007-01-15 17:27 EST

She was screaming as she watched Knite dive in after her. She sensed a long fall behind her as the nether ray pushed her down the long proverbial tunnel into the gods, and Cutter, only knew where. It all seemed in slow motion as the adrenaline raced through her... forcing her movements to speed up more then tenfold.

As the portal closed, she focused on Knite's soul while she stretched out her hands to him. Then she invoked telekinesis, moving him to her swiftly through the now pitch black darkness, guiding him by the feel of his soul since she could no longer see him. The portal was closed and they were fast on their way to wherever Cutter was sending them.

Catching him, she drew Knite into her arms, spinning him, and her, round to lessen the impact of one into the other.

"Fool... hold tight."

She admonished him, though she was worried far more then angry with him for following her in. All the while she concentrated on what Porthios had recently reminded her of; How to move through using the nexus. It was more then that, it was breaking the spell Cutter had forced her to, dodging that ray and the walls of the portal before it finished zapping them both into unforeseen oblivion.

It took all her strength of will and concentration to pull them both through, and that was only after what seemed like a long struggle to dodge the pull of the nether rays and break them through the strands of magic, passing from the portal walls into the nexus and on to the gods only knew where to. Indeed, only the gods knew, for it was not where Cutter had intended. Even Sha'uri had no control at that point and was at the mercy and whim of the nexus. Only one other word uttered a plea from her lips as they pulled through.

"Father...."

Her darkened eyes gained their sapphire color, but the flames within dimmed as she passed out cold. A crackle of electricity and bright flash of light exploded around them, though not harming them ........and then darkness surrounded, lit only by the twinkling of far off lights... Gone was the portal; they were free from it. Yet, where were they? Only the stars illuminated the void of space they now were floating in.

Strangely, or perhaps not so strange at all, Sha'uri and Knite were breathing and mostly unaffected by the vacuum of space. This was due, at least in part, to Sha'uri. Their forms dangled in orbit on the dark side of a moon.

This moon apparently teamed with life as it spun round on its axis. Water, land and clouds ... even a small thunderstorm was visible, which indicated a type M, one that would sustain life. Upon the horizon, light from the sun illuminated the edges, revealing green foilage upon the lands below.

Beyond the moon was an even larger object, a planet, though apparently from sight might not harbor an ideal place to land. To the right and left of this were two more moon type objects floating in space around the planet, though from this distance, it was hard to tell if they could support life or not.

Time was ticking away ...

Though they had only been there for a few moments, her lips were already beginning to turn blue and she shivered in her unconscious state...

Knite · Date: 2007-01-16 01:57 EST

Okay what in the world possessed the ancient dragon to jump through an unknown portal after a woman he just met. Really now He thought he had caught her but had only gotten her sleeve. So in drow from he had jumped after her. Really he had intended on catching up to her, and gating them both to some neutral plane where he could get his barrings and get them back to Rhydin. That was before the darkness. He felt her reach for him as soon as he had entered the portal. He felt her work the magic and powers it took to pull them from that nightmare. What he didn't think would happen was they ended up in space.

Space, the final frontier.. Ah who said that and did they ever think about other universes, plains of existence, realms, dimensions, I mean honestly.... the drow's revelry was cut short as he felt Shauri go cold. She was passed out and freezing to death. But somehow keeping them alive. He would have to ask her where her strength came from, but first. The drow reverted to his dragon form. Like a piece of living space he flexed his wings and became part of what he now existed in. With a dexterous claw he brought her in close to his chest and turned up his internal fire. The stars in his scales shown just a bit brighter as he got her body temperature back up to normal. The symbol on his chest pulsed a bit as he cast healing wind to gently revitalize her. It would take a little time. Now where to go.

Knite had travel in space before. Heck he had been on so many different planes he honestly didn't remember which one was worst. Well lets get back to a nice gravity area he thought. His armor came out. Like a great silver skeleton covering the outside of his body the dragon looked like something from a halloween shop. His head now covered in a silver mask he glanced at the moon they orbited. Best bet probably. He didn't want to risk a gate in space. He knew from experience that would cause a major disruption to where ever he was gating too. So, planet side it was.

With a care and ease that had proven he had done it before his talk came around and set Shauri on his back right where a saddle that was part of his armor was. With but a thought it wrapped around her protecting her too. The great dragon moved forward. Propelled by some force from his armor he started to make a very gradual entrance into the atmosphere. Although practically immune to heat of any type he was not sure of his rider. And before when he carried his brother he knew his limitations. So gently he moved down. As long as he came in at a really relaxed angle he knew it would not get any warmer then a hot Rhydin day. It might take a few extra hours but hey. He followed the girl through the portal. He just now hopped she would wake up. He hated being bored in a long flight like this. Was he really getting that old.

Shauri · Date: 2007-01-16 15:51 EST

With a care and ease that had proven he had done it before his talk came around and set Shauri on his back right where a saddle that was part of his armor was. With but a thought it wrapped around her protecting her too.

Ahhh.... Warmth, snug and cozy... Sha'uri wasn't aware of anything except the snug cozy warmth around her and the gentle rocking while they were slowly being propelled into the atmosphere. The air seemed to tease her senses and woke her up .. eventually.

When her eyes did finally open, it took her several moments to focus on anything. Once it did, she nearly jumped out of her seat, freaked by the silver armor that was wrapped round her. She said nothing about it, just wiggled frantically for a moment or two until she realized she was sitting on the back of a dragon.... not just any, but the one who jumped in to save her, that she thought she saved from the portal, which he was now saving her pathetic bum.

She thought no more of it as the scenery and mostly sensation took her breath and thoughts away. There was something very magestic and awe inspiring about sitting on the back of a dragon and she had never experienced it until now. Of course, she had never ridden a dragon before. She wondered aloud,

"So, this is what it's like on the flipside, eh? Awesome!"

Mirth was back into her sapphire hues as she gazed on towards the dragon's head. But did he hear her? The wind was strong...

And where were they? If she had only seen things from space, she might've known how close to her home they were. But here, in the atmosphere on the daylight side, She had no clue. She needed to get some bearings, to commune and find out if they were even in the same universe. Plus why waist an opportunity? She was interested to see just what Knite could do...

Not sure if her voice was making it to Knite's ears, she gently used her psionics to nudge his mind, hoping he'd accept the link and two words.

~Land Faster?~

She was aware of the heat factor, and was unconcerned.

Knite · Date: 2007-01-17 02:29 EST

He felt her struggle against his armor, but he waited a bit before she settled down. The armor was a bit unsettling at first, but he had been more concerned about her warmth. Then he felt her mental touch.

~ahh your awake. I am glad. We appeared in space near a planet I am not sure where. But we are headed down and just got through the upper atmosphere. ::he sensed her sensations a bit:: so we are going to head for the ground. I would say hold on but I think you got that now.~

He banked and dove spinning downwards and brought himself level only to give another look around. He then flipped on his back (armor still had Shauri nice and tight) and he pulled diving down. Soon they were whizzing down ward moving about left and right the sound barrier was broken a couple of times but the armor protected them . Soon the ground details were in full view and he headed for a clearing in a small shrub tree forest. Not sensing anything that would harm them the large dragon set down. He let the armor retreat off of Shauri.

~here we are, where that is I am not sure~

Shauri · Date: 2007-01-17 16:00 EST

She smiled, feeling his thoughts purr into her mind. Indeed, she had an idea of what was coming, knowing what she'd do if she were the one doing the driving. She laughed and held up her arms instead, letting the armor keep her tight in her seat. Her stomach tickled with every dip, spin and dive he made causing her to giggle hard.

She hadn't felt this exhilarated since she rode with Rick in his X-Wing, which was the closest comparison she could think of ... but this was different, more pronounced in some way for some reason. She didn't think about it too much, too busy just having fun with the moment. More then a few whoops of pleasure escaped her, heart beating rapidly with excitement as its rhythm echoed in her ears.

~YOu drive like me! I could get to like this way too much.~

As they neared the ground and Knite slowed their descent, she gazed around over the landscape. It was beautiful, mountainous, majestic. Many cliffs were apparent within the forested land... lands obviously so new and not yet worn down with a millennium of time. She didn't see any oceans or large lakes from her vantage, but there were many small lakes, ponds, rivers and streams all over the place.

Wildlife was apparent, but it appeared to be small herds of a grazing types. Some appeared to be like Elk and others darting through the forest like Gazelle's. Predatory types were not apparent, nor did she sense any danger nearby. She did, however, sense a plethora of magic in this place.

The large clearing they landed in had a stream running through it. On the three sides were the edges of the forest while the fourth side was a sheer cliff, the stream turning to waterfall over the edge. The moment Knite retreated the armor, Sha'uri stood up and then jumped down with a somersault and quickly had her tricorder dug out of her pocket. She began to take readings of their surroundings.. the air, the foliage and even the water by the stream. She squatted down, cupped her hand to catch the cold liquid and brought it to her lips. Then took a few more handfuls before she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and stood back up.

"Ahh.. sweet. It's good water, safe to drink, incase you're thirsty. I've taken some readings of several things and will have the tri-corder analyze them, see if anything matches with anything from specific known locations, including certain signatures relevant to specific universes."

She moved closer to Knite as she spoke.

"I have no clue where we are, Knite. We could be anywhere, any... when. It's totally possible that we have not only traveled through space, but through time as well. I need to commune and try to find answers that way, that is... if I can. I'll need watched over if I do because I won't be aware of anything here."

What a situation they were in. She felt guilty that he jumped in after her.

"Unless you think you have a way to figure this out, too? You are not exactly any type of dragon that I've ever seen before. I don't know what you are capable of." Her gaze danced over him and she whispered with respect and awe, "What kind are you?"

Knite · Date: 2007-01-18 18:34 EST

What kind of dragon are you?

The ancient smiled, it seemed to be a normal question except around Ryhdin. The multitude of variety in Rhydin, one stopped asking what and usually asked, "what you doing saturday night". He liked this Shauri. She had a head on her shoulders and seemed to use it well.

"Well, my race is called starlight dragons. No one truly knows our origins, but we do know we came from the stars themselves we used to be pure glowing white also. Long ago it is said my kind lived within the great spheres that give heat and energy to the universe. But as time moved on, life started to exist on orbiting rocks. Starlight's are curious, and we found these life forms to be interesting. So the more we learned and listened the more we came to live on these great planets. As a reminder our bodies now look like the night sky from where we came."

"Now as for finding out where we are. I can find out but as you said it will take some time. And you seem to have a better grasp on the situation, it would be my honor to make sure nothing happens to you." He bowed slightly. "And when you are done, I would like to find out where you come from too. One good story deserves another."

Shauri · Date: 2007-01-20 10:44 EST

Listening with growing interest, she was intrigued by the brief history of his race. She wondered what it would be like to be just a single race, as mixed up as she was. She would have to think on how she would tell him of what she knew about her origins... and what she didn't.

"...it would be my honor to make sure nothing happens to you."

She hadn't heard those words from anyone in RhyDin for a long time. Honor, it was something so lacking in the streets around her home there, that her heart swelled with surprise and appreciation. It wasn't a *Oh look, we're alone, come here so I can jump your bones.. or I'll do it when you're not looking.* kind of thing, it was a *I'll protect you, respectfully.* deal. She sensed the heart of a Knight as he bowed, and instantly liked him even more then she already did, feeling she could trust this one. Her smile was genuine, full of trust.

"I'd love to swap stories with you. It's the least I can do for someone who just saved my pathetic bum... well, after I saved them from saving me ..or ... something like that."

A wry grin formed and she chuckled at herself, messing up her words while she felt her cheeks growing warm.

"I guess it's my turn again so... yeah, I'll .. just ... go over here and do some .. um.. meditations."

She gave a single, firm nod and then took several steps away to sit down on the ground. However, the sitting never came.

The wind picked up suddenly. She could sense the electrically charged particles in the air spring to life swifter then they would just before most strong thunderstorms. It wasn't normal.

Her hair smacked against her face, stinging her skin as loose debris less then a few pounds, began to roll across the ground. A glance in the direction of the cliff revealed a huge storm front moving swiftly toward them as the air tried to suck them towards it. It looked like a tornado on its side for as much as the front roiled with debris. It was hard to tell just how thick the front was, or how strong or long the storm was after it.

"On second thought... Maybe we should find some shelter first! That wind is picking up fast!"

As if on cue, the wind picked up more, moving debris less then about fifty pounds. Sha'uri didn't notice the tricorder being lost in the debris, which was thickening with the new gust, almost swallowing her up. It was threatening to take her with it over the cliff if she continued to be there as the strength kept increasing. She was realizing she could become part of that debris in the form she was in... and so a change was in order to keep her place.

A moment later, the form of a dragon emerged from that debris cloud, easily eighty feet long from head to tip of tail and proportionately in size to its kin. She looked like a mix between a red and a silver, or perhaps a platinum, dragon. Opalescent hues shimmered in the scales, tipped with blackened edges. Her color shimmered different hues depending upon how the light reflected, though the hint of a base silver and red constantly remained. She was not like any other dragon. Her eyes were the same, large sapphires glowing from the flames of deeper, darker hues for the pupils.

She moved back to Knite and gently, cautiously, nudged her snout up along his neck until their gazes met. She was trying to assure him it was her. She didn't know how else to do, unfamiliar as she was about normal dragon life and manners. She hadn't exactly been raised among them, so she could only follow what instinct would prompt her to do, what felt right to show she trusted him, too.

~We should fly above the clouds.... unless you noticed any caves around on our way down?~

The wind continued to pick up in strength and speed. She knew even in dragon form she would eventually become part of that debris as the storm drew closer. She wondered how life here survived such storms, even if ones like these were few and far between.

Knite · Date: 2007-01-20 13:00 EST

He had watched the wind pick up hmm this realm seemed to have a bit of different weather patterns. He watched the wind nearly pick up Shauri, she disappeared and a few instances later the dragon emerged with Shauri's sent. Even in the hollowing wind he could smell her sent. Every dragon was different. And he wasn't even sure what type of dragon she was but then again. What is type? Just something that makes people different and special.

He nodded to her and smiled, "your right, lets get above the storm and find a cave. It will be easier." He watched her spread her wings and take flight admiring her draconian form. Dragons looked at one another differently then humanoids. A dragon?s form was more pure. Not covered by clothing or fixed by powders or pads. A dragon wore there history and life on there scales quite outward. For a dragon, nothing was hidden on the outside, and he could tell Shauri was good dragon. She had her history but that was something to talk about later. He leapt after her and soon he was flying up near her slightly off her left wing tip and back a bit. It was interesting to be near a dragon that was close to his size. The aero dynamics was different and it actually worked like a huge air foil to give them greater lift. The easily out flew the storm and soon both were flying towards the nearby mountain range.

While they flew the ancient dragon concentrated on his task. Not something new to him he cast a simple spell and looked through different eyes. He found what he was looking for. The wind moved differently near one spot mid way up a cliff wall. He looked over to Shauri and spoke adding some mental ability behind the words telling her that there was a cave down there. He banked making sure that she followed. And as he approached the cliff he came in low and grabbed the up draft and with a few well placed flaps he landed on the edge of the huge cave and he walked in.

The cave was huge but only went back about 200 yards, where it narrowed down to a small crack in the stone. He had taken a good smell around and could not find any evidence of a previous owner. He looked back at Shauri, "Well my friend, it seems this is to be the place to shelter us for now. Are you able to get us located so we can get back to Rhydin?" he looked her over, the darkness of the cave no mater for his draconian sight. He got a good look at Shauri now taking in her form, his curiosity trying to trace his linage in his mind as to what dragon types he knew but at a certain point he stopped. It never mattered what made a person. It only mattered who a person was.

Shauri · Date: 2007-01-20 14:33 EST

Having gotten above and beyond the storm, Sha'uri got a better view of the massive size of it. The front was hundreds of miles long followed by the main part of the storm hundreds more wide. It seemed to cover a good quarter of the moon, though the back half of it seemed lessened in intensity, breaking up into scattered, smaller storms. It certainly made for one hell of a rainy day on this otherwise pretty little moon. It reminded her of the days in Secak before the change. When it rained, it dumped!

She followed Knite down to the cave, waiting as he checked it out and shook off the dust from her wings after she'd gotten inside. They were ahead of the storm, but she knew it would hit here soon, before she was done. Turning round as she came to the back of the cave, she moved back up to the front and cast a spell, a wall of Force across the entrance to protect them from the storm preventing it from coming inside. Another spell was cast to enhance the duration, making sure it would stay.

"This'll do nicely I think." A nod of thanks was given.

She moved back towards the back of the cave again, chanting a prayer. A hero's feast was made, graced from the gods to heal and rejuvinate strength even for the size of two dragons. Strangely enough, it included some of Knite's favorite foods, as well as Sha'uri's.

"Hungry?"

She asked him and snatched up a huge hunk of cheese into her maw, chewing and swallowing before she moved to the side to allow him room to eat while she settled down to meditate. One front arm crossing over the other, talons clacking gently upon the stone floor as she set her head down, sapphire hues closing... briefly before her eyes widened and she brought her head up again. Her form changed, morphing back to her humanoid self as she frantically searched through her items.

"I dropped the tricorder.... some hero I am.."

She was more annoyed then concerned, which was apparent in her smirk. She closed her eyes again, concentrating on something when the tricorder appeared in her hand.... it was broken and twisted enough to destroy what information she had gathered.

Sigh. "Well, so much for the scientific approach to variances of universes."

She tossed the handful of trash to the side, closing her eyes again. This time, she sank into a deep meditation, chanted words breifly upon her lips.

Several minutes went by and the storm started to rage outside the cave, hitting the wall of force with all that debris it had picked up. She remained quiet, posed silently still in her mediations, save for one word that escaped her..

"Zed."

She opened her eyes.

"We're on a moon not far from my world, Exodii. Well, in the same planetary system. Same universe. There are no other harboring said system. So we're safe for a direct teleport back to RhyDin. Zed is the name of this moon, one of three round Exodii's twin. I wish I had time to give you a tour, but... I have a feeling we should get back."

Moving from her place, she snatched up a grape and popped it into her mouth. It was apparent, by the pouting twitch of full lips, she didn't want this to end, yet she needed to get back. So with reluctance, yet some urgency for the reason of going back - her daughter, she opened a portal along the cave wall. On the other side was RhyDin, somewhere along the beaches.

"Here's your way back. I have a stop to make before I return. Are you ready?"

Knite · Date: 2007-01-21 12:16 EST

The dragon had watched Shauri through all her preparations. He had quietly munched on some of the summoned food, but had not gorged. He knew the importance of keeping his strength up. He watched her summon her tri-corder. The twisted instrument was tossed aside as quickly as it was summoned. He was just about to offer his assistance when she sat down and concentrated. The great wyrm felt a bit helpless. Her barrier kept them safe from the storm and she was locating where they were. But while wishing he could help he did not do anything to disrupt her, he just kept watch. Knowing the feeling of being safe is not the same as being safe. But she was done soon enough and nothing had come within miles of them. However reluctantly it was she had smiled and opened the door for home for him. He nodded at her and smiled a toothy smile. His great head moved near her delicate human form. He whispered...

"A hero is not defined as some one who is remarkable all the time. A hero is an ordinary person who does something extraordinary under hard circumstances. You are Hero Shauri. Now hurry home and be careful of Cutter. I will be here if you need me."

He touched her cheek with his maw in a gesture that would seem mundane except the size of his head and the precision in which he did it. The dragon's glowing white eyes twinkled a moment and the dragon etched a Rune into the cave wall. He winked at Shauri and turned for the portal. Shrinking down to drow form Knite stepped towards it he turned on last moment. "You?re a beautiful dragon Shauri; you owe me a history when you get back." With a wink and a smile the drow jumped through the portal.

Something happened. The Nexus had interfered. Instead of a nice landing in Rhydin, the drow now got ejected into the broom closet at the RDI. With a cloud of dust and a bit of muttering, Knite was home.

Shauri · Date: 2007-01-21 17:52 EST

She didn't flinch as he came so near, trusting as she was. His breath a welcomed warmth upon her skin. It was his words that had shocked her more then anything.

"A hero is not defined as some one who is remarkable all the time. A hero is an ordinary person who does something extraordinary under hard circumstances. You are Hero Shauri. Now hurry home and be careful of Cutter. I will be here if you need me."

A hero she'd been called, but by the people of Exodii. She never expected to hear it from those not from there, and certainly never expected to be called ordinary. Child of the Gods she was, and only wanted to have a normal life. It felt good to know someone thought of her as no better or worse then anyone else.

"I Will, Knite. Thank you for your kindness."

Her smile widened more with his gesture, and more still as she watched him etch the ruin into the cave wall, committing the image to memory. She had no objections to a new neighbor if claiming the cave as his own was the meaning. Nor did she have any objection for his request. Her smile warmed, brought color to her cheeks.

"You got it, Knite. Please be careful, too."

She watched him jump in and winced, sensing the Nexus interrupting her spell. A Smirk formed as the portal closed and a few explicatives escaped, cursing the Nexus. She hoped Knite was okay. Now, though, she had some things to do.

Teleporting back to the Citadel on Exodii, she contacted Alex and the Commander of the Armageddon, giving them an update and orders to be ready. Then she took to the task of finding her daughter and teleported back to RhyDin.......