Ever did he require reminding that he was not in a dead place; a place where some person he did not know would walk up to him and place his hand on his shoulder and tell him he is dead, and that this is the next place. That he is not where he was any longer. That his friends are gone, and he must make nonsense with others who have suffered fates from sinful lives. That his family is not with him, and thus there is no home for him to return to, so he must wander with a ghastly smoke upon his form and a frown upon his face for all of eternity.

Was it true? Had he really lived a sinful life? It was a strange question for him to ask himself. Perhaps it was not. Perhaps he simply had this much time to reflect. Imprisonment could do that. Bangs of his long tattered hair drooped over his eyebrows, and the sides of his forehead drooped down blades of hair even longer and assisted in veiling his hanging head while he roamed the vast openness of his own mind.

His weakly opened eyes, though, suddenly shot open. There was a sound in the place of his prison that was not unlike the others he had ever heard here before. When was the last time he had even heard a sound accompany his own echoing thoughts in this place? What was to stop the sound of a dungeon door in noisy disrepair be any different from being a shirtless torturer and keymaster coming to do his rounds; perhaps remind himself that this room he was in even still existed. He didn't know, but he felt what he was unsure of was still within him: hope.

Hope?

No?

That is not a thing to believe in anymore. How dire must the situation be in Rhy'din? A lot of the questions you can ask yourself in imprisonment you do not, and will never have answers for. But he had an answer for that one, and it was: very.

It must've just been some other poor soul in some other chamber rattle his last chain right before life left him in this great hold of misery. It must've just been the lowly keeper of those dungeon keys locking the place up for another week. The strength and vigor in this man?s eyes slowly died back down,and as his head lowered back, so did more tresses of hair come to again veilhis face. Maybe the sound had never even happened.

Just then, and right on the other side of this darkness, something was heard.. Keys? Yes.. Keys had been heard mingling with the lock mechanism.

Curiosity revitalized him.

This was like nothing that had been days and weeks and more in this place. That unlocked gate. That unlocked door. The sound of it all. And then the door was pulled suddenly open by the grips of two hands.

?There you are.? the voice said.

A voice that put the tiny cog back into the machinery that got every wheel and part of it moving again. A puzzle completed. A memory returned. The road taken, again.

He gazed upon the form of the man before him with his eyes that were so full of surprise and life; something the entire rest of his body could not demonstrate.

How this prisoner felt about his current state may have been wholly larger than what it actually was, yet the man who opened the door, looked at him like he were such a valuable thing to even see.

?You're not an easy man to find. But that doesn't mean I'll never find you.? He said, coming forward and into this dark dankness that the prisoner hung and beginning to unfasten his bindings.

First, that contraption that silenced men in places of repentance and solitude and penitence, was removed from prisoner?s face. Next were his ankles freed; and his wrists. With the removal of his final two shackles, he fell into the awaiting embrace of his rescuer. The scent of blood was not upon him. The scent of death, of mildew, or horrible and nasty things. Contrarily, he smelled of life; of a man who had walked with green grass and passed beneath the canopies of healthy trees. He smelled as if he had come into contact with others of similar wanderings.

The one who embraced the prisoner smelled of-- beyond this place.

? You.. You came for me.? He meant to continue. His strength was not measurable yet. It had been that microscopic. Starting to say something he could only say the first word to.

His rescuer brought him down with his knees, but only after taking the steps back and out of that container that men could be placed within. He continued to hold him. ?The chains are old, and they are rusted, you know. But they are nowhere near as strong as the human heart. You didn't really think that we'd leave you in here forever, did you?? He held the man's arm up to examine the damage done to his wrist, then his other.

?W...we??

?Your friends? They're all outside. Who do you think helped me find this place? Who do you think helped me get down here?? He laughed. Then, he spoke words of a physical warmth that filled his dilapidated soul.

?You've rested long enough, old man.?

His first use of his muscles in gods' knows how long was used to embrace the man, wrinkle his shirt and cry into. ?Is this real? Have you all come?Truly??

?Of course,? again, with that physically warming emotion.?You're being silly, now. We'd never leave your side. You think all those people you've touched and affected would suddenly forget that they owe you a favor? They don't owe you a favor, brother, because you say they don't. They owe you because they're the ones who say so. Myself included.?

He stood, leaving the prisoner on his knees, but not for long. He held out his hand to him. A hand that said let's stand up and get the hell out of here.

The prisoner looked at his own hand and then up to the man before him, anothercheck of his realism. With great passion he took the man's hand and was pulled up.

At standing height once more he gazed forward. The stone steps to the door. The door he had come in through. The door he would go out through. Through the open door, an angelic light did blast brightly through and linger.

?Leonard Raet may have gotten very ill, but his respect for you is as strong as the day you met him. Remember, brother? We were passing through the Two-Faced City, and we met Raet and his daughter, Fay. We would have loved to have kept on about our adventure, that we would have, but it's just not in you to turn away, or keep walking from someone in need.

?The townspeople were plagued by that evil mage, Trosophan, who had been lost for centuries and used that sword with runes to wield his unholy magic. Hemeant to do a whole lot of damage since he had nearly collapsed a mirror image of the world upon itself those centuries ago, but you sure weren't in his plans, were you?? the rescuer chuckled quickly.

The prisoner just looked at him when he spoke. What were these words? What werethey doing to him? His rescuer?s smile barely faded in exchange for amore passionate gaze.

?And though... those people treated you like a worthless vagabond... you didn't hate them. You didn't hate them because you knew they were no different from us. We're all people living together. And we deserve to live.

So you didn't despise them when they refused you food or water. How many of them could have been bad, after all. Answer is: not all of them.?

?Fay and her father found you. They took you back to their home and made you a breakfast. I remember it cause you never shut up about it. The truth of the matter had been you hadn't eaten a home-cooked meal like that in weeks.?

?Really gives it that special touch when you have it again, doesn't it??

?Fay's doing so good, brother. You just ask her yourself when we get outof here. She's become a real woman. Remember that day after they served you breakfast? They knew you were as good as they come, and were welcome to staywith them as long as you needed. You didn't want to impose, but surely you could figure out just what imposing would be while they sent you to get somegroceries for them. I could barely contain my laughter. You stuck it to that store clerk who refused you earlier when you had no money. You wasted no time snickering while he bagged your items.? He laughed.

?A lot happened that day, didn't it.? The rescuer sweetly reminisced.

?Did it?? the prisoner weakly queried.

?It did. It wasn't long after that you heard the screams of a woman who had taken care of you. Leonard, elderly and almost totally blind, being ridiculed about town; and his daughter, a woman coming very much into her figure, working against the hands of her attackers who traded her off to one another with the grand plan to satiate themselves for only a moment and then be done with her.

?That wasn't going to happen. Not only did they not know how to deal with you, but she was no pushover, either. She reminded you a lot of Red. She had a fire to her. Even when the city was going up in flames, and you were waging battle with the evil magician, she was there watching; amazed, inspired. Not like any of those hiding aristocrats.

?Blue fire scorched your flesh; your flesh, instead of the townspeople's. You put yourself before the attacks directed at them, my man. And they all slowly realized this. A man they had shunned was so willingly risking his life for them. Poetry in motion. Bloodied, burned, torn and smoking, the magician thought he could easily finish you off.

But when his summoning hand was grabbed by the wrist, he was proven very wrong. The color of the sky changed. And just like how he had gone hundreds of years ago, his evil magic was his undoing. The threat had been thwarted.

?The next morning, it was like the pages right out of a happy storybook. Everyone working together to help rebuild. A people grateful. A young womanleft very touched. You didn't walk out of that city without creating a crush, I'll tell you that much. You handsome devil,?

He got tickled again, walking his old friend up those many stairs. ?I'd sure like a bronze statue of me erected in some town. But that's that tale. I'm surprised you don't remember, really. Be a warrior true, and a magician strong... you come out on-top every time. Just a little further, now.? The Palliator's green gaze lifted so encouraging to the top of those stairs; with a grin.

The prisoner looked at his face and it was all coming flooding back to him. How he himself used to feel. How even Death deserved a grin. It was because you knew something Death did not know. You knew that he was ?wrong.? You decided when you died, not a cloaked figure with a scythe.

?We're nearly there, brother. We can't keep everybody waiting. We've seen so many wonderful things, and still have so much to see. You and me! Come on, don't give up!?

He heaved him better over his shoulder in a brief rest, but then continued up the stairs.

?Remember that ancient civilization of mermen we stumbled upon? Our boat lost at sea where no men survived their boat's being lost at sea in. Ghastly pale merrows swam up to the sides of our boat and lifted themselves up to exchange a few words; those words depending, could mean life or death.

To see you at work, man. How you can flirt without flirting. Inspire women of another race... even those ones, which couldn't understand a word you were saying! Must be all in the delivery, eh brother?

?We thought we were dead when we hit shore. Every glimpse at their razor sharp teeth was enough to unnerve any man. But we kept cool. Remember that giant egg-shaped library they were trying to unlock? Well who better to help them do it than the humans they just found, right,?

His rescuer laughed, reaffirming his grip on the man's wrist over his back.

?Their elder, the keeper of their archives, had that communication crystal we used to talk back and forth. It was how we found out they needed our help, and that both the king's daughters had apparently fallen in love with us.

You remember that?

Uh-huh. You thought it was real funny when the one said she liked me. Then you found out his heifer daughter liked you,remember??

Oh it was just like going back and forth over a fire with an old war buddy, or a teenage brother back when you lived at home together.

This brought a somewhat grin to the rescued man. His rescuer grinned back.

?That egg library. It had tiny holes in it. Just big enough to put your eye against and fantasize about what wonder was inside there. We wanted to get it open as badly as they did. It was a huge deal. Some prophecy about it opening. You could hear a monk-like orchestra singing on the other side. But in order to open up the library, we needed to assemble six lost artifacts. So we set out like any adventure-blooded men would do.

While I was led to spend time with the free-spirited princess on her random inspirations of swimming along the wave-crashing shore, you were busy collecting four of those artifacts.

?The other two resided with the king and his daughter in the form of an earring. The only earring she wore. We regrouped, and soon we only needed the one. But that was when our fun was cut short, wasn't it. The king and his guards had us arrested. You, me and the elder archives keeper. Know what saved our hides that time, old boy?

The princesses. That's right, both of them. They pleaded with their father to spare us, and it at least bought us one final audience with him at that crystal. They are convinced it is time to again enter the egg.?

The prisoner?s eyes went wide as his rescuer seemed to drown in the magic of where the story had arrived. This welling within, growing more so--- empowering him, with each word his rescuer spoke.

Quietly his rescuer spoke. ?I'll never forget what it was like looking inside that thing when it opened. It hadn't been seen in generations. That light emitted by those thousands of pearl-like fish eggs. You couldn't even see there were hundreds of them. They were all like one heavenly entity. The pieces of the library moved into place, and it proceeded to holo-project the very first primitive lifeforms on the planet. Marine life, the first bipedal species, and the first birds... and that was only the beginning of the vast wealth of knowledge it contained of their civilization's history.

?We all spread out to read documents, scrolls, and holograms left behind by their ancient predecessors. And then there was the main artifact. That honeycombed crystal, encasing a suspended hourglass. The device that would unfreeze the dreaded squid-beast to wreak havoc upon the city.

Something the kingwas hell-bent on doing. And he'd have gotten away with it, too, if it weren'tfor us meddling grown-ups. Remember? You swung out on a vine on the cliff of the rimrocked city and caught the artifact before it would have fallen to the crashing sea below and awoke the monster. You saved the day again.?

His rescuer had just finished the retelling of this story as they came to that open door and he helped slowly let him stand on his own and gaze at the white light through it.

?Wait.. Wha--, what is..? asked the prisoner.

?The chains are old, and they are rusted. They're no where near as strong as the human heart. The beast thinks it wants to drink all your blood, but it doesn't know what it's in for. Your heart pumps strong, brother. With the love for your woman. Your children. With the love of your friends..?

The rescuer made a fist and showed it to him with the inside of his arm out. He flexed his muscles tout. The muscles of the Palliator. They were an awe-inspiring thing to behold. And for a malnourished man, all the more inspiring.

?It fuels a strength unlike any other. It can tear down walls and rip through oceans, it can scale mountains and bring a man home! And it can never be depleted.?

The prisoner looked back at him so sadly confused; confused because he was coming to grips with reality. The light. He didn't know why he hadn't put it together until now. He didn't know why. Maybe he had hoped with so much of his being that it wasn't too good to be true. ?Wait-- what's happening??

He smiled at him. ?You've rested long enough, brother. It's time to get out of here. This place? It's nothing,? he scoffed with his grin.?Not for a man like you; who has the things you do. This isn't where you die, so don't let your fists uncurl like a dead man's. Make them again! And get back! It's not too late. Not for you.?

?Don't go.? The prisoner reached for his rescuer.

He smiled. ?We're always with you. I'm always with you. Where else would I be?? He laughed so handsomely. It was the perfect segue into his spirit guide fading. This man? This prisoner? This brother---always could make him laugh, and even here that would be the last images of him before he was alone in that dungeon again.

All that remained was to go through that open door and into the light.

Into imprisonment again.

Into that ever so constant world of darkness? Of pain, and suffrage.. Yes, he was alone once more..

But there was something he brought back with him.

The flame that was carried within in his eyes.

The sky opened above the vacated town of Milliport, as the heavens let loose with a torrential rain, the likes of which, by no means was natural... Lightening crashed, as the wind howled.. Trees, gave way to the force that was, as they bent to it's will, as they seemingly appeared from nowhere, dead in the center of Milliport itself...

Atop the fountain was he.. Heartless incarnate.. The Dark One, and by no means was he alone, as a phalanx of Death Knights, appeared around the fountain, warlocks to the ready behind the soldiers, as a barrier was erected.. The shrill cry of a child, the only sound that came from the procession, as they remained where they were.

The child held closely to his chest as the Dark one, looked around what was left of the town.. His knights to the ready, as the warlocks kept the barrier active.. With a voice akin to the thunders crash itself, he called out!

"Come out!! Each and every one of you.. The time of reckoning is at hand, and it begins here, and it begins NOW!"


"I sent them away!" Shouted one of those who came to defend this town.. She was upon the bridge nearby. "You'll have no audience tonight."

The child cried aloud once more, as the Dark One, ran a gloved hand over it's little head, as he looked around once more, as he held the child aloft, in the air by it's arm.. The child once more crying out loudly in a purely driven fear, as his captor replied!

"You are all I require for this, elf! Tonight, I assure that NO one, or thing will stop, what I have set into motion, tonight, I assure that NO one, neither here or on Rhy'din will ever stand in my way! And each of you, will be an example and a testament to all that I will become!"

From his waste the Dark One drew a rune dagger.. Dark was the blade, it?s runes of blood pulsing to much so, there was no mistake, as to what he had in hand.. And with such a vile expression, he raised the blade and swiftly, sliced downward, cutting the child?s back ever so..

The razor sharpened blade, literally slicing so cleanly, yet the effect was devastating, as the child reacted in kind, literally shrieking in such an ungodly manner! Blood came forth, as the child?s back was now deeply crimson, as the blood smeared with each jolt of the Dark One?s arm.. The locks keeping the iced barrier in check, as death knights reinforced the effort tenfold..

Reileena an elf closed her eyes, pulling in a deep breath, trying to shut out the awful screams.. Yet the screams, would not cease..

Caera her friend covered her face partially unable to watch him dangle the child as he did.. That however only pressed her resolve allowing her to concentrate on just him.. She cared not for the peons of the bunch.. She wanted him.. Just for the sole purpose to pull the life out of him if she had to.

Another called Lea's whole body shook in repulsion and anger. She closed her eyes briefly to regain control. ?How dare you!!?

Blood flowed freely indeed, as it dripped into the fountain, bit by bit.. The child writhing in such agonizing pain, screaming more so, as the Dark One once more raised the blade, and down it came.. Again, and again, across the child's backside. Back and forth.. And as he did so, his eyes of frost, looked upon each and every one of them with such disdain..

One called Lyn was taken aback briefly, she nodded to her sister. She placed the sun stone back around her neck before taking the sword, now wielding both swords, she swiftly made to the fountain.

Shaking the child yet again, the Dark One cried loudy, "From the mouth of babes!!!"

A anguished yell tore from Lea's lips, ?Leave him be!?

"Silence, bitch!! I am not done, by a literal long shot!", said the Dark One.. His eyes of frost narrowing, as they looked upon the gathered.

In response, Lea notched her arrow, raising her bow up and drawing her magic into it.

A primal scream escaped from Lyn, as she reached the bench in front. A step taken towards it, and then, opposite as she met the others at the edge of the fountain?s barrier.

To emphasize his point, he took the child, and slammed it into the waters of the fountain, as it began to turn crimson.. Little arms flailed, little legs kicked again, and again, in utter horror.. Still, he kept the child under water... For what felt like an eternity, as it kicked, and flailed so much so.. And then he lifted the child, who was now bleeding more so, due to the water, the crimson coating smeared all over the little one?s limp form..

More so, the child did not look to be breathing! After a moment, the Dark One acted.. Slamming, a closed fist to the back of the child, again, and again. He cackled, as the child came back to the realm of pain, which it has escaped from, ever so briefly, while it was seemingly dead, for a moment.. The child then coughed violently, and began to thrash once more, coughing, and spitting blood, and bile, all over itself..

Reileena shook her head gripping her daggers, as her slow decent continued.

Lea drew another deep breath, blocking off her empathy with all her might, the child's emotions tearing through her barrier. She retched, spitting up, a bit herself in the process..

Muse reached out to Lyn, taking her arm and holding her back.. Noting that, however.. The Dark One grinned, evily...

The blade lifted, and with a deft cut, the child's calf was sliced, as was the other. The child screeching loudly yet again, with that tiny voice so hoarse, the pain alone in hearing it, was staggering!

Such an anger rose within Lyn, seeing this foulness! She tried to raise one her swords, yet could not do so.. The impact, so devastating, upon the elf.

Adrinna could not contain herself any longer and fell upon the ground, vomiting violently, as her body shuddered to no end.

Lea however, could not tear her eyes from the scene no matter how hard she tried. The sick built in her throat and she retched again. Her face was pale and rigid..

The Dark One, cried out, as the thunder crashed overhead.. "God save the child!!"

"Do not do it for Marious, or any of his lies, Do it because it needs to be done." Muse said and then let go of her grip upon Lyn.

Rei spoke, so coldly.. ?As no god will save you monster.?

With such a sneer, he looked upon then all. "YOU all had the chance to stop me!! This is on YOUR shoulders! When they look back on this, they will KNOW that YOU had the opportunity, and you FAILED each and EVERY one of THEM!?

Both Elves were poised and at the ready.. Caera holding just one in her sight. A cerulean gaze dangerously set on the Villian. Merenwen?s still upon one of the mage looking beasts behind the death knights.

Another cut of the blade.. This time, along the child?s bicep, and shouder, as he shook the child yet again, and such agony did the little one show, and more so, as he yet still screamed with barely the voice he had left.. What came forth was something.. No words could set into definition, but the sound chilled to the core, indeed.. Shaking the child once more, as blood splattered about, the Dark One cackled once more.

"What is that Marious? You want, Mother?", as he looked to the child, intently..

"I'll have none of that. Bleed this evil in my town. But you'll not murder in my name, Liar, and death bringer!" Muse, shouted in fury back from the bridge, Her inner fire swelling and making her glow golden.

Spitting heavily, Lea quivered with silver. She yelled one last time, the magic around her arrow burning a white hot. ?STOP IT!?

He, cried out once more, looking upon the child.. "She did not want you! She left you with that ogre to die, by a set of stairs!! Where was SHE!? Where was your MOTHER, she was with HIM!? Because of that you are now HERE, my CHILD!?

Adrinna vomited again, just hearing the sounds. Althalos, was so shocked that he could not turn away.

Rei closed her eyes again, as she gripped her daggers tightly.. ?He will have to come out eventually.?

A sickening display of vile intentions, set abound by remorseless actions. Two elves and many others bearing their guards..watching.. waiting.. enduring such a display of vulgarity that not even Satan himself would dare commit.

"Each and every one of you know this.. I will do the same, to ALL you hold dear, and know I will come, in the dead of night, and CUT their lives from YOUR hearts, string by string! It begins HERE with this piece of GARBAGE that Drea claimed was her own!"

The child shaken violently, yet again!

Gali took a deep breath in.. This was getting too much for even him. His eyes now moved to Darkin... his armor... his blade.. the babe. 'no.. not the babe.. focus on something else'.... his demeanor... how would he fight..

?OH SHUT UP YOU WINDBAG AND COME OUT HERE!?, cried Reileena.

Finally, Lyn responded.. ?Start with me then.. Seeing thou art killing a dead son.. Which means nothing to me.?

The child was now held by the throat, as he, looked into it's eyes.. Such a glare, as the child sputtered, and flailed violently still.. The hoarse rasps of what passed for cries, still piercing the air, again, and again..

"And with this, his clan will die, once more, by my hand.. And with this, so will each and every one of you!?

?My will be done.."

?You pathetic bastard... Have you no sense of honor!?? Gali cried out, his eyes settling firmly upon the Dark One.

Reileena added, ?Just be done with it you sick bastard and face me like the monster you are!?

Playing with Rei's hair a slight smile playing across Mar?s lips hearing her lover?s words, ?Now that?s more like it....?

Barely holding her anger in check, Lyn readied herself, swinging both swords.. Her eyes narrowed, and deadly, as she watched, biding what time, they had left..

Adrinna was still on her hands and knees though no longer vomiting, she still felt sick to the core of her being. The darkness abound, nearly choking her, and others, in turn.

With a vile grimace, he turned the child around, so that it faced them.. It?s form, now so limp and helpless.. Heavied rasping breaths escaped the little one, as eyes of blue pierced the mask of crimson, and bile.. The runed dagger dropped in kind, as Darkin looked among the gathered, about the town of Milliport.. With no warning, what so ever the Dark One reared back plunging his fist through the child?s back literally, as it exploded from the chest of the child!

Fingers, gripping it's tiny heart, as fingers tightened, more so, squishing it into a red mass of pulped sickness.. Innards spilling from the child, coupled with gods know what else.. So red did the waters run, in the town of Milliport.. Lightening crashed once more, as the Dark One cried out, in such an unholy rage.

Lea's face screwed up, she bit hard into her tongue, as it began to bleed. She shivers silver again, the bow held taught, directly at the monster!

Muse swiftly made her way over to Adrinna seeing her ward in distress, a touch from her glowing hand to give Adrinna relief. "Look away, and listen to me, Ok?", she said gently.

"Yes.", Adrinna said quietly with a nod.

In anticipation both Gali?s hands went straight to the hilts of his katanas, as he growled lowly..

Such a cackle that escaped his mouth.. Madness over taking, as he literally tore the child.. Well what was left, to shreds, even going as far as to wipe his own face with the mess that was the corpse.. He then slammed it to the ground with a sickening thud!

The ground shook, as lightening struck abound again, and again!

Growling, Reileena stared at the Dark One.

"And now.. Now..", he said .

Lea threw up a little into her mouth, she turned to one side and spat it out fiercely in anger. Turning her eyes back to him, she dropped her bow and instantly turned burning white hot silver, her eyes misting over once more.

?You?ll kill us all shout up and come out!?, spat Reileena.

Such a renewed vigor, did he feel, as the Dark One looked over each and every one of them! Lowly, he replied to Reileena..

"Die.."

"No... Stop this! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! STOP IT! MAKE IT STOP!! I'M SORRY! MAKE IT STOP!"

Slowly did the event fade.. The effects felt ever so.

The protests came, and came.. Cries of pure fear, coupled with rather pathetic sobs.. The ties that bound shook more so, and more so.. Blood began to pool, as the spikes bit more so, with each motion. But he did not care.. He sank once more, into a sea of such despair as the visions played, an replayed, with so many others added to the menagerie.

Down the hall, someone else heard the cries-- the muffled moans and growls..

And such a smile that formed on the face of, Raven..