A Red Feather, A Black Feather (Phoenix Guard)

OoC: Here we go! Its the formation of the Phoenix Guard! Please choose your character wisely (For those that have the option)!

BiC: The sun was setting on a large forest, telling it's inhabitants that night was approaching, the encroaching darkness reminding them that it was either time to hunt or find cover for the night. Our journey starts near the edge of the woods, where they soon gave way to the beginning of a mountain range, the largest peak of which disappeared into the darkening clouds ahead.

Here is where we find PhoenixFire, standing on the edge of a roaring river that cut it's way through the black forest. Glancing down, he looked at the map in his hands, his finger trailing his route. The fire-mage sighed, and began his grumbling anew. Another damn instance where I've gotten lost in this Zeus-forsaken forest, he thought. But with luck, it'd all be worth it in the end. For PhoenixFire was searching for the mystical Black Phoenix, quite an interesting specimen indeed, especially for a species that is already rare. It was common knowledge that most phoenixes are red and gold, symbolizing purity, good and light, and above all else, the fire of life.

But the Black Phoenix, is different, it's feathers bright like it's brethren, but black as night. Legend has it that this legendary bird among legendary birds was born not from fresh lava, but from cooled, hardened lava. Normally, phoenixes needed the lava's heat to properly incubate the egg, yet the Black Phoenix egg sat within the cooled and hardened lava before it hatched. Apparently, this process produced a black-feathered phoenix, an even rarer creature than its red and gold cousins. So rare, in fact, that it was largely debated if a creature had even ever existed in the first place, let alone to the present day

But many claim to have witnessed the Black Phoenix’s existence and said that it did exist, and PF also believed so, and greatly desired to witness such a magnificent sight himself. Its shrill call is said to be even more amazing than its cousins’; one that instills dread and fear in all who hear it, as if a death omen. And indeed, many are said to have died soon after hearing it.

It was the fire-mage’s greatest wish: to find and study this amazing bird. He normally had an unhealthy obsession with the red and gold phoenix species, but his late wife had always had a large interest in the myth, her memory driving him in search of it even more. He hoped to put all of this speculation of the black phoenix to rest, and to hopefully give it a better reputation. Yet he had failed many times in his task; the trail going cold just as he was about to obtain the realization of dead wife’s—and his own—dream. PF was brought out of his thoughts as thunder rumbled overhead, and he sighed his annoyance as the skies opened up and released a heavy downpour upon his head.

"Wonderful..." he muttered, pulling his cloak tighter around himself. As he started to set up his tent for the night, he heard a twig snap, causing his hand to jump to the hilt of the sword on his back. Who would be foolish enough to be this deep in these woods, he wondered. And why hadn’t he sensed their presence sooner?

"Alright, who's there?" he demanded cautiously.

<====}=0 – 0={====>

Lhaeo was utterly, helplessly, lost. Every tree on every side was a mirror of the one next to it, with no visible path between them. The priest had trekked across countless leagues; his only guide the abnormality in the Weave. It had been three months now since the Elemental Master had scoured the Weave dutifully, like he always did, and discovered something unlike anything he had ever seen before.

The Weave was a complex and intricate network of numerous energies, representing the different elements; Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Lightning, Ice, Flora, Shadow, Light, and so forth. When examining the Weave, Lhaeo could sense these energies and the beings that made them up. Most of the threads were natural, such as the natural earth and air currents, bodies of water, and volcanoes. There were also supernatural beings, such as elemental beings, elementally proficient magic-workers, and the like. Some of them were combinations of multiple elements, such as a mage who used both earth and air magic.

What Lhaeo found was a melding of Fire and Shadow. That alone was hardly worth noting, but there was more yet. Rather than being a thing of both Fire and Shadow, this being seemed to be somewhere between the two . . . like . . . Dark Fire. Almost like a completely new element. And what was more, this being had created a depression in the Weave, dragging other lines of power towards it.

This was hardly something that the Master of Elements could let be. And so, Lhaeo had set out to track this abnormality in the physical realm, with only the Weave to guide him. For three months and endless miles he had journeyed, inching closer and closer to what could be the discovery of a lifetime. However, the blonde-haired young man, so closer to his goal, had become lost within this endless maze of a forest.

Even the Weave could not help guide him out, for the lines of elemental power here were tangled something awful, the Balance between them dangerously skewed. Even the abnormally, being a presence large enough that Lhaeo should have been able to use it to extract himself from this mess, was of no use, for it constantly moved, almost seeming as if it was circling Lhaeo. The priest’s one other hope was his Earth Reading, but that too was of little help. The young man could only read the ground ten miles every way, and the forest completely outdistanced that in every direction. As so it was for flight as well; each and every horizon brimming over with the dark, bushy shadows of trees.

So, Lhaeo was lost. It was his fourth day in this forest, and he was ravished. Flying would normally have been easier, but the high priest deemed it necessary to walk on the ground, plucking fruit and berries as he went. The young man sighed, pulling off his floppy leather hat and running a hand through his blonde hair. He may be lost, hungry, and tired, but he did have one luxury. The sun was blazing hot, and it seemed as it the dense forest itself was sweating. Yet Lhaeo remained quite cool, his powers keeping him both at normal body temperature and free of sweat.

As the sun lowered behind the trees, the blonde-haired god looked around for a good place to set up a campsite. He didn’t have a tent or any of the normal camping supplies, but his powers more than made up for that, allowing the Elemental Master to form shelter out of the earth and instantaneously bring a large fire to life in his hand.

“Alright, lets see here . . . “ he muttered, rubbing his gloved hands together. Dropping to his knees, the traveler placed both hands on the damp soil, his conscious connecting instantly with that of the earth’s. He was completely surrounded by ten miles of trees on all sides, but he didn’t need the ground to tell him that. Rather, he focused on the flow and ebb of the land, finally following the rise of the earth to the highest point within the ten mile radius; a large hill not too far from his current location.

Rising and dusting his now damp hands off, the god huffed, preparing for the hike. The sun had almost completely set by the time Lhaeo emerged from the line of trees that surrounded the crown of the hill, revealing a bare circular area. Too bad for Lhaeo, the ideal campsite was already taken. By someone apparently very moody. The Elemental Master dodged just in time, the fireball just barely missing his fluttering cloth coat.

“H-h-hey! Hold your fire!” He squeaked, scampering across the grass as another fireball blasted past him.

“I asked, “Who’s there?!” a rough voice called from the center of the clearing, another flaming sphere appearing above the speaker’s head.

“A traveler! I don’t mean any harm, no, no harm at all!” Lhaeo blurted hastily, waving his hands in front of him disarmingly. “I was only looking for a place to camp for the night!”

The figure in the center of the hilltop clearing lowered his sword, the fireball hovering at its tip winking out. “Fine.” He growled moodily. “But answer the first time, next time!”

“S-sure . . . ” Lhaeo said, edging closer to the man cautiously. As he came closer to the apparent loose wire of a man, the priest could make out his face, as well as other various details. The man was slightly shorter than he was, with long, flaming red hair. He was adorned in magnificent gold and black armor, somehow turning his gruff visage into that of a golden knight.

“I’m sorry about that.” The man said, holding out a gloved hand in apology. “I’ve been having a rough time, and in a place like this, you never can be too careful.” Lhaeo took his hand and shook it heartily.

“No harm done, no offence taken, friend.” The blonde-haired man replied cheerfully. “Although you did come perilously close to “too careful” back there.” The warrior said nothing, but nodded his head and turned back to his tent, which had crumpled back down to the ground in the man’s hast to defend against the unknown intruder. Lhaeo apologized again, immediately setting about to helping the man set up his tent.

As the red-haired man crawled in, Lhaeo turned around and raised both hands like a maestro. Grinning, he flicked one hand out and upward, the ground at his feet rising in a dome slightly larger than he was. Holding out his hand palm-first, the young man pushed forward against air, a doorway-shape depression appearing in the earthy dome. Next, the Elemental master cupped both hands and scooped out towards himself, large clumps of earth separating from the inside of the dome. Lhaeo hurled the earthy mess over his shoulder carelessly, ducking his head inside the newly formed shelter.

“Heh, not bad.” He muttered to himself, looking around. “All it needs is a little polishing up.” As he talked, the traveler walked inside and held out both hands. Swirling them around, a fierce wind blew through the open doorway, scouring the earth dome, smoothing out the walls and floor into an even surface. Sighing contently at his work, Lhaeo stuck his head outside to see the red-haired man’s eyes bulging out of his head at the little rock and dirt hut.

“Its not an inn, but it will do for the night.” Lhaeo assured the warrior, causing his eyes to bulge even more.


OoC: Credit to the first section goes to Darth_Phoenix. Order posting. . . . any. And members are as follows: Darth_Phoenix, OmegaNinjaDude, Popcorn, Rising Light, Duke of Clubs, and Hopeless Romantic.

EDIT: Yes, this takes place before OmaGods. Extremely funny intro, by the way. "This is Lhaeo. He is a god. He pwns your socks off." Heh.

This is God. He made the universes and everything in them.

Pick a universe.

This is a universe. It's very big. It's empty, except for stars and galaxies.

Pick a galaxy.

This is a galaxy. It's full of stars, planets, dust, rock and ice.

Pick a planet.

This is an Earth. Not Earth, but an Earth. There are many Earths, but everyone on every Earth thinks their Earth is the only Earth. This Earth, in any case, is full of life. There are mountains, valleys, oceans, rivers, forests, deserts, tundras, and more life.

Pick a forest.

There are birds, bugs and mammals in the forest. There're also lots of trees, because without trees you don't have a forest.

Pick a mammal.

Kellson ran through the forest. He's a Man, in species and gender. He's got wings and some holy powers, for some reason. And he was running. Not running from anything, just running. He never got tired, due to an amulet that continually gave him strength, for some reason.

Kellson ran.

Were you a deaf man watching, you would have seen him leaping and somersaulting over logs, ducking low-hanging branches, pounding the mossy earth beneath his feet as he charged through the woods. If you were a blind man listening, you would only hear loud footsteps and light breathing. If you were blind and deaf, you wouldn't be in the forest in the first place.

Kellson ran.

He ran from the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but not in fear; he ran endlessly in mental exhaustion. The metaphysical elements of his life demanded a small break, a respite for his weary mind. His body was never weary. In the words of the sympathetic St. John, "God frags your brain." Once Kellson found out what 'frags' meant, he agreed wholeheartedly.

Twigs crackled underfoot as he ran. Curious squirrels peered at him from their nests, and birds flew overhead, flanking the human angel. A demi-angel, bounding through the forest in long strides, trenchcoat fluttering in the breeze.

It didn't matter how much time you spent in Heaven, nor how many conversations you had with any of its denizens: God still made no bloody sense. Why the wings, why do you summon me to your kingdom? For what purpose? Hundreds of questions rumbled around Kellson's brain like a stampede of elephants, but they were all sent trudging back to India with one small, knowing smile from the One who sat behind the metaphorical poker table of life. To someone not a Christian, or even not a religious man, God was the ultimate poker player: He never gave away any secrets about his game, He held all the cards when you thought you had them, He never lost, and He was the one who made up the game. You couldn't understand God. He made no sense. Kellson had a revelation as he ran: You shouldn't try. If some bastard athiest demands an explanation, you need not give him one. Belief is not founded on facts and logic, nor reason. Belief was faith. And if you didn't have faith, you didn't have God. You can't trade faith, Kellson decided, and you can't give it or teach it to someone. They must find it themself.

He abruptly stopped. In the old days, before the amulet, he would wipe sweat from his brow, or wait a while to catch his breath. But in the old days, Kellson would not have run hundreds of miles without sleep or rest. Ho for the new days!

The tree in front of him was scorched black. In fact, half of the tree now resided on the forest floor as a pile of gray ash. Another tree, once probably an oak, had shared the fate.

Kellson walked, now. But he kept going.

Ah-ha. A tent. And...a hut. How quaint. He approached the hut, chuckling softly, because now even sleep seemed quaint. Luxuries were not for the strong of heart to rely on, but they were nice every now and then.

He knocked on the mud-brick door of the hut, fingering a long knife and slipping on a set of brass knuckles. "Heyo. Anybody home?"

OoC: This is before Omagods, HH?

Bic: The shinobi stood on the tree branch of the large tree, towering high in the forest. He peered around at his surroundings with his fiery gaze, watching everything as it moved about. How pathetic life was, when one did not have a mind, a will, or even determination. The beings of this forest went about their lives as slaves, doing nothing but following instinct and being slaves to it. It sounded alot like the shinobi's of his village, the Hidden Leaf.

Those shinobi would follow their superiors' commands without hesitation, even if the result were their own death. The fools they were, to follow orders without thinking. Takeo was once like that, but he saw the cost of being powerful and being a slave as well. It seemed that that those with minds were the ones who went against nature, against society, and against others. Takeo was like that, and loved being called the Flame of Death by people. It instilled fear, terror, and even sorrow on those who'd heard of him.

He was like a being of mythology, something like the Pheonix. A creature with unsurpassing wisdom and intelligence, and was free. It was free to do whatever it wanted, and did not care about life, death, or even those around it. It was a wild being, untamable and powerful. Something that Takeo admired, and something that he compared himself to. He wondered if the creature actually existed, and had some sort of hope that it did. After all, Takeo's mind was not run purely on logic and instinct, but also on faith and belief in the unknown. He knew there were things out there he did not understand and things he would never be able to learn.

That only made the shinobi determined to continue his search for wisdom...knowledge...faith. But no matter how hard he tried to deny it, Takeo needed someone to help him. He never wanted to accept someone else's help, but he knew that he needed another being to aid him. Whether it be human, demon, or anything of any kind, Takeo did not care. He knew he needed someone, to be his friend.

The shinobi, distressed by his own thoughts, quickly jumped off the tree branch, and began moving through the forest canopy. He did not know where to go, or what to do. He wouldn't say he was lost, but he wouldn't say that he knew where he would go either. Takeo had no goals, except for searching for the Jewels of Nature. So far, he had located some of them, but finding them and getting them were two different things, and Takeo only succeeded in the former so far.

Then, as if by chance or fate, Takeo heard someone talking. He quickly followed the voice, and reached a small clearing. He noticed that two trees were burned completely, and saw a hut and tent. He also saw a man at the entrance of the hut, peering inside. A foolish thing to do, Takeo thought, since the man did not know who or what lived in this encampment. The shinobi, prepared to do anything and crouching there on the tree branch, performed a quick hand seal, and vanished completely from sight. He would wait for something to happen.

Alamis stood, staring straight up at the sky through a break in the canopy of the trees. His face was a mask of utter exasperation, and in his hand was a crumpled up map, in the other, a compass that didn’t seem to be working quite right. He took a deep breath and looked back down at the map and compass, trying to get his bearings.

It whizzed and the arrow spun alarmingly.

Gods, he thought irritably, did I really expect it to work this time – again? He couldn’t remember how many times he looked away and thought that maybe, just maybe, when he looked back at the compass, it would work properly. As a result of this, he was hopelessly lost. It should’ve just been a routine trip to another city, Tellen, for some more cash and capers. He’d done this sort of thing hundreds of times, and yet, he’d still messed up. Then again, Tellen was much further out of his usual territory than any other city, not to mention this blasted forest. He’d hoped that in such a remote society, he wouldn’t have to play the lying game so much about his identity.

Instead, he was surrounded on all sides by big trees, without any sense of direction. It acutely reminded Alamis why he was so fond of city life. He glanced at the whizzing compass again, shortly before tossing it into a bush. I’m not buying from that gnome again. he noted. Pulling out the map again, he sat down against a tree trunk and tried to get his bearings manually.

Which is a bloody pain in the arse.

Alamis was no ranger. In urban environments he was almost infallible at navigating, even without a map and only a couple nights’ worth of creeping about. He was a master at taking advantage of the complex stonework and alleys to make clean getaways and unexpected entries to places he shouldn’t be. But his knowledge of the forest was, in essence: a big area of land with lots of trees and animals.

Well, he decided, I’m sure not getting anywhere like this. So he got up, folded the map, and started walking forward. He had absolutely no idea where he was going. It wasn’t long, though, before he heard some odd sounds echoing through the forest. Some of them were simply twigs snapping, but others were more... well, they didn’t sound like something you would hear in a forest.

By Alamis’ amateur deduction, the sounds were coming from up ahead. Hmm, maybe my luck is looking up. But then he reached a clearing.

There was a tent, which wasn’t that big a deal. In fact, this might be good news because it could be a ranger’s tent. A ranger is most definitely what he needed right now. But he also saw a powerful-looking man, definitely over 6 feet, looking at the tent. And he had wings.

Wings quickly made a connection in his mind. Angel. There was nothing worse than that. A celestial would definitely see right through him and turn him to dust right there. However something was amiss. It seemed to Alamis that an angel would have an aura of some sort or something. I should probably be feeling guilty now or something, too. he thought sarcastically. Reluctant to walk boldly into a clearing with what might be a divine being, Alamis looked to the sky in thought. He was abruptly reminded that night was closing, and although he was practically nocturnal, he didn’t fancy the idea of being lost in a forest at night.

So he stood up, walked straight into the clearing, and gave the winged man a casual greeting.

“Hullo,” he said dryly, “how’s your nature walk?” He tried to act as if he didn’t even notice the wings.

OoC: Sorry for not posting sooner. I've been sick.

Bic:
“Where the hell am I?”

Lyra walking through the dark forest, a scowl plastered on her face. She fought against the branches that hung from the trees, and attacked bushes that got in her way. The Hylian’s messy auburn hair constantly fell in front of her eyes, adding to her frustration. She glared at the plant life around her, wishing she could burn it all so she would find her way out of the dreaded forest.

The young Hylian had been wandering around the forest for nearly a week, finding no exit from it. She had been walking around the dome when she had stumbled upon the door that lead to this world. She decided to stay, figuring it would be a fun little vacation from her training. Instead, she had found herself lost in the middle of an endless forest, surrounded by plants and animals that she had never seen before. She was unable to find any portals that would lead her back to the dome, so she was stuck in the forest.

Dammit! she silently cursed as she looked around.Why couldn’t I be near an ocean? I’m so sick of this forest! She kicked a tree, instantly regretting it as she felt her foot burst in pain. She let forth a string of curses, not caring if anyone-or anything- heard her. Once the pain had died down to a dull throb, she took off again, not wanting to stay in one place for long.

Although night had fallen, it was still warm in the forest. Sweat collected at Lyra’s forehead. She wiped at it, before pushing aside some more of her hair. Her sword was drawn, and she was ready to fight anything that would attack her. Her long ear twitched when she heard a few twigs snap. She spun around, instinctively getting into a defensive stance. Her eyes narrowed, she glanced around, looking for whatever it was that had caused the sound. When she saw nothing, she continued walking, although she stayed on guard. After all, her vision was far from excellent, so she could have missed whatever it was that had made the sound.

After a while, Lyra leaned against a tree and closed her eyes, resting for a moment. Having calmed down from before, she felt more tired than impatient. It was dark in the forest, and she couldn’t see well. She wanted to use her fire blade attack to light the way for her, but she knew it would just use up her energy. Besides, she didn’t want to set the forest on fire. The last thing she needed was to be responsible for being the cause of a forest fire.

The sound of someone talking caught Lyra’s attention. Oh Goddesses, I’m becoming insane from being in this forest for so long! she thought, hitting her head against the tree. However, the voices sounded too real to be a part of her imagination, and her ear was twitching. Opening her eyes, she listened to the voices, trying to find out which direction they were coming from. When she had figured out where they coming from, she began to walk towards them, being sure to be as quiet as she could. She would pause occasionally to be sure she was going in the right direction.

After a few minutes of doing this, she saw some figures up ahead, though they weren’t too clear, due to the Hylian’s bad vision. She silently crept forward, squinting her eyes in hopes of seeing better. She saw two men, one of whom had large wings emerging from his back. They were standing by a tent, and a strange building that seemed to be made out of the earth itself.

Lyra hid behind a tree as soon as she saw that. Who are these people? she asked herself as she quickly looked at them again.

OoC: Sorry people life and a general lack of creative juices have prevented me from posting sooner. And in a way, that reflects badly on me. I was the one who came up with the start to this rp in the first place! And if you're lucky, I may just throw in a few ideas I used in a version of this on another forum...

BiC: PF scowled, not only was it raining like crazy, he was now surrounded by a bunch of people. "Wonderful..." he muttered. "Excuse me for being rude, but who in the name of Zeus are you people anyways?" Everytime he ran into people he'd end up dealing with various odd things. Like ninjas, and golems, and people capturing phoenixes. He couldn't really remember how that ended though... And now, a bunch of people had just decided to show up, "If you want a good campsite, sorry, this one's taken already." he said gruffly, ignoring the fact that the blonde had clearly already set up himself a spot.

"Wow, somebody's Mr. Sunshine." the angel muttered, earning a glare from PF.

"Not that it's any of your concern, but I hate rain. It's a pain in every way possible, and it puts me in a bad mood." PF said simply. "That, and the fact there's someone hiding behind a tree over there." he said, pointing over his shoulder to where he sensed Lyra was hiding. "I don't like it when people decide they want to be sneaky. Usually ends up with them being dead." He knew he wasn't making a good first impression, and frankly, he found it was better that way. Kept people alive.

It's short, it's sweet. It gets the job done. So now Double H can stop bugging me

OoC: Stupid computer....I had something, and now I'm not feeling like writing too much. Take what you get.

On a side note, this should be interesting, PF.

BiC:

"Forest after forest! When will it ever stop?" The rain certainly didn't help out the boy's situation any more. Rex was hopelessly lost in this huge forest he'd been in for however many days. He'd lost count after one. "Just down the path, huh? Not only is it too far, there isn't even a path to go down!" He grumbled curses under his breath.

After a few more minutes of getting soaked, Rex plopped on the ground in exhaustion. He just couldn't catch a break. He'd been searching for months for any clue of his sister, but still he had found nothing. And now he was who knew where in a forest that stretched on for who knew how far. He held his face in his hands and sighed. Through the pitter-patter of the rain, the fire adept heard a familiar noise. The sound of a fireball hitting a tree.

Rex jumped up and sprinted towards the sound. It wasn't too far off, but it took a while for him to get there through the pathless woods. Branches slapped his face with a wet thwap while the roots of these behemoths threatened to trip him with a single false step.

"Is anyone over he-" He was interrupted by his descent to the ground. Falling face first, he rolled into the clearing and sat up groggily. "Is anyone here?" he asked again in a weak voice. Finally his head cleared and he gathered his surroundings. It was a hilltop with a quaint tent and some rock formation atop it. In the center was a blonde man and...PF?!

"PF?! Is that you?"

Lhaeo stuck his head out of the low doorway, pushing his floppy hat up with one gloved hand. The Elemental Master grinned cheerfully as he looked the winged man and warrior up and down, each eyeing the other cautiously. The winged man’s figure was hidden mostly by a long, black trench coat, the tail end of which almost swept along the ground. A pair of feathery white wings stuck out of the back of the coat, fluttering in anticipation as he examined the three warriors around himself carefully. The other man, clad in common traveling garb—although several slight bulges beneath the exterior clothing hinted at a variety of hidden weapons—seemed even more cautious, one hand fingering an inconspicuous knife at his belt.

“Well, hello there!” Lhaeo greeted the pair cheerfully. All three heads immediately swiveled to look at the man. “Well, I must say, there are far more people here than I would have expected to find in a place like this!” The god’s eyes turned upward momentarily, the traveler obviously thinking. “Oh, yes, that reminds me. I was just about to prepare dinner. Care to join me?”

The three men—warriors all—looked at the blonde-haired man incredulity. Invitation to dinner in an earth hut that had popped up from the ground moments before, in the middle of a forest that seemingly had no end, was obviously not what they had expected. Lhaeo, not bothering to wait for any sort of a reply, ducked out from under the doorway and promptly plopped to the ground, leaning against his new stone hut and placing his hands on the ground at either side.

“Of course, that woman you mentioned a moment ago,” He said, turned to face Phoenix Fire, whom had come fully out of his tent and placed a hand on the hilt of his sword as casually as he could. Lhaeo smiled disarmingly—which seemed to have somewhat the intended effect, throwing the other three off their guards—and turned towards the direction PF had indicated. He couldn’t see the woman with normal vision, shrouded by the trees as she was, but he was sensing her through the earth. He could see her clearly in his mind’s eye, huddled behind a tree, obviously at a loss as what to do.

“You might as well come out.” He called, making up her mind for her. “You’d probably be safer over here with us than over by that man in the tree above you.” Phoenix, Alamis, and Kellson swiveled simultaneously to peer into the trees, their eyes scouring the line of leaves. A call from the opposite direction dragged the four’s attention away as a brown-haired man in light blue armor slowly made his way up the hill. Phoenix Fire apparently recognized the man, his eyes brightening at the sight of a well-known face.

Lhaeo stood up, breaking his connection with the earth. The other two figures were reluctantly breaking off from the line of trees and were making their way towards the top of the hill, the man and woman eyeing each other cautiously. The final three joined the four atop the hill, forming a large circle. Each looked nervously from one face to the next, Lhaeo’s probably the only one cheerful.

“Well, well,” He said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. “This is a surprise. Who would have thought that all of us would gather in this exact spot, at this exact time?” Despite the fact that every single one of them was thinking the same thing, the spoken words were shocking to the ear. “Indeed, if I had not been sold before, I would be now.” Lhaeo continued. “This forest, or something in or around it, are most certainly not normal.” Six stricken faces looked around ominously, as if they were expecting some foreboding or celestial occurrence.

“Well, who’s hungry?” Lhaeo asked anticlimactically, ducking back into his stone hut to rummage through his packs. A vortex drawing everything towards it, huh? Indeed.

OoC: Wow, this took longer than expected. Seven or so characters are hard to keep track of >_>

IC: "I don't eat," Kellson said. "Not much, anyway. But I'll come in, if you don't mind." Maybe the kid was right. Half a dozen people, plus himself, didn't randomly meet in the middle of the huge forest...especially not if they were all warriors. And they were all warriors. Kellson could see it in the way they stood, how they held themselves. One of them, though, was slightly different. He was masking his emotions, Kellson knew. As one who often hid certain emotions himself, he recognized it, and wouldn’t be surprised if the man in question, several inches shorter and with black hair, could tell the same about him. It wouldn’t be very surprising. Looking closer, he could see small bulges in the clothing, barely detectable in the rain…but slightly weapon-shaped, nevertheless. Several of the others didn’t even try to conceal weapons, like Kellson. They had swords on their backs, for God’s sake. Of course, Kellson had a crossbow slung across his shoulders, but that was all that was visible.

I'm no warrior. I'm a brawler, which is why I’ve got knives in a bandolier and a ring of brass on my knuckles, his conscience said. True, that.

"Super," the enhatted one said. "I'm Lhaeo."

"Kellson," Kellson replied. His hand quickly slipped back into his pocket before coming out, this time without the brass knuckles, to shake the man's hand. The handshake didn't give away much about him other than he was genuinely enthused about meeting the demi-angel.

"And why don't you all come inside? Out of the rain?" Lhaeo asked.

They did, filing in single file as Lhaeo enlarged the dome to accommodate. By now the rain was pouring down through the trees, forming slippery puddles. The elf-girl slipped going into the hut. Kellson held out a hand to steady her, but she slapped it away testily. "Well, sorry," he muttered, banishing his black wings away so he would fit into the room.

Against all expectations, the dome was dry and comfortable. There was nothing in it but Lhaeo’s things and themselves. There was an uncomfortable silence only broken by Lhaeo rummaging through his packs. He produced some bread and tossed them into the center of the rough circle of people.

“So,” he said merrily, “what are your stories?”

Ooc: Wait, was I supposed to go next? Oh jeez, this is late then. :embrsd:

Bic: Takeo sat there, watching those around him carefully. The shinobi knew that he could never be too careful, so he decided to watch them closely. All of them were warriors of some kind, and Takeo knew that getting into a fight now would mean certain death. Unless, he attacked first...

"I'm a shinobi, and I don't like to share much information about myself." replied Takeo plainly. "But, I can share that I was betrayed by my comrades a few years ago, and nearly killed by those I had been working for my entire life."

Takeo knew that this would be probably the most he would speak about himself the whole night, only giving small hints about his true intentions. He needed to see if these people were trustworthy, or even foolish enough to consider him a "friend". After all, the manipulation game was his favorite, even when it included having people become pawns in his plan to get revenge.

The shinobi looked at the others, waiting for another to speak up. He wanted to hear if these people were as easy as they seemed...

Ooc: Kinda short, sorry about that.

"I'm a shinobi, and I don't like to share much information about myself." replied Takeo plainly. "But, I can share that I was betrayed by my comrades a few years ago, and nearly killed by those I had been working for my entire life."

Great, Alamis thought, another rogue. Just what I needed. Perhaps ironically, Alamis hated people like himself; they tended to know what he was up to. Realistically, however, bluffing would be impossible even without the “shinobi” around. In some twisted spin of fate, Alamis had ended up in a strange coincidental gathering in the middle of nowhere, which happened to sport multiple celestials. He’d have to play his cards well. Maybe I’m paranoid, he mused, and this was perhaps the case, he hadn’t gotten any probing looks from anyone yet. Maybe not...

“I’m Alamis,” he spoke flatly, “I am a traveling bounty hunter, though I’ve got no contracts at the moment. Which is why I began trekking through this bloody forest in the first place – to find another town. But along the way I, er... seem to have gotten lost.” He put on a little show of looking rather abashed. “No rush, though. Perhaps I can help you fellows out with whatever you’re all doing here ‘till I find my way.”

Alamis scanned everyone’s faces subtly. Everyone seemed to be nodding amiably, and he was satisfied. Now he was covered and perhaps had a chance to make a profit by helping one of them out. He turned to the next person in the circle, grinning inwardly.

OoC: Sorry for not posting sooner. End of the semester projects and faulty internet have destoryed my chances of posting my reply.

BiC:
Lyra wrung out the water from her hair as she listened to everyone’s introductions. The one who had invited them all in was named Lhaeo. The man who had offered her help-which she turned down-was Kellson, and he was the man with the wings. The young man who was discovered to be hiding in the tree above her was some kid who didn’t say his name but said he was a Shinobi. What the hell is a Shinobi? she asked herself as she raised an eyebrow at him. Shrugging, she turned her attention to the next person in line, a man with black hair and blue eyes. He said that his name was Alamis, and he was a bounty hunter.

Is this jus coincidence that we’re all here at the same time? she wondered. After all, what are the chances of seven people meeting up at the same clearing?

Realizing she was next in line and everyone was staring at her, waiting for an introduction, she snapped out of her thoughts. “I’m Lyra,” she told the others. “I somehow got stuck in this forest and have no idea where the hell this place is.” She shrugged. “I might have gotten a bit lost, but that’s nothing serious. Life is always more interesting when challenges are thrown at you.”

Grinning, she rested her arms on her crossed legs. She glanced at all of the travelers around her, waiting for the next one to introduce himself. She grabbed some of the bread that Lhaeo had tossed in the center of their circle-like formation and took a bite of it.

OoC: IT'S HERE! I guess.

BiC:

A bounty hunter, some random girl, a...shinobi?...some angel, PF, and some guy who was way to excited about everything. Lhaeo's his name. He sorta reminds me of...well...me! Rex's thoughts continued trailing off until someone cleared their throat, bringing him back to attention. Everyone was staring.

"I didn't say that out loud, did I?" Everyone continued staring, now with strange looks on their faces. "Oh, I didn't. Then why is everyone staring?"

"It's your turn," Lhaeo said. He seemed to be directing the events.

"Oh, right! Sorry about that. My name's Rex. I'm just travelling to find my sister. I was directed down into this forest from some guy in a bar. In retrospect, the bar probably wasn't the best place to get directions. But you all know how things are." He looked around yet no one uttered a word. "Right. Anyway, so I was directed down a path that didn't exist and I've been wandering around here for days." He took a bite of the bread and swallowed. "And I must thank you for your hospitality. It's the best thing that's happened to me since I've been in this forest."

He happily looked at PF, who didn't appear to want to say anything. Taking the helm, he spoke up for him.

"This is PF. He's not that fond of me since I have a fling with his apprentice." PF stared daggers at him. "And I don't think he likes that, so I'll shut up now." With that, he stuffed another small shard of bread into his mouth.

Maybe I shouldn't have been so open....These people don't seem all that friendly. Especially judging by those introductions. Well it's too late now! He smiled inward and outward, and looked at Lhaeo for what to do next.

“My turn, then?” Lhaeo asked, twirling a hunk of bread between his fingers. “Alright then. The name’s Lhaeo. I’m a priest. Or, a warrior priest might be more accurate, although I’m not exactly your armored, bulked-up fighter.” The blonde-haired man popped the chunk of white bread into his mouth, reaching up with his other hand at the same time to pull of his hat, revealing two long, pointed ears. “As for my reason to be wandering around aimlessly in this gods-forsaken jungle-of-hell, well,” The Elemental Master paused, wondering just how much to tell these strangers. “Call it part of my priestly duties.” He finished cryptically.

Silence fell over the gathered as the man finished, the only sound being the rhythmic drumming of the rain outside and the crackles and pops of Lhaeo’s summoned fire. Tension filled the air, everyone looking from one person to the next. Coughing to gain the group’s attention, Lhaeo ran a hand through his hair.

“Well, it’s getting kinda late, and I for one would like to head to bed. So, if you don’t mind . . . ” As he finished, the young god placed both hands out to either side. The walls of the dome expanded, squaring out as they raced away from the group on two sides. The newly crumbled earth left in the wake of the moving walls rose up to join them, expanding them even more. Dropping his hands, Lhaeo looked left and right, examining his work. “Alright, that ought to do. Everyone, please space yourselves out along the corridor.”

No one moved. Lhaeo coughed, nudging Rex, who seemed the friendliest of the group. Shrugging, the armored man stood up and strode away from the group, dropping back down into a cross-legged position ten feet away. Nodding in satisfaction, Lhaeo turned to Lyra. Shrugging in the same manner as Rex had, the woman stood up and walked away, placing herself the same distance away on the opposite side. With that, the rest of the group resigned themselves, taking their places at even intervals along either way. Once everyone was in place, he clicked his fingers, a small fire leaping into existence before each person. A second movement rose earthen beds out of the ground behind each person, curved in the manner of a lounging couch.

“Right!” Lhaeo said, rubbing his hands together. “Well, everyone, goodnight! See you in the morning!” Holding each hand out to either side, the Elemental Master waited for everyone to mutter some manner of good night. He flicked his hand upward towards one side, an earth wall rising up from the ground between Alamis and PhoenixFire, who stood the farthest away to the right side. Another movement of his hand brought forth a wall between PhoenixFire and Lyra. One at a time, the God of Elements separated each person into their own room, until he was left alone in the original chamber. Sighing, he turned on his heel, dropping down on his own earthen couch. The young god let the play of firelight on the rock and dirt walls lull him to sleep, his cloak-like coat pulled tight around him.

OoC: Not very good, I know, but I need to find out what's up with Popcorn and OND before we can get much further.

Toss and turn, toss and turn.

Screw it. Sleep is for suckers, anyways.

Kellson dropped the amulet back over his neck. Old habits, sleeping foremost among them, died hard. He stood up, slammed his head on the low ceiling, and fell back down again, swearing.

"Shut up," someone hissed in another room. Kellson made a rude gesture and muttered, "It's not my fault you're all so short."

Crouching, he crept out of his room and out the door, back into the rain. The regicide left his hood lowered, letting the rain slam down in sheets onto his face. He ignored it completely.

Of all the events where Kellson had thought sardonically , "Great, this is just what I need now," this one took the cake. The moment he tried to have some quiet meditation, sprinting across hundreds of miles without breaking a sweat, he ran into half a dozen shmucks in the middle of bloody nowhere who all seemed to be lost without a map.

Now that he thought about it, Kellson remembered that he remained the only person not to have spilled his guts, or given a lame, cryptic excuse for spilling his guts, out of the seven of them. Ha! Take that, you losers.

Gingerly, he tested the roof of the hut. Seemed sturdy enough. He heaved himself onto it and laid back with a thump, closing his eyes as the rain beat down. Someone had probably been woken up again. Kellson decided that if they didn't like it, they could just go suck an egg.

I could just bail. Scram. Vamoose. Run away before someone gets to talkative and I have to beat someone down. I could...

Yeah. Keep running from your problems. He shook his head. That was enough of that, thanks very much.

Tapping an erratic beat on the earthen roof with two fingers, he hummed to himself and decided that, even if he couldn't sleep, he could still sit there and relax. He had all the time in the world.