The Pinnacle

[Moongaze]

"I don't have time for explanations!  If you're not with me and you're not against me, then you are nothing but a pest merely standing in my way!  I sense the heart of a warrior in you...  But you are proving to be an arrogant one at best!"

I turned and approached the seemingly wounded fox.  I pulled away my cloak and opened a pouch secured to my waist.  I reached in and grabbed a violet herb and focused spirit magic from the void turning it dry and deep red.  I crushed it in my hands and applied it underneath his bandages.

"This will sting..." I said,  "But the result will be relief from your wounds"

Helping him to his feet I turned back to the other, staring baffled.  I stood sternly and said,

"Surely there are more trying matters you wish to concern yourself with.  If that is how you feel I will not change you.  I cannot afford to waste anymore time standing here."

Securing the fox I had just helped, I walk him in my direction until the herb takes full effect and he can walk on his own.

"I sensed a powerful corruption from your wounds...  You must tell me who you are and how you ended up where you were..."

[Ho'ne Diheart]

"Kill him? You banished him, why kill him?" Rook asked. "Because he is the only one that can stop me, I want him gone." "But where can I find him? He been missing for awhile!" "NOT. MY. PROBLEM. Go now!" Hadgar commanded.  "But I don't know to fight or kill anyone!" "Don't worry, he knows" "What do you mean He?" Hadgar started to chuckle "You'll know....soon". Hadgar laughed.

[Bronze]

I didn't like this one.  The way he dealt with matters seemed like he was setting a trap.  He swatted away my questions like an annoying bug.  I began to walk with them, maybe I could at least get answers later, if I decided I didn't like them I could always leave.  For now I had nothing to loose.  I followed them closely behind, but I didn't say anything.  I would question him later, and maybe figure out his name.

[Cyan]

I tried to back up, but the fox got to me before I could. I winced; keeping the noises inside. "Thanks.." I said as I walked beside him. I didn't know about the other fox. "I am... Wraak Vlam..." He said the name almost in shame. "I'm a alchemist.. And got my wound from a hunter. I dunno who he was, but he had attempted to kill me, so I killed him.. I am from a golden jackal tribe in Africa, but I was banished when I failed the physical challenge." My ears sunk. I didn't know why I was opening up to him.

[Moongaze]

With two new allies I felt it necessary to stop briefly and explain things in greater detail.

"We can stop here for a moment, it should be safe."

I turned facing both of my new allies.  I didn't want to keep them in the state they were in...  They seemed confused, I'm not even sure if they could put their trust in me.

I thank both of you for following me...  I would like to take this brief moment to apologize for earlier, and explain things to you in greater detail.  I can still explain things along the way...  But for now I will explain to both of you the bigger picture.

Drawing memory I clench my fists.  I look at the two standing before me,

"My name is Drakus Moongaze.  I was once a powerful cleric in the high council of the Shadowbind.  My ties to the Earth Spiritress and the spirit realm helped keep the natural balance in check.  A random chain of events and a cold blooded tyrant quickly changed everything.  This tyrant of which I speak of is Hadgar Duskbringer.  He solely took charge as high shaman, and banished anyone who thought otherwise under threat of death.  My affiliation is with Torian Whisperwind.  I refused to obey any command because I sensed something was amiss.  Others were either too cowardly to stand up, or are willing to follow any figure of power.  Subsequently, the entire tribe warmed up to the new high shaman because he promised something greater than any of their lives.  I don't know why he's doing this...  But he is making preparations to channel a dark spell that will shake everything to the core.  He wants unlimited power...  But what he is aiming for is total destruction."  

The skies grew thicker, a few clouds rolled in.  The breeze blew cooler than before.  I stood their and paused for a moment thinking about the void...  It beckoned to pull me in...  Perhaps a close by spirit is willing to lend assistance...  Usually they walk haunted paths and wail in misery...  Thinking back on the subject I looked back and continued my explanation,

"The only way I can put an end to this is to find Torian Whisperwind.  He is our only hope because he carries the life-binders stone on his staff.  When channeled it interrupts and disables any dark magic completely.  I'm not sure why Duskbringer didn't order it to be destroyed...  Perhaps he is a fool or just didn't want to damage his image by killing Torian himself...  Regardless, we must carry onwards.  The only way we can continue is if we reach the Oak of the Shadowbind.  From there I can allow the spirit void to take me to The Pinnacle and I can communicate with the Earth Spiritress.  She knows all of the land, and all of it's inhabitants.

Dark clouds began to form overhead.  It looked like rain...  Just what we needed, but I wasn't about to let that jeopardize a days travel.  Beside, a little rain never killed anyone anyways...

"If we travel far enough today we can reach the the sacred oak early tomorrow.  I'm following a trail of trees engraved with the symbol of the Earth Spirtress.  They lead a distorted path to keep intruders from finding it's where abouts.  This what will take the most time.  I believe I've gone on long enough...  Let us continue."

[Cyan]

I listened almost to every detail; however, when I thought I saw something from the far corner of my eye and felt an anthropomorphic shaped disposition in the atoms, I spun around forty-five degrees. I saw nobody, and slipped on the now-wet grass. I fell onto my rear, getting grass stains on my cloak and jeans I knew I wouldn't get out with an "ungh." I began to get up, seeing a shape from the far corner again.

[Ho'ne Diheart]

As Rook left the estate, without knowing where to find Torian. "I knew I should of listen to my mother and went for a miner like my father, but NO I had to be a traveler that brought culture and people together. Sigh And look what it brought me.....Being attacked by a dog,  forced to find a man that has been disappeared for quite some time and possibly followed by a man that I don't know or maybe won't see.....My life sucks!" Soon the beast primal instinct kicked in. Rook sniffed the air, then got on his all fours. Catching a sent he never smelled before. What the hell I am doing? He thought as he continued to smell the air. Before he caught the sent, it started to pour. "Aw great! It started to rain! And I am doing something freaky with my nose! Could this day could get any worse?!" Rook continued forward, not knowing where he is going but went with his gut. He notice a group of people. His primal instinct  kicked in once more telling him to follow them.

[Bronze]

I gazed to the darkening skies, grim faced.  If it rained now, that pretty much made a fire tonight nothing but a wish.  Who I now knew as Drakus had explained to me -- and a rather strange fox called Cyan -- what was really going on.  I'm not sure if I believed him, but I'd be a fool not to go along with it for now, to much was at stake.  Knowing that he had been a powerful Cleric in the shadowbind sure added to my lack of faith though.  I'd never been a believer in gods and spirits... so I didn't by this earth spiritress stuff, but I decided I'd live with it for now.
"You have a companion in me then.  I'd rather die for something worth while than let it happen in front of my eyes." I told them, uncrossing my arms.  "I shall protect you to the last.  As long as you promise me to stop it."

[Moongaze]

"Very good then." I said continuing onward, giving a gesture for my new allies to continue as well.  The rain began pouring from the skies above, but I refused to slow down.  I pulled the hood to my cloak up and looked back to check on the other two, and to check to make sure we weren't being followed.

In the distance a head I found what I was looking for.  I moved ahead towards the first mark.  I waved my hand over it and my soul was torn between both dimensions of life and spirit and I was instantly cast into the void.  In the transient state I was of no mortal use.  My soul was trapped within the spirit realm until I channeled out.

I looked around...  The forest looked the same...  Only with a pale grey mist.  I turned to to my right and saw a beacon in the distance.  That was it.  That was where to find the next mark.  I began channeling myself out of the void to announce to the others that we must continue due east.  But I was interrupted...  I heard a voice, "Great..."  I thought, "I've taken too much time and now a spirit has become aware of my presence."  There was nothing I could do but speak with it, or listen to it wail until it leaves.  I turned and saw it.  It wasn't speaking, it wasn't wailing, it was pointing at something...  What it was I'm not sure.  The spirit was pointing at the tree immediately adjacent to the marked one.  I didn't understand...  Next it started making a dig motion...  This made more sense, but I didn't know what to think.  What could be buried around here?  I wasn't aware of any trinkets, or ritual items out here this far.  The spirit had grown agitated of my presence and let out a shriek that would destroy any mortal outside this realm.  It turned and moved away slowly.

I channeled myself yet again out of the void.  This time, my attempt proved to be successful.  Upon rejoining my soul with my body I looked up to see two very panicked foxes.  I chuckled,

"Neither of you would last a second where I was...  It takes years of discipline and attunement."  I said getting up and moving to inspect the area that the spirit was pointing to.

"We're continuing due east, that's where the next mark is."

I dug around the tree carefully.  If something was in there I wasn't going to risk damaging it.  

"I'll be damned..." I said in disbelief.  I pulled an object from the ground and brushed it off carefully.  I sat for a moment not believing my eyes.

[Bronze]

Drakus was still giving me the creeps.  Along our path he suddenly stopped and started moving his hands in a mystical pattern, over a tree.  It would have looked like he was caressing it if you weren't looking closely.  His body went still momentarily -- as if frozen in time -- before he began rotating...  His eyes were dark and cloudy.  I'd seen my share of strange things before, but this took the grand prize.  Shortly, they returned to normal.

 "Neither of you would last a second where I was.  It takes years of discipline and attunement." He said and began inspecting the base of a nearby tree. 
"We're continuing due east, that's where the next mark is."  He began digging up the base of the tree gently...  He muttered something under his breath, something I couldn't hear.  In his hands he held something I small.  I was to far away to see what it was, but he seemed to be very interested in his findings...

[Cyan]

When I looked, I saw it was a chipmonk and laughed at my own mix of paranoia and stupidity; perhaps it was just a JACKAL instinct. It wasn't long before I watched the fox called Drakus move iractically and gulped loudly. I began forward, reaching out to poke him as he shifted to normal and I jumped back with an eep, hiding my eyes with my tail. After he spoke, I moved it and blushed brightly. Then he dug something from the ground and I stepped forward curiously. "What'd you find?"

Post Merge: April 24, 2010, 12:30:03 AMWhen I looked, I saw it was a chipmonk and laughed at my own mix of paranoia and stupidity; perhaps it was just a JACKAL instinct. It wasn't long before I watched the fox called Drakus move iractically and gulped loudly. I began forward, reaching out to poke him as he shifted to normal and I jumped back with an eep, hiding my eyes with my tail. After he spoke, I moved it and blushed brightly. Then he dug something from the ground and I stepped forward curiously. "What'd you find?"

[Moongaze]

I stood up and turned around as I clenched a necklace in my fist.  The elements hadn't gotten to it suggesting that it hadn't been there long.  Attached to the necklace was a trinket of some kind.  Upon closer inspection I noticed markings...

This bares the marking of Torian Whisperwind...  I don't believe this. I said in shock.  I don't know if this is a good sign, or a bad one...  We must hurry.

I wore the trinket around my neck and turned to press onward.

Let's get moving to the next mark.  We can rest after we learn where to go next.

[Bronze]

I didn't understand what Drakus meant by saying he didn't know if the trinket was a good or a bad sign, but either way, it worried me.  Things were progressing very fast and we'd already covered a large distance.  All I wanted right now was to get to the next marker so that we could rest for the night.

[Cyan]

I almost yawned. The small burst of adrenaline that had numbed my hunger and thirst was gone. My stomach growled a bit, but I held it in. I looked to the others; one fox tired, the other pushing. I guess it'd be safe to say I was the weakest of us three in hand-to-hand. 'Course, I wasn't gonna say it, but my outside appearance gave it away. I followed Drakus and kept a neutral expression, even though the rain and wind were chilling me.

[Ho'ne Diheart]

When I looked, I saw it was a chipmonk and laughed at my own mix of paranoia and stupidity; perhaps it was just a JACKAL instinct. It wasn't long before I watched the fox called Drakus move iractically and gulped loudly. I began forward, reaching out to poke him as he shifted to normal and I jumped back with an eep, hiding my eyes with my tail. After he spoke, I moved it and blushed brightly. Then he dug something from the ground and I stepped forward curiously. "What'd you find?"

Rook hid Thank god that chipmunk came along but he had a feeling of dissatisfaction in him. As if though something inside of him wasn't pleased. Rook continued to follow them.