The Coming Catastrophe: The Search For The Guardians.(We were a bunch of idiots!

[Romulan_Furry]

*** Camp Site ***

Viktor sat sharpening the blade of one of his katanas, waiting for Atauri to emerge.

*** Dreamscape ***

"I'm certain you've realized, by now - Viktor is not what he appears on the surface," Vulkest told Atauri. "The eyes are a dead giveaway of his... starborne origins. Or perhaps you've seen glimpses of his memory that hint at what he is? His eyes, his voice... his wings."

[XIII]

*** Dreamscape ***

"I do. Viktor has revealed his identity back in the city where we fought together. And I'm surprised how we had met, considering how weird my job is. I know him from inside. But he's not familiar too much with me. And I hope Viktor will aware of it before it would be too late. But why did you ask, lord Guardian?". The elf said with bowed head, raising it in the end. Hell wants her soul for three centuries already, and they will do everything to get it. And this was her primary concern. Among all this in the world, Atauri's soul is the thing that is highly wanted by Belial, the highest demon lord. The sorceress was in charge of killing his servants and abominations. Darnassus' priestess only hoped that she would able to help Guardians return back before Atauri might be forever prisoned in Hell.

[Rayleonarde]

*The Forest*
Ray took a big step back, but as he drew back his other foot, his heel connected with a treacherous root and sent the small raccoon to the ground with a yelp. His eyes were wide and tearful with fear. “I-I...s-she...w-we...u-umm. S-She found m-me in t-t-town. I d-don’t know that m-much.” He tried to scoot back farther, but succeeded only in snarling the scabbard and strap of his sword in the roots. With no clear way out, Ray merely curled up and closed his eyes, bracing for the worst.

[Tristan Foxalot]

*** In the forests ***

Seeing Ray's reaction of him, Tristan sighs and steps toward the small one, kneeling down at Ray's side and putting his gauntletted hand on the boy's shoulder. "Ray, you have nothing to fear from me. In truth, you are perhaps safest with me than you are with anyone else. But Spyra... she was able to create life, a power only reserved for beings akin to the Gods. And the Gods are never to be trusted." Tristan says, his voice gentler this time, though still serious, "For some reason, Spyra has taken an interest in you. A small boy. And in my experience, beings with that kind of power taking an interest in children, such things never end well. Not for the children, at least. It does not surprise me that you knew nothing. Such creatures are never honest, never tell the whole truth."

Tristan, with that said, helps Ray unsnarl himself and helps him return to his feet. "We still have a deer to hunt, for you still need to eat, but when the hunt is over and we return to camp, I will need to confront Spyra." Tristan tell him, "I will need you to stay away from her, and close to me. She could use you, hurt you, to protect herself. Stay with me, do not let her touch you, and do not listen to her lies. I can protect myself from her kind and her tricks, but you cannot. You will have to trust me. Understood?"

[Alessia Starfurr]

Spyra awoke back in the forest, her full wolf body still hidden under the brown cloak she wore, she looked around and didn't spot Ray, she hadn't been able to see very well as a spirit and thus didn't know where Ray had gone especially after she had  gone back to her body, she looked around the camp calling out for Ray.

[Romulan_Furry]

*** Camp Site ***

"Looking for something?" Viktor asked Spyra.

*** Dreamscape ***

"You mean, he's not aware of what he is?" Vulkest asked. "Hm. Strange. Then again, I imagine the damage the Lich King did to his mind when he turned Viktor to a Death Knight has had its toll over the years. Still - give me your hand; I will send you back with something that should... spark his memory. Maybe remind him of his star-borne origins. Simply join with his mind when you have time, and he will remember. And do not forget - I am waiting. But I cannot wait forever. The safety of my son is my top priority."

[XIII]

*** Dreamscape ***

"I do. Maybe not entirely yet, but for me, Viktor is like a book, an old and good one. And I love to read a lot. However, he's not aware of who am I deeply inside. And this what I'm afraid the most.". Atauri said, extending her hand to Vulkest. Indeed, the number of books the elf read to her job is incredible. Most of which are on languages that almost no one speaks anymore in fear of the past. If only Vulkest could know what are those tomes the sorceress had read. Mayhaps, the Guardian would take a look at the she-wizard differently.

[Rayleonarde]

*The Forest*
Ray stared at Tristan, trying to detect any sort of falsehood. He couldn’t, and so nodded. Tristan seemed better experienced with magical beings, the young lad thought. Witches used magic to lure children away. Was Spyra looking only to gobble him up? Ray stood, quaking with fear. “I-Is she a witch?” He whispered, tightening his grip on the crossbow. His ear twitched. Spyra was calling for him. The raccoon shuffled quickly around Tristan, keeping the knight between him and the campsite.
Part of Ray, coerced by Tristan’s authority, believed the fox wholeheartedly. But, another part believed Spyra was as good as she said. Ray’s confidence swayed between the two thoughts, unsure of what to think.

[Romulan_Furry]

*** Dreamscape ***

"If Viktor is everything you believe him to be, he will understand, should he come across what you hide. You understood him. And knowing... Tricky Vik... he'll understand you. Trust me." He put a claw in Atauri's hand, and she would see a memory flash before her eyes - a Tyheir woman, with piercing blue eyes and clearly considerable age. Some of her features resembled Viktor in some way, and it wouldn't take a genius for Atauri to figure out this was someone related to Viktor. She seemed sad, tears in her eyes, and she approached "Viktor".

"Always remember, Viktor... you are always welcome back home," was all she said. The memory would end, and Atauri may find herself back in the real world, but Vulkest would leave her with one last message: Gather your crew, get to my lair. But hurry. We're running out of time. Viktor and Spyra will know the way. Now, you must excuse me - I must find a way to explain to my son that his mother is alive and coming here.

[Tristan Foxalot]

"She is something so much worse than a witch." Tristan said, before his ears twitch at the same time as Ray's, looking back to listen to Spyra's calls, and the knight sighs before turning back to Ray, "The creature is awake and looking for you. Our hunt will have to wait for another time. Remember what I said, Ray. Stay with me from now on, always. I will protect you, and she cannot overcome me."

With that said, Tristan pulls his hand away from Ray's shoulder and rises, looking to Ray and giving him a slight smile. "Come, we must face her now." Tristan says, "Remember, stay close to me."

Precisely what kind of creature he was dealing with confused him. She could not be a servant of the Divine or the Defiler; a servant of the Divine would never entice the Defiler to torment another, nor would a servant of the Defiler be granted the power to create life. Spyra had to be a foreign God, or a very powerful servant to a foreign God to wield that kind of power. Being able to create life is not a gift easily given away to one's followers, even for the Divine only the Paragon would have the power to bring life inside existence by way of miracle, and then it is a taxing act to perform. Spyra brought life into the world without effort.

Whatever she was, God or servant, she was beyond powerful. But a God always protects their servants from the powers of other Gods, and none despise the influence of other Gods like the Divine and Defiler. No God, no matter how powerful, can touch Tristan in any way, not by spell and not by physical proximity. It is the inherent protection of his baptism, one that is everlasting, for such is the grasping jealousy of his Gods. It is why he has such confidence in the face of such a creature like Spyra, where all others might flee in terror of the unconquerable might she so brazenly wields.

As Tristan and Ray find their way back to camp, Spyra is discovered all too quickly, Tristan frowning at her and approaching her as he draws his sword, ensuring that Ray is kept close and behind him.

"Interesting displays of magic you have, Spyra. Creating life from nothing. Projecting your own likeness across great distances, and bearing witness to events where you are not physically present." Tristan says, glowering at the wolf, "Such is the power of the Gods, creature. You are not mortal, that is for damn sure. What manner of deity are you, creature? To walk among mortals and pretend to be like us, to prey on small children to steal them away into the wilderness."

[Alessia Starfurr]

"Your one to talk. Your kind has doomed this world I did not create life I simply swapped the places of one wounded Doe with another, and I do not prey on children! I saved Ray from a life of slavery, a life of misery, his family was gone. I was hoping to return his former family ,I see you'd rather that not happen don't think I don't know what your doing, your very actions betray your thoughts. What you know of magic gods and dieties is but a blade of grass to what I understand, and weather you survive this night or not I will take the boy as my own until I can see to it that he finds a family or has his restored." Spyra growled at Tristan "We don't have time for conflict, we must move."Spyra said walking away leaving Ray and Tristain to decide their own fate, just as she had before.

[Rayleonarde]

Ray looked first at Spyra as she walked away, then turned to look at Tristan, studying the fox’s face for unspoken answers to silent questions. He held Tristan’s cloak nervously in his fist. This talk of Gods and Godlike power confused the young raccoon. His father had been so adamant, zealous even, that Mother Gaia, the Earth Mother, was the only goddess. Magic, unless a gift from Gaia herself, was evil and a curse. Ray’s mother was given the gift, so his father said.
“M-Mother Gaia is the only goddess,” Ray stammered, sounding more as a question than statement. Ray believed that the faith and worship his father preached was the norm, but in fact the Blackburns were the only practitioners for miles, if the sole known worshippers. Ray’s expression shifted from investigative to a sort of cry for normalcy. The young raccoon wanted to be told his beliefs were right, or be given a new belief to adhere to. “S-She i-is the Goddess, r-right s-sir Tristan?”

[XIII]

Atauri has returned to the real world with a shaken mind. Was she just saw Viktors' mother?  The scene was so real that the elf was afraid to stay there forever. And who knows how then Atauri might get the return back to this realm. It's still a new ability for the female elf. The more times she uses it, the more she was risking never to return. Anyhow, the intrusion into Viktor's mind was a worthy affair. One day she will know the Death Knight as she knows herself. Also, Vulkest is right - Atauri needs to tell her lovely wolf about her real identity. Maybe even her past. So when demons come after Atauri's soul, he won't be too much surprised. And sorceress was confident - Viktor will understand the she-wizard problem as the Guardian pronounced such words.

The sharp-eared remained in the same position for a couple of moments, making Viktor probably could be worrying about what went wrong. But then elf' ears have caught Tristan's speech. She didn't like it and wanted to talk at first merely. But then the tod has shown his sword. It was his mistake as Atauri has evaluated it not just as a threat to Spyra, but as a possible danger for Viktor as well. Too bad for the fox, that his actions triggered the darkest side of the sorceress soul. And the elf was ain't sinless. Knowing how valuable both Guardians are, the she-elementalist didn't hesitate with the reaction. For centuries she was fighting with creatures like Tristan, and even worse. Therefore dealing with Tristan wasn't a too big issue for her. Viktor also could become Atauri's victim, should he not revealed who's he's inside. But the wolf did, hence the elf trusted him. Now, then and forever. But Tristan was too much suspicious from the beginning of the journey. So for the sorceress, the knight is like a yet another demon, deserved to be sent back to Hell.

"So, sir fox. Let me ask you a couple of things before I'll turn you into a living torch. Or rather a burning furball like I did with people similar to you. I guess it would look funny. I may or I may not, depending on what you'll tell in return.". The sorceress said with a predatory smile, forming a fireball in her hand and spinning it in the air upon getting on her feet. As the she-wizard was talking, her gaze was switching from the ball of fire to the knight. Her voice, however, was full of arrogance and cynism. It was her habit to toy with the ones, the elf about to kill. "I saw a winged creature last night not too far from our camp. I know this part of the world has no griffins, gargoyles, and akin to them. And it was while you were missing. You don't emit the aura as demons do, yet the energy I sense from you is very close to those who are with corrupted blood. Do you have a good explanation to this? You better tell the truth as I don't tolerate the lie.".

[Romulan_Furry]

Viktor watched the scene unfold as he sheathed his blade and drew the other one, then began sharpening it. Admittedly, he had an uneasy feeling about Tristan. Something about him felt... off, to him. Couldn't say why. But if he threatened Atauri, Viktor would jump in and cut the fox in half. As it was, though, they needed to get moving. "As much as I'd hate to interrupt whatever this is, we should get moving - Vulkest won't wait indefinitely, and neither will this world's cataclysm. Sooner we get to Vulkest, sooner we can move on to the next phase - getting him to help us," Viktor said. He rose to his feet. "Oh, and Tristan - I'd advise you behave when we meet Vulkest. He has faced down threats far more terrifying than you."

[Tristan Foxalot]

"I will be honest with you, Ray." Tristan said, turning back to the small raccoon, bending down to one knee in front of him and laying his hand on the boy's shoulder, "I do not know of Mother Gaia. I cannot tell you if she does or does not exist. But I do know of my Gods, the Divine and the Defiler, and their power is very very real."

"Do you see the wings upon my back?" Tristan said, gesturing to them with his free hand, flexing them for effect, "I did not have them when we first met, for they were lost to me a long time ago, but now I have gained them back. They were a gift from my God, who I once served, and the price for gaining such a gift was... very high. And these wings were but one of many gifts. I understand all too well the allure the Gods have with mortals like you and I, how tempting it can be to worship them, but know that the Gods are not to be trusted. They will seek to control and use you, and, for many, protecting oneself from their control proves too much."

"Not that you must worry about that." Tristan says, venturing a smile at Ray, "I can protect you. From Spyra, from the Gods, from anyone that might try to harm or manipulate you. Stay close to me, and you will be safe."

Then the elf would come, with her threats and bluster, and the fox calmly rose in front of Ray before turning to the elf with a glower, "I would be very careful throwing around threats and insinuations if I were you, elf. Know that I am not of your understanding, and that what you think you feel is but a fiction. As for the winged creature you saw, it was likely me, for you can plainly see that I do have wings..." Tristan said, before speaking this next part threateningly louder, "...and, if you remember, we did arrange to meet by the river in the night, for you craved my company."

Then Tristan turns to the wolf, "You wound me, Death Knight. But you are right of one thing. We ought to meet this Guardian of yours, and settle this fiction of yours."

"Come, Ray." Tristan turns to the small raccoon with a light smile, "You can ride with me. Every boy ought to learn how to ride a horse, after all."