The world of Laifel

Zuiden watched as Karchit's clawed finger rubbed his weapon. "We only a couple Shapers. They are pretty rare these days. Mages on the other hand are quite common within the guild. I estimate we have around 15 or 20. As for their strength, let's just say it'll take quite a group of your Lizards to take on one of them." Zuiden thought about the Guild's numbers in his head. Most of them were Fairrels, either Cats or Wolves, or humans. The Fairrels weren't too special, but where pretty handy with weapons. The humans were mostly mages. The few who weren't were the most fierce of fighters. He weeded out the weaklings when he overthrew Jacob. Cylians were almost common within the guild. Most of them molded Wind or Water, but some could mold fire and ice.



Lanan caught up with Gemini and started conversation with her. "Let me warn you, Ruby can be pretty...harsh to others. I haven't seen her act nice towards anyone besides me."

 

"Okay, I won't be offended if she's rude." Gemini answered as they ran. "Thanks for telling me before we meet up wit her. I hope she warms up to me, since we'll be traveling together."

 

Karchit continued to rub his finger across the sickle for a while longer. He then tossed the sickle so it fell at Zuiden's feet. "Kill them." He said coldly without even glancing at the man.

 

Zuiden couldn't help but feel surprise at the request, but he didn't show it. He calmly picked up his sickle and walked over to the where he dropped the spiked ball attachment. Kneeling to the ground, he molded the metal so his weapon was in one piece again. Standing back up, he talked with his back to Karchit. "Kill them? My own men? Is this to prove my loyalty? Tell me then, Lizard, what would you do to prove yours?"



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I doubt it... Lanan thought, but he said the exact opposite, "I hope so...and another thing, you already saw, but Ruby is...not like us. She's, for lack of a better word, a monster."

 

Gemini gave him a disapproving look. "That's not very kind." she chastized. "So what?" she asked as if it wasn't a big deal.

 

"You ask me to show loyalty to you?" Karchit glanced at Zuiden. "YOU WILL GET NO LOYALTY FROM ME CYLIAN! THE ONLY LOYALTY I SHOW GOES TOWARDS THE TRUE GODS OF THIS WORLD!" Karchit took a moment to regain his cool. "You and I are pawns. Nothing more. Your sign of loyalty will go towards your new masters. Death comes swiftly to those who expect to gain any loyalty back. You listen to your new gods and serve them faithfully. Failure to do so results in death. And I can tell you right now that they will not approve any lover of lowlife human scum."

 

Zuiden stayed calm through most of Karchit's reply, until the end. Turning around, Zuiden's voice started to raise. "Lover of lowlife human scum? Listen to me and listen carefully, Lizard, my whole guild, they are MY pawns." Controlling his anger so as not to ruin his yet-to-be-formed alliance, his voice became low, almost a whisper, "I will be glad to prove my loyalty. But I will not diminish my forces without good reason."



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"Don't look at me like that," Lanan said, "How else am I supposed to describe her?" Lanan looked up as he tried, "Well, she's...half snake, has sharp claws and fangs, and enjoys killing. I'm just trying to warn you."

 

Karchit smiled. He had finally made this man loose his cool. "How's this for a reason?" Karchit said calmly. "If you continue to have those human companions of yours, then you will eventually become the target of the Demons' wrath. They will come for not just for the humans, but for you as well. And no acts of begging or pleading will prevent them from killing you. Not even if you pledge your loyalty to them, on the spot, will they spare your life. You people may have forgotten about what exactly happened during the war, but my people haven't. Tales such as that are not uncommon.
Besides, showing your loyalty in advance will earn you a spot on their good side. Those who can prove their worth and loyalty are greatly rewarded. You'll get women, power, and wealth. You need not worry about your subordinates loyalty for if they follow a man such as you, then they'll be easily seduced by the rewards. So, Zuiden, what will you do?"

 

As soon as Karchit mentioned wealth and power, Zuiden was won over. "I will kill my men. But not all of them. I will keep at least one. How do you expect me to help you and your gods without an army?" Zuiden was thinking of Whisk. Whisk was more dangerous than most of his Guild combined. "However, I will need proof of that your gods exists. Keep in mind, Lizard, as a Cylian I was raised to believe they were evil. The thing is, so am I. But I was also raised to believe they were also legend."

 

OOC: woah i didnt know Nas was so frikkin awesome! lol

Eleanor sat at the table in the center of the floor and watched the old woman move about the small room, lighting only one candle that hung on the wall. The thick wax of the old stick burned harshly, the smoke thickly coating the air in the tiny area, and Eleanor coughed once.

"I have money," she began suddenly, the gold Tristan had given her still in the sack tied to her belt. "And my friend and I are in a hurry."

The old woman spun with a dull flapping of her greasy rags and sat opposite Eleanor, staring into her eyes.

Eleanor tried not to flinch back as the woman held her gaze. She had the odd instinct to put a hand to her dagger's hilt; the old woman's harsh stare made her feel naked.

"You have your heart set on quite the imporant man," the woman began suddenly, not blinking or moving her eyes. "Lord Tristan, a pure-hearted, charismatic man whom fate has handed a harsh deal in life... you help him, but not for the money."

Eleanor scoffed, though the words made her feel uncomfortable. "I need the money," she snapped shortly. "But more so, I need those herbs and potions or we will both become infected and die... so wishes cruel fate."

The old woman seemed pleased with the last statement and laughed weakly, letting her eyes finally drift away from Eleanor's. "I have this," she said with a small sigh, and reached into the folds of her ragged dress and cloak. She removed a leather pouch full of some heavy paste. Untying the string, she opened it and showed it to Eleanor.

"Apply this to any open wound," she said calmly, almost to herself. "Smooth it over clean cuts and bind the wound for several days. And this..." She pulled two clear phials out of her dress as well. "These both contain the same amount of herbs and potion, one for each of you; it rids the body of sharp pain from injury."

Eleanor sighed with relief and took the medicine. "Thank you," she said. "Have you any bread or water?"

The woman reached under the table and pulled out a leather-worn traveling sack. "There is food and water in there," she said, handing it to Eleanor.

Eleanor took the sack and put the medicine in it before swinging it onto her shoulder. "Here," she said, reaching into the pouch of gold coins and pulled out a heaping handful for the woman, placing it on the table.

"Watch yourself, child," the woman said as Eleanor stood to leave. "Fate courses too close and too strongly in those of power... watch yourself lest you and your heart get caught in the mess."

Eleanor nodded, though she didn't understand, and left the small house quickly, running as lightly as she could back toward the alley she'd left Tristan.

What an odd woman, she thought as she went. God, I hope he didn't wake since I've left... last thing I need is to lose him now...

 

Karchit smiled when he heard that he would kill all except one. Perhaps Karchit could get along with this man. "I can offer no proof right now, but seeing that you are Cylian, you should have felt a shock wave not long ago. You see Zuiden, that came from the destruction of one of the crystal seals. Two are gone. Four remain." Karchit glanced outside the sun was above the horizon. Nevirz still hadn't return. Perhaps one of the Angelens got him.

 

Zuiden's smile grew bigger. "So that's what it was...Fine. We have a deal. I'll need a few of your soldiers to help me massacre my men." Zuiden tossed his weapon over his back and cracked his knuckles.

 

"You can have them in a moment." said Karchit while exiting the tent. Karchit walked up next to one of his subordinates. "Order a retreat. Nevirz isn't coming."

 

Eleanor slowed as she ran, her ankle starting to buckle under her. All the streets were starting to look too similar to her, and a sense of panic began to rise in her throat. Stay calm, she thought. Control yourself... just look around...

"Tristan?" Eleanor whispered, peering down an alleyway. "Tristan, are you there?"

 

Zuiden followed Karchit and was pleased to see Crescent was still alive. I expected the Lizards to eat him alive. He didn't ask who Nevirz was, the name didn't interest him. Instead, he walked over to Crescent and boarded him. "I won't need a big group," he said to Karchit, ignoring the other Lizards, "We'll attack under the night sky's blanket. I'll lead them to my camp and will enter first to save that one member. After that, I'll give the signal for your men to attack."

 

Nas had enough of the man. Using a particularly strong gust of wind she blew him against a building on the far side of the street. She turn released Tristan on the ground. She turned into back her ferret form.

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Karchit waved his hand dismissively to show he understood.

 

Zuiden cocked an eyebrow. He was wondering when Karchit would assign him the men, but decided not to bother him. He was agitated at this Nevirz person. Zuiden didn't want to anger his new ally, lest his plan be ruined. It'd be best to let Karchit call the shots for awhile...

 

John had gotten all the info he nedded, so he released Whisk and left. HE went looking for Zuiden, having a Vague mamory of what he looked like. He saw someone who fit one of the characteristics and walked towards him.

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jacob stood before the oasis monster. I can end this fight in 10 seconds, but it might hurt of kill me in the process. No I must show loyalty to my men. He thought as he took energy from his ring, allowing it to eat muscle from hisleft arm, and shot lightning into the water. Tha lightning was conducted by the water and fried the monster.

 

Aidou never was a fan of sea travel, so he lost himself to his thoughts to keep his mind off the soon to be rocking ship. I know she's exhausted from the travel and Molding... but there's something else she's not telling me. I can see the lie in her eyes.

 

Battered from the blast, the cloaked man made his escape. Pating his pocket, he smiled. There was an object of value in that boy's possesion. what exactly it is he did not know. He only was able to swipe it just before he chucked him as a diversion.