The hall was bustling with activity as necromancers of all ages and skill levels ran frantically to meet up with their opponents. One duo, however, was in no hurry to become involved. On a rectangular stone block used for public seating, in a shadowed corner of the echoing hall, sat a tall, thin and unnaturally pale man with bone-white hair and eyes that seemed to pierce the very air. Beside him sat one who, upon first glance, would be called his exact opposite were it not for the hood that shadowed her face. Though she did not face the man, the girl knew what expression her master wore. A calm, yet cold demeanor that could stop a man in his tracks and grab his full attention, before he uttered even a single word. She awaited his command, as always, before she did much more than breathe. Finally, she felt his head turn towards her and heard his whispered words:
"It is time, Fayern."
With that, Fayern hoisted and buckled her Kadje onto her back, and rose from the granite bench to stroll along side her master. Her skeleton had been passed down to her when her father had been killed, just as he had received it from his father before him. It was truly a unique specimen, its bones bleached and polished meticulously until they shone with a pale light under the full moon's glare. Each individual bone was held together with a spell that mad to be recast once a year or the kadje would fall apart. Being one of the few contestants who specialized in summoning, and chose to carry a Kadje, Fayern received more than a few fleeting glances from passers by, curious, yet all occupied with their own business. Fayern felt no apprehension, even this close to a battle. She had been trained in the arts ever since she had been able to walk and speak, and as always, her master had guided her, with a firm yet steady hand. Their opponents were the great Soulbroker, who had established quite a prestigious reputation for himself, and his apprentice Kage, who was rumored to possess formidable skill. This would be an interesting battle, Fayern thought, as she allowed herself to grin, her face still shrouded in the darkness of her cloak.

OOC: Ok, time for some PROfiles! lol

Name: Fayern

Age: 20

Rank: Apprentice

Specialty: Summoning

Attire: light chain mail coat, hard leather bodice and black cloak

Personality: serious, straitforward, tends to suppress most feelings, can be a little cold at times, honest, and generally understanding.

History: Sorry, you'll have to read the RP and find out!

Weapons: Kadje and concealed dagger. (we won't get into exactly WHERE it's concealed.)

OOC: And finally...

Name: Jekkyl

Age: Unknown

Rank: Master

Specialty: Melee

Attire: Pitch black hard leather body and long black cape

Personality: silent, dark and foreboding. Cold and emotionless. almost completely viod of any element of a personallity whatsoever.

History: no one knows exactly where he came from, but this gaunt figure of a man showed up on Fayern's doorstep the day after her parents were murdered, (oops! gave away some history! consider yourselves lucky) and offered to train her in the arts. Not one person was opposed to his request.

Weapons: Two sharp, thin and deadly blades of elven origin. (the elves have been extinct for over 1000 years, but some of their ruined cities and relics still remain)

Necro-Dictionary

Kadje: A summoning skeleton that some summoners choose to carry with them. These skeletons can be outfitted with special battle spells such as increased strength or resistance, posess abilities having to do with their origin and method of enchantment, or hold a certain significance or sentimental value.

Yay, someone joined! I'll do my profiles now, since it seems I actually have someone to do the story with.

Name: Kage Montgomery

Age: 21

Rank: Apprentice

Specialty: N/A

Attire: Kage wears a tight black sleeveless top, made of an almost satin fabric. His pants are white and tight-fitting, with a black belt that has the Necromancy symbol on the buckle. His spiritualsm is attached to this by a strap that dangles just at his left hip, and he wears an ankle-length black leather trenchcoat and knee-high leather boots. His hair is long and pure white, and is held back in a half-ponytail by a band of black fabric. Pale-skinned, his eyes are narrow and light blue, his build is slight but muscular, and he is agile and quick on his feet.

Personality: Seemingly cold and uncaring, Kage is sensitive to the world and its apparent rejection of him. He hides behind a mask of icy insensivity and turns any pain he feels into explosive anger which can hit anyone near to him if they happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, he is a hard worker, and many can see much promise in him for the Games.

History: Kage was born in a gypsy clan, mother infamous vagabond Frost and father well-known Kyle Montgomery. Soon after Kage's birth, Frost ran off with her gypsy clan, leaving Kyle and his three year old son to fend for themselves. Desperate, Kyle ran to his brother, Henry, who took him and the boy in grudgingly, allowing them to live with his wife and five year old son. Kage soon became close friends with his cousin Sam, which would save him much pain in the near future.

As soon as Kage started school the troubles began. Already standing out with his unusual hair colour, inherited from his mother, his fellow classmates soon discovered the gypsy mark tatooed on his wrist. Considered bad luck and of tainted blood, the other children almost instantly began his torment, lasting well into elementary school. Thin and unmade for fighting, Kage's only defense was to curl in a ball and wait fro his cousin to rescue him, which Sam almost always did. Brought together by this mutual relationship, the two became even more tight-knit.

One day in sixth grade, Kage had suffered a particularly vicious beating. Sam had driven off his attackers, but he was still shaken by the incident, promting Sam to head back to the farm as quickly as possible. It was harvest time, and all able-bodied members of the farm were out at work. Upon arriving at the farmland, the two boys headed out to the field, to find the men operating a particularly tempermental farm machine. Unable to contain himself, Kage called out to his father, causing Kyle to turn, and upon seeing Kage's wounds...He fell, instantly killed by the churning machinery, and shattering his son's world forever.

Barely two weeks after Kage left the farm, desperate to get away but not sure where he was going. Stopping by his uncle's tavern in town, he came across Soulbroker and upon discovering he was a necromancer, begged for the master to teach him the arts in a last lingering hope that he would be able to see his father one more time.

Weapons: Steel knife on back of boot (standard wepon) and a biting tongue of cynical remarks that's driven more than one individual away from him.
***

Name: Soulbroker

Age: 37

Rank: Master

Specialty: Melee

Attire: Soulbroker is perhaps, one of the most contradictory necromancers to ever enter the Order. Despising the indoors, he wears the black attire with an air of one who'd feel much more comfortable in khaki colours. His shirt is long-sleeved and ends with netting on the sleeves, collar, and around the waist, and his coat is waist-length black leather with rolled-up sleeves and numerous buckles. However, his darker side is reflected through his studded belt, collar, and wrist bands, and the Necromatic symbol hung around his neck. His pants are tight-fitting and, like Kage's are tucked into knee-high leather boots. Black hair is kept carefully out of the sight range of his dark eyes, and his face is ornamented by a pale scar that runs diagoally across his left eye from his forehead to the bottom of his cheekbone. Deeply tanned, he is well-built and strong with his attacks and defense.

Personality: Soulbroker is strictly no-nonsense; if he gives an order he expects it obeyed with no questions asked. Therefore, there is slight controversy between him and Kage, who double-guesses everything. Despite this, Soulbroker is extremely protective of his apprentice, mostly because he knows the reason for Kage's involvement in the Necromatic Arts and is determined to protect the boy from any more grief. Kage, however, is unaware of this feeling, and thinks of Soulbroker as bossy, overworking, and unsatisfied with any of his efforts.

History: It is unknown how Soulbroker came into the business of Necromancy. He was apprentice to the Grand Master himself, and as soon as he earned the title of master, began taking on his own apprentices. He did extensive training in Australia, evident by his lingering accent and style of dress, but was recently working in the area of Britain for unknown reasons. It was there he came upon 12 year old Kage montgomery, and made the decision to take him on as apprentice.

Weapons: Silver blade of masters on back of boot with polished bone handle that adds power to the weapon. Is also trained in the other areas of necromancy (though melee is his speciality) and can summon spirits as well as use some basic spells.

I'll IC tomorrow, since I'm supposed to go to bed ^^ Look forward to it; it's gonna be awesome!

Jerath walked along the crowd, pushing through the crowds with a heavy, black gauntlet. As one particularly busy perosn pushed past him, the gauntlet he wore over his right arm fell off. The people around him were startled; some gasped, some stared, some frowned, but no one didn't notice that his entire right arm was lacking in something. Namely, flesh of any sort. His arm, from the shoulder down, was completely skeletal. He grew tired of these fools, who didn't understand the beauty of his arm, and simply barked, "What? Haven't ye seen a Pale Master before? Eff with the lot of ye!" He turned to the young man behind him. "Come, Meridius, we have things that must be done before our first round." The young man scrambled, holding both his and his master's bags, as the two headed off for their seats.

Name: Jerath "the he-Banshee" Odrullus
Age: 50
Rank: Master
Speciality: Melee
Description: Wears a black, hooded cape and tunic over black scale armor. Has thick, black adamantine shoulder guards. Wears black scale curaisses and has black leather boots. Oddly enough, he does not wear a vial of spirit around his neck or on his belt, upon which he carries a sword. On his left hand he wears a black, mithril mail glove. His right arm was removed long ago, part of the rituals of becoming a Pale Master, long since replaced by an enchanted, skeletal arm, which houses spirit instead of marrow. He usually wears a long sleeved tunic over his armor, and usually has a thick, black leather gauntlet over his skeletal arm to avoid awkward questions in public. His face is gaunt looking and pale, his eyes sunken, but still fiery, rumored to glow in the dark (of course, this is only a rumor). His nose is thin, his hair is white, long, and blown-looking, and his lips are slightly drawn back all the time, making him look like "death warmed over", and along with his personality, earned him the nickname "the he-Banshee". His fragile appearance is decieving, though. He is fast. Around twice as fast as people half his age. His arm is nigh-unbreakable due to the amount of enchantments on it, another reason why he keeps his supply of spirit in its bones.

Personality: Ill-tempered, overbearing, demanding and tactless, Jerath is known throughout necromancy for his famous ill temper and fiery tongue. He's the classic "mean old man" type, though he's got a soft spot here or there. (additional modicifactions to be roleplayed)

History: A necromancer since a child, Jerath is well-versed in its arts. During his teen years, he joined a circle of necromancers known as Pale Masters (see D&D SRD entry) and lost his right arm in a painful ritual grafting of an undead appendage being attached to his body. He has since taken an apprentice, Meridius.

Name: Meridius
Age: 17
Rank: Apprentice
Description: Wears a white tunic with elaborate black trim. Has a sword strapped to his belt like his master(though unlike his master, it's strapped on his belt opposite his sword), the blade lined with necromantic runes. Has white pants with a black leather belt, with around three full vials of spirit at all times(his master demands he be WELL prepared) in a steel case clipped to the belt. Wears heavy studded leather gauntlets.
History: Meridius, since childhood, was fascinated by necromancy after Jerath (claimedly because the bar owed him money) singlehandedly brought down a group of bandits attacking a local tavern. Since then, he begged Jerath to train him, constantly turned down until he turned 15, when Jerath's temper got the better of him and accepting his new apprentice, swearing that "if ye waver ence, I'll turn ye inte a zembie, ye brat!". Though, despite the times Meridius "wavered", Jerath has not made good on this promise, in fact taking a rather strict-grandfatherly regard for the boy.
Personality: Apologizing for Jerath's wrathful behavior time and again has given Meridius the tact of a veteran diplomat and the natural charisma of a great king, in other words, a very nice person to be around. (additional facets to be RP'd too)

OOC: Welcome to the RP, CY! Hopefully a team mate will show up for you soon, otherwise I'm sure we can figure something out. Anyway, I cant' start the story until we have full teams, but I'll do a bit of character interaction to get everything rolling.

IC:
The Arena was another massive cavern within the underground city, small holes drilled up through the mountain face to admit light into the vast grounds. It was circular, with lines of stone benches for those who werent competing to sit and watch the challenges; either in the Arena itself or on giant projectors that followed the Games wherever they may go. Along the outer wall were numerous gates that led to other parts of the city, each numbered in large silver digits. Gate Seventeen was one such gate, the meeting place for the twenty different teams and swarming with masters and apprentices alike. However, there was one marked difference between Seventeen and the others: it was deserted, except for a pale, young, and thoroughly annoyed apprentice leaning against the wall.

How long does it take? he muttered to himself, flicking a piece of hair over his shoulder, then inspecting his fingernails with a stormy gaze. Walk to the Grand Master, talk to the Grand Master, walk back! Plain and simple. Sighing, he pulled a sheet of paper out of his coat pocket, skimming the lines until he found his team. Team 17: Soulbroker(Mstr) and Kage(Apr); Opponents: Jekkyl(Mstr) and Fayern(Apr). Smiling slightly, Kage folded the paper neatly and pocketed it once more, then his face faded into a scowl once more.

Opponents, but no team and no mast... The words died on his tongue as two figures approached him, one cloaked in cloth and the other in shadow. Can I help you? His shield was up almost instantly, a wall of ice that he hoped would hide his nervousness at Soulbrokers disappearing act and apprehension towards his first experience in the Games.

Apprentice... The master of the pair eyed him briefly, disdain apparent even in his expressionless voice and blank face. Wheres your master?

Not here! Kage snapped, gesturing beside him. Im sure that when he decides to make an appearance, you will know- A blast of cold air hit him in the face and cut off his speech for the second time in a short while, as the Gates opened up beside him and Soulbroker stepped out.

Good to see you didnt get lost. Eying Kages dark drily, Soulbroker turned to the duo in front of them. Greetings, Jekkyl. Its been awhile. Stony as ever, I see. Studying the silent man critically, Soulbroker circled him, then stopped in front of the cloaked figure. Ah, this must be your apprentice. Whats your name?

Fayern. Starting, Kage did a double take. The old mans apprentice was a girl? Studying her intently, his eyes lowered unintentionally and he turned away, slight blush creeping to his cheeks. Yes, definitely a girl.

I was just speaking to the Grand Master. Soulbroker was still talking, apparently ignoring Jekkyls expressionless face and lack of response. Apparently there was a slight mistake in the team planning. Youre our allies, not our opponents.

What? Kage stepped forward, eyes flashing as his master appeared to notice him for the first time. You disappear for Styx knows how long, return only to ignore me, then say that instead of winning a match we have to team up with...them?! What are you- Soulbrokers hand contacted the back of his head with a sharp smack, causing Kage to bite his tongue and wince as his eyes watered in pain.

I will tolerate your questions to some extent. Soulbrokers eyes were dark and stormy, his face filled with simmering anger that made Kage step back, afraid of being hit once more. But I will not tolerate you openly insulting one who has earned his masters rank, and your own master! Did your dead father not teach you any manners on that Godforsaken farm? Bam! For a brief instant Kages shield shattered, momentarily illuminating the tears that were threatening to overflow, then he pulled himself back together and faced his master squarely.

He did, he hissed, trying to force the lump in his throat out through anger. I just choose to ignore them sometimes! Soulbroker glared back at him, eyes leaving no room for argument. Smiling icily, Kage turned to Fayern and Jekkyl, giving them a mocking bow.

Forgive me, fellow members of the order. He spat out the words with as much sarcasm as he could muster, even as he felt Soulbrokers anger increase. He didnt care; the man obviously felt no restraint at humiliating his apprentice in public! I will be...honoured, to be your ally.

OOC: woot! finally finished!

IC: Fayern stared silently from under her hood at the young apprentice, who proceeded to insult their very presence with mockery and sarcasm. She had come to expect a certain level of insolence from the general population of necromancers, that is, those with masters who had allowed the tendancy for such acts to fester within their apprentices, but Such disrespect for one's master was...unheard of. she could not even begin to imagine how she would suffer if she even hinted at performing as this young man was, and in public, no less! Fayern shivered. Her master stood unmoving, save for the corner of his lip, which had began to curl slightly in disgust. Jekkyl obviously felt that a reply at this point would be far too great an honour for their teammates, even when he apparently had history with this "Soulbroker" fellow. Eventually, Soulbroker became fed up with his naive apprentice, and literally dragged him off by the collar. It was only when they had established a fair distance between herself and Jekkyl that Fayern's master murmured, so softly that even fayern could barely make out his words.

"So...Soulbroker has chosen to take on another apprentice. Intiresting. It seems that this one will present far more of a challenge for him. Sometimes it puzzles me that he would still rather go through all this than..."
He trailed off, his eyes narrowing, the faintest half-smile curling up one side of his pale face. What did he mean, "rather than"? Rather that what? Over the years, Fayern had learned to stifle such curiosities, but her master did not often present her with such things as he just had. Perhaps it had been unintentional. suddenly, an announcement prompting all competitors to make their way to the main arena rang out, echoing off the walls of stone. As her master began walking in the direction that Soulbroker had taken his apprentice, at a slow stroll, Fayern followed, and thoughts of her teammates followed with her. She wished to learn more of Soulbroker, and of his apprentice who, while immature, she had to admit was strangely attractive.

OoC: 'Ello, ello. Jut a heads up that I have been meaning to join, but as of yet havent, (obviously ) To those who dont know me, hi you can call me Joel. Or Spunky, or Smurph (my two favourite words "> ) To those who do know me... well, you already call me Joel. Heh Sorry, I'm suffering from Loose Jaw Syndrome. Will Join Son though!

OOC: Well here we are, bakc from spring break and ready to get this show on the road! Regardless of whether Joel joins right away or not, I think it's fair to start the plot rolling for the other members. wOOt!

IC:
Soulbroker sat silently among the milling crowds, watching his fuming apprentice with expressionless black eyes. The chill air of the underground arena did nothing to cool the burning fury that surrounded the thin figure, nor hide the shaking shoulders and tightly clenched fists.

"Boy..." Turning with with the resignation of one who knows he has done wrong, Soulbroker faced Kage, then sighed as his apprentice refused to face him. "You can't carry on like this. Jekkyl is hard-judging as it is, you don't want him to think-"

"To Hell with what he thinks!" Kage spat, whipping his head around and glaring at Soulbroker with blazing eyes. "And I don't care about your precious reputation either, if that's what you're looking so bloody worried about!" Muttering a string of vile words, he turned back to the front, then stiffened visibly as Soulbrokers hand came down on his shoulder.

Well, at least keep your attitude to yourself! Here they come, so keep your wits about you and your language clean, please and thank you! Opening his mouth for an angry retort, his apprentice fell silent as the two dark figures apprached them, kadje on the slighter ones back casting a distorted shadow in the flickering torchlight of the underground cavern. Soulbroker moved back to his previous position, awaiting their arrival.

So... Jekkyl stepped forward, keeping his voice low and making Soulbroker strain to hear it. Taken on another one?

He nodded. Anythings better than her! You ought to know that by now. Or are you too busy running off without the Councils consent to remember that? Lips twisting into a sardonic smile, Jekkyl sat down beside the black-haired man, indicating Fayern should do the same beside Kage. She sat down reluctantly and Kage immediately shifted away from her stiff form; both clearly stating their opinion on the matter.

My business is only one mans concern, Jekkyl hissed, ignoring the other two and letting his piercing dark eyes bore into Soulbrokers own black orbs, and I tell you now, that man is not you, it is me. I talk to you only out of the courtesy I owe a fellow master and team mate, a courtesy your apprentice seems to have forgotten! He allowed himself a withering glance in Kages direction, then continued with a long-suffering sigh. But I warn you, pass the line of politeness I am forced to extend, and you will be sorry...Anything concerning her is strictly off-limits. Soulbroker, whose eyes had been examining Fayern with interest, quickly looked away.

Very well then. What sort of conversation shall we amuse ourselves with then, if anything moderately ineresting is off-limits?

Jekkyl crossed his arms, leaning back into the shadows. No conversation: the best solution of them all. Unless of course, you wish to describe the situation with you and Narcissa...

That...topic is strictly off-limits! Soulbroker snarled, eyes flashing.

Exactly. Now let us be quiet.
*****
Kage could feel Fayerns gaze on him and drew annoyance from it, letting it cool down the burning anger to a mere simmering irritation. Finally, he had gathered his composure enough to turn around and face her hidden face.

What do you want? he snapped. Is the back of my head truly that interesting? If so, Im regretful I cant see it for myself.

In truth, there wasn't much to look at in the musty hall, save the countless necromancers milling about waiting for the games to start. The back of Kage's head had momentarily amused Fayern; but as soon as he noticed her staring and retaliated, she turned away immediately, feeling herself blush. What was it about this strange young man she found so intriguing? He wasn't much to look at, he was arrogant, naive, childish, and impolite...and yet Fayern could not shake this unnatural feeling. She took a deep breath, and began the calming process of meditation Jekkyl had taught her when she was a small child.

Fayern remembered little about her parents. She guessed they had died when she was young; and then Jekkyl had taken her under his wing, so to speak. She guessed this because Jekkyl had refused to indulge her curiosity when she was young, and eventually, Fayern had simply learned not to bother. Jekkyl had always provided her with her basic needs: food, clothing, a roof over her head, protection from unsavory types, etc, but never anything beyond that. Her life up until this point, in truth, had consisted of little but staying alive.

Fayern knew what love was. Or at least, she knew what its purpose was, but she has never experienced it, let alone known how to act in its presence. As she sat in silence, Fayern recalled an experience from years ago, when she had been traveling with Jekkyl through the town of Sel-Kah, a small community that had sprung up in the middle of the Goldenbone desert. They had been on the road ever since Fayern could remember, and their final destination had been a mystery up until they had arrived at Secret City only moments ago. The journey had taken nearly fifteen years.

OOC: Anyways, I digress. Back to "the experience"

Fayern's memories of that particular stop on their journey would have been identical to most of her recollections, Vague and distorted by time, were it not for what Fayern had witnessed. She had been no more than six years of age, and could remember Jekkyl warning her to keep close. The bustle of the market place had been all around them, bombarding Fayern with unfamiliar sights and smells. Then, as they had passed by a small fruit stall, Fayern had caught a glimpse of the stall's owner and his female counterpart kissing lovingly in the shade of a small alleyway near the stall. She had tugged softly on Jekkyl's light jacket and pointed at them.
"What're they doin', Jekkie?" She remembered asking him, mispronouncing his name as most young children would. He had merely urged her onwards with a quick and forceful:
"What they are doing is no business of ours. You will learn on your own in time. Now hurry along, we must find a fitting place to stay the night."

Suddenly, Fayern was jostled out of her meditative state when she sensed an unfamiliar presence about her. She opened her eyes only to be met by Kage's curious gaze. He was apparently fascinated by her lack of movement. Fayern felt herself blush again, and slowly leaned away. Kage raised an eyebrow.

"You're weird." he said. Then he turned away, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes. Unperturbed by his comment, Fayern wondered if he was meditating, too.

OOC: WOOT! Yet another successful post!

OOC: Um, just to warn you, this is uber long...^^; But it brings in our antagonist, which is always exciting! So read on- if you dare! *evil laugh*

IC:
The inner hallways of the underground hallway were next to deserted, almost all of their usual occupants in the Arena where the Games would kick off. Smiling to himself, the Grand Master turned a corner, nodding to the spirit who paused from its cleaning to bow as he passed, then paused at the oak door on the left of the hallway. Throughout all of the opening ceremonies, had he been the only one to notice the empty seat at the masters table? When he had been late for his opening speech, had anyone besides those he had informed of the matter been aware of the connection between his tardiness and the absent master? Of course one had; the Grand Master had seen the relieved look in Soulbrokers eyes as the ceremonies started and the seat remained empty.

Letting out a soft sigh, the Grand Master lifted a gloved fist and rapped firmly on the door. Everything had gone perfectly in the ceremonies; everything, that is, except Narcissa.

Enter, came the low voice from inside, and he stepped into the dim-lit suite of one of the biggest controversies in current Necromancer history.

Narcissa? The necromancess was seated at her oak desk, black hair piled on top of her head in messy spikes. As she turned, the lantern light glinted on the purple streaks within the mess of black, and the designs drawn in dark ink over her powdered white cheeks. She still thinks shes a teenage goth, he thought drily, gazing down at her.

Grand Master. Her tone was mildly amused, interested perhaps, but there was no fear that wouldve been present in any other individual: a fact that irritated him slightly. What can I attribute this unexpected honor to?

You know what Im here for, the Master snapped in reply, so drop this formal drabble. Theres no audience, so I want you to tell me plainly why you werent at the opening ceremonies this morning!

Narcissa cocked her head in mock confusion, setting down the quill she had been writing with and standing up in front of him. That should be quite obvious, Grand Master. I had things to do and saw no reason in my attendance, as I do not, as you know, have an apprentice.

Masters are expected to attend the ceremonies, regardless of whether they have an apprentice or not! Pursing his lips, the Grand Master examined her innocent face, then sighed and turned for the door. Very well. But please be present for the end of the first task this evening. Though it brings certain amounts of...ease to some members of the order, it is defacing to have our masters missing to events such as this.

To who did it bring ease? Narcissa whispered, but the Grand Master didnt hear her and the door closed with a thud. So thats it... Sitting down, she brushed away the paper she had innocently been writing Necromatic text on to reveal the paper with all the teams competing in the Games printed on it. The arrogant fool! Is he now so blind as to think that I wouldnt see around his petty defenses? Eyes glittering, she ran a slender finger down the page, finally coming to rest on one line. Team 17: Soulbroker(Mstr) and Kage(Apr)... Its been 21 years since he earned the title of master, 24 years since I fell in love with him. Yet its still Master and Apprentice, Master and Apprentice... Uttering a shriek, she swept the paper off the desk, then caught it as it fluttered to the ground. All these years, and he still runs! Crumpling the sheet into a ball, she threw it viciously into the wastebasket at her feet, then leant against the shelf to her right, hands gripping its hard edge in a white-knuckled grasp.

A ray of sunlight filtered through the small window suddenly, glinting off the vial of spiritualsm hanging at the womans waist. Pulling out of her belt, she eyed the glass tubes contents, lips slowly curling into a dark smile.

Here it shall end! she hissed. The cork was pulled from the vial with a loud pop, misty ghost substance escaping and twining around her fingers. As long as there are apprentices he can hide, can run away...But if the apprentices are eliminated... A low laugh escaped her black painted lips, followed by the Necromatic forbidden to all but accessable to those who dared. Soulbroker, by the end of this competition you will be mine!
*****
Dont you dare! Soulbroker gazed innocently back at him, a steaming drink in both of his hands.

What, you want one too? Taking a sip from it, master faced indignant apprentice squarely. Sorry, youre have to spend your own coins if you want one of these beauties! Kage glowered, then jumped as Fayerns soft voice came from his left-he had begun to think she was mute.

W-what is it? He watched her for a moment, almost wishing he could see beyond the shadows of her cloak to the face that was no doubt waiting for him to answer, then sighed as Soulbroker took another swig from the mug in the background.

You dont know what kcaffe is? Man, that old guy must have really been a bad dude to grow up with! Listening to himself, Kage realized that he was talking like the farm boy he had used to be, and quickly switched his speech, all the while feeling the blush creeping to his cheeks and wondering about the cause. Its filled with caffeine, a substance that is supposedly used to wake you up and give you energy... He paused, watching his master hand the empty cup to a passing spirit and start on the second drink. Lets just say that Soulbroker brings the meaning of wake up and energy to a whole new level.

The kcaffe over-reacts with his system? Fayern studied the black-haired man intently, turning away as he finished the last of his drink with a flourish of his arm.

More like completely overloads it, Kage sighed, then glared as his master grinned at him across Fayern and her master. Stop it! Youre worse than a man whose been drinking all day!

Nonsense, boy! Soulbroker laughed, chucking the second cup over his shoulder and ignoring the yells behind him. Im feeling good already! We can win this competition hands down! Throwing an arm around Jekkyls shoulders, making the man stiffen visibly, he sang out over the masters head. Come Jekkyl, let us sing in praise to our upcoming victory!

My God! Kage leant over Fayern, feeling her shy away and deciding not to question it, instead concentrating on lifting Soulbrokers arm off Jekkyl and hitting his master mercilessly as he began to start the chorus to one of the many songs Kage had learned to hate. Dont you dare! Well be dead before the task even starts, not to mention the angry mob that will chase us out of the city!

Is he always like this? The girls voice came from behind him and Kage turned, only to realize he was practically on top of her from his attempts to shut up Soulbroker, head at a very awkward level with her chest. Face burning, he pulled back hurriedly and turned his back to her, feeling her move away as he did so. Shes rather skittery, he thought briefly, deciding to disregard his own jumpiness for the current moment.

Only when hes had that accursed drug- He cut off as the rest of the crowd fell silent, watching as the Grand Master ascended the platform in the center of the Arena.

Welcome all, he announced, holding up his arms in a sign of greeting, to the First Task!

I hope they serve more drinks! Soulbroker giggled.

Kill me now... Kage groaned.

OOC: Congrats, all who made it all the way through that! Our team was too serious and boring, so now Soulbrokers insane, just in time for the first task! Yeah kcaffe, my pathetic Necromatic drink to serve as the equivalent to coffee!! Next post well start, so get ready!

Jerath simply looked up as the Grand Master took the stage. "I hope you're ready, boy," he mouthed out of the corner of his mouth at Meridius...

OOC: Wow, this whole uber long post thing must be contagious. Oh well, just try to enjoy it. (Its not hard)

Fayern was confused. Now she knew Kage's master was nothing like Jekkyl at all. Losing control like thatit was shameful! He had seemed disciplined enough, and had carried a certain air of adult maturity and dignity, being a master and all, but as soon as he had taken a sip of that beverageit seemed as if he had lost all judgment!
Fayern reminded herself to steer clear of "Kcaffe" in this future. No telling what the stuff would do to her.

Even after having her space intruded on by the awkward form of Kage as he had attempted to restore sanity to his master only moments ago, (which made no sense at all; it should have been the other way around), Fayern still felt relatively calm and safe inside her hood. This cloak had once belonged to Jekkyl, but he had given it to her shortly before they had arrived at the city.
"It is best if you wear this, so as not to draw unnecessary attention." had been his words. In fact, now that she thought of it, Jekkyl had always preferred not to draw attention to Fayern exclusively. She knew there were many things that Jekkyl had not told her, especially regarding her parents and past, but for some reason this bothered her more than anything else. *What's so special about me...sure, Im a necromancer of sorts...and I've developed my skills over the years...but there's nothing-*

It was then that Fayern's train of thought was interrupted when Kage, who had been attempting to wrestle a second and third cup of Kcaffe from Soulbroker's jittery hands, performed a spectacular slip up. At this point, Jekkyl seemed to be the only one who was listening intently to the Grad Master's Grand speech about the grandness of the first task. Kage did manage to commandeer one steaming cup of the bubbling brew from his master, only to, after tugging so hard at it, spin halfway around and fall face first into Fayern's lap. The Kcaffe soon followed suit. Before she knew it, Fayern was drenched in hot Kcaffe, and Kage's head was resting comfortably on her thighs.

Kage instantly leapt up, bright red with embarrassment. Fayerns cloak and part of her bodice had been splashed with Kcaffe. She stood up and began calmly removing her cloak. Kage cringed, awaiting her impending female wrath. When it did not come, he realized he had neither apologized, nor made any effort to assist Fayern! Just because Soulbroker wasincapacitatedat the moment, that didnt mean he could just ignore his duties as a gentleman! Hurriedly, Kage rushed up to help Fayern, while Soulbroker proceeded to spin wildly in circles behind them, giggling uncontrollably and slurping down more Kcaffe.
IIm so sorry Kage stammered, Here, let me help you wit-
And that was when Kage slipped on a small pool of Kcaffe, and fell right into Fayern.

The entangled apprentices crashed to the floor with a soft thud. Kage landed squarely on Fayern, whose hood flew back fully, exposing her face. Kage found himself, for the first time, staring strait into her deep brown eyes. His hands, having been extended slightly to assist her as he fell, were now rather awkwardly placed. Hastily, Kage rolled off of her, breathing heavily, and they both stood to face each other, blushing. It was a good thing Fayern had removed her Kadje and placed it beside Jekkyl only moments before, or it might have been seriously damaged.
Hey! Kage! cried Soulbroker from behind them, just before losing consciousness, Nice one! Maybe youre more of a man than I thought!

OOC: Wheee, that was fun! Haha! I feel like I could write a million posts! That drink I bought off that weird looking dude dressed in black sure tastes great! ...Uh-Oh

OoC: Sorry for delay, I'll try to bring myself up-to-date

IC: Among the hollwed, vast echoing caverns, among the noises and inevitable calamity caused by the celebrations. If one was to tone down the ambiant noise however, one would hear a steady beat. Thump Thump Intertwined with the rythmic beating was a frequent, equaly timed padding. Thump Thump Slowly, the beating aprroached the outer ring of what appeared to be the main processions. Thump Thump The noise reverberated around the caverns. Thump Thump Hardened, strong ash wood met the stony surface of the ground. Thump Thump The tough, aged cane quickened its pace as the wielder donned a sense of urgency. Thump Thump The padded noise of feet equally increased in speed. Thump Thump The came to an abrupt halt as they met the outide of a huge, oaken door. It towered above them, though its usual ominous presence was slightly lessened by the noise coming from the other side of the door. Breathing heavily, a slender, slightly crouched figure caught up to the man.
"Well, Soar, it appears we're somewhat late." The man spoke to the figure at his side. She caught her breath and looked up at him, deep dark eyes staring out from the rim of an outdated black traditional irish tweed cap. Dark, short hair, containing the fainest tinge of violet poked out from beneath the cap, threatening to hide her face from others.
"You run pretty fast for an old man." She smiled.
"Run? I wasnt running at all. You're just pretty slow, even for a runt." He returned her grin. She brought herself up to full height.
"Runt? I'm taller than you!" He looked up at her face, and his mind seemed to drift.
"Oh ya... I keep forgetting." Soar was fairly good at making herself small, cause herself to appear insignificant. She had learnt that fast, growing up in a rough neighbourhood. Suddenly she seemed to return to the situation at hand. She jiggled the handle and found it to be locked, and felt that this was not the time nor place to attempt to pick it.
Looking around, she spoke to her master, "Dev, I think I see an opening up there. If you give me a boost-" Wham! Wham! Wham!
Devion lifted his cane in one hand and brought the handle down upon the door. Soar smiled wistfully. When traditional knocking just wouldnt be enough.... Devion was like that. His methods were abrupt, and to the point, but he got the job done.
The door swung smoothly open a few feet, and then stopped. In the opening stood a young, nervous apprentice probably very shaken by the knocking. Devion quickly brough down his cane and resumed leaning on it. Soar always said he didnt actually need the cane. It might be useful for walking, but it wasnt a nessessity. Devion would reply, "It's more important than you think." She figured he thought people underestimated those who they thought were handicapped. Well, he was probably right. They ushered the shaken apprentice aside and stepped through into the room, and Soar brought them to one side. They were late, and this was not a good place to attract unwanted attention.
-------- And now, at last, my profiles "> -----------------
Name: Devion Rovewick

Age: 55

Rank: Master

Specialty: Enchantment

Attire: Devion figures if he is forced to wear all black, he would try to enjoy himself. He wears a silk shirt, with elegant sleeves streching past his wrists, overtop of long baggy pants and padded, pointed shoes. Around his waist is a belt with many different puches, various amounts of mesterious items in each one, things Devion has collected over his trip. On top his his chestnut brown, ear-lobe length hair sits a black, leather hat with the side rims curved upwards, on which is donned an elegant long white feather. He personally believed it made him look like a pirate. Soar personally believed he was crazy. He had deep blue eyes, navy not icy, with sharp features and a goatee. Around his neck hangs a thin, silver chain attached to a long, beutiful and thin, elegant flute. He usually kept it concealed beneath his Waist length, loosely fitting, leather jacket. Soar wasnt sure whether the flute is enchanted, but she hasnt heard much about magical music before... He is very good at playing it
Personality: Devion is an entertainer and poet by nature, and necromancy is more of a passion and fascination. He loves the spotlight and hates the confines of completley black clothing, as he prefers colorful attire. He's a very curious soul, and loves traveling abroad, and delights in adventure. At times Soar suspects it was on one of these far flund trips that he finally snapped and became crazy as a loon. There is more to him, but that will be revealed in good time.

History: Quite a complex history, again, which one would have to find out in then RP
Weapons: He relys mainly on his spells and his cane.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Name: Soar Swiftpaw (Self-Named)

Age: 17

Rank: Apprentice

Specialty: Aims for Melee

Attire: Along with said hat, Soar wears a long, white, soft scarf wherever she goes and a piar of whit, thin, small earings. She dresses in what was once a light, black thin, soft shirt, the sleeves of which streched past her fingertips. She tore the cloth however, and now the only the reminder that it was once too large is the jagged edge where it ends. In replace of the material she wears two white, thin gloves that Devion gave to her. On top of this she wears a leather jacket which is also probably too large for her, but its comftorable, so she doesnt care. Like Devion, she wears a similair belt, except that in its various pouchs she has stored random hooks and wires, various things that she's found, which she calls "potential nessessitys", and which Devion calls useless junk.

Personality: Corporeal version of the saying "Curiosity killed the Cat". Given her former nature of going a little further than the law will allow, she knows how to get where she's not supposed to be, which is usually exactly where she wants to be. Not shy, but knows how to make herself scarce. In fact she probably has a little too much of what she calls Spunk, and what Devion calls Dynamism, which is exactly how they met in the first place. But thats another story...

History: Soar used to be a theif, though more because of desperation due to living conditions. Now its out of curiosity. Devion has had some influence however, though he himself is willing to bend a few rules. Nowadays, its more Soar knows how to pick a pocket, but doesnt. Much. And thats the only history I'll give away

Weapons: In a carrying case strapped diagonally across her back, she carries her prized possesion, her scythe. It used to be just a stick that she had carved into a staff, and all fighting techniques were (and still are) self-taught, but Devion took it from her and added a blade, though she still doesnt know how. He claims the blade is elven-made. She has her doubts, but would never give it up without a fight.

OOC: Welcome to the party, Joel! Now that we have full teams, I think its well past time to start this show! *grabs a cup of kcaffe and puts on necromancer outfit* Wow, I have a necromancer outfit? I never knew that! And its all black too! I must be a master! Ever notice we have NO girl masters, except for Narcissa? SEXISTS!!!=D Heh heh heh...I promise thisll be the last uber long post in a while! I just had to start the task and clear up the problems my teams already having, so its really long! Dont hurt me! *holds up shield*

IC:
The roaring of the crowd as the Grand Master finished his opening speech had briefly drowned out the kcaffe-induced chaos, but the noise was dying down now, leaving Kage with a perplexing dilemma. His master was unconscious on the bench, dripping cup still clutched tightly in one hand, Fayern was attempting to wipe some of the hot liquid off her front with the drenched cloak she had previously been wearing, Jekkyl seemed to be pretending he didnt know them, and he...Well, there wasnt much he could say about himself, was there.

Soulbroker stirred slightly from his drugged stupor, muttering gibberish under his breath, then sighed and fell across the bench sideways-right onto Jekkyls shoulder. The man stiffened immediately, and Kage, flushing with embarrassment once more, ran over to lift his comatose master off the rigid man.

I must apologize for his behaviour, he gasped under his breath, sliding in between Jekkyl and Soulbroker. If they werent serving that confounded drink, he wouldnt have acted like-

I see his self-control is the same as ever, Jekkyl interjected cooly, moving over on the bench and allowing Kage to support his master. Fayern, do not let that liquid stain your clothes. Ignoring Kage completely, he watched silently as the girl continued to try and wipe off her white bodice without success.

Ah, latecomers, I see. Looking down to the floor far below, the three saw two figures enter, bowing slightly to the Grand Master as they did so. Davion and Soar. Your teammates await you. He pointed them to one of the many benches, then turned back to the front of the stadium. Now that our group is complete, I will outline the specifics of the First Task to you. This challenge will be one of your skills in navigating the Underworld quickly and efficiently. If you are fast, you may find the item all of you are looking for first, but you may not escape with your life...

Yes, yes, Kage muttered to himself impatiently, already bored with the Grand Masters dull speech. Soulbroker was heavy, and he feared his arm would snap in two if he held up his master at the angle he was currently sustaining, so he let the man fall gently onto his side.

You must find these artifacts within the maze you all know as Death, in a race that will determine whether you fall or move on to further glory. The Grand Master held up two stones: one black with white runes and the other white with black. There are twenty of each of these: enough for half of you. Your apprentices must find the white, masters the black; in doing so will prove you deserve to be in this competition!

The black-haired man muttered once more, turning and burying his face into his apprentices jacket. Cringing, Kage prayed he didnt start to drool, then turned his head away, only to find Fayern staring at him. He returned the look, taking in her fine features and shoulder-length auburn hair, then blushed as she averted her gaze and broke the trance. Why are you acting like this? he silently berated himself, trying to keep his eyes from wandering her way. Shes just an apprentice, your teammate, for Styxs sake! Yes, shes a girl, but...

In a few minutes time I will ask that the teams make their way to the gates their number corresponds to. There you will find two pre-made Gates: one for the apprentices and the masters. The two groups will not be interacting in this task, in order for us to judge your individual-What the hell are you giving out?

The man with the tray of kcaffe froze instantly, eyes locked on the Grand Masters form. Erm...Just, uh...

What is it?!"

Kcaffe, sir, the man muttered, then yelled as two spirits materialized on either side of him and grabbed his arms, making the tray crash to the floor.

I thought that all retailers were well aware of the fact that kcaffe is forbidden at the Games! the Grand Master thundered, gesturing for the spirits to take away the struggling solicitor.

And for good cause, Kage muttered, feeling his shoulder go numb from the weight on it and attempting to shift Soulbroker slightly. He had almost accomplished the task, when the man slid out of his grasp and knocked them both off the bench.

Agh! For Go... Kages cursing died as a ripple spread across the Arena, every necromancer present turning to stare at where he was crouched on the ground, limp form of his master lying at his feet.

Is there a problem up there? The Grand Master, thoroughly annoyed by this point, was marching up the stairs, much to Kages horror. I seem to recall that we used to have a code of conduct within our organization! He stopped on the aisle directly to their left, then stared down at them in exasperation. Apprentice, stand up right now! Kage jumped up hurriedly, feeling Fayerns gaze on his back and unable to control the blush that arose as a result. And what exactly is your master doing on the floor, apprentice?

I apologize, sir! He, erm...got to the kcaffe before you did... Lowering his head, Kage silently threw every swear word he had ever learnt from the farm, from the necromancer population, and a few he made up on the spot at Soulbrokers limp form. Hes probably awake right now, just enjoying my humiliation in front of everyone on his behalf!

The Grand Master sighed, snapping his fingers and making another spirit appear. I should have known someone had. Go get an antidote for kcaffe overdose!

Yes master, the spirit murmured, vanishing as suddenly as it had appeared. Feeling everyones gaze on him, Kage dragged Soulbroker back up on the bench and leant him against the back, sitting down self-conciously and praying the others would direct their attention elsewhere. They did, once the Grand Master returned to the bottom podium.

Forgive me for that brief...interruption. Kage glowered, hearing the distain in the voice, then caught out of the corner of his eye Fayerns sympathetic gaze and brightened slightly. She cares, maybe...?

Here is the antidote. The spirit was back, and as he watched it lifted Soulbrokers arm and pressed the needle to his wrist. It may weaken him for a while, but it shouldnt have too much of an effect. He nodded silently, keeping his face to the front to avoid any more incidents with the Grand Master. Good luck in the Games. Nodding again, he waited for it to disappear.

At this time, Id like teams 1 to 5 make their way down to their respective gates... Oh no!

Soulbroker! he hissed, shaking his masters shoulder. For Gods sake, wake up!

Ugh... Finally! Grabbing his master as he tried to turn away, Kage shook him harder, until the man shook his head groggily and his eyelids fluttered.

Teams 11 to 15...

Hurry up and snap out of it! Kage snarled, slapping Soulbroker across the face. In the background he heard Fayerns soft gasp-physical contact towards your master was illegal-and Jekkyls small sniff of distain, but at the moment all that mattered was the unfocused eyes trying to make out his face.

Teams 16 to 20, please make your way to the gates listed on your information package.

Boy... Soulbroker shook his head once more, then yelled as Kage dragged him to his feet, heading towards the crowded aisles. What is going on, and why dont I know?!

What you get for getting stoned on kcaffe! was the snapped reply, as they entered the crowd of bodies all pushing towards the back staircase. We need to head back to our gate; pay attention! Glancing back to make sure Fayern and Jekkyl were still with them. Kage turned back, only to see Soulbrokers face, twisted with confusion, relax into a dazed smile.

Stoned? That must be some good kcaffe!

OOC: *hides from fellow RPers* I know youve already devoted your time to reading all that, but I want to give you some information on the layout of the underworld, so you can start your task without waiting for me to post again.

The first thing you see, as illustrated in my first post, is the River Styx. This is the major highway for all recently dead souls, and apprentices without their own way down the river. (This is all apprentices, unless their master has given them specific training on the matter.) After this, you enter a massive cave system, eventually finding your way to the Scales of Judgement. Here, your heart is weighed against the Feather of Truth, determining what final state of existance you can enter. If it weighs less than the feather you go to Heaven, the same is Purgatory, and more...Down. Waaaaay down. ^^ The apprentices artifact should be hidden anywhere from their entry point to about half-way down Styx, while the masters is anywhere from there to the Scales. There. You have the info, so go and have fun! And dont worry, Ill actually shut up now! *runs away*

Jerath simply grunted, looking at his number. "Looks like we're team 12," he said. "Come on." He turned and strode towards his gate, Meridius following closely. Jerath had been to these games before, but this was Meridius' first time. Jerath, making sure his hood concealed his face, let his brow furrow in concern.

Devion glanced at Soar.
"Oops. We are actually a touch late, arn't we?" Soar gave him a look that said "Gee. You think?" Devion thought to himself Smartass. He looked around, rapping his cane against the ground. "Well, first things first... obviously" Soar nodded, set her jaw and walked towards the first task, which seemed to loom above them. She hadnt taken two steps however when Devion jammed the but of his cane into her back, causing her to fall."No!"
"Hey! Wait...," she dusted herself of none-too-joyfully. "Wadda you mean no?"
"I mean no, thats not the first thing!" He gestured with his cane at the entrance.
"Eh?" And what do you suppose is?"
"Well, I suppose it would be to find out which team we're on!" Soar donned a looked of indignition
"Weren't you listening old man? We're not bloody well interacting yet. And its already started!"
"Well then what are you waiting for? Go! Go!" Soar spun around, sighed and set off again. Devion thought for a second and called after her. "And learn some respect! Old man. Hmph!"

OOC: Righty-O! Time to waste some more time! (as is my fashion) Lol, dun worry, Ill actually try and move things along a little. (Might be a little long, tho.) By the way, AWESOME posts everyone! (Yo, Joel! good for you for joining. I like your characters! Very imaginative!...dang, I sounded like Grierson for a second there...creepy...) Anyways, without further ado...

As the slightly less than prepared teams made their way to the underworld entry point, Fayern noticed that Jekkyl's usual pace had somewhat deviated from its normal pattern. He moved quickly, as if he were in a rush to get to the gate. Jekkyl was never in a rush to get anywhere. Also, there was something on his face that Fayern would have called excitement had she not known him as long as she had. Her master, of all people, should have retained his composure when they stood only moments away from the gates to the underworld!

Fayern risked a glance at Kage, who at present was coaxing his dazed master to keep up. Soulbroker's arm was slung around Kage's right shoulder, as he complained of a strange numbness in his extremities. When she saw this, Fayern did something that deviated from her usual pattern of minding her own business and following her masters orders. She rushed up to Soulbroker, and offered him her shoulder to lean on. Now he had the support of two people, which made the task of half-dragging him to the gate much easier for Kage. Soulbroker mumbled a tired "Thank you...
While Kage turned to face Fayern.
"Thanks...I really...appreciate the help."
For the first time, Fayern was able to respond with reasonable comfort.
"Your welcome. It's...a pleasure to help out a fellow apprentice."
Especially one as handsome as you, she wanted to say.

"Uh-huh...you sure your master doesn't mind?" Kage grunted, as Soulbroker shifted his weight suddenly towards him.
"Argh! This antidote is worse than the Kcaffe! How long will I remain incapacitated?" Soulbroker growled as he stumbled yet again. Then, Fayern responded.
"My master seems to be...preoccupied at the moment. It is most unlike him."
Wow! He was actually having a successful conversation with her! Maybe this day wasn't so bad after all! Kage's eyes wandered involuntarily down to Fayern's bodice. She had succeeded in removing...next to none of the Kcaffe. Although...

Fayern felt his eyes on her for s split-second. She had long ago learned to act irritated when she received these glances; but in truth, (if they came from a respectable and equally glanceable man), they occasionally flattered her. A glance from this young necromancer was more than welcome, but they were still in public and she did not wish to imply anything more than friendship and a sense of what was acceptable, and when. She glanced at him suspiciously for a moment, waiting to see what he would do then. His response was a hasty:
"I...uh, Im really sorry about the whole Kcaffe thing...I mean-maybe I could get someone to perform a stain-removal spell on it later. I...know some people."
Impressive recovery. Fayern grinned.
"I believe that would be acceptable, Kage. At least, after we are finished with this task"
Fayern's mind continued to churn with scenario's involving exclusively herself and the young apprentice, in the faded light of the underworld, interacting on a far more personal level than they currently were. She shook her head, ridding herself of such thoughts. The task came first. But second...

As they neared the gates, Jekkyl could feel his blood boiling with the old sensation. The memories came flooding back, like nightmares raining dark shapes and recollections of boundless pain over his mind.
After all that went on...I am returning to this place! But he knew it was necessary. His magic was wearing thin this close to the heavily spelled gates, which were meant to expose the true form of any being entering through them. But his disguise was a rare and advanced one. It would not fail if he did not dawdle. Soon, he would recover that which was torn away from him all those centuries ago

OOC: Ooohhhspooky! If you guys could do me a favor and not mess with Jekkyl TOO much, (I know hes been the real hot topic so far. Just try and control yourselves. lol)
Some exciting and shocking events are about to unfoldPeace Out!

Fourty teams, fourty apprentices... A dark shape paced the edge of the misty river, red eyes the only colour in the grey-toned landscape. Find the apprentices, find them all and destroy their pathetic life auras... The shade paused, pointed teeth bared in the wavering light of Death. No...Not all. Not the white-haired boy with the scent of fear beneath his icy barrier. That was the Callers prey; he was not to touch it. Sleek wolf form loped off silently, waiting for the beginning of what the miserable humans called the First Task. To the shade, it was only one thing. A mission from his Caller: the command to hunt.
*****

Heres the gate... Kage paused, looking at the two shimmering holes, black wrought iron covering the cave-like entrances. The Gates of Death... Shaking his head to clear it of unnecessary thoughts, he turned to face Fayern who had moved beside him. You ready?

Yes... Was it just him, or were her eyes slightly wider than they had been before. This plane...The underworld, is it hard to navigate?

He stared incredulously, looking for the slight quirk of her lips, the sparkle in her eyes that would reveal the jest. It didnt come. Y-You mean, youve never been there? What kind of master is this Jekkyl? Throwing an indignant glance towards the man, Kage froze suddenly. Jekkyls face, there was something wro-Then it was gone. Gasping softly, Kage tightened his grip around Soulbroker, causing his master to look at him quizzically.

Boy...?

Excuse me! Whipping around so fast he nearly knocked over both Soulbroker and Fayern, Kage stared at the spirit who...wasnt talking to him. You are Soar and Devion, are you not? I was sent to find you and bring you to your team-mates. You are...Team Twelve, I believe. He watched in silence as the spirit led off the lost necromancers, last reminders of the fact that the Task would be starting soon sucked into the low murmurings of the rest of the crowd.

Boy, whats wrong? Soulbrokers eyes were clearer now, and he pushed himself away from his apprentices support, weaving unsteadily on his feet. Dont give me that absolutely nothing whatsoever look either. Feel like youre going to die or something?

No... Kage shook his head slowly. Im not, its not that hard of a task. But... His eyes strayed to Jekkyl, who looked impatient, but...It was all in my head, he muttered, then reached out and steadied Soulbroker as he nearly fell. Anyway, you shouldnt be worrying about me. You can barely stand straight!

Ill be fine, his master muttered darkly in defense, then his face shifted back into a look of concern once Kage had turned away.

All apprentices, please take your spots in front of your respective gates! The intercom blared to life, causing a flurry of movement to ripple through the sea of black and white. Steadying his master as much as he could, Kage started to let go, then squeezed Soulbrokers arm tightly. Whether he had imagined what had happened previously or not, there was something creepy about that man, Jekkyl. And here he was, letting his slightly woozy master wander around the underworld with him?! Sure, Soulbroker snapped at him, hit him, embarrassed him in public, made him work twice as hard as any other apprentice...But this, this was all wrong, and for one moment Kage considered holding onto that black-clad arm, holding on and never letting go. But Fayern was looking at him curiously, and Soulbrokers eyes were darkening as his hand didnt move, so with a small sigh he let go and stepped towards the Gate.

You better not slow us down because of that kcaffe! he whispered softly. It was supposed to be a sharp rebuke, but his voice seemed to be gone, sucked into the darkness of the cold hole in front of him. Ill meet you back here... The gong sounded, and Fayern grabbed his arm, dragging him forward so that the coldness leaching out of the Gate hit him head on.

Ill watch him, dont worry, he heard Soulbroker whisper to him, but as they stepped into the darkness, as the frigid air engulfed them, it was accompanied by an unnatural terror: the certainty that they were going to die very painfully, the promise they would suffer in an undead hell for all of eternity...As all these things washed over him and Soulbrokers words were sucked away into the warmth and colour of the living plane, Kage knew with certainty that he had made a terrible mistake.

OOC: Woot! this will be the first of several "Jekkyl-Oriented" posts. Meanwhile, the other characters will have to find other ways of amusing themselves. (mainly Kage and Fayern! Wheee! ) In the meantime, sit back, relax, and enjoy the Hell! Er-I mean, the SHOW!

On the dusty, blood-red plains of the underworld, amidst the cries of descending souls and the roar of the ever-burning flames, walked a boy. A boy no more than eighteen years of age. Every moment he spent in this distorted state of existence sapped him of his strength, yet he staggered on, a yearning in his heart for something few men had ever found; and lost. A piece of himself. Now that he had passed through the barrier, the memories were already starting to flood back. He could see the faint outline of the mountain in the distance. It seemed worlds away. "Shaella..." his mind whispered.

He could still remember her smile now, as the images flooded back; a flash of her eyes, a wisp of her hair, a taste of her lips. Then he remembered the others, the ones who had wanted her for nothing more than her flesh. The ones who Jekkyl, a calm and gentle soul, could not compete with in contests of strength. He remembered the bruises, the broken bones, the bloody noses and black eyes. He remembered her holding him, crying for him. He had been worried he would lose herthere had been no way outno way to fight back. Then he had heard of the forbidden art of shade-calling.

Every breath of the frigid air burned his fragile lungs, weakening them. He could feel the pull from every stone and speck of dust, trying to consume him. But he would not give in. He had not come this far just to be defeated. It was the memories that gave Jekkyl strength now, along with a force far greater than the pull of death. He could remember hearing the overlords words, as clear as Hell's bells, ringing in his young skull:

"For what you have attempted to do...for this great evil that you almost succeeded in committing...you shall not be punished...instead...we will keep her chained...in-between Heaven and Hell... until you find the courage to return...until you find the last daughter of the Sevenborn and make her your apprentice...until you lead her to the black gates...where you will enter...and find the one you seek in the fortress beneath the charred mountain...along with a test you must pass to retrieve her..."

"Well? What are you following me for, brat?" Jerath spat at the ground in front of Meridius. "But sir, you said..." "Forget what I said! Go and join the rest of the rookies!" "But sir, I've been training for years with you and..." "I SAID WITH THE ROOKIES!"

Jerath stood at his gate, looking intently as its doors swung wide open. His teammate was late...

Meridius lined up quickly into the Apprentice crowd, wondering who he was paired up with.

It was quite cleare they both were kind of lost.

Soar was about to set off on a brisk run towards the crowd of huddling apprentices. But one again, Devion stopped her as his cane hooked around her shoulder with a sharp tug. She grew angry, and spun around to face him.
"What do you-"
You are Soar and Devion, are you not? I was sent to find you and bring you to your team-mates. You are...Team Twelve, I believe. The misty spirit cut her off. It was even more frusturating to realize Devion wasnt paying her any attention. Still, she collected herself and nodded to the ethereal being. They were led towards their presumed teamates, but before they left, Soar glanced behind her to see a curious boy staring at them. She shifted her hat, and followed the spirit, brushing the strange boy from her mind. They followed the spirit a ways through the crowds, and he led them to the sight of the backs of a pair of normal-seeming necromancers. Devion asked the spirit
"Are these them then?" The spirit nodded sagely. "All right then. Hey there-"
Before he caught their attention, the master shouted something at his aprentice rather angrily, who rushed off quickly. Soar made a mental note not to anger that one. Which may prove difficult.

Damn! Soulbroker swore loudly as he stepped out of the Gates, entering a small stretch of rock between the dark cave walls and the misty expanse of river. The small island was barely big enoguh for two people, but Soulbroker had more than enough room-Jekkyl was gone. I promised I would watch him! Sighing, he gazed out at the torrent of water rushing past, then walked over to the edge and trailed his hand in the mist, being careful not to touch the water. Kage and Fayern were somewhere back closer to Life; perhaps he should...

Had he imagined the stark terror on his apprentices face as he had passed through the Gate? No...it was too vivid to be an illusion. Something strange was happening, and not just with Jekkyls disappearing act.

Putting aside for the task for now, he muttered to himself, pulling out the vial of spiritualsm from his belt and eyeing it critically, I need to find the apprentices. He uncorked the vial with a small pop, sticking it under the swirling mist and letting it refill. Standing up, he nearly fell as his foot slipped on a dark object lying on the ground. What the hell- It was an artifact. Well, there we go. Nice challenge theyve got set up here. Pocketing the stone, he turned to the river, raising his hand and feeling the spiritualsm floating on the waters surface stir.

Ksstst jks sckrst krtssts! The mist responded, swirling up and creating a small span of shifting material across the river. Soulbroker stepped onto the bridge, praying his slightly untrustworthy balance would hold. It did, and he smiled slightly before grimacing and pressing a hand to his neck. Damn language hurts my throat... Muttering softly, he disappeared into the shifting fog. Off on my journey I must go...To where the river flows...
****
Kage?! He was on his knees, hands pressed to his temples in an attempt to block the numbing terror surrounding him on all sides. Kage! Snap out of it! Two hands grabbed his shoulders and he pulled away, trying to scream but finding he was frozen and voiceless. Whats...doing this to me...?! A dark shape detached itself from the shadows almost in reply, flitting just on the edge of his sight.

The hunt has begun...I wonder, how long will you miserable humans last? The voice was haunting, a low growl that grated on his taut nerves and made him wince.

G..get out of my head! A dark chuckle was the only reply, followed by muffled questions from the girl beside him. He couldnt hear her, couldnt reach out to her; the dark voice was too overpowering.

The Caller will deal with you...All that is necessary is that you pass the task. Throwing a last fleeting glance from eyes that glowed like the brightest of hellfires, the shadow was gone, and the terror receded.

Kage! Fayern was in front of him, hands on his shoulders and eyes reflecting her concern. Say something, please! He sat still for a moment, dropping his hands slowly, then raised his head to meet her gaze.

What happened?

I-Im not sure. Realizing that her hands were still resting loosely on his shoulders, she blushed and pulled away. We passed through the Gate, then you started shaking and collapsed. I tried to call to you but... She faced him, watching him closely. Do you know what happened?

No... Standing up shakily, he offered a hand to Fayern which she took carefully. Theres something strange going on here, something that shouldnt be part of the Games...What do you know of your master, Jekkyl?She looked at him blankly, hand still clasped in his own.

Not much...He is not one you can pry about. Why?

No reason... Holding onto her hand, he turned to face the direction of the distant Styx, seeing various red auras moving among the dark landscape, no doubt searching for the artifacts they needed to pass on. We should start looking, if we wish to find a stone before theyre all gone.

She nodded. Of course. Reaching down to his boot, Kage drew the steel knife from its sheath then, holding it in front of him cautiously, they set forth into Death. Silence is beauty...Words only complicate the task...

"Hi," said Meridius as the gates swung open in front of them, "I'm Meridius. Don't mind him, he's prone to do that now and then."

Jerath looked over at Soar. "So, you're my team-mate, eh?" came the aged voice. "I hope you're as good as you are late." At that remark, he let his heavy gauntlet slide off, revealing his completely skeletal appendage, the mark of a Pale Master...

The landscape Fayern had entered was unlike anything she had ever seen before. The staggeringly high ceiling of black and blood red stone seemed to stretch on forever, looming silently over the grey beaches and harsh rock terrain of the underworld. Faint, misty appendages and ghostly faces occasionally broke the surface of the river Styx that, while it was massive and flowing and appeared to have the consistency of water, made no sound whatsoever in the gloom. There was an almost total silence Fayern had never experienced in all her travels, which intensified her residual feelings of anxiety and awkwardness. The only sounds, at present, were the combined scraping of her boots and Kage's, the slight ruffle of their clothing, (mostly Kage's coat), and their breathing, slow and rhythmic.

Kage seemed troubled. Fayern had a feeling he was not telling her everything about what had happened to him earlier.
"What...exactly did you see, back there?"
His response was more defensive than she had expected.
"What? I...I didn't see anything! It was...just the disorientation of passing through the gate, that's all..."
"But I experienced nothing, and I have never entered this plane before."

She certainly had him there. Kage sighed, and tried to explain to her what he had seen and heard. It was soon evident that she was as puzzled as he was. As soon as they had they continued onward, in search of the artifacts.

After several hours of searching, the environment around the duo, (or lack thereof) began to intensify. Jets of flame spurted out of large cracks in the ground, bringing with them ash and dust that irritated their throats and eyes. Large stalagmites rose up, some towering from the floor at almost twice Fayern's height. Then, just as they were beginning to hear strange moans and howls in the distance, a figure appeared in front of them, striding through the flames.

It was Soulbroker. And he had an artifact. After Kage and Fayern both let out a sigh of relief, and Kage had moved back to stand beside Fayern, having dashed up in front of her to shield her from whatever it was that might have appeared before them, Soulbroker began explaining his situation. Evidently, the kcaffe antidote had finally worn off, and he was his dignified, grumpy old self once again. In fact, he had been making his way towards life to find them.
"Wait...where's Jekkyl? He's supposed to be with you, isn't he?" Kage asked
"Well it you would let me speak for one moment, boy, maybe I will answer your question."
Kage was silent.
"Now...the fact of the matter is...I have no idea where he is. When I entered here, I was completely alone. And this artifact was right beside me."

Now Fayern was sure something had gone seriously awry. Jekkyl never disappeared without warning, never so much as moved a muscle without making it evident to someone, and especially not during a task such as this!
"Well, the rules state that I cannot interfere with your progress. I must return to the gate. Fare well you two-and, one more thing..."
Soulbroker paused, as if piecing together the words one by one in his mind.
"...If you should find Jekkyl...be wary. I have heard of no one who was ever able to resist the gatekeepers power and change their entry location. Also, I have sensed the presence of an alarmingly powerful shade nearby. Someone is trying to sabotage this event...I must get back and warn the gatekeepers before it is too late."
And with that, Soulbroker strolled off, nimbly dodging an erupting flame vent.

None of it made sense! Disappearing masters? Artifacts placed in the immediate vicinity of the ones searching for them? Shades being summoned? This is no contest...it's a living nightmare! Kage thought. And yet, amidst it all, Fayern still managed to calm him. There was something so soothing about her presence, something so soft and pure...yet she remained strong, and determined to complete their task, as he was. Kage had never met someone with such spirit! (Not to mention such a vessel in which it was held!) So maybe, just maybe, there was hope they would make it out alive...

As if. Soulbroker halted his steps, watching the two apprentices as they pushed forward into the oppresive gloom of the underworld. As if rules and regulations would matter to him at this point, would mean anything in this twisted test gone horribly wrong. Gritting his teeth, the master turned and headed for the main Gate that was always accessible from Secret City, knowing he had to inform the Grand Master of what was going on, and stop this madness before it was too late.

You may go no further. A spirit materialized in front of him, halting his steps abruptly. All Gates are closed until the end of the First Task.

I must get to the Grand Master! he insisted stubbornly, then proceeded to explain to the gatekeeper all that had transpired in the short amount of time they had spent in Death. My team-mate is missing, my apprentice is in danger, and on top of that a shade is on the loose! Do the rules of your petty Games truly mean so much at this point?

The spirit considered this, then its face fell into an expression of disbelief. A shade? That is, you must realize, highly doubtful. You are basically accusing one of Secret Citys necromancers of being a Shade-Caller.

Not necessarily, Soulbroker argued, already realizing it was pointless. It could be free...

This close to Life? Keep your stories to yourself, oh mighty master. It seems you fear for your teams place in this competition enough to attempt to thwart the Games authorities. Soulbroker opened his mouth to shoot back a sarcastic comment that would be so typical of his childish apprentice, then swallowed the bitter words with difficulty and turned back towards the shifting mists of the underworld. The gatekeeper had abandoned him; he wouldnt do the same. Breaking one of the most prominent rules in the write-up of the First Task, Soulbroker concealed himself among the mists and watched his young apprentice as he made his way through Death, dagger outstretched before him.

OOC: Ok...I dont want to move this any further until the other team's at least entered the underworld. Therefore, until Spunky posts, this RP will sort of have to come to a standstill. InuYasha can post if he wants, but I cant continue the plot if one team is too far ahead of the other. Thanks for being patient! ^^

Devion chose not to directly remark on his new teamate's open hostility, instead just remarking sarcastically,
"Well I'd greet you and ask of your name, but apparently we've skipped all pleasentries." Soar grew wide-eyed at the pale master's arm, but not in a fearful manner, instead adopting a curious tone, as the skeletal apendage did not cause fear as it would in most people, instead drawing her, like a cat to a strange object. Devion didnt remark on the subject, instead cocking his eyebrow at the strange sight before swiveling and seting off at a brisk pace. Seconds later, Soar realized she was being left behind with their rather odd teamates, and ran to catch up with her master.
"Dev, wait up!" She called. Devion knew when she was their without looking and began talking.
"A pale master eh? Hmmm..." He sounded slightly critical.
"You dont like him then? Cause he's... a... pale master." She said the term lowly, as it was new to her, like a new candy to taste. Devion stopped and gave her an incredilous look.
"Pregidous? Heavens no, you stupid child." He continued walking now. "I'm simply... weary. Call it cautiosness.... cautiosness earned from expierience." He said with a tone of finality. Obviously he wasnt going into detail. Breifly before entering the underworld, Devion did not stop nor turn around, but called out "Oh! I'm sorry. Will you two be joining us?" He was immerrsed in the realm of the dead before the sarcastic comment hit them.

Jerath took a deep, rasping breath of the land of the dead's air. He preferred it at times to normal air...less things to irritate his lungs. With that, he sprang forward, uncannily nimble for a man his age. "Well, keep up!"

Meridius felt a knot in his stomach. "Oh...man. HE DID NOT TELL ME ENOUGH ABOUT THIS PLACE." He put one arm to his gut and limped a step forawrd.

OOC: Woot, Another post about Jekkyl! Dont worry, hell get out okI hope

The wind blew sharper suddenly, tearing at Jekkyls leather vest and loose white shirt, its sleeves flapping like miniature flags dotted with ancient stains of blood. The sacrificeJekkyl could still remember silencing the small child with a single blowthe blood, running down over his handsthe runes, red and glowing on the altar of stonethe small mistake he had made during the incantationthe flames, engulfing him-
Jekkyl shook his head and cried out, tears staining his cheeks as he broke into a run. Such a heavy pricehow could he have been so nave? Thinking he had needed the power of shade-summoning

All the centuries he should have been deadall the years of living with the knowledge of what he had doneall the years of anger and hate that had driven himfrom the long-forgotten Elven fortress of Elendir, to the desert wilds where Shal Hassan and his masked ninjas were trained in the ancient artsto the darkness of the caves of Kran, where the disciples of the monk Kratzanatu learned the art of true silence and the power of the shadows. All the years of searchingfollowing the Sevenbornuntil finally, a daughter had been born. He could still hear the faint cry of the small child, trapped under the rubble of her family home, destroyed by raiders. Wrapped in a small blanket, he had found the small child. Her name had been Fayern. The last of the Sevenborn.

As Jekkyl glanced up, wiping the tears from his face, the red mountain appeared slightly larger on the horizon. Soon, he would see her face againsoon, he would rescue her from this placethis limbo between Heaven and Hellbut still closer to Hell in his mind. The hills of dust were much larger now, and Jekkyl was finding it difficult to proceed. His feet were continually pulled out from under him by the sand, which seemed to have a mind of its own. It probably does, since this is the underworld Jekkyl thought.

Time seemed void in this particular section of the underworld. Jekkyl could not tell how long it had been since his last thought. A few minutes? Several hours? Several days? And still the red mountain taunted him with its far-off presence, like a heavenly beacon hovering continuously out of his reach. Another thousand timeless units of existence later, however, Jekkyl found himself suddenly face to face with a door of rusted iron that stretched upwards with dwarfing immensity. As he stepped cautiously closer, the five massive bolts that held the door shut shot open with a deafening metal clang that made Jekkyl jump. He then heard a voice resonate from the growing crack of dark space between the slowly opening doors:

If you choose to enter now, you forfeit the safety of your soul to us, and to the limits of your own strength and will. If you choose to go back, you shall be restored immediately, unable to return to this place for all time.

There was no hesitation; no question. Jekkyl clenched his fist as thoughts of his blunder filled his mind. This was his chance to fix things. His only chance.

He stepped through the door.

Two young apprentices walked warily along the banks of Styx, a dagger held in the hand of one, an opened spiritualsm vial clutched in the fist of the other.

W-we should find an artifact soon, one whispered, apprehension making its appearance in the wavering words. Nodding, her partner attempted to twirl the dagger through her fingers as she had seen her master do.

Dont wory; well pass this no prob- tHe young girl paused as the knife slipped from her clumsy hands. Oops... Giggling nervously, she kneeled down to grab the weapon, then froze, eyes widening alarmingly.

What is it?! The other girl spun to face what had frightened her team-mate, only to be assaulted by the shades long curved teeth. Ah... Her screams cut off abruptly, the red aura surrounding all those of the living plane slowly fading. Snarling, the shade pulled its head away from the girls body, just as the other finally accessed the situation and stood up, cupping her hands around her mouth and shouting as loud as her lungs could handle.

Shade! Shade by the river! Warn the gatekee-agh! Another swift slash, this time of a claw, another aura snuffed out.

Pathetic...There must be more of a challenge than this! Red eyes roving the bleak landscape for more telltale glows, the shade padded softly off into the gloom.

OOC: Haha, fear the killing off of the random apprentices! They're all gonna die just to let you know, except for yours of course. Sorry if it seems like mindless killing. ^^; It actually has a purpose to the storyline! No, really!

Yyyyeeeaaahhhhh post! Had fun with this one. (and so did Kage and Fayern)

Not long after their brief encounter with Soulbroker, the two young apprentices Kage and Fayern found themselves strolling along the banks of the river styx. Though the aura of the afterlife was almost sickeningly potent all around them, the calm of the deathscape was strangely refreshing compared to the bustle of the halls of Secret City. The light, soundless brush of the pale mist on the banks of the river swirled around their feet as they walked on. For some reason, this calm was making Kage feel increasingly awkward, and he longed to say something to Fayern; anything to strike up a decent conversation! But when he finally was able to make a comment, it wasn't exactly what he had had in mind.
"Um...I-er...I like your outfit."
Argh!Kage was immediately beating himself inside his head. He couldn't have made a more idiotic statement! What would she say now? Would she even respond?

Finally! Fayern thought, he broke that infernal silence!
It wasn't that Fayern did not appreciate the serenity of their current location to some extent, and she was fascinated by the underworlds terrain in general, but she had been beginning to feel uncomfortable after walking with Kage so long without words! But...how could she reply without sounding foolish? suddenly, Fayern realised she was paying far more attention to her actions and appearance than usual, exclusively in Kage's company! Could...could she be in love with him? She had to reply!
"Um...thanks. I like what you're wearing, too."
Fayern felt like a complete moron. She had thrown his comment right back at him! On top of that, she had ruined any chance for a conversaion!

oh no! Kage thought, i've really done it now...What could he say? In spite of all his careful thought, Kage found himself blurting out the first thing that came into his head.
"I...I really like you, Fayern...and I mean, not just your outfit! I mean, like I said before, its great! But...I like...who you are..."

Fayern stopped dead in her tracks and turned to face Kage. Had she heard him correctly? What a percfect thing to say! This time, when she cuaght his gaze, Fayern found herself captivated by Kage. It was as if a delusion spell had been cast on her...the most wonderful delusion spell ever cast.
She felt like she wanted to...move closer to him...hold him...

Kage was just about to cringe after yet another incredible blunder, when Fayern turned and looked at him. Just looked. When he saw her standing there, in that split second, all else ceased to exist. It was just them, there, in that moment. Two human beings. She moved closer to him, and he took her in his arms. Any words here would have destroyed it all. Kage could feel his insides churning with a soft fire as Fayern's arms wound around him, and she stared up into his eyes. She was only slightly shorter than him, but still close enough to his lips. Close enough to...

When they kissed...it was like ascending from the underworld and into the world beyond. A warmth like nothing she had ever felt, like no fire or wool garment had ever brought her filled Fayern from head to toe, banishing all aspects of the cold, desolate wasteland which surrounded them. As thoughts of the market place from her early travels crept into her mind, Fayern realised she now knew what that feeling was...and she never wanted it to end. The kiss held for as long as any kiss can, and then some. And as Fayern withdrew, as slowly as she could, something caught her eye that tore her from Kage's arms and down the banks of the river. Kage followed her as she ran, up until the sight of two apprentices who had not completed their task and never would filled their eyes, and Fayern screamed.

OoC: Ok, guys, I'm out. I'm actually sorry, but I find that this rp has a few problems with it, for instance waay too many different plots going on, and the format makes it slightly difficult. Also, the fact that there is so much contorlling characters that arn't your own going on between people, sets the pace waay off. And lastly, the... obliviousness and naevity of one unamed participant is getting to me. Again, I'm sorry, hate me if you wish, and apologize mostly to CyKairus, who may be hindered by this. However, just make it so that my charries became lost in the underworld or suffered a horrific death. Out.

Jerath had the item in his hand; his partner was nowhere to be seen. Like a warm embrace, tendrils of light pulled him out of the underworld and back to the world of the living...

---

Meridius shook. The person next to him was dead, blood spattered on the ground. Some shadowlike thing turned its head to him, red eyes glowing and teeth glistening in the unnatural moonlight. "Back...stay back...EEYAH!" The sound of a cork popping could be heard as Spirit whirled around his arm. "Take this!" From the spirit, a tiny bead of light flew forward, then another, and another, each detonating against the beast upon impact. He knew the Fireball spell was useless against the thing, but he knew he wouldn't last long either way! Then, in the flashes of fire, he saw it; the Artifact he was supposed to find. Firing off a burst of light to dazzle the monster, he leapt over its head and grabbed the item...as the beast raked his shoulder with claws of shadow. "EEEYAGH!" As the claws neared his throat, the tendrils of light had whisked him from the underworld.

---

Jerath turned and saw his pupil on the ground, screaming. "Get back, get back!" the old man yelled, waving his bony arm to drive back the small crowd gathered around Meridius. "You idiot, what did you do? Try to pick Charon's pocket?" "No, master..." Meridius managed to mouth these words before he passed out. Jerath grunted, and held an arm out over his student. White light fell from the skeletal arm into his pupil, slowly healing the wounds on his shoulder.

OOC: Sorry you dropped out, Joel... Ah well. It was hard to keep all the characters together and on the same pace, and I'm sorry if you felt you were being neglected. ^^; I'll try harder to pay attention to everyone. I can't post right now, since I'm in a hotel and about to be kicked off the computer, but as soon as I am officially moved (hopefully tomorrow) I will finish this post. Until then...Be cool, be wild, and be groovy! ^^

IC:

Dead. The blood stained the grey earth, slowly losing its colour...Dead. The young girls eyes stared lifelessly up at Kages rigid face, mouth still open in her last desperate scream...Dead. Her words echoed in his mind, ringing with morbid truth.

Shade! Shade by the river! Shade by the river. Death within Death.

What... Fayerns eyes were wide, unable to turn away from the bodies in front of them, unable to pull away lest she look back and the deaths become reality. What could have done this to them? Kage shook his head, voice lost in his horror, then jumped slightly as a hand came down on his shoulder.

Shade. I told them, but the fools wouldnt listen! Soulbroker...Kage noted his masters presence dully, too numb to be surprised after what had just happened. I should have known he wouldnt abandon us here, not when theres a...

Theyre moving! Fayerns scream brought him back to his senses, and he uttered an involuntary gasp as the body twitched before him, eyelids fluttering. C-can they come back, in this realm?

Had they died naturally, they would have become dead souls. Soulbrokers eyes, black as night, were filled with an even greater darkness. But it was a shade, so... Struggling to sit up, the corpses eyes opened fully, fixing Kage with a stare that came from eyes left with only their whites, devoid of anything remotely human that had once been there.

T...The Cal...Caller tells usss... The former aprentices voice rasped, then sank in to a hollow, echoing growl. As long as you continue to defy the wishes of the Caller, your soul is forfeit!

What wishes? Kage yelled, stepping away from the aura-less body crawling towards him. I havent done anythi- He stopped, speechless, as Soulbrokers dagger lodged itself in the girls chest.

Be afraid, apprentice... Silver flashed, unnatural life began to fade from empty eyes. As long as you hold Soulbroker as your master, all of Hell shall be on your tail! With a parting hiss, the body was still once more.

Shade spites... Walking over slowly, as though incredibly weary, Soulbroker removed the knife from the corpse, then turned and stabbed the other body as it began to shudder. Can only be destroyed by Necromatic silver...This is bad.

Whats bad? Kage demanded, then leaned over as something shone in the eerie light of Death. An artifact, black runes staining the white stone like the dark blood beneath their feet.

Might as well take it, boy. They dont need it anymore... His masters soft words were slightly comforting, but Kage still hesitated as he took the stone from just beyond the reach of a cold outstretched hand, a hand that should have been holding the aritfact in truimphant victory, not giving up its precious prize to the ones who had discovered its failure. There is much darkness in these Games now, much more than these spirits could ever feel against you.

Darkness? Fayern had to ask it, even though it was lying at their feet.

The shade has a Caller, Soulbroker replied grimly, holding up the two artifacts together and feeling the warmth of Life reach towards them. And its after us! His words lingered long after their forms had disappeared, and far off in the darkness, the shades pointed teeth parted in a twisted smile.

OOC: YAAAY! Jekkyl gets to save his significant other now!
...I really shouldn't have had that kcaffe earlier...oh, well.

Darkness. The black void was infinite, and Jekkyls soul continued drifted aimlessly in its icy grasp. Had it been a trap? The door, so obviouswas he doomed to drift forever in this hellish plane? And thena light, dusty and grey, untouched for half a thousand years. The room was about the size of a large barn, and bare of any objects, save a figure chained to the far wall, her hair hanging down to the side of her cocked head, deathly still in the heavy silence that hung eerily. For a moment, Jekkyl could not move. The sight of her seemed to strip the last shred of reality from the unearthly tomb. Her image had all but left his mind after so longand memories of the sunlight of his beloved home, so far away and forgotten that it almost seemed foreign, began to re-enter his mind like a long awaited visitor. Tears filled his eyes as he rushed towards her to undo the great iron chains that held her soul in place. She appeared to be asleep, her face somewhat peaceful in its unmoving softness, lost in the half-dead state of perpetual unconsciousness she had been cursed with. Because of him. Jekkyl pulled with all his strength on the chains, but found he could hardly rattle the weighty metal, which was almost too immensely dense to budge, though the shackles were quite small. Carefully, he placed a hand on her cheek and stared into her closed eyes.
Shaella Jekkyl whispered, and as if her name had been a catalyst or trigger, the wall of stone to their left exploded open with a deafening eruption of sound, revealing a m monstrous of dwarfing size, and a great eye encircled leathery black skin; like the skins of a thousand corpses, that hung stretched across its massive bones. It roared, blowing a vile wind at Jekkyl and pinning him to the far wall. He cried out, and cursed himself a thousand times over as the last lines of the rhyme of his burden came into his mind

A great challenge shall be set forth for you to overcomeand you must defeat it with naught but your own strength and will, lest her soul and a piece of your own remain imprisoned between Heaven and Hell for all time.

Just then, upon remembering his own curse, Jekkyls magical guise disappeared, exposing the skeletal left half of his head, arm, and part of his ribs. His body was hollow and dry; though he could still feel his heart beating for her. His right eye, one of flesh, narrowed with determination as he dodged the beasts every blow, its great eye following his every move while it swung its claws, like miniature sickles, back and forth, tearing gashes in the walls as if they were made of soft clay. One of them ripped a gash in Jekkyls back, but he felt no pain. No blood flowed from the wound. It was then that Jekkyls frantic mind produced an idea. He darted towards Shaellas limp body, still clad in the summer dress she had worn when she had disappeared. If his positioning was offbut it was not. The monsters claws slashed the chains into pieces, which fell to the stone floor, creating small craters. Jekkyl wrapped his arms around Shaella, and lifted, only to find that the weight of the chains prevented him from even budging her pale frame from the floor. And now she was in danger of being crushed by the beast! Jekkyl cursed aloud as the monsters foot slammed down dangerously close to his own. He had only a second to dodge it, and in doing so found himself face to face with a large section of the thin but incredibly heavy chain. He grabbed it and heaved with all his might, hoisting it onto his shoulder. Could he jump high enough with the extra weight? The beast, aggravated by yet another of Jekkyls evasions, charged forward with devastating speed. Jekkyl leaped as high as he could and wrapped himself around the behemoths shoulder. It reeked of rotting flesh. He clambered onto its back, as it roared and tried to throw him off. Jekkyl then quickly looped the chain around its neck and, hoping it was not an undead beast, pulled upwards with all his might. The monster choked and gurgled, and just as Jekkyl was beginning to feel as if his arms would fall off from the mass of the chain, the beast fell forward with a crash, and silence returned to the tomb. Jekkyl rose and panted with exhaustion, filling his non-existent lungs with gulps of air. Slowly, he turned towards Shaella, His eyes filling with tears yet again as they met hers. Their embrace seemed to last for all eternity as they basked together in the warmth of the curses lifting. Tears streamed down Jekkyls cheek as he smiled, five hundred years worth of loving words seemed obsolete in this moment of their long awaited reunion. He took her hand as the darkness faded all around them, and the underworld dissolved in blinding light.

OOC: Wow! I feel so cool posting on a random computer at my school! Anyways, after that excessively mushy extravaganza, i'm sure you're all awaiting yet another bloody post from some of the other members of the RP. I might not be posting for some time, since exams are coming up and I doubt i'll be able to get on the conputers here again...well, hopefully my internet will be fixulated soon, and I hope Jekkyl and Shaella randomly appearing in front of the gates won't freak anyone out!

SHAELLA: "Ooh...Jekkyl...you sure do have a lot of buckles...hehe..."

OOC: Yes...While Inu's unable to participate, life(or Death! =D) will be a teensy bit difficult. But as long as I manage to force him onto a computer sometime soon, life shall be good! ^^ I'm gonna try and get all the remaining RPers together as soon as possible, to make interaction easier and the story more dynamic. Until then, enjoy another extremely long post! =D

IC:
How could this happen? Nothing so tragic had ever even been comtemplated before, so much death had never happened in one round of the Games before, much less in the first task! The Grand Master bit his lip in frustration and worry, staring down at the ragged band of necromancers left over. Automatically, his eyes scanned the black and white crowd, noting with horror the overpowering sea of black. That was the strangest part of the whole incident: only apprentices were targeted. Anyone plotting to overthrow Secret City would obviously target the more experienced necromancers; no villian in their right mind would attack mostly innocent apprentices! Unless of course, that was just it: a villian had done this, a villian who wanted to cause the city as much grief as possible.

How many were left? The Grand Master paced to the edge of the platform, observing the Audience Hall gravely. There was the injured boy, the old Pale Master bent over him attentively. That one was a character. Didnt want to get on his bad side. The apprentice was a right sort though, courteous and hard working...Who else? Yes of course, Soulbrokers apprentice, the white-haired boy with the hot temper. What was his name? Meant shadow in some language, if he wasnt mistaken...Shaking his head irritably, the Grand Master continued pacing. Here he was, in the middle of perhaps one of the greatest disasters that had ever befallen Secret City, and he had let his mind wander! Kage, that was the boys name. And who was beside him? The last one, Fayern Havtra, Jekkyls apprentice. Frowning suddenly, the old necromancer turned their steps towards them. There was someone missing.
*****
The silence was overpowering, thick and stifling despite the soft murmurs of the audience. Even the young apprentices watching from the seats seemed subdued, some swinging their feet idly, others huddled against their masters and watching the proceedings with wide eyes. Kage smiled sadly at the comfort they seemed to gain from the contact, wondering wistfully if solace could ever come as readily to him. He had been too old when he started his apprenticeship to become close to Soulbroker, and Fayern...

The girl smiled as he looked at her, but it was with her lips and wasnt reflected in her sorrowful eyes. Her first trip into Death, and she had seen the place in its purest form: the loss of life from innocents. He could barely imagine her horror, save for...All that time ago when his father had been...No! He shook his head forcefully-only to come face to face with the Grand Master.

Where is your master? the old man asked coldly. Kage didnt even bother to respond, instead turning and pointing behind him, where Soulbroker sat huddled around a hot cup of expresso. He had been about to order kcaffe, but Kage had thrown him such a dark glare that the dark-haired man had merely glowered at his apprentice and asked for the strongest coffee the concession could serve without throwing anything special into it. Not your master, you half-wit! I can see him just as well as you can! Where is Jekkyl? Snapping his attention back to the Grand Master, Kage started to throw the insult right back at the old geezer, when the weight of the question sunk in. Jekkyl! He had completely forgotten about the white-haired creep. Where had he run off to anyway? Kage quickly hastened to explain Jekkyls strange disappearing act to the Grand Master, who nodded curtly.

Yes...There has been...funny business about that one... The old necromancers eyes widened suddenly, and he stood up abruptly, just as there was a blast of cold air behind him and a Gate opened up in the middle of the Arena.

You! The forceful cry turned nearly all the heads in the chamber to the pair the Grand Master was stalking towards: an exausted girl being supported by a white-haired man bearing the Necromatic mark on his attire.

Jekkyl! Fayern breathed. Whos with him? Her voice was lost, however, as the Grand Masters dark accusations thundered through the Arena, stopping the last few voices that were still speaking.

Was it you? Are you the Caller? Answer me!

"Calm youorself, old man." Jekkyl breathed, exhausted from his violent and sudden ejection from the underworld, and the battle with the guardian beast. It felt so strange to have his whole living, aging body returned to him, and even as he stood there, the eyes of the bedraggled gang of masters and apprentices upon him, he could feel the color returning to his skin, and the strength to his voice. He cleared his throat.

"Grand Master." He adressed, with a far more authoritative tone,
"I apologise for my sudden intrusion. I can understand your suspicion, but I can assure you I have had nothing to do with any shade calling. I was...merely retrieveing something that was lost to me for a very long time...and someone."

"Thben perhaps you can explain, master Jekkyl, why your clothes hjave the distinct stench of blood and stajhad, two vital components in the summoning of shades?"

Jekkyl realised then, with horror, that he was still wearing the clothes he had had on when he had first been punished for attempting to summon the shade all those years ago. Apparently the piece of his soul was not all that had been returned to him. And that was not all. The years of his life spent with only 3/4 of his soul had been returned to him. He was 18 again, yet nobody seemed to have noticed the difference. In troubled times, even the most obvious of details were often overlooked. Yet, how could he possibly explain this? It was a good thing he still had five hundred yerars of quick thinking experience. Jekkyl turned to Shaella, who was almost too weak to move. He felt his mind connect with hers. It had been so long...but they still shared that connection.
"shaella...my darling...do you have enough strength for him?"

"I...I think i do, Jekkyl...his mind is strong but...i can do it."

For a moment, time seemed to slow down. The Grand Master looked as if he was ready to throw Jekkyl into the underworld with his bare hands. Shaella closed her eyes. Then, slowly, the Grand Master's expression changed. Time returned to normal.
"I...understand..." The Grand Master whispered.
"I...I am sorry, Jekkyl. If you will allow us, we could care for her-"
"I believe my expertise will be adequate, thank you. I appreciate your offer, Grand Master. Although...we have not eaten in quite some time."
"Of course, of course...one of my guards will assist you."

And With that, Jekkyl, still supporting the strange girl on his shoulder, walked off. Kage and Fayern turned to each other with identical expressions of confusion. What in the underworld had just happened?

Kage glowered at Jekkyl as he left the Arena, silently shouting insults at the mans retreating back. The nerve! Leaving his apprentice alone when there was a shade runnning around, trying to kill them...Had he not been afraid of another slap from Soulbroker, he would have given that creep a piece of his mind.

Instead, he turned and watched the old master caring for his apprentice on the other side of the ring, and felt a sudden urge to do something, anything.

Cmon, he said to the others beside him, standing up and shaking his hair out of his face. Lets go talk to them. Fayern started to stand up as well, but Soulbroker shook his head once, then looked back down at the empy mug clutched in his hands.

That ones a Pale Master, he said curtly. Keep your distance from him.

You cant just expect me to do nothing! Kage shot back, taut nerves getting the better of him. Im going over, whether you like it or not!

Soulbroker shrugged. Your wellbeing, he replied. Kage glowered at him, then made his way awkwardly across the Arena, feeling the spectators many eyes watching his every move. Reaching the master and apprentice, he pushed through the small crowd of people surrounding them and knelt down beside the old man.

You, uh...need any help? he asked nervously, unsure of how to address the strange man with the skeletal arm.