<font color=FFFF77>Ydalon

The boy smirked as he looked up from the riches he was storing in his bag.

"Ah, don't worry about that, lady. The wizard was arrogant, the warrior cruel, but between them there's every chance they lived and'll dig their way out in a day or two. The only shame is they're what she's to put up with for company until then."

He nodded towards Zak

"Besides, he's man. You can't blame him for thinking about what he does, it comes with the gender."

Moving on quickly, he addressed the rest of the group.

"We're off across the river, now. There's nothing more to be done here but you're welcome to stay behind if that's your intention."

Ydalon checked his sling, and then set off into the woods once more.
</font>

[ 01-31-2006, 03:06 AM: Message edited by: Legolas ]

<font color=red>Nivram

The sharp words calmed him down slightly, and while Isokla spoke he tried to regain his composure.

Stay cool, withdraw from the situation, analyse it as though you were an outside observer. - he told himself, trying to apply his own psychological knowledge to himself. As always it failed though. He could not comprehend why he was acting this way.

"Restraint." - he almost spat the word out. "Why should I..." - he paused, reconsidering what he was about to say.

"While this fool would need to be taught a lesson, there is reason in what you say." - he said after several seconds.

"Restraint is what differentiates an animal from a human most of the time."

Nivram, his anger almost completely gone now, stared at his feet. It was hard to say it, but he knew he had to. This was an enemy he did not want to make. There were too many unknowns about her.

"Forgive me, Isokla. I allowed my emotions to carry me away."

He looked at Zakaria while he spoke, malice still there in his eyes. That one, would surely not think of him as a friend any more.</font>

<font color=brown>Keal

"Well, hello," Keal said to the infuriated newcomer. "I can see we're getting along well. Anyway, back to the suspects do we have any?" He repeated forgetting to introduce himself throughout all this."By the way I'm Keal. I'm sorry you lost your friends. I can't say I feel you pain or understand it I never knew those people, but I really am sorry for what happened, and I'll help find the fire-starters in any way I can."</font>

<font color=red>Nivram

Nivram stared for long seconds at Keal, trying to recall whether he had seen him before.

"Since I barely had the chance of getting to know them, they had not yet become friends, but they might have."

So much unnecessary death. So depressing. - Nivram thought to himself.

He decided that he had never seen Keal before.

"Where did you pop up from? I can't recall ever seeing you before, yet Zakaria" the name came out with a venom, which made it stand out of the sentence "talks to you as though he had known you a long time."

Nivram looked at Keal curiously wondering what his answer was going to be.</font>

[ 01-22-2006, 09:04 AM: Message edited by: dplax ]

Zakaria's hands were completely covered in black flame,something that happened when he was angry and preparing spells.<font color=lightblue>Usually I would kill you.</font>he said pointedly to Nivram.<font color=lightblue>But now is not the time to be killing party members,and dont let the thought cross your mind you could make a good move against me,I always have spells ready.The most deadly float on top.</font>the last was aimed at Iskola,though she probably wouldn't notice because he neither motioned to her or looked at her.<font color=lightblue>Remember that.</font>The last was an open threat.

<font color="CCCC99">Detheriel

"Come now Zakaria, we are all friends here", Detheriel said warmly as he walked past him.

Having felt some of the difficulties of integrating into a party himself, he offered up some friendly advice, hoping it would be taken in kind.

"Such threats would not be needed were you to choose your words with a little more care, friend" he spoke in a low tone, so the others could not hear.

"Let us away then, whilst we still have the means to do so." Detheriel announced cheerfully.

"I am sure that you will have the opportunity to display your magical prowess against a more deserving foe in the near future."

With that, Detheriel set off slowly after Ydalon, pausing to look back at the party to see who is following.</font>

<font color=silver> Without a backwards glance, Isokla set off after Ydalon, her strides quick until she matched his pace and stood beside him. <font color=skblue>"And what now, my lord? Did you find what you sought?"</font> Her tone held the slightest touch of bitterness, but it was only a hint. <font color=skblue>"As you said, they will be down on us like a pack of hounds braying for our blood. What plans have you now? Should any have escaped and seen your faces, there will be a bounty upon your heads, but I am sure you are well aware of that.”</font>

The girl frowned and lowered her tone, leaning in beside him for his ears alone, <font color=skblue>"What did you really seek?”</font> she asked softly, <font color=skblue>"Unlike others, I do not believe that these so-called Lords of Vision came into being solely due to banditry, even if they are the local law. You set off a beacon for them – why?”</font> Her greyish-blue eyes had narrowed and their gaze was sharp, <font color=skblue>"Tell me the truth and I may stay with you. I know there is more than you are telling me. I have just lost an apprentice – I have no reason to be here… unless you give me one.”</font>
</font>

<font color=FFFF77>Ydalon

Ydalon laughed as he pushed a forest branch aside, and dodged beneath another.

"No worries lady, I didn't spawn any of the lords. I'm not so old, you give me too much credit.
"You're more vocal and perceptive than the men, even if some think to differ."

He slowed a moment and glanced back over his shoulder.

"They're not the quickest or best working team, but I might have found what I seek. We'll have to find out for sure sometime later tonight."

The boy watched a nearby rabbit scurry back down its hole with some regret.

"Would've made a nice stew.
"I may be pressing my luck with them, lady, but if they can't be patient that long they're of no use to me afterall. Here, tell me what you think."

All the while walking, Ydalon recovered the star chart from his sling, and showed it to Isokla for examination.
</font>

<font color=silver> <font color=skblue>“And what makes you think that, my lord?”</font> Isokla asked, all too sweetly in reply to Ydalon’s perception comment, <font color=skblue>“It seems almost as though… you are disquieted with your own gender. First there is the fool mercenary and you say that he is male and cannot help it, and now this?”</font> her eyes narrowed, <font color=skblue>“Could it be you acknowledge the fairer sex as being superior?”</font> She arched a silvery eyebrow and smiled, as though to take the sting off her words.

<font color=skblue>“If I am vocal,”</font> she spoke softly, <font color=skblue>“It is to instruct and educate, and besides, if they are focused on my words, their attention is otherwise diverted.”</font> The girl spoke absently as she examined Ydalon’s star chart, frowning, <font color=skblue>“So this is what we came for? Most… interesting. I had not mentioned this before, but I have… some knowledge of the stars. Astrology, Astronomy, Mysticism.”</font> she smiled, still not looking up as she intently stared at the chart, almost as though memorising it. <font color=skblue>“I do not know how much you know, nor how much you claim to or conceal, but… this chart. There are points missing. See? Here and here?”</font> she pointed to two blank spots on the map, <font color=skblue>“On a normal chart, they would make up a star formation, under a name of say, ‘The Serpent’, or perhaps, ‘The Wagon’, or ‘Barrow’, yet this one is missing.”</font>

She paused, frowning as she recalled distant memories, <font color=skblue>“We need to find a clear spot, one night – up here, with nothing obscuring the view. I do not know if any solstices are associated with this, but… this is but one small piece of the puzzle. It is… interesting. If I were to wager a guess, I would say that bits of this have been blotted out deliberately. I cannot tell you how old this is either, nor how accurate.”</font> Isokla sighed, <font color=skblue>“If you wish for me to travel with you, I shall, my lord. Perhaps I shall be of some use… and besides, I’m curious as to what you plan. I ask though, that we avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Taking life is never good.”</font> Silently she added under her breath, <font color=gold>‘But even a healer has to know when to kill a cancer, and there are many, many cancers in this land. These Lords of Vision are just one such cancer. Perhaps this Ydalon is another. We shall have to see.’</font>

Outwardly, she smiled and rested her hand on Ydalon’s shoulder, <font color=skblue>“You have done well, leading them this far, my lord. And for one so young… all the others are your superior in years, but perhaps not experience, and not one of them stepped up to the task of command. You are to be commended.”</font>

Ignoring the rabbit comment, Isokla asked softly, <font color=skblue>“And what now, my lord? What plans have you?”</font></font>

[ 01-24-2006, 05:28 AM: Message edited by: Calaethis Dragonsbane ]

<font color=red>Nivram

He treats me as a member of a party. What party can he be thinking about? We are but a group of random travellers whom circumstances have thrown together. I would never want to be in a party with him, he doesn't even care about the deaths of those he considers party members.

"Now might not be the time... - Nivram said while he withdrew his dagger from his belt. "...but why should I wait. I don't want to give you the opportunity to attack me from behind. From your description it is going to happen anyway. I prefer to get it done with."

Nivram glanced around and saw that most of the others were leaving. Good. Nivram preferred to not have witnesses.

A slight breeze picked up and blew Nivram's hair towards the left. Nivram sniffed the air. He felt the scent of jasmines on it. He felt it a good omen.

He shifted the dagger to his left hand, while still in a casual pause, and his right hand moved towards his pack on his back.

Nivram smiled to himself. Zakaria had made one mistake earlier.

<font color=lightblue>In order for something to be gained, something of equal value must be lost! Powerful magiks as such cant be toyed with you ignorant idiot!</font> - he had said earlier. Maybe he did not realise that this could apply to himself. What had Zakaria lost today? He said he still had his most deadly magics, but Nivram doubted that. Besides, should it come to that, he himself had surprises up his sleeve.</font>

[ 01-24-2006, 05:22 AM: Message edited by: dplax ]