Sanctuary IC

[S121]

Chronomancer's Tower - Gensei Woods

As soon as the mud splattered on the man's armor, Azeruk sighed. Azeruk didn't like that the person was trespassing, but the last thing he needed was a fight inside of the tower. The guardian would most likely wreck the place, trying to catch the man with the silver armor.

"That might have been going overboard. I don't like the guy either, but we shouldn't attack him out of the blue.", Azeruk calmly said to Amurei.

[bookdragon2000]

Gensei Woods-Chronomancer's tower

"Sorry, I just lose controls sometimes, when too much happens, like recently... I will just go outside and just cool off." She stepped around the man and ignoring him completely, exited the tower. She then stepped into the forest and started launching of darts with all her strength at different trees.

She let the two of them talk while she went about recollecting her darts, which was not harmed, but the same could not be said for the trees. She sighed and continued throwig the darts,slowly drifting away from the tower and trying to let go of her anger.

"I really need to keep control" she muttered to herself

[wonderweiss]

The laughing gas had soon worn off. Esmeralda regained composure.

"Oh, that was rich. Okay Toran, let's go before they leave us."

But Toran turned his back.

"And just why should we follow them? As a matter of fact, why should I even follow you? Sorry, but I'm out of here."

Esmeralda, however, didn't like that answer.

"Is that so? Okay!"

She summoned a great wind that picked up Toran. He was surprised.

"H-h-hey, what the hell are you doing?!"

She ignored him and happily skipped outside the building, Toran tumbling in a ball of wind behind her. Then she stopped and let go of Toran. She walked to him.

"Now then, just to make sure you don't run away..."

She got very close to Toran.

"W-what are you doing?"

She put her finger on Toran's forehead. Toran then knew exactly what was going to happen and prepared for the worse. He was going to get 'branded.' It prevents a zombie from running away while the master is well. Technically, it's a 'bond,' and it is based on the mental stability and dedication of a zombie. However, given Toran's state, it would be harder to keep him in check, for if he is angry, his mental stability will give way and therefore the bond.

Esmeralda closed her eyes and Toran gave up and went with it. He closed his eyes as well. Then, the bond was created. But a feedback is given at each bonding. They both recoiled in pain.

"... Well that's over. Now let's go before they leave us, Toran dearest!"

She took off again with Toran in tow in a wind ball once again.

[Cucoo5]

Gensei Woods - Chronomancer's Tower

Aetheron used chronomancy to remover the dirt from his armor. He let her hit him. "Perhaps I should let Aion handle these affairs..." He muttered to himself. Then he regained composure and with a tone of voice that seemed to bear the weight of the world, he spoke again. "What say you...Azeruk? Would you let sit idle as our home burns? Would you choose to ignore all that is to come and live in ignorance of cruel fate?" He then turned. "Would you be able to make the ultimate sacrifice for your home?"
Aetheron paused for a moment. "..Has your teacher every told you the Legend of the Guardians of Time?"

----------
Path to Yaju Camp

Aion toyed with Mercurius for a moment. The voice of the little girl echoed in his mind.
"...no..." he seemed distracted as he spoke again to Nera. "We move on. We're about to play a game with fate itself..."

---------
Land of Cinders and Ashes

Kiara watched the spectacle cautiously. She then turned and headed for the shrine where Dalia sat. She wondered where the others were now...

[wonderweiss]

Toran just sat there, unnerved.

"Jeez... Now not only did I have the 'luck' of finding you here, but now I'm stuck with you for as long as I'm sane and or you're healthy."

Esmeralda just kept skipping, but now with more energy because...

"I know! Oh, it's like we're married!"

Toran jumped back a bit and noticed that due to the circumstances... she was right.

"Don't think of it that way... you'll embarrass us both."

Esmeralda ignored this and rushed to Kiara.

"Oh, come on now, cheer up! Today's a great day! The sun is shining, not a cloud in the sky, and guess what?! Toran and I are marri-"

"BONDED," Toran said. "Bonded! Nothing more nor less!"

"... Oh, come now, don't fight it! Anyways, what are you two up to?"

[Cucoo5]

Land of Cinders and Ashes

Before Esmerelda and Toran caught up with Kiara, she had knelt down and hugged Dalia. Suddenly, Dalia held Kiara in a loose headlock and messed up her hair. "Ha! Got ya!"
Kiara burst into a fit of giggles and squeezed her way out of Dalia's grasp and playfully started to run away. Dalia jumped to her feet and quickly caught up to Kiara. Then, Dalia threw her up so that she was on her shoulders. "Alright you little rascal~!" Dalia grumbled good humoredly as Kiara covered her eyes for a moment. Then they heard Esmerelda and Toran. Dalia let out a sigh and responded. "We're probably going to head out and find a few of our friends. I was thinking about finding Starla, what bout you, Kiara?"
"Haven't seen her in a while! I wonder if the guys have drove her crazy yet with their jokes?"
"One way to find out!"

[wonderweiss]

"Oh, is that so? Well then, Let's go, no need to waste time energy and space here!"

Esmeralda stood next to Kiara, waiting for her to take off since Esmeralda had no idea where to go next. Toran stood next to Dalia.

"Hey there. Well, I'm stuck with her, and apparently, she's stuck with your friend, so we might as well get accommodated. Hey, wanna know where my arcane stone is, to begin with?"

[Kristia]

Path to Yaju camp

Nera nodded to the abain´s words and kept walking to the encampment of her people which was already at the edge of her view

A bear hybrid guard suddenly appeared before the vixen and pointed his dagger close to her

"What is your business here traitor" he said still pointing the dagger

Nera sighed "Traitor? I already have a title?, im not coming here in terms of battling, I need to speak with Chief Gork, its a matter of survival in the war" she said getting closer to the guard

"I will tell you this only once, the humans and abains are trying to stop this madness before it even starts so let me us pass" she warned with serious eyes piercing into the guard´s soul. He just nodded and pointed to a big tent

"That is where Chief Gorck lies, but do a fishy movement and we will make you pay for it" the bear hybrid said guiding them through the camp.

The human soldiers were surrounding the king with their weapons ready to be unsheated as they went deep into the camp

There were murmurs from some sides

"Look one of the traitors" a salamander hybrid said while sharpening his sword

"They are digging their own grave" a rabbit said suddenly hidding as the fox eyed him

Entering the big tent, Gorck was easy to spot, he was a big rhinoceros hybrid with a big horn and a heavy armor of many layers covering him. He only tilted his head and spoke

"You got guts to come here vixen, speak before I crush your face with my hammer" he growled walking towards Nera

"I came here with the human king to negotiate a peace treaty, the war with the undead not only affects the humans and abain, they will come to us too, chief gorck I need your assi-" Nera was ducked as the warhammer almost hit her face

"You think you can come here and blabber about peace? don´t make me laugh, the humans see us only as beasts, we are tired of being the lowest scum on society. Now we got a chance to show them we are stronger, faster, intelligent and more evolved" Gorck said ready to make another swing with the warhammer

Nera quickly ran and held the warhammer´s swing, the earth trembled a bit as the inertia hit her "Can´t you see farther than your horn? you are risking your people to fight against both the humans and abains who are already being threatened by the undead, the moment they fall, the undead will get more men and will attack the grove with no remorse" she said eyeing the rhinoceros

[Cucoo5]

Gensei Woods - Yaju Camp

The whisperings of the little girl kept getting more prominent in Aion's mind.
"...Play~ Play my game~!"
Aion drew Mercurius and held it pointing towards Gorck. "You wish to prove to us that you are more than mere beasts? You wish to prove us wrong? ...then I suggest you stop proving us right. But even if you tried...even if you so attempted...you would never be able to. Why?" Aion lowered Mercurius. "Because you don't know how to not be nothing more than a mere beast!" Aion quickly spun his sword so that he held it backhand. "Come now, I dare you to prove us wrong."
"Hehe~ Yes! PLAY MY GAME OF FATE~!!"

----------
Land of Cinders and Ashes

Dalia started to walk in the general direction of Kenji. "Some other time."
Then she paused and looked in the direction of Gensei. "Hm...where would she be?"
"I would think Kenji...last I heard of her she was studying hydromancy." But even Kiara hesitated. "Or...was it the lakes in the woods?" She turned to Esmerelda. "Have you ever came across a sort of sorceress human, red hair, and star-shaped pendants with each type of Arcane Stone?"

[Kristia]

Gensei Woods - Yaju Camp

Nera was struggling with Gorck´s warhammer when Aion took his sword out

Quickly she loosened the grip on the rhinoceros´ weapon and drew her sword out facing the Abain "Don´t you dare start an unecessary war" she growled and threw the sweord to the floor

"You want to fight like a mere peon? or you want to have your own vote? you can either attack me or stop this idiocy" she said showing both hands without any weapon

Then she faced Gorck "You may have reached the leading role of our people, so I come here to ask you what is better for them. Fight the already damaged side and mostly probably lose against the powerful one or give the chance to your people to survive by siding with the humans and abains to survive this war" she said with a serious tone

surprisingly the rhinoceros chief dropped his weapon and looked at the fox

"I will have a truce with the humans and abains during this war, but" he looked at the mercenary

"Tell that abain to think for himself, I can smell the submission on his body"

[wonderweiss]

"Different arcane stones? Ha! A fool, she be! Only one type of arcane stone can be used at a time. Once someone uses an arcane stone, a bond is made. Therefore, you may only use that type. It's pretty much like a branding. But come to think of it... I think I have seen someone like that... Yea, I got nothing. But star pendants, I've heard of. Those are rare. The only one I've heard of that can hold several arcane stones is... well... you know who..."

She was referring to the man who killed Toran and his family. As to this day, she cannot fathom the reason why he would do something so pointless... unless... it weren't...

"... Hmph," She said with a smile. "Now I'm interested. All the more reason to head to her. Come along now! Unless you want to take a break and risk losing her, I say we head off right now!"

She skipped along happily. Toran looked towards the sky.

"Oh well. In any case," He said as he pointed to Kiara. "... that girl there. She may have just saved your life."

[Cucoo5]

Land of Cinders and Ashes

Kiara looked to Dalia. "Woops..."
"Ya 'woops' indeed...great now where was she? This was when I wish that blood-hound Eleos was here..." she smirked at the thought. "One of the few men alive that can find a woman from over thirty leagues away..."

------------
Gensei Woods - Yaju Camp

"NO! You can't do that! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO START THE WAR!!!" The voice squealed. Aion seemed to merely grin lightly at Gorck. "You lost. Deal with it."..."And thus you have proven us wrong. Congratulations, you won a war before blood was spilt. Let this be a step in the right direction." Aion turned with the flat of his sword pressed against the back of his left arm as he continued to carry it backhand. He walked out of the tent. The King remained, seemingly speechless at what transpired.

[Kristia]

Gensei Woods - Yaju Camp

Nera released a big sigh as Aion left the tent and not figthing with Gorck "Well.. things went better than expected" she said to herself

Meanwhile rhe Chief and the King were discussing the temporal treaty of peace, the fox hoped that it would last far more time than the war itself

Soon the chief came to meet the vixen and she greeted him

"Im truly gratefull that you are helping everyone chi-" she was interrupted by a punch in her gut

"That is for leaving your people when they were mostly needed, your magic could be a good resource for our campaign" the rhinoceros said

"Im doing this for everyone´s survival.. and don´r forget you still have answers to tell me Gorck" the vixen growled at him

"Patience young vixen, just give us that and I will answer your requests" The chief said in one of his moments of real seriousness

The fox got up and faced him seriously "Know that i just saved the Yaju race from a possible extintion" she said leaving the rhinoceros

Nera also had another problem to check, she walked towards Aion´s location and faced him

"What the hell was that? you almost caused war!" she growled at him

[Cucoo5]

Gensei Woods - Yaju Camp

Aion had sheathed Mercurius and cut a stalk of wheat and had proceeded to chew lightly on the cut end. He merely looked to the cloud line. "You heard what I said. Now the one thing we'll never know is what snapped him to. Maybe the combination of what we both said...heh." Aion closed his eyes as he felt the breeze play. "No matter." There was a certain fire to Aion's now permanently grey eyes. A certain life that wasn't there before. The vigor of youth. He looked at Nera out of the corner of his eyes. "Focus on the big picture and then some small events become meaningless." He sighed and put his hands in his pockets. "Hopefully my job here will be done and I can move on." He turned back to the bank of clouds. "Besides, there's always something to do. Other places to be..."

[Kristia]

Gensei Woods - Yaju Camp

Hearing the looking at the big picture made the fox counter "A big event is the combination of much smaller ones which are important too" she said sitting on the floor finally taking some rest for the ordeal she had since coming to Tempus

"I just hope this war stops before more inocent blood sheds" Nera said taking her apple out and eating it