Revised Andamantite recipe:

Natural:

Spiritual:
Fortitude
Focus
Resolution

Physical:
Stamina
Durability
Agility

Good:

Spiritual:
Love
Trust
*Hope*

Physical:
Strength
Resistance
Serenity(well-being)

Evil:

Spiritual:
Rage
Wariness
Zeal

Physical:
Dexterity
Charisma
Intimidation


To be combined in the body of a pure warrior in as follows

Spiritual qualities will be combined by hammering on the HeavenForge, HellForge, and EarthenForge respectively.

Physical qualities may be combined on any ordinary anvil, but require a hammer crafted by an undead creature of good heart. (You’ll see where that’s going in a moment)

The resulting alloy is adamantium- it bears the unfortunate quality of not being indestructible, so in the last step, the adamantium is worked into a wire of sorts, through which the HOPEFUL(the whole idea here being that hope is what makes things indestructible- again you’ll see where that’s going in a moment) prayer of a being of pure mind (here’s to Krig) is to be channeled.


Sem was had returned to his place in the Plane of Power and had begun to look over and compile the information he had collected. He was only about half way through the first file (So'liq) when he became quite disturbed by an image of what So'liq had in store for Kronaemix. (NSP: the tense there is supposed to indicate a vision of the future taken in the past, it's referring to the cross, back to the story)

Donning his impartial outfit, Sem teleported out of the Plane of Power and into the throne room- this would never do. So'liq was breaking all the rules... well some of them... Sem was sure that he was breaking at least one, and was resolved to put an end to it. Besides, getting to use his power was the part of his job he liked, AND he needed Kronaemix for his own purposes.

The throne room was thrown into confusion as the portal opened into it and Sem, gray-cloaked, and rather plain for all his power, stepped out. Sem turned immediately to So'liq and streached out the head of his staff, the skull's gem eyes glittering with energy. So'liq brandished his staff in return, but it had no effect.

So'liq's eyes were filled with a memory that had been erased from his mind almost entirely

As soon as So'liq closed the door, he was blinded by an incredible light. As his vision returned he made out some dim outlines, and a very large, gem-eyed skull suddenly flew towards him. It bit deeply into his chin, and the eyes gazed even deeper into his. Then the skull let go and drew back, and So'liq could see that it was on the end of a staff. He very vaguely wondered why he wasn't bleeding- he was sure he had been bitten straight through to the bone, when a shield bearing a cross slammed into his face, stunning him quite severly. He watched as the figure stepped through the door without opening it, and heard muffled crunches and thuds that he assumed to be the sound of Kronaemix suffering the same fate. The staff and shield passed by So'liq once more, and this time he noticed they were bound together by an odd assortment of vines before the set finally disappeared and his vision fully returned.

So'liq was stunned into non-action by the suddeness of the image, and the others remained motionless out of a sudden, unnatural gripping fear that Sem was issuing from the cross on his shield.

Orca alone was unaffected by the fear, but took no action against Sem, rather seemed frozen by a bitter apathy as the hope drained out of him and into Sem's staff. Sem then took a small gem from his cloak and slipped it into the skull's jaw. the gem became energized with a hopefull-looking glow, and Sem stepped through the portal again, throwing the gem at the now dead form of Kronaemix, restoring it to a slavish immortality.

As the portal closed, a sort of new sense of profound order settled into the minds of all those present. The angel had ripped the cross to shreds as he climbed down, his eyes burning a bitter red. He stepped over Orca, who had become so overwhelmed by apathy that he was now laid out across the floor, not having the will to even lift his head.

Kronaemix, with his newfound indestructability, approached So'liq with a slow, deliberate manner, and spoke briefly, but powerfully in the monotone voice of the undead. "I will take from you every drop of blood that you have taken from me, every drop that you have ever taken from any living creature, and every drop of blood that you will ever take for so long as you may further live. You should be very grateful for your blood-link to Lucifer now."

Kronaemix pulled So'liq's arm out of his socket and stripped it to the bone. The bleeding stump left on So'liq's torso caused him to cry out in extraordinary pain, but it was cut short as Kronaemix beat So'liq into a bloody, writhing pulp with his own bone.

(NSP: So'liq is not dead, he'll recover pretty quickly when the undead angel leaves his presence. I'm thinking that the next scene should be something with Satan confronting Sem- he overstepped the rules a bit here, but it should come out as more of a pettition than a reprimand, because each of the three powers knows that if they get Sem going against them the other two will gladly join in and three on one are not good odds.

At the same time if they destroy Sem, then the Plane of Power has no keeper, and the power of the universe (now held by the three and Sem alone) would be redistributed among all the inhabitants of the universe, meaning alot less for the three. I'm kinda spent, so whoever wants to write it, please do.)

------------------
The early bird may get the worm-
but it's the second mouse who gets the cheeze.

Omnia quae specto dominavi, et tantam magnus sum, ut non specto!

[This message has been edited by Semievil333 (edited March 03, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Semievil333 (edited March 03, 2001).]

well, that's alot of errors..=P please forgive any that I've missed

[This message has been edited by Semievil333 (edited March 03, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Semievil333 (edited April 30, 2001).]

Um...Sem, sorry, but that kindof ruined this major battle. This was supposed to be a test for the young heroes, not for the keeper of the plane of power...Would you mind taking away that part of your post?

BTW-Orca isn't in the throne room. He's made the Stone Warriors search the dungeon for him, then snuck out of the dungeon and gone back to his home forest.

(NSP: Sem, get your IM! It would have really helped here so I could have told you about all the details that Orca's mentioned and all that rot. Personally, i think teh last part should have all this happen after the battle between the characters' desires and the battle agaisnt Sol'iq, or something like that. Like Orca said, it's kind of anti-climatic for Sem to just burst in and stop it, even if it wasn't his intention to stop the fight nessessarily. I'll post the bits for my characters soon, hopefully*

~Geb

(NSP: Wait wait wait, we don't have to DESTROY Sem's purpose, I can tweak it to make him very useful here, doing my dirty work for me...heh heh heh...

I was also kind of flattered, as due to Kronaemix's mysterious nature, the writers have naturally shyed away from writing in great detail about him. I was shocked to see that he and So'liq were the subject of an entire post! Wow...)

Just as So'liq's menacing form disappeared up the steps, pursuing Kinn-Akan, Semievil appeared in a flash of golden light. He inspected the warriors, but avoiding touching them in any way, being as impartial as he possibly could. He was here for a purpose.

The Judge moved to the base of the cross. If Kronaemix was alive, he was doing a poor job of showing it. He hung, his body limp and covered in blood. Sem shook his head, then raised his hands.

"Kronaemix, son of the angel by the same name, father of two, by the power invested in me by the Decamillenial Wars, based on your hundreds of lifetimes of dedicated virtue, I have been authorised to give you a second chance to do this world good. Arise."

Semievil immediately wished he hadn't said that, Kronaemix being tied to a suspended cross and all. Still, the fallen angel paid no heed to the Judge's poor choice of words, and so he lifted his hand, a plume of life-energy striking Kronaemix in the chest. The angel screamed, arching his back against the restraints. Then he slumped again, his eyes darting around the room.

"What? Where...the rescuers-

"-are not your concern at the moment. Greetings, Kronaemix. My name is Semievil. So pleased to finally meet you!"

The Judge extended his hand, then realised the social mistake, seeing as his hands were nailed to a plank of wood, and turned the gesture into an awkward bow.

Kronaemix's eyes flared teal again.

"Help me get off this cross!"

Sem nodded, extending his hands and magnetically-removing the nails. Kronaemix tumbled to the floor, breathing heavily. He clasped at the holes in his hands and feet. Sem grimaced, nodding.

"Ah yes. Those. Not a problem."

He clapped his hands, and Kronaemix's flesh and bone reanimated itself, like time flowing backwards. When the process had finished, Kronaemix, save his partly-devastated robes and damaged mask, was looking like nothing had happened.

"There you are. Compliments of Heaven."

Kronaemix ran forward, past the unconscious party, toward the throne. He felt the base, and removed his lightsaber, which had been hidden there by So'liq. At hearing this though, he spun around.

"HEAVEN sent you?"

Semievil nodded.

"They, uh, wish to apologise for their indifferent attitude toward you these past few million years. I am Semievil, the Judge of the war-"

He paused, but instead of the awed stare or customary bow, Kronaemix cast his eyes about wildly, taking in the situation. This was a man on the edge.

"-and so anyway, all is forgiven, blah blah blah, and they'd like you to become a Seraphim."

Kronaemix's wildly shifting teal eyes locked with Semievil's in disbelief.

"SERAPHIM?"

After countless millenia of ignoring him, God was going to induct Kronaemix back as a Seraphim, the highest "rank" of angel?

"Yes. Seraphim. So anyway, I'll discuss this with you later, you must be busy with your friend So'liq-"

Another stare.

"Where is he???"

Semievil indicated to the stairs.

"He was last heading up the stairs, chasing this old man with a purple lightsaber-"

Kronaemix's shocked expression contorted in disbelief. Suddenly, he spun on his heels, rushing for the stairwell, breathing only one word;

"Kinn-Akan."

Well, I appreciate your remembering that Highemperor's blade is composed of pure Force, whoever wrote that post (I think it was The Last True Evil), and you still managed to keep the plot from being messed up by having it countered by So'liq's demonic powers.

However, Highemperor is no holy warrior. Though he has morals - of a sort - he seeks ultimately his own purpose, the purpose that brought him to Irgard and Aesheim in the first place. This purpose will not be revealed until near the end.

Well, I don't have anything to post right now, but all I can say is, GREAT JOB, GUYS!

------------------
Play epic RPGs such as Dark Exile, or duel in the Interdimensional Arena @ The High Citadel

(NSP:P I'm thinking people missed the point of my post- basically, harkening back to the other times where Sem has appeared in a flash of glory, nothing changed battle-wise. If you read my first post about So'liq, the only sign that Sem was ever there was a sensation of deja vous.

Here we have Kronaemix's apparently (sorry if he wasn't really dead yet) dead body out of the picture, and some relatively minor wounds to So'liq(all wounds are minior to someone with a bloodlink to a diety, I think).

Sem's character is supposed to be a bored one- he wants to use his power, he wants to be the one in there fighting, but he's bound to neutrality as a judge. If and when he does join into a fight, he is required to put things back, which he finds very dissatisfying

The other thing is about my post- it introduces the notion of an "undead angel" which, apart from being part of the recipe, I think is an interesting idea, and we could have alot of fun with him as a character.

I also tried to hint at what makes undead undead- my idea, and I know you're all 'prolly tired of hearing this, is that hope makes mere wounds of the flesh trivial, and in it's purest form, hope totally negates all damage.

But anyways, I like LTE's post, playing around with not just power to create and destroy, but also to alter the very order of things (making Kronaemix a seraphim). I want to see where that's going, so as far as I'm concerned my prior post is now non-story, although I'll leave it up there for the recipe, and in case anyone wants to cannibalize the ideas somewhere down the line.

That said, Kronaemix is now a fully living, breathing thing, which means I'll have to compleate my recipe with some other undead holy creature.... any ideas?)

------------------
The early bird may get the worm-
but it's the second mouse who gets the cheeze.

Omnia quae specto dominavi, et tantam magnus sum, ut non specto!

Oh, and, sorry for missing that Orca had left the scene. D=

------------------
The early bird may get the worm-
but it's the second mouse who gets the cheeze.

Omnia quae specto dominavi, et tantam magnus sum, ut non specto!

(NOTE: sorry about the length of this post, I had to get it out! )

The sun was beginning to set on the land, and a golden light played on the rooftop between Kinn-Akan and So'liq, once again facing each other. Both of them had drawn their weapons, and stared each other down coldly.

"So at last, the coward stands his ground to face his fate."

Kinn-Akan's eyes burned with defiance. "You will be destroyed, demon. If not by me, then by the others. Already, one has woken from your allegedly 'lethal' game-Highemperor, I believe his name is-and he alone posesses the raw talent to slay you."

So'liq snorted incredulously. "All of your talk, old man, and yet none of your promises of certain defeat by your 'talented party' have come to fruition!"

Kinn-Akan nodded solemnly, then gazed out at the sunset.

"The end of another day...how tragically appropriate this symbol is for us."

So'liq raised his lightsaber. "You are no longer needed in this world. Die."

Kinn-Akan narrowly dodged the first slash, and barely blocked the second. So'liq was right. He had delayed his end by retreating, but now there was nowhere to go He had to fight, and So'liq would eventually kill him.

Or he would die without a fight. Kinn-Akan moved to strike...

--------------

Kronaemix sprinted up the steps, opening the door, and rushed out onto the rooftop. It was large, very large, and he spied Kinn-Akan and So'liq battling at the other end. Kronaemix raced to them, flipping over his ally and striking at So'liq's head. The demon blocked the move, and rolled sideways, bringing the silver lightsaber up between the two angels.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then, So'liq laughed loudly.

Kronaemix glowered at him. "I fail to appreciate your sense of humour...."

So'liq lowered his weapon. "Look at the three of us, all masking our true selves in some way. Consider; Kronaemix and his enchanted mask, myself and my armour, Kinn-Akan.....Kinn-Akan and his lies."

The older angel lowered his weapon also, staring at the ground. So'liq knew.

Kronaemix's gaze shifted unsteadily between the two of them. "What do you mean?"

So'liq took a step closer. "Kronaemix, as much as we are enemies, I am about to do you the greatest favour someone could EVER do for you. I'm going to introduce you to your FATHER for the first time! Kronaemix, meet Kinn-Akan, or, better known to his closer friends, KRONAEMIX!"

Kinn-Akan turned to Kronaemix, about to say something, but thought better of it and fell silent.

Kronaemix scoffed. "Impossible! My father-"

"-was a coward."

Kinn-Akan shut off his lightsaber.

"I did stand up to Lucifer, but he humiliated and defeated me. I couldn't bear to face my own son with the shame, so I had all the angels spin this...this fable of a father, while at the same time, ensure that I would be close to you, monitor your growth as a true angel. Not...not like me. So I became Kinn-Akan, your Master. I had hoped that maybe one day..."

He trailed off. Kronaemix watched on, stunned. He shut off his weapon.

So'liq grinned.

"Well, I for one am willing to remove my mask."

So'liq reached for his helmet, pulling it off.

The demon's true face was beyond comprehension. His features were scaly, reptilian, but there was a quality there...his features were always dark, even if light illuminated them. It was as if light avoided his face. His eyes glowed teal, like Kronaemix's, but it was a colder shade of teal.

Kronaemix's full attention was on Kinn-Akan.

"My father...all this time...and you were with me all along."

Kinn-Akan smiled bitterly. "Not the heroic martyr you expected, I'm sure."

"Oh, don't worry. I can solve that problem."

It had been So'liq's plan, the one moment he had been waiting for. While the two were still reeling from such a large revelation, they had temporarily forgot about their opponent.

It was a mistake that both of them would regret forever.

So'liq struck unbelievably fast; he sliced Kinn-Akan's lightsaber in two, and it sparked violently, then died.

The demon leered, then pulled back to decapitate Kinn-Akan-

The silver blade impacted with Kronaemix's golden model inches from the older angel's throat. So'liq snarled and kicked Kronaemix with a supernatural force, knocking him unconscious and sending him flying across the rooftop.

Kinn-Akan tried to move, but So'liq's blade was already swinging. It cut him from the chest all the way to his left hip. It wasn't too deep, but Kinn-Akan dropped like a stone.

So'liq stood over him, weapon raised, then glanced across at the setting sun and smirked.

Shutting off his weapon, he dragged Kinn-Akan to the edge of the rooftop, then picked him up and held him over his head-

Kronaemix recovered, grabbed his lightsaber and ran toward them-

He stopped ten feet away. Kinn-Akan hung limp over So'liq's head.

"NOW, I SHALL FINISH THE JOB MY FOREFATHER STARTED!"

Kinn-Akan suddenly regained consciousness, locking his gaze with his son. For a moment, they stared at each other, filled with memories, times gone by that Kronaemix now identified as the lost time he thought he had failed to have with his father.

"IN THE NAME OF LUCIFER, AND HELL ITSELF-"

For a moment, one second, they were content.

Moments do not last very long, however.

"I STRIKE YOU DOWN, KINN-AKAN!"

There was one last treasured second.

Then So'liq brought Kinn-Akan down on his raised knee.

Kronaemix would never forget the loud, horrible crack of his father's vertebrae snapping.

"FATHER-"

So'liq turned suddenly, and threw Kinn-Akan off the rooftop. The wind whistled sharply.

Kronaemix dropped to his knees.

"Father..."

So'liq spun.

"What luck. Father and son, both to die in a matter of hours. It will be a glorious day in Hell today."

Kronaemix fixed his eyes back on So'liq, focused and sharp. His fists clenched as he reached for his lightsaber.

"You took it all away from me, So'liq. You took away my Eternal War victory, confined me to a life of torment, followed by several million lifetimes of service, and finally, I find my father, to have you slay him. Rest assured, this castle will run with your blood..."

So'liq beckoned mockingly. "Come, Kronaemix. This fight of ours has gone on for countless millennia. Let us finish it today."

Both of them advanced on each other, with one clear purpose in their minds; the total annihlation of each other...

*stares open-mouthed at TLTE's last post*

By God, that was awesome...

------------------
"The wicked flee when no man pursueth" --Proverbs 28:1

(NSP: Uh-oh, it's laggin' behind. I'll try to help out as soon as I can. Later then.)

~Geb

Heh, thanks Krig! Glad to really be involved in these stories now; I used to browse these forums, look at these 15+-page-threads and run away screaming. How ironic I'm one of the group now

Come ON, people. Do your inner struggle-type things; The Last True Evil can't do much more until you do that!

------------------
Play epic RPGs such as Dark Exile, or duel in the Interdimensional Arena @ The High Citadel

*Twiddles thumbs*

Yeah, what he said!

Sigh.

*Reluctantly pulls out the "Dead Thread" stamp and walks toward 'The Eternal War'...

Not yet. Give people more time. Orca can't do anything at the moment, since this story is mostly the story of the new generation of heroes.

I know, I was just trying aversion therapy...

You know, you could have gotten yourself principally involved in this little adventure, Orca...

I'd really rather not...Orca is far too powerful to be involved too much in the mortal part of this...Once it reaches the Immortal Battlefield, that's a different story.

(NSP: yeah yeah, it's all me, I know. Well, and Dark Lancer too, but he's been waiting on me. So sorry guys. Here it is, and sorry it's not terribly long.)

*When the spell affected Noddo, he went out like a rock. This is paridise he thought to himself, as beautiful women in a tropical climate embraced him. Nothing to tire him out, no consequences, no respolsibilities...*

*Noddo couldn't remember exactly why he was in this wonderous place so suddenly, but he wasn't about to argue. A man in formal attire walked up to him, smiled, and asked "Do you like it here?"

"Do I like it here?" Noodo asked back and chuckled. "Why woudn't I?"

"Even if none of this was real, you would rather be here than where you were?" the man asked in a mock-plesant manner.

"Hmm...why does something tell me I should think this one over?..." Noddo said to himself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Meanwhile, the spell had effected Amry as well. In her fantasy, she lived in a small town where she knew everyone and everyone knew here. She felt at home there, and most importantly in her fantasy, she felt truely loved and accepted for who she was. She didn't wish for anything that anyone else had where she was.*

*And with a handsome, faithful husband, whom she only wanted. Everything was as it should be, which disturbed Amry. She knew the real world wasn't this way from the beginning, and throughout the time she had been where she was, she was contimplating whether to stay or to reject her fantasy. She knew the right thing to do, and she was more inclined to do the right thing with every passing minute...*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Let me think it over," Noddo said. And he did. Examining reality wasn't something new to him though, and neither was accepting it. It was something he seemed to be able to do at the same time. The man became more agitated and demanded for an answer. Noddo was about to respond--

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*The spell lifted from the two of them. Amry was wishing she could have what she had in her fantasy realm, and was angry at herself for not deciding one way or the other sooner. Noddo simply thought to himself that he could have very well chosen teh wrong path, and decided to dismiss the thought.*

(NSP: Hope it's ok for you all )

~Geb

Two men play a game.

Kronaemix leaped to one side of So'liq's lightsaber, retaliating with an amazing strength inside of him. Never had he felt such sureness, such...force.

Two men play a powerful game.

Kronaemix felt like he was winning, but in a way, he knew he was losing too. So'liq had forced him into a corner without touching him. He could not avenge his father, and call upon the newfound power that begged, no, that screamed for release, without becoming, in essence, another So'liq.

It was the classic psychological game of retaliation. A burning desire to hurt who has hurt you, and by doing so, lowering himself to his level.

And Kronaemix knew he was losing it.

Two men play a dangerous game.

But how, his logical mind offered, could he not destroy So'liq, after what he had done to him? All that he had done to him? Would it be wrong to do it?

Would it be right to do it?

Two men play an unjust game.

Of course it wasn't. All of his life, Kronameix hungered for justice, and he couldn't even kill his father's murderer without falling from grace.

It....wasn't....FAIR!

Two men play a malicious game.

So'liq struck at Kronaemix with such force that he flew backwards, slamming against the protective wall on the edge of the castle rooftop. The demon was on him in a second, locking the blades and bringing his terrifying face close to his enemy's.

"Every step, every strike, every breath...I mirror you. We are the same, split down the middle."

Kronaemix strained. The two lightsabers were getting closer and closer to his masked face.

"So how then do two identical beings defeat each other?"

"We....are NOTHING alike."

So'liq ignored him, his permanently-darkened
face brightening figuratively with a leer.

"How do you destroy a mirror?"

For all of a moment, there was no sound but the stricken hiss of the clashing weapons, and the ambience all around them.

"You shatter it."

Kronaemix pushed backwards, and So'liq did stagger back, but with a quick strike on the angel's weakened grip, Kronaemix's lightsaber was ripped from his hands. In response, he landed a deft kick on So'liq's arm, and the demon's blade soared off after his own.

Kronaemix moved to recover, but So'liq grasped his throat with a quick jerk of his arm and held him to the edge of the parapet. Slowly, Kronaemix felt the life drain out of him. It was impossible to breathe. He stared venemously into So'liq's eyes, which were mirrors of his own.

He was dying.

There was nowhere for him to go, and his conscious will was fading. Kronaemix grit his teeth, struggling for a way out of So'liq's vice-like grip, but his world was fading away, he was fading away, and something about that, something about the calmness and serenity of the nothingness compelled him...

Two men play a game.

One man will live through it.

[This message has been edited by The Last True Evil (edited March 20, 2001).]

Yep, well, that's okay, Mis-ta Geb-ohq, I guess I kin reconstruct it.[/annoying accent]

***

The demon shall fall to the demon's spell,
And loose his inner demon from its inner hell.
-from "Canticle of the Dark Lancer"

***

As Soliq's [sp?] spell invaded Dark Lancer, he was sucked into his deadly maelstrom. He couldn't fight it, not without help. Though he, Dark Lancer, was the most powerful demon in Ravynya, the demons of Hell were far more powerful, in the complexity of their spells. Dark Lancer, if he had had a chance to use the Jewel of Alves or the Claio, could have easily fended off the attack, but for the fact that he had no time.

Dark Lancer saw himself winning glory and power for himself. He became the champion of evil. On the immortal battlefield he defeated the combined forces of good and evil. He became Satan's second-in-command!

Dark Lancer saw all this, and he saw something else, too. A void. A deep, dark void of unspeakable blackness. It was inside himself. It was empty. He was empty. Dark Lancer screamed, screamed with all the might of his soul. Could there be no redemption?

Then, a bright beam of light ripped through his soul's agony. The light of God. Saatch welcomed the light as hope, embraced it, let it fill the abyss of his soul. Dark Lancer, the demon from Ravynya that had possessed him, fled in terror from the Christ light. And Saatch, after countless millennia of being a slave, was finally free.

Highemperor's consciousness flooded back into him. Standing up, he almost immediately realized where he was. Reigniting his Forcesaber, he stood there for a moment, stretching out his senses, looking for the subtle distortions in the energy field of the universe to determine where the fight was.

Highemperor dashed up the stairs, saber at the ready.

As he climbed out of the tower onto the roof, he instantly saw the danger that Kronaemix was in. Growling softly at the delay that this whole affair was costing him, he hurled his saber.

So'liq turned, still holding Kronaemix high over the precipice. The Forcesaber cut through the demon's hand, the one holding the angel. So'liq gasped in pain. Kronaemix fell.

Highemperor reached out, tapping into the energy of the universe to buoy Kronaemix, levitating him back up onto the roof. He kicked So'liq's saber over the edge, and tossed Kronaemix's back to him.

Then, the two of them grimly held their swords in en garde position, advancing upon the wounded, apparently weaponless demon.

------------------
Play epic RPGs such as Dark Exile, or duel in the Interdimensional Arena @ The High Citadel

So'liq glared defiantly at the newcomer Highemperor, then shot an amused glance at Kronaemix before getting to his feet.

"You are truly a monster without your armour, demon."

So'liq nodded in acquiescence.

Kronaemix cocked his head. "I appreciate your help, Highemperor, but you are too important for this. This isn't your fight; you should be back-"

"-in the castle, appeasing King Aesnor, charming the king's subjects and seducing Lady Melania? Am I right, Highemperor?"

Highemperor gave So'liq a mildly surprised and disgusted glance.

"You talk far too much, So'liq," he barked petulantly. "Let us skip the pleasantries. You are incapacitated. Surrender or die."

The demon's eyes widened, his face shocked for a moment.

"Incapacitated? INCAPACITATED?!"

He raised his armour-plated arm, which swelled, conctracted, then with a sickening sound, sprouted a new hand.

"Do you have ANY idea what having Satan's full power behind you MEANS?"

Kronaemix rushed at him, slashing in a 180-degree arc with a primal scream. So'liq spun, chopping at Kronaemix's neck with his fist as he passed. Highemperor followed suit, but So'liq produced another silver-bladed sword and deflected the stab. Highemperor somersaulted over So'liq, joining Kronaemix's side.

So'liq held out his empty hand, which was suddenly filled with a second lightsaber, with an identical silver blade.

Highemperor frowned, but Kronaemix tapped his arm in warning.

"He is powerful, but he will fall against a blade. Do not be fooled."

Highemperor nodded, and they both sprinted at the waiting So'liq...

Saatch woke up, enshrouded by a sense of joy. He was free of the demon! He felt some hard objects in his robe and knew them to be Dark Lancer's unholy artifacts: the Ring of Solomon, the Claio, the Horn of Magus, and the Jewel of Alves.

He cocked his ear - he was blind - and his keen sense of hearing picked up the distant sounds of battle. Feeling around for his cane, he crept up the stone staircase and came out onto the roof.

His ears told him what was happening: Kronaemix and Highemperor were waging a losing battle against the demon So'liq. Saatch brought out the Ring of Solomon and felt a terrible urge to use it - for it gave its user complete power over demons, among other abilities. But he fought it down, replacing the object. He would not use them, but he would keep them and guard them from Dark Lancer, who would surely find another host and come back for his weapons.

What to do then? He was just a man, a blind old man with nothing but a wooden staff. Then a voice spoke into his head.

Do not fear, Saatch... for I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.

"Who, who are you?"

I am that I am. I am the god of your forefathers Merlin, Gebohq, and Ping_Me.

"What do you want with me?"

I have seen my people in Ravynya. I have heard their cries underneath the demons that inhabit their bodies. You are to lead them out, to command High King Khaos, "Let my people go!"

"But I... I'm just a man-"

And I am God. One plus God is a majority...

"Wait!" Saatch cried, but the voice had faded away.

This last cry caught the attention of the combatants. They turned as one, and Saatch knew what he had to do. He threw the staff in the direction of the demon.

Surprised, So'liq chopped it out of the air - then gasped as Kronaemix cruelly gutted him. "But-" he sputtered as he slunk to the ground, "he's evil, too..."

***

NSP: Well, three guesses as to who I'm making Saatch out to be, besides an Apostle Paul! And Dark Lancer will inhabit another body and is going to come back for his things from Saatch. But that's for another time.

------------------
An optimist is someone who stomps on the floor and calls it tap dancing.

(NSP: Hehe, I like your post, Dark Lancer. Hope TLTE doesn't have a problem with what you posted, cuz I rather liked it. Anywhos, I should move on to my part. And Krig, if you don't like what I've posted, tell me. I can change it. Also, after this battle with So'liq, I'd like to start the next part of whatever the characters do. If anyone had something in mind already planned out though, I'm OK with going with it.)

*In the tavern, Jim found himself looking at the short, dirty, red-haired man, whom at the moment was drinking his ale and getting most of it on his shaggy beard. This man was to be a possible champion for His part in the decimillenial battle. Jim wouldn't dare to question His decisions, not that he would want to. However, Jim had been trying for the past three hours to explain to the dirty bearded man about what his vocation from God could be if he chose so, and had still yet to get him to understand.*

*Jim paced back and forth across the bar, trying his hardest to think of how he could get this man named Krig to understand. Jim marched up next to Krig, shooting a question at him.*

"Do you remember when you had to fight Bazaal, Krig?" The only response Krig gave Jim was a quizzitive look and a slight cock of his head to the side. "Er...stinky man," Jim reworded, having remembered the history. Krig's attention perked up, now being on his guard, for fear that the "funny man" was warning him that the "stinky man" was nearby. Jim continued, "Remember all the bad things he did? Well, if you..." Jim was pointing his finger at Krig, then pointing at himself. Jim was now being deliberately slow to make sure Krig understood, and continued with "...accept what I'm asking of you, you can fight more stinky men, and--"

"Krig don't want to fight no more stinky men," Krig cut Jim off with. "Make Krig tired. Krig drink. Krig then find happy place." Jim sighed to himself, stepped back, and began pacing again. After a few minutes of what seemed to be heavy thikning inside his head, Jim marched up to Krig's side again, grabbed his shoulder, and spun his stool hard.*

*The next moment, after Krig had regain composure from his diziness, he found himself standing next to Jim on top of a cratered mountain with an ancient castle nearby. Severavl feet away, Krig saw the entrance and the drawbridge down, with a man in gold and silver armor standing by, waiting impatiently for something. Jim grabbed Krig by the arm and dragged him towards the man. Krig was in too much of a state of confusion to thikn about struggling, and after a few moments anyway, Jim released his grip, as the two stood before the armored man.*

"Well it's about time you came back," the man said to Jim. "Who's he?"

"His name is Krig, and he will be the one joining you as you rescue the woman from this castle. Now listen yup, Jirvy. This castle was built sometime shortly after the Great Change, and has been abandoned by its original owners long ago. I'm not going to tell you who is holding this woman captive or why; that is for you two to figure out. The castle is filled with trials for the two of you, so you'll have to work together to even have a chance. Hope all goes well. Ta-ta!"

"WAIT!" Jirverak interrupted, but it was too late as Jim had snapped his fingers and dissapeared. Sighing to himself, he looked at the short, bearded man. "Krig, eh?" Jirverak said. "Let's get one thing straight: I'm not going to be easy on you. My chance for being champion of all good is at trial here. So I don't want you in my way, you got that?"

*By then, Krig had already began to wander towards the entrance to the castle.*

"Hey!" Jirverak called. "Stop that! Wait up..."
---------------------------------------------
*In the realm of Eternity (heaven), Jim is standing level before a council of archangels. All seem to have very grave looks on their faces. Archangel Micheal stepped forward from the line of archangels and spoke to Jim.*

"James, what you have just done to the man named Krig son of Krog is a direct violation of the code of servitude to humans. Do you realize that you could be very well convicted of treason against God?"

"Yes Micheal," Jim began to plead "but I couldn't think of any other way to get the man to understand."

"That does not give you the right to violate his free will and force him to take the test!" Micheal said. "Look Jim, I'm you're friend, you know that. But what you've done...you're close to being on Lucifer's side!"

"I'm doing what I think is right!" Jim said. "If this Krig refuses to take the test after having understood the situation, I'll send him back to where he was. Do you remember the nam who went by the name [har? Oh, He had a real fun time trying to decide what to do with him, didn't he? The man broke nearly every rule sent by Him and twisted His Word, yet he knew the consequences on himself and was willing to sacrifice God's love for him to change humanity for the better. Am I going to have to go through the same judgement as he had?"

"....We must be patient, Jim." the archangel Micheal said. "He will decide what to do about this soon enough."
---------------------------------------------
*Inside the castle where Highemperor, So'liq, Saatch, and Kronaemix battled on the rooftop, Noddo and Amry began to climb to the roof themselves, qondering what the noise on the roof was about.*

(NSP: There, my guys are at the roof now, and I'll post something with Diaszu soon enough as well. Find more with Jirveak and Krig soon Until next time. Oh and in case you forgot, Jim is a minor angel.)

~Geb

Note: Gebohq's post indicates that So'liq is still alive, and Lancer's post is too good to change, plus I don't think So'liq should be killed just yet, so here's the tidy-up;

------------------

Kronaemix stared numbly down at his blade, then at So'liq's corpse, across to Highemperor's anticipating glare, then up to Saatch, who had appeared out of nowhere.

"Dark Lancer? Why did you out of all people save my life?"

The old man gave a relieved grin. "I am Dark Lancer...no longer. I am Saatch."

Kronaemix nodded. "A pleasure to meet you, Saatch."

Before more could be said, Noddo and Amry burst out onto the rooftop, their expressions tight with apprehensiveness. Their faces scanned the small crowd, then dropped to So'liq's unmoving form.

"We missed the fight?"

Kronaemix and Highemperor nodded blankly.

"Oh. Sorry." Noddo scratched his head. "Some other time, perhaps?"

There was an awkward silence for a moment.

Then, the group was united in terror.

So'liq's body twitched.

Kronaemix stared down at it, unable to move. Highemperor brought his Forcesaber high above his head, ready to deal a second killing blow if necessary. Saatch, unable to see the horror but taken in by the sudden change in atmosphere tensed, waiting for an indicator from the group or God, whichever came first. Noddo and Amry fumbled for their weapons.

Then, So'liq was still.

Then, he twitched again.

Then, he was still.

Then...his body exploded.

Without any warning. First, an unearthly scream echoed from the corpse. Then, as the heroes recoiled and covered their faces, the
body of the demon So'liq erupted into millions of hard, tiny fragments, which rained down on the rooftop. Everyone looked back just in time to see a cold blue mist rise from where So'liq rested moments before. The mist hardened into the shape of a hideous skull, which roared at them and vibrated their souls with its power before dissolving into nothingness.

The quiet that followed was almost deafening.

Kronaemix cast about. "It's a trick. It MUST be! He's still here, just-"

"Kronaemix."

The angel turned. It was Highemperor.

"So'liq is gone. You slew him with your own blade. Now, you must come with us. There is...much explaining to be done. That goes with all of us."

A wary glance at Saatch assured him of his suspicious nature among the group.
He nodded in acquiescance.

Victorious but strangely discontented, the group turned as a whole, then began toward the rooftop exit.

Amry saw it first.

It was almost unnoticable. An instant blurring of the air, then normalcy.

Amry stopped, staring for a moment. Then, she shrugged it off and continued on.

Saatch heard it.

He was stumbling forward, his cane his only aid, when a strange but strong reverberating sound whispered past his ear.

Saatch trusted his senses, and turned to observe, but he heard nothing more, and, unconvinced, kept walking.

Not three paces later, the group was halted by a hideous grating laughter. Everyone felt as if it had come from directly next to their ear.

Highemperor's and Kronaemix's swords were out in a blur. The party glanced around nervously for just a second before seeing it in unison.

So'liq.

He was almost invisible; the air around his form blurred and distorted, but that was the only clue. The demon's hideous features were highlighted with the strange effect, and he appeared more terrifying when almost unnoticable than when fully visible.

"WHAT do I have to do," So'liq's new bass vibrating voice rasped, "to prove to you that I am OMNIPOTENT???"

Whether they were frightened or not, the party glared at the frightening So'liq being with destructive intent. Kronaemix stepped forward.

"You are nothing without your body, demon. In your new form, you are unable to harm us."

There was just enough visibility in the rippling air to see So'liq's facial dimensions twist in a transparent grin.

"Of course, Kronaemix. You are absolutely right. But I always got others to deal with my minor annoyances anyway..."

And with that, completely without warning, he leaped at Kronaemix, who fell to the floor and lay still.

The group glanced around. So'liq was gone. Highemperor rushed to Kronaemix, helping him up.

"Did you see where he went?"

Kronaemix shook his head rapidly. "No idea. Check the edge; he might be trying to escape through the windows."

The duo raced to the edge, while Noddo, Amry and Saatch scoured the roof for So'liq's hiding form.

Highemperor glanced over the parapet. "He's not over the edge."

Kronaemix's eyes darkened in their teal colour. "No, but you soon will be."

Highemperor spun, but Kronaemix hammered his temple with the handle of his lightsaber, and he was flipped backwards over the edge, barely grabbing onto a loose brick section of wall some ten feet down.

Kronaemix/So'liq glanced over for a moment, then turned his attention back to Noddo, Amry and Saatch, who were unmoving in any way.

"So," Kronaemix's and So'liq's voice echoed simultaneously, "a greedy womaniser, a pathetically stereotyped, emotionally abused poor excuse for a maiden, and a crippled, misenlightened old man, against me. So'liq. One of the most powerful demons alive, and linked to Satan himself in blood."

Noddo and Amry looked at each other for a second. Amry scrambled for something to say.

"....IS THAT SO?!?"

Kronaemix's features twisted into a So'liq-grin. "It will be."

And with that, lightsaber in hand, the possessed body of Kronaemix advanced on Noddo, Amry and Saatch...

The possessed body of Kronaemix stalked forward menacingly. Noddo and Amry drew their daggers. "We ain't gonna go down easy," Amry warned.

"Oh, yes, you are," So'liq said.

Saatch held his cane firmly, steadily, ready to fight to the death, though he was sure that his newfound God would not let it come to that.

Highemperor was maintaining a grip on the wall. He had a black belt (second degree) once, long ago, on his home plane of Earth. Nevertheless, it took all his tenacity to hang on to the slick stone. He concentrated, felt for the mind of Kronaemix/So'liq. Kronaemix was still there, buried underneath the demon, fighting for control.

"Omnipotent, huh?" he called out to Sol'iq. "The One I seek is modopotent." He smiled. With Kronaemix still struggling in the physical brain of Kronaemix/So'liq, it would just take a nice firm nudge to force So'liq out. . .

He frowned. Okay, make that several firm nudges-

And So'liq's demonic spirit fled out of Kronaemix's body. Kronaemix gasped as he regained jurisdiction over his body.

Highemperor tasted the power - sweet power - tapped into the energy that coursed throughout the multiverse.

So'liq hung over the warriors. "You cannot defeat me!" he cried. He threw out an insubstantial hand, and those on the roof fell to their knees. He laughed cruelly.

Suddenly a loud voice boomed from the ramparts. "I can, Hellspawn!"

So'liq spun around to see Highemperor floating up from over the wall, fairly glowing with power. "And I have had. . . ENOUGH!" His body seemed to explode with energy heading straight toward So'liq.

The demon screamed in agony as his very essence was torn apart. Highemperor's energy-manipulation abilities were working!

With a final yell, So'liq vanished.

Highemperor fell to the stone roof, sweating heavily. Saatch rushed over to the sound. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Highemperor looked up. "It is said. . . necessity unlocks hidden reserves in us," and he collapsed, unconscious.

-----

Okay, come ON, let's let So'liq be DEAD now and done with! Ok? Please?

------------------
Play epic RPGs such as Dark Exile, or duel in the Interdimensional Arena @ The High Citadel

Note: Heh, done. So'liq is gone. Well, at least for a long time anyway...

Kronaemix's eyes suddenly flashed, and he ran for the rooftop exit. The others followed him as best they could, as they snaked down the castle corridors and hallways. Finally, they burst out into the dying sunlight of a long day, onto one of the balconies.

A streak of blood congealed around a large spiderweb crack in the heavy stone floor. From that, a steady trail of hand and footprints lead around, past a wall.

The party suddenly remembered the kind but resolute face of Kinn-Akan, the old man who had brought them to the castle and bought them enough time to defeat So'liq. Kronaemix ran forward, following the trail of blood, and the group followed.

Kinn-Akan lay still in a rapidly drying blood-pool, his face loose and his eyes closed. As Kronaemix and the others drew near, however, they snapped open.

"Kronaemix!"

The younger angel ran to his father's side, cradling his head in his arms.

"I have failed you, father..."

Kinn-Akan shook his head sharply, gasping with the effort. "Non....nonsense. You are free, my son...and now I am too..."

The party looked on, forebodingly.

"Only...one matter remains..."

Kinn-Akan reached behind his son's neck, releasing the catch with a sharp hissing sound. Kronaemix's mask fell to the ground.

"Now, my...son...you are truly free."

And with that, Kinn-Akan looked past his son, distant and near at the same time. His body hung limp in his son's arms, as Kronaemix shook with grief.

After a time, Kronaemix stood. Slowly, he turned to face the group.

His face was proud and handsome, yet a testament to his quest; from the tip of his forehead to the bridge of his nose, his skin was coloured a strong blue. His lower-left face was a fiery crimson, his lower-right an intense green. Smiling sadly, he indicated to the colour regions.

"My strongest allegiance is to Heaven, so it covers the most of my face. Hell and Nature occupy equal parts."

The group nodded, blanky.

"I thank you all. To you, I owe my life. Highemperor, you freed me and destroyed the demon, God willing forever more; I owe you a special debt of gratitude. I...I hope that you all leave this place of evil stronger in some way. Thank you."

And with that, Kronaemix, utterly empty inside, left them.

*BUMP*

Benevolent Upward Mobility Post

------------------
Play epic RPGs such as Dark Exile, or duel in the Interdimensional Arena @ The High Citadel

(NSP: Hehe, a BUMP. Seriously, I'll be posting the thing with Krig and Jirverak as soon as I can, but as far as the rest of the story, I didn't know where we were going with it next. If you all want, I can start with something new for the characters, a direction for us to write with. But I dont' want to do it if you all don't want me to or if you all have a plan of your own. Hope to hear from you all soon.)

~Geb

(Note: Thanks for the BUMP, about time someone did...I was about to hit the board with a DUMP post [Depressing Upshot Means Panic post], but luckily I didn't need to. I have a good new idea for Kronaemix, but I need a few people to post first. Later guys..)

Well, let's try this.

-----

Kronaemix stood unmasked before the tribunal of his order, his teal eyes glowing.

Termaan-Li was at the head of the tribunal. "Kronaemix son of Kronaemix," he said, "you have willingly submitted yourself to our authority. You understand that this surrender must have no bearing on our judgement?"

Kronaemix let no expression show, instead saying stolidly, "I do."

There was a murmur in the audience of Kronaemix's fellow agents, all of whom were in the Grand Hall of Justice.

Termaan-Li looked grave for a moment and continued, "Kronaemix son of Kronaemix, you have been charged with endangering our order's mission, the murder of two guards, disrespect to your superiors, and resisting arrest. How do you plead?"

Kronaemix's gaze wavered. He seemed defeated. "Guilty."

A wave of surprise washed over the crowd. Termaan-Li's eyebrow raised. "Then, Kronaemix, we have no choice but to sentence you to immediate execution."

Kronaemix's hands had been bound. A guard now undid them and pushed him down to his knees. Kronaemix made no resistance.

Jhargis, the executioner, came forward, carrying ceremonially the black hilt of his saber.

Kronaemix stared unflinchingly into his friend's eyes.

Jhargis ignited the lightsaber, its blood-red blade casting an eerie light on the chamber.

Kronaemix bowed his head. He heard the hiss of the saber as it was raised high, then another as it arced downward. He waited for the end and almost welcomed the sweet oblivion of death.

A brilliant flash.

Kronaemix vaguely wondered why he still heard the voices of the crowd, now a roar. Hesitantly, he looked up, expecting his head to be on the floor seeing his headless body.

Instead, he saw a mysterious being with a cross-bearing shield and a staff capped by a skull blocking Jhargis's blow.

Termaan-Li was on his feet. "You! What are you doing here?"

And everyone was all the more shocked, that the Grand Master knew this creature.

Semievil said, "I am the Neutral One. I am the Judge of All and of Nothing. I am the Keeper of Power. I am-" Suddenly his stomach rumbled, and he finished ruefully, "hungry, now that you mention it."

Everyone stared at him, and he remembered his place. "Uh, yes, well, anyway, Kronaemix son of - what was your pop's name again?"

Kronaemix said between gritted teeth, "Kronaemix."

"Yes, thank you," Semievil said. "Kronaemix son of Kron - HOLY MOLE! Your name is the same as your dad's?"

"Yes," Kronaemix growled.

"Wow," Semievil mused. "Well, anyway, he is not to be executed. He has a grand purpose in this coming Decamillennial Battle. You may not know this, but there's a demon called, um, Black Lancer or something-"

"Dark Lancer," Kronaemix corrected.

"Yes, Dark Lancer, and this man here - er, ARE you a man? I never can tell - this, uh, person here is destined to fight Dark Lancer in the deciding confrontation of the battle."

Termaan-Li growled, barely audibly, "Get out of here, Brother. I long ago renounced you and your neutral ways."

-----

Whew, I'm spent. Feel free to continue this, please!

------------------
Play epic RPGs such as Dark Exile, or duel in the Interdimensional Arena @ The High Citadel

(Wow, not only has Highemperor given my character a new lease of life, I'm guaranteed a spot on the battle against Dark Lancer! Swishhh!)

-----------------

Kronaemix wearily opened his eyes to a glowing light. It seemed as if he had been asleep for a thousand years. Hazily, he recalled the events leading up to his arriving here; leaving behind the group of warriors and heroes at So'liq's castle, dejected and hollow, arriving back at the Grand Hall of Justice, explaining Kinn-Akan's heroic sacrifice and his own sequence of events. All was laid bare, and he voluntarily submitted himself to the wrath of the tribunal. All was finally serene, now that he was finally going to die, and yet he still felt empty, dissatisfied, as if his very purpose was not yet fulfilled.

Then Semievil had arrived, and saved Kronaemix's life for the second time in so many days. If he kept it up, I would owe him several hundred lifetimes in one year, Kronaemix had mused with dark gallows humour. Semievil had then revealed something that shocked him.

Kronaemix was to fight Dark Lancer.

At first, none of it made sense. Kronaemix's chance to win the Decimillenial war had passed quite literally hundreds of millions of years ago, and he wasn't even an acknowledged competitor! How was he supposed to-?

And then it hit him. Somewhere along the line, something would change. Perhaps the rules would be broken or modified, perhaps the competition would be 'compromised', as the officials would say, and anything would go, but somehow, it would come down to Kronaemix and a team of warriors against Dark Lancer.

And, presumably, his own team of warriors.

With almost clinical detachment, Kronaemix wondered who would affect the sacred competition in such an irreversible and atrocious manner that the rules would go, figuratively speaking, out the window. Finally, the moment passed, and Kronaemix set about finding where he was. After Termaan-Li had denounced his 'Brother', however literal the phrase was, Semievil had
swung his skull-capped staff horizontally, seemingly creating a rip in the universe itself, and dragging Kronaemix into the vortex, which sucked closed tightly after them. That was the last thing Kronaemix remembered.

Slowly, his eyes focused, and he found that he was lying on a stone slab, staring at an almost ethreal light in the ceiling. Slowly, Kronaemix slid off the slab, checking his bearings. His golden lightsaber, the one constant in his life, was still with him, so Semievil was not planning on killing him. Quietly, he opened the heavy door in front of him and left the small room.

Slowly, he made his way through the winding corridors that seemed to have no purpose, no direction. He could feel Semievil's presence close to him, it was just a matter of finding h-

He went through the final door and gasped. A gigantic chamber of truly remarkable proportions stood in front of him. To his right was a small balcony, with a glowing blue sphere suspended by nothing Kronaemix could see. It fairly rippled with energy. He examined it more closely, and-Kronaemix started in surprise-images molded and faded within the core of its mystery, some moments gone by, some new images he had never seen before.

He watched So'liq's body explode, then the horrible death's-head skull appear and vanish with a mind-numbing scream...

Then...

He saw Saatch, the blind old man, finally free of the demon Dark Lancer, gasping for breath and fighting back tears of relief.

Then...

He saw himself, advancing warily, with warriors flanking him, toward Dark Lancer, who beckoned them on...

Then...

Highemperor, on the rooftop of Liberate Diablo, drawing upon his considerable strength and striking at So'liq, who blocked the strong slash and turned to face Kronaemix, himself...

Then...

Noddo and Amry, staring with genuine innocence at him, at Kronaemix, and the evil in his eyes, So'liq's evil, as he advanced on them...

Then...

The final image disturbed him the most. Once more, it was him, but he wore So'liq's armour. He drew close to his warrior friends, igniting his lightsaber and drawing back to strike. His face-the future image seemed to be talking directly TO Kronaemix-was twisted in horror, and as his body brutally murdered his friends, he was screaming;

"WAKE UP! WAKE UP! YOU CAN'T STOP IT! YOU CAN'T STOP IT BECAUSE HE WON'T LET YOU! WAKE UP!"

Then suddenly, Kronaemix approached the last surviving warrior, and he was about to strike, but he hesitated for a moment, and realised it was Kinn-Akan, his FATHER, and he was sobbing;

"Please, my son...end the madness...please...kill me...and then you can just wake up..."

Kronaemix was shocked beyond movement, but his arms were working on their own, and the blade flew down, but just as it did, Kinn-Akan shattered, shattered into nothingness. Then, reality melted away and Kronaemix could only hear So'liq's taunting voice;

"Everything is all right when you sleep. Keep on sleeping, Kronaemix...everything will be fine-"

"Ah, there you are!"

Semievil sat behind a large desk in the center of the room, going over several important-looking documents and photos, muttering unheard complaints and cliches. Kronaemix approached him silently, going over the haunting images in the sphere. The Judge smiled wanly at him as he stood before him.

"Welcome, Kronaemix."

The angel brushed back his hair absently. "To what, exactly?"

"To you? Just another department in charge of maintaining order in the Decimillenial War. But I like to think of this as..."

He leaned back in his chair, to add emphasis.

"...the Ultimate reali-"

-Semievil's dramatic effect was cut short by leaning back too far in his chair, and he flew backwards, landing with a thud on the carpeted floor. Had he not just have seen such a disturbing future image, Kronaemix would have coughed back a rare laugh as the Judge got up as dignified as possible.

"-ty."

There was an awkward silence. Kronaemix eventually broke it.

"So, in other words, I'm just like I was before? Working for you instead of Termaan-Li? It's an improvement, but I fail to see the point-"

"The point, Kronaemix, is that you have a much more...dire position here."

"Dire?"

"Dire." Semievil strode toward him, facing the angel directly. "Your job here is to collect as much information as possible that supports a conclusion that any of the three sides involved in the Decimillenial War are in any way cheating or ignoring the rules, then compile a case against them and present it to the Tribunal of Justice."

"And then what? Are they disqualified?"

Semievil smiled. "Oh no, it's much more interesting than that."

Kronaemix moved to speak again, but Semievil waved a dismissive hand. "Not now. I am busy and tired, and you need sleep. Much sleep. For tomorrow."

Kronaemix nodded blankly, walked a few paces, then turned. "What happens tomorrow?"

Semievil grinned again. "You attend a crash course in adjudicating the War."



[This message has been edited by The Last True Evil (edited April 25, 2001).]

(Okay...What do you folks have in mind for the 'disrupting factor'? I was thinking Orca, who's very powerful, but not aligned with anyone. Not in the way SemiEvil isn't aligned with anyone, but as in he's participating, attempting to shape events, yet not aligned with any of the three powers.)

Lightbringer flashed a brilliant yellow as the magical energy was directed through it and amplified, forming a magnificent, shimmering portal to Heaven. Orca could have stared for years at the beauty of the place, but he had a mission to accomplish, and so he stepped through the portal.

For a place that seemed to be perched in the clouds, there was surprisingly little breeze. Heaven, he realized, was just like he had imagined it, probably because he HAD imagined it like that. His studies had revealed something about the immortal realms: they are beyond true mortal comprehension (except for the Eternal Battlefield), and so they appear somewhat as a mortal expects them to be, at least to him or her. Strange golden spirits, most likely Angels in a more natural form, glided in the sky above the golden city. Orca hesitated a few moment, but finally found the courage to knock on the majestic gates.

A golden spirit gently settled on the ground in front of Orca.

"What do you wish here, mortal? None in history have had the power to get here on their own. You must have had the aid of a powerful artifact of some sort." the Angel inquired.

Orca nodded towards Lightbringer, and the angel nodded. "Yet what do you want?" he/she/it questioned.

"I come here seeking an audience with God." Orca answered, without a moment's hesitation.

"Then why do you not simply pray? God is everywhere. He can hear anything, anywhere. Surely you must know this?" the Angel continued.

"Indeed. But I have a matter of some significant importance, one which I would rather bring up directly." Orca responded.

"No mortal has ever been granted the honor of seeing God in hundreds of years, at least not before he has died. But this is an exception, I suppose. The rules are relaxed when a battle in the Eternal War is upcoming. Especially a decisive one." the Angel slowly considered, and then opened the gates.

Orca started to step through, but it was not neccesary. He was standing already in front of...something that could not be described by words. Majestic and terrible, glorious and fearsome. An immortal being simply is not able to be described when it is not in a mortal form. But its voice can be well understood, if not described.

"Space Orca. I know of your past, and your...shifting allegiances. All three of the Powers have had subtle or overt dominance over you at one time or another. But now you have abandoned any allegiance at all. You do not even swear your allegiance to remaining neutral, but continue to seek to influence immortal events! Things beyond your control!"

"They may be beyond my direct control, but they are not beyond my indirect control. I come here to speak with you, and to make a proposal to you. A proposal that might have far-reaching consequences..."

"Then let us hear it, though I fear I already know what you speak of."

I'll continue this later, after dinner and fencing.

(Krig hopes Geb will hurry up and post, cause Krig wants to post, and can't post until after Geb posts. This thing's getting sweet again...)

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"The wicked flee when no man pursueth" --Proverbs 28:1

Hmm, a little much, isn't it, Orca? Getting into Heaven that easily? Since when does God grant audiences to people like that? In history, they have been specially chosen people, such as Moses and Isaiah, and even they didn't just go to Heaven for an audience. Hmm. . .

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(If you want to run a story where God's actions are based around those he displays in the Bible, start a new one. I care far more for writing a good story.)

Orca, it's not just that. How is it a good story when a character can just do pretty much whatever he blamed well wants to?

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Play epic RPGs such as Dark Exile, or duel in the Interdimensional Arena @ The High Citadel

(NSP: Orca (sorry if you do not wish to be called that, but that IS what I know you as), I have to agree with Highemperor. True, I care for a good story as well, but a good story also keeps in mind researching on characters that aren't of your own imagination, fictional or not (this also goes for any PART of them, such as if they are of a certain proffesion and such). When The Bible clearly states that the God they know is a mysterious one, that should be taken into account and try our best to reflect the original authors' intent, so to speak. I personally think we make God, Satan, and Nature far too un-mysterious as it is by making their existance proovable (I don't mean the whole angels bit, I mean other parts, like your recent post and the first post on the story). Just keep that in mind when writing, Orca. And I know you helped start this story, but PLEASE, your character is powerful, but don't powerplay--be creative Anywhos, I need to start off the side quest with Jirverak and Krig.)

*Standing in the middle of a great cross hallway, Jirverak looks behind him, where him and Krig had entered through the gate. Krig continued to do as he had been: examining the ceiling and walls. Gripping his white, gleaming sword, Jirverak paced around the cross hallway, looking down the three hallways. To the left of the entrance, he saw the hallway lined with Roman-esque decorations and antiques, finding that the hallway turned right at the end some grat distance. In the hallway in front of the entrance, he found that it was fashioned liek the previous hallway, but went on straight for a short distance before ending at a flight of stairs in the middle os some room. Beyond the stairs was a great open space that was not floored or roofed, like some mass section of the castle carved right from it. The hallway to the right of the entrance reflected that of the left hallway.*

*Continuing to look at the hallways, Jirverak said "Looks pretty simple to me." He then looked down at Krig, who wasn't paying attention to him, saying "You stay here. You understand? I'm going to check out what's upstairs."

*Krig cocked his head quizzically at Jirverak, and in return, Jirverak sighed dramatically.*

"Oh get lost!" Jirverak said. As Jirverak made his way down the center hallway, he continued to mutter complaints, and after a few moments, dissapeared up the stairs.
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*Upon finishing the flight of stairs, Jirverak eyed his surroundings. The walls were less sculptured now, and the decorations gave the feel of a darker time. As at the bottom of the stairs, Jirverak found the open area nearby. He walked to the edge of it, and looking both up and down, he could only see part of the adjacent floor, due to the lack of lighting.*

"For being a trial of my worth, this castle is strangly desolate," Jirverak said to himself. "Guess I should find the lady I'm to rescue. From what I wonder..." Jiverak headed down the hallway beyond the stairs.

(NSP: I know, not very exciting yet, but don't worry, it will be. I'm jsut trying to get it started.)

~Geb

(I know Orca's very powerful, but he's not going to be doing much fighting until the immortal battlefield itself, where everybody will be very powerful. Mostly, he's going to be negotiating with the Immortal Powers.

As for the Immortal Powers, this story only really works if we assume their existance. Mysterious powers are great during stories taking place almost entirely among mortals, but this story is almost purely about the Immortal Powers and the battle between them, even if mortals are involved and talked about. Here's the way I think of the Immortal Powers:

God & Heaven: Just and good, but can also be overly wrathful and sometimes aloof and uncaring. Sometimes too quick to make up its mind and then not budge, but most often acts justly and mercifully.

Nature: Balanced, careful, and manipulative. Far more subtle than the other 2 Immortal Powers, and is almost 50/50 evil and good. All natural disasters are its work, but so is the life force of most things of the earth, especially non-human animals and plants.

The Devil & Hell: Evil, destructive, and chaotic, but also more loose and open-minded than the other two. Mostly evil and plotting, but it can have some good points in restisting the general strictness of the other two. Sorry that I haven't written the rest of Orca's conversation yet, but I'm trying to make it the best possible.)

Orca/Nature Paladin, I disagree with your description of Satan and God. Keep in mind that this is essentially the Christian God and Devil we're talking about here. God is wholly good and Satan is wholly bad. And that's that.

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