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Once more it seemed that fate was playing games with Elias, for just as he asked abot Enoch and his where abouts, he happened to walk sliter in. He seemed over energetic, Elias supossed that the Coathl had most recently had a very large meal. "Please don't tell that you started the fire, that now roars in your belly Enoch my friend?" Elias asked the snake as it made his way closer to where the trio was standing. From the look in the Coathl's eyes, this had been a very large fire indeed. Elias hoped that the Coathl had not carelss enough to have started the thing himself.


"No off course not my lord." Enoch bowed as he coiled at the foot of his master, as Elias massive frame slid back into the chair where he had previously been sitting perfectly balancing the girls as he did so, Enoch had to admit that he was more than a little impressed. Elias was a master at caring for those two girls, and even though he would die before ever daring to admit it to anyone, he himself had grown very fond of the gorgeous young wind sprits, although Dawn did have a tendency to get herself into trouble. Which meant that when these two girls were around there was never really a dull moment.


The twinkle in Dawn's eyes told both Elias and Enoch that he young girl was planning something. Leaning in closer to ther younger sister, she whispered her ideas to Twillight, who upon hearing let erupt upon her face a very large smile. This instantly told Elias what the two girls where thinking, and Enoch, last time he had seen that sort of smile on Dawn's face, she had thrown him into the river, which for him was not the most pleasent experience. Dawn spoke, but Elias already knew what the young girl was going to say. "Let play chase!!!" she screamed as both girls jumped off the massive man's lap and began to dance around the room, eager to begin on of the favorite.


"Well Enoch my friend, what say you, think you can handle a game of chase?" Elias asked with sly smile on his face, Elias knew what the snake even before the Coathl knew it himself.


"Compared to there other things that have been giving birth, I don't think that a simple game of chase." he commented as he extended his ever growing pretine white wings.


"Don't say that I didn't warn you." Elias shrugged as a very wicked smile was born on his face, that sent shivers up the Coathl's spine. What had he gotten himself into?

Her growling stomach woke her from a deep sleep. How could she be hungry again? Looking out the window she say that it was morning, overcast, but morning none the less. Looking around the room she saw that Nivue was not there with her. I guess he decided to stay with Aura and Eclipse the whole night. Shaking her head at her momentary feeling of hurt, she threw back the covers and crawled out of bed. Hearing voices outside she went to the window, arriving just in time to see Elias race off into the woods, his companions giving chase. Laughing softly and shaking her head, she turned from the window, looking around the room for her clothes. After dawning them, she opened the door, heading to the kitchen. She looked around the great hall...

Tiu was very glad she had been closer to the fireplace and the wall or she might have been hit. Watching Elias fly through the room as though he had been shot from a cyclone, she shook her head. Turning, she heard a sound from the library. Deciding to investigate, since she knew thats where Elias had ended up, she walked over. Upon looking in she found Elias on the floor with a very large book on top of him. Bringing her hand to her mouth to cover her smile, she walked over to him. Holding out her hand, "Are you ok?"

Smiling at Elias, "No I was already awake and heading to the kitchen when you mad your entrance." Smiling at Twilight, "Was he easy to catch or did you have to work for the win?"

Tiu watched Elias clean up the mess that he and Twilight had created when they had come flying through the window. Shaking her head she went to stand before the fire in the great hall. Smiling, Tiu stared into the fire, remembering seeing Elias fly through the window, the great hall and finally the library door. It had been kind of funny. Tiu looked behind her, sensing that she was not alone. Nivue stood behind her, also watching Elias work.

"What happened here?"

"Twilight and Elias came flying throught the kitchen window, kitchen door, the great hall and finally ending up in the library."

Making a sound that was similar to a laugh, "I wish I had been here to see that."

Elias went to the task of delicately putting the door back on the hinges. It was going to take sometime to finish everything but he was not in a rush to do anything. He slowly kept on working, his hands were hurting but he enjoyed the pain of the work that he was doing, it was going to turn out great. He was truly proud of what he had accomplished.

((Hiya. whee ))

Aging Memories
Reminiscence of the past.

Saradin's journey carried him far. From the moment he had left the manor under the cover of all concealing night his feet carried him further and further into his past. Alongside the path he followed was another set of tracks, the same size and shape as his own, that dogged his travels at every waypoint.

But immortality leaves scars so that the only place to find your memories is where the dead sleep. Plowing through the thin snow, Saradin adjusted his coat out of habit, already numb to the frozen bite of the cold. The snow-capped monuments surrounding marked people he could have called friends had he been who he was now. But back then they were only comrades in arms, soldiers who had lost their lives beside him or to time's slow march. Every one of them had meant something important despite what how despondent he used to be, and were all snatched away by cruel reality.

"Your thoughts are lies these days." Snow crunched beneath his boots as Saradin came to a halt and acknowledged the identical man sitting on a tombstone to his left, sword point tapping against the stone marker.
"We're growing apart. In a few months you'll be free from me. And then another will come for us both in time."
"True, but you've also learned to fool yourself. Not only are you hiding your feelings now from our link but your thoughts are different from what I'm shown. More deceptions to our name."
"Lies to find the truth. If you see it through me, you'll hate it and reinforce your belief."
"Then you're afraid that I'm right?
"No, only that you'll lose yourself to what we are."
"So selfish..."

The wind kicked up and the cemetery was hidden by a flurry of snow, masking the following battle. When it had passed, several headstones lay shattered and blood stained the pure white snow in several spots, but neither of them was to be found.

So his journey went, from graveyard to graveyard, to empty tombs that signified when others believed him dead to full ones of people he'd saved and known in time immemorial. Always fighting the same man, both of them caught in a battle against themselves and each other. But the culmination of that wandering brought him back to a memory almost as old as he was. Watching the bustling town below, eyes fixated on a tiny chapel amidst it, Saradin descended into the old valley as the gusts tossed his coat around him and the sun rose from beyond the mountains bathing everything in growing golden light.

"Saradin?" The old woman's voice pulled him from his short prayer as he sought forgiveness for what he planned. Regarding anyone who recognized him with caution, Saradin watched the woman as she hobbled slowly toward him while rising to his own feet. Something in her bewildered smile and glimmering eyes seemed familiar, but he hadn't been here in... All was answered by a sly smirk, revealing a sharpened incisor and an eerily seductive wink. Saradin, in shock, only managed to utter a name he hadn't spoken in years. "Idalla?"

"Old memories came rushing back even as we found our way to a secluded room in back to talk. Never had I so much as thought that any of them could still be alive, but I should have known better. Seems that they all parted ways after the funeral, after I abandoned them."

"Of the five of us, three still remain. Idalla told me of how they lost their will and slowly split company, herself remaining in town to watch over the tomb that contained her love. The hatchling has grown, and he's only recently given up his youthful exuberance, but continues strong despite his tremendous age. Andrinor... Andy, lived a full life, up to the age of 90. Which was quite the accomplishment considering the era. His infected blood gave him that. Idalla tells me that he always wanted to see me again. It turns out one of his greatest regrets was not being able to tell me how he looked up to me. I was a fool to leave, that boy had begun to see me as a father, or brother, I'm not sure which. Idalla herself has remained here all this time, her contract is far more open ended than any of us believed. She's overseen the reconstruction of this church several times, though it's still so similar to that place I remember."

"Ever since that day, I've been asleep. Lost in a nightmare of my own design that I didn't want to wake up from. It still feels like only a few months have passed when it's been centuries..."


"Uhsinakar! What are you doing!?" A healthy warm sun bathed the field of grain as the young man looked up from his duty and towards the woman that beckoned him to come over.

"I'm giving them a proper send off, they deserve that much at least! I'll be done in a minute Idalla!" He called back across, his voice carried over the wind while he returned to surveying the bestial corpse and praying that its soul somehow escape hell the depths of hell and find true peace.

The increasing breeze swept across them all and Idalla shuttered in the cold. "You shouldn?t dress so scantily, you'll freeze come winter," said another of her companions, otherwise quite and detached.
"What? And hide this beautiful physique from the world? Saradin, I'd think you'd know better by now. Besides, I know you enjoy the view."
"Hmmpf," was Saradin's only response as he turned away.
After mocking a hurt scoff, Idalla returned, "You've wounded my pride."

Meanwhile, a tiny disproportioned baby dragon bobbled about in the air, fuming as the young man who nursed a small wound on his side teased him. Such a pretty shade of pink he was becoming as the tiny red flecks on his otherwise white scales grew larger.

None of them could sense the horror coming. As Uhsinakar turned to join with his companions and smiled to his wife who waited impatiently the last of the abominations crept silently back onto its feet. Immediately Idalla's jet-black wings unfurled as if from nowhere and she darted towards them. Simultaneously, a perfect blade that would one-day carry a phoenix's brand flew from its scabbard and Saradin rushed through the field only inches behind Idalla. Slower to respond but still within a heart's beat, both the hatchling Calcryx and Andrinor were off to aid. "Uhsinakar!" They all shouted vainly.

But none arrived in time. Standing between 8 and 9 feet tall, it's odd beaklike maw bellowed as one of its three remaining arms snatched up the priest and delivered the three-foot bone spike through his spine. What unholy force motivated it was beyond comprehension, its earlier wounds seeming more than fatal, as its screech shattered minds and released its victim skyward as some primitive projectile towards them. Naturally responding, Idalla braced herself and caught her savior and love in her waiting arms, only to be dragged down by the added weight, landing hard on the farm soil while her wings cloaked around her.

It's pathetic extended life met a quick end as it was assaulted by the three other teammates. First Andrinor sprung from the battered stump of its fourth arm, severed during the first fight, to deliver a hammer blow that shattered one of its other elbows entirely. Following up was the Soulforge as it split away two of its misshapen 'fingers' and smote its hand while parrying the last arm as it attempted to spit Saradin on its bloodied bone spike. The final blow belonged to Calcryx, first with a wave of thousands of icicle shards sent on the gust of his wings that shredded the beasts legs, then finally a burst of flame that he belched forth consuming the creature's head in fire.

No one moved at first, and the only audible sound was that of low sobbing and labored breathing as Idalla tried to control herself. Saradin and Andrinor stood still battle poised, as if they didn?t know how to let the battle end. Calcryx, had landed quietly and crept forward one step at a time, driven by his child like curiosity. The dragon pup's heart paused as his gaze passed under the encompassing shroud of Idalla's leathery wings, and reality sank in as he sat silent on the ground and turned to face the others, the fire gone from his eyes.

The funeral was simple, but nearly a thousand attended, all of the hearts that the dead priest had touched, many former enemies that had been shown the way. Each of them offered some tribute to the widow and together planned a monument to his honor. As the two-day ceremony ended and the majority crowd dispersed, the four compatriots tensed as the tragedy wedged them apart.

"Damn!" A heavy fist struck and cracked the rotting oaken table. "I told the fool that his sympathy would get him killed!"
"Shut up Saradin! I said the same things, I don't need to be reminded of it!"
"Idalla, calm down. We know you loved him."
"Of course I do. I just don't need some blowhard telling me how I stabbed at his beliefs!"
"I'm leaving."
"What?"
"Don't expect me to return." Quickly and calmly, Saradin gathered himself and headed out the door.
"Sure, just walk out on us now, you b*****d! Mr. ******** Self-Righteous Impersonal a*****e wants out when things fall apart!"
"I'm going to go talk to him."
"I'll come with you too."
"No Calc, stay with Idalla."
"I don't care if that jackass doesn't come back."

"Saradin! Wait!"
"What is it?"
"Are you really leaving?"
"My duty was to protect the priest."
"He has a name you know!"
"And now he's only a memory. The same will happen to us all eventually."
"But, we still need you."
"There are still plenty of decent sword arms around."
"You're more than that!"
"I've left my gear behind, give it to someone else who wants to fight with you."

Saradin sighed as he sat in the dark room, hands clasped loosely around his knees in front of him as he looked up to the edge of the stone sarcophagus like a child listening to a story. "She nearly bit my head of you know. After the greeting and explanations were said and done, we started into the same argument we parted on. But I think I scared the hell out of her, so to speak, when I apologized for it all." His sentence broke into a short awkward chuckle and thought about it for a while. "I guess I really have changed a lot. Though you know, my stupid a** was always somewhere in your footsteps, no matter how hard I fought it."

"Now I've met some good people and found myself a home. But as usual, I'm stirring trouble, and I came for something that may help. Getting Idalla to part with your last gift to us was difficult to say the least, I had to swear an oath to return it unharmed. She will probably fill you in on the details. But you know, I don't think I've ever said your name since you died. Like you're just a myth in my mind, and that making you real will unlock all the pain I killed in myself. Well, Uhsinakar, rest in peace old friend."

After Saradin departed from the sealed crypt, his altered self arrived to take his place. Instead of quietly sitting beside it though, he circled the stone box and looked at the relief of a dead man on its cover. "Old friend? Or old fool? Maybe both really."

Impatiently his hands scanned the corner of the seal that hid an old set of bones and began to press the lid away slowly. The stone groaned in resistance and clouds of dust coughed out of the gaps as the tomb opened. Inside, decayed bones lay amongst thick sand, garbed in tattered silk wraps that had for some reason survived this long.

Amidst the circulating cloud, he closed in for a better look at the lifeless bones. Naturally his attention drifted first to the shattered ribs, those that showed exactly how the man had died and poignantly reminded any who saw them of the old tragedy. "The pain of death... spreads far beyond the one who dies."

"I have to kill him Uhsinakar, but how much suffering will it cause? And will anyone mourn for my death?" Unsatisfied with what he'd found, the nameless copy slammed the casket closed again and left things in the peaceful state he'd found them. His last chance to decide was getting far to close.

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The steady clank of metal followed the man as he stepped through the manor's steel gates. Clad fully in polished armor, he walked through the courtyard watching the leaves drift lazily down from the branches of trees as the heart of winter approached. His heavy gauntlet pulled tightly at the strap of his overstuffed pack and slung it to the ground in one heavy but careful swing. Unclasping one shoulder that bound his heavy cloak about him, it sank back and swayed behind in the gentle air currents, still hanging off his brilliant plate armor. Breathing deeply the crisp scent of the air, he released it through his visor, white vapor spreading and vanishing into the air. There he stood, patiently watching and waiting.

"I see your nose remembers me." Came the familiar voice through the metal visor hiding all but his distinct blue eyes. Saradin tilted his head to one side and reached up, pulling easily away the first strap beneath the steel that bound the helmet onto him. Following suit, the rest of the restraints fell away of their own accord and the helmet slid up and over his head. Tucking it under his arm, Saradin advanced to Eclipse, eager to see not only him but everyone else there. "I'm glad to be back."