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"Oh blessed ---" She cut off, she couldn't really curse the Light, since she still believed in it. Falis was still off limits despite her status. And she didn't really believe in Hell. She looked around her, and wished she hadn't tried to get closer to the man when he'd stopped. She also didn't know whether this was a hostile environment or not. And because of it, was a bit frustrated.

"Damned it all to the VOID!" She cursed out loud with the only thing left to curse as her hands fiddled with her daggers.

Some people just knew when not to say anything, and for Noel and the other two this was one of those times. It wasn't for Athan, but that's besides the point. Anyway, the three just watched, Noel and the other man a bit more softly than the shade. Athan was ignored for now.

Omikron jumped a little when he heard a voice. He was on edge and used to long periods of silence. Alone, undisturbed and away from the rest of the world, the way he'd like to like it. It had been different lately, it had felt like hiding rather than keeping everyone else safe. He felt once again like he was putting everyone in danger.

Then there was a voice. Things were a tad more clear.

"Owle?" It was as close to emoting that anyone in that room had heard Omicron speak. He turned around as quickly as he could, despite the clumsiness his bulk would cause. Because of that he was scant inches from bumping into Owle by the time he spun around, and looked for the source of the voice. Considering how close he was and the difference in heights he eventually had to turn his one yellow eye downwards to look at the woman.

He attempted to retain that hollow regal Omikron-esque composure, "... Hello Owle."



"Hey!" There was a voice from behind Meri which would be startling enough considering where she was, "It's not safe out here."


If she turned to face the voice she would be greeted by two figures, close enough to be clearly seen. They were both male, and they both had the look that they had been walking just as long as Meri had been. The one that was speaking seemed to be ripped from a painting. Tall enough to be prominent but not so tall he seemed freakish. Toned in just the right way that he appeared to be a strongman when he wanted to be, and not like he was permanently shrouded in a lumpy meat blanket. Striking features framed by dark dark hair. The other fellow seemed more plain only by comparison, as his friend made all his flaws more prominent. His features were not striking, in fact his eyes were rather squinty, and it was obvious he had to cut off his muddy muddy red hair with a blade otherwise it would take over his face. He was a bit too tall, a tad too lanky, and not quite up to snuff to his near fabio friend.

That wasn't the strange thing though. The strange thing was their clothing, as it looked downright primitive. A mess of leather straps and crude plates of either softer metals or hardened leather. Nor did they seem to be carrying weapons, strange considering what this fellow just shouted.

"It is dangerous everywhere." The other shrugged and shook his head as he made this matter of fact statement.

That composure wasn't about to last long, since Owle promptly glomped him about his middle, which was exactly where she could reach. "I'm so glad to see you! I tried to get a letter sent out, and I'm sorry I'm interrupting your meeting but..."

She buried her head into his chest, catlike, squeezing him tightly for a moment despite the discomfort caused by his armor. Then she stepped back, smiled sheepishly at the others in the room, and turned back to Omikron.

"Hello."

Omikron, as always, was caught by surprise with Owle's sudden bursts of affection. He had long since convinced himself that he existed to make up for past deeds not to be liked, let alone be held. His arms hovered just a bit away from his sides as he decided if he should do nothing or push Owle away before she hurt herself. He did neither. Instead he laid both hands on her shoulders, and kept them there even as she backed up.

"Owle," there was that ever present note of concern to his voice, "It has become far too dangerous, why did you come this far north. You do not know what your getting involved in, I do not want to..."

He had been looking at her the whole time, but the last bit of his spiel he could barely stand to admit he had somehow lured her into danger again. So when he looked away he noticed Athan.

"Athan..." He seemed even more hollow now, "That package... No, not now. I did not want to bring you into this either. The timing is just not in our favour..."

It was about this time Omikron said a word in some language neither Owle or Athan could understand, but even with Omikron's lack of emoting somehow you could tell it was a curse of some sort. As he said that he broke away from Owle, his large gauntlet hand going to his forehead as if he had some sort of headache.


"Phi... Continue gathering the intelligence. We need to know what we can..." Omikron did the only thing he knew to get his mind off the situation, "Noel continue the translation effort, we need that as fast as possible."

Phi, the other shade, shook her head but was gone almost as soon as Omikron finished his orders. Noel being a social recluse was happy to be excused, but still backed out slowly partially because he wanted to have more tact than Phi and partially because he was curious. Omikron couldn't even look at anyone in the room.

"Athan," It wasn't Omikron speaking but rather the injured looking man. Despite his injuries and the fact it was obviously paining him as he struggled to his feat, he still had one of those voices that could calm a person in their strength, "I can show you a few of the more interesting parts of the Tyr'Kana city if you are still interested. I'm almost positive I could bore you less than Noel."

He smiled through a swollen lip, this seemed to cue Omikron to look towards the man still. Worried look still heavy in his eye.

"You have done too much today already, you need to res..."

"Talk to Owle Omikron," whoever this injured man was he was able to get Omikron to be silent without even raising his voice. From the sounds of it he could do that to anyone, "I'll take care of Athan."

With that Omikron once again buried his eye in both hands, and the man limped his way towards Athan.

--- Tundra --- --- --- --- ---

"Hah." The hansome fellow seemed to puff up that, "Trust me, we are amongst the most prepared people on Gaia."

"So sayeth the great hero Almagest." The other fellow rolled his eyes as he droned the words, "We may have a sligthly better chance against the shadows than the others, but we're just two drops in the ocean compared to one."

"Oh now come on, you are starting to sound like the rest of them. We have power now Aerii, affter all this time... And now we are bickering in front of a stranger, what if the shadows came? Divided we fall and all that."

"We're marching to our deaths, martyrdom can't come soon enough." He said this with a smile, most could guess this was how these two "worked".

The dark haired man shook his head and turned to Merielle.

"Ignore my friend, he's useful to have around when the shadows attack and the spirits seem to like him, but other than that hes a real pain." The man refered to as Aerii groaned in the background, "Now, what are you doing this far from civilization. Surely those retreating from the homeland have not gotten this far yet?"

"We have been gone a long time Almagest."

"Timing? What is it? If it involves cracking skulls I wouldn't be too worried, I'll help you guys out if you need it."

That didn't matter, since the wounded man spoke up and diverted Athan's attention away from Omikron. Athan wasn't quite so sure what was holding the man up, considering how wounded he was. Although, given certain circumstances, Athan would be forced to ask himself that same question.

"You need any help?"

Depending on if the man agreed to the help or not, Athan would either duck down to offer a shoulder or stay where he was. Who was he to stomp on another person's pride if they considered themselves well enough to walk?

"If you can, show me everything."

"I'm fine." The obviously not fine man answered calmly, "I've earned every one of these aches, and there's something about this place that draws people to martyrdom."

The injured man shot a glance at Omikron and smiled.

"This way Athan, I only arrived recently myself but I know where to go."

Unless Athan or Owle had anything pressing to say the two would exit the room. Omikron would just watch, he was thinking about how people kept seeming to find there way here. After he had went through so much trouble to quarantine himself and the shades. They could have been happy... Undisturbed. Though that wouldn't help at all now, not at all.

"I do not think I could ever hope to keep trouble from you." He looked down to look at the hand she had placed on him, "You have so many to protect you though. I have not been one of those Owle. When I have been there I have only brought more trouble upon you, and when I should have protected you I have ran."

His one eye closed and his head shook, but his other hand went to rest upon hers.

"And somehow you wanted to come see that, and all you get in return is put in danger." Eye opened to look right at the woman, "Owle, I fear it may be stirring again... Moving at a rate I have never imagined."

His hand on hers went limp, as did his head. He stood there hands by his side and head hung low.

"I..."

--- Syntaxis --- --- --- ---

"Athan, I want to tell you that this is not the first time Shades have inhabited Syntaxis." The injured man began to speak, "But I also want you to understand that those shades were not associated with the Omikron we know. They were under the power of The Forgotten One, a being of such unbelievable power and malice that the entire world joined together to seal it away."

The two had been walking through the city towards the eastern section, a place known as the mana gardens. They took a different path than Noel had taken, thus there was much more for Athan to look at. Not that he had a good deal of time to look, as the injured man seemed to have no problem getting around at a fair speed.

"The two races are integrally linked because of what The Forgotten did, as it duped some to fight with and and turned them on others. From extended battle on one side, and close contact on the other the Tyr'Kana became the unparalleled expert in shades."

"And that's why I emphasise that Omikron's Shades are not the ones that you will learn about. They are free from such bonds, and everything you learn about yourself they will be right with you learning about themselves."

"Now, is there anything in particular you're seeking?"

--- Tundra? --- --- --- ---

"I've heard them called a good deal of things." The man called Aerii responded, "Shades, shadows, creatures. All I really know is they're of a darkness, no a nothingness, not of this world. Nothing like the spiritual darkness."

"And as far as we knew it's just them and animals up this far. Civilisations far far away from here, so I'd say more than a little bit of a recluse." The other man, Almagest, began to look rather pensive, "I've pretty much lost all track of time, but it took us at least a year to get to around here from home."

"Probably more, and that's barely counting attacks from the..." Before finishing his sentence he let out a large sigh, "Speak of the devil, here they are Almagest."

The "hero" barrelled forward, a large arm shooting out to push Meri back a few steps. Sure enough there was a marauding group of some strange creatures. They looked like nothing more than blackish blurs moving across the planes, but the world seemed to die around them. Almagest held his hands like he was holding a weapon, and there was a strange focus around him. Something like if he was extending himself into his hands. It would be vaguely familiar, perhaps that kid who was in the temple with the demon...

What was more impressive was the man known as Aerii, as he was obviously channelling magic forces. What was strange, as anyone who were even minorly magically adept could tell, was that he was casting in no way like modern or even ancient forms of magic. No it was like he was calling upon all the forces, the spirits of the elements as well the powers of the light and dark, all at one time. They all were drawn to him, it was some form of prime magic grounded in unity rather than the opposition known today.

And thus that same energy pulsed from Aerii into Almagest's hands, and in the blink of an eye there was a sword where there previously was no sword. The world had created his weapon.

And then a secondary flash, one so bright that Meri once again was blinded.



With that she was back in the snow covered tundra... Though there seemed to be ruins before her.

Athan shrugged his shoulders, gave a little wave to Owle, whether or not she was paying attention, and then turned to follow the injured man out of the room. His curiosity was sated for the time being, although he didn't have as much time as he would have liked to look over the various ruins and buildings, he was happy to get a passing glance and a vague idea of what it was used for.

"All I know about this city is what I've read in what very few books exist. None of them mentioned this Forgotten One guy, and they never told of what happened to the Tyr'Kana."

A brief pause, as Athan turned to look at a nearby building just prior to their entry into the mana gardens.

"So I guess what I want to know most is, what really happened to make them disappear? Did it have something to do with the shades? A plague? What happened to them and why am I still here to prove that some of their kind survived?"

"I... I could have went in person to the tournament, I could have wished you luck there." Hollow still as he couldn't even conjure a sigh, "Instead a letter explaining why I disappeared without saying a word."

"There are plenty of things I could have done." He looked to the map he had been pouring over for the past god knows how long, "In retrospect, I suppose I could not have kept you from danger. I could have confronted it with you."

Silence.

"Yes. I believe it has. I can feel the pull."

--- City --- --- --- ---

"The Tyr'Kana had what most would consider a utopian society. Leaning towards militaristic, thus the warriors had supremacy in politics and all that." The man continued to hobble along leading the two back through the market area, "The scholars were still amongst the most educated on the planet. They knew of all magic, the old gods, and even of what we call The Forgotten one. Their inquiry into that was their downfall."

The two crossed through another gate and then something strangely wonderful happened, it was very very warm. Athan was now surrounded by greenery laced with stone walkways. It was a beautiful scene, and one that seemed impossible as far north as they were. Trees in full health, flowers in bloom, vines draping over the walkways. Perhaps the floating crystalline substances on the horizon in either direction were the reason... But they were headed towards what looked to be a temple type building.

"The Forgotten preys on weakness, once it discovered that the mystics weren't getting the same respect of the warriors it began to twist their minds. Make them believe their near perfect society was not good enough, and that they should rebel until they get the respect they deserve." The man was mostly looking ahead occasionally looking at the plants or the ground whenever he stumbled, "Thus one half of the race bolstered by their might and the other assisted by the chaotic power of the Forgotten began a civil war."

"A bloody battle that came to its climax in this city." They were on the steps of that temple looking place now, "When another group joined the faltering warriors."

--- Lower Ruins --- --- --- ---

There would be no answer, verbally at least. What Meri could see couldn't speak, they could only act.

From the darkness emerged a group of three yellow-eyed shades, lightly armoured and not carrying any weapons. They were obviously moving cautiously, as more than likely they would be more worried about Meri than she would be about them. They edged closer, hoping that whoever this was wasn't hostile and tried to remain as non threatening as they could.

Hoping it would be seen as a sign of peace the lead shade raised both hands in the air and opened them to show it had no weapon drawn.