An Artic Front

[Stormfollower]

((Its all good..I think since no one was harmed who wasn`t already out of action then... No harm no foul..But its everyone's decision. Open free form collaborations can be hard in this way... We should vote))

[Xar'Zith]

((I don't think its the taking his spirit that is the issue, its the mezzing everyone in the room without chance to resist it that Gill is concerned with. ))

[Cerissa]

(( I do not want to be the creator of any contention.Gilliadson does not know me as well as a couple others in this story, so I understand. Those that know me knows that is not what I'm about. My apologies to whomever I've offended. Please feel free to disregard the post. ))

[Gilliadson]

((Xar hit it on the head there... If the rest of you wanna roll with it the way it is then it's cool. My only beef was with the mez.. Sineliniel, and D`Narr have been around Enchanter's their whole lives and I kinda figured that they would be quite resistant to their spells. P`Nala is an enchanter. Hence the just waltzing in grabbing the spirit and leaving without a challenge would not have likely happened that way.))

[Stormfollower]

Remis heard her whisper clearly through his near death delirium.

“Now.”

He clearly saw the hired enchanter summoning his power and mesmerizing everyone in the room. Cerissas grin shone down on him in all its wickedness as she extended a hand towards him. No one moved to stop her. The scene moved along quite clearly but Remis seemed to be watching from outside his body.

“You shall not escape so easily, darling.” she states as she harshly rips his spirit from his body. Long, dark streaks begin rising from the near-dead corpse rising to greet its new Mistress. A long, deeply inhaled breath brings the disinclined, but ever faithful, spirit upwards still. Surrounding her hand crawling it’s way upwards until it is absorbed with effortless skill into a broach.

Turning she nods to her Mercenaries then fades while the caster once again covers the group in majick causing them to forget this group of darkness was ever here. Using their own majicks, the Mercenaries fade away as Cerissa disappears into nothingness porting herself, and her newly claimed toy, to a nondescript location. Only echoes of demonic whispers surrounding a young girls hate-filled giggles and a lifeless body are left as the group inside the room are released from the mesmerizing Enchanters spell.

The place the had ported to seamed even grayer than the crypt from which they had come.Wisps of smoke and dimly filtered landscaped wavered in the background. Cerissa clutched at the broach that contained him and her evil henchmen surrounded her and closed in to pear at him trapped within the facets of her broaches central gem. Still Remis saw all this from above.

Then a realization of his situation dawned upon him like the reluctant sun on a foggy morning... He was dreaming this! The whole scene of her coming to him and sucking his soul into her clutches was his soul, now separate from his body, wandering, perhaps even dreaming. he wondered if this was death. Was he now free to dream like never before or had he latched on, in parting desperation, to the dream of another? He was not wholly sure yet. Still he slipped further away from his body regardless.

[Jetamio]

Radha stared numbly at the scene, her sword still in her hand from where she had drawn it when they entered. She stared for the longest time at the motionless form of her twin, her beloved troubled brother. She kept expecting him to get up, but there was no life left in his body. Yet Radha could not shake the feeling that he still exisited in some form.

The softly spoken words of the Sanguine drew her attention. She knew Tajer for she was Xar'ziths daughter, but the two had rarely seen eye to eye. And now her father was cradling this woman in his arms, despite obviously being the one that brought an end to her brother. His blood still stained her face and clothes.

Radha shuddered and resheathed her blade for now, but the whole scenario made her uneasy.

[Stormfollower]

Stormfollower looked into Tajers eyes as he stood.

"Perhaps there is some sway that Tajer still holds over her body...We shall see what North Wind says. Spirit, you must come with me to see the Mothers-mother of Tajer. Only then can you be truly freed. Only she can see the life-bonds to Tajers soul."

[Mujbura]

Mujbura rises to her feet, the look of confusion so obviously apparent. She glances at the still body then towards Gilliadson as if her eyes could ask what had just happened. She looks over towards Stormfollower with a mixture of confusion and concern. Within the confines of her mind she reaffirms her oath to stand by the brother of her heritage and help him with whatever task he asks of her. Her tiny hands slap against the leather covering her legs before placing them on her hips, that's all a Druid ever needed to do to get ready to move on after all.

[Jetamio]

((Tajer and Storm's little side line is continued here, in case this one is continued))

[Gilliadson]

Gilliadson held his wife close as Stormfollower as the others made their preparations to leave. D`Narr sheathed her blade and pulled out a sledgehammer.

"I will take my leave of you all now." D`Narr announced. "Tell Tajer if she awakens that this hunt is not over." The Lady Shadow Knight struck her hammer on Gilliadson's shield and disappeared.

Myrikel opened her arms to Rahda to offer an embrace of comfort. An aura of Erollisi emanated from the Love-bearer.

P`Nala had the feeling that more had transpired than what she could now remember. Just a lingering feeling that some power had been expended upon her like a ripple in the area's ambient Mana.

[Stormfollower]

Stormfollower took his cloak and wrapped it around his son and cradled him in his arms.

"Thank you all for your help here, you are all welcomed to come. Take us home Mujbura. To the Sacred lands of Wolf Cult." With a nod he indicated he was ready to go.

[Mujbura]

Her eyes stung with the heartbreak her friend must have felt that touched her so deeply. Normally, death was embraced as a beautiful transcendence into nature. The type of communion all Druids search for during their entire existence. But the disturbingly dark connotation of the event placed a sadness within her heart for her dear friend.

She steps closer to him knowing no words or action could help him, with the exception of taking him home. She turns towards those remaining and nods a farewell, then places her hand delicately on Stormfollowers shoulder as she closes her eyes whispering a prayer to The Mother for her to deliver the party safely home. Swirls of light begin encircling them as their images fade into shining crystal which then fades with silent lucidity.

[Stormfollower]

Within the realm of the dream Remis drew strength from his revelation. Freed from his mortal coil he now found himself possessed of the same power of clarity he had experienced in the rush of apposing energies from Cerissa and his mother. He still did not know if this was her dream, his dream, Tajers dream or a mixture of them all. But what he did know was there was no longer the need to control it for its effects did not ripple into the waking world at all. He decided to play along and perhaps find out more of his present situation.

Taking on a wispy form he flew down from his vantage point and circled Cerissa where she stood. "Now that you have me, what will you do? I have no strength to command against any foe, no form with wich to satisfy your wishes. All I can do is wisp and moan like your other unfortunates." He circled up in front of her and materialized, as best he could, the form of his face a mere breath away from her own.

[Gilliadson]

The frigid air of the North-lands assailed P`Nala's delicate skin. A few muttered words and arcane symbols drawn in the air brought about a change to the Enchantress' form as she grew in size. Her azure skin paled to that of a tanned Human as she took on the form of a Northern female. P`Nala rummaged through her pack, finding some furs she removed her robe and quickly dressed in the new attire to complete her disguise. The Enchantress knew that she would not be welcomed here in her true form.

Sineliniel summoned some heat stones for the rest of the southerners and passed them around.

The Shadowbanes and P`Nala followed Stormfollower and Mujbura the rest of the way to their village.

[Cerissa]

Hearing his voice she looks around raising her hands slightly as the wispy form encircles her before rising to meet her face to face. For a brief moment she looks around a bit confused. However, she was not too surprised given the power of communication she had allowed him and considered his having a form to be a part of that granted permission.

Lowering her head, reptilian eyes of the wicked squint a bit in a grin as she looks at him as if devouring a delectable feast. A single, clawed fingertip reaches upwards to trace the features of his face. She whispers, “You’re so….” She pauses as the mist disintegrates at her touch, only to reassemble itself as her fingertip moves on along his jawline. A breathless whisper finishes her sentence, “exquisite.”

She lowers her hand, a bit disappointed that his present form would disintegrate at her touch, but accepting that this is what he was,,,, for now. Soft hisses of both her heritages slip past her lips, the darkness of death dancing on every syllable. “You, my darling,,,,” Her body leans closer, as if to caress his lips with hers as she continues whispering, “you are the tool of which my vengeance shall sting those who had the misfortune to cross me.”

Her eyes shut while the dark lips of temptation beckon him with evils seductive smile. Jealous demons and unfortunate souls woven within her silk robe hiss and moan loudly with envy of Remis’ allowances. “You see,,,, you are the subject of jealousy even now.” She opens her eyes looking directly into his as she leans back erect. Her voice softly echoes by her trapped servants, “What is it that ‘you’ want? Yes, my darling, I shall even allow you to choose.”

Pointed nails claw their way up the front of her robe, the demons and souls parting in fear of her touch allowing a glimpse of her azure skin being scraped beneath. Trailing between her breasts rounding over the top of her bosom her fingertips wrap delicately around the broach, “Power? Vengeance? Rest? What is your utmost desire, my darling?”