The Last Quest IC

[Dark Hime]

Isabelle twirled her hair, giggling. Her brother had gone into town; their cottage was about a mile away. To her surprise, she heard a knock on the door.
"Coming!" she sang, speeding to the door. She opened it and almost fell over in shock. A glowing figure was before her; he was tall and hard to see properly; when she tried to focus on him, it hurt her eyes. He opened his mouth to speak.
"Isabelle? Isabelle Ethers?"
She flinched.
"That's my parents name, I prefer not to use it. But yeah, that's me. Who're you?"
The man nodded with satisfaction, and reached out a hand. She jerked back as he grabbed her wrist, and there was a huge flash. She blinked, fighting nausea. It took her a second to get her bearings, but when she did, she was far from happy.
Her house was gone; so were the woods that surrounded it. She was on a plain, open for miles around.
'Where the...What did you do!" She yelled, furious. He looked at her impassively.
"I will explain once your comrades have arrived. Please remain calm until they arrive." She opened her mouth to yell some more when another light flashed. It looked like someone else was arriving.

[Epostle]

On an Island far way, Mutekie made his home. It was an Island completely surrounded by the ocean and large bluffs, making it almost impossible for anyone to enter. The island was abundant in plant life as well as animal life. The forests were really dense and filled with old ruins that had been long forsaken by any form of mankind. Inside one of these ruins is where Mutekie spent most of his time.
Mukekie was in intense meditation, letting his energy freely roam in the ruins. The place was completely dark and void of any kind of light. This made a perfect spot where he would not be interrupted for a long time to come. His energies would freely roam the ruins bringing forth vines and other forms of plant life as well as draw animals from all sorts just to see him. He was one with nature and nature was one with him.
Mutekie then sensed a presence behind him like none other. It was walking closer and closer to Mutekie slowly. The being answered "You are the one they call Mutekie are you not?" The man points at him and smiles. Mutekie then comes out of his meditation and answers calmly "You interrupted my meditation as well as caught my attention. Tell me, what are you doing here and what do you want of me?" The being answered "You are going to be playing a very important part in this world and you are coming with me whether you like it or not. All cause you are blind doesn't mean I wont take you by force."
Mutekie then thought about this for a moment. How was he going to play a big importance? What was being planned? Most of all though, who was the being to threaten him? Mutekie then leaps in the air and lands behind the being and goes for a punch straight to his spine. The being then twirls around and gets behind Mutekie and lands a shattering blow to Mutekies back instead sending Mutekie flying. The being then with his amazing speed comes behind Mutekie while he's flying back, touches his back and teleports him.
As Mutekie and the being go through what Mutekie thought was time and space, he tried to fight the being but the being wrapped around his back, preventing any movement what so ever. They then pop out of the worm hole and they hit the ground with enough force to put a hole in the ground. The being let Mutekie go and as soon as he did, Mutekie did a flip from the ground and landed on his feet in Lotus Fighting stance. Wondering where he was, Mutekie didn't let his guard down. Sensing that there was another around him, he then looks towards the direction of where Isabelle was.

[dark_rain]

Hayden and a bunch of men walk into an old stone manor on a English country side as they enter the room a voices comes over a intercom system. "Good afternoon soilders at 0900 hours i sent out some of my best men lead by one of my best soliders." the men staired at Hayden ever sinces she was found and brought into the group the other men felt they had been forgoten. "of corse he would say that about his pet monster" a man whispares. Hayden stood there listening to the conversation with a smile on her faces. She was alpha wolf's prize member she was powerful but most of all she wasn't easily killed unlike the other on her team. after the debrifing she went up to her room. as she enters her room there stood a being She walked into the room with her hand over her eyes to block the bright light that seemed to be coming off the man " Who are you? how did you get past security?" the being spoke " Hayden..Hayden Love" she walks toward the light " How..how do you know my name" as she gets closer it reaches out and grabs her wrist sending a sharp pain through her body, but as soon as it happened it was over and she was standing in an open plane. " Whats going on? Where did you take me?" she looks over and see two strange people looking toward her. " What the hell did you do to me" she yells at the two then staires toward the being.

[Forsyth]

Morgan was riding a horse-drawn cart down a road, overgrown with vegetation due to negligence, towards a medium sized trading post a couple of miles north from the outskirts of Vancouver. The cart was filled mostly with various furs from previous hunts, along with other things they're found or made along the way. He and two others made the trip to and from the trading post and his pack at least once a month. The pack never used horses but the amount of goods they usually moved was more than the group could carry.

It was just day break and the other two people with him were driving the cart while he was in the back among the fur, having just woken up.

They were almost to their destination when the hoses stopped suddenly, started whinnying, and one of the drives shouted, “What the hell is that!”

Morgan peeked up and saw a glowing man, standing right in front of the horses.

“Which one of you is Morgan Wright,” the being asked.

“Who's asking,” one of the drivers asked, snarling.

“It is a matter of up most importance, we need him”

Morgan spoke up, “Who's we”

“That is information only Morgan can know”

Morgan debated weather or not to tell the truth. He didn't even know who, or what, this person was. “Well... I'm he”

The being disappeared for s split second before reappearing next to Morgan. He touched him on the shoulder and then they were both gone.

When Morgan opened his eyes again he was standing amid a group of people.

[Jinxed]

A young woman raced through the backstreets of a close-packed city, dodging any obstacle that appeared in her way. She didn't have somewhere to be, but she did have somewhere to get away from. The red and blistering patch of skin just above her elbow, and her apparent rush, were the only evidence that she'd been the one to accidentally set fire to an empty warehouse less than a mile away. Of course, she was the only one who knew it had been an accident. She'd been playing around with magic, trying out some new techniques, and had lost control. She'd also been too distracted by the pursuing police to protect herself from the heat of falling debris that had struck her arm; hence the blistering.

She slid to a halt as she was blinded momentarily by a light ahead of her. She brought her arm up to sheild her eyes, and could distinguish a human form amongst the light.
"You are known as Sparks?" The man asked, and the girl only nodded, breathing heavily. He reached forward and grabbed her raised wrist. In an instant, and with a blinding flash, Sparks found herself on an empty plain. Well, mostly empty. A small group of people stood there, seemingly as baffled as she was.

"Ok. What is going on?" Sparks spoke confidently, crossing her arms with an annoyed look on her face. Being pulled out of the city involuntarily was not something that would give the girl any reason to be happy; however she wasn't entirely angry about it either, since it did help her get away from the police. Those guys always jumped to conclusions as it was; seeing her arm would make her guilty of arson in their eyes.

[Mask]

In the middle of one of Florida's forests, Yves worked his way through the thick brush using his staff to beat away at the foliage. He didn’t usually travel like this but he thought it would be faster and was wrong. It was physically exhausting to the point were when he finally got to a clearing in the trees he stopped to rest accidently falling asleep next to a log. Yves must have been asleep for hours until a bright light woke him up. Glowing human stood next to him looking down at him. “Are you Yves?” The being asked, no part of its body moved a muscle. He got up so he could see the glowing person better, “Um, yes I am.” He said.

The being grabbed his arm and in a flash of light they disappeared only to reappear many miles away to the center of a plain, still in North America. Yves overcame the shock of transporting with the being and checked to see if everything he had was still intact. It was. He looked around the landscape, he wasn’t alone a few other were there too. One of them had a burn mark. It looked like it happened recently. “May I take a look at that burn? I won’t hurt you.” He knew he could heal it for her, but didn’t want to push his magic onto her. After all they were all strangers and he didn’t know how they would act towards him.

[Dark Hime]

NPC
The messenger looked at the motley group assembled. They were in various stages of shock, anger, and fear. Could they really be the salvation of the world? He doubted it. However, on behalf of the gods, he would deliver their message. The messenger dimmed his light and assumed the form of a human male, generic and ordinary.
"Creatures of earth, welcome and congratulations. You have been chosen for a quest to save the earth. You magic users may not know, but the gods, all but one, disapprove of your magic. The were-creatures and vampires still face much discrimination. This is your chance to prove you belong on this earth." Ignoring their shocked faces, he pulled out a map.
"This will direct you to a guard of evil, a Malos Custos. Defeat it, and I will reveal all that you need to know. This is your test. Until then, fight in the dark and prove your worth." Trying to shake off a last feeling of doubt, he set the map on the ground and vanished in a flash of light.

[Epostle]

Mutekie wasn't about to let his guard down for a second. He keeps his lotus position but then begins to examine the other people around him. He sensed their energies and they were strong. He wondered why they would be brought here along with him. "Don't take a single step towards me and keep yourselves away." He then looks a Hayden "I didn't do anything. I am considering it however since I don't even trust you."
Mutekie then recalled how that being said "This is your test, fight in the dark." What did that mean? Was he to fight all of these people? Were they the darkness the being was talking about or what it something bigger. Mutekie then brought his guard down and flipped 20ft in the air backwards. He re-entered his lotus stance carefully examining each and every movement they made.
Shacorai, his inner demon, began to speak to him "So you have new friends Mutekie? They seem really strong so watch your back. Don't trust them. Only trust in yourself and in me." Mutekie began to talk to himself "I don't intend on trusting them this early on. They wont come near me and if they did, they would not enjoy it too well."

[Jinxed]

Sparks stared at the boy who'd approached her, her expression of annoyance unchanging. After a moment, she shrugged. "Sure." It was odd that his first reaction to appearing on an open plain with a small bunch of other people was to ask about her burn. Or rather, ask to see the burn. But to each his own... She was about to make a rather snappy remark regarding the fact that even an attempt to hurt her would result in an instantaneous explosion (which wouldn't have been entirely untrue. Though she was perfectly capable of creating such an explosion, instantaneous combustion really takes a lot out of a girl...), but the "glowy guy," as she would privately refer to him, began to speak before she had time to.

She remained with her arms crossed and an annoyed expression on her face while the man spoke. Once he disappeared, she threw her hands up in exasperation. "Could you be any more vague?" She asked generally, not addressing anyone in the group. "What a stuck-up jerk..." She then said, before turning and looking at the boy who'd warned them away, then shown off with a really high (and admittedly impressive) backflip.

"As are you." She said, addressing him. "A group of people get randomly summoned to the middle of nowhere, then burdened with some quest, and you think to subtly threaten everyone else? I sincerely doubt anyone was thinking of attacking you." She had a habit of speaking with her hands, and had fallen into the same habit whilst addressing him. She then dropped her arms to her sides, and looked at the boy who'd asked about her arm. "Sorry... You wanted to see the burn on my arm, didn't you?"

[dark_rain]

“What the hell is going on…one min I’m standing in my room and the next I’m standing here...i don’t even know where here is.” Hayden stands with her arms crossed in front of her as she stares out into her new surroundings. “You have got to be kidding me….This can’t be happening” She thinks to herself as the figure talks to them. After it disappears she turns around, and looks over at the others who stand around just as clueless as she was. Giving a smirk she beings to walks over to the other watching them closely she could senses a lot of power being put off by the group, but she was more worried about the flea bag that was also there.

“Wow talk about luck...i must have done something terrible to be stuck with a bunch of humans and there pet dog.” She says as she rolls her eyes at the boy’s antics. All that was going throw her mind was how to get back home. She didn’t like the fact she was trapped in a strange places with humans that seemed to be just as strong as her and the dog, who she watched like a hawk. “Why the hell did the figure have to mention vampire when there was a dog present “she thought in her head as she studied the map. She looks over at the other

“I don’t understand this I haven’t seen anything like this before.” She sits down and puts her head in her hands. “So he wants us to go on a quest for magic…I don’t even use magic.”

[Dark Hime]

Izzy watched the transporting-kidnapping-light guy carefully while he gave his speech. Despite her mild annoyance at being whisked away from her home, she liked the idea of a quest. She rubbed the back of her neck absently, wishing the stupid idiot hadn't called her by her last name.

One of the people assembled was hopping around like a grasshopper and appeared to be hostile. A girl and a boy were standing together while he examined her burned arm. One of the girls was picking up the map.Guessing that she had the best chance with the at least slightly rational person who had tried to go for the map, she made a decision. She walked over to the girl with the map, who had now sat down and was mumbling about not using magic, and something about dogs. She absentmindedly twirled her finger, sending little spirals of wind off in every direction.
"Hey, I'm Izzy, or Belle, a wind user. I don't want to kill you, so may I please see the map?"

[dark_rain]

Hayden looks up from her hands with a smile. “Wow there is life out there…Sure i don’t understand it myself” She reaches up the map in her hand. Hayden then stands up and walks over next to Izzy “oh by the way my name is Hayden and I’m the blood sucker of the bunch” she says with a smile, as she looks at the map with her. Hayden stares up at the other “It’s hard to believe that all of us were chosen for something great.” She looks over at the boy who was jumping around like a grasshopper. “Especially that weird kid over there…He’s blind how is he supposed to fight or even walk for that matter.” Hayden shakes her head and begins to walk away from everyone. She felt strange about the whole thing she had worked with humans before but not humans as powerful as these guys and girls were. She looks around again she was use to the dull England country side, but this places was different.

[Epostle]

Mutekie then finally decided to lower his guard. He then stood straight up and began to think. "Who is Malos? Is he seriously so strong that they being couldn't take him?" That sent chills down his spine. Not the chills of fear, but that of enjoyment. He wanted to see if he was really that strong. He knew however he couldn't take him alone. He then comes up with an idea, even though the others wont like it. He didn't care though. He would willingly fight anyone he came across, win or lose.
He began to walk towards the people. He was watching them converse with one another. Probably developing strategies and what not. He didn't care or pay attention. He then gets in between them all and stand in the middle of them. "So, who wants to join me? I'll take any volunteers either willing or not. Someone will go with me." He says with his head down and in a serious tone. He then begins to sense the peoples energies around them trying to get all the info they could out of it.

[RisingPhoenix]

"My son, the time has come," a voice stated as Asukira finished his workout. He looked up to see his father, floating in midair as he often did whenever he visited.

"Can't you act normal when you visit me?" Asukira asked a little annoyed that he only got to see his father every three months or so. It was hard not being with his father, but being a messenger of the gods meant not being able to see his son whenever he pleased.

"My apologies son, but there is something you must know," Asukira's father stated as he landed in front of his son and touched him softly on the shoulder. He loved his son dearly, but he could tell that his son was starting to resent him. It hurt him, but he had a job to do and hopefully his son wouldn't allow his job to come between them. A sigh escaped the messenger's lips as he looked into his son's eyes.

"I will speak to the gods about seeing you more often Asukira, but I can't promise they will listen. Alas that brings me to the reason behind my sudden visit. You have been chosen for a quest to save the earth. You may not know, but the gods, all but one, disapprove of your magic. This is your chance to prove you belong on this earth."

Asukira stepped away from his father and looked him in the eyes.

"Are you serious? Why me? Why have they come to such an abrupt decision?" Asukira asked as he continued to look into his father's eyes..

"That I can not say, but you must prove to them your worth Asukira. I have faith that you will succeed, but you'll need help. There are others being assembled. Do not inform them of your history, nor of your race. Keep your true identity a secret. I love you my son," the messenger stated as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a medallion, "Take this, it will be a light for you when all other lights go out. It will protect you from that which seeks to stand in your way. Be strong my son and take care."

The messenger, Asukira's father, vanished in a bright light. Asukira looked away, a tear falling down his cheek as his father left. He didn't know why he had started to resent his father, but maybe he should try to meet him halfway. Perhaps if he succeeded in this quest he'd be able to visit his father and travel with him. Asukira smiled and walked over to the weight bench before grabbing his shirt as well as his twin fighting fans. These fans were given to him by his father, a gift on his eighteenth birthday. He never told Asukira what secrets these particular fans held, but Asukira never thought of asking him. He holstered them on his waist, towards his back.

Sighing, he prepared himself for the journey, but as he grabbed his bad with his essentials in it, he vanished in a bright light. Suddenly, he was dropped a foot out of the sky onto the ground in front of the assembled.

"Thanks dad," Asukira stated softly under his breath with a sarcastic tone as he stood to his feet and wrapped the bag around his shoulders, letting it hang to the side. He began to dust himself off as he looked at the others who had been assembled for this mission. He remembered his father's words.

"Keep an eye on them."

Asukira sighed and walked up to the group. He smiled and waved.

"Hey, I'm Asukira and apparently I'm here for an odd reason, but a reason nonetheless. I hope I'm not intruding."

[Mask]

Yves went to move closer to examine the burn, but stopped when the shiny being spoke. So the gods didn’t want man to have magic? Then why does he have it, Yves thought. It seems the other two people who weren’t magic users were from races that the gods didn’t create on purpose. Interesting group of people with an interesting quest, Yves would undoubtedly go along with it. If there was anything he could do to help others and in this case save the world then he would do it.

Then the blind one in the group made a huge commotion over killing anyone how went near him, Yves ignored it and turned his attention back to Sparks’ arm. She started moving her arms about while talking to Mutekie who was still in a defensive fighting stance; he tried to get her attention but just waited until she was done speaking. She apologized for moving so much in which case he said, “It’s no problem,” and smiled a bit. He reached out and lightly grabbed her wrist to move her arm out to where he could see the burn better. “It’s not too badly burned. I can heal it.” Yves moved his other hand over the burn; water began to form into a ball beneath his hand. He put some energy in it and pushed the water over the wound. “Don’t worry; this will increase your body’s natural healing ability. The water passes through your skin and the magic goes to work on the damaged cells.” When he removed the orb of water away from her arm the burn was gone, the water then disappeared back into the air.

“I’m Yves, a water user.” He introduced to her and the others. Looking around they all seemed equally strong, so whatever they have to destroy must be stronger than any one of them. So they’d have to do this together. “What does the map say?” He asked just as another person got ported into the group.

[dark_rain]

Hayden stands a couple feet away from the group looking around, wondering what type of mess she had been brought into, until she heard a thud and turns to see another person walking up to the group. She stands there watching him approach instead of welcoming him she turns away from him acting like she hadn’t even seen him. “So what did you do to get dragged into this mess.” she turns and looks toward the new guy brushing her long black hair that blew in the wind out of her faces. “I’m Hayden… sorry for being so snappy

but when you get snatched away from everything you know and then get thrown into a situation that has nothing to do with you it can get a little irritating.” Her pale blue eyes shined in the light, as she smiled showing her fangs. She turns around and looks over at the other who stand around one was looking at a map, another was helping the one that was hurt, and then there was the strange cricket boy. “I’d be careful there all on edge right now…but what do you expect there only human” she says with a little giggle.

[Jinxed]

Sparks couldn't help but grin as the burn on her arm was healed. It was nice to have a water user around, she'd admit, considering the lack of compatability between fire and healing. Even she had yet to be able to find some connection between the two. The best she could do would be to cauterize a wound.

"Thanks. And it's nice to meet you. I go by Sparks." She tried to stop there, but the blind boy's actions were really annoying her. She tried to ignore him, but her temper got the best of her. He was among the group now, and Sparks was biting her lip, trying not to (literally) explode. Flames appeared, dancing along her shoulders, and the heat coming from them lifted her hair as if caught in a small breeze, though no part of her burned.

"Who do you think you are?" She asked him, unsure if he was even aware that she had spoken to him in the first place. "Everyone here was pulled away from their homes with no warning; everyone here was given the same speech about some Godly Quest. That doesn't give you the right to act like you're above everyone else. If you want to wander off on your own, have at it. But you're actually going to need people willing to help you, not people forced into following you by your arrogant attitude." Sparks closed her eyes, willing herself to calm down. Though she felt no guilt about chewing him out, and didn't feel her anger to be unwarranted, she did know what would happen if she let herself lose her temper completely. And that was never pretty.

[Dark Hime]

Isabelle looked around in mild alarm. The situation was rapidly deteriorating. Blind grasshopper was in a spat with an apparent fire user, and a new guy had been popped in. On the bright side, she had seemingly deciphered the map.
"Uh...guys?" She blushed as everyone swiveled and stared. "I think we're in Arizona area. There aren't any border markings, and it's just a map of the country in geographic terms, but we're definitely the point to the west. Cuz its really hot and kind of desert-y. And there's a huge looking canyon near our dot, soooo...just my guess. Also, the other dot is in New York. I think. Anyone here an expert map reader? Cuz that would be great, I only have rudimentary geo-skills." Everyone stared. Not everyone looking happy. Crimson, she set the map down, sat down, and started swirling wind into mini tornadoes and watching them whirl across the dusty plain.

[Epostle]

Mutekie looked at the fire user after she said all of that, "I understand I came on a little strong, but this is serious. I'm not wanting to be the leader, I want to help the others out also. We are a team, so we need to start focusing on the objective like one."
He then looked over towards Asukira. He sensed something strange about him but couldn't figure out what. He knew he was strong though. Mutekie then went up to him and met him face to face, well mask to face. Mutekie then said "Hello, I don't know who you are, but I would like it if you came with me to kill Malos. I'm pretty sure you know as well as I do, even though we're strong, that Malos would destroy us if we went by ourselves." He then puts his hand on Asukira's shoulder.
He then looks over at Hayden "You are welcome to come along to if you so choose. I've messed with vampires before and they are strong. I'm not too trusting of the others. But if I don't make allies right here and now, I may die. So how about it." He then puts his hand on her shoulder "We should take it together like a team. Leave out the rest for now."
"I am sorry for how I snapped like that at everyone. I'm not too trusting of people. If you want, then we can team up. I'm willing to go with anyone and I will swear you no harm unless you bring harm to me."

[RisingPhoenix]

He wasn't expecting a warm welcome, nor was he expecting anyone to full on acknowledge his presence. He was there for a reason, to watch over them, something his father wanted him to do and being that he was such a kind hearted young man, he decided to help any way he could. This group of individuals couldn't have been any more diverse. So many different personalities were bound to clash at some point and it just so happened that a female had become overly irritated with a male and though Asukira was laughing on the inside, his physical facial features remained calm and collected. He looked at each of them, each having something different to offer and each having their own thoughts about this mission. One thing was certain, if they failed, it meant the end of all they knew and Asukira wasn't going to let it happen, not on his watch.

He looked at the female who had introduced herself. Her name was Hayden and she was a vampire, one that wasn't attempting to suck the life out of everyone in the group, which was a breath of relief. He'd fought vampires before and they were hard to kill, hopefully she wouldn't give him a reason to harm her.

"Hey, it's nice to meet you Hayden," Asukira replied with a courteous smile. Suddenly, a man approached him and touched him on the shoulder without warning. He was bombarded by a vision of the man's future. It came like a wave and crashed into his psyche. In the vision, Asukira saw love, but he also saw darkness. It was a mixture of auras and it made Asukira fall to one knee. The overwhelming sense of malevolence from his touch was breathtaking. This man was hiding something and his future told it all. There was a woman in the vision and apparently this man had some type of romantic feelings for her, but then the vision shifted. Death, carnage, destruction, it was as if this man had split personalities, each wanting something different.

Asukira took control and ended the vision while looking up at the man who had touched him. He had a look of dislike on his face, but he didn't hate the man for touching him, how could he have known what would have happened.

"DON'T TOUCH ME WITHOUT WARNING," Asukira stated as he stood up from his kneeling position and dusted his pants off, "look I'm all for the quest, but I want to get something straight first. Everyone in this group will have to put forth a 100% or else we will fail. I'm not being mean, I'm just being realistic. I don't know what this quest has in store but I know the results if we don't accomplish what we set out to do. We were obviously chosen for a reason and I am proud to have been chosen for such a great cause. If we are going to do this we need to start now, and I'm sure the map will tell us which way to go."

He fell silent as he was talking too much. He couldn't help but hear his father's voice in his head telling him not to reveal his true self to them. He decided that if they asked, he would simply tell them he was an Elf, and nothing more. He'd simply say he was a warrior and that's it. He would keep everything to a need to know basis, that way he could keep them safe. The first task would be finding a Malos Custos, after that everything would be more of a direct path, but Asukira was sure that once they defeated one Malos Custos, the next would probably be stronger. He didn't know a lot about what was going on, only what his father told him, which wasn't much.

Sighing, he looked around at the group and noticed the girl with the map. He wasn't a map aficionado, but he knew his way around the world by reading the stars, and of course reading the hints his father sent him every so often.

[dark_rain]

Hayden stands there in shock as Asukira hits his knee she turns to Mutekie with an amazed look. “What did you do to him?” she backs up away from the blind boy with her hands up trying to avoid his touch she watches as Asukira gets up and snaps at the boy. Hayden bites her bottom lip trying not to laugh; she couldn’t help but to think how clueless the boy was. She watches Asukira and listens as he talks about how important and how many lives rested on the back of all them. She rolls her eyes again “not another one of these want to be heroes” she thought in her head but she kept a small smile on her faces as she stared at the new member she couldn’t help but feel a strange power coming off him it actually made her want to know more about him. “Fine I’ll join the quest but you keep your hands to yourself.” She says as she looks over to the blind boy. She then laugh and shakes her head as she walk over to the girl with the map with Asukira.

She couldn’t believe she was getting herself into another predicament that involved her having to help more humans. It had been a while since she had feed thanks to the being that took her, but she had went without feeding before she ignored the pain in her stomach as she walks up. “So what now? But we can’t be sure none of us can read this stupid map.”

[Mask]

“You’re welcome; it’s nice to meet you too.” Yves said to Sparks just before she got angry with Mutekie and caught herself on fire. “I know how annoying he is acting but he does have a point. I’m not much of a fighter but if the world depends on it I’ll do it.” He turned a acknowledged Mutekie and Asukira, “I’m willing to help with whatever I can.” For the moment he decided not to touch the newcomer because of the odd way he acted when Mutekie touched him, he also decided not to touch Mutekie either unless the two needed help.

“I know nothing of maps, but I was in this country before the glowy guy brought me here. But I haven’t been here before.” He sighed, feeling a little bad about not being much help. He reached down and picked up his discarded staff. “I think it’s best for us all to be in this, like the others said.” For now though he looked around the landscape for any useful landmarks thinking maybe it would be best to learn how to read maps later.

[Epostle]

As he touched Asukira, he saw him get down on one knee and saw the odd expression on his face. Mutekie also felt something and backed off. Shacorai began to scream inside of Mutekies mind while he was touching him. "I... I'm sorry" Mutekie said in a suprised and worried state. What happened to him? Did he sense Shacorai?
Shacorai then said to Mutekie "He's... he's not right Mutekie. He's not evil what-so-ever. I can't put my finger on it, but when you touched him, it sent a surge through me which hurt really bad." Mutekie begins to talk in his mind "What is he?" He had never seen Shacorai act like that before. Although Mutekie absolutely hated Shacorai, he knew that Shacorai held some ground for the war over his body. He needed to play the ally with Shacorai for now.
Mutekie then looked over towards Hayden and began to slowly walk away. He couldn't believe that Shacorai was actually damaged, but more over wanted to get away. "I did nothing to him. I.. I.. need to be alone for a few seconds." Mutekie then darted out and went to a secluded place that was surrounded by some rock and cacti at the bottom of a bluff. He then begins to speak to himself "I need to find some way to get him alone. He's hiding something from these people."

[Dark Hime]

Isabelle looked up abruptly as Mutekie touched the newcomer, and he fell to one knee. However, it didn't appear that Mutekie had exerted any pressure; maybe the newcomer was one of those that didn't like to be touched. This didn't bother her. She didn't like to be touched either. She watched absently as the grasshopper retreated, seemingly flustered. She walked hesitantly over to the newcomer.
"Hi, I'm Isabelle. Um...not to be rude, but what are you? Everyone else here can either use magic, I think, or are...different." Remembering the reaction before, she didn't offer her hand, and was careful to stand at a safe distance. In the corner of her mind, she realized that one of the group hadn't moved for some time, and she should check later to see if he was breathing.

[dark_rain]

Hayden watches as the strange blind boy disappeared, but brings her attention back to Izzy and Asukira. She was impatiently waiting the answer from the new member. She could sense something strange about him but she could figure it out.

Most the time she could read people there action, there energy, but Asukira was hiding something and he hid it well. Hayden’s eyes get big and a smile comes across her faces “Yeah…I’m the weird one of this group…well at these the only immortal…Well I believe I am” She bites her bottom lip and waits for his answer. She was drawn to him for some reason but she couldn’t figure out the reason then it suddenly hit her. His blood gave off a scent she had never smelled before she was hungry and now she was stocking the newcomer for his blood.

After she realized what she was doing she closed her eyes. “Wow this has never happens. I have never been so lusted over blood as I’m now” she thanks to herself. It had been decades since she had tasted fresh human blood, but that’s what you expect when you work with human they kind a get a little uneasy watching stuff like that. She pulls awy from the group and begins to walk toward the direction the blind boy went.

[RisingPhoenix]

Asukira nodded as Yves acknowledged his presence and spoke that he would do what he could to help. There wasn't really anything else to do but be on their way to get the mission started, however, when the blind bandit ran off, Asukira sighed and watched him closely. There was something dark and evil that dwelled within him, and Asukira had only felt such a thing when a man who had been demon possessed, touched him. Could that be it? Could a demon reside within the blind bandit? Asukira pushed the thought to the back of his mind. Perhaps he wasn't the only one hiding something in this group.

It was then that Isabelle introduced herself. She was a rather beautiful young lady to which Asukira would have taken her hand and kissed it, but he had had enough delving into the future for one day, he just hoped no one else would touch him suddenly as it would do the same thing again. A sigh escaped his lips as he decided to really introduce himself. He watched Hayden as she spoke, but she seemed to be looking at him with lust filled eyes. She was beautiful, and if given the chance he'd get to know her more, but he couldn't help but wonder if she was lusting after his blood or something else.

"It is nice to meet you Isabelle, I'm Asukira, a Mystic Elf of the Vollonea Coven," he stated with a calm smile as he held out his hand, his palm facing the sky, "stand back."

When everyone was a good distance away, his hand began to shine brightly, pulsing with power before an orb of pure light shot out of his palm and levitated just above it. It pulsed as it began to spin, sucking in surrounding light until it was the size of a basketball, then it grew to the size of a giant beach ball before Asukira lunged it in the opposite direction of everyone else. It surged forth, landing a few miles away before exploding with great power. Asukira tilted his head and had an "oops" expression on his face. He hadn't meant for it to be that strong, but the residual energy surged from the explosion and hit the group. Asukira had braced himself and put up a wall of condensed light as the energy struck it and dispersed. He looked at the others and smiled nervously.

"I, uh, I wasn't expecting that to happen. I'm a Light wielder, and I delve in some mystic arts, I was a Elven Mage in training, but I left my coven to pursue a normal life."

He looked at the others with a smile, keeping his true lineage at secret. He didn't want them to know all there was to know about him, but the vampire intrigued him. She looked hungry and it wouldn't benefit anyone if she was too weak to fight. He figured when she returned, he'd invite her to feed on him. He'd had a vampire girlfriend before and it really wasn't that bad, in fact he had dated quite a few different creatures in his lifetime. He had dated a male vampire who had found him irresistible. It was cute at first, but when he became obsessive and violent, Asukira had to leave him alone.

[RisingPhoenix]

EDIT: Double Post..My Apologies...

[Epostle]

Mutekie began to think of a plan when all of the sudden he felt a sharp pain in his head, right above his right eye. He has had a few headaches before, but this one was nerve wrecking. He then clenched where he was feeling the pain and hunched over a little bit.
Shacorai then begins to laugh "I must have him Mutekie. He's really strong and I want his power." Mutekie, trying to regain his composure said, "No, he's an ally for now, I can't betray him like that, or anyone else." Shacorai laughed even harder as he said "You mortals and your emotions. You have no idea what that he is capable of. I'm going to find out one way or another."
Mutekie realized it had been a while since he had meditated. He normally used meditation in order to control Shacorai, but he was in too much pain to calm his mind for now. A dark energy started to fluctuate our of his right eye behind his mask. He then falls to both of his knees as he begins to try to calm Shacorai, but Shacorai became furious and tried to fight for control once again. "Mutekie, you will not beat me. I am you and if you don't think so, then you are lying to yourself." Mutekie still continued to fight him at all costs.

[Jinxed]

Though Sparks was still incredibly annoyed, she tried to calm herself down. Sure, the guy had a point. But he didn't need to be so... stuck-up about it. But she gained control of her temper, and as the flames that had appeared vanished, her expression went from pissed-off to merely disgruntled. She would have to accept the fact that there lay before her a lot of time to be spent around these people. It wouldn't be very good for her to constantly be pissed off at one of them. She'd just have to try to be more... tolerant.

Sparks chuckled to herself at the thought. She could control fire, and heat, sure. But controlling her temper? That was a league of its own. Still, she'd try. She observed the following events between the newcomer and the blind guy in a mixed state of curiosity and bemusement, her arms crossed over her chest but a small grin (more of a smirk, really) on her face.

Once things had calmed down a little, and the newcomer had sufficiently shown off (well, it wasn't really showing off... But still), Sparks began talking.

"So. We've been brought together to embark on some quest, in order to prove to the Gods that we're worthy to weild magic. We've got to go defeat some... guy, or something, and then we'll get more information..." Up to this point, Sparks was mainly muttering to herself, a method of thinking out loud that usually helped her when it came to problem solving. She then looked around, before allowing her eyes to fall on the wind user who had first taken a look at, and derived a bit of information about, the map. "You said it looked like we should be heading towards New York, looking at the map? And we're pretty much on the other side of the country. I think we should get our bearings, start heading towards New York, and once we reach a town, or a city, we'll be able to sort things out a little more definitively. But we aren't going to last very long if we just sit here in the middle of nowhere."

[dark_rain]

Hayden made her way down the direction the blind boy had went, but when she got far enough away she stopped a hunched over in pain holding her stomach. She sinks down to the ground and takes a few breaths trying with all her mite to fight the hunger that had been woken by Asukira, but suddenly she was interpreted by a commotion going on a little father down. She pulls herself up. “Come on Hayden you have controlled you hunger for almost a decade now. You can’t go crazy out here you don’t know where or how far home is…..deep breath” she says in her head as she makes her way toward the voice. “Hey Mutekie is that you….come on out I think were about to leave.” She waits for a replay, but instead she heard a conversation. “Who is he talking to.” She eased her way slowly toward him trying not to be heard or seen.

She pears out at him hearing his conversation “Who is Shacorai” she thought but she had sensed something very powerful in the boy, but she just blew it off but now she knew there was something different about this strange blind boy. She leans in a little bit trying to get a better look but her hands slip and rocks go rolling down. She pause and turns trying to not be notice but she knew she was heard.

[Mask]

Yves dug the end of his staff into the ground and leaned on it as a brace against the energy, "Best not to do that again without reason, I don't want to have to heal people because you did that." Yves kept his smile but was annoyed that he'd risk their well being by randomly using powerful magic. He looked around to see if no one got hurt, he didn't see anyone that was so he sighed in relief.

He listened to sparks as she talked, "So New York is to the North-East. It’s true that we should stay here for long, the heat will cause most of us harm and there isn't much moisture in the air for me to keep us cool for a long time." he looked up into the sky and noted the position of the sun and the shadows it casts. "We should go this way." he pointed to the right of the group, "I'm not good with maps but i know how to travel." It was then that he finally noticed the unconscious werewolf person. Yves walked over to him and checked his pulse; "He is alive." he tried shaking him awake but was unsuccessful, "But won't get up. Are we going to take him with us?" Yves didn't like the thought of leaving him here, but it might be too hard to carry him along. It would take awhile to reach New York after all.

[Epostle]

"Shacorai, you are wrong." Mutekie says as he begins to try to walk but stumbles and falls down. The headache became worse over time as he tried to resist Shacorai. Shacorai then begins to speak again "No Mutekie, you're nothing but a mortal who has lost his place. You couldn't even defend your own clan against me, what makes you think you alone can stop me?"
Mutekie and Shacorai then hear some rocks rumbling down. Mutekie knows someone is watching him now. He fears that whoever is watching is going to tell the group of his inner demon. So Mutekie, with all of his will represses the demon. He then tries to stand up but falls to the ground. He was too fatigued by battling Shacorai, he couldn't think or act right. "So... what all... did you see?" He said in a tired voice, but didn't know who was there. His power is so drained to the point where he couldn't sense who she was, but he didn't want to let on he was blind. He wore the mask as an assurance to protect that one weakness he had. Hopefully they wouldn't get suspicios or that the spy wouldn't tell anyone.

[Jinxed]

Sparks sighed, noticing that two of the group had wandered away a bit. She had a feeling they were all going to have to stick together, whether they liked it or not. She then moved next to Yves, looking at the unconcious werewolf.

"I don't think we should leave him here... Maybe if we can manage getting him as far as a small town or something, we can get a doctor to take a look at him, if he's still unconcious by that point. Maybe the shock of being transported here just knocked him out." She then looked at Yves. "And you may not be able to keep everyone cool with the water in the air... But if it becomes necessary I can help out. I've been practicing with heat manipulation. If the heat begins to really affect someone, I can direct it away from them and cool them down. But I only want to do that if it becomes necessary."

[Dark Hime]

Isabelle frowned at the werewolf problem, ignoring Asukira's big bang for the moment. She could transport him, but...she shoved the thought out of her mind. No buts. These were her companions, they deserved her full effort.
"I can transport him using wind," she offered. To demonstrate, she swirled some wind around her finger and then slipped it under him. She levitated the wind slowly until he was at waist height, ignoring the small dip in energy.
"It would help if we had horses...or food, or water. Or weren't sleeping out in the open; I'm not a fan of bears and wolves," she paused here, hoping she didn't sound pushy. Truly, she didn't intend it; she just liked things organized. Do you want to divvy up duties? From my estimation, the nearest town is at least a half day away by foot, and its getting dark. So...any volunteers?" She paused again, forcing herself not to stutter an excuse. She looked tough, and said what she wanted, but she lived in isolation. People skills were not her forte, and she was very shy around so many strangers.

[dark_rain]

She looks down at the boy “There you are come on their getting ready to head out before it gets later.” She gives him a confused look “What do you mean I just got here I see you being a jerk so hurry it up.” She turns around and starts heading toward the others in the group the whole time she was thinking about what she had heard.

“What was going on over there…who he was talking to” suddenly a big thud shakes the ground. She looks up to see the commotion that’s was going on and sees Asukira With a shocked look on his faces. She shakes her head and continues to walking toward the group. As she approaches the others she notices her hunger was not an issue anymore, but how could she be hungry knowing the strange cricket boy as a dark secret that he’s trying to hide from the others. As she stands there with Izzy and Asukira she hears Izzy talking about giving out jobs. Hayden looks up at her “Yeah I’m with you there’s no way were going to make it without food and shelter.” She looks over at the wolf “ We have already lost one of our members and if these thing are as powerful as everyone is saying there is no way we can go in there without the proper rest and food and expect to win.” She looks over at Asukira with a smile “What the hell where you doing over here I heard a huge boom.”

[Epostle]

Mutekie heard that it was the Vampire. After she told him to get up, he then rose to his feet and dusted himself off. He sensed her walking away and began to think to himself "I know she must have heard something. Then again I could be mistaken. Why would she follow me out here? She might want something, but for now I should get back with the group. They might need help with the wolf man."
He then makes his way back to the group after thinking about a lot of things. One of the things he was worried about is what was Asukira? He had never seen anyone hurt Shacorai like that and invoke his lust for power. He had to find out some how. He was going to have to wait until he got with him alone. Another thing he was worrying about is whether Hayden heard him and Shacorai conversing with each other. If she heard something, then he would be in danger and would probably hold it over his head. Just like Asukira would probably do. The third thing he was worrying about is whether he would lose control of Shacorai due to not being able to purify his energies. This was starting to become problematic. He was just going to have to find some stuff out from both of him before it is too late. He will have to wait for his chance to catch them alone.

[RisingPhoenix]

Asukira sighed as he watched everything unfold before him. He already knew that his display of power was something frowned upon by those in the group. He wasn't trying to show off, he was just trying to show Izzy what his powers consisted of. Still he hadn't truly shown all he knew. He silently watched as Isabelle approached the downed male and used her wind magic to support the man. Asukira didn't want Isabelle struggling to keep up, and he knew a way of which no one would have to use their energy to carry the fallen one.

"Here, let me take over," Asukira stated as he unsheathed one of his fans and closed his eyes. He spoke in an Elven tongue before throwing the fan at the fallen man. The fan grew larger and larger becoming large enough to carry and support the man. It positioned itself underneath the werewolf and began to support his weight, floating on its own.

"There, that should do it, but I will need my fan back when we get to this city," Asukira stated rather bluntly as he walked over to Hayden and leaned forward, whispering in her ear.

"You look hungry, I can help with that."

[Jinxed]

"Well..." Sparks said, once everyone had once again gathered in a group, and a few others had spoken. "I can provide heat and light, easy. So if we want to start walking now, we could... Or maybe we should look around for a cave, or just somewhere a bit sheltered? It's not like any of us have camping supplies with us... So we'll have to make do." She shrugged, before crossing her arms in front of her chest again. However, she was no longer in such an annoyed mood, so she didn't really appear annoyed anymore, and even had a small smile on her face.

[Mask]

“Finding a shelter would be best; we can just camp out once we find one and head out in the morning. I do have some travel rations and water. I was hiking through a forest when I got sent here.” He said looking to the others, “As for a duty or something, I guess I can lead us northwest in the morning. Also I can pull water out of the air after my water supply runs out. Izzy can’t you move more hydrated air closer if I need you to? Not right now but if in an emergency.” He looked up to the sky, it was indeed getting darker, but he was sure they could find somewhere to stay before night came.

[Dark Hime]

Isabelle sighed in relief when Asukira took over werewolf transport duty. She would have kept up, but it wouldn't have been pleasant. She perked up as people began divying up duties. Yves was addressing her about water...
"Water saturated air? Yeah, I think I can handle that." She thought for a moment, then spoke again.
"Yves, we should probably save your rations for emergencies. I can hunt; I have, um, throwing needles with me." She blushed. "So Yves and I can take care of food and water; Sparks can cook anything we catch. That just leaves shelter for Asukira, Hayden, and Mutekie." She ran it over in her mind again, and it looked good.
"If it alright, shall Yves and I get going? We'll be back in about half an hour..."

[dark_rain]

Hayden stands there her hair blows in the wind that izzy was producing to hold up the wolf; she stands there tryin to put things together in her head. She knew she had heard the strange boy having a conversation with something, but she didn’t know whether to tell the others or just keep it to herself. Suddenly she is taken off guard by Asukira she felt his warm breath on her neck as he whispered into her hear. She turns to him with a strange look. “How…how did he know…was she really that easy to read” she thought to herself as she stares into his eyes, and gave small nod.

She could feel herself starting to blush as a smile came across her faces, but her attention was drawn back to izzy as she spoke to them. She listen has they talked about food and water which really didn’t affect her to much but she still paid attention listen to what need to be done. “Yeah that’s fine I believe between the three of us we can find somewhere to camp for tonight.” She smiles and walks pass Asukira but before complete passing she stopped and whispers in his ear.

“Tonight…Not until then” she then walks pass Mutekie and pat his shoulder “Come on boys while there gone we’ll find camp.” She turns and looks at them with a smile.

[Epostle]

Mutekie was still thinking of the predicament he got himself into. He could easily hear the conversation going between Asukira and Hayden, due to his improved hearing due to his blindness. He begins to wonder what she is really capable of as Asukira. He was bound to find out. They seemed really strong to him, and Mutekie has never been pushed away by strong forces. In fact he relished in the face that people could be stronger than him.
He heard what the wind user said about not having enough room for their camp. He didn't care though. Mutekie was a pure warrior and had a lot of training with his father and his brothers, figuratively speaking. Warmth, coldness, darkness, daylight, it didn't matter. Throughout his life he never really camped cause he never could sleep. Instead, he would go into deep meditations, which prevented him from dropping guard. "Fine, we can find a camp, but I'm not going to let my guard down to you or the other boy." He begins to follow her and said without looking back "So are you coming or not boy?"

[Jinxed]

"Um..." Sparks was fine with cooking whatever Yves and Izzy caught, but until then she didn't really have anything to do. The others were already starting to walk away and look for shelter, so she stood where she was for a moment. Then she caught up, and walked alongside the vampire. "I'll stay with you guys... I can't really cook anything until they get back, so I'll help you out however I can."

[RisingPhoenix]

He watched as the team split up, divvying duties amongst one another. It was up to them to stay alive in this barren wilderness. He hated keeping secrets from them, but it was in order to keep himself safe as well as them. Silently, he smirked when Hayden replied to his offer. He couldn't help but feel slightly odd that he had offered his blood to this girl without even getting to know her, but she seemed trustworthy enough. As he watched everyone go off in different direction, he couldn't help but notice the sun starting to set.

"Looks like nightfall is coming soon. We should hurry up and find a cave," Asukira stated.

He followed beside Hayden, his arm slightly touching hers if only for a moment before he noticed it and broadened the distance between them.

[Mask]

Yves put the food and water back into his bag “Ok I’ll keep them safe.” He looked to the others; it seemed like everyone knew what they had to do which was great. Pulling water out of moisture found in air was pretty simple and didn’t take much out of him so as long as Izzy could supply him with it.

“Well I’m not much of a hunter but I suppose I could still help, and along the way I can find something to store the water we’ll make so it’s perfect.” He smiled walking past her “, Yep let’s get going.” He said back to her, walking slowly until she followed.

He decided to head north-east, he wasn’t sure what they’d find out here but it they found plants and/or a water source they would be bound to find something that could feed the group.

[Dark Hime]

Isabelle grinned as they headed off. She had a barrage of questions for Yves; she found water could be used the most ways. Jets of water, great crashing waves, shards of ice, etc. There was a lot of water in plants; she wondered if he could move the water and control the plant. If she could cool the air down around his water....or spin the air around to make whirlpools...she grinned at the possibilities.

In the meantime, it was time to get serious. She pulled the throwing needles out of her hair, letting it fall loose around her shoulders. She grinned sheepishly.
"Before we get hunting, I gotta do something," she said. She summoned a little wisp of air and whispered into it, then blew, sending it on its way.
"I was sending word to my brother about where I am, so he doesn't worry. Its an air message, we can use them to communicate, too." Without waiting for an answer, she charged on.
"So, do you use water offensively?"

[dark_rain]

Hayden had pulled away from the rest of the group and noticing she did she slow down her paces letting them catch up. Sparks catch up to her and Hayden smiles. “That’s fine I wouldn’t want to stay back there alone anyway.” She pauses and whispers to sparks “pulse you’re the only one I believe isn’t hiding something.”

She smiles and her eyes fall on to Asukira feeling his arm brush against hers made her giggle a little at the way he pulled away. She bites her bottom lip and blush a little. It had been a long time since she had felt this way and tried to prevent herself from acting like a love stricken little girl, but there was just something about him that made her wonder. She felt this strange feeling about him, but she actual felt like she could trust him and his judgment which was strange for her.

She had always been the leader and never listens to anyone else but with him she could senses he knew more then what her was letting on. She looks over at Mutekie rolling at her eyes at his comment about dropping his guard. “Yeah because you’re afraid someone will find out about your little conversation.” She thought to herself. She knew the boys where hiding something she could since it and the way they were acting was strange too.

First the touch that sent Asukira to his knees, and then there was the conversation in the bluffs, but Asukira was just as strange showing up late barking orders his powerful blast and it was almost like he could since her hunger. She thought for a second “what if it’s a trap… I’m at my weakest when I feed and off guard…what if?”

she looks over at Asukira. If though the thought went throw her head she was so hungry it really didn’t even matter. She was stuck with all of them and they were going to have to work and trust each other or at least act like it.

[Epostle]

Mutekie was starting to feel a little weary. Shacorai was beginning to fight for control of his body slowly. Mutekie said to himself "I need to meditate quickly." He then begins to sense around the area for a peaceful opening, and then finally find one that might be suitable. He then says to everyone "I'll catch up, please go on for now." He then begins to walk away from the group, trying not to let on anything.
Mutekie then finds a spot that was surrounded by rock. He then jumps down into the little clearing and falls down on the way down. "I must hurry." He says to himself, hastily drawing a meditation circle around him and beginning to sweet and run out of breathe. He then sits down in meditation style, and begins to slowly calm and circulate his energy, trying to calm Shacorai. A white energy begins to fluctuate out from him as he does this.
While meditating, he begins to think about the 3 people he was with, escpecially the fire user. She was going to be annoying in this whole thing with her temper. Calling him arrogant and what not. She already mad him a little angry, best she just hold that tongue if she knows what's good for her.
Then there was Asukira. He made Mutekie wonder a lot. He damaged Shacorai and made him completely unstable for some reason. On top of that, it seemed like he knew something. What did he know? What was it?
Then there was Hayden. He has seen many things in his life, but she reaked of blood. It's not that easy covering a stench you knew all too well, especially with a hightened sense of smell. She was not normal and had a particular... thing about her. Especially since she might have seen the convo between him and Shacorai. He had to do something about all of this. Next time they come near him, he was going to find out one way or another.

[Jinxed]

Sparks grinned, and shrugged once the vampire commented about people 'hiding things.'

"Well... We were all just picked up out of our lives and dropped here. I suppose you can't really blame people for hiding things. No one should be expected to automatically trust everyone else. Still..." She trailed off, staring into the distance ponderingly. "We are a pretty strange group. Aren't the heroes in stories usually brave warriors who go looking for adventure? With the enthusiasm in this group, we'll probably be lucky just to make it to New York without giving up." Sparks laughed. She wasn't trying to be mean or anything, but she felt she had a point. None of them had asked for this. But hadn't that messenger guy said it was about whether or not they were worthy of magic? If she thought about it, Sparks wasn't sure she could live without her powers. They were a part of her. "Now let's see... It would probably be best to find a cave. And there's quite a few of us, so it needs to be pretty big..." Sparks gazed around, ignoring (but noting) the sudden absence of the grasshopper guy. He ran off with barely an excuse... But she didn't really care to think about it. He still ticked her off.

[Mask]

“Oh that’s quite useful.” Yves smiled, “Well I was taught only to use my water magic for healing, but I left the school and started using it in other forms. I can use it offensively, though I generally only use it defensively.” He took a minute or two to think about what he had said. He noticed that not many of the others had opened up to their past yet maybe he shouldn’t either.

He shook it off, “I suppose I should start learning more ways to use my magic offensively though.” He spotted a cluster of plants and trees up ahead. “Maybe there will be something over there? Not much of a hunter but animals need food and water too. There might been a small pond or water source there.”

Yves didn’t want to lead people around, even her, it was just sort of happening that way. He made sure to walk beside her and not really in front. He also kept a smile even though he knew they were about to kill something.

[RisingPhoenix]

Asukira could only smile as he continued to walk alongside those who had the responsibility of finding shelter for the night. He could only think about his father and could only wonder how the meeting with the gods was going. He really wanted to spend more time with his father and he had gotten tired of being alone. Yes, there was the occasional relationship which often lasted only a few months before he broke it off, but that wasn't enough for him. He couldn't imagine how other people did it, living your entire life with only your mother to raise you while your father was away. He looked away, trying to repress the urge to scream.

"If I complete this mission, there is a strong chance I'll get to stay with you dad," Asukira said softly, though he was unsure if anyone heard him.

He continued walking, listening to what others had to say about shelter. A cave large enough for them would be tough to find, but he was sure with all of them looking, they'd find it in no time. It would be best to make haste as well, for night would soon come and who knows what the desert had to offer when the cloak of darkness shrouded it. He decided to ease the tone and began to sing a song, though with his Elven heritage, the song would do more than just titillate the senses, it would also soothe the body and ease the atmosphere. He produced three orbs of light and whispered to them before sending them off.

"They'll find shelter and report back to me," Asukira stated.

Elves were known for their beautiful voices that could do just about anything. He began humming softly at first but then his voice filled the area with a sweet tone.

[Dark Hime]

Isabelle nodded at his response. Not much of an offensive fighter, then. She wondered if this would make him squeamish about hunting...she nodded absently at his suggestion about the pond. Appreciating the input, she dragged her mind back to earth.

"Yeah, I've actually never met an offensive water user, or even one that could do much other than heal and move water. As for myself, I usually just use wind to enhance my own offensive abilities." She spun a throwing needle around in her hand absently. She heard a rustling sound in the bushes.

"Looks like you were dead on about the pond and animals, though," she said. Remembering her earlier thoughts, she hesitated.

"Umm...I don't know if you've ever hunted before, but if you're squeamish about thigns dying, you may want to look away for about five seconds," she said, then turning, aiming at a faint silhouette that resembled a deer, and whipping her throwing needle, wind spiraling behind it.

[ShadowWing]

The mountain side was usually as black as pitch. Night provided an impenetrable black cloak that hid everything from the sight of unwanted visitors, including the solitary small cabin tucked in a crevasse unnecessarily far away from town. That's the way it's young inhabitant liked, hidden and dark. And that's why she was considerably surprised and somewhat irked to hear a knock on her door, late at night, as she was drifting away to sleep.
Ryder jerked upright, cocking her head towards the door curiously. Spending hours on end as a northern saw-whet owl had given the girl some owlish tendencies and mannerisms. "Tuck" she whispered into the silence but no answer came. She didn't expect there to be one. Her brother had been missing for months now. Smoothly, she shifted into and owl and glided on silent wings out her bedroom window to perch right above the front door. A glowing figure stood there, patiently waiting, and as she landed he looked up at her with knowing eyes.
"Ryder Woodgrove?" he asked, and if she had had lips at the moment she would've frowned. Nobody knew her. Silently she shifted back to her normal form, her slim frame still perched on the roof.
"Yes?" She asked warily and he nodded with satisfaction.
"There is a quest right now that has begun. You are being called as a replacement to take part." He said no more, just held out his hand. An invitation. Myriad questions buzzed at the tip of Ryder's tongue but she was silent, her eyes fixated on the hand. She couldn't take it. She had to stay, wait for her brother to return. But she had to take it. If she didn't she wouldn't be Ryder. The glowing figure raised an eyebrow at her in question, and with grim determination she leaped down from the roof lightly and in one smooth motion touched his hand. A flash of light later, Ryder was in a strange place. Up ahead she could barely make out the shape of six figures, and the glowing man was nowhere to be found. As a precaution, she shifted her form to that of a deer and trotted warily forward, watching the group with wide brown eyes. They were the ones on the quest, they had to be. Why else would she be here. The girl was about to take another step forward when a needle came shooting towards her from the hands of one of the girls. The wind seemed to propel it forwards at an alarming pace. Instinctively she slid into her human form and rolled to the side, yelping as the needle grazed her knee. Ryder clutched her bleeding leg and spit some grass out of her mouth with a sigh. She was never very good at making friends.

[dark_rain]

Hayden smiles at Sparks she did have point they were an unlikely group for the job that was at hand. The cool night air started to roll in, with the approaching night. She couldn’t imagine being left out in the cold dark world that known of them were used to, but it was getting late fast and there was no sign of shelter there was a bunch of them and they need plenty of room to move and survive for the night. Hayden notices the strange boy acting weird again, and watch him run off into the distances. “Another conversation must have been in the making but even those her curiosity told her to follow she continued with the others. Her stomach felt so empty and she felt so weak, but she held in staying at the same paces as the others, but her mind is slowly pulled away from her pain as she hears Asukira sweet voices she looks up and smiles at him., but once she realized she was more or less staring at him she pulled her eyes away looking down with blushed cheeks. She knows she was starting to fall for him, but the thought of this made her feel overwhelmed. Emotion was a sign of weakness and being a solider heading out to fight weakness was not an option.She pulls ahead of Sparks and to Asukira side; she wanted to know more about him, but mostly why all the sudden were she drawn to him and his blood. “ So what’s your stories” she says as she looks down at the ground

[Epostle]

Mutekie finally wakes up out of meditation, completely taking over Shacorai for a while. He then begins to think to himself, "Why does the blood stench girl remind of someone? She obviously reminds me of someone, someone that I'm very familiar with. It's not a bad familiar, it's almost like, me and her have been friends somewhere before." He begins to ponder it over and over in his head. He couldn't help but to think he knows her, but from where.

He then gets up, and begins to walk through the dark all by himself. Since he was blind, he couldn't really fear the dark, even though it's the most dangerous time of day. He was quite a ways away from everyone else. Everyone else was finding shelter, but he was in no fear of finding shelter. He was fine the way he was, just walking around trying to gather his thoughts. Mutekie's mind was never at peace. He always had to wonder about something. His is wondering how Asukira fell to his knees with no force. So he decided there is only one thing to do, and that was to become his friend. Mutekie was pretty lonely anyways, so why couldn't he make a friend. He thought he was deserving of a friend. At the same time, if he could find out about Asukira's "ways" then he could tell someone about his ways. Right now though, Mutekie's past was long and horrid. He knew if anyone found out about his demon or his past, he would be looked upon as a monster.

It was starting to get colder. Mutekie's cloak helped hold some of the heat to himself, so he wasn't in a dire need for warmth. He was getting thirsty though and wanted something to drink. He begins to smell moisture in the air. "An Oasis" he said to himself. He began to run towards the direction of where he smelled the water. He eventually made it to the Oasis, got on his knees slowly, slightly lifted his mask about his mouth, and began to drink the water. The water was really cold and had a pure taste to it. He then began to take his cloak off, his mask, and part of his clothes off and he jumped into the water. He then swam up and took a deep breath. The water was so cold that it took the breath right out of him. He began to stretch a little and have a little fun and relaxation by swimming in the Oasis some. He couldn't help it, he loved the water. The feeling on his skin and the liquid going down his throat to quench his thirst. He then swam towards a side that had a rock in the shape of a "U" and began to lay up next to it, keeping his waist in the water. He then put his head back and let out a soothing "aaaaaahhhhhh." He was completely relaxed at this point. Free to wonder what all he wanted to. He didn't care to make the others worry for a while. If they wanted him really bad, they would come find him.

[RisingPhoenix]

Asukira was in his own little world as he sang, not really caring about the heat or the discomfort of the terrain on which they walked, but when Hayden spoke, Asukira looked up and smiled. This girl was rather interesting to him even though she was a vampire. She had an alluring factor about her that made Asukira glad to know that he wasn't affected by such charms. After she spoke, he looked up at the sky and sighed.

"Not much to tell really. Being an Elf, I know a lot about different things, as it was pound into my brain. I know how to wield different weaponry, but my two fighting fans have been through hell and back with me, they are mine and I am theirs. I was born into a coven of Elves with strict rules and strict expectations. I left when I came of age and now I'm here. What about you? What mysteries does the beautiful Hayden hide within?"

Asukira watched as an orb shot back into his body and nearly knocked him off his feet. It had found shelter, but the shelter contained a dangerous inhabitant. He decided he would wait for the other orb to decide which shelter would be better for the group.

[Mask]

“Most water users were thought to only heal, like myself I was forced to like in a school like environment. I knew I was abandoned though; they turned us into doctors mainly because we could heal people much faster and more efficient then medical science can. Maybe even faster than how things were before.” (Referencing to shift back into the middle ages, something that may have been spoken of briefly in the school.)

“But I shouldn’t talk of such things; I’m willing to learn other ways to control my magic so I can better understand how to fully help people. Using offensive magic would be helpful for us all.” He stopped there, hearing the same rustling sound; he smiled and nodded at her after she said he was right. It was nice for him to feel useful to others; it made him feel good about being himself.

“Well I’m not entirely squeamish.” Even though he still looked away, in the moment he missed the transformation of the deer into a human. After hearing a yelp followed by a thud he looked back around to see the deer gone, probably behind the bushes.

“Did you get it?”

[dark_rain]

Hayden smiled “well believe it or not I was once a normal girl…Well as normal as a military Brat could be I was raised by my dad who believed in parenting like a drill Sargent, I believe I was the only little girl that could shoot a m-16 and could fight alongside of the boys…But by the time I was a teenager I guess I had that rebellion seed in me… I would go out and party a lot until I met a strange guy one night that changed my life forever.” She pauses and stares down at the ground. “It was very confusing all I remember is him pinning me down, and me fighting with all my strength but he was way to strong and before I knew it I felt a sharp pain in my neck.

I don’t know if it was the fear, or the pain or the combination of it all but I passed out….When I woke up I was naked and covered in blood in a cell. They told me I was attacked by a creature that had a thrust for blood and with me being a virgin he drained me completely dry… and the only way they could save me is to turn me…So I have been working with them since then which was I believe 120 years ago. “She looks up at Asukira with a crocked smile trying not to let on the fact she hated what she had become, but she had been a monster for so long that it was more of a lifestyle. She looks up quick as she feels a strange energy coming from Asukira as he stumbles a little. “Are you okay? “ she asked as she reached for him, but stops remembering that he doesn’t like to be touched.

[Dark Hime]

Isabelle blinked in surprise as the deer she had just shot at grew blurry around the edges, before morphing into a human form. She swore, rushing into the bushes. Why was a human, and a shapeshifter at that, here? Right where she was aiming? If it was the work of that messenger guy, she was going to beat the crap out of him next time they met.

"Hey Yves, help me out here! The deer turned into a human, and..." Isabelle shuddered to think of what could have happened. The needles had been going at enough force to punch through wood; if the person had received a head on hit, they could be seriously injured.

On second thought, the person might well be an enemy. She slid a few more needles into her hand, using wind to make them float around her person threateningly. She whipped the bushes out of the way, coming upon a bedraggled, ordinary looking girl.

"Well, who are you? Let me guess...here on a quest to save the world."

[ShadowWing]

Ryder

I groaned and pulled myself into a sitting position, wiping my bloody hands on the grass before rolling to my feet neatly and looking at the girl who had spoken, careful not to stand directly on my beeding knee. She was taller than me, maybe two years older and had a slew of other needle hovering menacingly around her. She was in control of one of the elemental magics, air.

I raised an eyebrow at her and nodded. "Yes." I said amiably as if that were the most ordinary thing in the world. I figured that, until I found out exactly what was going on here, I should just play it calm cool and collected. "And I suppose you are too?" I continued pleasantly as if we were having a conversation about the weather. Briefly my thoughts flitted back to the late night visitor I had this night and my curiousity flared. It wasn't a dream, was it? "Did you happen to meet and odd man who was glowing?" I asked her curiously.

[RisingPhoenix]

He listened attentively to her as she spoke about her past. She was once human, but the lust for blood was too great for a creature of the night and thus she had been bitten and turned. Asukira always had a feeling of sorrow for those who were turned without consent. It made him a little angry that anyone would willing turn someone into something they may not be able to control. He understood that every creature needed to survive one way or another, but to leave someone to become something they never wanted to was something he didn't know if he could forgive or not. Asukira sighed and glanced at Hayden as she moved to touch him but stopped in her tracks. A smile crept onto his face.

"I see someone took notice," Asukira stated as the other orb came crashing into him sending him floating backwards just a bit.

"They've found shelter, in that direction," Asukira stated pointing in the direction of what looked like cliffs in the distance.

He looked at Hayden and smiled, closing the gap between them before placing a soft hand on her shoulder. Yes, he was bombarded with a small chunk of her past, but it was the same as she had said earlier, and he wasn't as overcome by it as he was when the blind bandit touched him. It was then that he noticed the blind bandit wasn't around. He looked around the group and shrugged.

"I'm sure everything will work out in the end. Besides, even though you hate what you are, doesn't mean others do. Take me for example, I think you're beautiful. You can do things that others wish they could. Don't fight yourself all the time Hayden, love who you are and what you are, only then will you find peace."

He looked down at the ground for a moment and then up at the sky.

"Anyone seen Mutekie?" Asukira asked as he holstered his fans.

[Mask]

“The deer what?” Yves said back, a shape shifter perhaps. Why would one be here and are they alright he asked in his head as he rushed to see what happened. When he got closer he found Izzy was talking to what appeared to be a normal looking girl. He saw the cut on her knee, the fact that the blood was fresh confirmed that Izzy caused it with her needles. “Well it looks like we have to find something else to eat tonight.”

He stepped alittle closer torwards the girl, he didn’t hear all of what they said but he heard the girl ask about a glowing man. The messenger brought someone else to join us? He didn’t like that another innocent was dumped into this mess but there wasn’t anything to do about it.

“Hello I’m Yves, want me to heal your cut?” he smiled trying to appear unthreatening which wasn’t hard for him to do, “Izzy I don’t think she will try to attack us. So you can put your needles away.” He looked down at the girl’s cut, it was easy to fix but he generally waited to get an answer before he fixed minor wounds anything major he’d heal on the spot without a word.

[Epostle]

Mutekie was in pure relaxation while in the water, but that had to come to an end. Mutekie just realized that it had been quite a while now since he was gone. "The others are probably waiting for me now." He said as he sighed and moved his neck around popping it several times. He then slowly gets out of the water and begins to look for his clothes. It was kind of hard for a blind man to find normal things such as clothes, unenchanted weaponry, and minor things such as that. He then eventually found them due to a minor output of energy from his mask. "It's a good thing this mask let's out small amounts of energy, otherwise I'd probably being roaming around this desert area without any clothes" he said to himself letting out a small laugh as he puts them on, making sure they wear nice and gave a more than modest appearance. He then begins to once again, make a lonely walk, though this time it was towards people rather than things.

As he walked through the desert area, he began to think a little. Mutekie was lonely for quite some time before the "being" came for him. Due to being to lonely, he learned to think a lot to help make time go by quicker and help with many of his other problems. He began to think about the little group he was with. He thought "Maybe this group isn't as bad as I'm making it out to be, but then again..." He then paused in thought and began to hear Shacorai again. Shacorai then began to say "You are really a piece of work Mutekie. You may be able to completely repress my influence on you from meditation for now, but someday, you're going to lose control." The words where threatening as they were true. He didn't know how long or when it will be, but he was certain that he might lose control of Shacorai and put the group into serious danger. He couldn't bear the thought of putting anymore harm on people that he was finally getting to know. He began to reassure himself that it wasn't going to happen for a long time though. The thought still lingered in his head though.

He continued to walk, beginning to feel the presence of everyone's energy. It had been a few hours since he began to make his walk. He thought to himself "I bet they didn't even care." He began to hold his chest a little from the thought of loneliness surrounding him. "A monster is all that I am. This monstrous gift that has plagued me." The thoughts were really getting to him though. Remembering part of his past little by little. The thoughts then began to end as he finally made his way towards the group. They were in talking distance now. "I'm sorry to keep everyone waiting, please forgive me. I had something to do." He said as he began to walk near Asukira. "He then said silently and calmly said to Asukira, "Can I talk to you alone when you're done? There's something I want to ask you in private."

[ShadowWing]

Ryder frowned at the boy who had spoken, trying to decide whether or not he was a threat. He seemed perefectly nice and harmless but then again, first impressions often proved false. She couldn't count how many pleasant people she had met that turned out to be not so pleasant at all.

The only person she really truly trusted was her brother and one of the things that he had said frequently was 'Within every person there is a monster.' She was young when he first told her and that point, had joking tried to turn herself into a dragon to emphasize his point, but Ryder had grown to believe what he said was true.

Cocking her head, she tore herself away form the memories and looked back at the boy who had asked to heal her cut. "I suppose." she answered him, quielty, warily, and stepped forward with a slight limp. It was a kind and seemingly genuine offer and he had, after all, as the other girl to lower the needles that hovered threateningly by Ryders head.

[Dark Hime]

Isabelle hesitated, then lowered her needles, keeping one in her hand, ready to throw. She scooped her hair back into a bun and jabbed the needles into it.

"Sorry about your leg, but we were hunting, and you were a deer..." she said apologetically. She groaned when she tried to think what was going to happen when everyone else caught up. How were they going to explain ANOTHER newcomer? Maybe she was a replacement for the passed out guy.

She caught a glimpse of movement in the trees, and after establishing it as a large deer, she sent a couple needles at it, felling it with a shot to the throat. She went and yanked her needles out of the tree they stuck in. Hoisting the deer by it's antlers and dragging it back to Yves, she debated how best to get it back to camp.

"This is gonna taste pretty nasty without anything with it, so if any of you study botany, some herbs would be nice. I'm going to head back to camp with this; hopefully someone will have found shelter by then. Will you guys be okay?"

[ShadowWing]

Ryder shrugged at the girls apology, implying that she was cool with it. No hard feelings. It was toally understandable, after all. Ryder wondered if she should be more selective about the forms she chose to disguise herself with, but dismissed the idea with meager consideration. She didn't have a huge variety of animals that she could shift into comfortably and smoothly in a moments notice, and the deer was definitely useful for blending, scouting, than running away. She had always liked their gentle treading, delicate waryness, and warm caring eyes.
So naturally, she winced as the other girl took down a deer and dragged it's carcass over. "I know a thing or two about plants." Ryder halfheartedly volunteered.

[Mask]

He pulled what little moisture the air had into a small ball of water, converting the magical energy inside the water into energy with regenerative properties. He knelt down to reach and see her knee better. Yves then moved the water over her cut and although silent he was still listening to what was said. “I know herbs used to speed up healing, most taste bitter though. I may be of some help and I think we should be alright.” By the time he was done talking his magic finished its work, he let the water go back into the air. “I would tell you to be careful also but,” he pointed towards the deer she was holding. “I think you’ll be fine.”

He looked back at Ryder, “I guess this would be the best place to look for herbs. Let’s get started so we can meet up with the rest of the group.” Yves looked around the brushes and found some herbs that could be useful later on but weren’t really for cooking, but he did find a few mushrooms that looked safe to eat. He gathered them up in a small cloth bag and put them inside his pack. “Well I found some mushrooms. I’ll keep looking though.” He told Ryder, hoping she could come up with something better. He wasn’t a fan of mushrooms but he’d still eat them.

[dark_rain]

Hayden smiled at Asukira, “I have always been told that I was meant for more…that I will be great almost like it wasn’t an option it was a command.” She feels his hand on her shoulder and kind of feels a little of her energy dissipate. She was sure now that there was something strange about him, but no matter how strange he was she knew he had a good reason to hide what he was hiding. However, the questions still ran throw her mind. She looks up as Asukira pointed toward the shelter which looked dark and this comforted Hayden. She wasn’t use to being a part of a group she had always lead her men but hide away by herself dealing with her condition in private. She had a lot more abilities hidden away inside her.

"I'm sure everything will work out in the end. Besides, even though you hate what you are, doesn't mean others do. Take me for example, I think you're beautiful. You can do things that others wish they could. Don't fight yourself all the time Hayden, love who you are and what you are, only then will you find peace." Hayden faced Asukira and looked at the ground and begain walking a head of the others trying to hide the girlish giggle and blush had giving her. As she walked she couldn’t help but wonder about his words, he told her not to hate herself and to be true, but yet he hides behind lies.

[Dark Hime]

Isabelle used a combination of dragging and wind to help her transport the deer. The new girl seemed nice enough; I felt a little bad about forgetting to warn her that I was going to kill the deer. She seemed like the sensitive type. Hopefully it wouldn't become a disadvantage if we end up having to battle something.she thought.

She was still uneasy about the whole quest. Everyone was getting along, but just barely. What if someone got in a fight? She still wasn't exactly sure the origin of Mutekie, Hayden, or Asukira. There was her, a fire user, a water user, and shapeshifter. What were the other ones? Presumably at least one of them was an earth user...

Deep in thought, Izzy caught a glimpse of the others. She waved and approached them. She was a little tired, as she had been using wind to help me transport the carcass, but nothing unbearable.
"Hey, I got dinner. And apparently we have another member; I left her with Yves. Any luck with shelter?"