Cutting the air with his feet as he practices his martial arts for final prep, Logan is interrupted by Colossus’s entrance. Colossus sees Logan dressed in full plated shiny silver armor that covered his torso and back, it was full plated right from his gloves to his boots not giving him an ounce of unprotected flesh. Seated on a chair beside him was a full face visor helmet in the same metal, on one side of the chair rested a full body dragon shield that in battle would cover his whole body if used, and leaning on the other side was a sparkling bladed long sword with an etching in its hilt from the mind of Colossus was easily recognized. Seeing the same golden Celtic cross proudly displayed on the front of the armor, Colossus confirmed his suspicions about the holy symbol.

“I’ve never since you have been at my side seen you wear such bright noble marks of truth, doesn’t that burn you?” Colossus asked

“It needs to touch my flesh to do any damage, so it doesn’t” Logan replied strapping the shield to his back.

“An interesting way for a vampire to enter a battle don’t you think, where did you get it” Colossus questioned

“It was always mine Colossus before my days of endless night, for if you don’t remember I was once a holy knight of the order and in facing Straud for I’m sure he will be there, I should be at my best”

“I agree you ready?” Colossus states to him and gripping the holy blade on the chair side he feels its pain as his hand burns and sizzles with the similarity of touching a hot frying pan fresh from the fire pit. The feeling throws to his mind the final seconds of the cave in of the cave where Straud had left him to die, and where his unending pain began.

“Of course” answers Logan sheathing his blade quick and hard trusted to his side and having a smoking cloud arises from its release, with an angered look to his eyes he rips the helmet from the seat and slams it to his head showing a look of an enemy champion that through the ages no man could defeat.

“Then let’s move out” says Colossus

“Yes lets” bellows a voice from the distance and looking to the source the two males feast their eyes to Sophie’s arrival. She was dressed with chain armor of a dark blue color that drapes just below her butt leaving her toned thighs exposed seductively. She holds a weapon strapped to her side barring a metal blade with writing chiseled into the tip. Wrapped across her torso is a whip made of black leather bundled tight, and lining her hands and feet were boots and gloves wrapped with fur from a unicorn’s mane. She has hair that’s tied into five braded tails laced with a string from the top of her head resting on her right shoulder.

Colossus is covered in deep black armor covering him from his thick bull neck. Across his massive arms and legs and incasing his massive muscular build at the torso, his dreaded blade is strapped to his back. As well on his head is an aggressive crafted helmet with holes to release the sharp tipped horns embedded to his skull. His eyes glow an indigo blue color from the inner shade of the helmet and even lets out a glare of fear that shudders Sophie’s stance just a bit.

“Your men are prepared Matriarch, none with cold feet I trust” said Colossus to her

“They have been ready for centuries for this fight, and the only cold they have is in their hearts for the enemy that they will face” she replied

“I love positive thinking” barked Logan

“Then let’s move out, the sooner I have the stones the better” Colossus says as they leave the tower.

Emerging through his crafted portal Malice looks upon the Astral Plain.

“What a dump” is his expression as he scans the wasteland barren plain surface. It had a sky of pure midnight that showed no sign of a sun side. The land seemed to be broken up as well created into little isles no more than a couple hundred square feet in area and these lands were positioned at various heights from each other as well as different lengths apart. Walking out across the first land mass Malice was stopped from a floating figure in the sky aiming a sword at him This creature was covered in yellow skin and had boils covering larger sections of his humanoid body, the creature had an eagle slant eyed look with the same deep stare that the bird carried as well as it stood about five feet tall.

“Your kind is not welcome here, LICH! Turn around and leave now!” spouted a nasally voice from the creature

“A Psylock! Got to admit I’ve never seen one of your kind up close before, you are an extremely ugly race you know that” Malice curled his skull in disgust

“As are you undead mage master” the creature lashed back

“Yeah true, well what can you do, with power comes ugliness I guess, which would mean that you must be a god cause damn! You’re really…”

“ENOUGH! Cretan leave now!” bolted the Psylock

“Fine I’m going” replied Malice and turning around he charges lightning in his hand away from the sight of the Psylock “Oh just one more thing, how much do you weigh?” says Malice and raising his non light up arm he summons the creature forcefully to his hand. Catching him by surprise Malice turns around with his lifeless sockets peering to the Psylock igniting flames that form to eyes for a fearful look. Malice repeatedly electrocutes the creature, smoking and frying his body with countless volts of raw power. Malice then grows a grin to his skull as he slowly sees the life of the creature dwindling away at Malice’s inescapable grip. The smell of burning flesh seeped up his bone bearing nose holes but with his actions Malice welcomed the scent.

Coming to his quarters she beholds a look of awe on her beloved Captain. Wearing his old armor Straud’s chest plate was a dark grey color with a trim of ruby red outlining to border its form. In the center of both the back and front was a bright colored silver shield with three painted claw marks that looked to slash through the middle of it. The slash marks were colored in the same ruby red color as the outline. Strapped tight onto his right arm was a kite style shaped shield with the same logo imprinted upon it. Straud just put on the second of the two chained boots with his already covered thick chained gloves, and reaching for his trusty holy blade the metal reflects Cynn’s face in it and Straud looks to the doorway.

“I haven’t seen you wear that armor since you came back from losing your clan partner Logan”

“The days of fighting the old war I thought were behind us, and thinking it was the case I had no more use for it. The old war is still alive just in a new time, and it’s time that it ends. Speaking of old relics I see you are carrying one as well” Straud replies as he looks to her hands holding a blade similar to the one Sophie had held “Vailrath, right!”

“Your memory is impressive dear Captain; yes the blade that my mother carried on her person she wanted to have passed to me on her passing. The other companion blade to this one, the Dark star was given to Sophie for she loved us both until the end. She wanted me to take up her place on her passing days that was her dying wish. It’s funny the way things turn out, me being the leader of opposition against the empire my mother built and grew up knowing”

“Your mother was a leader Cynn, she followed the old ways and upheld the laws of her people but she was a good loyal mother to you. She raised you strong willed and guided you to learn off your own inspiration. She was a good woman, and if she never would have died the way she did we might all still be under the old ways and customs for she shielded us from pain as well” Straud said to her sheathing his blade to his left side and gripping his helmet he looked upon her, for she was wearing a similar armor to her sister Sophie. Hers has accented dark blue lace in the black based armor color and grey wolf fur outlining the trim of it in a skirt like style covering her bottom torso. She wore her fur lined chain gloves and boots tightly around her skin and having her mother’s blade strapped to her left side she and Straud went out for final prep. Meanwhile the other group going up against Malice had already gone.

Arriving through the beaming blue light Rain and Artanis passed through the swirling void to the desolate plain first. Taking a quick look around and seeing nothing but the same Malice saw, they help the ladies through the portal by grabbing their outreached hands as they appeared to them and helped guided them through. The gate closed after they all emerged but left a small trace of peppered dust on the ground below where it closed signaling the presence of where it could be found.

“How do we get back?” asked Dawn

“With this” Rain announced holding in his hand a vial of liquid that was attached to the device, there is only enough to get us all through at once so when we return we all need to be here.

“How do we know that Malice hasn’t come and gone” asked Elanee

“I think we would have had a creature waiting for us from chasing after Malice if that happened, we should stick together no wondering off in here, it looks pretty easy to get lost in” said Rain advancing forward

“This is like something out of my nightmares” added Artanis following him but having the girls go between them both. They move as a group for a while until Elanee stops the corpse of the creature Malice fried with his electrical grip. They examine the body and touching it reveals to Elanee’s mind the pain and screaming the creature made from his final moments alive and fixed to his vision was the dreaded look from Malice’s flaming eyes. Letting go swiftly Elanee shakes her head from the sight.

“It was him, Malice. He killed this creature” she said getting to her feet and grasping her hand Rain asked if she was ok, “I’m fine” she smiled to him and asked to press on. They find during their travels more of the race all killed brutally and leaving the same trace in their minds as a calling card for the dreaded undead wizard, to the imprinted mind of Elanee. Carrying on a walking pace for miles upon miles tracking across bridges they have found connecting the lands masses Dawn speaks up,

“Are any of you tired, we have gone a while on foot and I know I can go this long but how about you guys?”

“This place carries different laws of time and space” replies Rain “For the longing of rest will be sought out by now one here for time is at a standstill, bodies required no rest and if poisoned, the venom will not start moving through the body until we reach our own time” he states

“We are on a level playing ground my dear care for a run” Artanis asks Dawn smiling

“Maybe later” she replies growing a grin “but how about a test of long jump” she says overlooking the edge of the land mass where no bridge can be seen by the trail and firmly continues on the other side. The gap is far too big to be made by any normal jumping ability and even Dawn doubts his enhanced skills with uncertainty of making it.

“Wow” says Artanis whistling at the distance “so how do we get across this?”

“No sign of a bridge Rain” says Dawn looking down her own side with her heightened sight.

“There must be some way across, how would of Malice gotten across” said Elanee

“With magic” Rain answered her, “A Teleport to be precise, everyone take my hands” Rain issues out and following his lead they all latch on to his grip with their own. With a bright flash they disappear and emerging on the other side Rain looks to see himself alone,

“What the…?” he says and sees Artanis over about fifty feet to the north, Dawn to his right, and Elanee nowhere to be seen.

“What the hell happened?” shouted Artanis

“I don’t know my magic must work different here” Rain yelled back and looking around Artanis then asked where Elanee was, Rain shrugging his shoulders from not knowing and sound getting louder was heard in the air and looking up Rain sees her falling.

“ELANEE!!” he yelled seeing her coming down screaming between the two masses of land into the dark oblivion below. Taking off Rain and Artanis both run to the edge of the ground toward her, getting there first Rain leaps into the air for as if to catch her. Artanis changes his target from her to him and aims to grip his legs leaping also over the cliff edge. Running up behind them both was Dawn who got to the edge too late to grab anyone, tossing the rope she brought with her to the ground she quickly tied one end to her arm and using small amount of magic she animates the rope to follow after Artanis; it catches his legs and Dawn makes it tie tightly around it and digs her feet to the ground hard to embrace an anchoring resistance. Rain reaches for Elanee’s hands which she sends out for him and gripping on to one another.

“I’ve got you Elanee hold on!!” Rain bolts free falling fast

“RAIN!!” she yells back to him with a look of pure fear in her eyes,

“Hold on to her tight Rain! I think we’re coming to a fierce stop!” Artanis barks to him grasped tightly to his ankles and having the rope come to a sudden tightened stretch, Dawn holds with all her might but has her feet slip upon the stopping impacted. Sliding herself toward the edge she draws a dagger from her belt and stabs the blade deep into the ground, hanging on to the hilt hard and feeling the rope burn as Dawn tightens her one handed grip to the slipping strand, the descent is brought to a sudden stop.

“AWH!” said Dawn as she was stretched waist wide to become the human anchor for the group. “Rain the vial” shouted Artanis seeing it leave Rain’s belt pouch,

“ELANEE NO LEAVE IT!” blasted Rain to her as she released her firm hold to his hands in an attempt to grab the vial floating passed her body. While flipping around to grab it Rain catches her feet with a solid hold and not letting go he doesn’t give Elanee the leeway she needs to grip the glass vial. The vial slips past her hands and she watches it fall to the darkness below crying out.

“NOO!” she says as she again comes to a stop but has her chain skirt and leather flap underneath fly up to her torso revealing to Rain and Artanis her woman hood between her thighs,

“Whoa!” said Artanis out loud slamming his eyes shut, and following was Rain.

“Time to put that strength of yours to good use darling” Artanis says to Dawn “Can you pull us up” and saying yes she applies the added strength for their return.

“Don’t let me go Rain” Elanee frightfully says

“Don’t worry Elanee, I’ve got you” responds Rain with confidence and reaching the hard surface again, Artanis breathes heavy with relief as does Elanee who is clutched to Rain’s body and shaking hard as a result from the episode.

“I’m so sorry Rain, I should’ve had it” Elanee apologizes to him

“And I’m sorry as well. To all of you for this, I should’ve known better” he said angered from his rash actions,

“No apologizes needed guys, we are here and alive, that’s enough” Artanis lays out in words

“But the vial, I missed it it’s gone, were never getting home” Elanee saddens

“Oh yes we are” huffs Rain “we just need to work for it a bit”

“You mean steal it” Dawn ads and getting a huffing nod from her brother she shakes her head, “So much for avoiding Malice”

“If we got the stones he would have been waiting for us anyway, an encounter was inevitable Dawn, and nodding she agrees “And you!” Rain says looking to his love “You don’t ever let go of my hand, that vial was not worth your life Elanee”

“I’m sorry Rain”

“It’s ok. I’m just glad you’re safe” Rain finishes with a firm grasping hug to her body and a gentle kiss to her forehead, hopping that it wouldn’t spark her evil, which in the lingering time showed no changing results.

“Are you ok?” asked Artanis going to Dawn’s side as Dawn rubs her outstretched arms,

“I’m ok” she replies and sitting there Artanis come to her side and gives her a gentle shoulder massage to ease the tense muscles,

“We’ll rest here for a short while for we aren’t good up against Malice half dead and short of breath” declared Rain, and having Elanee wrap herself in his arms she falls to a quick slumber to rejuvenate herself. She opens her eyes a quick second to readjust and sees Artanis giving her a short smile, throwing her eyes up she motions to him,

“Artanis” she says smiling

“Yes” he replied

“Enjoy the view” she said again

“Never would I ever enjoy such a ravenous sight” he winks to her

“Well in case that you did and decide to share your enlightened experience with anyone, I will promise you that for a month you will every night relive your worst nightmare in your dreams” she ends with a sinister little smile, and taking the smile from his face, Artanis looks to her closing her eyes again suspicious to her in wonder if she would actually go through with such a horrid threat.

The final ship embarks to Silverspire city as it drops off the last loaded cargo to the enclave. Tristan who was in the middle of a Captain’s meeting with Straud, Cynn and Cloud was interrupted by a guardsman claiming to have an urgent message from his wife Penelope.

“Excuse me Captain but your wife would like a word with you” the footman said to him

“Send the message that she will see me on the first light after the final day of this battle is passed” Tristan says back to him

“That’s not good enough Tristan” said a female voice from behind the tent wall on the outside.

“Penelope?” said Tristan coming around the heavy set sheet to see a woman with black hair braided and looped in the back, covered with a satin white veil being held by golden rope colored trim. She wore a bright blue cloak with Tristan’s family crest embedded on its back, overlaying a yellow slim fitting haltered dress underneath which was tied behind her neck. She held gentle flawless features like long eyelashes, and slender lips complemented by a tiny narrow nose. She had a mole on the left side of her cheek bone that was presented very fashionably, for its only purpose was to enhance her beauty even more. And finally strapped to her front side under her average sized breasts was an infant barring hammock made by Tristan himself holding his most prized possession. “I told you to remain at the city until the threat was over!”

“Forget it, I never brought your son and myself over to this foreign land to be watched by more personal guards, if that was the case I would’ve stayed home” she replied to him abrupt as she dismounted from her horse with two other females in toe behind her, and hearing the conversation Straud, Cynn and Cloud came filing out to see what was happening.

“Penny, the war to this enclave is coming at any moment” said Tristan

“Then find me a place to stay with your son till it’s over for I’m not leaving here Tristan” she said to him not budging

“Penny, please go back” pleaded Tristan and having her fold her arms she stood with a straight face look to him,

“Tristan you told me once long ago, when we were first together that you would watch over me against all odds for living alone without me would be unbearable to have happen; I feel the same way. Tristan, I feel more secured by your side and then under your guard even at a war front than, in a peaceful field with a patrolling footmen” she responded to him and hearing the cherished moment Straud told a guard to escort her to the refuge caverns with Alisianna and the rest.

“Lord Straud? She needs to go back to the city”

“Tristan, this is your wife! I’m not going to turn her away from our shield, she won’t feel safe on this land except by your side and I’m not turning away a Captain’s wife that I respect as much as himself, besides the roads are too dangerous to have her travel on now. There could be spies from Colossus on them ready to pounce on any advantage they would see” and nodding his head with a silent thankfulness Straud passes him and goes to the young lady, taking her hand Straud kisses it and welcomes her to the enclave.

“Milady I would give my life to see your beauty last a thousand years further upon these lands”

“Ok, my turn” said Tristan growing a little jealous as Straud steps aside with a joking grin to Tristan, Tristan moves to his wife and kisses her lips welcoming her to his arms of defense.

“Oh before I forget” Penelope said stopping the kiss “They also wish for protection as well as a new life here at Silverspire city”

“Who are they?” asked Cloud

“They are the mistresses of Namor,” said Tristan

“They left him after finding out about what he asked from Elanee and his plan to get what he wanted” Penelope added

“What happened to Namor?” asked Straud

“He’s been relocated and reassigned,” replied Tristan

“He is still in command of something, still in power,” barked Cloud surprised of the result

“Yes, but he is heading up the northern border gate keep on our land” believed Tristan

“Not much activity I presume” questioned Straud

“The only thing that attacks that gate is the flu, winter winds and snow,” laughed Tristan, and getting a chuckle from all of them. Tristan kisses Penelope and his son’s head and helped with the escort of them to the caverns.

Shifting around, tossing and turning Elanee sprung awake and looked around franticly. Gripping the closest thing she could she barred her face in it and looking up after she saw Rain’s face and being comforted she smiled,

“You ok Elanee” Rain said calmly

“Yeah, bad dream” she replied and getting up she was told she only slept for a little while. Packing up they moved on getting ready for the attack by Malice. Tracking for miles they cross a bridge different for the rest, it seemed more worn and traveled as well as built more secure and solid. They cross it to find they were now on a much larger land mass then even the rest put together, it stretched father than Rain could judge and going along it has well-beaten path the group stumbled across clusters of dead Psylock bodies. They ripped apart from Malice’s magic and evil willed nature. The group came across many groups of the dead, some they could tell the cause of death but others, needed a seer to relive the horrid moment, and even those bodies Elanee would not touch. Showing up more and more frequently along with the metallic smell of blood staining their nose hairs from its strength and freshness, the path leads them to a series of foothills to climb over and pass. Making the pass over them Dawn was the first to see in the distance a massive tower looking dwelling built firmly to the ground. It was made of metal and held a great many towering spires coating the roof structure also formed from a metal unknown to her eyes. Sparks of light flashed at the base of the building and the group hurried their movement for Malice they surly guessed was the cause. Making their arise over the last hillside Elanee gasped covering her mouth and holding Rain’s hand as she embraced the sight of the carnage Malice unleashed to the guardians who opposed him. Malice snapped the neck on the last of the moving hurtles in his way and he drops the body hard to the ground at his feet as he smiles at the sight of the group reaching the base of the hill.

“I must say you are a most persistent group, more troubling then most I would wager, but no longer will you follow in my waking trail,” he concludes as he summons an energy ball and throws it towards them.

Bashing it to the side like hitting a ball with a bat, Rain sends the ball from his swinging blade off to the hillside and lets it affect the ground violently.

“AH! I have no time for this, I lost enough time on getting here, and I was going to save this for a special occasion. But I guess after getting this done I’ll be at my goal anyway of demi-lich power” Malice finishes sending an obsidian black shiny rod from his cloak to his boney grip Malice conjures with it the presence of a great monster. Smoke erupts from the head of the rod and swirls into a massive cloud between the group and Malice to form a most hideous creature in the dissipating dust; it is a deep grey color standing a colossal sixty feet in height. With a twenty-foot long tail laid out along the ground behind it which showered by cave-sized spikes on its surface. It’s rigid arched back looked to have a hide as thick as iron, and it’s two arms and legs laid in place the same as a human’s were as long as draw bridges and as thick as corner guard towers. Making large roars that shook the ground and drove fear into the hearts of the group. Dawn quickly cast a remove fear spell to realign their courage and shake there motionless doubt, a feeling came over her however while casting. She and Cloud like their brother Rain held demonic blood through their veins, but unlike Rain, it was not nearly the same concentration or potency. There was enough however passed on by genetic choice by their mother to amplify their own abilities and like Rain sometimes they couldn`t be controlled.

The feeling was strong, drawing her focus away from the danger temporarily. Dawn`s focus to her craft was one not rarely taken on by most to the holy cloth, devoting her discipline to the arts of clairvoyance and auras she is able to influence individuals or large groups as her skill has grown to already. Granting them a bonus to skills, they already possess, that she can link too. Dawn can also do an opposing channel not used as much, she can read the energy around a being to form an answer on how to harm them the most with littlest effort…in short she can sense an opponent’s weakness whether it be elemental energy, certain magic or a type of metal need by a blade. Instantly a beacon of magical essence homed in on her center, it was powerful and high end, coming from not far away, and Dawn attempts to center on it.

“You guys take on this, kill it if you can but avoid it if possible, find the stones” Rain commands to them staring at Malice as he sees him bolting for the buildings courtyard, Dawn`s concentration breaks from the focus by Rain`s words bringing her back the battle.

“.Where are you going” Elanee sparks losing grip of Rain’s hand when he teleported away, “Rain!” she yelled to the open air as she knew that he went to confront him alone.

Running through the only open gateway Malice poured a force barrier over the opening for no others to follow him there and turning around he saw Rain standing in his way, Rain’s sword was drawn and aimed toward Malice, Rain stated that he would not succeed.

“Give me a break” Malice laughed “none of you can match my power” he said putting the rod away in his cloak, “For in the realm of magic my dear Drow, I reign supreme!” he finishes with throwing ball after ball of lightning, fire and ice toward Rain’s position, batting each away without faltering his stance Malice then cocks his head “Well, well, well, I see there is still challenge in the land of magic for me. Thank god I was getting kind of bored just killing everyone I saw” and smiling an evil grin Malice conjured a blade of his own. The magic brought to his hands a weapon with a thick blade and has a serrated but aggressive and course look. It was golden in color, the hilt dipped in jewels that at the top and bottom held the design of skulls. About six feet long looking to weigh at least a hundred pounds, which Malice held firmly and with ease in only one hand. “Your time for breathing in this world is over, time to embrace your new home”

“That’s funny I was going to say the same to you” replied Rain whose confidence must have been increased with the spell to enhance his already undisputable large ego. Angered by the remark, Malice cast spell upon spell at Rain as he charged into a heated brawl.