Another day, more awesome,

Donnie Darko: Eyeing Sparky carefully, Dom slid his hands around both his swords, edging them out about an inch. "Look. We've done more than our fair share of fighting today and to be honest I am not in the mood for any more." Another inch or two, slowly. The few steps back were all he needed. "Kanara, you know that spell you were gonna teach me? It's time to use it.." His eyes glinted with amusement, and it seemed when that happened nowadays, people died. It used to mean he was going to be drunk soon. Sliding out his left sword he swang it full stretch, forcing Sparky to back off. "Rhia! Either make him blow up or RUN!" Now his right sword swung full length coming dangerously close to the second man who darted forward. Sliding his heel to the left, he darted for the door. Once they were in the street, maybe a fair fight could take place.

The Author: Even if she'd had the energy, she certain wasn't going to blow anyone up, so she took the latter choice, and broke for the door. She stumbled out into the street, turning to run backwards a few steps as she waited for Dom. When he came out, she called to him, edging her way towards the street that would lead to the club Alex had disappeared into. "Let's just get back to Alex! Please!" She couldn't stand to see anyone else die, not for something so stupid... "It's a choice, Dominic! A choice! Just run!"

Xan Torez: As Alex was on his way towards Ekeil, the young Dark Mage turned and wandered into the crowd. Alex was getting angered now as he detoured to intercept Ekeil in the center of the pit. When he got there, however, Ekeil thrust something to Alex. A staff. A thin, undesigned stick. A training staff. They were mobile yet strong for training battles. What exactly did Ekeil have in mind? It was obvious as he turned his back to Alex, and then the crowd split, forming a circle around the pair. Alex turned to look at everyone, surprised. It was as if they knew what to do. From a higher point, the balcony over the dance floor, stood two recognisable figures. Sadly, not the two he had hoped for. Eilross and Erica both stood, their own staves in hand. Slowly, he looked back to Ekeil to ask what the hell was going on, but found himself immediately parrying an attack. Ekeil grinned and the music stopped as the crowd cheered at the first swing, "Not a good fighter for a so called Imperial Guard, are you? Never let yer guard down, y'know?" Alex clenched his teeth together before pushing Ekeil out of the Stave hold and swinging quickly. As he did, the band started up again; a different style of music to normal. It was a little more steady paced, and the singer was talking about being 'born too slow'. Alex was quite the opposite it seemed however, as he swung blow after blow at Ekeil's staff. Surprisingly, Ekeil never lost his grin. The crowd's cheers didn't die out either as their circle followed Alex's and Ekeil's fight across the stage. Finally, Alex placed one tough blow into Ekeil's staff and held it there, grinning at him, "That enough for you?" Ekeil shook his head and smiled, "Too slow!" And then, all hell broke loose. Ekeil was fast AND powerful, hardly giving Alex time to think about where he should place his staff for a successful parry. he blocked five or six successful swings, before finally, one broke through under him and he sweeped off his feet. The crowd cheered in excitement as Alex was tripped backwards and landed on his ass. He looked up in shock a little as Ekeil stood over him, tauntingly flexing his shoulders, "Want to try again?" Alex didn't need asking. he jumped to his feet, picking up his own pace, swinging a mad flurry at Ekeil. But the Dark mage blocked every single one, and then pushed back. This time however, Alex's adrenaline managed to block every attack though it was pushing him further across the room, and in a desperate struggle to stop Ekeil's force, he stuck out his hand and attempted to cast the 'push' spell he had managed earlier. There was nothing. A second attempt ended the same way. A quick glance to the balcony made him realise why this was. Erica had her hands up infront of her, and around them was a faint purple glow, where she was dispelling everything around the boys. At least, Alex assumed that was the case, until Ekeil grinned and repeated Alex's motions, sending Alex launching across the room and into a pillar. The crowd went wild as Ekeil crouched next to an injured Alex and smiled, "In a town run by Necros and Dark Magi, using the Light Stream for a Telesis spell isn't great, y'know?" "I was.. using.. the.." "Hell NO you weren't! You wouldn't know the Dark stream if it hit you in the face!" The band was finishing their song now and went on to a new one as the crowd concluded the fight was over. Ekeil helped Alex to his feet and the two left, walking into thXan Torez: *the street. The young Necro Lord was hurt, in both pride and physically, but he listened as the Dark Mage spoke, "You're used to only the Light Stream, so seeing and Using the Dark stream will hurt at first. To access the Dark Stream, you have to go at it a completely different way to the Light. You'll need training, and this," he lifted his hand up, and above appeared the outline of a book. the outline dropped to the palm of his hand, and as it did, it took mass. It was old, and had symbols inscribed in its leather, but it didn't take a genius to work out what the word 'Nékro-Mhance' meant. Gently, Alex took the book, studied, then asked one last time, "Who do I need to see here? How do I meet him?" Ekeil sighed and lowered his head in desbelief, "You're f'ckin' lookin at 'im, mate! ..I'll help you with your training, get you going, but I'm just a Mage at the end of the day. Only you can teach yerself the Lord bits. And they're all in there." "And the fight, what was that about?" Ekeil stretched, "To hide the path of Necromancy, the trainers are also 'activators'. If someone wants to be a Necromancer, they have to train with somebody, and then pass a test before they pass on to the next. It's a chain that leads all the way to the final rituals in the temple. The Rites of the Nether." It sounded deep, but Ekeil grinned, "Besides, it was fun. To pass on to the next, you have to defeat me in a simple duel. Only dark energy is allowed, and sticks, but they're just to get the crowd going." Alex watched as Ekeil made his way back to the door, making it obvious Alex wasn't to follow him, "Come see me tomorrow night. We'll begin your training. If you're like 'he' says, your training won't take long.." And with that he was inside, leaving Alex with the question 'he?' to fester upon. Had he meant the voice? Speaking of who, where was HE? He had been silent for so long. Even bigger, where the hell was he meant to find Dominic and Rhia. 'Voice? Any advice?' Silence..

Donnie Darko: Dom followed the sounds of Rhia's voice in the pitch black, tripping on oddly shaped cobbles and dodging boxes and carts left out in the street. Behind him he heard the door of the little shop swing open, all three men laughing merrily. They weren't done yet, and soon they started their own run but something seemed different. It wasn't solid like boot on rock should be. They barely made a sound at all and when Dom shot a look round to see them he nearly wet himself. Like ghosts in the wind they hovered, their black cloaks adding to the effect. Dimitri (AKA Sparky) was still grinning and his hands were still alight, his fingers twitching like a bugs legs do. Shuddering a little, Dom darted round a corner and spotted Rhia just up ahead of him. "Find Alex!" The adrenaline was pumping now. She was right, he knew that. There was always a choice in killing a man or not. He'd killed two men today without much remorse, and at the precise wrong moment, he was hit with an epiphany. Containers couldnt kill because they themselves would thus die, and maybe that represented what Dom should be feeling. 'Theres a problem with that theory. You dont feel..' Snapping back into the real world was a little shocking but his senses picked up quickly. The swords in his hands felt almost weightless. Flicking his right sword upside down he held them in both an attacking and defensive stance. He stopped mid-run, jogging to a stop. Turning to face his spectral opponents, he smiled again. Right at them. They too stopped in kind. "If I fight you, you use no projectile magic. It's only fair." 'Please oh please oh please dont have run off Rhia..' She'd darted into a dark area and he hadn't seen where she had gone.

The Author: When she sensed him coming to a stop, she slid to her own stop. She dug the butt of her staff into the ground to help stop herself, then hurried back until she could see him again. "Dom..." She held still for a time to catch her breath, watching closely, her mind holding tightly to the Light Stream, just in case she could use it to protect Dom.. She had the power to heal, but...she wasn't so sure if she could heal wounds inflicted by the Dark Stream... "Please...don't do this..." She held tightly to her staff, trying to calm her nerves so she could better manipulate the Light Stream. She knew what she really needed to do... She squeezed her eyes shut, and, trusting Dom to handle himself for a few minutes, she projected some of her own reserve of Light Stream. Reaching out with her senses, she sought out Alex's aura, one she recognized quite easily. They weren't too far away from each other, so this wouldn't be too taxing.. It would be taxing, but she'd survive it... She shot that bit of her reserve out towards Alex. It would materialize before him as soon as it found him, taking on the shape and likeness of Rhia herself. It would look like a ghost, bits disappearing as the Dark Stream passed through it and muddied it. "We need your help!" Her voice would sound very far away, like an echo coming from a deep hole.

Xan Torez: The ghost figure shocked him at first, but as it finally dissappeared, the words it spoke had sunken into his head and he bolted towards where he thought they were. Sure enough, his feelings didn't betray him, and he watched with surprise as Dominic stood, swords drawn, against what looked to be three specters. They floated eerily, and to make the situation worse, the voice spoke into his mind. Alex repeated the words it spoke quietly so they would not hear him or see him here, "Terae Solas.." Rhia would've been able to hear, as he was stood close to her. For a few seconds there was a deep pain in his head and the world in his mind shook violently. He closed his eyes and looked at the floor, hoping for the pain to go. What the hell was voice trying to do, kill him?! And then, the pain subsided and he looked up. The world was bright, not like the night time, but it was a deep purple and white. Streams moved around and through everything as peacefully as the light purple and pinks one did that he was used to. Terae Solas. View the dark streams. He watched as they focused around the three men, moving skillfully around them. One of the men however was much more focused than the others and the voice spoke, 'Interesting. A Necromancer. Now you will be able to see what they can do. Watch carefully..' Something else caught his attention though. There was no stream concentration in Dominic, they just flowed through him as if he wasn't there, which made sense, he wasn't using any, but even more interesting, was that the streams DODGED around Rhia, avoiding touching her. Every now and then, a thin one would pass close to her, but nothing would touch her. Also made sense, but his attention focused back to Dominic. How long before the three realised there was a third presence? Would they fight three on three? Made it a bit fairer. Mosre interestingly, would they fight one of their own?

Donnie Darko: Sparky nodded in agreement to Dom's terms and a strange echoey whisper eminated from his mouth. Gravity took it's power back over him and his feet connected properly with the floor. Dominc eyed him up quickly, trying to figure what he was underneath that cloak. Definately a little overweight, which meant Dom's agility would come in handy and he didn't seem as sure of himself on the ground as much as in the air. These small positives paled into comparison when the second man took a step forward, throwing off his cloak revealing a rather sturdy torso, tattooed across his arms and neck. Stranger still, they glowed the same way the mana stream did, but it was darker, flecked with white. The old uncle grinned in the background. "These two chaps here will be your test. They are both trained in the art of using the dark mana stream to strenghten ones own ability. And I would be worried if I were you, they aren't here to playfight." A sick smirk befell them all before the two men lunged forward, easily crossing twenty feet in a second or two. "Rhia.. I think I made the wrong ch--" Dimitri's sparking hand swung forward, narrowly missing Dom's face. He felt the force between his fingers brush across him and he felt like being sick. "Rhia?! HELP!?" He ducked the second swing, thrusting his sword forwards at the larger one.

The Author: She heard Alex beside her, glancing over to see him. Thank goodness.. She drew back in as much of that reserve as was left, but she was still exhausted. That is, until she heard Dom cry out for her. Adrenaline flowed through her as she whipped her gaze back around to him. She grit her teeth and charged forward, holding that staff in both hands. She moved silently, and from the angle she was coming at them, it wouldn't be until she was right on top of them that they'd even know she was there. She leapt into the air, crashing into the side of the not-so-sparky one, while she whipped around her staff so that it crashed into the head of the other one, meant to knock him over or knock him out..then again, with the momentum of her run, it might've done a little more damage than she'd intended...

Xan Torez: Alex watched, feeling slightly helpless. He raised his hand up to grab the sparky one, but lost concentration as Rhia started her run. He focused now on the non-sparky one, only to see Rhia plough her staff into him. Slowly he dropped his hand. They now each had just one target to focus on, leaving him with only one choice. The Necromancer. With his eyes still watching the dark streams, he lifted his hand infront and willed for Telesis to take the NEcro by the neck, but nothing happened, and Alex frowned at his own palm. From beside him, a voice made him jump. A man, wearing plain clothes, yet carrying quite an extravagent large sword, smiled and rested his chin against the butt of it, keeping the sharp end lodged in a cobble, "It's alright, Alexios. Just watch..."

Donnie Darko: Ducking and dodging the two freaks was begining to tire him out. Rhia, thankfully, had given him just enough time to find his ground again. Sparky hit the deck like a sack of potatoes, but he didn't stay down for long. As if nothing had happened he got to his feet, creacked his neck bone and glared at Dom. Now that Rhia had got the attention of the larger one, Dom was free to play, and this guy had made one fatal mistake. Going all out of the first few attacks gives your opponent time to find his entry point. Sparky smirked and lunged forward again, but Dom did not duck but rather slid to the side, flicking his wrist and slicing his right sword in an arc that flew past his head would hopefully land on Sparkys back. The sword hit nothing but air. Sparky swang a 180 and came back full force, only to once again find Dom on his right side, bringing a sword down onto his head. Again he swung round but this time Dom had followed him, pushing forwards off his foot. Sparky would turn to see nothing and in the second it took him to see Dominic he would have a sword butt come crashing down onto his cheek. As soon as it connected Dom smiled, whipping his body round and pushing straight into the sky, the other end of his sword caving in Sparky's chin. Lifting him over his head Dom slammed him into the ground, panting. Taking both swords he nailed Sparky to the floor, hands down. Then for good measure, kicked him in the head. "I!" Smack. "TOLD!" Smack. "YOU!" Smack. "I" Crunch. "WASNT IN THE MOOD!" Crunch.

The Author: Rhia scrambled away from that rather large man, drawing in some quick, deep breaths to try and steady herself. She was just too exhausted for this. Finally, she got herself to her feet, and before the man could even attempt to misjudge her, she whipped that staff around again, knocking it into his shoulder. Not..that..that did anything. She gulped as he just sort of grinned at her. Why couldn't she just have gotten a nap before all of this crap? One little nap, that's all she'd asked for.. Just as she was trying to figure out how the hell she could save herself, she saw Dom, rather over-doing it. Her teeth clenched and she did something she probably shouldn't. She whipped that staff around again, but instead of hitting someone, she extended that bit of reserve she had once again, creating a shockwave that would slam into Dom, knocking him back away from Dimitri. "Enough!" With that, she sank down to one knee, slowly glancing up at the man that was now towering over her. Her grip was weak on her staff, and she seemed to be fading pretty quickly.

Xan Torez: As Rhia's push knocked Dominic out of the way, Alex moved forwards a little, frowning in shock. What the hell? She was in trouble, and she mustered energy to stop Dom from hurting a dead body. Finally, he decided to end this and walked forwards, staring straight at the Necromancer, "STOP THIS" His hand was up and poised, he just hoped the man behind with the sword wasn't still blocking all of Alex's energy. The man with the sword just stood and watched, looking somewhat surprised himself. Quietly he spoke, seemingly to nobody, "Quite an interesting group, I have to admit." In his head, a voice spoke, 'Yes, but can you not feel the blood in him?' "You are correct, as always. He is the fifth. I'm quite interested in his choice of friends though. Unorthodox, for a Necro Lord." 'Yes, but do you not remember the friends travelled with?' The man laughed and nod, sighing contemptly as he watched the predicament unfold.

Xan Torez: *youDonnie Darko: Dom's body flew through the air and landed heavily on the hard cobbles. His ass would hurt for a month. The adrenalin was still pumping through his system but his arms and legs were weak, so he chose not to stand. And to be honest, he was thankful she'd thrown him off because had he carried on, he would have been kicking the floor. Ragged breathing and slowly drooping eyes made the Necro uncle laugh. "For a man who knows not of the death stream, you fight with a rage even I do not know." His tone had a hint of respect, and Dom forced himself not to smile. "Do I pass your damn test?" A small nod and Dom lay his head back. Turning to his fallen guard, the uncle brought his hands together and whispered. "Riisé." The body shook wildly for a moment and then lay still. A groan came from the hood of the cloaked mass and it tried to stand, remembering that in fact it was pinned down. Then it started to laugh heartily, but it was not a human laugh. It rattled and wheezed, like a dying mans last breath. "Master, I have been beaten by this man. He must be worthy.."

The Author: Rhia looked over at that body as it started to move, her face contorting in disgust as she quickly turned away. Unfortunately, she had something in her stomach this time, and her self control was basically zilch. After a minute or so, she managed to get control of herself, dragging herself away from the man standing near her. She wouldn't get more than a few feet before she just couldn't move any farther, sinking down until her cheek rested against the cobblestone, slowly gasping for breath. Even with eyes closed, she watched Alex. She really...really...hoped she wouldn't have to do anything else..for a long time..

Xan Torez: With as much force as he could muster he thrust his hand forward, trying to place a telesis choke hold around the Necromancer, but nothing happened at first, and then his hand moved backward toward the man with the sword. He was stood, smiling, his hand outstretched. he had pulled Alex out of the battle, "They are fighting over you, Alexios, can you not just be quiet and watch?" but Alex was pent up with anger now as he forced his hand out of the hold and turned his telesis on the swordman. This move surprised him and he raised his eyebrows, "Do you really want to challenge me, Alexios? Don't make me ask these nice men to tell you who I am.." he smiled, as he motioned at the three Dark Stream users. Alex turned back then shouted, "STOP!"

Donnie Darko: "Yes.. please.." Dom was having trouble staying awake now. He'd exherted himself far too much today and all powered by two sandwiches. Before he drifted off into total unconsciousness he muttered to the Necromancer uncle, since he was the only one who could hear him. "If I dont wake up in the comfiest bed you can possibly conjure, I'm going to kil you. And everyone you know." A useless threat really, but he felt better for saying it. He dropped off, his body only showing signs of life by his rising chest. Chuckling to himself, the uncle raised his hand and the large man stopped attacking. Walking over to his writing comrade, he yanked the swords out the ground and placed them back into Dominics scabbards for him. "Johnathan, she has nor the strength nor the will to kill you. But she has proven she has the power. That is all I require." While Johnny-boy got his cloak back on, Uncle Necro turned to the figure beside Alex. "He isn't ready, my lord. Eikeil will guide him to you. I will make sure of it." Waving his hand towards Dom, Johnny-boy picked up his sleeping body and stood silent. "Alexios! Youre friends need rest.. and I hear you have a lot of reading to do." Another sick little knowing smile.

Xan Torez: "And you have some explaining to do as well." Alex looked pissed as he motioned to both Rhia and Dom, but the one the Necromancer had referred to as 'My Lord' stepped forwards, "It's a common ritual really. necromancers believe that a Necromancer Lord must be in the company of worthy friends, so when they get the chance, they will test the Lord's friends." Alex narrowed his eyes at the Necromancer, his anger welling inside of him, "You have no right to do such a thing." The Necromancer Lord stepped beside Alex. as he did, his clothes changed the same way Erica's had into something far more domineering. He was wearing battle armour, but it was spikey to an all new extreme, and most of it was modeled on bones, with a skull necklace hanging over his chest. His sword looked powerful beside him now, and not out of place, "They had every right to do it, Alexios. If your friends cannot be trusted to take care of you on your training, then they are not worthy of travelling with you." He looked at the Necromancer Uncle, looking as if he was expecting something. Alex didn't know what, and hardly cared as he walked to Rhia on the floor and lifted her, watching where they were to take Dom, so Rhia could get rest too. Quietly, he whispered to her, "I'm still sorry for dragging you into this.."

Donnie Darko: The old Necromancer bowed his head in respect and turned, flanked by his two henchmen, one of whom was making sure he didn't kill Dom by hitting his head on something. They led Alex and Rhia to a large house which looked nothing like that of what Dom and Rhia had seen. It was an old design based on structure aswell as aesthetics. The windows curved inward and were lined in squares, while the door handle bore a very eerie resemblance to a mans skull. "This is where you will stay. It is as comfortable and safe as you will find in our town. I trust you know exaclty where to find me and Eikeil." He smiled again and left his two guards with the group. Sparky pushed open the door silently and Jonnhy-boy lay Dom on the bed in the first bedroom before returning to view. Staring at Rhia with an expression that could only be described as admiration, he left, closing the door behind him. A new day would soon be upon them, and if Dom could help it, no more killing. He'd filled his monthly quota.

The Author: Rhia was curled up weakly in Alex's arms, somehow still clinging to that staff. She wasn't yet unconscious, so caught that look of admiration from the big man as he left, grunting weakly to herself. "Looks like I impressed someone..." When she was laid down, she wrapped her arm around the staff, and promptly passed out. It wouldn't be until the middle of the next day that she finally woke up, not exactly recharged, but with considerable more energy than she'd had in a long time. With the Dark Streams so thick here, it was very difficult for her to build up her reserve again. Slowly, she sat up, groaning faintly as she lifted a hand to her head. "What a night..."

Xan Torez: Alex hadn't slept at all. Every image that had flickered though his head whilst he had tried to sleep for years had all found a voice and a look in one night, and he didn't like the picture it painted; a world, ripped apart. Every hill was a jagged edge, sticking up iinto a purple and green sky. There were no trees, no plants, no birds. Just sharp rocks. In the distance, light purple and dark purple streams of energy slithered between mountain ranges, and across the land, the cries and footsteps of large creatures could be heard. he had no idea what he had seen, and neither did he care, so when Rhia finally awoke, Alex was over the moon. he didn't show it though as he rubbed his eyes a little and smiled at her from where he had been sat in the corner all night, "Good afternoon, Miss."

Donnie Darko: Dominic was the last to wake up and it took him a good half an hour to get out of bed. It seemed he wouldnt have to kill anyone afterall. When he did finally get up he took a shower in his en suite bathroom and walked into the main room of the house where Alex and Rhia were already sat. Immediately the books he had taken from Rhia's house were burning a hole in his pocket, and he would definately try a spell or ten out today. Yawning a dozen or so times he found the settee and sat there, motionless and happy. He'd left his swords in the bedroom. "Hey, Alex, we didn't see you for a while last night before you showed up and let us get our asses almost kicked. What happened to you? Score with that Erika chick?" He grinned, letting the soft morning light warm him up.

The Author: Rhia rolled her eyes with a sigh at Dom's comment, slowly lifting her staff up. "Do you mind? That's just the tiniest bit inappropriate.." She turned herself to rest her feet on the floor, laying the staff across her lap. She ran her hand across it to make sure it hadn't fractured, but the extra hard wood seemed to be doing its job. She glanced over at Alex then, looking at him closely. "Have you gotten what you need? Please don't say we have to stay here much longer... I'm not sure I could take another day in this place..."

Xan Torez: "It depends," he began, staring at the desk, "I can't leave until I've learned some basics and defeated Ekeil. It's a test, a Rites of Passage. To progress to the next stage of training, I have to prove I can use Dark Energy properly. So, if I can get everything learned in a day, then we can probably leave tonight, but.." he produced the book he had obtained last night. It had been hidden so far, held on his belt, and now it lay on the desk in front of them. The leather was old and worn, the pages not much cleaner, but everything was readable, no matter how eccentric or ludicrous it looked, "I have to leanr THAT, before I take him on.."

Donnie Darko: Dom stood up to take a look at Alex's book and he laughed, patting him on the back. "Tough break. I don't think even Rhia could manage that in a day." Grabbing a mug he poured himself a few glasses of water, downing each one with a satisfied 'aaah'. "I am fighting no-one today. I mean it. Unless it's you.." He glared at Alex for a moment, his eyebrows furrowed. Laughing his way back to his seat he pulled out his own little black book and opened it to the first page, carefully re-reading what he'd found in RHia's home. Then he paused, looking back to Alex. "WHen you say 'defeat'?"

The Author: She sighed heavily when Alex basically trashed her hopes of getting out of there before night fall. She glanced towards a window, gazing out at the sky a bit sadly. "Maybe I can set up camp outside the city walls..." She was mostly muttering to herself, knowing that idea was completely out of the question given the searches going on for them. She sank down onto her side, resting her head on that pillow again. She felt stifled, and even in the day time, she could barely see anything besides the two in the room with her. It was very disturbing, as well as distressing.

Xan Torez: Alex sighed and opened the first page. The writing was old, but readable. It was an introduction to Necromancy. one word took his attention the most though, "Summonus. Apparently, it's possible to take creatures from another world and use them as weapons.. most interesting.." he continued reading, "..lot of energy involved though. Beginners should always try with two people." He grinned a little and looked up at Dom, "Sure we can have some fun with that at some point." He shunned off Rhia's camp comment and sighed a little, closing the book, "I'm sorry, but we can't leave."

Donnie Darko: Mirroring his grin Dom read his own passage out. "Apparas. According to this little spell, I can create a physical apparition and control it for roughly.. three minutes, depending on its size. All it takes is concentration and an image counjured from the mind of the caster." His eyes widened. "How cool is THAT?" Still grinning he looked up at Rhia. "Look, we're safer here than we were on the roads travelling, and besides, I haven't slept so well in my entire life. And remember what Eikeil said? The town is only run by the Necros at night. During the day your magi friends rule with swift and fiery justice." He shut the book for effect, then cursed cause he wanted to open it again. "if worst comes to worst, at least you'll get your rest. And by the way, you still haven't told me why you were so ill in the first place? Did Alex cook for you? Hm?" Smirking at Alex, he watched Rhia gaze out the window.

The Author: "No...that's not it... I exerted too much of myself protecting the city from those fires...and just as I got a little bit of that energy back, I had to expell it by running from the city." She closed her eyes, slowly sitting up. She then looked over at Dom with a dull gaze. "The farther I get from my Contracted, the harder it becomes for me to recover my energy, and the easier it is for me to tire out." She wrinkled her nose when she felt the presence of one of those undead nearby. "This city wreaks so much of Dark Mana that it's nearly impossible for me to get a good hold on the Light Stream..."

Day 6, Amazing.

Donnie Darko: As lively as the town had been down that first street they were shown with the music eminating from almost every building and the smell of booze and sweat attacked your nose, the town was forgiving the pun, dead. Barely two turns around corners and the music dimmed, the cobblestone path became dirt and clubs became houses. The only light was that of a seemingly random pattern of streetlamps. Windows were crooked and doors were barely holding together. This place was a long way from Hopelite's standards of living, but then again, so were the occupants. "if you have some magical ability that allows you to detect caffiene, now would be a nice time to use it. I'm already lost and I don't think those Dark Mages will be as accomodating now their saviour isnt with us.." he turned and shot her a smile.

The Author: "I'm afraid I haven't anything like that..." She sighed some and glanced around the streets, finally come to a stop under one of those street lamps. "The city was so much more organized than this place... And I haven't left that place in...well, in a long time..." She frowned slightly as she looked around. "I feel more blind in this place than I ever did before...the Mana Streams are so different here.."

Donnie Darko: "Considering the type of people that live here, I'm not surprised that you can't see anything. Although, you can still see me, right?" He stopped walking and turned, struck by the absolute silence of the houses around him. Not even a loud snore. How many of those undead thingies were actually here? The thought creeped him out to the point where he eagerly checked every dingy little corner to make sure nothing was watching.

The Author: She smiled faintly and gave a nod. "Yes, I can see you. You're about the most consistant thing I can see in this whole place." She held a little tighter to her staff, holding it close to her as she gazed around. "I wouldn't have minded finding a quiet place to relax, but this is a bit much... Maybe we went too far?"

Donnie Darko: "We haven't been walking for any longer than a few minutes, how far could we have possibly gone?" Dom swivelled on the spot, checking for any streets that didn't look safe. Ok, so all of them didn't look safe. "Just some coffee.. is that so much to ask?" he whispered, his eyes catching a small glimpse of something in the corner of his eye. Movement! 'Shiiing'. His sword was drawn. "If anyone is there, I'd like you to stop playing with me now. Coffee is all we are here for." his eyes were useless, so he closed them. Listening for anything, he moved a little closer to Rhia. "Can you sense anything?" He knew something was there. He wasn't going crazy.. he wasn't going crazy.

The Author: "I can sense a lot of things, my friend... Frankly, this entire town feels threatening to me..." She reached out to gently take his arm. "Let's just go back to where there's at least some sign of real life... Please? At least you could fight something we can both see if it came down to fighting..." There was a hint of fear in her voice, definitely not comfortable with being so incredibly blind..

Donnie Darko: Ignoring her fear over his own sense of well being, his ear kept searching. The wouldn't have to do too much work considering that a second later a crash echoed it's way through an alley to their left. After he'd nearly leapt a foot in the air from fright, he swung round and almost took off Rhia's head with his sword. Peering down the alley, he heard the scuffling of boxes and wood, combined with a voice that cursed repeatedly; a childs voice. Blinking in disbelief, he made sure he'd processed that correctly. 'A childs voice..' yep. "Look, I have a very scared and very powerful woman on my arm, and to be honest, you're scaring me a little. So at least show yourself." His words appeared to be lost in the wind, when lo and behold, a child dressed entirely in black came out of the shadows only her gorgeous glowing purple eyes were visible. Dom was jsut lost for words, and damn, he wanted eyes like that.

The Author: Rhia ducked quickly to avoid that sword, tipping her staff forward towards that sound as well. Her heart was beating just a tad faster than usual, searching the mess of purple and darkness for some sign of the owner of that voice. When the girl stepped forward, Rhia was able to see an outline of her, as well as those eyes, and she swallowed a bit uneasily. She really should have gotten out a little more... She coughed faintly, gathering a bit of what courage she had left, still holding that staff defensively. "Who are you..? What do you want?"

Donnie Darko: The strange little girl answered in kind, her tone a little less than innocent. "My name is Kanara. And what I want is to scare the living daylights out of you two." She smirked just like Dominic did when he was being playful, and he almost fell in love with her right then and there. Dom watched her intently, those eyes still captivating him. He saw her mouth move and then she vanished into a smoky swirl, her outline washing away in a tiny breeze. Looking around ferverantly he almost didn't feel a small pair of hands wrap around the hilt of his other sword. Fortunately, she was too small to pull it out of the scabbard. Only managing one tug Dom sheathed his sword and scooped her up fast, holding her by the arms. "What exactly are you little girl?" Slowly, the glow in her eyes vanished and was replaced with human, normal eyes to Dominics disappointment. She didn't struggle to be let down and looked over Dom and Rhia with a childs curiosity. "She isn't supposed to be here, in this town at night. But you.." she stared into Dom's eyes, grinning with a hint of delight. "You have potential.." What in the hell did that mean?

The Author: Rhia frowned again, relaxing when the girl turned out to be human after all. The girl was damn right Rhia wasn't supposed to be here..nor did she want to be here, but she was here nonetheless. And she wasn't leaving Dominic's side, no matter what some little troublemaker said. "That's all well in good, Kanara, but we don't have time for games. Dom, just put her down and let's go back. Alex will be finished soon enough, I'm sure, and he'll be looking for us, right?" She did not like the idea of being left on her own in this place...for even a little while..

Donnie Darko: "Alex?" her little eyes lit up again, but not with the aid of magic "You are friends of Alexios, the one who will deliver us from the magi?" Dom put her down as commanded, but she did not run off. Instead she stood underneath Rhia, looking directly up at her. "Manae Solas." she whispered, her eyes started glowing again. "Whoooooa.. I've never seen such a bright light mana user. Why would you come here, to this town? If anyone else saw you, they'd kill you on the spot." gleaning with happiness, she turned to Dom again. "I know you're lost. And I heard coffee. Please let me take you to see my uncle. He works in a coffee place near the main gate, you walked right past his shop." Somehow Dominic didn't think that a brilliant idea. He leaned in next to Rhia. "Your call, I'm not too sure.."

The Author: She gazed down at the girl with uncertainty, flexing her grip on the staff. "We are friends of Alex.." She turned her gaze to Dom, smiling faintly. "We might as well.. How much better off are we out here, after all?" Frankly, she just really needed to sit down, sleep if she could manage. She looked again to the girl, smile weakening. "Your father doesn't employ the undead, does he?" She didn't think she could survive another encounter with the undead so soon after the first...her stomach had yet to settle over it.

Donnie Darko: Shaking her head eagerly, as if misunderstanding. "Nope, all the undead are out at the clubs. They are very good at bartending." Grabbing hold of Dom's hand and Rhia's, she tugged gently, already knowing they were going to say yes. "Come on come on, it's this way." Tugging harder, Dom yeilded. She dragged them down the street they had just come up and turned. They were just retracing their steps until down a narrow street the cobbles started again. He didn't know this due to light, as there wasnt any. Not a single street lamp. "Just.. round.." 'She better not be lost.' "HERE!" They stood next to a rather undistinguished building. Not a sign or anything. "Rhia..?" he asked, a little worried.

The Author: As uneasy as they both were, she decided to extend a tiny bit of her own precious store of Mana. She tapped the staff against the ground, and that piece of amber cast a soft glow, lighting up the area for Dom's eyes. It also extended a portion of her own Mana, she using it much in the way bats used echo location. She didn't sense anything more dangerous than the rest of the city, so she shrugged half-heartedly and glanced over at Dom. "Coffee's coffee, right?"

Donnie Darko: Shrugging in apparent agreement, Dom looked down at Kanara who was still tugging on his sleeve. "Take us to your leader.." That joke never got old. Inside they went and he was met with a somewhat unexpected sight. Inside were twelve or thirteen clean tables, sheening with the light from the ample amount of torches that lined the wall. Paintings were hung, though they were less than tasteful and soft music played from somewhere. And it was empty. kanara disappeared round the back of a curtain and Dom smiled happily at Rhia. "I think we deserve a rest, dont you?" He took the closest seat and ungentlemanly-like he kicked hers out for her too.

The Author: She caught the seat in one hand, sinking down into it with a heavy sigh. "More than deserve." She rested the staff against the wall, keeping the bottom of it rested against her calf. She melded herself to that chair, eyes closing for a long time as she just savored the feeling of her muscles being given a break. If she weren't thirsty, she might have let herself fall asleep just as she was, but unfortunately, her throat was dry, and her mouth tasted terrible..

Donnie Darko: Leaning back as far as he could in his seat he sighed with relief as all the bones in his back cracked, one after the other. Doing the same with his neck and fingers, he let the relaxing music enter his soul. "Why are you so tired anyway? Since that run from the ci--" he was cut off from the grandoise appearance of an un-grandoise man. Black clothes, grey hair and a walking staff, he marched into the room flanked by the little girl. His eyes were immediately on Rhia. "Hello! Welcome to my shop. I hear you are a friend of Alexios!" absently he patted the girls head. Dominic coughed, wanting recognition and all he recieved was a barely visible twitch of the eyes. Sulking, he sank into his chair. "My dear, I can feel your aura before I even shake your hand. You are indeed powerful, but the question thta begs to be answered is why are you here? Hmm?" he lifted his nose like old men do, sizing her up. "Not to ruin our mutual friends future plans I hope?" a hint of malice. Maybe this guy wasn't so friendly. Kanara's eyes were glowing again and Dom stared right into them.

The Author: She was too comfortable to feel threatened, gazing back into his eyes quite calmly. "My name is Rhia Kolareny, Container to King Justin, and plaything of the Magi Council. The only plans I am here to ruin are those of the very Magi that wish with all their being to see me dead." She looked away then, just as calm as before. "Now if you wouldn't mind, I would very much appreciate a cup of coffee." She wondered how many times she would have to justify herself...to reassure people that she was not of like mind of the Magi...probably to every person they had to deal with...

Donnie Darko: The same look of joy overcame him that Kanara had. Family indeed. "Good! That is indeed wonderful news. If you are against the magi then you are indeed welcomed here. I have faith that Alexios will need your guidance soon enough." A knowing smile played on his lips and for a few seconds silence ensued. "I'll take a coffee too, if you don't mind." The old guys head darted to face Dominics, totally offended that he'd broken the silence. "Yes.. coffee.." Turning slowly, he disappeared behind the veil. Kanara was still standing there, staring at both of them. "Hey, Kanara. I have a question. How did you get from the right side of in that alley to the right, and right underneath me without us noticing?" She smirked. "I call it a Shadow Blink. You use the dark mana.." she stopped, wary about what she said in front of the Container.

The Author: She glanced over at the girl, brow arched slightly. "What? I told your father, I'm not your enemy. The worst you'll do is offend me, but heck, this whole bloody town is offensive.." She grumbled under her breath, folding her arms on the table top and lowering her head to rest on them. She had no interest in how Necros went about their magickal ways.. There was little she could do to stop their magick whether she knew how they did things or not. So, she'd tune out their little conversation, instead focuing her ears and mind on the music playing, that taste in her mouth the only thing keeping her from falling to sleep.

Donnie Darko: "He's not my father." She added defensively, turning her attention to Dom again. "I use the dark mana to make me invisble to your eyes. I can move along it for a few seconds really fast!.. but if I stay in too long it would kill me." Like it was completely normal. "I could teach you if you want? It doesn't take long to learn. The dark mana would like you cause you aren't like her." She nodded at Rhia. Dom was considering this when the old man returned carrying two large mugs of sweet smelling coffee on a silver tray. He placed them both down and tucked Kanara underneath him. "Come now Kanara, let us leave them alone for a while. They are tired." One last smile and he took her behind the curtain. Dom eyed his coffee carefully. "He's poisoned it, I know he has.."

The Author: "He's done nothing of the sort," she grumbled, as she lifted her head again. She pulled that cup to her and drew in a deep breath, enjoying the smell of it. "He wouldn't risk angering their Lord and savior.." Said with a bit of distaste, though she quickly hid her look of disgust behind the mug, taking a long drink from it. Much better... She sat up a bit more, the sensation of something warm and delicious filling her stomach waking her up a little. She sighed a bit heavily and took another drink, then set the mug down on the table, wrapping her hands around it to warm them up. She still wore his cloak around her, her tired body grateful for the warmth and comfort it brought.

Donnie Darko: Carefully wieghing out the pros and cons, he nodded in agreement. "Your right. He wouldn't." Taking a slow sip he allowed the burning sensation to run right down his throat. The lack of whiskey left it without the kick he usually had, but it wasn't bad. "I just can't see that, you know. Even though he's walked into lights and come back dressed as a necro, choked someone lifeless and killed his own friend with his own fireball.." he paused, wincing slightly. He knew she felt bad about that whole thing. "I just can't see a lord and saviour there.." shrugging, he took another sip.

The Author: She winced as well, but just snorted a bit in a scoff, glaring down into that cup. "Neither do I." She sighed, again heavily, lifting one hand to rub at her forehead, eyes drifting shut. "I just don't see how someone who has no remorse with killing someone - which is exactly what this leader of theirs is suggesting - could possibly make this Kingdom a better place. It doesn't seem like any sort of change from what's allready happening, aside from who's killing who..." A sad look came onto her face as she gazed down at the coffee cup. "Killing just isn't the answer..."

Donnie Darko: "You might be right there, but at the same time, had we not killed a few of those guards in the city I don't think you'd be alive to say those words." Looking around, he stared at a certain picture on the wall. It looked like a knight atop a horse, black armour. But he was drawn like a walking shadow, parts of himself trailing behind. "Maybe they don't intend on killing once their Lord is fully recognised? Either that or a war is about to start. Now that you've run from the council, they'll be itching all over wondering what to do, and when you have a council of five men and women who can level entire cities, then perhaps they should just be let to slaughter each other. If theres no-one left, there will be peace."

The Author: She glanced over at him with a frown. "You're a very cynical man, Dominic." She took another drink of the coffee, licking her lips as she rested the cup back on the table. "A war will kill the innocent as well as the guilty, and that's unacceptable... I think we're all just a little too hasty, and, honestly, I think you're wrong about back there in the city." She said that very seriously, before letting her gaze drift over to her staff, her eyes tracing over the cracks in that stone. "There are always choices, but you can only see them if you open your eyes to them..."

Donnie Darko: Smirking, he let his eyes drift from the picture to hers. "I may be cynical, but not everyone can see your choices as clearly as you can. Take Kanara for example. A battlemagi storms in here and without thinking takes his sword to her. She's a dark mana user, she must be extinguished. I wouldn't have a second thought about slicing his head off. You could stop him with a simple spell I guess, but his choice was made, as was mine. She was innocent, he was guilty. Sometimes it is jsut that simple." Another sip, longer.

The Author: She looked over again, her gaze steady on his. "And if it was reversed? If a child took up arms against a man who was not prepared to defend himself, would you kill that child so readily?" She watched him closely, and even as she spoke those words, the amber stone pulsated softly, a certain crack along the surface seeming to glow a little more than the rest.

Donnie Darko: Closing his eyes for a moment, he took a deep breath. "Possibly not. But then again, I like Kanara, so I'd keep her safe anyway. Same with you, back in the city. I could say that you fed me and thats why I did it, but in the end, that would be a lie. Maybe it's a theives thing?" Smiling absently, he glanced at her staff and it struck him just then that she hadn't once let go of it, not even for a minute. Staring at the stone he looked back at her. "Whats with you and that staff anyway? Lucky charm?"

The Author: "Charm..?" She laughed faintly. "Charm, maybe.. Lucky, I should say not." She glanced over at it. "It's a symbol of my Contract... And the channel through which my life is fed." She lowered her gaze to her hands. "It is my leash...as well as my lifeline."

Donnie Darko: "Thats.. strange. I would have thought something a little more secure would have been used.. but I'm not the Mage." Another long sip of his coffee, which was tasing better every time he swallowed. "Is there no way for you to sever the link without dying or setting off a lot of alarm bells in the Magi High Council Chambers?"

The Author: Her eyes widened slightly and she looked over at him, disbelief on her face. "Why would I do that?" Apparently the thought had never entered her mind, and she looked clearly taken aback that he would suggest such a thing.

Donnie Darko: Stifling a laugh, he stared at her with the same disbelief. "Do I really need to remind you that you are in fact running from the very people that control your life? Youre witness to at least three counts of murder and you've helped a criminal escape capture. Twice. If that isn't reason enough, severing that link could very well mean living your own life. Choosing to uphold the laws of this world is very different from being forced to."

The Author: Her brow furrowed and she shook her head. "I could never sever my Contract... Not with Jus- Not with the King." She smiled faintly, another sad look coming into her eyes. "My life is not so simple as you make it out to be, I'm afraid."

Donnie Darko: The coffee mug felt too light when he put it to his mouth and to his dismay it was empty. "Simple or not, you are playing a very dangerous hand being here. I'd be surprised if anyone besides me and Alex really trusted you anymore. Not until this entire thing has blown over anyway. This isn't a journey as much as it is a crusade." he smirked. "Taking bets now."

The Author: She snorted, shaking her head some. "Do you honestly think anyone trusted me before? Why the hell do you think the Contracts even exist? The Hell Necromancers wreak by way of the dead a Container can wreak by way of the living. For centuries we've been considered even more of a threat than them and have been habitually killed off if ever one of our kind surfaced." She clenched her teeth, holding tightly to that mug. "The Council killed my parents, and would have killed me if Prince Justin had not saved my life by forging a contract with me, linking our lives." She glanced over at him. "The King is the only man who has ever trusted me my entire life."

Donnie Darko: Backing off into his chair a little he took in her information a little slower, just to be sure. "Wait.. your life is connected directly to the King's? That must be fun at parties.." shaking his head he stared down at the wooden table, thinking for a second. "Obviously my knowledge is limited here, but I thought that a reanimated body couldn't use the mana streams? I heard stories about mages in battles being turned on their own, but unable to cast any spells." Damn, he wanted more coffee now. "You are.. human.. right?" he eyed her with mock fear.

The Author: She sniffed in disgust, finishing off that coffee before answering. "I wasn't brought back to life. I never died. The Contract between a Container and her King is delicate and complicated, and can not be explained in few words. Sometimes I think even I don't fully understand it... Contracts were first created in hopes that we could be controlled in a way the dead are controlled by Necromancers, but they found that even while Contracted, a Container had a will of her own. So the Contracts became more complicated, stronger, and more constricting." She shrugged faintly. "They could never stop a Container from taking her own life, and thus the life of her Contracted as well, so they finally gave up and just began killing us off."

Donnie Darko: In the background he could hear footsteps, more than just Kanara are her old uncle. Easily three different pairs of feet. At the moment, they weren't hading back into the shop. Best Dominic could tell, the old uncle had some friends over to talk, probably after a hard night clubbing. "Back in the city, you told me wars had been fought over a containers allegiance. What happens after a contract has been forged and then the King they are bound to dies? Do both die?"

The Author: She shook her head with a small sigh. "No. A Container was to be passed down through generations should a King die. You see, our control over the Light Mana Stream allows us to evade aging and death for a considerable amount of time." She leaned back in her chair, glancing up at the stone of the staff. "We die once we have committed too many atrocities to our nature." Her gaze shifted over to him again. "Such as taking a life."

Donnie Darko: "I wonder. If Alex goes psycho on us and vows to destroy all humans and such, does killing him count as a good act or a bad act? Cause I sure as Hell won't want to step in and take your place." Those footsteps again, and voices now. Kanara came running out from behind the curtain before Rhia could answer. She ran up to the table and panted a little. "You two need to leave, now. My uncle has.." "Kanara!" She fell silent. From behind the curtain the old uncle appeared, followed by two younger men who wore the same robes. All were smiling a very eerie smile. Dominic stood up out of habit and stared at them all. "Please, do not be alarmed. We come only to test you. If you are going to be carting around with Alexios then I'm afraid we have to make sure you are capable and worthy." Dom sighed and looked at Rhia. He already knew what was coming.

The Author: She frowned a bit and slowly stood as well, taking her staff in hand. "What sort of test are we talking about?" She wasn't looking too comfortable with this whole situation. She was even more tired than before, the caffiene not seeming to have done much for her. "And can't it wait until tomorrow?" She glanced at each of those man, studying their auras to try to determine their temperment and intentions.

Donnie Darko: "I'm afraid, miss, that it cannot wait until tommorow." The man on the right stepped forward and caused Dominic to drop his shoulders. His hands were sparking, the flahses moving between his fingers, like he was a human light bulb. His eyebrows dropped and he squeezed his fingers, the sparks getting stronger. "If Dimitri gets a touch on you, I'm afraid your heart will stop." The uncle spoke with a sick expectation. kanara moved back in fear. "Rhia, next time, could you please just slap me when I say I'm going for a walk in a strange, freaky town?"

The Author: "Gladly, my friend," she said as she watched Dimitri uneasily. She backed up a couple of steps towards the door, taking her staff in both hands. "Please tell me we're not about to play some lethal game of tag..." The thought of having to run again made her ponder the idea of just letting him touch her and see what happens...who knows, maybe she wouldn't feel a thing...maybe...

Day 5, Amazing as Always.

The Author: Rhia frowned some at Dom's teasing tone. She lifted her staff upright, and once again gracefully pulled herself up to her feet. "You're incapable of being serious, aren't you? No wonder you're a thief." She brushed herself off a bit, then raised her free hand to rest it on her hip. "Riding on your back would probably be best.. Carrying me in your arms will get tiresome." She glanced over at Alex, eyes softening a bit. "You'll be alright, Alex. I'll make sure of it." It was priority that he not lose his mind in the process of becoming a Necromancer Lord...if he did...then that amber may find itself with one more imperfection.

Donnie Darko: Responding with a grin, while proving Rhia right, was still what Dom did. "I could take offense to that, you know. I know at least one thief who cares about everyone else." Rigging his sword harness to his belt, he attactched both his swords underneatth his cloak and picked up his shoulder sack, tossing it to Alex. "If I'm carrying her, you can carry my pack. And, we should swap half way there. I might need some strength to fight off a.. bear. Yes. A really scary bear." Feigning seriousness, he blinked a few times before turning back to Rhia, hunching down a little. "Come on then. And I swear, if you are heaver than you look, I'm leaving you here." He would too.

Xan Torez: Alex caught Dominic's bag then swung it over his shoulder, slinging his Staff over too and holstering it to his back. He frowned at Rhia's comment about him being 'alright', not understanding her entirely, but decided not to persue it as he looked out over the landscape. The road could just been seen, and in the daylight, small figures were movign along it; people from Karatham coming to the City for the best market deals, and people returning home as well. He prayed that a fight wouldn't break out on the road with all those people around. If it happens, Alexios, you cannot avoid it. You will learn to accept death as your brother soon enough.' If Rhia was still open to the Mana Streams around her, she'd be able to here the Voice still.

The Author: She paled a bit at that voice, but did her best to shake it off, that sense of nausea coming back to her at the mere thought of more people dying. She instead paid attention to Dom, rolling her eyes at him. "Don't be such a baby. You'd regret leaving me here when those Magi are shooting fireballs at your ass." She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned against his back. When he lifted her up, he'd find she was even lighter than she looked, not that much heavier than his pack. "Let's just get on with this.."

Donnie Darko: Dom flexed his legs a little, clearly testing whether she was as light as she was. "Are you even human? You weigh as much as most bread rolls." Confused he began to walk towards the road, towards all those returning home. Hal of them probably left disappointed since they'd misplaced their wallets. A small smile of satisfaction. "And just so you know, fireballs I dont mind so much. It's those damn water mages, they think its funny to soak you then freeze your feet together. soooo funny." Bitter words from bitter experience.

Xan Torez: Alex followed along side him, listening to his words but keeping silent. In his mind, he asked a question, one of the smallest of the millions going through his head right now, 'That portal thing that you came here using.. is that.. a Necro lord spell?' 'It's not a spell at all. It's something that is only available at the temple. The Dark Mana streams here are so concentrated, that it's possible to rip them open, and travel as one, then travel back. That's all I did.' A slightly dissatisfying answer, but an answer nonetheless. Next question, 'Are my parents still alive?' The voice stayed silent. 'Damn it..'

The Author: She chuckled faintly at Dom. "I'll have to remember that. Maybe I'll conveniently ignore a couple of water mages." Teasing, obvoiusly. If he was her mode of transportation, then she'd be best off protecting those feet. "And yes, I'm human... Magick's a pretty resourceful thing." Idly, she glanced over her shoulder, at the staff resting across her back. She would have to keep thinning out that line between her and the King...she only hoped the Magi weren't smart enough to look for it... It was nearly indistinguishable from the rest of the Mana Streams unless they followed it straight from the King. That would mean someone would have to keep an eye on it constantly... She really hoped it didn't prove a problem.

Donnie Darko: Soon enough all three of them were travelling towards Karatham, almost indistinguisable from the few others. Vibrant clothing and staves were common enough to go unquestioned. In about six hours the worlds dark would turn itself on and maybe they could find somewhere that wasn't grass to sleep. The sleeping bags they carried, while acceptable, still did not beat a warm bed with freshly washed sheets. Dirt track under foot, Dom stared out at the long road ahead, which bent around the forest and passed by a mountain. They'd probably see the towns highest point when theyd traversed around the forest. "Oi, Alex. You didn't tell us what you were thinking about when you vanished. We could use a little conversation."

Xan Torez: Alex shook his head, "I think I'll keep that to myself." He kept along side, watching eveyrbody carefully as they passed. His heart jumped when, for a brief second, he had been sure he'd seen three men walking ahead with the colours of the Imperial Regalia. There were Mages, about 20 meters ahead, walking infront of another group of people. It seems they were not interested in anything behind them, or in front for that matter, but Alex wondered if any of them had seen the wanted posters in the City, or if they'd been sent out here to look.

The Author: Before they got to the road, Rhia would untie the blindfold from around her eyes, blinking a couple of times. She may have been physically blind, but the sun was brutal on them. But, keeping the blindfold on was a bit of an eyecatch, and her being carried drew enough attention on its own. During the day, she'd keep her eyes closed most of the time, head bowed down against Dom's shoulder. By nightfall, she'd be quite glad for the darkness, returning her attention to scanning the people around them. She was good as a pair of eyes at night, since it might as well be day for her.

Donnie Darko: After almost three hours of walking in total silence, Dominic was going a little insane. Apparently, walking and talking weren't acceptable together. So he stopped walking. "Alright. Now the silence can end!" He let Rhia down and stretched his arms, most of the bones cracking. "We haven't said a word for too long, and I swear, if we don't play I-spy RIGHT now, I'm gonna kill something." Agititated, he raised his voice a little too loud. Shouting, more like it, so loud his voice echoed from the base of the mountain. Not too long ahead of them, two figures turned around, hearing his voice and their curious natures made them begin walking towards it. They wore the outfit of Imperial Guards. "I spy with my Goddamn little eye.." 'Deep breaths, come on. Calm down. They just don't travel much'.

Xan Torez: Alex watched the outfits carefully, then smiled and put his left hand out a little towards Rhia and Dom, "Actually, I know one of them. I think we're going to be okay.." Confidently he walked towards them. One of them narrowed his eyes, then flexed his hands a little. Not a good sign. The other, however, grinned and walked up to Alex, offering his hand to shake. Alex took it happily and smiled, "You're not allowed out often, Rhyann, what's the deal?" The Imperial guard grinned, letting go of Alex's hand and stretching, seemingly having not a care in the world, "Ah! You know me! thought I'd take a stroll outside!" "C'mon, we both know they wouldn't let you out in a million years! What's going on? Trouble in Karatham. If there is, you'd better get there quick and sort it out. I want it to be spick and span when I get there." Both men chuckled, then Rhyann sighed, ".. what've I been hearing, Alex? Word is, you threatened the king, broke into his quarters, damaged government property, then killed a group of BattleMagi. Please tell me I was right to say you didn't do any of that?" Alex felt a lump in his throat grow with nerves, but he shook his head, "I didn't break in, I never threatened the king and I didn't hurt her; she drained herself with a spell.." ".. and the BattleMagi..?" ".. I.. may have hurt a few on my way out, BUT you've got to understand! The Magi council are corrupt, Rhyann! They were trying to stop us from getting out and proving that they're not working with the good intentions of mankind at heart!" Rhyann sighed, scratching the back of his neck, "How can you say that, Alex? You spent so long trying to get INTO the Mage's guild. How could you think this?" He looked at Alex's robes, "In fact, I don't want to know. Word is, you're turning into a Necromancer now. Is it true?" "I'm just learning about them, with the hope of finding the truth about the Magi in the Necromancer ranks." Rhyann closed his eyes and whispered something, moving his head to face the sky. It was already getting dark, the sun setting now behind the mountain itself. After a few more seconds, Rhyann moved looked back at Alex and smiled a dissappointed smile, "You know, I've been ordered to kill you, but I refuse to do it. I'm going to have to take you into custody though. The Magi want you, and the other two, back at the City. Please, don't make this any harder for me than it already is." Alex closed his eyes and took a step back, "I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that, Rhyann. Please, just go back to the city and tell them that you never saw us." With a chuckle, Rhyann shook his head, "You know that's not possible. The Magi's council have ways of seeing through lies. Please, Alex, don't.." But Alex slipped his right foot round to the side to get a firm stance, before unclipping his staff. Rhyann's eyes widened and he stepped back a little, unclipping his own staff. The other Magi followed suit, taking a firm grip on his own and standing beside Rhyann. Alex felt mortified. He was actually about to fight a life long friend.

The Author: Rhia's eyes widened as the situation escalated to one she wanted very much to avoid. This especially...they were friends...she couldn't allow this to happen. As difficult as it was, she dragged herself to her feet, letting out a bit of a groan as she did so. "Stop!" The word was so commanding, that even the wind that was blowing stopped, the birds in the area silencing. She glared over at the guards, standing herself up straight. "I have express permission from the King to be here, as does Alex. The orders to bring us back are superceded by the King's. If you harm but one hair on any of our heads, you will be in direct violation of the King's orders, and I will be forced to take the appropriate action." She used a little of her influential power to at least make the guard doubt his actions, if not make him see the truth in her words. She only prayed that the Magi Council hadn't forced the King to make the orders to have the three of them brought in or killed.

Donnie Darko: Dominic shook his head in bemusement. A few steps to the right allowed him to be out of firing range of any spells that might go a'flyin. If he kept sighing like he was, he'd just become depressed. None of these people seemed to realise that words were not the answer, and his point was proven but a moment later. The guard who flexed his magic maker spoke out, "You're here on the Kings orders? Oh! Then we should just leave you alone, let you kill as many -respected- Magi that cross your path and let HIM.." he pointed rather rudely at Alex, "..become a Necromancer." The sarcasm in his voice did not cover over the anger. He flxed his fingers again, glaring at Rhia. "If you think that you are going anywhere but back home, then you are sorely mistaken. I know what you're capable of, and believe me, dead or alive, you WILL return. Killing the states Magi is unacceptable and one of the highest laws. Necromancy is forbidden. You are all under arrest." He paused, his eyes scanning for any hint of movement. "TELES--" A sword shot past Rhia's ear at a scary speed. The sound of metal carving through flesh was dimmed only by the crumpling of the Guards body. Dominic was short one sword. "Sorry Rhia, but I am not going anywhere." The fun was lost from his eyes, the childish smile all but evapourated. Right now he was a murdered, one without remorse and a conscience. It would eat at him later though.

Xan Torez: The sword had killed one soldier, and in reflex, Rhyann span his staff, charging towards Alex. Alex too moved forward, the two staves colliding with tremendous force, each parrying the other's attacks. The attack/parry switched sides, each swinging their weapon skillfully, neither managing to get a hit into the other. 'I've no intention of killing him' he kept telling the voice, but he knew well that he was only trying to reassure himself. One Guard was already dead. He prayed to God, if there was one, that he wouldn't be the murderer of a good friend. Rhyann spoke, "Alex! Don't.." he dodged one of Alex's blows and parried another, "..make this harder than it should be! Just come back with me! If the King really has.." he dodged another, throwing his own attack, but Alex parried, "..sent you here, then he will get you back too!" Alex didn't respond, his attacks becoming more and more fierce, until one blow pushed Rhyann back onto the ground. Alex stood, panting and glaring down at him, "The Magi are controlling him, Rhyann! that is why we're here! We're trying to restore balance to the Royal system!" "By killing innocent men?! Alex, what has gotten into you??!" "Leave, Rhyann. Tell them you were attacked by us. Tell them not to come for us again. Or, come with us. I will show you the truth!" Alex relieved his battle stance and rested his staff by his side. Rhyann panted a little and closed his eyes, "My allegiance is sworn, Alex. You either come with me, or kill me." The words were like a dagger in the chest, and Alex shook his head, "I can do neither.." Rhyann struggled to his feet, using his staff to pull himself up, then clenched his fist in pain against his chest, "Then, what kind of a Necromancer are you?! Fiiré!" He threw a point of his hand in Alex's direction, an impressive sized ball of fire launching itself quickly. Alex didn't even think as he pushed his hand out infront of him, and the fireball flew into the grasp of his own Telesis spell. It dragged him to the side a little, before he launched it back. It wasn't until it had left his magic grasp that the horror of what was happening hit Alex dead on. The ball of fire struck Rhyann full on in the chest, burning through his robes, and quite a dangerous amount of his chest. He immediately collapsed and Alex dropped his staff where he stood, running to his best friend, "Oh jesus, oh God, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry!" Rhyann twitched a little in pain as he looked up to Alex. Even his eyes had been burned, and it looked as though he couldn't see his so-called-friend at all. There was no emotion on his face as his head dropped slowly back and his body fell still. Alex continued to hold on to him though, screaming out, "JESUS NO. Please. RHYANN!" There was nothing. The road was deadly silent here and the sun was almost gone, the lights of the town ahead almost the only illumination. 'What you intend to do, is not always what is right..'

The Author: Her eyes widened as the sword zinged past her ear, blood running cold as she watched the Light Stream abandon the second guard. She was too shocked to do anything about the battle that pursued. Perhaps if she hadn't been so stunned, she could have cut that spell off before it hit Rhyann. She was a Container, after all. It wasn't until she saw the last the Light Stream leave him that she realized what had just happened. Considerably weakened by those events, she sank to her knees, staff rolling out of her hand. She should have been able to do something...how had this happened...? Perhaps she, too, had been corrupted... That thought, joined with the witnessing of those two deaths and the sound of Alex's screams, was just too much. She lifted one hand over her mouth, dropping her face down to her knees. Was she doing the right thing..? She was -bound- to do the right thing, so she had to be...right?

Donnie Darko: Dom's sword still skewered the guards chest, but he did not retrieve it. Both of them were on their knees, but he didn't care. "What the fuck was that?! The King SENT us out here? THEN WHY ARE WE BEING CHASED?!" He was yelling so loud his throat started hurting. Angrily storming towards the dead guard, he yanked his sword out and cleaned the blood off with the guards robes. Sheathing it, he ducked his head.. "You two are in this so deep. I thought we were runn-- you know, I don't even know I why I ran with you. To learn magic?" his eyes stung holes in Rhia's.. "I swear, whatever the Hell is it you two are doing, from now on I want in on your little magical loop." More deep breaths. Calming actions. "Alex, get your ass up off the ground. Someone is bound to come along here soon, and we aren't far from Karatham." Turning, he set off again, towards the little lights, but he stopped after a few steps. Closing his eyes, he un-tied his cloak and walked back to Rhia, wrapping her in it. Not because he was a gentlemen and the breeze would make her cold, but it was the only way he could show he didn't hate her, and that this situation wasn't her fault.

Xan Torez: For a few more seconds he stared at Rhyann, then glared up at Dominic to see him give Rhia his cloak. Rhia being on the floor didn't do wonders for his situation either, but with a silent resolve, he rose to his feet and lifted the body of his friend, carrying him to the road side and into the grass. With the body here, it wouldn't be hidden for Search parties, but innocents travelling on the road would not have to endure the burnt carcass of Rhyann. Alex by now was crying quietly, but he walked back to his staff and picked it up, placing it on his back. Hew knew that at this moment, he should give up, turn around, and go back, but a new part of him that became stronger every time he killed was telling him that all the deaths that would follow in Alex's wake would be righteous. he turned to the other two, narrowing his eyes at Dominic a little. The way Dominic had spoken whilst Alex had been in such a state of messed up emotion had triggered a small tension within him. He'd had no problem with Dom so far, but his comment was a little too far. There was no point getting into another fight here though. Besides, Dominic had known this would happen. His eyes had said it back at the camp, "Let's move. We need to get into the town. It won't be long before they send everybody out to search."

The Author: Rhia slowly lifted her head when she felt that cloak rest over her shoulders, glancing up at Dom. With a great deal of effort, she reached out for her staff, righting it and using it to help her up to her feet. She stiffened her jaw, clenching her teeth in a vain attempt to hold back the pain, and the sob building in her chest. Too much death... She managed to hold back the sob, though her own silent tears were streaking her cheeks. Whether those men knew it or not, she'd watched each and every one of them grow up. All of them. She knew from the time a person was born by the look at their aura if they were magick users, and it was part of her duty in looking after the city to watch over each of those users, as they grew up, and even after they'd become a part of the military. So while she may not have known any of them personally, she still knew each of them very well...and that made this that much more painful. She lifted one hand to hold the cloak closed around her, as she was beginning to feel colder and colder as they continued, though it was a chill unrelated to the setting of the sun. She started to walk in the direction of that city, not saying a word. She didn't trust herself to speak. But she wouldn't let either of them carry her, no matter how much her body screamed in protest at the excercise. Though she'd felt light to Dom, to herself, she may as well have weighed as much as three men with the state of her muscles.

Donnie Darko: Unforetunately, one silence led to another and the latter was a lot more uncomfortable. They walked another two or so miles without even breathing heavily. Dom glanced between them now and then and was a little uneasy about they looks they had. Rhia's eyes were hard and glazed over which meant she was in a lot of pain, physically or mentally he couldn't tell. Alex, well, Alex just looked like he couldn't resign to the fact he'd just killed a friend. Then again, if Dom had just murdered Juno he'd be a little off. The lights of the city got closer and the sun was practically set, it's little yellow tip peeking over the trees, the sky was a vibrant pink with flecks of orange. A beautiful sunset for not such a day. Perhaps the night would hold more for the uneasy trio. They didn't pass a single other traveller on the roads, and yet there were a dozen or two when they left Hopelite City. The city gates were maybe another mile or so. But they couldn't enter through those. Dom stopped walking. "We have to cut into the forest now." His voice was quiet. He felt a little awkward breaking the silence.

Xan Torez: Alex nodded a little and began looking for a cleering, when suddenly he noticed three silhouettes walking behind them. Quickly he turned to face them, trying to identify any signs of guard or royal insignias, but he could see none. All three wore robes, each carried a staff, and they were all hidden under the darkness of hoods. They kept a steady pace and distance at about 10 meters behind the group and Alex carried on looking forwards again, whispering to Dom, "I think we might be being followed. If we move into the forest, we'll be setting ourselves up for ambush. What do you suggest?"

Donnie Darko: At least he had the good sense not to turn around. When Alex said they were being followed, Dom listened for other footsteps that were not theirs, and voila. Three sets of feet, all very close to them. "We cannot stay on this road any longer. Maybe a quarter of a mile more and they will see us. The guards at the front gate were given a spell to see the road leading in at night. We're criminals with yours and Rhias face everywhere. If we don't stop, we get caught. If we keep moving, we get ambushed. Goddamn I hate this adventure." Slowly, Dom's hands went for both his swords, brushing the hilt slowly. "They should have done something by now.." Dom looked into the forest. "The cover of trees is our best bet, Rhia can see them in the dark."

Xan Torez: With a frown he looked to the side at the trees, then back at Dom, "If it comes down to it, grab Rhia and run. I can hold them off on my own, and she doesn't need to see any more death." An English-accented voice by his right hand side made him jump and he stopped, ducking away. One of the three characters had snook up silently, and now stood, his face covered with a hood, holding his staff with both hands, "Nah mate, none of that's necessary. We aint 'ere to rob ya'. We're 'ere to get you in!" The other two characters, were somehow now infront of them. HOW they had managed to do that Alex would never know, but right now there were bigger fish to fry, "Who are you?" The man laughed a little and pushed back his hood. He was young, with long black hair, some over his eyes and he flicked it out of the way with a grin, "Ekeil, and these 'ere are mi siblings. Eilross," another dark robed man flicked his hood back and nodded. He looked a little foreign, and had a stern look on his face, "and that's Erica." the third and final figure removed her hood. She was a pretty little thing, shoulder length blonde hair, petite face and bright blonde eyes to finish off the picture. They were an instant give-away of her casting type. She was an Aquamage. A Dark Aquamage. Alex never thought they existed. He looked back at Ekeil and frowned slightly, "Do you know of an entrance into the town? I need to meet up with a Necromancer in there." Ekeil rolled his eyes and laughed, resting his staff across his chest as he folded his arms, "There's HUNDREDS in there. The town is run by them at night! I assume you know, WHICH one you need to see?" "No. I need to collect some training book." Ekeil's facial expression changed to a knowing one and he flicked his staff up in the air, grabbing it, then pointing it towards the front gates, "I know which one yer on about. Reight then, let's get going!" ".. wait.. through the front gate..?" Ekeil, who was in mid step, comically stopped and turned on his heel, "Well, yeahhhh, that's what they're for..." "But.. what about the guards?" "G.. guards? HA!" he started to laugh, and Erica joined in too. Eilross just shook his head and grinned, "you've obviouisly never been to Karatham at night before, have you? Don't worry, there's a first time for us all. C'mon! Just follow me." and with that he started walking ahead at a confident yet casual pace, muttering and chuckling to his brother and sister, "Guards.. ha! Gotta love the new'ens, 'a'nt ya?" Alex stood for a second before he looked back at Dom with a slightly dissappointed look, then at Rhia, "Can I offer you a lift, Madam?"

The Author: She glanced over at him, brow furrowed slightly from the pain. But the thought of giving into it now made her even more woosy than the effects of those Necromancers. She lifted her free hand and rested it on his shoulder, her grip tightening without her really meaning it to, a clear sign of how weak and uneasy she was becoming. "Just let me lean on you... I'll be fine..." She kept her voice low, something about letting those three know for sure that she was in a weakened state hammering at her pride. Not that she had much pride left... Even Alex's calling her 'Madam' seemed wrong just then. She leaned on him the whole way, using the Staff only to steady herself, never placing her weight on it, as seemed a usual habit with her. She kept wary eyes on those three, then the 'guards' standing at the city's gates. She had bad feelings all around with this whole situation..

Donnie Darko: 'Oh, okay'. So maybe the guards were slightly corrupt, and just possibly this town was one of the safest places they could be right now, but that still didn't stop Dom from frowining and hanging his head. He couldn't even bring himself to check out the cute chick. "I ain't no damn newbie." he muttered, laughing at his own disappointment. To be fair, at least Alex and Dom were new to this and somehow, Rhia didn't seem too hardcore right now either. "How long until the market travels through this area? I'm guessing a week or two, since business is booming in the city. There's someone I need to talk to." He asked the woman, trying to initiate a conversation. He always felt a little more confident talking to women. And yes, his eyes did drop for a few seconds. She -was- cute.

Xan Torez: Erica didn't look at the thief, keeping her eyes ahead. Her walk was seductive and playful, yet she held the staff in a way that said, 'don't take me on. You'd be dead before you know it', "The market travels through here in about a weeks time, the posters are all over the town." She didn't mention any other posters. As much as Alex knew he owed it to Rhia to do as she asked after he had already killed more guards, her leaning on him was still showing that she felt a little weak, and after a few more seconds of the thought, he finally stopped and turned, taking her staff, attaching it to his back, then lifting her into his arms, "Don't bother arguing with me, I know you probably already hate me, but as much as you don't like to admit it, Rhia, you're not fully recovered. You NEED rest, and I aint letting you down until we get you to a hotel room with a good comfy bed for you to relax on, got it?" he didn't give her chance to answer, "good." Of course, he meant it all with the very best of intentions. Besides, she was hardly heavy. Her staff probably weight more than her..

The Author: She grunted a bit when he lifted her up, frowning a bit at him as he spoke. A wince passed over her face when he made the statement that she probably hated him, and swallowed hard to hold her tongue until he finished speaking. She lifted one of her arms up around his neck, so she could keep some physical contact with the staff, resting her fingers against the wood. She then turned her eyes to Alex's face, the frown lifting to a look of concern. She kept her voice quiet, in the attempt to keep the conversation between them. "I don't hate you, Alex... My insides are just all twisted around right now.. And I'm worried about you. That's all.." She looked away as she finished, gazing up at the stone on the staff. How much closer would she be to death after this little adventure of theirs was over?

Donnie Darko: Dom turned to see Alex carrying Rhia. It looked strange. "Isnt she the one that should be carrying you?" he chuckled, turning back towards the town. In a weeks time, Juno would be regailed with one of the best stories he'd ever heard. Dominic couldn't wait. And by that time, he'd know a little magic too. Absently, his hand stroked the books within his cloak, more than eager to have a good nights rest and practice some of the spells. "Oh.. damn.. Alex, can you throw me my pack? Theres something in it I need." Walking backwards now, he hoped that a wall wouldn't just appear. That wouldn't be funny.

Xan Torez: Alex frowned a little, suddenly confused as to how it was possible for him to manage this and not drop Rhia, before he had a bit of a thought. Gently he opened his right hand underneath her, then lowered his arm. She didn't move down with it however and he grinned at her. Carefully, he then shuffled his arm so that the bag fell loose and slid down his arm. once the strap lay on his hand, he tightened his grasp on it, then put his hand against her again to hold her properly, "Yeah, come get it". Ekeil approached the two guards on watch now. Alex expected them to halt the party, but much to his surprise, Ekeil held out his fist, and the guard on the right tapped it with his own. Just how corrupt WAS this place?

The Author: She watched that little display, and yet another thought occured to her. If they did disband the current Magi Council, would places like this swear their allegience, whole-heartedly, to the King? if they didn't...and there was no longer a Magi Council...the King, the whole country, would be very vulnerable. She'd better recover her strength, and soon, or else this little adventure could very well spell the destruction of the kingdom. Wonderful. Another doubt in her mind about this whole thing. She closed her eyes, tipping her head down so she wouldn't have to look at everything around her, just trying to keep her stomach settled.

Donnie Darko: The gates creaked to life and the forecourt of the town was nothing more than another street. No grand temple or fountain or even a welcoming comittee. What kind of town doesn't have a welcoming comittee for the future Necromancer Lord? 'Clunk' The gates opened fully and two men stepped down, standing either side. "You're late. Come on in so we can close up. Don't want any O those Imperial Guards showing up tonight. Although, we were supposed to be receiving some today." "Wonder where they got to.." Dominic whispered to himself, not smiling. Wrapping his cloak fully around him he followed the little group inside the town, instantl;y met by two long, wide streets. Where the market would set up. The street ahead of them was more of a dingy alley. "So.. uh, take us to your leader?" Dom grinned and turned round to Alex, nabbing his pack from his hands. "Thank you." Sliding it on, he wondered what exactly they were supposed to be expecting.

Xan Torez: "Welcome to Karatham," began Ekeil, stretching his arms out. As he did, two balls of bright blue energy above his palms shot into light and he spun once, quite obviously enjoying himself, "by day, a peaceful, Magi run way-town for the so called 'City of Hope'. 'ope my ass! By night, this city has one of the best night lives you'll see around. Clubs, bars, more clubs, gambling rings, some more clubs," he began pointing at certain buildings now, "more clubs, that one's a strip tease club, prostitutes," he grinned and pointed at 3 scantily clad girls who all talked on the corner of the street. They all giggled and waved back. Ekeil was the street-king of this place, and he damn well knew it, "pimps, pushers, druggies, gamblers, assassins," he turned, now walking backwards, raising a eyebrow playfully at Alex, ".. necromancers," he turned again, ".. dark mages, Normal Mages looking for a crafty nigh' off after work, we've got the LOT! Not QUITE got the thug's town feel of Garan'kho, but we're getting there, and who'd have thought it with it being so close to the Magi Center, eh?" he carried on walking forwards as Alex called from the back, "We're not here for a good night out though, we're here-.." he was cut off, ".. You're here for the book, yeah yeah, I get it, but here's how it works," he turned back, "you don't get the book, till I know I can trust you, reight?" As Ekeil faced forwards again, Alex sighed and looked down at Rhia, speaking quietly, "Never trust a thug, eh?" and to himself, 'Is this what happens when you use the Dark Mana Streams?' 'No. This is what happens when you get over confident..' 'Yeah, that was my second guess..'

The Author: She glanced up at Alex, smiling just faintly. "There are many degrees of trust, my friend." She let her gaze drift over to those other three, stretching her arm a little further behind him so that she could take a tighter hold on the staff. The last thing she needed was to be seperated from that lifeline in a place where her life could very easily be snuffed out. She really should stop thinking... Now she was frightened, her heart beating a little faster. Imagine, a Container, frightened... What was this world coming to, anyway? Maybe she'd been cooped up in that castle as the Council's Pet for too long.

Donnie Darko: Dom's heart fluttered just a little when Ekeil pointed out the clubs and the bars. This one street had everything he loved, even bar fights! Someone had just fallen out a door with another guys neck in his hands a little way to the right. A rather large splash of water that nearly drowned them stopped it though. Diving into his bag he pulled out his new deck of cards, taking off the packet and shuffling them non-chalently. "I don't think I could be any happier right now." His eyes fell over Erika again and he smirked. "Well, maybe a little.." chuckling he started walking down the street, still shuffling. "Gonna make me some money.. tonight.." he sung cheerily for a guy who'd killed a few people in one day. One door was open and music was pumping some good music out and like a moth to the music he swerved at the door, stopping with one foot inside. "Don't you two even dare tell me you aren't joining me." He turned to Erika again, the same smirk on his face. "And I'm buying you a -drink-." Tasteless jokes always worked.

Xan Torez: Alex shook his head a little and smiled, "Actually, I've gotta get Rhia back. She needs rest, believe me." He turned to look at Ekeil who grinned and shook his head, "Not a chance, boy. Hotels don't open around here till about 2am, meaning, 'get your ass in there for next few hours'." Alex sighed then looked down at Rhia. "Do you think you can put up with scantily clad women, loud music, beer and a drunken Dominic for a few hours?" Erica glanced at Dominic with a playful grin, before walking towards the club door. As she did, she raised a hand, as if to strike Dom's cheek as she walks past, but instead a swirl of blue light slowly drifted down her body from her hand. As it passed her clothes, they changes from a slightly dark-looking long robe, into a white short skirt and whit tank top the majority of her flesh obvious for the world to see. Her hand never even touched Dominic as she walked into the club. Eilross walked to Ekeil, whispering something, to which the Street-King nodded and clashed fists with his brother, before Eilross walked away into the town. Then, Ekeil bowed and pointed a little towards the door, "After you, 'My Lord'".

The Author: Rhia frowned uneasily at the thought of going into that place. "I guess I haven't much choice, do I? I'd probably just find myself in a worse situation if I stayed out here..." She glanced around at the various less-than-honorable people occupying the streets. This was not her scene...she was a high-class, moral, usually feminine woman...this place was for those nothing at all like her. "Maybe I can enchant my ears..and nose..and get some sleep..." She wrinkled her nose at Erica's little display, quite a bit disgusted by it. What a waste of magick..

Donnie Darko: Dom's smirk was wiped off his face when Erika walked past him. Watching her with wide eyes, he shook his head in disbelief before he turned to Alex and grinned like he'd never grinned before. Following her inside, his glee almost tripled when he saw the prices of the drinks. "Hey!" Walking up behind Erika he placed his arm around her waist, guiding her to the bar. "Now, I have a little secret to confess; I am totally and completely broke. Not a single coin.." she shot him a mock surprised look but it broke into a tiny smile. "BUT.. with these.." He waved his cards a few times. "We can both have a little fun tonight." He leaned in and whispered something over the music into her ear and then darted off into the crowd towards a Poker game near the back of the club. She watched him all the way. Alex and Rhia, just for an hour or so.. didn't exist.

Xan Torez: Finding his over confidence quite amusing she headed towards the bar. She had no interest in newbies around the town. She had very little interest in anything in this town, other than its unusual Mana Stream Densities. Alex slowly let Rhia to the ground, then spun her staff off his back for her and gently handed it over. "We'll spend as little time in there as possible. let's just make sure Dominic keeps himself out of trouble." He motioned over his shoulder to the two men brawling in the street and smiled. Ekeil lost patience and rolled his eyes, "Jeez..". He darted straight inside.

The Author: She chuckled lightly, slightly amused by Ekeil's weak patience. She took the staff delicately in her hands, before lifting one of her hands to Alex's shoulder, just so walking would be a little easier. "Just so long as all I have to do is sit in there... If they ask me to do anything...unsightly...I'm leaving." Her smile faded while she said it, saying that last part only half-heartedly. She knew she'd do anything if it meant fulfilling the wishes of King Justin..she just didn't want to think about it. She'd head inside with him, wincing immediately as the loud music and vile smells attacked her, sighing heavily. This was going to be a long, painful night..

Donnie Darko: "Excuse me, gentlemen. Do you have a spot for one more?" Leaning on two separate chairs, he smiled at the three men who were quietly playing poker. They sized him up pretty fast and figured he was a swindler, and in effect, thats what he was. "Get lost, we don't need another." "Go find another table." They glared at him and he held his hands up in peace, backing off slowly. "Alright, alright. I'll go lose my money somewhere else." Disappointment number one, but the night was young. Turning, he'd lost sight of Erika and frowned, letting her flow out of his mind.. slowly. And then there it was. Cheering errupted from a corner near the door' arm wrestling. He tried to fight his way over there but in a somewhat bizzare set of circxumstances involving him, a stray chair and a table full of drinks and very drunk men, he ended up trying to avoid swinging fists. The bar! Run!

Xan Torez: Upon walking in, Alex looked around and sighed. The inside was surprisingly sophisticated, but underlit, and what the hell was that?! For a second he focused on something, like a cage hanging from the roof. Then another flash of a light moved across the cage, and to his surprise, there was a woman dancing inside. He frowned deeply, watching closely. Her hands were alight, a bright blue. She was a naked, dancing Mage. What WAS this? With a frown he looked back at Rhia and leaned over to her, speaking into her ears over the music, "At least I can't hear the voice in here.." On the stage was an even more impressive spectacle. There was a band, playing heavy music, but one of the mana guitarists was in fact, a rotting corpse. And yet, there he stood, his dreadlocks waving as his head banged up and down to the music, his fingers skillfully hitting every note correctly on the board. Alex took a step forwards, as somebody spoke into his ear. Another woman. A female mage it seemed. She had a staff, and a cute smile, "The Necromancers summon him! He was one of the best guitar players in the world, died tragically.." she grinned at him as Alex looked shocked and mouthed, 'No way!'. He began to wonder if it was the Necro he needed to see who had summoned him. Did that mean he was close by..?

The Author: She smiled weakly at Alex at his mention of the voice. "I wouldn't mind the familiar distraction..." When she..sort of..saw the corpse on the stage - it wasn't like looking at anyone else, who channeled the Light Stream.. It was instead just an empty void within the Stream. Her hand pulled away from his shoulder and lifted up over her mouth, taking a few steps back. "God.. I can't do this..." She glanced towards Alex with a pleading look, as if begging for him to think of some way that she could stay out of this place. Right now, all she wanted was to be back by her little fire, in her little, magick-less house...

Donnie Darko: Pushing people out the way while running from something dangerous seemed very familiar to him. Somewhere he'd made a wrong turn and he was heading for the door now. He spotted Alex and gravitated towards him, the grunting sound of a good beating had also got lost in the club. Straightening up in front of Alex and Rhia, he ran a hand through his hair, smiling sheepishly. "Just getting to know the locals, you know. Can you believe they dont like poker? Maybe they do elsewhere." Looking at Rhia he could surmise she wasn't in the best frame of mind to be in a place like this. Maybe Alex was right and she needed to make herself sleep. What the heck was wrong with her in the first place? She just seemed.. weak from the minute they'd left the city. "Rhia, I think I'm going to go for a walk find a.. uhm.." he sighed a small sigh.. "quieter part of town. You can come if you want.."

Xan Torez: Alex listened to Dominic before nodding, "You should go with him Rhia. I'll find you both later, okay?" He smiled softly at Rhia, staring at her for a second. He couldn't help but wonder why she was so weak, and feeling bad about everything that had happened, but he knew that she'd have nothing of his apologies. With a grin, he stood back by the side of the girl who had spoken to him earlier about the summoned creature, "So, do you know the NEcromancer that summoned him here?" "I don't," she spoke, bouncing to the music, "but Ekeil does! Ask him!" Great. Just great. The one guy he didn't seem to be able to get through to. Something was drawing him to the crowd in front of the stage however, and slowly he found himself moving to it. A lot of people looked at his strange dress code. They wore leather, black, or light stuff; all trouser/shirt. Alex was wearing a robe and had a staff on his back. He had noticed that there were one or two others in with staves however, and he figured they were guards. Although 2 of them caught his attention now. One of them was sat on a leather couch, a girl sat either side of him in his arms, and he talked to another robed man. The second wore a shoulder mantle similar to Alex's, and his robes were a deep red. He looked Necromancer enough, and Alex began oushing his way towards him. They saw him and sighed, leaning back, as if they were prepared to be fired 20 questions by an over enthusiastic newcomer.

The Author: Rhia nodded gratefully to Alex, and quickly headed outside ahead of Dom, gasping in the fresher air. The staff leaned against her shoulder as she hunched over a bit, willing her stomach to relax. By the time she stood again, Dom would be at her side and she glanced over at him. "Even if you didn't do this for me, thank-you.. I appreciate it." She ran a hand over her face with a slight groan. "So long as you don't damage those books of mine, I'll call us even.." Apparently not counting his carrying her half the way here as a favor.

Donnie Darko: Waving her off, he started to walk at a slow pace away from the music making sure she could keep up. "It's nothing big. My liver could probably use the rest, and I have all week before we have to move on." 'Liar! Why are you even taking her anywhere?' 'Because she's the ultimate force in magical prowess?' 'Good point, oh, and you're arguing with yourself. Idiot.' 'Youre an idiot'. "If we can find a quiet cafe, a cup of coffee laced with whiskey would go down nicely, especially after earlier.." another little sigh. What the hell was with all the sighing? "I don't think right now Alex needs us. Seems that Ekeil guy wants to play with him as much as teach him anything."

Xan Torez: Alex approached them and bowed his head a little. The song changed to a very heavy one, and the crowd sang along whilst the 'pit' before the stage grew ever wilder. He opened his mouth to speak, but the Necromancer pointed another direction. Alex turned to look, and couldn't see anything at first, but then realised the man was pointing at Ekeil, who was standing there with a cheesy grin plastered on his face, as if he knew what was happening. Alex cursed under his breath, before starting on his way to Ekeil. He had no time for games!

The Author: "Heh.. I imagine you're right about Ekeil... And coffee sounds pretty good." Minus the whiskey, of course, but she'd keep that to herself. She kept up with him fairly well, the butt of her staff making a steady clunk on the road as they walked. Her breathing was steadily becoming more clipped, though it never became heavy or laboured, having incredible self control so as not to draw too much attention to herself when she wasn't in danger of being severely ill or dead...