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Thryn took a defensive stance using the buckler, still the force shook him, he had an idea, he knew he could not get back to the miror or repel the never ending supply of books hoping the mirror was somewhere behind him, he stood feet together ready to jump when the next book came at him, it did and he leaped, he flew backm into the mirror
*****

{OOC ALICE IN WONDERLAND!!!

Hey look i started this story forum on another forum join in if you want! [url="http://www.forumplanet.com/rpgplanet/fallout/topic.asp?fid=1694&tid=468844"]Harris' adventure[/url]

Rail watched as Thryn activated the switch to open the cabinet with the pieces of the Crown of Horns. All thoughts of the bewildering Virrilis and his flawless masquerade fled as the assassin now focused upon the present threat. Again he could feel the taint of the items he'd held in his hands those many years ago, item's he'd helped Magus collect after the Demon Infestation and the battle with Raistlin. Their evil called out to all they could see, enticing any mortal to assemble the crown and take it for his own, though Rail doubted any mortal could really possess the Crown. With this kind of magic, it was usually the other way around.

The assassin silently slid his dagger from his sheath and waited from the shadows to see what Thryn would do. His breathing slowed to the whisper of the vulture's wings slowly circling his helpless prey. His body calmed as water beneath a frozen lake. He had hoped these items would have remained undetected, though he knew that was far too much to ask for. It was not their nature to remain hidden, and he blamed not Thryn, though he prayed this was as far as the elf would move toward obtaining the Crown.

Take the peices, mortal!

Rail frowned at the voice of Lazal's master, divine though it was. It seemed to come at the most inopportune times, lately. I've had them, he responded in thought to the voice. I have held them in my hand and heard it's whisperings. They reek of filth and decay and magic. You take them, if that is your wish. I will not!

You fool! You weak and trivial fool. You know not what you do or say. You fumble blindly about life as if you know not where you go, where your loyalties lie. Abandon your cause and embrace my offer, before your life finds its end with this Magus and your soul is absorbed in the depths of the Abyss!

Perhaps. Rail's attention had strayed and he was relieved to see the young elf turn his blind eyes from the evil artifact and attempt to find his way back through the mirror. His thoughts, however, returned to his own soul and it's fate upon his death. He knew not where it would venture, though he knew other deals he had made would assure it would remain his own, so much as any devout mortal could hope for. Though the shadow he had chosen to walk through in life would surely continue upon death. He chuckled in his mind at the god, though he knew not the entirety of his plan and could not see his motives. To the abyss then. Find me then, if you have need of me, for in this life I do not need you.

A cold chill came over the emotionless assassin, as a ripple of imperceptible vileness could be felt through the air. Rail shuddered at the implications of his words and of upcoming events, even as his grip on the dagger tightened. Both master and servant had entered the Rift.

* * *

@Magus- this all okay?

[ 12-12-2001: Message edited by: Rail ]

@all: Sorry I haven't posted yet. I've been very short on time lately. I'll try to post tonight

[ 12-13-2001: Message edited by: Magus ]

Originally posted by Magus:
<STRONG>@all: Sorry I haven't posted yet. I've been very short on time lately. I'll try to post tonight

[ 12-13-2001: Message edited by: Magus ]</STRONG>

Don't sweat it - I've got no time myself - I'm working like 12 hours a day on a project for school , so my posting is severely limited these days

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one. Times are pretty hectic, I believe. I'm sure after the holidays things will slow down a bit for us all.

* * * * *

Magus turned to Virrilis, his robe ruffled and hair unkempt, and not looking happy at all. “What is the meaning of this?”

As Virrilis was about to reply Magus’s eyes widened, unfocused as if looking off into the distance. Anger melted at once to solemn purpose. “He’s here,” was all he said, the simple words ringing eerily. He gestured, then disappeared without a trace.

* * * * *

@all: That’s nowhere near what I still need to write, but I figured I had to at least post something. I’ll try to finish this off tonight.

Whers aerie

@craig: She was resting before, though I haven't gotten around to mentioning it yet.

* * * * *

Lazal stood before the Rift’s tall obelisk, eager with anticipation. It was time for Magus’s elimination. So his master commanded.

The archmage had begun to make a pest of himself, indeed threatened Lazal’s control over the Cowled Wizards. Hesitancy and doubt were starting to shake their resolve to kill the pompous half elf. Magus was still too well respected. Left unchecked, the growing dissension could unravel all their carefully laid plans.

Lazal smiled inwardly. He couldn’t have planned this happy coincidence better.

A hakeashar appeared in front.

Hal-

The message was cut short as Lazal blasted it with fire. Even the creature’s magic resistance was no protection. It was consumed instantly without a trace. He heard some cries behind him. Turning slowly, he realized a couple hundred Black Helm soldiers were camped just down the hill. Hmmm...a tale of Magus slaughtering hundreds of guards in cold blood wouldn’t hurt the cause. With a thought he took Magus’s form; with a gesture he summoned a meteor storm over the fools’ heads. He snickered derisively as he watched them scatter like ants, meteor impacts sending men and limbs flying in all directions. Then he spun around and walked through the obelisk, puncturing the dimensional barrier like a sheet of paper. The rupture closed immediately, a safeguard that prevented the Rift from imploding and then exploding. How thoughtful of Magus, Lazal thought sardonically.

He found himself in some hideous pocket dimension, surrounded by greenery on all sides. An imitation garden, no doubt. Oh well, at least the sky reminded him of home. Now he just had to find Magus, no easy task with the whole damned dimension saturated with mana. Perhaps he could make Magus come to him...

A wave of flame erupted from his body, engulfing the surrounding vegetation. It burned fiercely, spreading as it went. Soon the whole garden would be alight, he thought. But as the flames passed the plants grew right back, apparently drawing from the surrounding mana. How irritating.

Enough with the games. You must finish this quickly.

A picture of a tower appeared in Lazal’s mind. –My thanks, master- he responded fawningly before teleporting to the location.

* * * * *

@all: read carefully <hint><hint>

[ 12-15-2001: Message edited by: Magus ]

Thryn had stumbled on aeries resting place
"O, what has happened to your eyes, let me help"She said as she cast a heal spell on him,previous scars and wounds did not heal over .
"Nooooo" came a tortured scream from inside thryn, an orb of shear black came from his fingers,"He is in my,NOOOOOO"Shrieked Thryn resisting all thought from the parasitic mage.
"He was in the demon, it escaped his invading soul, he is in MEEEEEE"Panted Thryn it ended in a scream, when he collapsed.
*****
Burst of lightning shot a Aerie as she tried to touch him.
*****

@all if that wasn't clear the mage that Thryn fought in the dream had taken a demons body but it was to powerfull to let him stay now he is trying to "Hi-Jack" thryns body.

@craig: I don’t quite understand what’s going on with Thryn, but ok

* * * * *

Bursts of lightning shot at Aerie as she tried to touch him. She barely managed to raise a shield, deflecting the damage but not the sting. What was happening? She had just gotten to sleep when poor Thryn came stumbling in, bruised and blinded. Now this...

She suddenly sensed a dark presence within the Rift. Never had she felt such hunger, such malignance. She quickly glanced at Thryn, writhing on the floor, his eyes rolled back. No, it wasn’t him, though she did sense something else vying for control inside the young elf. Her brow marred by worry, she kneeled down to help Thryn. Readying herself for another magical backlash, she reached for him again, chanting the words of a divine exorcism.

* * * * *

“I must retire. I have yet to recover from last night’s brush with death. In the meantime, do as you wish.” So Magus had said before he disappeared.

Not knowing what else to do, and not feeling particularly tired, or adventurous, Xandax and Faisal sat and stared at the ceiling. It was a nice ceiling, as far as such things go. Very smooth, not a nick to be found anywhere. Time passed, until finally they were broken from their reverie by the haunting voice of the specter.

“Thee oone knoown aass Laazal haass eentered thee Riifft. Faareweell, moortals.” It disappeared without a trace.

They rose from their seats at once. Xandax picked up his gear and walked over to the mirror Thryn had gone through. “We have to find Magus. Come on,” he said, nodding to Faisal. He recalled an image of Magus, staring at him with those ice blue eyes. He waited intently for Magus to appear in the mirror. Instead, it began to cloud over, like shadows across the moon. Slowly the darkness formed itself into the vague likeness of a face.

“You will not interfere, mortals. You will watch, and know what it is to despair, to have your destiny decided for you as you look on, helpless and ineffectual. Such was my fate, and so will it be yours.”

The darkness dispersed, revealing Magus, who stood beside a tower talking to a hakeashar. They could hear his voice, and amazingly, even the hakeashar’s telepathy. Faisal touched the glass, but it was as hard as ever.

* * * * *

“You will not interfere, mortals. You will watch, and know what it is to despair, to have your destiny decided for you as you look on, helpless and ineffectual. Such was my fate, and so will it be yours.”

Virillis slammed his fist into the mirror. Not even a mark. He heard a faint laughing, alien and inhuman, as the scene played out uninterrupted.

“Hey, I’m not even with the mage! Damn it, how in the Hells did I get mixed up in this?!” Calahan shouted, as if expecting an answer. He got none.

* * * * *

“Gather the guards and servants. We don’t have much time.”

-As you will- The hakeashar commandant vanished.

Magus stood at the base of his tower, the center of the Rift and the fountain of magic which fed the rest of the mana-rich pocket dimension. He remembered a time when a different evil was afoot, and the tower was rent by another mage’s energies. The Rift, and Athkatla for that matter, nearly perished that day. Why was Lazal there? What was he after? And what was that other presence he sensed?

“Magus.”

Lazal stood fifty feet away, considering his opponent, looking for signs of weakness. He found none.

Magus stared back grimly, his eyes cold and unyielding . “So good of you to come.”

“I’ve come for you, Magus. With you gone, no one will dare stand in our way.”

“Our?” Magus replied, gazing at him intently.

Lazal parried the mental probe. “Not this time, my friend.” He smiled. “I would explain, but why waste breath on a dead man?”

The half elf’s eyes narrowed. “Your conduct reeks of overconfidence. Do you really think killing me will be that easy?”

“Not at all.” The smile vanished. A chill wind blew around him, rippling along his robes. “I’m no fool. It’s been ages since I’ve faced a worthy adversary. I intend to savor it before I send you shrieking to the Abyss.” His eyes flashed fiery red.

“So you really aren’t human...” Magus mused.

“Observant as always. Prepare to die, half elf.”

* * * * *

@Aegis: My post just assumes you found out about Lazal’s arrival. You’re welcome to clarify that in your next post, but I didn’t feel like repeating myself after I did the whole thing with Xandax and Faisal

@all: You wouldn't believe how long this took me. So don't expect another post until I make some headway on the projects I was supposed to be doing

[ 12-16-2001: Message edited by: Magus ]

Virrilis Slammed his fist into the mirror several times before giving up. After a Hakeshar had floated by, revealing that Lazal was making a personnal appearance to the Rift. Behind him, he heard Calahan make some glib comments, but ignored the man. He had been beaten, both physically, and mentally, and therefore no longer a threat. He looked into the mirror, seeing Magus standing outside the Rift, Void faithfully beside him, standing across from Lazal. Virrilis was so close to completing his mission. so close to being able to return to Suldanesselar.

He turned from the mirror, and began to look around the magical room, trying to find some sort of crack in Magus's magical abode. A small tear, a patch in his magical energy. something he could manipulate enough to break out. He turned back to the mirror. the two had ceased their banter. He watched as the first spell erupted from the hands of Lazal. A bright flash filled the image in the mirror. Virrilis sheilded his eyes for a moment, waiting for the light to dull. When he finally saw again, Magus remained standing where he was, not a scratch on him. His magical protections were powerful. He could see his head sag for a moment, before reprising with an equally powerful attack.

When the Arch-mage made his own move, the Rift seemed to waver a bit. It seemed the Rift was sustained through the sheer will of Magus, combined with his concentration of the magical energies surrounding it. When Magus attacked, it seemed like he drew some energy from the rift itself, almost like he was feeding off a source to help him the battle. Virrilis had found his tear. He turned back to the battle now raging on in the image in the mirror, anxiously awaiting Magus to perform a spell so energy consuming, that it would create a rift large enough for Virrilis to escape using his own magical abilities.

He watched as Magus unleashed wave after wave of magical energy, drawing upon a seemlessly endless supply of energy. Each attack, Lazal countered with equally powerful attacks. Something was feeding him energy as well, but Virrilis did not know whether it was the influence of the crown, or something else. something more sinister. Magus unleashed another spell, again the image went bright. Virrilis felt the foundation of the Rift shudder. this was his oppertunity! He quickly chanted the words of a dimensional door. As he murmered the last words, he felt his success. Narrow as it was, it was enough for him to break free of the confines of the Rift's prison, and appear somewhere inside the Rift's central pocket dimension. Inside the Dungeon, Calahan remained, yelling at the top of his lungs for somebody to let him out.

Virrilis flexed his newly attached left hand, hoping it had regained enough composure to be useful. Numb, but moveable, he thought to himself. It would have to do. He looked about, getting his bearings. Seeing the "sky" filled with magical energies, swirling about in a massive primevil soup. He nodded to himself, and sprang into a full out sprint. As he ran, he drew both scimitars, and murmering the words to a few basic protection spells that he would need in the coming tulmolt. He rounded the edge of the central tower, he saw just how vicious the battle was. To either side of the two mages, large craters marred the ground. Virrilis remained unphased. As he was about to charge into the battle, to assist Magus, two spectral red eyes materilized beside him.

Don't be foolish!. The words chilled Virrilis's mind. He turned swiftly, seeing Void beside him...

*****

@Magus: you'd think I'd let you have all the fun on your own? Give me some credit...

@All: I need your e-mail addresses. Everyone involved in the story. Once I get them, I will explian why.

[ 12-21-2001: Message edited by: Aegis ]

“Thee oone knoown aass Laazal haass eentered thee Riifft. Faareweell, moortals.”

”Lazal, him again” Xandax thought, quickly picking up his gear – strapping the shield firmly on his arm and placing his trusted sword by his side.
His amulet was glowing again.
”The power will help you one more time” Xandax heard his mothers voice in his head.

“We have to find Magus. Come on” Xandax said to Faisal whom followed Xandax to the mirror.
Imagining Magus, Xandax waited for his vision formed on the mirror – but a strange cloud formed instead.

“You will not interfere, mortals. You will watch, and know what it is to despair, to have your destiny decided for you as you look on, helpless and ineffectual. Such was my fate, and so will it be yours.” The “could” said to Xandax and Faisal.

“Mortals” – the wording of either demonic or divine. Xandax thought to himself.

”We got to find some way of helping.” Xandax said to Faisal – who were trying the mirror once again.

Xandax could feel the intruding presence in his mind – he felt the dead it brought. Xandax shook the feeling, trying to find a way to join the battle. He was annoying for a fighter to be trap like this.


{ooc:
Will maybe have time to post more later today or tomorrow

Aegis: my email? - you gonna spam me through the mail now?
}

[ 12-17-2001: Message edited by: Xandax ]

@Aegis: Actually, the obelisk existing in the Prime Material and the tower "inside" the Rift are two different places. Magus and Lazal are fighting outside the Rift's inner tower, which stands inside a large pocket dimension within the Rift. The Black Helm soldiers are outside the obelisk, back in the Prime Material plane, where the magical battle would barely be noticed. Hopefully I'm making some sense here

BTW, my e-mail's open, but you're not planning to distribute it, are you?

[ 12-17-2001: Message edited by: Magus ]

The exorcism complete, the necromatic spirit leaped to aerie and then again in a further arc through the wall,
"No you don't" Screamed thryn blood pumping through his withered vains, angry flooded his mind clouding his thought, it took control.

*****
As flashes of magic sped between the two mages the spirit did also towards Lazal, followed by Thryn.

@Craig: What? Where did this whole demon thing come from?

@Magus: In the first story we did, you made mention to the Rift being something of design, and control, and that Magus created it using his magic. Also, because you were able to control it (appearance, walk ways, corridors, rooms etc.) that means that Magus would need to maintain some form of concentration on it, by all rules of Magic anyway. Thus, my reasoning was that when the battle began, Magus would not be focused on keeping the Rift locked tightly down, and would focus on the battle at hand. Because his focus would be elsewhere, some cracks and tears in the magical energies holding the Rift together (Between the Realms namely) would begin to appear. that is my reasoning around it. I used information gathered from the first story to my advanatge here. Found a little loop hole...

My god, this is almost as bad as Temperol Mechanics...

@All: Two things. First, regarding the e-mails. I will not spam them up, or distribute them, expect maybe to Bubba. But I do need them. I will explain everything when I get them. Second. In accordence to the story. As I am still editing it as we go, it would be greatly (and I do mean greatly) appreciated if a few guidlines would be followed from here to the end.

• Keep it all in pas tense. Please! I cannot emphasize this enough! It is incredably frustrating to edit a story that is in completly different tenses!
  Please, cool down on the side plot lines (This means you Craig! you got some cool ideas, but they're completly off track from the story. for instance, where did this demon come from? And what was this whole deal with your dreams, and father? I thoguht Thryn was here to find a mage who could turn his village back from stone, or something of the sort)
  You don't always have to fight! This is more for everyone, even me. It seems there is an awful lot of combat going on, and everyone always finds ways (Even as slim as they may be) to enter the fighting. Sometimes it's good to be a spectator (I've missed out on so many of the major, fun battles... )
  Lastly, we should creating the arc that will lead us to the end of the story. That way, I can focus on finishing editing (256 grueling pages so far, and thats only 11 chapters, with about another 8 not printed, or even put to text on my computer)

I hope I'm not sounding like some sort of dictator here, but these are things that will make the story a little more interesting, and will help in my surprise to all of you once I get your e-mails. thank you.

@Aegis- my email's always open. Fire away!

@Xandax and Fas- I hop you don't mind me springing you guys, but here goes.

* * *

Xandax and Fas continued to watch in frustration as the magical battle raged onward, escalating into powers that made the gods turn to take notice. Again, Fas tried the surface of the mirror with his hand, but he may as well have tried walking through solid steel. Xandax swore to himself and turned to pace.

Suddenly he felt a hand grasping his ankle. In alarm, le looked down and an arm was reaching through solid stone, grasping around his leather boots. With a cry Xandax tried to pull back, but found himself falling through the stone and into blackness.

Fas whirrled around at the sound, hammer in hand, but Xandax was nowhere to be seen. It was as if he had disappeared, leaving the young cleric to see the horrible destruction by himself.

* * *

Xandax fell into a dimly lit room, acutely aware of another figure looming over him. Senses screaming, Xandax lashed out with a mailed fist even as he reached for Ferox. The blow did not his solidly, but hard enough to knock the assassin back a step as Xandax realized who the figure was. He shook off the emotionless void he had begun to enter and sheathed his half drawn sword.

A dangerous glint appeared in Rail's eyes, even as a smile seemed to touch his lips, but he did not strike back. "We need to move."

Xandax looked puzzled. He was not used to this kind of magical place, and he stared up at the ceiling fully twice the height of the average man. He had little trust for any assassin, and regardless of what Magus said, he found it hard to find faith in this one. There was little honor in killers, and this man seemed no exception, yet there was also no sign of the cowardice most thieves showed and he seemed to live by his own moral code, even though it differed greatly from Xandax's own. The warrior frowned and straightened his breastplate after the fall. "I suppose you're going to show us the way out?"

Rail rubbed his jaw and smiled, nodding off to the side of the barren room. Half in the shadows was a brooding man dressed in the balckened armor Xandax was so familiar with. At his feet lay an oaken shaft, smooth and polished with a blue-steel blade attached to one end. Xandax looked back to the assassin, clearly questioning the wisdom of freeing and arming such a dangerous man, but the assassin was staring at the wall.

Or staring through it, to be more precise. He seemed to be watching intentil for something and he stood ready. Confidently, he reached forth his hand and thrust it through the stone as if trying to grasp something on the other side. After a moment, he pulled his hand back through and out fell Fas with a cry of astonishment.

The young cleric quickly jumped to his feet, hammer in hand and spell ready at the lips. Seeing Xandax, he lowered his hammer slightly and looked in general consusion between the assassin and Calahan. Xandax shrugged.

The assassin nodded a greeting but offered no explanation, other than, "Let's go." He began to walk off toward Calahan and a door which seemed to have materialized behind the Black Helmsman. At least, Xandax hadn't noticed the portal there before. "Why couldn't you have just...," the warrior began, but dropped the point. A bright light shone through the doorway as the assassin opened it and stepped through. Grumbling, Calahan stooped down and picked up his weapon. He wheeled and followed the assassin out the doorway.

Fas turned questioningly to Xandax, but the warrior only shrugged once again. His amulet gave no real sign of warning other than the faint feeling it always seemed to have around the assassin. The two turned toward the portal and stepped through after the others.

* * *

@Xan and Fas- hope that's all okay. I mostly wanted to gather us all together. Too many side things going on.

I'll leave this pretty open for someone else to run with, if you wish. Lot of opportunities...

[ 12-17-2001: Message edited by: Rail ]

Originally posted by Rail:
<STRONG>@Aegis- my email's always open. Fire away!

@Xandax and Fas- I hop you don't mind me springing you guys, but here goes.
<snip>
@Xan and Fas- hope that's all okay. I mostly wanted to gather us all together. Too many side things going on.
</STRONG>

{ooc:
no problem - I was stuck any way - and with no time to think up anything
(my mind is on Java-code right now, like it never has been before - it is a wonder I don't type in syntax (I certainly dream in the syntax )

Well - I'll see if I can post later today/tonight
}

@All thryn was sent from his village to find someone to help him kill of the evil mage that traped his town(but like elves) in stone, but he didn't know that the mage had done one of those lich-becoming-like spells but insteed of it a bottle he stored it in a demon, and the demon didn't like it since then the demon had grown in power and broke free of the mages spirit, it then went into Thryn(am i still making sense?) aerie got it out of him and know its trying to get into Lazal.

@all: I've been working on projects every waking hour for the last week. But it's break time for the next two weeks, so I'll have tons of time to post. I'll write up a story post after I get some sleep

@Aegis: First, I wasn't disagreeing with Virrilis's method of leaving the Rift. That was perfectly alright. The problem I have is that Magus and Lazal are fighting in a totally different place than where the Black Helm soldiers are camped. They're in two different dimensions in fact. Magus and Lazal are inside the Rift, which is actually an artificial pocket dimension. They are fighting outside the main tower, which stands in the center of that pocket dimension. The Black Helm soldiers are still back in Faerun, camped outside the obelisk, which is the entrance to the Rift. Make sense?

Next, we all have been writing in the past tense lately. Even me So stop complaining

Lately I've also been trying to curb the senseless fighting which I'd been encouraging before. The recent fights have been plot critical, and thus had a point to them.

Finally, we're already on the arc leading to the end of the story! I had this all planned out until you and Rail crashed the party with your clever trickery But in a way I was also anticipating that Regardless, I have a definite end plot in mind.

@craig: I'm having trouble understanding you, but let me get this straight: The mage/lich's phylactery is the body of a demon?

Whatever the case, this demon or mage of yours can't possess Lazal. I'm pretty flexible, but that would drastically alter the end plot I'm heading for. Ok?

@Magus: check and check... I'll edit my post somewhat to fit that explaination.