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<blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 4495648" data-attributes="member: 2323"><p><strong>[PLAIN][Realms #454a] These Swords Were Made for Talkin'[/PLAIN]</strong></p><p></p><p>Shamalin sagged in her armor, releasing in a prolonged hiss a breath she was unaware she'd been holding. Huzair stepped up and put his arm around her.</p><p></p><p>"Nice job, sweetheart," Huzair whispered with uncharacteristic sincerity. Shamalin looked at him critically as he turned away, lighting a cigar, but then Noxin's big hand was patting her shoulder. She looked up into his broad face.</p><p></p><p>"Shamalin, I've worked with all kinds... thieves, traders, knights, and even holy men... but you are something different," he said with a grin. "I admire you. And if you need my help, I'll help you with your tests."</p><p></p><p>Shamalin regarded him silently for a moment, appraising this offer, and then looked to Morier. Meeting his eye she said, "Someone must carry Windblade." All eyes in the room turned to her and Noxin's grin spread into a full-fledged smile that split his face practically from ear to ear.</p><p></p><p>"If you're serious, and you want someone to be the steward of Windblade, I'll graciously accept," the big man said, pressing a hand to his chest.</p><p></p><p>"You're going a bit fast, aren't you? Don't you think he has to earn a lot more trust first before being allowed to handle one of the keys?" Ahlear rasped, a note of warning in his gravelly voice.</p><p></p><p>"If Shamalin finds Noxin trustworthy, I think I would be inclined to trust her and give him Windblade," Morier told the mummy. Turning to look up at Noxin he added, "If only because he looks like he could do some ass-whooping with it." Noxin grinned, but Ahlear balked.</p><p></p><p>"Is that a proper measure of his worth, Morier?" he asked. "We're struggling to free a nature goddess, not a god of war!" Noxin eyed the Mummy.</p><p></p><p>"Aye, mummy... It seems like you're no friend to this guardian, but you speak as if you fight for the natural cause," the barbarian asked, squinting down at the mummy, but not getting too close. "How does this happen? No natural force would animate you in such a way and I can't believe the dark gods would animate you to fight against them!" The mummy took a step closer and Noxin gave him ground. The undead creature's face was full of disdain.</p><p></p><p>"Noxin... you ask questions as if you have a right to get answers about me or the party I am with and its motives," he said. "I assure you, you're no where near that status yet. But I will indulge you-" Before he could say any more, Noxin waved his hand dissuasively.</p><p></p><p>"You're a little whelp, aren't you?" he said in a deep, booming voice that drowned out the mummy's rasping whisper. "Well, let me save you the trouble. I was asking out of courtesy, to try to better know you... but your insults are not welcome to me."</p><p></p><p>"Hrrmpf..." the mummy growled with disapproval.</p><p></p><p>"Save your tongue, boy... and maybe it will save your decrepit hide," Noxin sneered opening his eyes wide in a threatening manner... but then he laughed to the rest. "You are a motley bunch, for sure: An undead whelp, a hot headed wizard, a white elf, and a pure-hearted knight sheathed in dark armor! What I have stumbled into this fine day?" He roared with laughter.</p><p></p><p>Shamalin looked around at the group and released a barely suppressed giggle. "He's right," she said. "What a sight we must be."</p><p></p><p>"Hot headed, my friend? You have seen nothing yet," Huzair laughed and whacked Noxin's arm again. Noxin swayed in an exaggerated way from Huzair's blow, smiling and rubbing his muscular arm.</p><p></p><p>"Take it easy there," he chuckled. "We'll have plenty of fighting when the snake opens this gate." Ahlear snorted laughter.</p><p></p><p>"I guess the motley bunch found an oaf with a hammer," Ahlear said, his desiccated lips stretched back into a smile. Huzair turned on him, brandishing Flameblade as he had before.</p><p></p><p>"If you listen, you might not get killed... again," the mage cautioned, his face lit by the glow of the fiery sword. Ahlear met the wizard's gaze despite the fact that the bandages on the mummy's face began to smoke slightly from the weapon's heat.</p><p></p><p>"Huzair, stop waving that horrible flame-sword in my face just because I give a reprimand in debate," the mummy rasped. "I have just as much right as any of our 'core group' to voice my thoughts and opinions."</p><p></p><p>"Look here!" Huzair snapped angrily. Then he took a deep breath and mastered himself, calmly puffing and waving his cigar around as he spoke. "You know, Ahlear, there is a time to berate someone and there is a time to hold you tongue. I would suggest choosing to hold your tongue more." The mummy looked at him but said nothing.</p><p></p><p>"Histah has the right to disrespect you. He is probably 50 feet long and could eat, crush or freeze this party at will... and he is pissed off. That gives him the right," the wizard went on, pointing his finger in the direction of the altar. "I doubt there are many things he has to respect and we are not among them."</p><p></p><p>"I admit that I went off for a few seconds myself, but that was because he killed my poor sweet little flower. If someone insults your honor or whatever take it easy untill it is worth it.... or you can win by yourself." Huzair continued. "As my master used to say: 'Judge your foe or you will get your ass kicked... again'."</p><p></p><p>"You are entitled to your opinion," Ahlear said. "Just as I am entitled to mine."</p><p></p><p>"You could have gotten us all killed defending YOUR DAMNED OPINIONS! If I were Histah I would have bitten your head off and spit it out at your feet. This is not about your service, it is about OUR mission." Huzair exclaimed pointing the hand with the lit cigar in the mummy's face. His body was trembling with emotion, but again Huzair composed himself, much to the other's suprise.</p><p></p><p>"I know you are thinking I am a hippocrite. I only mouth off to Morier because I know he would never hurt me... or could," he said, favoring Morier with a charming wink. "Notice I have not said anything rude to Noxin... and he spit on my head! He is a bruiser. I would not mess with him... until I know him. Take my words to heart or you may get yourself killed AGAIN." He emphasized the point by sticking the burning end of his cigar in Ahlear's face. The mummy turned his head, scowling behind his black bandages.</p><p></p><p>"Get that thing out of my face!" he growled angrily and Huzair scowled back at him. Then, without looking away from the mummy's face, the wizard turned the cigar and ground it out in the palm of his own hand. Then he turned away, shaking his head.</p><p></p><p>"Bah! It is just Garan-Zak's wisdom wearing off on me," Huzair grumbled. "He talks so damned much." His eyes fell on Anania's fallen body and his shoulders slumped.</p><p></p><p>"Shamalin, would you say some final prayers for Anania? What a crappy way for my little flower to die," Huzair commented with saddness as he walked over to Anania, pulling off his cloak and draping it over her body.</p><p></p><p>"It is the least I can do," Shamalin sad as she moved to the elf maid's corpse. "I owe her an apology for questioning whether or not her personal allegiances jeopardized the party's safety. There is no doubt about her loyalty to this party now." Delicately, Shamalin took the <em>Necklace of Eyes</em> from around the scout's broken neck, removed one as she had seen Anania do and released it. It bobbed in the air and then began drifting away down the stairwell. Shamalin noted that there were fewer eye stalks on the <em>Necklace</em> than there had been the last time she'd seen the device. She laid it to the side, intending to destroy it later, and went about the business of preparing the body for the afterlife.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>"So, what are you all doing on the other side of this gate?" Noxin asked after they'd paid their respects. "Is there a horde a treasure for releasing this god or is it some sort of honor pledge?" Shamalin was tending to Morier as best she could without benefit of her magic.</p><p></p><p>"I don't know what sort of reward awaits us," Morier admitted. "But we do this because we must. The whole world depends on us." Huzair rolled his eyes, but Noxin nodded, pondering.</p><p></p><p>"Do you have any idea what we'll face on the other side?" he asked, and the albino met his eyes. After a moment's pause, he shook his head.</p><p></p><p>"I think we can find out," Shamalin said, drawing Waveblade from its sheath.</p><p></p><p>"THE SCION OF WATER AWAKES!" the sword, which looked slightly smaller than the last time she'd drawn it, roared. Gravely, Shamalin set Waveblade in front of her and studied it.</p><p></p><p>"You knew we were coming here," she mused out loud. "You called the snake by name."</p><p></p><p>"THE WAY BEYOND THE GREEN IS OUR DESTINY," the sword thundered. "WE WERE MADE TO COME HERE AND PASS BEYOND THE GATE. HISTAH IS THE GUARDIAN OF THE GATE. IT IS AS IT WAS FORETOLD." Shamalin nodded.</p><p></p><p>"What else can you tell us about this task?" she asked. "What lies beyond the gate?"</p><p></p><p>"DRIDANA'S HEART LIES BEYOND IN ITS PRISON," Wavebade said. "ONLY WE FOUR SCIONS UNITED CAN UNLOCK THAT PRISON AND FREE THE HEART. IN DOING SO WE WILL FORFEIT OUR LIVES - A PRICE WE GLADLY PAY."</p><p></p><p>"What should we look for?" Shamalin asked. "How best can I prepare?"</p><p></p><p>"I DO NOT KNOW," the sword admitted. "THE MAGIC THAT SEALED THE GATE IS THE SAME THAT GAVE ME LIFE. WHEN THE PRISON CLOSED I AWAKENED FOR THE FIRST TIME."</p><p></p><p>"I have looked beyond," Histah's voice spoke out of the air above them. "There isss danger beyond the gate for you."</p><p></p><p>"Is it going to be combat or cerebral?" Huzair asked.</p><p></p><p>"It wasss intended to be neither," the snake said. "But Dridana'sss esssence - her demiurge - hasss been trapped there for too long. She hasss become... unpredictable."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jon Potter, post: 4495648, member: 2323"] [b][PLAIN][Realms #454a] These Swords Were Made for Talkin'[/PLAIN][/b] Shamalin sagged in her armor, releasing in a prolonged hiss a breath she was unaware she'd been holding. Huzair stepped up and put his arm around her. "Nice job, sweetheart," Huzair whispered with uncharacteristic sincerity. Shamalin looked at him critically as he turned away, lighting a cigar, but then Noxin's big hand was patting her shoulder. She looked up into his broad face. "Shamalin, I've worked with all kinds... thieves, traders, knights, and even holy men... but you are something different," he said with a grin. "I admire you. And if you need my help, I'll help you with your tests." Shamalin regarded him silently for a moment, appraising this offer, and then looked to Morier. Meeting his eye she said, "Someone must carry Windblade." All eyes in the room turned to her and Noxin's grin spread into a full-fledged smile that split his face practically from ear to ear. "If you're serious, and you want someone to be the steward of Windblade, I'll graciously accept," the big man said, pressing a hand to his chest. "You're going a bit fast, aren't you? Don't you think he has to earn a lot more trust first before being allowed to handle one of the keys?" Ahlear rasped, a note of warning in his gravelly voice. "If Shamalin finds Noxin trustworthy, I think I would be inclined to trust her and give him Windblade," Morier told the mummy. Turning to look up at Noxin he added, "If only because he looks like he could do some ass-whooping with it." Noxin grinned, but Ahlear balked. "Is that a proper measure of his worth, Morier?" he asked. "We're struggling to free a nature goddess, not a god of war!" Noxin eyed the Mummy. "Aye, mummy... It seems like you're no friend to this guardian, but you speak as if you fight for the natural cause," the barbarian asked, squinting down at the mummy, but not getting too close. "How does this happen? No natural force would animate you in such a way and I can't believe the dark gods would animate you to fight against them!" The mummy took a step closer and Noxin gave him ground. The undead creature's face was full of disdain. "Noxin... you ask questions as if you have a right to get answers about me or the party I am with and its motives," he said. "I assure you, you're no where near that status yet. But I will indulge you-" Before he could say any more, Noxin waved his hand dissuasively. "You're a little whelp, aren't you?" he said in a deep, booming voice that drowned out the mummy's rasping whisper. "Well, let me save you the trouble. I was asking out of courtesy, to try to better know you... but your insults are not welcome to me." "Hrrmpf..." the mummy growled with disapproval. "Save your tongue, boy... and maybe it will save your decrepit hide," Noxin sneered opening his eyes wide in a threatening manner... but then he laughed to the rest. "You are a motley bunch, for sure: An undead whelp, a hot headed wizard, a white elf, and a pure-hearted knight sheathed in dark armor! What I have stumbled into this fine day?" He roared with laughter. Shamalin looked around at the group and released a barely suppressed giggle. "He's right," she said. "What a sight we must be." "Hot headed, my friend? You have seen nothing yet," Huzair laughed and whacked Noxin's arm again. Noxin swayed in an exaggerated way from Huzair's blow, smiling and rubbing his muscular arm. "Take it easy there," he chuckled. "We'll have plenty of fighting when the snake opens this gate." Ahlear snorted laughter. "I guess the motley bunch found an oaf with a hammer," Ahlear said, his desiccated lips stretched back into a smile. Huzair turned on him, brandishing Flameblade as he had before. "If you listen, you might not get killed... again," the mage cautioned, his face lit by the glow of the fiery sword. Ahlear met the wizard's gaze despite the fact that the bandages on the mummy's face began to smoke slightly from the weapon's heat. "Huzair, stop waving that horrible flame-sword in my face just because I give a reprimand in debate," the mummy rasped. "I have just as much right as any of our 'core group' to voice my thoughts and opinions." "Look here!" Huzair snapped angrily. Then he took a deep breath and mastered himself, calmly puffing and waving his cigar around as he spoke. "You know, Ahlear, there is a time to berate someone and there is a time to hold you tongue. I would suggest choosing to hold your tongue more." The mummy looked at him but said nothing. "Histah has the right to disrespect you. He is probably 50 feet long and could eat, crush or freeze this party at will... and he is pissed off. That gives him the right," the wizard went on, pointing his finger in the direction of the altar. "I doubt there are many things he has to respect and we are not among them." "I admit that I went off for a few seconds myself, but that was because he killed my poor sweet little flower. If someone insults your honor or whatever take it easy untill it is worth it.... or you can win by yourself." Huzair continued. "As my master used to say: 'Judge your foe or you will get your ass kicked... again'." "You are entitled to your opinion," Ahlear said. "Just as I am entitled to mine." "You could have gotten us all killed defending YOUR DAMNED OPINIONS! If I were Histah I would have bitten your head off and spit it out at your feet. This is not about your service, it is about OUR mission." Huzair exclaimed pointing the hand with the lit cigar in the mummy's face. His body was trembling with emotion, but again Huzair composed himself, much to the other's suprise. "I know you are thinking I am a hippocrite. I only mouth off to Morier because I know he would never hurt me... or could," he said, favoring Morier with a charming wink. "Notice I have not said anything rude to Noxin... and he spit on my head! He is a bruiser. I would not mess with him... until I know him. Take my words to heart or you may get yourself killed AGAIN." He emphasized the point by sticking the burning end of his cigar in Ahlear's face. The mummy turned his head, scowling behind his black bandages. "Get that thing out of my face!" he growled angrily and Huzair scowled back at him. Then, without looking away from the mummy's face, the wizard turned the cigar and ground it out in the palm of his own hand. Then he turned away, shaking his head. "Bah! It is just Garan-Zak's wisdom wearing off on me," Huzair grumbled. "He talks so damned much." His eyes fell on Anania's fallen body and his shoulders slumped. "Shamalin, would you say some final prayers for Anania? What a crappy way for my little flower to die," Huzair commented with saddness as he walked over to Anania, pulling off his cloak and draping it over her body. "It is the least I can do," Shamalin sad as she moved to the elf maid's corpse. "I owe her an apology for questioning whether or not her personal allegiances jeopardized the party's safety. There is no doubt about her loyalty to this party now." Delicately, Shamalin took the [i]Necklace of Eyes[/i] from around the scout's broken neck, removed one as she had seen Anania do and released it. It bobbed in the air and then began drifting away down the stairwell. Shamalin noted that there were fewer eye stalks on the [i]Necklace[/i] than there had been the last time she'd seen the device. She laid it to the side, intending to destroy it later, and went about the business of preparing the body for the afterlife. "So, what are you all doing on the other side of this gate?" Noxin asked after they'd paid their respects. "Is there a horde a treasure for releasing this god or is it some sort of honor pledge?" Shamalin was tending to Morier as best she could without benefit of her magic. "I don't know what sort of reward awaits us," Morier admitted. "But we do this because we must. The whole world depends on us." Huzair rolled his eyes, but Noxin nodded, pondering. "Do you have any idea what we'll face on the other side?" he asked, and the albino met his eyes. After a moment's pause, he shook his head. "I think we can find out," Shamalin said, drawing Waveblade from its sheath. "THE SCION OF WATER AWAKES!" the sword, which looked slightly smaller than the last time she'd drawn it, roared. Gravely, Shamalin set Waveblade in front of her and studied it. "You knew we were coming here," she mused out loud. "You called the snake by name." "THE WAY BEYOND THE GREEN IS OUR DESTINY," the sword thundered. "WE WERE MADE TO COME HERE AND PASS BEYOND THE GATE. HISTAH IS THE GUARDIAN OF THE GATE. IT IS AS IT WAS FORETOLD." Shamalin nodded. "What else can you tell us about this task?" she asked. "What lies beyond the gate?" "DRIDANA'S HEART LIES BEYOND IN ITS PRISON," Wavebade said. "ONLY WE FOUR SCIONS UNITED CAN UNLOCK THAT PRISON AND FREE THE HEART. IN DOING SO WE WILL FORFEIT OUR LIVES - A PRICE WE GLADLY PAY." "What should we look for?" Shamalin asked. "How best can I prepare?" "I DO NOT KNOW," the sword admitted. "THE MAGIC THAT SEALED THE GATE IS THE SAME THAT GAVE ME LIFE. WHEN THE PRISON CLOSED I AWAKENED FOR THE FIRST TIME." "I have looked beyond," Histah's voice spoke out of the air above them. "There isss danger beyond the gate for you." "Is it going to be combat or cerebral?" Huzair asked. "It wasss intended to be neither," the snake said. "But Dridana'sss esssence - her demiurge - hasss been trapped there for too long. She hasss become... unpredictable." [/QUOTE]
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