The Dead Forest (Increased Orc activity due to skirmish)

[Enness Vakar]

Night nodded

"Still trying to get the hang of the whole telepathic thing. That just started to crop up recently..."  

[wolf4life13]

Wolf walked slowly through the forest from the small shack that led to his home in barton. His short black hair flowed with the wind as did the edges of his coat and one edge of his scarf. Golden eyes flashed in shadows and light alike as he moved, and only the faint rustle of leaves told of his approach. He yawned slightly behind a gloved hand, revealing the edges of sharp fangs before shrugging his large bag into a more comfortable postition on his back.

He had needed a place to train for his coming fights with Karia and Jeanne, and for that place he'd chosen the arena he'd heard about from his friend Sagi and visited once before. A smile of anticipation crept across his face as he moved and the faint scent of jasmine seemed to rise from him as he moved. His aura, inverted as it was around his soul, barely stood out above his skin, yet a sense of purpose filled him as he wondered if he could continue his non-magic training in this place. The last four he had visited had strong fighters but none that would not use supernatural powers.

As he drew closer to the stadium a strong gust of wind blew into his face revealing a mark on his forehead that seemed a reflection of the moon's current state. The dark circle had barely a trace of white on one side and his aura seemed to reflect that lack clearly, his second reason for entering this place was in the hopes Karia and Jeanne would not find him as he became powerless, at least that they would not until his strength returned.  

[wolf4life13]

Wolf hissed softly to himself at his lack of perception, normally he existed with heightened senses from his shape shifting and his magic, but now, under a brilliant curse, he existed as he had when he was a child. He hated it, he felt wary and on edge at all times as not hearing the birds in the trees save when they called or flapped wings, not hearing the heartbeat of a squirell quicken, not smelling the scent of individual animals, drove him to a state of near paranoia. The only quaility he had managed to shape shift for days now had been his eyes, and gradually they were taking on flecks of brown and losing their sharpness.

Wolf growled in annoyance at his power being drained and quickened his pace towards the stadium, for once he was oblivious to the world on levels he had grown unconciously used to. It was this lack of senses however, that prevented him from crossing paths with any of the people that had evacuated the stadium, and by extension being warned of the dangers that lay ahead.  

[Lucind Varhetel]

Outside of the stadium in one of the many first aid tents Lucinds eyes snapped open. Breathing heavily due to the unexpected return journey, she blinked in confusion. In the next moment her eyes widened and she began desperately to get up from the stretcher: her knees buckled and she fell to the floor clumsily - her mind and soul demanded to get some rest and thus were taking away her physical strength.

Crawling and staggering, Lucind dragged herself out of the tent were she could see the stadium. Her look glided up the massive wall and searched...searched for...

Maximos

It wasnt a true explosion. There was no sound, there was no force to the blast. Just a sudden expanse of light. The light filled a hemi-sphere above the ground. It seemed as if it was carved in that shape, or perfectly drawn. Just a ball of light covering everything in a 15ft around, and 10 ft high radius, in pure silence. One would even venture as far as to call it a purifying light. Even as it struck the eyes it felt soothing, like a cool balm on soft burnt flesh. It was beautiful, for all the few seconds it lasted. But then it faded away, slowly the light shrunk, slowly fading slower, and slower, and slower...Until it vanished entirely, and its wake where the Destroyer once stood.....was nothing.

Small bits of white light, mixed with bit of black fluttered in the air like snowflakes, gently falling to the ground and then fading away to nothing. Maximos was no more.

As if a part of her was still on the merchant's ring, Lucind could slightly feel the explosion, Maximos' parting. Then a faint glow was to be seen at one point above the stadium.

After tumbling some more steps, Lucind fell on her knees, she could barely cushion herself with her arms.

Blue strands hid her face, now even paler than her skin already was, reminding of a porcelain doll's complexion. Unconsciously, she dug her nails into the soil until a first sob could be heard.

Finally, she sat back on her heels - and began to cry unrestrained, burying her face into her hands.

She cried because of her psychical and physical exhaustion.
Due to the high concentration and the strain that had suddenly vanished at a moment when she thought the worst was still to come.

She cried because she felt utterly relieved to have got through such a trip - sane.

Her tears were shed in satisfaction: She had felt Maximos' endless gratitude. She was really happy that she'd been able to help him. And still her mind was filled with countless memories, scenes, emotions.

But these were also tears of sorrow, for she'd lost a...a friend.
Someone she had truly cared for.  

[Enki Leviathan]

*Through the chaos and destruction, Enki could not ignore his true calling: That of Gaurdian. Despite the blood, death, screams of terror and horror, the blue-haired one did anything and everything he could to save everyone and everyone and get them to safety. The blood made things quite difficult, but fortunately, that went away. Some people were harder to save then others... dillusions, insanity, uncontrolable writhing from pain and mind-wrenching anarchy. The Stadium had become a living hell in the past few hours... some will not survuve... mentally, at least.

Having done all he could inside the walls of the Stadium, Enki makes his way to the surrounding forest where the Kyonuske had set up lodging and medical aid tents. He wanders in between the tents, listening to the mumbles and crying. In few tents, there was still screaming from innocent people who were caught in the worst of it from the Destroyer and Ariah. So much death. He walked by some more tents and then heard the sound of a body hitting the ground, then tears. Curious, Enki walks a little further and sees a figure on the ground before a tent.

To his surprise, there was his used to be subordinant, Lucind Varhetel. Enki walks further toward her, then kneels down before the woman and gently moves a strand of her hair away from her eyes with his thumb*

Lucind... are you all right?  

[Lucind Varhetel]

She want silent when she felt someone kneeling down next to her. She stifled her sobs and slowly turned her head, then whispered:

Enki...?

With the back of her hand she tried to wipe her tears away and waited some more until she thought she could trust her trembling voice not to fail.

The Destroyer...he...is gone. And with him....Maximos.

She breathed deeply. The weeping had weakened her even more so that she was now all of a shake and near to collapse.  

[Enki Leviathan]

*Enki sits down next to her and wraps a comforting arm around her shoulders. She then spoke her next words... the words take a few moments to register in his mind before Enki tenses up from their realization*

What? Max-... My brother...? He is gone...?

*Enki wouldn't sweat the details now, Lucind needs attenting to. He very gently tugs er against his warm body and keeps her close, trying to keep her comforted*  

[Lucind Varhetel]

Fighting against fainting right now and there, Lucind tried hard to speak again, with eyes closed, her head leaning against Enki's shoulder.

I tell...more..later. Please...bring me...lake o...river...

Her lips kept on moving as if they wanted to form another word.
But then her limbs went numb and swoon embraced her.  

[GS Sailor Eternity]

Eien's silver steady gaze flashed within in the tall tree tops as she regarded the camp area. Chaos was all around her, the eiehian maiden had seen and witness from sensing out to the stadium and the pain that feel to this small area of people here. The eighteen-pointed silver star on her brow glimmed for a moment in tender thought as the healer sent out a small prayer for the people here. Curling up tighter on the branch, she cocked her head slightly again, wondering what had happened. It was off and death was near, the stench was so strong within her nostrils that it made her gag at times.

Glancing to her right she watches others buzz in and out of the tents from her hiding spot within the trees, rubbing her swollen slightly stomach for her babe. She leaned back into the shadows and a soft chime is heard on the wind well she adjusts the staff on her back.

Will they be alright though flashed in her oldened mind, battle and worn they are... but will they give into that.  

[[Niitsu] - the - [First]]

Niitsu walked calmly from behind a tree, looking at the mass of destruction the stadium had now become.

He sighed, muttering, "Well, looks as if nothing will be left of that place."

During the past few hours, he had kept away from the stadium, feeling the power radiating from it, one that he knew very well he could not cope with if it came to push and shove.

As he watched, he saw Enki and a woman... he knew not how, but he knew who Enki was upon sight. He had heard much of this man... brave, protective, caring; it was quite obvious this was him.

Niitsu watched as he went from person to person, acting as their saviour.

Sourly, he thought, You know just as well as anyone that you cannot save them all... some will be damaged beyond hope; death would be a fortune when bestowed upon them.

However, he would not interfere until asked... he had stood by as his own life was destroyed, his hopes, dreams, loved ones, rivals; he had watched and not lifted a single finger, too arrogant to be seen a hero, a so-called good guy. He had always had that type of outlook on life; plus, it was so much easier to stand by and watch than to interfere and cause problems for yourself.

He was now going into a lapse, recalling images from his past; a burning carcass, a raped and murdered woman, his own lover struck down by his own misjudged swing, and his silent footsteps walking past it all, never to return to that awful day.

His snapped open as he fell to the ground, hitting it hard. Catching his breath once more, he sat up, his head reeling as he did so.

He then continued to watch the destruction and mayhem from afar; he owed these people nothing from himself, or at least he thought.  

[GS Sailor Eternity]

Sighing softly she turned her star shaded eyes to the sky again, slipping from the tree with a soft thud and walking back into the forest. Death did come and death did go, but how people can build together a new what makes the next step is easier than it attachly looks. Gaining that trust is a new issue that people need to over come and care about for them to live.

Damn there she was going again in her thoughts, how can Eien think such things when she herself was running. But her problems did not matter, their were people's lives here in danger and losing loved ones left and right. Placing a hand on her pregnant stomach, she felt Rev kick slightly.

The star on her brow twinkled through the sunlight in the trees, silver and brillant on her pale brow. She looks back to the tents and ponders again for a moment.  

[Ho Shin]

So much pain, so much suffering, so much chaos and for what? The events unfolded before one can cause so much confusion yet, for some reason, make so much sense.

So here we were, like animals it seemed. Out here waiting. Waiting for what, the answer? There would never be an answer. There would never be a solution. But who cared. What could we do at the present time. Wait. All we could do was wait.

Shin lifted himself from the ground where he lay, pushing his palm downwards onto his leg, pushing himself up. A sigh escaped his lips as he straightened up and looked around. It was cold out. It was not frigid as one would think, found in nature accross the frozen tundra. No, the weather was mild, not cold at all. It was a unatural cold, something that came with fear and uneasiness.

What was next? Was was to come of Leviathan, of the Kyonuske? No one was certain. All we could do was wait.

A breeze swept accross the plains, rushing through the Kyonuske. Shin's black cloak swayed in the wind, the mark of the Kyonuske clearly visible upon his back. He had his duties, his responsibility and that could not be ignored. He was not in his rank due to his lazyness. Much as he wished he could help, he found that the best help he could provide was to lie low with the rest of his kin and wait.  

[Tenma Keigou]

He walked slowly until he saw something odd. A man standing, simply standing. Not an odd thing, his standing, but the odd thing was the mark on his back. It was an emblem of the kyonsuke. He approached the man in true kyonuske fashoin. Silent, his breath not even making a sound as he approached. He did not draw his blade, nor show any weapon. He simply approached silently. Oh so silently.

"Why do you have that on your back"

He said standing with his back straight, left hand on the pommel of his moonblade. He was clearly marked kyonuske. He was short in stature, and his pale complextion and his white kimono like uniform and white mask gave him away. If the moonblade didn't that is.  

[Ho Shin]

Shin had not heard the man approach him, but that was to be expected. He had mearly sensed someones approach. He wasn't startled. Shin turned his head to the left, giving the man a clear profile view of his face, all the while allowing Shin to see the man.

Shin closed his eyes slowly, inhaling as he did so only to open the a small moment later followed by his exhale. He wet his lips slightly before speaking out.

"I am Kyonuske...much like yourself. Although I believe I hold higher postion. Who are you?"