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[green_mantis]

((You could Try. But if the guards caught you there would be quite a bit of explaining to do. Even if it would fall on deaf ears. Remember that this is an odd place, and some things that look harmless could really be quite dangerous. If you still want to though, go ahead. Remember that there are no shadows (not big ones anyway), and dinner is going to be served soon.))

[Squee]

Steven walked around the wet and slippery streets, his hands lazily locked behind his head. He looked up at the now clear sky and sighed.

The sky's so blue. I wonder why it's so blue. Why can't it be green? I think the sky would look nice as a shade of dark green... Oh...but then you'd get confused with grass. That wouldn't work...

Very slowly, Steven continued down the streets, past the armouries, past the supply stores, past the potion shops and, lastly the Tavern, his emerald-green eyes locked on the clouds high above.

Steven was a young man with a slightly heavy build. He held an impressive strength within his arms and legs but he rarely had to use it - fighting was always his last alternative. Slung on his back was a large, two-handed broadsword, weighted at the end. It was obviously too large for this boy, yet he walked as if he were unencumbered by anything.

All of a sudden, there was a loud commotion down the street. Steven, still fascinated by the face of the sky, didn't faulter in his step. That is, until a sudden mob of people rushed by him.

"Whoa- H-Hey! Wh-wha - Ack!" Steven forced out as he suddenly spun on the ball of his foot, losing his balance. After flailing his arms out a bit, his equalibrium finally returned and he sighed with relief. He shook a piece of stray hair from his eyes and looked around.

What's going on? he thought silently to himself. However, he did not have much time to ponder as a second mob rushed through the street, this time, from the opposite direction.

"N-No! Ack! S-Stop! Wh-Whoa!"

Steven, once again, quickly lost his balance and stumbled around the slippery cobblestones. He reached out with his hands and tried desperatley to find some kind of brace. Eventually, Steven's spinning lead him to the notice board in front of the local Tavern.

As his open palm rested on board, Steven sighed heavily. His head stopped spinning and his feet were firmly planted on the ground. All was good. Now he could continue on with his deep philisophical discovers.

So if green is already taken by grass and brown is taken by tree bark, why can't the sky be purp-

However, his thoughts were suddenly cut short as the note of paper he was leaning against began to glow. Before he could back away, Steven found himself in some kind of vortex. It felt like he was falling at a great speed...but at the same time, not moving at all. It was odd and made him naseous to say the least.

However, the moment soon passed and Steven's stomache was shown mercy. He was inside Darksparrow's foyer... a foyer without a notice board. Steven gasped as he suddenly fell forward, kissing the ground quite involuntarily with a mighty thud. The broadsword on his back escaped its sheath a little and the blade gleamed in the dim light.

"Ugh...ow..." he mumbled into the stone, slowly moving his fingers and toes, making sure that everything was in good working order.

[green_mantis]

The crystal viewer in the royal chamber begins to flash as Steven hits the deck in the foyer.

"Yes, this 'Crane' is interesting, which is why I have sent him an invitation to my sparring arena. I-" He stops short as he notices the crystal viewer flashing.

He moves to look in the screen. "Well, it seems we have another competitor. And I was afraid my little event was going to be boring..." He says, as he dons the rest of his armor.
"I will be in the arena if you need me, Opie. See to it that our most recent guest is taken care of." He says as he strides out the door.

[Crane]

Crane was midway through a pattern when the servant knocked on his door - he was a little bit irritated, but he kept his cool.

"Yes?" he asked simply as he answered the door.

[Vardoth]

Vardoth with his enhanced sense of smell relises that dinner is being cooked and decides its to dangerous to sneak about the castle at this point.

[Charon]

((Ive changed my posts to RED for talking and YELLOW for thoughts just in case anyone was wondering. Oh and by the way my account is no longer The Matrix. It is now Vardoth))

((Squee u were wondering what happened to the ninja assassin and then the sudden appearence of vardoth. Well you havent read all the posts Read the last two sentences of this quote.))

Tlaloc looked around his room with mild distain. It wasn't so much that there was anything wrong with it... it was just that nothing seemed particularly right either. There was nothing he could bring himself to consider pocketing, the light... well, he couldn't quite work out where the light was coming from, but it was too bright for his tastes.

As he sat on the bed he found himself far too restless even to scheme, his thoughts still wandering to the infuriating servant who'dbarely acknowledged his presence, and annoyed by whatever fluke of fate that had landed him in a room opposite Pyriphlegethon

<Though not as annoyed as she, I'd wager> he thought dimly, that thought giving him some meager pleasure.

He moved softly and silently around the edges of the room, running his nimble fingers along the wall as if searching for something. Rough edges, a hidden doorway... anything. The expression flickering on his face showed that whatever he'd been looking for he hadn't found it.

"Five" he murmered, remembering the faint chime that had sounded before he screwed up the piece of paper and threw it onto the bed. He opened his door and threw it open, causing it to collide with the wall with a very unsubtle crash. Stepping through before the rebound caused the door to close again he allowed himself the slightest of glances at the wall... which remained unscathed, as had the door.

A door or so away yet another of those servants was talking to someone through the door... that female servant of Pyri's was standing by. The thought crossed his mind to tell the woman that the girl had been wailing her name, but he decided he couldn't be bothered.
All the same he flashed her a smirk before walking straight past her as he set off down the centre of the corridoor.

((Vardoth- I think Squee was talking about a ninja assassin of an entirely different type to Vardoth And... would you hit me if I begged you not to use all those different colours in your posts? The rainbow REALLY doesn't stand out very well against my backdrop and I am loathe to copy everything into notepad... at which point I can read the words but no longer tell whether they are thoughts, etc, by your formatting ^^;; sorry ))

[Vardoth]

((Ok how about is use <>for thoughts '' for words and ** for actions and maybe il add just a lil bit of colour to the words ))

Edited by Vardoth, 30 August 2004 - 03:01 PM.

[Vardoth]

((Mantis if Mec dosent return soon i boldly ask that i or someone else may play another character. Im not really bothered if its me or not wo plays another character))

[Opie]

((Vardoth, i think we've got the other Character in Squee. But thanks for offering.))

He moves to look in the screen. "Well, it seems we have another competitor. And I was afraid my little event was going to be boring..." He says, as he dons the rest of his armor.
"I will be in the arena if you need me, Opie. See to it that our most recent guest is taken care of." He says as he strides out the door.

"Right. I'll make sure he is seen to his room." Opie says as he disappears in a flash of light. He appears right behind Steven and says with what could be a bit too much gusto

'Welcome, to the [i]lovely[i] castle of Lord Darksparrow! If you would be so kind as to follow me, I will show you to your room."

As the walk by he catches a glimpse of himself in a mirror and smile at the image of a servant smiling back at him.

[i]Oh I am good! he thinks to himself.

[green_mantis]

The servant addresses crane as follows:

"Sir, Lord Darksparrow is practicing in the sparring arena. He is aware that you are a man of some combat skill, and has extended an invitation for you to come and spar with him while you wait for dinner to be served. If you like, I will escort you there."

Behind the servant, Christine nods her head slightly, relieved that the servant managed to speak correctly. She also noticed the unscrupulous fellow slam his door open, and give her a smirk. Disgusted, she just smiled politely, not making a sound as he walked by.

I wonder how I am going to explain my dissappearance to my charge...?"

-------------------------

*SHWING* Was the sound made as Darksparrow swung down, cleaving one of the steel dummies in half with his greatsword. He practices in his full plate armor to keep himself in top form.

"Almost nothing is gained from practicing on these dummies, I certainly hope my offer is accepted. I hope Opie doesn't do something odd and bring our newest guest to the stables or something."

Edited by green_mantis, 30 August 2004 - 11:15 PM.

[Crane]

Crane was a little taken aback by this offer to spar.

"Hmmm... to test my skill and learn from my mistakes is why I spar..." he thought. "But I spar with friends in a safe environment... I do not know the lord as a friend or a foe... but it is an honour to receive an invitation... I don't really want to fight, but can I say no?" Crane was in a mental war with himself over his morals, but eventually made a decision.

"It would be my honour to spar with the great Lord," Crane bowed his head to the servant. He turned to pick up his Justice Blade, but as he picked it up, looking at the perfectly sharp, enchanted edge, he was filled with suspicion... "but... the games and challenges have not started yet as far as I am concerned...

He holstered his sword and walked over to the servant. Crane looked at Christine and smiled slightly, but he was not sure why. "Show me the way," he commanded to the male servant.

[green_mantis]

The servant bows and gestures for Crane to follow him.

Christine looks preoccupied and doesn't seem to notice Crane's smile, but continues to smile blankly.

[Squee]

...Why doesn't he help me when I'm clearly in pain? Steven thought to himself as he struggled to his feet with a grunt of effort. He dusted off his pants and readjusted the scabbard on his back.

"Oh... Hi, there. M-My name is Steven Christopher Avelin, very nice to meet y-" he started, extending out a hand only to be cut off as Opie walks away in his narcisitic manner.

Steven, blinking blankly much of the time, relunctantly followed Opie. What happened to the crowds of people? The tavern? The city?

"...Sir, what is this place? How did I get here?"

[Opie]

"Why, you pressed your hand on the peice of paper," Opie said, a sadistic smile slowly spreading across his face, "Did you not?"

[Squee]

"I-I...umm...y-yeah...o-of course I did..." Steven said as he scratched the back of his head, loosing thinking back a few minutes ago.

"So...umm...r-remind me what that piece of paper actually said... I-I mean, of course I read it and everything, I just want to...umm...err..." he continued, pausing for a good while as he racked his brain for some kind of lie.

"To know if there's anything I missed...y-you know, fine print?"

[Opie]

((lol, sorry about how short that last post was squee, I was Pre-occu[ied at the time i wrote it.))

"Well, there's always fine print, follow me and I shall tell you everything you need to know." Opie said as he led the way down the hallway in the opposite direction that the guest quarters lie in. He did not even turn to see if Steven was following him.

"Well, as I said before, this is Lord Darksparrow's castle. The paper you pressed your hand on teleported you here because he..."

Opie halted at the end of the hallway, as if considering what to do next

"Likes to have company. Other than we servants and his daughter, he has no one to visit with, and he is a [i]very[/i] sociable man, and he loves people."

Opie smirks slightly, but quickly hides it, seeing as it may have been too noticable.

"Right, so off this way then, follow me. My name is...uuuh, Bill! Right Bill! and I'll be you servant for the day."

[Charon]

"Right then" Tlaloc muttered to himself as he reached the first intersection and looked around. Straight ahead would presumably lead back to the foyer. While he'd been there he hadn't seen anything warranting his interest and so there seemed little point returning. Yes there had been other intersections but he wasn't entirely sure he was going anywhere, so there seemed little point picking one in particular... besides, each way had looked equally bland to his eyes

"Damn, this guy is meant to be a Lord" he hissed "I've never yet met a Lord who doesn't like showing off what he has... so where are all the lavish wall hangings, and the expressions of riches or power?"

He raised his hand and gave it a flick and a twist, pulling a single gold coin from the air before him and looked around again
"Heads left, tails right then" he sighed tossing the coin into the air and catching it midfall before flipping it onto the back of his hand

"Tails it is... " he confirmed before pocketing the coin and inexplicably turning to the left instead of his carefully decided right, his steps as silent as before as he continued his little trek

[Charon]

Pyri was wandering around her room like an animal trapped in a cage. The room she was in was comfortable enough, that wasn't what was bothering her

<This place takes things to extremes> she thought as she stopped and looked around once again <Something is wrong here and I can't shake that feeling... and I'm just meant to wait here? I don't...>

"Heh" she shook her head, laughing more at herself than anything else "I should be happy for a chance to relax, even under the circumstances under which we were brought here, but I'm so used to travelling and keeping busy that I don't know what to do... in time considered to be 'rest'"

She sat down without hunting for a chair, merely hovering slightly in the air... and smiled, flexing her fingers ever so slightly before clasping them together "Which is why its a good thing... that there's never time to rest" and with that comment she closed her eyes.

Fire flared at the forefront of imagined vision, flickering and spiralling... though no fire appeared in the real world where she hovered ever lower, but remained above the ground. Patterns emerged in her mind, brilliant light along with dark shadows... because they were both needed. Pyri knew that, even as some of the flames darkened to unnatural green
"Its a good thing... that there's never time to rest" a voice murmered, repeating her words.

In her mind Pyri nodded... in her room she was already asleep.

Edited by Charon, 01 September 2004 - 10:10 PM.

[green_mantis]

Curious suits of full plate armor line the corridor, each one is black with a black shield, bearing a small white bird as its only device. One would swear that they were not there a moment ago.

A squeaking sound can be heard as Tlaloc walks by one of them.

[Charon]

"Hellooo there" Tlaloc murmers, raising his head with a slight grin "Now thats more like it"

Thinking nothing of it he walked past a few sets of the armour before stopping and looking up and down the coridoor before he allowed himself to peer closer. He tapped lightly on the cold black metal, running his fingers over the joints of the arm piece where the shield was fixed in place.
Eyes narrow and teeth gritted he slipped one hand behind it, placed his other hand firmly against the front then he pulled hard. With barely a sound the ebony black shield came off in his hands, and though he stumbled backwards from the sudden release he was light on his toes and recovered quickly

And that was why he noticed the squeeking sound... because he hadn't made one.

"Now this could be fun" his voice was almost musical as he called out softly, his voice echoing ever so slightly along the coridoor. His eyes glinted ferally as he looked around "Someone's not to great at sneaking it seems. Who's there?"

He looked about slowly and warily, alert now as he hefted the shield. Vaguely he noted the irony of the apparant insignia of DarkSparrow keep being a light sparrow, but admiring the suits of armour would have to come later it seemed.

"Now are you going to tell me, or are we going to play out the whole 'creepy castle' routine?" he mocked, smirk on his face though his voice was still quiet

[Crane]

Crane could not help but admire some of the architecture of the keep as he followed the servant. He passed a few suits of armour and he was sure that one of them moved slightly, but he did not have time to investigate; it would be too easy to lose the servant in the winding corridors and he was not in the mood to get lost in a labyrinth just yet.

[Squee]

How sad... Nobody visits him? Most Kings and Lords have people on their doorstep night and day... but I guess this Darksparrow doesn't like to have people around...

But...he's socialable so... ugh, Steven thought, shaking the confussion from his head.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bill! And I'm sure that your Lord Darksparrow is a very nice person, as well," he continued as he walked briskly after Opie.

[Opie]

"Oh yes, yes he is. Lord Darksparrow is one of the most kindly people you will ever meet. He's even got a great sense of humor." Opie says as he barely suppresses a laugh.

As they approach a split in the hallway, Opie peers around the corner to his right, only to see Tlaloc near the suits of armor.

That guy is going to appear crazy to this oaf behind me, better steer clear. Opie thought to himself.

"We'll be heading to the left, over there is our ground's keeper, he's a little bit loony, but he does a great job. Just be sure not to look him in the eye, he would probably kill you."

Opie turned down the left hall, and stopped to make sure steven was following.

[green_mantis]

As the servant leading Crane approaches the arena, the sound of metal on metal can be heard.

------------------

The armor missing its shield is holding out its hand, as if it were silently asking for its shield to be replaced. Each one of the aromors in that corridor, seem to give off a creepy vibe, as if they were watching Tlaloc now that he was holding the shield.

[Squee]

Steven diligently continued to follow Opie, not bothering to ask idle questions like "Are we there yet?" or "How long until we get there?" or "Will we be there soon?" even though he was obviously thinking them.

His eyes peered around to the right side of the hallway, catching glimpse of the armours but thinking nothing of it.

[Charon]

Tlaloc waited in the corridoor silently, listening for any sound as he tried to work out where the noise had come from. He heard hollow footsteps and he turned a little, moved towards the sound expecting to find his 'sneak' but as he turned his gaze to follow his feet...

"Tsch, it's only a kid" he rolled his eyes as he watched another of those damnable servants turning at the intersection and leading the boy away from him. Then he noted the large sword slung on the boys back "Or maybe not. Another competitor perhaps? "

Tlaloc smiled slightly, feeling that just perhaps he'd managed to get some inside information on this little event... their little group certainly weren't the only one's here after all. He was still running his fingers across the shield he now carried, testing it lightly on his arm trying to determine its weight, looking carefully down at it as he walked slowly along the corridoor back to where he had been before, ever more aware of the fact that there were a lot of armour statues here, and if he could determined the worth of any part of them perhaps he'd be able to start working the 'Honourable Lord DarkSparrow' out

And then he stopped infront of the suit he'd pilfered... and shook his head, letting out a mocking chuckle as he found himself looking down at the outstretched arm

"Oh very amusing sneak" he grinned "Very amusing. Creepy castle routine it is then"

Gritting his teeth slightly he planted a hand on the arm and forced it back down... then for the slightest of moments Tlaloc's eyes narrowed suspiciously. The noise... the movement of the arm... they were the same. The squeak he'd heard was the same creak the armour made as he moved it.

"Heh" the bluster was back, and the denial was there... Tlaloc knew he was being played with, knew it and anger bubbled and seethed within him at that thought.

"Very amusing" he murmered again, eyes glowering darkly like smouldering coals as his eyes passed over each suit of armour in turn looking for something, indeed looking for anything out of place... but his idea of 'amusing' was changing by the moment

Edited by Charon, 08 September 2004 - 07:08 PM.

[Crane]

Crane stepped into Lord Darksparrow's sparring arena and was met by a suit of armour that had been split in two lengthways. He looked up at the Lord in his shining armour and the Great Sword he held. For a brief moment Crane seemed to make a connection between the Lord, the rumbling earlier and the suffering he felt, but he dismissed that as simply not trusting the Lord and his mysterious ways yet. As of now, Crane was getting extremely suspicious of why the Lord Darksparrow had singled him like this.

"You requested my presence, Lord Darksparrow." he queried the Lord Darksparrow. Crane liked to test his skill in the sparring arena, and he was sure the Lord Darksparrow knew that all too well, only Crane preferred to use wooden or rubber blades so as not to kill his friendly opponents. But did the Lord Darksparrow also know of the raw fear manifesting within Crane's body? Crane was suddenly very scared, but he did not portray it outwardly.

"What is this guy up to?" he pondered nervously. "The challenges have yet to start as far as I am concerned, and I don't like to spar on an empty tummy!"

[green_mantis]

As Tlaloc turns to look at the other armors in the hallway, A squeaking sound can be heard, very loud as if it were very close to Tlaloc.
The armor missing its shield is holding its gauntlet out again, as if it is still asking for it back. Its other gauntlet rests on the hilt of its sword. As do several other armors in the hallway behind Tlaloc.

-------------------

"Yes, I did." Darksparrow answers as he turns, and places the sword back into its scabbard over the mantle.
"I noticed when you entered my keep that you were a swordsman. I am always wanting to improve my own swordsmanship." He turns and opens a dusty cabinet revealing a number of wooden swords. He turns around.
"Shall we?" He says with an almost evil grin.

[Charon]

Tlaloc merely watched as the gauntlet slowly rose again, back to the position it had been in before.

He felt the tension in his muscles as his jaw clenched firmly and his back straightened, his head rising until he was looking straight ahead. He wasn't as tall as he could have been, and by doing so he only found himself looking at the upper torso of any one of these suits of armour. Treading softly at silently he stepped back into the center of the corridoor, refusing to turn... although now the "creepy vibes" we forcing their way into his mind. Each and every one of these things... if felt like they were looking at him

"H..heh" the laugh escaped his throat only barely, muffled and losing any context it could have had. He was too tense for any real laughter, but even as the fear struck through him and froze in his heart... the slow smirk was forming on his face

"If you're going to do something, do it" he hissed, forcing words past tightly gritted teeth

<Just put it back> some part of his mind hissed at him <It's stupid but in this place it'll work>

But even as he was thinking it the smile only grew. Mental treason was one of this young man's strong suits

"Come on" he sneered "Give me a story worth telling... Beause let me tell you, Tlaloc isn't going to get scared off by your hocus pocus suits of armour quite so easily"

[Crane]

Crane was quite relieved that he would not be using real swords. He unclipped his Justice Blade and its scabbard and put it against the wall, but he made sure it would be in clear sight if things got dirty.

He took a wooden sword that closely resembled his Justice Blade from Lord Darksparrow's cabinet.

"Okay, let's do it," he smiled, putting some physical distance between himself and Lord Darksparrow, then readying his sword.
"Let's see what this guy can do..." he thought to himself, temporarily forgetting his own youth and lack of experience.