Meeting on Warship 666

KRYSTIN!
<rushes to the edge> <grabbing her hand>
Im here... daddy has you... hold on...
< a tear comes to his eye>

{ZYRIAAAA}

-her hand tingling, her confidence building with every second Caz is there, dispite what the Shadow said, she thinks, *yes, we're here for Tam. The shadow's tricks are exactly that, tricks. Caz is here now, and we can overcome this, together.*

Emerik could feel Krystin's hand slipping in his as his daughter's weight became too much. She called out again, in panic, "Dad! Dad, help..." Her eyes flashed down to the bottom of the dropoff, very far down, and she screamed yet again.

Caz squeezed Zyria's hand, and then what seemed like one-hundred hands exploded from behind the shadow. Almost all of them went for Caz, some holding his limbs, pulling apart, some grabbing at his hair, his clothes, some scratching, leaving bloody gashes down his arms. Five or six grab Zyria, holding her in place as the others tear Caz away from her. Their hands are still interlocked, but then are ripped apart by the force with which the hands pull Caz. He calls out to her, then as the hands begin to pull his joints so hard that he feels as though he is being ripped apart and he lets out an agonized cry. Several cover his mouth, stifling his screams of pain, and then several of them begin to rip into his chest and his abdomen. They tear him open, and blood gushes from his body and from his mouth, cutting off his screams abruptly. One of the hands reaches into his chest and slowly, squeezing, pulls out his heart. The hands then disappear, dropping Caz's horribly twisted, torn apart body to the ground. He does not move. Then the hands holding Zyria disappear as well.

Krystin... no....
<then Emerik closes his eyes>
< he is quiet... everything else is blocked out.
He is silent.
he opens his eyes.
he looks at this...ghost... this illusion... this lie of what used to be. He sees her... hes holding her hand again... his daughter. But he knows it isn't real. he lets out s shaky sigh.
and tells himself shes not there. He has to let go.> '

I-im... s--sorry.
This is... when i say goodbye.
I-I love you Krystin.
May you rest in peace.
<he lets go of her hand, and she falls. shes screams all the way down, until it stops abruptly with a sickening crack.>
<He stands, a few tears falling down his cheek. then...
his passion turns to anger>
<he yells out, draws a Blue-Skyward Blade made from platinum and a blue crystal, and turns toward where the shadow and Lyikos are fighting. he begins to walk...>

{ZYRIAAAA}

-after screaming Caz's name multiple times, she just....stops. All she can do is stay there, held by the hands. She wants to close her eyes, but she can't, and she witnesses the gruesome attack. Tears pour down her cheeks, and she sobs occassionally, but other than that, she remains still. When the hands disappear, she drops to the floor, unable to stand. There, she wraps her arms around her knees, and cries.

Suddenly, everything stops.
It just... stays still, suspended. Nothing continues, no more attacks come against the stability of the groups emotions. The Shadow and the Light are stopped mid-fight for a long moment.

Eris-Tam appears, walking over to Zyria, kneeling down, and putting a hand on her shoulder. "Why are you crying?"

At the same time, the rest of the group is suddenly surrounding the two of them, and Eris-Tam looks up at them as well. "Why are you all so upset?" Her voice sounds almost like that of a child, confused and without understanding. "Why are you all in my head? I'm... just imagining this all happening, right? You're not really here..."

-In confusion, Zyria, still crying and too emotionally wracked, just stares at Tam at first, not realizing that it's the person they've been trying to find. Just as she recognizes Tam, everyone else appears. Zyria sits up in surprise, then locks eyes with Caz. A sob escapes her throat, and she jumps up. Practically plowing Caz over, she hugs him with all her might, fresh tears in her eyes. "Oh Caz, I-I thought you were....I thought..." -Unable to continue, Zyria just hugs Caz as the new tears streak her cheeks.-

<Pauses, and turns toward Tam, rushes over.>
Tam... im afraid we are here.
<looks toward the paused Shadow>
tam... how are you here?
Youve... managed to stop the Shadow in its tracts for the moment...
Did Archelaus find you?

Robless began to feel exhaustion from his burns, and drifted off into sleep on the cold steel of the Demigod's interior.

He awoke on a field, lying on the ground. Robless examined his hands and arms carefully, finding no trace of his injuries whatsoever. When he pushed himself up, he noticed something was wrong. Everything had stopped, except for the other leaders aboard the ship.

Without needing to be told, Robless realized what was happening. "This...Oh God, this is...Tam's...mind." The others were scattered around, Emerik and Zyria turning to face Tam. Robless knew what they were here for. The Thel-ghan'che and another brighter parasite were also frozen in combat. Tam had stopped the parasite, for now, so they could talk.

D'garar noted that Robless had finally fallen asleep. He decided that it was probably safe to follow suit and laid down. He quickly fell asleep and awoke in a similar situation as Robless. He stood up, slightly confused. He looked around and saw Robless near him.

"Robless, where are we, what exactly is going on?"

"This...it's hard to explain, but we're in Tam's mind. Watch your step carefully, and don't act too quickly. Don't believe the Thel-ghan'che when it starts preying on your fears. It's subsiding now, due to Tam, but be prepared for its return."

Robless looked around, taking in everything. Something told him that all of these were extremely familiar, despite being someone else's mind. These...dreams...came often when Robless was the most troubled dealing with the parasite. He hadn't known about the parasite at the time, of course, but he recognized it almost instantly. The difference was the number of people. Normally it was the Thel-ghan'che and himself, but Archelaus' connection with Tam allowed them all to stay.

D'garar looks shocked. "In...Aurora's mind..." He looks around as well. Taking in the scene, he heads towards the knot of people in the field. His mind racing, horrible ideas racing through his mind.

Archelaus paused for a moment, running past the Alteriia he had known for so many dozens of centuries, whom he had fought with, spoken with, lived with, lived for.... Die around him. He some of them torn apart by shadows, some crushed beneath giant rocks, some eaten alive by acids or brutalized by strange animals...

But Archelaus knew it was a trap.
He knew it was.
It had to be...

He did not run, simply stood, as the currents of Aurora's mostly familiar mind swept through him...

He had to admit to himself, that this parasite was stronger than he was. It seemed determined. As if it knew it was going to defeat him. He knew it was merely another illusion, designed to rid him of his will to fight, but Archelaus was not giving up.
He was no mere child, not simply a pupil of the arts,

He was THE HIGH DRUID. He was the Alteriian MASTER of the Rolxan! He was the Arch-General!
Most of all... He was Aurora's Neiede...
If he failed her, who could hope to save her? His heart broke into a thousand pieces, like glass dropped from a cloud...
The tears welled inside him again...
And once more Archelaus swelled with mystical power, as he prepared to launch another expedition into Aurora's mind...
but he waited, until the parasite was distracted...
Then he struck! Struck at the core...!
He drove all the way through the defenses and walls of the Parasite into the middle, the center, the heart of hearts in which the true Aurora still held onto, much as Robless has retained some sense of himself despite the years of virtual imprisonment...

And Aurora was there. Archelaus recalled what her mind felt like, and opened the door.
Not even the parasite could hold out against all of them now...
but his connections were weakening... They would have to move quickly.

"Aurora!" he called, "Aurora! You must come with me, the Drakthur (The Evil Thing, which is the ancient Alteriia name for the parasite) is inside you,
and we must defeat him,
Or I will die in trying.
Come with me, my old friend, and we shall join in battle once more. Nala'thar! (To the Death my Neiede!)

And so Archelaus turned to face where the parasites were dueling, and where Robless, Zyria, Caz and Emeric were heading to...

Now was the final moment...

Caz stumbles back a step as Zyria tackles him, a little stunned at first. He feels her arms around him, and then... he wraps his around her, almost protectively, tightly, holding her close just because he could. I would never let anything happen to you, Zyria. I love you. We've only just met, but I want to protect you with everything that I am. Now and forever. Those were the words Caz longed to say, but instead he just let himself hold her, and he vowed to keep her safe, or die trying. Tears of his own came to his eyes, then, and he felt he would never let her go.

{More coming}

Tam looks up in alarm, then stands and starts after Archelaus.

And then she doubles over, falling to her knees.
She clutches her head in agony and the two parasites resume their fight; she cries out to the group in panic and pain, and the Shadow appears at her side, laughing maniacally, leaning down to whisper in her ear. No one can hear what it says to her, but she screams, "No! No... stop...!"

And then she is gone. A black void has appeared below her and she is sucked into it, disappearing from sight. The field that they were standing in shakes with tremors, dark black clouds cover the sky and it begins to rain. The rain is dark, though, and as it falls they realize it is a rain of blood. The grass wilts and dies as soon as the rain touches it, sizzling as if placed in a vat of acid. The blood rain pounds, stinging their skin, and there seems to be nowhere to go to take shelter from it. Then one appears, something like a small pagoda or park shelter. The Light stands inside, beckoning to the group. Caz turns, still holding Zyria in his arms, and starts to run for the shelter. He lags behind the rest of them, though, and then he is forced to set Zyria down. Still he grips her hand though, but then the Shadow is on him. It swoops down from the sky like a giant eagle... or rather, a vulture... and clutches Caz's shoulders. He fights it, running, still holding Zyria's hand and using the other to swipe at the Shadow. But his attempts are unsuccessful, and it begins to lift him up off the ground, starting to tear the real Caz away from Zyria, just like before. But this time, there's no going back.

"CAZ! NO!" Robless screamed at the Shadow, but it would do no good. He turned to Zyria, who has collapsed on the ground. "Come on, we have to get to the shelter!" He tugs at her arm. "Zyria, not now!" Robless starts to drag her, but doesn't get far. "I'm sorry, but Caz will come back to you! The illusion...don't give in!" Zyria was hearing him but not really listening, so Robless tried another approach. "Caz wouldn't want you to die here! Come on, pick yourself up!"

The Shadow flew into the rain clouds, but the acid rain starting to burn at both Robless' and Zyria's skin. They had to get to the shelter soon, before it was too late.

[^Im ignoring that post, Zyria is NOT that vulnerable, (but I DO understand why one would post that (but im still ignoring it))]

-Zyria hugs Caz, feeling a relief stronger than any feeling she'd had. I thought I had lost you, already...I know one day you'll leave, but I can accept that, as long as I have you now. I...I love you. She feels the thought emanating from deep within her soul, and she knows that it's entirely true, but she can't seem to say it, at least, not now. I promise you Caz, I will fight for you, I will not stand aside and just watch as you die.

When Tam disappears, everyone is on edge. But before they can do anything, it begins to rain. Blood. There seems to be no way out of it, until a shelter appears in the distance. Caz suddenly picks Zyria up and begins running. This slows him down though, so they begin running side by side, hand in hand. They have lagged behind slightly, though, and the Shadow targets them. Or, moreover, the Shadow targets Caz. As the Shadow comes down on them, it grabs him by the shoulders. Zyria screams as Caz tries to pull it off and continue running, but the efforts are fruitless, and he is picked up off of the ground, their hands losing the other. As everyone else keeps running, Zyria stops, and without needing to think, runs off into the direction of the Shadow. Hearing Robless call out, she screams,- "Go! Go to the shelter! Find Tam! I'll be fine!" -We both will.-

ARCHELAUS!

<runs to him> WE HAVE TO STOP!!
<thunder crashed over head>
<cracks start to appear in the sky, the thunder grows louder, the shadow and Lyikos battle grows more and more intense.>
Shes becoming one with both parasites, its tearing her apart! we have to go, NOW!!!
We have to get Zyria and Drel-Caz before everything FALLS APART!
<the ground starts to shake, and cracks begin to appear in the soil of the field.>

"I don't want to leave you out here, but I'll have to trust you on this!" Robless picks up the pace and sprints towards the shelter, trying to get to the light, trying to escape the Shadow. "Only a little further to--Only a little--Only..." He paused, and turned around. The world started to fall apart. A large, carbon-steel sword laid on the ground in front of him. It gave off a silver glow, and nanites seemed to move through it. Without realizing what it really was, Robless picked it up and started running to Archelaus.

"Ebert's right! We have to get out of here!" Robless continued sprinting, the extra weight from the new blade not deterring him one bit. He had what he needed; the Thel-ghan'che could not stop him later, when the time comes. Just where Robless stood mere seconds ago, the ground simply shattered like glass. "Hurry, Archelaus! Get us out!"

<A fissure opened in the ground, and Emerik lost his balance, and fell in. He managed to grab on to the ledge, but just barely>
<he grunts, then yells>
ARCHELAUS, NOW!

The ground shook even greater, and all of the solid ground around Robless disappeared. His little island in the darkness was slowly crumbling. "You will not take me with you!" The sword of light was driven straight into the ground where Robless stood, and the ground held firmly against the shadow. It would keep him alive, but Archelaus would have to act fast to save everyone.

-In the darkness, Zyria could barely make out the Shadow in the distance, still carrying Caz. The ground was tearing apart around her, yet a path seemed to remain for Zyria as she continued chasing them. It's almost as if...as if, it WANTS me to confront it... She shook her head, and focused on keeping up with the Shadow, only slightly slowing to ensure that she had her knife still in the holster.-

Caz struggled against the Shadow, feeling its talons tearing at his shoulders, ripping them apart. Pain gripped him, but he would not give in to it. Acting fast, he changed his form with his implant, matching the Shadow and morphing into a giant golden eagle. He spun, clawing at the vulture. He spotted Zyria behind him, and his heart filled with confidence. He caught the Shadow's wings and ripped with all his might. As the other bird began to plumment it snagged him with it, carrying him down to the ground with it. A void appeared, and before Zyria could get to it the two had disappeared into the shadows.

-When she first saw Caz morph, she felt a sliver of hope. When they began falling towards a void that appeared below them, she paled. After they disappeared, Zyria finally reached the void, but stopped short. She would go after them, but how to proceed? Testing the ground, and assuming it would stay solid until the Shadow acknowledged it, she pulled out some small ropes from her pack. Using a knife (not her SWORD, just a knife), she ties the rope around it, and plunges the knife into the ground. After testing it, she begins her slow crawl down into the void. Hoping to ease some of the unhelpful tension building in her frame, she begins to mindlessly ramble.- "Really hope this works. I probably won't have enough rope for this, but I'll figure that out when I get there. Okay, this isn't helping." -She reaches the end of her first rope, and ties another. This continues for another 3 or 4 ropes, and suddenly, the ground up above gives way.-

Robless pulls his sword out of the ground and attempts to clear the void and regroup with the others. Before he could bring it back down, though, the ground fell into millions of tiny shards, dropping him down. In mid-air, he switches so he faces the void, holding his sword in front of him. Above Robless, the sky goes pitch black, the shards of earth crumbling in behind him. The air continues to rush past him as he falls through the void, the sword the only guiding light. Light would drive out the void, but Robless feared it was too late. Tam was going to lose the fight against the Thel-ghan'che if they didn't pull out of her mind soon.

Seconds later, the bright blade drove itself into the cracked, black earth below him. Robless landed hard, but on his feet and intact. He swept the sword along the ground, creating a slightly glowing path. The Shadow was here, he could sense it. Robless could only hope that he was faster. Tam's entire life and sanity was at stake, but everyone's mind would be shattered if they "died" in this dream-world.