An unknown cavern ~The Torture of Lone Starraiser~

[Redder]

In a dark cavern somewhere in the land...

Uroch looked over the man cowering before him. Several days of torture had gone well... this fool was not used to such methods... it was amazing that the psychological effects of torture increased the panic, the pain, and the fear by amounts unheard of...

Now it was time to coax him out...

"You killed her... you murderer... you destroyed the chance she had to live... maybe even to love you..." Uroch found that whispering at times like this was much more effective than speaking loudly. "You tossed her life away like it was yesterday's trash..."

Lone's eyes panicked, glancing around the room, as if looking for an escape.

Uroch continued to speak carefully and quietly. "Your actions also caused harm to your other one as well..." Turning, Uroch waved his arms while chanting a few words in an unknown language, creating a floating, shimmering orb in the air. It hummed a dark gray, slowly becomming transparent until you could see through it, images of another place.

A priestess of Nanna-sin, awake in her bed. Her face was beyond sadness, a deep void of emotion. A knock at the door stirred her from her thoughts, and she arose to answer it. A young elf, dressed in the greens and browns of the natural world, stepped in.

"Myles... what news do you have?"

"He is nowhere to be found, Isioviel... he is gone."

The priestess stepped up to Myles, placing her hands delicately on his arms. "Why? Why would he leave me so? He promised me... he said he would love me..."

Myles reacted to her touch, sliding his arms, so his hands held hers. "He was unable to fulfill his promise. He could only fail... but I assure you, I will not."

Isioviel looked into the other elf's eyes. "Would you not?"

Myles shook his head. "No, I will never leave your side. I will not sacrifice my love, or my honor, to break my promise to you."

Isioviel...smiled? "Thank you Myles... with your help, I will live on." She leaned forward, kissing the elf, as Myles slowly wrapped her into his arms.

The image went blank, and Uroch turned back to the man lying helplessly on the ground. His body convulsed, sobbing, tears streaming from his eyes. A faint grin touched Uroch's face briefly. "He will not break physically, but his mind is fragile indeed, lately." Reaching into his robes, the High Priest pulled out a small orb, easily fitting in his hand, a dank black glass. Kneeling down, he placed the orb close to Lone's forehead, and chanted.

Minutes passed. To anyone who was watching, nothing was happening, other than the black orb slowly turned to dark gray, to a lighter shade, and finally pulsated a bright hum of white light. Standing, he dusted his robe, and inserted the pulsing orb into a slot on his necklace. Wrapping his hand around it, Uroch closed his eyes.

Panic. Fear. Pain. Agony. She blames me. She will not forgive me. She will move on. I am useless. Pain. Agony. Despair. OH ISIS! NOOO! FOR THE GODS! THE PAIN!

Uroch grinned yet again, the Orb of Torment doing its job well, keeping Lone's soul in constant pain. That damned mindlink he had would follow the soul... it would continue to be filled with screams of a tortured man.

Uroch looked down at the body on the floor, blinking, and looking about in all directions.

Chuckling, Uroch spoke, much louder and more clear than before. "Finally... after all these years... Awake, Samael. I've procured you your own vessel. And you will pay for it with your service."

The man that was once Lone nodded, eager to avoid the torture that Lone had endured... It was unfathomable how a man could take so much pain and still be willing to endure it... what kept him going...?

"Good." Uroch turned, laughing. "Good... good indeed..."

"If I am to ensure this spell holds, I will need to seek soemone.... special."

A mad cackle echoes about about the cavern...

[Mon-Da-Oth]

OOC: An affair. That is just evil.

[Redder]

OOC: Not all my doing - thanks to Cerberus

[Redder]

Deep within the Dark Forest in an old temple, the priest Uroch awaits his summoned visitor to arrive. He paces back and forth over the uneven ground while gently stroking his amulet and grinning to himself. The amulet pulsates with energy as the small orb attached to its chain becomes a black sphere, so dark that it absorbs all light within a few feet of the priest. The eerie shadow cast upon the walls and ground seem to have a muffled voice of pain emanating from within.

Zax Dark’Blood approaches the shadows as the priest Uroch delivers a throaty laugh at the presence of the Necromancer.

“What is it you have that is so important priest” Zax speaks as his boney hand collapses his umbrella and perches it by his side like a walking stick.

“I am Uroch, High Priest of Lord Alinkahar - and you will address me as so!” commands the priest as he slowly approaches the necromancer. Uroch reaches into his robe and retrieves a glowing red jewel for which the Zax easily identifies its sight as a necromantic gem.

“That is useless without the tomes.” Zax waves his boney hand and turns as if about to leave.

“Do not take me as a fool – moldy! I know you need this gem along with the tomes or each are as useless as the other!” Uroch states with a brimming grin on his face.

“What is it you want priest?” Zax returns with a slight annoyance in his voice.

“I need your expertise to ensure my spell holds and in return, I shall deliver you what it is that you seek.” The priest holds the gem out to Zax.

Zax looks at the gem in the hand of the priest, a frown appears on his face as bits of his skin flake off his chapped lips when he speaks.

“I will not deal with the likes of your kind, for then I too will become hunted and that would make my client very very displeased.”

“No one needs to know of our dealings, necromancer, you do your part and I shall see to it that you receive what is coming to you. If you do not take this offer, then you shall find yourself in a most difficult situation when your client learns of what you are doing.”

“You leave me with no choice Uroch, but…. I will not proceed with the ritual until I have the tomes –and- the gem. The ritual will cause me as much pain as what will be brought upon whom you have captured – you had better make it worth my while!”

“Indeed you shall have what you seek, I have already arranged it so. Muhahaha!!”

Uroch imparts another throaty laugh which echoes about the cavern…

[Cerberus]

Samael looked down at his body... the moment Lone was ... removed, the best word for it... he could not hide from the immense pain Lone was put through... fortunately for him, they let off torturing the body once Samael took control, but they didn't make an effort to heal the existing wounds either.

Sighing, he let his head lay back on the hard stone. Other than the few moments when he was initially awakened by Kell, Samael stayed to the back of Lone's mind, withdrawing himself. Samael already had his self-doubts, the situation was so similar... Lone rushing around, trying to save those he loved... Just as Samael had done all those years ago...

And still, she died... she died...

"Oh, Eamane... if only I had been able to share my feelings for you, you wouldn't have been with the man who betrayed you to your doom..." Samael sighed. There was nothing that could be done now... Samael had watched, and helped at one point, while Lone delved into the shadow plane and rescued her from her prison. That was over.

...then why am I still here? What twist of fate has given me this body? Samael tried to move again, wincing at the pain it brought. It was sluggish to get used to, it seemed Lone was only half elf, but that could be gotten to eventually. Once his wounds healed.

Samael sat and waited for Uroch to return and tell him what he had to do... Samael didn't like the man, much less wanting to work for any evil... but he cringed at the torture Lone was put through, leaving this body broken and weak... he would very much like to avoid that.

At the very least... At least I can't hear him screaming anymore...

Completely alone, that thought wasn't as comforting as he thought.

[Redder]

In a dark cavern somewhere in the land, Uroch stomps in with a shroud of magical darkness surrounding him. Muffled screams can be heard emanating from the dark shadows cast upon the walls and floor as he makes his way to where Samael is resting.

“Samael!” Urochs voice pierces through the quiet cavern like a needle.

“Samael, get up! We have work to do!” his grim smile brings a chilling fear to Samael as he wakes and turns to look at the bellowing voice. Two other forms accompany Uroch as he marches up to Samael.

“But first… I have guests for you to meet…” Uroch’s voice becoming quieter as he allows the other two to move forward into view.

Uroch points to the large Half-Orc warrior that remains silent. The warrior brandishes a huge great sword and casually places the point to the ground in a stance that looks like he is about to strike at something. His teeth are jaggered, his armor contains many blood stains, the scars on his face show we is well battle worn, the stare from the huge being gives a feeling of un-ease and his hands grasp the hilt of the huge heavy sword in a manner that makes the sword look much lighter than it really is.

“This…. Is JubJub, a devout follower of Lord Alinkahar. He is here to ensure that you perform the tasks to our satisfaction. If you do not, then he will be the one that you will answer to and he don’t speak much.” Uroch grins with amusement as he turns slightly to point at the human in dark purple robes. The human is very thin and his skin flakes from his face and hands as he collapses his umbrella and peers suspiciously at Samael.

“This is Zax Dark’Blood. He will perform the ritual needed to ensure your newly procured vessel remains within your control, so you may earn your freedom.”

Zax bows to Samael as his boney hand grips his umbrella by his side. The expression of the face of the Necromancer looks like he is not happy at all and would rather be someplace else, yet he still looks about the cavern in an approving manner.

“Now, for your first task….Muahahaha!” Uroch bursts into laughter which echoes about the cavern. Samael knows this will not be good news he wants to hear….

[Cerberus]

Samael opened his eyes, and found himself in the forest north of Daris. The pain subsided nearly immediately. He shook it off and looked about him. It was no different than when he was watching Lone... except all the emotions were much more raw... the sense much more clear... it was nice to not have feelings fed to you second hand.

Chanting to himself, he casted a Heal spell onto himself, sealing away all the injuries he had taken while Lone was still in possession. It was... interesting... to cast magic... but with Lone's knowledge of the divine mixed in with the ... training... Uroch gave him... with a little practice, he'd be able to cast as well as any Cleric.

The first problem I'm going to have is that I look like Lone. Samael looked down at his tattered robes. First things first. Masking his body the way Uroch showed him, he crept quietly into town. He simply had to change and leave again. If Lone's memories served him correctly, he had left some items at the Inn he could use...

[Cerberus]

Samael walked into the chamber of the Black Pearl, and knelt on one knee. "It is done."

Uroch cackled madly. "Excellent. Now, let's see if my research is correct..." Uroch looked up at the giant statue and placed his hands on it.

At first nothing happened, then a dark orb appeared in the midair, sucking the light from the area, drowning it into darkness. The amulet on Uroch's necklace pulsated to the beat of the darkness, eating it into nothingness.

The darkness faded, returning all to normal.

Samael looked about, startled. "What? What happened?"

Uroch cackled madly. "The Pale Moonstones! They live again!"

"But?! But they were destroyed, the power is no more!"

Uroch spun, slapping Samael to the floor. "Fool! It was only a temporary setback. The stones held the key to summon the master into our realm... but now, with his banishment, it will take much more." He chuckled as he grasped the amulet in his hands.

"What... what do you mean?" Samael stammered, looking up at Uroch with fear in his eyes.

"The fool cleric has a natural immunity to the power so long as the stones existed. Now... with that working to my advantage..." He removed his hands from the amulet to look at his own hands. "I can hold much more power than I could safely before." Cackling again, Uroch began walking out of the chamber. "Come on, we have work to do..."

Samael stood, holding his face in pain. "Where are we going?"

"Using Lone's soul as the focus for the power needed, we're going to reform the stones into the One Crystal, and then we can bring back the master..."

Samael's face dropped.

[Vahene]

In the middle of Daris, Heaven fell to the ground, clutching her chest. Den and Chi looked down at her, seeming concerned. After a moment, Hakiseth too came upon her, hearing her mutter about 'Gods, they're back', and cursing someone..

"No, they can't control me, but they're back--" Heaven had rambled.

The decision was swiftly made in Heaven's mind that she wasn't hesitating any longer in going after Uroch. She knew the man was Ansharian, and she also knew he had to have some idea about what was going on, especially after Den mentioned him interfering with the original ritual to destroy the stones. She didn't expect, however, what she found out.

After telling her companions the stones were back (and taking quite a bit of convincing on Den's part), they set out for the Ansharian Temple in the Forest of the Damned, but halfway there, Heaven stopped. It just didn't feel right. No, he was on Palemoon, he had to be. Instantly she turned around, and started to run.. however what she found there, she still didn't know how to comprehend..

.

-H.

[Redder]

Within the Temple of the Dark Sphere on the island of Pale Moon, Uroch was praying in front of the huge black statue of The One. He is in a deep trance for many hours when Samael arrives after attempting to complete his work.

"Have you found him yet?" Uroch states as he rises to his feet.

"I have searched the lands where you said, but I could not find him."

"Hmm, quite the wiley one he is, he will turn up sooner or later. Anyway, I have another task for you now and soon your vessel will be yours to keep forever." Uroch laughs madly, his bloodshot eyes glaring at Samael.

"What do you mean?" Samael looks upon Uroch thinking about how soon he can get away from him and almost curses himself for asking the question.

"It will cost a soul to perform the ritual, and I know just the one to spend..."

As the words escaped Uroch's lips, the door to the Temple bursts open as Heaven rushes in surprising the two men. This also aroused the sleeping Nyar whom split into two groups, one protecting the two men, the other attacking the intruders. Heaven chanted a holding spell on Samael who was instantly paralyzed and this gave time for Uroch to rub his amulet turning the entire room into a magical darkness. In the confusion of the darkness with attacking Nyar, Den, and Hakiseth entered the room along with Chi while Heaven lets out a chilling scream from blades which appeared from the floor. She stumbled back grasping at the wound as more blades arrose from Urochs chant. Hakiseth quikly made his way around in the shadows to Samael as Den fired his arrows into the attacking Nyar, Chi also placing several rounds into the scorpion feinds as each fell to the ground. Uroch chants another round of blades as one strikes Heaven through the foot causing her to fall heavily knocking her unconsious.

"Who intrudes on MY temple!" Uroch shouts.

"Drop the weapon Uroch, or Samael gets it!" Hakiseth states holding his blade in the back of Samael while grasping his shoulder.

"Where is he!" Demands Den as he positions an arrow in his bow and aims it at Uroch.

Uroch turns towards Hakiseth with a sly grin on his face. "Kill Samael and you never see Lone again! Muahahaha!".

"WHAT!?!" Yells Den "Stop your tricks Uroch, where is he?"

"Samael, remove your helm, show these fools who you are!" Uroch commands, waving his hand towards Samael.

"Yes Uroch, as you wish..." Samael removes his helm bearing Lone's face and voice.

"What the...." Hakiseth stumbles back as he recognises Lone. "Lone?!?"

"I am not Lone!" Samael shouts as he pulls away from Hakiseth's grip.

Chi looks towards Den while keeping her arrow pointed at Uroch, then looks down to Heaven upon the ground. She nods to Den who nods back as Chi lowers her bow and attends to Heavens wounds.

"What have you done to Lone?" Den states, pulling back on the bow string further as his muscles rip the sleave of his shirt.

"Where is he?" demands Hakiseth as he quietly moves to Den's side.

"I have Lone in a safe place and once the Necromancer does his job, he will be locked away fer some time." Uroch grins as he positions himself to the side of the temple.

"What Necromancer, what are you talking about?!" Den shouts "It had better not be Kell!"

"Muahahaha! NO! It is not Kell fool! He has dug his own hole and soon -I- will have what he wants! I have requested another Necromancer to perform the ritual and yet he doesn't even know it will be at his peril!" Uroch laughs loudly as his bloodshot eyes glare intently on Den and Hakiseth.

"We are not leaving without Lone, Uroch, where is he!?!" Den commands as Hakiseth draws his swords, Chi looks up at the two men then stands back from Heaven drawing her bow again.

Uroch looks down at Heaven on the floor, slowly he begins to chuckle as his gaze rises to meet the two armed men. "Take her now and you may go alive, lest you wish me to deliver you to the Silent Lord."

"The only way we are going is with Samael and your head!" Hakisteh states as he raises his swords.

"As you wish." Grins Uroch as he raises his hands to the air chanting words of an unknown language.

Uroch calls upon the energy of the Dark Sphere and focuses it to a point just in front of the two men. Air rushes beneath their feet as Den lets his arrow fly catching Uroch in his shoulder. Uroch screams in pain as the air continues to build up pressure followed by a loud popping noise as Den and Hakiseth fall to the ground, badly wounded from the extreme pressure exerted on their bodies. Samael gasps at what Uroch had just done while Chi fires an arrow, narrowly missing the two of them. Uroch pulls Den's arrow from his left shoulder and throws it to the ground, turns to look at Chi with the facial expression of someone gone insane. The blood from his shoulder staining his armour, he glares at Chi and then back at Samael.

"Take these fools back to the village and have the Druids attend to them! Let them speak of what will come to those who dare to prevent our Destiny! Muahahaha!" Uroch turns and walks back to the statue, he kneels and begins to pray to his Lord as blood still flows from his injury.

Chi looks over to Samael who appears white as a ghost.

"We best do as he says or we'd be next" whispers Samael to Chi.

Chi looks up at his horrified face and agrees to help Samael and the others as one by one they were carried out and back to the ship. On each trip, a faint scream could be heard from some shadows...

[Redder]

Within the Temple of the Dark Sphere, the High Priest of Lord Alinkahar attends to his wound that Den inflicted on his shoulder. The scar will be there for the rest of his life and yanking the barbed arrow only made it worse. He curses at the name Den, yet still manages an evil grin at the thought of how they will be telling others of their demise. News will travel quickly in such a small village and soon others will come to enact their vengeance, he must move quickly if the plans are to succeed. Rising again to his feet, he looks around his old temple ensuring all the Nyar guardians have been replaced and that the traps have been laid. The next visitor will find many new surprises in his temple as he quietly slips out the back through a grate on the floor.

Samael must be back in the village by now, possibly being grilled over what plans Uroch has, yet even Samael did not have the full details of how or where the ritual will be done. Uroch must also have the ritual to hold Lone’s soul in the Orb of Torment done soon, or he will face Lord Nergal’s fiends over the entrapment and claim of the soul. He curses at the Necromancers, he could never trust their unholy methods but if it serves the purpose, he will deal with them in his own way.

Uroch heads back to the ship that departs the island and the Captain, upon seeing Uroch approach, immediately prepares to set sail. Uroch walks straight up to the Captain, holds out a reasonable bag of gold and whispers something to him. The Captain takes the gold then signals his shipmates to prepare for an alternate course, to dock elsewhere on the mainland before heading back to the docks in Sea Side.

In a well hidden place, Uroch sets up a makeshift alter and casts a darkness spell before praying to his Lord.

“I have lead Samael down the path of Darkness as you bid, my Master. Once he has completed this path, there will be no turning back and soon you shall be re-united with the surface world so that night will reign forever! Muahahaha!”

The black armored man, stood in this space
A false sense of comfort shroud this place
Where the armored clad figure chose to exist
the fears and horrors remain to persist

Dwelling in the shadows of endless night
Absence of memories of color and light
Addicted to dark, no way to break free
Confronted by black, that's all he will see

What evil creeps in his darkness deep
Where fingers of light will never keep
the hero is dead, the darkness has won
the endless night will go on and on.

The light of Good has grown so dim
Samael will have given unto the sin
with shattered minds, twisted the dark
with broken hands, they claw their mark

The black armored man, stood in this space
A void where honesty hasn't a place
Alone in his darkness he won't have to share
The man in black armor will always be there.

[s4rx7]

The heat from the island wasteland, wasted no time drying out the strangers robes. Hot sand buried each foot as he made his way to the hidden steps leading into the mountain. The creatures of the land kept their distance. The Nyars inside seemed to simply ignore his presence completely.

Standing before the statue in the neglected temple, ancient voices whispered from within the shadows dancing on the walls. The stranger stood their, listening, waiting watching. The only door creaked open.

[Cerberus]

Loristin looked at the masked man in dark robes that sat across from him. "Can I help you?"

An oddly familiar voice answered. "I've been sent to pick something up from you." The dark-robed man pulled out a changepurse, clanking it on the table.

Loristin eyed it carefully. "I have nothing for one such as you. Where do you come from."

The man in dark robes echoed his voice behind his helmet. "A mutual religious figure of ours sent me in place of a particular masked man from across the sea. It should not matter to you who gives you the money, considering it will be the same no matter from where it comes."

"I still am not positive you are who you say you are. What god does your superior serve?"

"A name I cannot speak here."

Sighing, Loristin leaned back. "Then I suppose this conversation is over."

The man in dark robes shrugged, taking the changepurse off the table. "Very well. I suppose I should return to Palemoon and report that you were less than helpful?"

The silence solidfied around them, various patrons of the Snared Rabbit talking in the background. "No... if you're here to negotiate, then let's negotiate. But still... who does he serve?"

Sighing, the dark-robed man reached up, unstrapping his helmet, taking it aside.

Loristin's eyes widened, gasping. "You...?"

The thick brown eyes that once belonged to Lone weighed the man across the table. "What god would be able to control one such as me?"

Loristin looked around, though ignoring the looks he was about to receive. "I doubt you would have fallen to Tiamat."

The man with Lone's face smiled. "I'm glad you think so."

"So.. is it Nergal... or Anshar?"

"I do not serve the dead."

Loristin smiled. "Well considering the items you need, one would question that."

Sighing, the dark-robed man shook his head. "Look, I answered your questions."

Nodding, Loristin pulled out a bag, looking in it. "You know... the trouble I went through for these... these are worth a lot more than the initial deal, I've come to find. Don't you think?"

"Pffft. I'd not pay that much for paper."

"The paper is worthless," Loristin grinned. "Its the words on them that are priceless."

"What do you want for them?"

"Hmm... they're worth a lot more than the original request of 10k, I think."

The man who looked like Lone pulled out the original changepurse, clinking it on the table, and then pulled out a second, laying it next to it. "15k."

Loristin nodded approvingly. "15k for three books?"

Nodding in return, the dark-robed man extended his hand.

"Done." Loristin handed the bag across the table, taking the changepurses.

Standing, the dark-robed man looked in the bag as he turned to go. He froze before he got far. "Wait. Where's the gem?"

Loristin smiled, rolling a gem through his fingers.

"The gem goes with the tomes."

"That wasn't part of the agreement."

The dark-robed man leaned forward, placing his hands on the table in front of him. "You know -damned- well what the agreement was."

"Yes, but you changed it. You didn't negotiate for three books and a gem. It wasn't part of the deal."

"Grrr..." The dark robed man sat down, looking at Loristin. "I'll pay you 3k more for the gem."

"If I wanted more money for it, I would've added it to the deal myself... I seek protection."

"Protection?"

"There are a group of monks, secretive in nature, who I must deal with. I will need protection from them, when I am done."

The dark-robed man studied Loristin carefully. Sighing, he shook his head. "Whatever. Done." He extended his hand.

Loristin nodded, putting the gem into his hand. He waited while the dark-robed man turned to go. "I expect you to keep your word, if you go back to who you were."

The man froze, then turned, a sarcastic smile on his lips. "You'll have to take that up with him. It wasn't part of the deal."

Loristin frowned. "I'll remember that."

"We're sure you will." A knife appeared at Loristin's neck.

Loristin's face dropped, his eyes widening. "What is this?" A tall man had moved behind Loristin without him noticing, and moved quickly, holding the blade to Loristin.

"Quick," the man said. "Get him."

Before the man who looked like Lone could react, a beautiful woman with red locks walked calmly to him, smiling. As she passed, she grabbed his weapon arm, twisting it behind his back. "OUCH!" The man yelled, caught offguard. The woman took the bag containing the tomes and the gem from him, and tossed it to the tall man holding the blade to Loristin's neck.

Snatching the bag from the air, the tall man left Loristin, and approached the dark-robed man. "You're coming with us, now."

"No I'm not." The dark man began to chant a magical spell, but was cut off by a blow to the back of his head. Crippling to his knees, the dark-robed man was dragged out by the two, leaving an astonished Loristin behind.

[Redder]

Uroch paces about his makeshift temple, his patience grows thin.

“Where is Samael, he is tardy!”

Zax Dark’Blood eyes Uroch, his boney hand resting on his collapsed umbrella by his side while his chapped lips form a simple grin.

“You are loosing control, Uroch, you have not delivered my tomes and my patience also grows thin. You have until the next moon to deliver or all pacts are void and you shall suffer my wrath along with that of my brothers.”

“Do not threaten me warlock!” Uroch shouts as he slams his Nyar hammer down upon the makeshift alter, the sonic blast shattering the foundations of the cave as it rumbles dropping several rocks near the feet of Zax. “I will sort it personally!”

Uroch leaves the hidden cave and heads towards the Daris village…