"I see no standing for the Istani accusations at this point." The Kournan general concluded, giving Sedona a harsh stare. The Dervish stood silent, trembling in rage. His responses had been so obviously rehearsed; he knew the truth and still wouldn't admit to it. Tahlkora ran into the room, her chest heaving from the long run from the docks to the consulate. "I brought Kormir!" she panted out. "I heard she came back to Istan, so I went to get her. Is that okay?" "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!" the Spearmarshal demanded in anger. "Why are my people being prosecuted?" "Spearmarshal Kormir," Morgahn started, "your followers have made some wild and baseless accusations-" "Quiet, General!" Kormir interrupted. "I have seen firsthand that these charges against Varesh Ossa are neither wild nor baseless. She should be standing here in judgment, not my Sunspears!" She turned to Elder Suhl, who by now was looking rather flustered. "Apparently I've returned just in time, and I've brought allies from Cantha and Tyria. As leader of the Sunspears, I demand that Warmarshal Varesh step down and turn herself over for our judgment! She has been trafficking with dark forces. For the good of all Elona, this must stop!" "Or else what, Kormir? War? You'll find the Warmarshal more than willing to face you in battle." Morgahn spoke with force before turning to the Istani elder. "We are done here, Suhl. I must return to Gandara to speak with the Warmarshal. I don't know what will come of this, but if you value Istan's future, I strongly advise you to ignore Kormir's wild ravings." Sedona stepped forward to attack the Kournan general, only to find herself held back by Koss and Dunkoro. "Let me go!" "Calm yourself, Sedona... You've already slain one Kournan general, we can't afford to off another. Varesh will retaliate for sure." Dunkoro told her. "Clear your mind and think this through. You will have your chance to strike another time." "He's right." Kormir added. "For now, we have preparations to make. Come, let me introduce you to our reinforcements." "How much help did you manage to find?" Sedona asked as they descended the steps of the Consulate. She froze at the sight of the small crowd of nearly a hundred waiting at the bottom of the stairs. "I managed to gather a few extra hands." Kormir replied, a faint smile on her lips. "LANI!" came a scream from the crowd, and an Elementalist dressed in silvery blue came pushing through the bodies. The Pyromancer startled at the familiar voice. "Meilin??" The young mage threw herself at Lani, clinging to her tightly. "Gods, we thought you were dead!!" "You know this girl?" Kormir asked. "Oh, can't you tell?" Lani smiled, pulling Meilin to stand beside her. "She's my little sister!" Seeing the two together, it was easier to tell they were related; they both had the same rich red hair and hazel eyes. "The two of you do look a lot alike." Koss commented. Meilin suddenly drew back and landed a solid punch on Lani's arm. "Ow..." "That's for not writing for a year and making us worry, you jerk!" "That's quite a punch for a spellcaster!" Koss joked. "Where did you learn to hit like that?" "Our parents trained us for more... physical professions, before we were admitted to the Shing Jea Monastery." Lani explained. "I was to be a Warrior, and Meilin a Ranger." "Master Togo saw where our true potential was, though..." Meilin continued. "I still can't believe he's gone..." Lani rubbed her back to comfort her. "What's done is done, Meilin. We've all mourned the loss of Master Togo, and now he would want us to move on." "Wow, it's just like a secret hideout!" Raeli exclaimed, looking around the massive space. The area was dotted with small pools, stone arches stretching up over them. Ancient stone buildings had been built along the walls, the wooden scaffolding still in place. "This place was built as a shrine to Melandru in ancient times." Melonni informed them. "It didn't stay that way long though. It was used as a cistern to contain the Elon's floodwaters, but when that didn't work out, it was sealed off and forgotten. As a child I would often play here with my friends..." "It's beautiful." Kora said, looking around. Giant Veldt beetles crawled through the shadows cast by the rocks overhead, stirring up the stagnant water in the pools. "It needs a bit of cleaning up though." She continued, wrinkling her nose. "We can do that easily enough. It will make a perfect sanctuary." "Let's get to work then." Dunkoro said. Sedona remained near the gate, watching as her remaining friends set about turning the ancient shrine into their new home. She sat and closed her eyes, letting out a heavy sigh. Kormir dead, Koss and Lani captured... A limp was still evident in Kora's gait, and her twin had to be left behind in Yohlon Haven, too injured to move on his own. Their herbalist and a few of the remaining Sunspear Monks were tending to the wounded that had managed to escape, healing them just enough to make the trip to the sanctuary. Still others had scattered elsewhere throughout Kourna... They were broken. They were leaderless, their forces scattered and weakened... The burden was too much to bear, and she wept. Lonai came in behind her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "We can't give up hope, Sedona... Not yet. We need to get the Sunspears home to Istan, and more importantly, stop Varesh. This burden is not yours to bear alone, you still have your friends, you still have the Sunspears. I have spoken to the others... They will have no one but you to lead them now." "Why me?" "Kormir did always say she wouldn't be surprised if you took her place one day." Dunkoro said. Sedona jumped, having not heard the elderly Monk approach. "You have the strength, Sedona. The Sunspears have always looked up to you almost as much as they did her. But Lonai is right, you do not have to do this alone. Sunspears never fight alone." "Thank you Dunkoro..." Sedona picked herself back up and brushed the dirt off her robes. "I also have a bit of good news." Lonai spoke up. "Nerashi found Koss! He's still alive and... considerably well, for being captured by the Kournans. He's being held in Kubeh's fortress in the Arkjok Ward. As soon as we get this place set up as our base of operations, you should seek her out." "How are the others in Yohlon Haven?" "They're recovering quickly. Makala knows how to make some very potent potions, he's been a great help. There is a sizeable group that should be healthy enough to make the trip tomorrow, your friend Kian is among them." "I'm glad. We could really use his and Orion's help, now that Lani is no longer with us..." "I've never met a more intimidating Elementalist." Dunkoro agreed. "I think even Rojis is afraid of her, and he loves working with fire." "Your time is almost up, Kormir." They heard the jailer sneer. "The executioner is on his way here to take care of you and your friends." "Looks like we got here just in time. Let's move in before we're too late!" Margrid shouted, running into the prison. "What?! Sunspears?!" the jailer cried, trying to flee to warn someone, anyone, but was quickly cut down by Sedona's scythe. One of the other prisoners, a corsair by the looks of her garments, rushed to the bars of her cell to watch the fight. It was over almost as quickly as it started. "Kormir! We've come to free you!" the Dervish said, snatching up the dead jailer's keys and unlocking her cell. The captured corsair let out a cry of joy at seeing Margrid. "Sister! You've come to rescue me!" "Shahai!?" The corsair captain forced a grin onto her face to cover the surprise of seeing her little sister in a Kournan prison. "Um, of course! You think I would leave my sister to the Kournans!" "Kormir?" Sedona asked, frowning slightly when the Paragon didn't move at first. "Give me a moment. Night has fallen, at least for me." She said, finally walking out of the cell. Sedona fought back a gasp at the sight of the bandages wrapped over the Spearmarshal's eyes. "What happened...?" "Sedona? Is that you?" She whirled around at the sound of the voice, the gaunt form of a familiar Pyromancer leaning heavily on the bars. "Lani... Dear gods, what happened to you?" "She had a habit of killing the guards that came too close." Shahai supplied. "After the first few, no one else would dare get close enough even to give her food." "Our hosts were... less than gracious." Kormir added. Tahlkora walked over, gently touching the Spearmarshal's arm. "I'll guide you, Kormir." She offered. "Varesh's demons blinded her..." Lani explained. "They have a taste for eyes.” She shuddered, and accepted the support Sousuke offered. "I can manage." Kormir told Tahlkora. "Though I am grateful for your offer. Sedona, you lead. I shall follow." "Can you still fight?" Sousuke asked Lani, getting a nod in response. "Somewhat... I lack the energy to do much for now, but I'll do what I can." "That's all we can ask for now." Sedona said. "It's going to be a battle to get back out of here..." "Let's ditch these outfits then, no use wearing them while toting around a bunch of escaped prisoners." Margrid said, already peeling off the Kournan uniform she wore. "This place is going to be crawling with soldiers..." "Come on, Sedona!" Tumelo called from the gate. "The longer you dawdle, the more Kournans there will be between us and our ship!" "Wow, Lani Karras!" the Elementalist exclaimed, rushing over to greet her. Even the stoic Ranger standing near Field General Hayao seemed impressed. "I've heard so much about you and what you did for Cantha!" Lani blushed lightly. "Word's really spread, hasn't it?" "Are you kidding?! You're one of the most famous people back home, right now! I am so honored to get to meet you! My name is Sousuke." "It's nice to meet you Sousuke." "Can we cut with the chit-chat?" the Ranger asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "Don't mind Jin, she's just obsessed with work." "Sousuke." "Alright, alright! Hold your horses!" "What? Kormir's alive?! We have to rescue her!" Sedona demanded. "What we need to do is clear the path to Vabbi." Dunkoro insisted. "We are not going anywhere without Spearmarshal Kormir!" "Sacrifices must be made for the greater good, Sedona." "This is one sacrifice I refuse to make." "Alright, alright, calm down." Kethe said. "I see no reason why we can't do both. Our group is large enough that we can split up and still handle each task. Tahlkora, Raeli, you two will go with Sedona." "There's no way she'll be able to sneak into Gandara in disguise, she's too small." Margrid said, folding her arms. "She'd blow our cover in a heartbeat." "I could pretend to be a prisoner?" the girl offered. "That could work... It might be a stretch, but it could work." "This is it." Shiro said, stopping suddenly. "Abaddon's Gate." They looked around; it was strangely... beautiful. The cove was surrounded on nearly all sides by waterfalls, the oddly-shaped moss-covered rocks nearly looking like ferns growing near the water. The sky was a dusky sunset red, and to the south Sedona spotted a very familiar building. "Is that..." "The Sunspear Great Hall." Shiro confirmed. "Dear gods... Is it real? Or just Abaddon's vision of it?" "Both. It is real, but not yet in the mortal realm. Though it will be soon if you don't hurry." "Then we continue." She continued forward along the path, determined and ready to bring down a god. Shiro lingered behind; he felt as though he was forgetting something... They didn't make it far before their path was blocked once more, this time by a single Ritualist. He stood silent and waiting, what they could see of his face was expressionless. Sedona frowned, stepping forward, and then- the first strike was landed, and Sousuke fell with a cry of pain. Sedona barely had time to turn and see what happened before a barrage of lightning strikes came down on them. Shiro gritted his teeth in irritation. How could he have forgotten about Abaddon's favorite pet? He shadowstepped to the front of the group, right beside the Ritualist, and grabbed his staff. "Stand down, Razah." The spellcaster jumped in surprise. "Shiro? What are you doing with them??" "My eyes have been opened to the truth. I was only being used by Abaddon... As are you." "But he promised to help me find my purpose if I killed the Sunspears..." "Another one of Abaddon's generals?" Meilin asked, helping Sousuke back to his feet. The other Elementalist still trembled from the powerful shock. "No, he's more of a pet..." "Razah, you must let us pass." Sedona said firmly. "Abaddon must be destroyed, we cannot let Nightfall come to pass. If what we learned of Khilbron and Shiro's pasts is any indication, then he has only been using you for his own gain and has no true intention of helping you discover your purpose." The Ritualist frowned. "How can I believe you?" He couldn't believe it! He had found the Sunspears' hideout! The Lich grinned to himself; no wonder they had been so difficult to find. It seemed Bayel's offhand comment about "the ground swallowing them up" had not been entirely inaccurate. The ancient shrine-turned-reservoir had been the perfect location. He stayed and watched a while longer as a small group of Sunspears emerged from the gate he had been staring at. He frowned at the sight of a familiar Dervish dressed in dark purple. And then another familiar face- the bespectacled Aeromancer, followed by his necromantic lover, his Ranger twin, the young Monk and the one he hated the most, the Canthan Pyromancer. He was to the point where just the sight of any red hair made his blood boil. And if they were here, that would mean serious trouble for Abaddon's plans. A gloved hand grabbed his wrist as he started to cast, the spell fizzling out of existence. He jumped, startled, and glared at his 'partner'. "What the hell, Tagachi?!" he growled. "Do you even have any idea who they are?" The Assassin shrugged. "They're Sunspears." “"Those five destroyed me in Tyria! They are a danger to Abaddon's plans, and I cannot comprehend why you would stop me from killing them before they can bring everything crashing down." "But you will not be satisfied with such a course of action. Let them think they are winning. They won't make it through the Desolation." Khilbron mulled it over for a minute, and grinned. "You're smarter than I thought. Yes; these Sunspears are resourceful, but even they will not be able to learn the secrets of the Desolation. I cannot wait to see their faces when they realize how utterly lost their cause is." Satisfied, he left the outcrop they had been watching the Sunspears from. Shiro remained behind, watching as the mortals killed an ntouka and dragged its massive carcass back inside. The Aeromancer lingered behind, using Gust to cover their tracks. They surely would not be staying much longer, now that their beloved Kormir had been rescued. Lani had recovered quickly, but to him, that was no surprise. She was tough. Seeing her alive and well had been worth the risk he'd taken to tell that Corsair captain about Kormir's imprisonment. He shadowstepped away from the sanctuary and returned to the Realm of Torment. "Shiro!" Tiendi called out when he spotted the Assassin. Shiro ignored the spirits and continued on his way, intently following the path the redheaded Pyromancer had taken. The guard did not like the look of determination in his old comrade's eyes. When he failed to respond, Tiendi drew his sword and rushed at him. He found he feared the man less now that he was dead- what more could Shiro do to him? Just as he swung his blade, Shiro quickly wheeled around and blocked the blow with one of his own sword. He glared down at the guard, challenging him to speak. "I swear, if you hurt that girl, we will find a way to bring you down." Something flickered through the taller man's blue eyes, making the guard lower his blade in astonishment. Hao Li and Kaichen watched the two nervously, ready to jump into action if they were needed. "No harm will come to her by my hand," Shiro all but growled, "or the hand of any other." He slid his blade back into its sheath and continued after the mage. The three guards turned to each other after their ex-comrade shadowstepped away. "He's got it bad." Tiendi commented. -It didn’t take Shiro long to catch up to her, and when he found her, she was in an all-out battle with the fortune teller from his past. “Impossible... I killed her...” A familiar pang of guilt kept his feet firmly rooted where he stood. But what happened next was beyond anything he could have expected. It seemed at first, Lani was losing. The old woman cackled maliciously as the Pyromancer fell to one knee, obviously weakened and winded. “Your only fortune is an untimely death! I shall corrupt your soul as I corrupted that of Shiro!” Shiro felt rage bubble up inside at this confession, and it was all he could do to not step in and slay the demon (as he now knew her to be) again. Something similar flashed through Lani’s eyes and she leapt back to her feet, dealing a hard blow to the side of the demon woman’s skull with the business end of her staff. The demon reeled, then began to scream as her tattered robes burst into white-hot flames. The Assassin had to shield his eyes from the bright glow of the fire, and was amazed to see nothing but a pile of ashes when the light and heat died down. Lani fell to her knees. She was running dangerously low on energy now. She struggled to stay conscious; passing out here would leave her vulnerable to attack from the many demons crawling through the dark lands. She didn’t even notice the twisted shape of the fortune teller’s true form rising up from the ashes of her disguise. Shiro knew he had to act quickly- Lani was in danger of keeling over at any second, she wouldn’t be able to handle the Mesmer demon in its unrestrained form. He shadowstepped to their location, attacking the demon just as it started to cast to finish the Pyromancer off. It shrieked in pain, and in surprise to see its last victim attacking with such unbridled rage. Satisfied that the monster was finally dead, he turned to look at Lani. Her hazel eyes were wide in disbelief. “Shi...” Her eyes rolled back as she finally crashed, unable to finish whatever she had been saying. Lani woke sometime later, still somewhat groggy and absolutely parched. She groaned in protest, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep, but her body refused to obey until it got some water. She felt herself being lifted gently and something solid was set behind her back. She tried opening her eyes, finding her vision horribly blurred. Something was pressed to her lips, and she glanced down at what looked like a canteen; her canteen. She sniffed slightly; no smell. Water? "Drink." A deep voice said from somewhere right behind her, and the thing she was leaning against vibrated slightly at the sound. It didn't register that the "thing" she was leaning against was in fact a body, nor did it register that that voice sounded oddly familiar... She gulped down the water as quickly as she could manage, not even caring when a little bit dribbled down her chin. She was far too exhausted to care about being embarrassed. Something soft was pressed against her chin to dry her face again. The Pyromancer yawned. Her source of support was unusually warm, and now that her thirst was quenched, she wanted nothing more than to snuggle up to it and sleep again. She wrapped her arms around the warm thing and shifted, getting comfortable. There was an exasperated, perhaps embarrassed, sigh from somewhere above her head and a pair of strong arms hesitantly wrapped around her huddled form. Feeling safe and comfortable, she passed out once more. Lani awoke sometime later, finding herself in a comfortable bed. Odd; she couldn't remember the last time she had slept in a real bed. Where was she? She tried to sit up, to move, to even just open her eyes, and found she was too weak to even do that. All she could manage was a miserable groan of disappointment. It seemed enough to alert her rescuer to her consciousness though, and she felt herself being gently lifted into a sitting position. The stranger sat behind her and let her lean back against them- a man, if the flat chest the back of her head rested against was any indication. The rim of a canteen was pressed to her lips and she readily opened her mouth, gulping down the cool water inside. She finally managed to force her eyes open. It was mostly dark, but what she could see was blurry beyond recognition. Of course; her rescuer must have removed her glasses to allow her to sleep more comfortably. A kind gesture she would have to thank him for. A smooth and somewhat round object was placed in her hands, and she lifted it to her face for inspection. It was an apple. She attacked the fruit ravenously, having not had a bite to eat since her arrival in the Realm of Torment. "Eat it slowly." A deep voice instructed, and every fiber of her being froze. She knew that voice. She twisted herself around slowly, and Shiro's blurry but still recognizable face came into view. He was her rescuer? “"the hell? YOU saved me?" She was astonished; all this time she had been expecting him to want revenge, to kill her, and yet here she was, safe and sound, and being given food and water. It completely floored her that the enemy was being so nice, even after all this time. "Would you rather I'd left you to be eaten by some demon?" he asked, amusement in his voice. He brushed a few stray strands of her hair away from her face, and she scowled at him. "You can relax. If I wanted to kill you, I would have done so already." He handed her back her glasses, and she quickly put them back on. "Um... Thank you." She stared down at her fruit for a second before finishing it. It wasn't much, but she still felt so much better. She hadn’t had a bite to eat since falling into the Realm of Torment, and she had run out of water just a day after. If Shiro hadn't found her, she would have either been killed by that demon or died of starvation. "There's more if you're still hungry." The Assassin offered, gesturing to a plate sitting on the small table nearby. It held mostly fruits, light fare for someone that hasn't eaten in days. She took the single slice of bread and nibbled at it. "How long have I been out?" "Almost four days. You weren't asleep the whole time. You probably don't remember, but you did wake a few times." "Four days..." Lani mulled over this new bit of information. "So we've been down here almost two weeks now..." She wondered how her friends were doing, if they were even still alive. Her hands fell into her lap. Shiro frowned slightly, watching as her shoulders slumped. He hazarded a guess that she was worried about her guildmates. "Now that you are awake and lucid enough to tend to your needs yourself, I can begin to search for your friends." He offered, and he must have guessed right because she immediately brightened up. "You will?" "I'm sure they are just as worried about you." Shiro turned his gaze to the wall for a moment. "I... may know why you were separated from them." He admitted. Lani immediately became suspicious of him again, and he knew he had to explain quickly. He decided to start from the beginning. "After you killed me in Cantha, this is where the other Envoys brought me, as 'punishment'. But it was what Abaddon had intended all along, and he offered to take me away from my torment if I worked for him. I agreed, I admit... Though I never did intend to give myself wholly to him. I would only pretend to be his general until you arrived. And I knew you would. You see, another past foe of yours was brought here to work for Abaddon as well." Lani thought for a minute, and then... "Khilbron!" "Yes. He told me of a formidable red-haired Pyromancer that had destroyed him, along with a few Ascalonians and a dark-skinned woman from another country." Shiro smirked. "I knew he could only mean you, and I knew you and your friends would come here once Abaddon's threat made itself known. Abaddon knew we had both met our end by your hand, and wanted to take you for himself as well. When you and your friends fell through the vortex, he purposely separated you from them and ordered both Khilbron and myself to search for you and bring you to him. The Five must have been watching over you for me to find you first. If you had fallen into Khilbron's hands..." Lani shuddered. She didn't need to be told, she could imagine plenty. Khilbron had certainly made his hatred for her guild known just before his death. "I have not told Abaddon I've found you, but it will only be a matter of time before he finds out for himself. He is lord of this realm, and he is desperate to bend you to his will. He will be searching for you as well. So do us all a favor and recover quickly." Lani smiled a bit. "I always knew there was still some good in you, even if I didn't want to admit it. And for that I'm glad. I'll try to recover as quickly as I can." She promised. Shiro only nodded his acknowledgement before shadowstepping away to begin his search for her guild. She didn't see the Assassin for the next couple days. He always came when she slept to bring her fresh food and water. One day she even woke to see a large tub full of warm water, with a bar of soap and cloth set beside it. Lani smiled; Shiro continued to amaze her with his thoughtfulness. He was managing to slowly wear down the barriers she had put up against him, her hatred toward him lessening. But still, one question lingered on her mind... She asked him rather abruptly when she finally caught him returning the next day. "Why did you do it?" Shiro blinked at her in surprise, caught off guard by the sudden interrogation. "Would you mind clarifying what you mean? I have done a number of things and I do not know which you refer to." "In Cantha... why did you come back?" He set the plate of fresh food down on the side table and stared at the ground thoughtfully for a moment. "I was bored." He replied honestly. Lani raised an eyebrow at him, clearly unhappy with that answer. "Don't give me that look. You wouldn't last two years as an envoy, let alone two hundred. I'd had enough, I needed out. And you know what... I'm glad I did it. I never would have met you otherwise. Though I do wish it could have gone differently, I really do. Even before I killed Togo, I wished it... but by then we were all in too deep. It had to happen, there was no other choice. You might not have ever left Cantha otherwise, and Khilbron and Abaddon would win." Lani stared at the ground. "Am I really that important?" she asked softly. "More than you could ever know." Shiro answered. "I didn't even know myself, until a few months ago. You, your guildmates... and at the risk of sounding arrogant, even myself. We're all key figures in a battle that has been going on between the gods for thousands of years. And with the fight drawing near its end, they are fighting over our allegiance more fiercely than ever. Even Khilbron was supposed to be on our side, but in the end he chose Abaddon. I nearly was lost as well, but you saved me, Lani. I think, aside from your own obvious battle prowess, your role in this was to help keep me on the right side." She blushed and looked away from him. "So I'm only here to play babysitter to you?" Shiro held back a laugh. "No, no. You never had to do anything but fight. That alone was enough to capture my attention, and keep it. Just the thought of you keeps me fighting for the right side." He kneeled down so he was eye-level with her as she sat on the bed. "I love you, Lani. I have almost since we first fought in Vizunah Square. And I am quite aware you don't feel the same... But for now, just having you not hate me is enough for me." She only nodded, still not looking at him. With a sigh he stood up again and left. Lani was left alone, with only her thoughts for company. Shiro strode through the Domain of Pain with a purpose. He still hadn't found the mortals, but he'd found where they had been, and could easily follow their trail of death. He knew he was catching up, and after several hours, he finally caught a glimpse of them in the distance. They were headed toward the Shrine of the Six Gods. He moved quickly, shadowstepping to close the distance between them faster. He startled the stragglers- a young teen and a pair of Elementalists, one who looked suspiciously like Lani- with his sudden appearance. The child yelped in surprise, calling the attention of everyone else to him. A moment of stunned silence, and then- "YOU!" the redheaded Elementalist shrieked. She immediately attacked, casting air magic and Ritualist spells. "What the hell are you doing here, you bastard! I'll kill you!" So she knew who he was. He growled. "Maybe if you chill out and quit attacking me, I'll tell you exactly what I'm doing here." She glared, but ceased her assault. "I found Lani-" he held up his hand to halt their barrage of questions- "and yes, she is alive, though she almost wasn't so when I came across her." The redhead eyed him suspiciously. "So we're to believe you actually saved her?" "Meilin, do you know who this is?" another Aeromancer, and apparently their leader, asked. "You seem awful suspicious of him." "This," she spat out, "is Shiro Tagachi. Three years ago he brought hell to my homeland, and you want me to just accept what he says?" The Assassin sighed softly. She had a right to be pissed with him, he wouldn't argue. "I don't see any reason to believe he is a liar on top of it." The Aeromancer said. "Thank you." Shiro said, grateful for what little support he could get from these strangers. "May I continue?" "Please do." "I have hidden her from Abaddon until she could recover. I believe tomorrow she will be well enough to rejoin you. I will bring her to you, I just ask that you wait before trying to take the Temple. It will not be an easy feat. The Domain of Madness is crawling with Margonites and other demons, and they will fight tooth and nail to keep you from reclaiming the Temple. I understand that you do not trust me," here he looked at Meilin, "but for now you will have to take my word." He shadowstepped away again before they could say anything to him. It was the last day she would stay in that small hut. Lani still felt sore and a little weak as she walked about the small space, but she attributed that to the fact Shiro had forced her to spend the whole week in bed as she recovered. It wasn't too much of a hindrance though, it would wear off once she was able to truly stretch her legs. She paced, waiting for the Assassin to return from... whatever it was he did for Abaddon. She saw the smoke before she saw him, and he shadowstepped back into the tiny building. "You seem well." "I'm getting claustrophobic." The Pyromancer retorted. "Can we go already?" Shiro only raised an eyebrow and tossed a cloth-wrapped bundle toward her. It clattered as she caught it, and she quickly tore away the material to see what it was. Inside were a plain-looking gladius and a beautiful shield that appeared to be made of copper and gold, with three sparkling sky-blue gems set into the surface. She glanced up at him questioningly. "Your friends are heading through the Domain of Madness to reach the Shrine of the Six Gods. You will be forced to fight a lot of close combat there, and I know you can fight with a sword." He smirked. "You did surprisingly well against me last time." Lani slid the straps of the shield over her left arm, and as soon as her right hand gripped the hilt of the sword, the blade blazed to life, flames rolling down its length. She grinned and slid her staff into its strap on her pack. "Let's do this." --* Abaddon convinces Shiro & Khilbron to bring Lani to him- promises Lich a part in breaking her, promises her to Shiro *after rescuing koss from the kournan prison* | |||||