Spirits of the Earth

The large dining hall was rarely made of use, as Charik rarely had formal dinners. His concubines took their meals when they wished it and it was only during special occasions that everyone was required to eat together.

Today was indeed a special occasion, for it marked the twenty-ninth year of Charik's hatching.

It was a special day in many senses. Festivities occurred throughout all of Citialin, though Matlal, as the seat of Charik's rule, was most festive of them all. Many villagers brought offerings to the temple and Charik let the families of those who had given up their children in tribute visit, if they wished it. But not only that, but it was one of four days out of the year that he saw his siblings, the sovereigns of the three other villages that, apart from Matlal, that made up Citialin.

There were three siblings and like Charik, they were gods--though smaller ones. There was his brother, Chimalli, and his sisters, Izta and Kisa, all younger than him but by the span of just a few hours--or, in the case of Izta, minutes. All of them bore a resemblance to Charik: brown skin of various shades with their snake halves bearing similar coloring and markings, though Kisa's snake body was a little duller, a little opaque. Like Charik, her hair was dark blond, though the others bore hair that was closer to brown.

Like Charik, they all wore very little and all went bare-chested. Charik had decorated his hair with feathers and wore bracelets about his wrists and decorative chains about his waist, but nothing more, while the practical Chimalli came completely unadorned. Izta looked rather elegant, with her long, straight hair braided and beaded. Kisa, on the other hand, had gone out of her way to dress up, with a colorful sarong around her waist, rings around her tail, and intricate designs painted onto her skin. Her skin was pierced in many places--her nose, breasts, lip, and multiple times in her ears. The youngest of them, she had always had a thing for standing out.

Currently, Charik found himself in the dining hall with the three of them as he waited for the rest of the harem to join them.

The table was long and rectangular, sat low to the ground atop several animal skin rugs with large plush cushions for seating. While they waited for the others, however, they sat away from the table in a pile of cushions, tails loosely draped over each other, and listened as Kisa fretted.

"You're all so beautiful and I'm so dull!" she said, scratching at the place where human skin blended into snake scales. A few old scales flaked loose. "I was hoping I'd shed before tonight, but look at me. Not even close! I look simply awful."

Chimalli rolled his eyes, and Charik fought back a grin. "You look fine, dear. Trust me," Izta said with a long-suffering smile, patting the girl's arm.

"Fine? That simply will not do! What will the people think when they see a molting goddess?"

"Some people like to keep our skins," Charik offered.

"Yes, after the process is done. But to see it?" She let out a dramatic sigh.

And he could hardly blame her.

Shedding was a rather annoying process. Even he got cranky when it was time.

Today was her Lord's birthday. Looking her best was without question.
Thankfully, Razi thought almost smugly, that will be the least of my problems tonight.
Sha-Razi took in several deep breaths as a servant finished applying the heavy khol around her eyes. She was dressed in one of her finer costumes. A vivid green top that covered her chest with black beaded straps and red and gold beads dangling from the bottom. Her two layered silk skirt were  two different shades of beige in color, but it was accented with the beaded belt. She wore beaded bangles and cuffs up her arms with a gorgeous beaded head piece to help keep her elaborate bun in place.  Her necklace and earrings were beaded, too, with sparkling golds, reds, greens, and blacks. They were all gracious gifts from the naga. Razi was sure that the presentation would please him. Her diamond stud nose piercing shimmered in the light as Razi turned her head, observing the effect in a mirror a servant girl held up for her to see.

"You look beautiful, m'lady," the girl said humbly as she tucked an orange-pink flower into Razi's hair.
Razi smiled in return, weak in her nervousness.
"Yes, thank you," she agreed as she rose from her cushion and draped a green sari with gold embroidery over her shoulder.
Yes, today was The Holy Charik's birthday, and that meant, gods help her, entertaining his family.

The concubine was escorted towards the dining hall for the day's festivities. Before entering, she turned towards a scribe, who was positioned by the door way.
"Sha-Razi," he said with a slight bow to which the woman nodded back to.
"Are the dance troupes for tonight in order?" she asked. The court usually hired troupes of dancers to perform before the king, as well as some of the villagers. As such, she was sometimes put in charge in this aspect of the festivities, especially since the woman sometimes danced during parties that she wasn't required to play as ambassador in. Tonight, she was not to be a politician, but an enchantress. The man nodded.
"Good," Razi replied.

She regally entered the room with elegant and soft steps. Sha-Razi was pleased to see that the musicians were already set up to play to entertain for the evening.She salaamed before Charik and his siblings, smiling warmly.
"Greetings and welcomes, O Mighty Holy Ones, Lord Chimalli, Lady Izta, and Lady Kisa," she greeted.
Flattery most always won favor from the nagas. The woman was familiar with all three naga. She liked them all well enough, though they could be overwhelming, particularly Lady Kisa. Speaking of which, Razi made it a note to be extra nice to her. The woman could tell right away that the beautiful and outlandish naga was molting, and that meant her patience was cut short.

The woman approached the table with quick strides, straight towards the birthday naga.
"My lord," she said proudly, excitement dancing in her eyes.
Sha-Razi knew how much this day meant to Charik, and it was exciting for the whole harem. Though the sacrifices of families offering up their children still left her uncomfortable, the wonders the day brought always made some of the best tales for the rest of the year. Still, she was his concubine, not his queen or wife. Though there was a level of informality and intimacy she was allowed to take in public, those were limited during days like these, especially in front of Charik's family. Sha-Razi salaamed again.  Personally, she found such regulations tedious and ridiculous, especially with the elaborate titles, but the woman knew enough to just go with it.
"I wish you the best of birthdays, dearest King Charik," she elegantly stated, as was also custom.
"May my Lord King scales forever shine and his reign long and prosperous!"

Where's Ziya and the others? she wondered, trying not to think about that too much. The day had really only just begun, and she was going to need all her wits at hand.


OOC: Razi's outfit is sorta based heavily on this: x (http://media-cache-ec6.pinterest.com/upload/20899585740306606_DUUe1wm4_b.jpg) just because, lol. It's kinda fun coming up with these stately praises XD

Indeed, the naga adored Sha-Razi, for she always knew exactly what to say. Her compliments brought a begrudging smile even to Chimalli's face, and he was well known as the stoic and serious one of the bunch. Even dramatic Kisa blushed prettily and stopped picking at her scales, because how unladylike was that?

Charik beamed a wide grin at her as she greeted he and his siblings for Sha-Raz was, without a doubt, one of his favorites. And she had not disappointed today, looking beautiful and elegant as usual. His eyes followed her, admiring, and as soon as she had finished her greeting, he reached up and offered her his hand.

"And you're looking gorgeous as always, dear," he said, and pulled her down onto the cushions with him. "Please, join us!"

Ziya appeared shortly after, escorted by some flustered servants. It was only because Charik had asked them to bring the naiad that they had gone to fetch him, otherwise most preferred to steer clear of his pool unless told otherwise. They held the naiad between them while he slouched dramatically and forced them to carry him, as though dead. His head hung, wet green hair falling into his face.

For Ziya, this was one of the worst days ever, a day when he was forced out of his pool, made to put on clothes (just a sarong, but even that much was torture), and forced to endure a bunch of people lavishing attention on people other than himself. He moaned pitifully as he was carried and, finally, the servants brought him to the table and deposited him onto one of the cushions, where he wilted, slumping forward onto the table.

"Excuse me while I die," he groaned into the wood. Fortunately, he'd expended most of his energy already throwing a glorious tantrum when the servants came to collect him. That was the key. Letting him tantrum, flail, cry, and curse himself to exhaustion was a surefire way toward a much more pleasant night.

The Kishahn Jungle.  Far, far to the south of his home in Zantaric, across the Moraki desert- with a brief stop in Essyn for various reasons- Adonai found himself longing for the dry heat of the desert, which his clothing was more suited for.  The humidity of the jungles didn't agree to him.  Not in the least.  However, he could overcome the discomfort mentally.  He was not about to remove his clothing, as many of the guests at this party seemed fond of doing.  His dignity was worth more than whatever he may learn from this social gathering of jocularity.

The party of Charik's 29th Hatching Anniversary was indeed living up to the reputation the rumors had been circulating about it.  There was virtually no security to see who was entering the party.  Despite this, Adonai took no chances, and passed across rooms and passages as a mere shadow, circumventing anyone who looked sober and serious. 

In the banquet hall where everyone seemed to be congregating, Adonai stuck to a shadowy corner and moved the darkness around him to remain out of the vision- both direct and peripheral- of guests.  He wasn't here to talk or parlay fine words.  Not yet at least.  That would come later if and when he found people worth talking to.  He did help himself to a glass of wine from a serving tray that passed nearby.

Razi bowed her head, smiling as Charik praised her. The day was off to a grand start.
"Thank you, my lord," she replied humbly as she accepted his hand.
The woman lowered herself into her cushion. She sat with her back straight and her knees idly together with her legs draping towards the side. Razi made a note to be mindful of Charik's tail. She didn't touch anything on the table, not yet. Not until the nagas have had their first sips of drink and bites of food. Inside her mind, she was running over the plans of some of the festivities, when...

Oh, no, Razi thought, letting out a small sigh.
Try as she might to suppress herself from exploding or rolling her eyes, the woman managed to only glare coldly as Ziya was being dragged in the room by his servants.
Does he ever try? she thought, annoyed.
All that blasted creature ever thought about was himself. His selfishness annoyed Sha-Razi to no end. The world would revolve around him, and it probably did, in his chambers.  She had been known to throw fits as passionate and shameful as he did once she had learned some of the vile things he had done and would not seem to see reason. Ziya was one of her least favorite of the harem, but Razi didn't hate him... She just simply could only tolerate him in small and sparse doses. The woman graciously nodded towards his servants as they plopped him down in the cushion next to hers. They were clever to get him in this state. It seemed that they have gotten him in an actually tolerable mood.

The woman leaned in as she soothingly poured him a cup of wine. On most days she would have probably slapped him for his childish behavior, but not now. Not today. They were supposed to get along.
"You look handsome," she whispered.
Your hair's a mess.
"Wish Charik a happy birthday. He's been waiting for you!"
He's made no mention yet. Cut the attitude and smile.

Sureya had heard quite a lot about this day in the short time he had been living at the palace. It was mostly in passing when he dared to wander the halls, mainly keeping out of others sight as much as possible. No one really spoke to him directly... the few times he had rung the bell in his room had been awkward at best for both himself and the servants. It truly was frustrating to try and convey things to strangers through pantomime, no one here understood him they way his father and siblings did. Truth be told, he was starting to feel a bit homesick; even today.

After all, the Toriiri celebrated this day too, though differently than it was celebrated here. It was more of a week long celebration for the Toriiri, coincidentally starting around Sureya's hatching day and ending today on Lord Charik's. The Toriiri would gather and craft gifts for Lord Charik, usually consisting of flowers that bloomed only high in the tree tops and the most colorful, silken feathers from the most desirable of male Toriiri. Contests were held and the one who made the most beautiful gift for the snake king would present it and all the other gifts to him today. The winner would be adorned in all sorts of beautiful things to stand before the god-king.

Suri had actually resented the festivities growing up, something he suddenly felt guilty for now that he had met Charik and joined his harem. He had never been able to participate... his feathers were much too plain and small to even begin to make something from and there was no chance of him being able to fly high or far enough to gather beautiful rare flowers.

The little white bird hugged his knees to his chest as he sat on a cushion and gazed at the small arrangement of wild flowers he had prepared for Lord Charik's hatching day. He had spent most of the week preparing it in secret, but it wasn't good enough for the god-king. It was just plain wild flowers in a poorly crafted basket.

Suddenly there was a knock outside his room and Sureya hid his face behind his knees, it was probably another servant trying to usher him off to the banquet hall. He wasn't trying to be rude or disrespectful, he just wasn't ready to go; he wasn't worthy of going. But the person who entered was not a servant.

"Suri... what is wrong?" The voice was soft and full of care and concern, immediately causing Sureya to look up. It was his father. Sureya was so happy he jumped up and fluttered over to hug his father tightly.

Giano smiled at his son and held him tightly for a moment. "How have you been faring? Are you eating Sureya?" He asked stepping back to look at his son who indeed looked like he had lost a little weight. The more colorful older Toriiri pet his son's head and sighed softly. "You have to find a way to ask for things when you need them... if you are hungry let someone know."

Sureya simply nodded in response to all of his father's words. He looked at his father who was dressed in fine silken robes with all sorts of adornments on his wrists, ankles, head and neck. Of course, his father wasn't simply here to see him, he was here to escort the winner of the festival and present Lord Charik's gifts on behalf of the Toriiri council and her majesty the Queen. Suri shouldn't have been so surprised, his father had done so before many times.

Giano frowned as he looked his sulking son over. "Sureya, why aren't you dressed? You should be almost ready be now, the festivities will be starting soon!" The older man fretted and then turned to pull some items out of a trunk that Suri hadn't even noticed his father bring in.




By the time Sureya stood outside the banquet hall with his father he was already fidgeting with all the jewelry adorning him. It weighed him down so much he could barely hover! Still he had been happy when he saw all the beautiful, delicate looking gold and sparkling things his father had brought for him to wear, that and the beautiful sheer mint colored robes with their intricate gold-threaded embroidery that now clad his frame. He had never been so dressed up before! There was no point in him dressing up among the Toriiri, it wouldn't hide the fact that he wasn't colorful and lacked proper wings, but now he felt almost beautiful. He even decided to bring the flowers for Lord Charik. He took a deep breath and entered the hall.

Sureya was surprised to see Charik sitting there with the other naga-gods. He had heard they were coming but it hadn't really hit him till now. They were all so magnificent, but Lord Charik truly out shined them all. He walked delicately and carefully, noticing the others in the hall that he did not know- a beautiful woman sitting with Lord Charik and a beautiful male with green hair and a strange expression were the ones that most caught his eye. He was really nervous, much more so than when he first met the god-king, but at least his father was here too and would be in shortly.

Sureya bowed when he reached Lord Charik and the others and smiled up at the kind naga blushing slightly and holding out the basket of flowers for him.

The change was instantaneous, like dark clouds parting to let in the sunshine.

The instant Sha-Razi said the magic word, that he was handsome, Ziya perked up and a wide grin spread across his face, baring dangerously sharp teeth. "Oh, has he? Well, of course he has. Who wouldn't? I'm quite aware I'm absolutely stunning, but I enjoy hearing it so don't stop there."

He cast a quick glance Charik's way. Ziya didn't particularly care what the occasion was--he merely cared that he was being forced to be out of his pool wearing these awful clothes and no one but Sha-Razi was paying attention to him when they all should be layering attention onto him!--but had he been waiting for him? As Sha-Razi seemed to have been? Well, that was worthy of some acknowledgment, he supposed...

Besides, once that was out of the way, they could get right back to paying attention to him, as they should! Maybe acknowledging him would make him acknowledge him and then this whole situation could get to being about him, as it should.

Ziya shrugged, mumbled quickly, "Oh. Happy hatching day, Lord Charik." And then he turned right back to Sha-Razi and beamed at her. "Now, as you were saying?"


Completely oblivious to the mini-drama happening right beside him (and oblivious to Ziya's birthday wishes over the chatter), Charik's attention was drawn from his siblings when Sureya approached him, and they, too, peered over curiously. Well, the boy certainly cleaned up nicely! And while he may have looked rather plain among so many colorful naga, humans, and naiads, his outfit accented his looks nicely.

He glanced at the flowers and smiled brightly. "Oh, for us?" he asked, and accepted them happily. "How beautiful! These will look lovely in our chamber. Where did you find them? Ah, but enough of that! Join us!"

And, as he had done with Sha-Razi, he pulled Sureya down beside them and motioned to his siblings. As the newest, he was the only one here so far who required an introduction.

"These are our siblings, Kisa, Chimalli, and Izta," he said, pointing to each in turn. "Gods of our kingdom. And this is Sureya, our newest."

Razi couldn't help but to produce a thin smirk at Ziya's reaction.
Works like a charm, she thought.
Though the woman hadn't eaten anything yet, she felt her stomach churning. Gods, but did his vain attitude drive her sick. Razi was always convinced that she WAS going to get sick, but she tried to ignore that feeling of utter repulsiveness.
"Very elegant, Ziya," she managed to praise.
What had she been saying? Razi was about to say something, anything- it didn't matter what, so long it was about how beautiful Ziya was, when a new figure approached them.

Oh.
Razi sat back in her cushion as she silently observed Sureya approach. The Toriiri were a curious people, and this new member was no different. Razi did not know much about the young man, as she had been too busy to get to know  him properly. She knew enough to know that he was defect among his people, and couldn't speak. Razi rather pitied and sympathized with Sureya, though she had never really had the opportunity to speak to him, more or less. She's been meaning to, as well. There had to be an elegant solution to properly communicate with him.
Cute, she thought, her heart almost aching as she  observed the basket of flowers. He was too adorable!

Razi figited in her seat  as she saw his father in the back of the hall.
Oh, she thought, a realization dawning on her. The woman solemnly bowed her head.
They'll be here, too....
The woman politely nodded towards Sureya.
"Are you adapting all right?" she asked, keeping the questions simple.
"I see your father is here. Are you comfortable here?" 
Do you miss your old home? she wondered, though that was a sensitive question to bring up.

Sureya was easily pulled beside Charik. He couldn't help blushing and smiling softly as he looked up at the god-king and then to his siblings as they were each introduced in turn. He bowed his head to each of them. They were all very beautiful! He had to admit that he was fascinated by the nagas and thought that their tails, their scales were probably one of the most beautiful things in the world. He saw that some of Kisa's scales had flaked off too. How amazing! He didn't realize that they molted too! Did it make them sleepy while they molted? Would the new scales be shinier and more colorful? Every year when Suri molted he had hoped his new feathers would come in colorfully, but they only ever seemed whiter if anything.

Oh! He had gotten so caught up in thinking about molting that he almost didn't realize that the beautiful woman sitting at the table was speaking to him! He nodded, smiling brighter when she asked if he was adapting alright. He wasn't exactly sure how true it was, because it was hard adapting, but he wouldn't want Lord Charik to know that. Not after the god-king had been so kind to him!

Again, he nodded to the second question. He was happy that his father was here, and it had made him more comfortable today. He wasn't uncomfortable before though. Just a bit homesick.

He wanted to ask the woman her name, and it was frustrating not being able to articulate that. He settled for looking up at Charik and then back to Razi, and even to the naiad, in hopes of more introductions.

"Ah! How silly of us! Of course, we forgot how little you know! This," Charik said, patting Razi's knee, "is the beautiful and graceful Sha-Razi, who has been with us so long and spoils us so." And it looked like she was already taking to the little bird, as if he ever had to worry about that. That over there is Ziya, who we're sure you'll get along with well once you get to know him!"

Like most other things, he was rather oblivious to the naiad's behavior and tended to find ways to justify it in a way that made happy sense to his own particular worldview.

Ziya just huffed and laid his head on his arms, scowling at the lot of them. Now the stupid bird was taking over and everyone was oohing and aahing over the stupid thing! It wasn't even that great! It was so plain! However, that scowl turned into a toothy grin at Charik's statement and he fluttered his eyelashes.

"Oh yes. Very well," he purred lazily. "You should visit my pool sometime, Sureya."

Razi smiled at Sureya's nods.
"That's nice," she replied.
The woman fell silent after that as she sipped some of her juice. She felt awkward about it, but she didn't know what else to add to that. Thankfully, Charik spoke for her, and even Ziya managed to say a greeting. She nearly choked on her drink. His words came across to her more threatening than welcoming, though Razi shoved that aside as her experience with the Ziya. The woman threw him an alarmed glance, which she quickly shielded with a smile.
"Very good, Ziya," she said with an exhausted sigh. There was no telling with that creature.

To distract herself, Razi turned towards Charik's siblings.
"My Lord and my ladies," she said, "please tell us of happenings of your villages. We don't get to hear news of them very often. Has anything exciting happened, recently?"
Just then, a servent wearing colorful silk robes entered the room. He was tall and lankly with an easy grin on his face. Razi knew him. His name was Yele. He had practically grew up in the temple; he had been here longer than she.

He bowed low before their table.
"Esteemed Holy One," he said to Charik. He always did have a flair for theatrics.
"If it is your desire, the presentation of your tribute shall begin presently!"
Oh, hell, Razi thought as she took another swing of juice.
The woman mentally prepared herself for the parade of children and gold and bowiing idiots who expected rain in exchange for a smile and gold. At least Charik would be happy and some of the gifts interesting ,but it was going to be a long afternoon.

Before the other naga could launch into highlighting the events of the last year, Yele arrived with the news, and Charik perked up with excitement. Oh, this was the best part! The part where everyone came and lavished attention and praise upon him! It never got old!

This was the best day of the year!

He grinned broadly, fangs flashing, and clapped his hands. "Yes, yes! Bring them in at once!"

His siblings exchanged knowing looks, his sisters smiling in amusement while Chimalli looked stoic and deadpan as usual. Yele bowed again and hurried off to give the word.

Turning to Sureya, Charik nudged him. "Oh, you'll love this part! It is the best! Right, Razi darling?"

A tired grin rose on Sha-Razi's lips at Charik's excitement.
He's such a child, she thought, though not entirely unfondly. Of course, some of the presents he did receive were quite extravagant, in the past.
"Yes, my lord," she quietly replied as she sipped some of her juice. The presentation started as normally as Razi expected it to.  Village chiefs came in with trays of gold while also requesting a prayer or two from Charik's part. Some interesting travelers brought rare or magical gems. Others arrays of foreign birds, such as the curious and beautiful doves of Connloath. Razi was begining to zone the faces out, smiling and nodding when she knew it appropiate to, when...

"Ismali Kaboru of Essyrn," Yele announced.
Razi almost spat out her juice, her stomach churning.  A servant refilled her cup and Charik's though she hardly noticed.
Oh, hell, she thought, distressed. The woman shot a glance at the naga, but said nothing. Instead, she clamped her mouth shut and sat as rigidly still as possible. Razi reminded herself to smile as her father escorted a small group of the family into the room. Her father stood tall and proud with an arrogant glint in his green eyes. He was handsome and had a face similar to his daughters. Sha-Razi's mother accompanied him. She was plump and bright eyed, with long thick locks of hair that Razi inherited.  With them came Razi's unmarried younger sister, who was dressed in a simple, but elegant, white dress and stared up at the nagas with bright, black eyes. Following them was a strong manslave carrying a large item between his hands that was concealed under a veil.

Razi's eyes swept the table before the woman quickly bowed before Charik.
"Excuse me, my lord," she muttered before approaching her family. Her father hugged her close as he made a public display of it. Razi hugged him stiffly back.
"Sha-Razi! My beautiful daughter," he boomed. "We've missed you so!"
Razi gasped for breath. She wanted to mention that he never quite wrote or really visited, but all that was merely second important to her problem at hand. She had forgotten her father's bear hugs.
"Yes... father!"
He held her an arm's length away to admire her and the naga before him. Ismali bowed low before Charik.

"O Holy One, he said. I trust that my daughter will continue to serve you well. My family and I bid you a very Happy Birthday, and as token as our gratitude, here is our gift..." Ismali gestured for the slave to bring the gift before the naga. The slave took back the veil to reveal a chest with Charik's likeliness on it, with a spear in hand as he roamed the jungle. The boarders were delicately engraved with small details of the village. Gems decorated the work of art, such as Charik's diamond eye that gleamed in the right light. The trees and grass were lifelike, and, to Razi's amazement, gently swayed to some unseen wind.

Dreams. Rehab for insomniac. Training for the future seekers, and most importantly, the most dangerous thing that Darnoc ever has to experience. Rightly so because Darnoc just so happens to be nothing short of an animated suit of armor, and since he doesn't require sleep, normally he didn't sleep. But on those rare instances that he did, it did not please whatever deity controlled regulated sleep, often times Darnoc would slip into a state of comatose, often not awakening for many years. One time he woke up to find himself being worn, by a troll Halfling. That was a very different experience, and it took weeks to get the smell off from when the troll couldn't be bothered to remove Darnoc before answering Natures call. If he had a spine, a shiver would have just gone down it.

Darnoc stretched out his arms, not really a necessity but more something he did out of habit, then stepped off the Pedestal he were standing on. "How long have I been aslee-" it was then that he actually took notice of what was happening, it seemed like he were at some sort of party, looking behind him there were several suits of armor lined up against the wall, had he been sold for Decoration?

"This isn't.... The blue moon inn." he simple and stupidly stated, his voice a mere echo, not really coming from anywhere in particular.

Charik did all the expected things, for after many years of this ritual, he had it down to an arm. He graciously accepted the gifts and offered his blessings, even saying a blessing or two over those who requested it. He fondly ruffled children's hair as they marveled as the snake god and even gave out some compliments of his own. He may have been foolish and oblivious and arrogant and delusional, but he did love his people, and he loved these visits. In a way, they were very humanizing, even while he was placed upon a pedestal.

The human visitors were perhaps even more a gift to him than the gold and trinkets.

And then, a very familiar name was announced.

Charik nodded in assent as Razi rose to greet her parents, smiling as he watched. It was always lovely when parents came to visit his lovers, he did so like to see them happy.

And then the man approached him with a gift, and Charik marveled at the chest, gasping at the sight.

"This is gorgeous!" he exclaimed, leaning in to examine it and running his fingers along the carvings and gems. The fact that it moved was especially intriguing, and he leaned even closer in an effort to figure out how it was doing that. "We have never seen anything like this! How does it move? How did--"

That was when a high pitched shriek cut through the merriment.

Whipping around to look, Charik saw that it was Kisa.

And she was staring in wide-eyed terror at at a coat of armor that was no longer where it should have been.

"I-it moved! It spoke!" she yelped, recoiling from it. In an instant, Chimalli was there, curling protectively around her and grabbing a knife from the table. He hissed at the armor, flashing long fangs.

Razi couldn't help but to smile at Charik's marvelling of her family's gift. Even she was impressed by its quality. She tried her best not to pay attention to her parents, who swelled with pride at the naga's delight.
     "Yes, well, I am the best-" Razi's father began to say, but whatever words Ismali had was cut short by Kisa's piercing screams. Sha-Razi whirled around to find the hall submitting into chaos. Chimalli coiled protectively around his sister as one of the armor pieces began to move. Razi blanched and became weak in her knees.
An attack? Within the temple?
Out of all her years here, such a thing had never happened. Razi tried to keep her head cool. If they pulled the wrong move, they could have a war on their hands. Of course, an assassination attack WAS a declaration of war, but Razi still had the glimmer of hope that things were not as they appeared.

Razi picked up the hems of her skirts and rushed to be by Charik's side. A servant girl who had been pouring wine had in her nervousness spilled it on the floor, her tray clamoring to the ground. She moaned in dismay. Razi patted her head.
"Never mind, girl. Go," Razi firmly instructed.
The servant girl eagerly nodded and fled. Razi glared at the moving statue. It appeared to not hold any weapons, but that wasn't saying much.
"What is that thing?" Razi curiously asked the naga.
Whatever it is, it ought to be removed from the hall, she grimly thought  as servants and guests began to panic. Out of the corner of her eye,  she watched the soldiers come marching in out of the corner of her eye. 

Screaming.

As to be expected Darnoc supposed, normal pieces of armor just don't start moving, much less talk. "Yes, it moved. And yes, it spoke. But also has a name, it's name is-" That was when another naga coiled around the one that screamed, brandishing a knife, "-not really important at the moment." Darnoc raised his hands into the air. "Listen friend, I mean no harm to you, her, or anyone else present here. But a knife is probably not what you want to fight one of my kind with," bringing his hands, which were really just leather gloves with plating on them, to his shoulders. He undid the top straps to his chestplate and lowered it, exposing the inside of the armor, showing he was hollow. If you looked close you could see the circular blood rune that bound his soul to his body. "As you can see I've got nothing to stab." Redoing the straps to his chestplate and taking stock of what was around.

"Quite honestly, I don't know where I am, or even when I am. I've really and truly just woken up."

It wasn't long before that coat of armor had four naga and several armed soldiers all staring at it, the soldiers ready to bear down on it with sword and spear at a word from Charik. Even Charik had curled his body around Razi protectively; the soldiers could deal with the threat, but his duty was toward protecting his lovers.

At Razi's question,, Charik shook his head. "It is...it is a gift from long ago," he said slowly, just as perplexed as the rest of them. The coat of armor was like no armor as could be found anywhere in his kingdom, so the armor itself was a mystery. And now it was moving and--what's more!--speaking?

"Ah! Clearly there is someone inside--oh." The armor took off its chest plate, revealing a hollow center, and that axed that explanation.

"...We are not sure how it's doing that..." he admitted, blinking slowly, and then cleared his throat and snapped his fingers, signalling one of the servants to fetch his spear. Once it was in his hand, he slithered forward, though the part of body that was curled around Razi stayed where it was. Ah, the joys of a strange, long body.

"You! Two things! How are you doing that, and do you mean us harm? If you mean us harm, we will have to...ah...well, we shall have to take you apart, we suppose."

A gift?
Razi never remembered such a gift in her time. She quickly calculated the years on her fingers.
Ten years, at the latest.
"Oh!" she muttered as the end of Charik's tail coiled itself around her.  Razi didn't like not being able to move, but she deeply appreciated the gesture. Razi held onto Charik's smooth scales as she watched with fascination as the armor spoke. She wasn't that surprised that nothing was inside the thing, though it still fascinated her.
At least it speaks the language, she thought, though it was curious that the armor claimed to not know where it came from, or even what it was. With no face, it was hard to tell if the armor was lying or not.
I don't trust it, Razi thought. She wanted answers.

Five soldiers lined up by the side of the  harem to protect them. Razi turned towards one. She wasn't exactly in charge of them, but this could be urgent.
"You!" she demanded. The man looked up to her with startled green eyes.
"Y-yes, ma'am?" he replied, his voice shaky.
"Please go to the library," she  said, her voice as calm as ever.
"The library?" he asked, confused.

Razi rolled her eyes, her patience shortened. Had he not heard her?
"Yes. Have the librarian search records of  birthday gifts from ten years ago or older. Ten. I want to know who sent this gift of armor."
The soldier still looked hesitant.
Razi sighed.
"Your noble deed will immensely help protect your king and country. Now go." 
The man nodded and immediately darted off.   The other soldiers shot Razi queer looks, but she ignored them as she focused on the armor.

Darnoc just sighed as more naga and guards came around, things just going from bad to worse. It must have been a monday. As yet another naga joined the semicircle he brandished a spear and spoke with somewhat authority, but the effect was greatly lessened by the half-heartedness of the threat. Again Darnoc sighed.

"As I've said, I mean no harm to anyone here, as for the former question, I'm afraid you'd have to be a bit more specific. How am I standing here? How am I talking? How do I move? That is a tragically long story that would take longer to tell then anyone should have to listen through. But the sortest way to say it is I'm cursed, and my soul is bound to this armor."

"Cursed?" The word brought a hiss out of Charik and he straightened up, rising taller than the armor with the aid of his muscular snake body.

"If you are cursed, then you must leave at once! We will not have cursed objects threatening our home and harem!" he said, thumping the butt of his spear against the ground.

Behind Razi, Ziya gave a loud groan and let his head drop to the table. "This is the worst party ever."

Sha-Razi tilted her head to the side, utterly  confounded by Darnoc's speech. His 'very short' answer only proposed many more questions that warranted telling. At Ziya's complaint Razi couldn't help but to throw him a threatening look.
Don't you dare start, she thought with a scowl. That was NOT helping matters, especially with Charik ordering the armor out of the place! She had a lot of questions that needed answering, and Razi wasn't about to let the armor and its mystery literally walk away!
More importantly, who knows what it could do out there in the villages?
"Wait, my lord!" she called out.

Razi desperately tapped his scales to get Charik's attention. She took in a deep breath as she threw a quick glance to the armor. She was unsure of how to address that thing. It was rude to call it a thing, wasn't it?
"I humbly ask my lord to reconsider. Before you cast this... man away from the temple, will you please hear my council?" she pleaded.  Razi learned that it was best to ask for such matters in private.

Charik paused when he felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned to find Sha-Razi there. His expression softened and his fangs retracted, some of the tension easing out of his shoulders.

"What is it, dear heart? Yes, you may speak."

Despite having a naga's tail coiled around her, Razi managed to stand as straight and elegantly as she could, especially now that she had Charik's attention.
"King Charik," Razi said in an even tone. "It is my opinion that we should keep this... soul here within the walls of the temple, where there are many swords to keep an eye on him. His curse is nothing against your power, and there are many mysteries that I am sure whose answers would benefit all of us."
Actually, Razi had no idea how on earth the answers would benefit them, but she let that one slide.
Well, at least it'll be a way to stop unnecessary conflict, she thought.
"Furthermore, I have already taken the liberty to send someone to the royal library in search of records for this... man. Perhaps from there we can retrieve at least the answer of his origin."
Razi's eyes flickered over towards the armor before she bowed her head, indicating that she was done speaking.

Darnoc was impressed, and shocked, by the woman's words for she spoke with dignity and authority. If he had eyebrows, Darnoc would have raised them. Turning to the supposed king. "Immortality is my curse. Your Magesty."

That was when the guard returned. "The armor was gifted to the king by one Eris Craesis, Mage, said she is from La'marri, fifteen years ago."

Fifteen years. He had been asleep for, at the shortest possible time, fifteen years. That was a long time.

Slowly, Charik let his tail slide free of Razi so she could stand freely. Lips pursed in thought and hand raised to his chin, he finally nodded at her words. "Mmm...yes, this is true..." he mused, tapping his lips. And he was very curious as to how this strange being worked--how could something talk without a mouth? Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to keep it.

"You speak sense, dear one. Very well! We shall respect your opinion and honor your judgment! You, there!"

He turned back to the armor and puffed out his chest. "You will remain here for questioning and study. You will remain under guard for that time, so do not even think about leaving! Furthermore--"

That was when the guard returned and announced his findings.

For Charik, however, it explained little.

His brow furrowed. "What is La-Mah-Ree?" he asked, for he had never been outside the jungle and, as far as he was knew, his kingdom was the world.

Razi smiled and clasped her hands together.
"Thank you, my lord," she said when given Charik's praise. She nodded in approval as Charik ordered the armor to stay under surveillance. Just then, however, the guard arrived.
"Thank you for your assistance," she told the guard, who bowed before Charik and her before standing by his original post. RAzi frowned. It was unusual for a gift to come from such a far off place.

Razi weakly smiled at Charik's complete butchering of the word La'marri.
Razi cringed. Despite serving as an ambassador and her teachings, Charik was still woefully ignorant of the outside world.
"La'marri, my lord. It is a free village in the plains," she said. "Many mages live there. Is the name Eris Craesis familiar to my lord?"
Sha-Razi settled herself down by the table, once more. She reached for a goblet of wine and sipped from it, enjoying the flavor.
What a strange curse to give, immortality, she thought.

Eris Caesis. How did he know that name, how did she know him? Why did she give him as a gift, if he had know he was about to fall asleep he would told someone what he was and what was about to happen. Who was this woman. The Inn owner was an older woman, not really elderly, what if she died and the Eris person became the new owner and she gave him away. 'Twas an odd thing trying to find out who this woman was.

He would have happily left, never to return again. Or rather, perhaps to return in a few decades to see how things are. That was often what he did, leave for a time only to return after many years had passed. In truth, he never liked to stay in one place for too long, He didn't like to see the signs of aging as it happens, part of the reason being is he would never grow old.

"As you wish." he lowered his arms to the side.

Even with Razi's explanation, it was all so abstract. It was also an issue of out of sight, out of mind. Charik had never seen this village, or been to the plains, so as far as he was concerned it didn't exist, and hearing of these places was like listening to a fairy tale, or hearing people describe what came after death--places that existed, but that he couldn't wrap his mind around at all, not in any concrete sort of way.

He rubbed his chin. "No, we do not recall any 'Eris Craesis'..." But it had been a long time, and he had a lot of names to remember. It was very likely that some had slipped through the cracks in his brain.

He turned to the armor then. "Do you know of this person?"

The captain of Charik's guard, a tall and muscular man with short, braided hair approached Darnoc with shield and spear in hand. He gave the armor a questioning and condescending leer.
"Follow me," he said curtly, as if escorting but a pest out of the room. He would escort the armor outside the temple's halls in a circle of some of his finest warriors through crowds of  hundreds of spectators and gift givers. The colorful sea of people all gawked and shared whispers as the man less armor strolled among  them. Finally, the Captain would lead the armor through a path that lead to a dull looking large brick building with smoke rising from the rooftops.
"This is where you will be staying for now," the Captain said gruffly.
He lead Durnac through halls with rooms of weapons on racks and soldiers training, their footsteps echoing in the halls. Finally, he stopped in front of a plain chamber with no more than a bench inside and etchings on the wall. He opened the door.
"Wait here, cursed one," he said with a laugh. "By order of the Holy King and his concubine! You picked a hell of a time to wake up..."

Razi watched them leave the room, half distracted as Charik addressed her. She massaged her throat, bothered by a developing sensation of suffocation. A headache was also starting to develop, and her stomach started to cramp. Razi narrowed her eyes.
I probably just ate something bad, she thought. In any case, she didn't want to trouble the rest of the party with her ailment. Razi tried to shake her head, but stopped. Moving it only seemed to intensify her headache.
"N-no, my lord," she replied quietly. "Even from my travels, the name is not familiar."
Perhaps a scribe should pen a letter, Razi  thought.

Darnoc wished he knew such a person, but alas he did not. He was all ready to tell the childishly weak king his knowledge of the woman when the Guard came and ushered him out. "Well then." The guard led them out of the temple and into some shit poor instance of a cell, no bared door, no lock, the only complexity was that the cell was in the center of what seemed to be a training facility. Even without the use of alchemy, Darnoc felt that he had a chance of escape, that is if he wanted it. But with Alchemy it would be a synch. But what had bothered him was why that woman had changed the public opinion to get him to stay, what was her motive, what did she want? Darnoc would never give up the secret to the faux immortality, to have one's soul bound by blood is a curse, and the secret would go with him to the grave, they could do nothing to take it from him, and the worst they could do is kill him. That would be a blessing.

Sitting himself in the center of the room, just letting the time roll past him, he could sit like this for literally hours and to him would only feel like mere minutes. Someone would come for him eventually, all this was a waiting game.

Charik frowned, watching the armor be lead off, then turned back to Sha-Razi. "Oh. Well. We suppose we shall figure it all out later!" he said, and put on a smile. There was no sense letting everyone's morale down! They still had a celebration to finish, and he was not about to let this stop it! "But for now, back to the--hm?"

Sha-Razi was acting a little strange, almost nervous. There was an odd quaver in her voice that caught his attention and made him freeze. "Razi? What is it?"

Despite his naivity, Charik was sharp. Sha-Razi blushed at Charik's attention and waved her hand.
"It will pass, My Lord," she quickly said before she placed an elegant hand on her stomach and grimaced. It was as if a cobra had awoken in her belly, and was angrily trying to be free.
What illness was this? Whatever it was, Razi planned to endure it. There was no need to cause a scene by leaving.
"How silly of me! But, yes. Besides, there are more urgent questions to be answered now," she teased with a smile, gesturing to her baffled father.

For the first time in ten years, Razi was grateful for Ismali's senseless boasting. She sat as straight as she could in the comfort of her cusion as she tried to listen to his tales of the foreign mages who carved the box. However, Razi wasn't paying much attention. As Ismali rambled on, the woman's pain grew and she felt as if the cobra within her was tightening its hold around her neck and her belly.
This is absurd, Razi thought as she  reached for the goblet she had drunk the wine out of. The lady took in a sharp breath when she realized it was not her brass one, but the golden one with the forest engravings. It was not her goblet's, but Charik's! Razi felt rage and humiliation build within her. Out of all the days...!


At that moment, Razi did something she had not done in public, ever. She swore in a slew of Essyrinian curses that made her father silent and turn beet red and her mother swoon.
"O Holy One, forgive my daughter's sudden rudeness!" Ismali pleaded.
The banquet was spinning around her.
I've been stupid.
"Charik!" she gasped, her voice shrill from panic. Razi felt her breathing become quicker and shorter as she desperately tried to breathe .  She was vaguely aware that her face was hot and that tears were beginning to weld up in her khol lined eyes.
"My lord, don't drink the wine! It's poison."

~

Zarha  was incredibly bored. The captain had left him in charge of the nameless armor man, and as incredibly restless. Today was the King's birthday, and here he was, watching some freak of a prisoner who technically didn't do anything... except perhaps wake up at the wrong moment. That happened, sometimes! Zahra growled, running a hand through his short, black hair.
"It's always me," he grumbled. He stoped to glare at Darnoc through the hole in the wall of the unlocked cell. This guy sure was a weird prisoner. The armor just sat still and everything.
"Hey, you," he called out, scratching the scruffle on his chin.
"Is it true you were a man, once? That a witch cursed you?"
He chuckled.
"Was she a spurned lover?" he suggested.

Hm. How odd. But if she said she was fine, then surely she was! Smiling again, Charik perked up and gave a little nod, giving Razi an affectionate pat on the shoulder. Perhaps it was all the excitement of the day! It could be quite taxing, her understood, and he knew that as fun as it was, and as much as he enjoyed it, by the day's end he would be thoroughly exhausted.

Perhaps she just needed a rest!

"Why don't you relax and have something to drink?" he told Razi before turning his full attention to her father as he explained the elaborate chest. It was all so fascinating, and he was so absorbed in the tale--at least Sha-Razi's sudden string of curses snapped him out of it.

Eyes widening in horror, he turned to gape at her, speechless, and the entire room went deathly quiet. Never had he heard her use such foul language! And in front of so many people! True, he didn't understand the language, but the fierce tone and the look on her father's face told him everything.

"Sha-Razi!" he gasped, clapping a hand over his mouth. "That is most inappropriate! What on earth has gotten into--"

But then there were tears in her eyes, and she said the dreaded words.

Poison.

His face went pale, and his eyes jerked to the goblet near her hand.

His goblet.

"You drank from it?" For a moment his mind didn't make the connection, that it was intended for him. Instead, his thoughts reeled, thinking of how she had been behaving, her odd speech, the way she'd held her belly, the pained and desperate look in her eyes now. Panic rising within him, he scooped her up into his arms like a bride and turned to the crowd.

"Someone send for help! She's been poisoned!" he cried, and looked to her, touching her face. "Razi, stay with us."

"Yes I was a man once. But no I was not cursed be a witch" Darnoc began. Not even moving from his spot. "I was actually a knight. The first from my village to be knighted. My village was only found on maps due to the quarry that was a quarter mile up the way. Well one day I was inspecting the quarry and there was a rockslide. While pushing some workers out of the way, I got crushed under a few tons of marble and granite. It was odd, being under so much weight and I didn't feel a thing. I blacked out. Sure to die and woke up as this."

The guard looked somewhat stunned. "What is your name? I'm sure you get tired of people's miss labeling."

"After a few hundred years. You get over it. But my name is Darnoc Ris"

The guard nodded appreciatively, then something click. "Sir Conrad?"

Darnoc just chuckled a bit. "Been forever since someone has caught that. But aye, that was me at one time." That was when several guard came running through the halls.

"The king's goblet has been poisoned!" They shouted. As they passed the cell Darnoc just pushed open the cell door and started walking out towards the exit. The guard quickly caught up with him.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?!"

"What I do best" came the reply, "saving someone's life."

Razi whimpered as she suddenly found herself off the ground, in Charik's arms. Her pale face blushed slightly as his fading voice cried out.
"I didn't know," Razi gasped in a small voice. "I'm so sorry. I beg your forgiveness..."
The woman cringed. She had heard of poisons that killed instantly, but she was still alive, for now. Razi smiled weakly as Charik touched her face. His hand felt so warm. Razi tilted her head against it as she narrowed her eyes, trying to stay awake. Her  breathing and heart rate were beginning to frighteningly slow down.
"Yes, my lord," she muttered.
Razi wanted to tell Charik to not make such a fuss, that it was not worth it. However, she just promised to obey, and speaking taxed her heavily.
Focus, she thought. That serving girl...

Two men bowed low before Charik. The first was a guard, a stout man with golden brown hair held out his arms.
"Physicians have been sent for, O Holy One. Please allow me to take the Lady to her quarters, where they will treat her."
The second was a bald and slender temple priest.
"If I may, King Charik," he said. "I've studied poisons during my training."
He took hold of the goblet and held it up to his nose and lips to examine it.
"I cannot be certain," he declared. "But this could be Nymoria's Drought, venomous siren tears. It kills slowly, but Most Esteemed One, we must hurry."

Razi listened and bit her lip. She hid her shamed face in Charik's chest like a child, clutching to her veil.
Be brave, she thought as she  tried to breathe. She had never felt so helpless or scared in her life.

~

Zarha was stunned. He had heard tales of Sir Conrad before, of course, but to think the knight had been asleep in the temple for fifteen years... ! And now the king's goblet was poisoned, and the prisoner had just went free?
Well, Zahra thought as he desperately tried to keep up. Not really a prisoner, but...
"Wait!" he called out as he reached out for the armor.
"You haven't had the permisson to leave!"
What did he mean, saving somebody's life, anyway? Nobody was dead, were they? The King.... Zarha blanched. Well, he didn't want to think about that.

"Shh, Razi, shh," Charik said as she apologized. "You saved us. Now shh, apologize no more, there's no need, and you need your strength." And the last thing he wanted was for her to waste precious breaths thinking this was somehow her fault.

"You'll be alright," he said, voice firm and jaw set. He pressed his lips to her forehead and spoke against her skin. "We are your god. We won't let you leave."

He was strangely calm as the guard and priest arrived, though inside he was stuck somewhere between worry and panic, because this situation was strangely out of his control when he normally felt so in charge, and yet...also a sort of calm denial of the entire thing. Razi couldn't die! He was a god, after all! If he said she wouldn't die, if he believed she wouldn't die, then she wouldn't! Because that was how things worked! Of course she would be alright, and of course everything would turn out okay.

But of course, he also realized that his power worked through people. The physician would save her because he had demanded help be called.

"We shall go with you," Charik told the priest, and turned to the guard. "We are afraid the celebration is postponed! It shall be continued at a later date. However, let no one leave. Someone wishes us dead, and no ones leaves until the criminal is found."

With that said, he turned to follow the priest to Razi's quarters.

Poison, though. Who would have tried to poison him? Arriving at her room, he laid Razi out on her cushions and tucked some hair out of her face. Reaching for her hand, he gripped it in his own. "Stay."

Meanwhile, back at the celebration, Ziya let out a loud whine and let himself flop backwards onto the floor like a dead fish.

"This is the WORST party EVER!" he repeated, in case no one had heard him before. Which they hadn't. Because everyone was fawning over Razi, of course, the little attention seeker, acting like she was poisoned of all things.

"Think of it this way" Darnoc stated taking huge strides, "how would they have found out the kings cup was poisoned? Someone would have drank from it. And since your king doesn't seem like the kind to use taste tester, either he or someone who drank from his cup are dying. Or both."

"Now you can try to stop me, and who knows you may succeed, but that would mean that someone very important would die. Or you can help me, and be herald as a hero."

It took the guard a minute but finally he found his voice. "I'll lead the way."m

A handful of minutes and two explanations later. They found out that Lady Sha-razi had been poisoned with what was suspected to be siren tears. Zarha told other guards that Darnoc was Sir Conrad. Most were skeptic but still quite a few followed. It seemed that the guardsmen of today looked up to him. Which Darnoc found as odd, his old pal Gilan was a better knight.

Darnoc walked into the room as the healer was about to administer an antitoxin, the wrong antitoxin. "If you give her that you kill her!" Darnoc rushed up to the priest and snatched the vial from him. "Just get out. Zarha!" He called out to the guard who waited outside. Who quickly fell into the room. "Go search garden. You are looking for a red flower with five long petals and a white center. Have someone else go get honey. I will also need chocolate, as much as you can find, and water. Lots and lots of water."

Turning back to the king and the the.. What was her official title? Anywho, he looked at the king. "I'm going to save her life, your Majesty. Consider it your birthday gift from me."

Zahra felt as if stones were being dropped one by one in his stomach. He didn't know what to do. On one hand, this legend of old, just like from the scrolls, had come back. It was a tale well known in Essyrn, though not quite as spread out in the jungle. There were many legends of a wizard who stole people's souls and turned them into puppets. One such puppet rose and killed his master. He traveled across the northern realms, rescuing princesses, fighting rouges. But that was nothing compared to the adventure when he traveled to Essyrn in hopes of meeting a priestess who it was rumored that could help him become a man again. The great tragedy was that he never did, but he helped the King who was in grave distress protect his kingdom from invaders in the most cunning of ways!

On the other hand, however, said hero walked into Lady Sha-Razi's chamber without permission. NOBODY entered her chambers without permission of some sort.
The Captain is going to have my head on a spike, he thought, practically in tears as he found himself running towards the garden.
But the Holy One might eat me alive if I refused and she were to die!
He realized he should have still questioned Sir Conrad more, especially about the flowers, but he had been too spellbounded to even realized his err until halfway towards the gardens. The prospect of being eaten alive quickened his pace.

~

Razi clung to Charik's words, struggling to survive. She realized she should act braver, if not for her sake, than for his. A weak smile spread on her lips as he ordered her to live. She felt as if her heart could break at such sweet words. However, that smile was quickly removed as Charik ordered the celebrations be postponed.
What a disastor, Razi thought.
She found herself slipping in and out of consciousness. Razi wished she could fall asleep. Then she could ignore her insides that burned like fire and her inability to breathe.
Stay awake, Razi commanded herself, gasping as Charik laid her down on her cushions. She felt more comfortable, but only some.
"Cold," Razi muttered as she clung to Charik's hand as tightly as she could.

Razi watched as the priest presented a vial filled with a mixture that was known to cure most poisons. Just then, one of Razi's servant girls screamed as Darnoc bolted through the chamber and snatched the vial from the priest's hands. She narrowed her eyes, confused, scared, and very angry. That cursed armor, again! What was he doing here? Surely it meant ill. Razi struggled to sit up right.
Stay away from the king! she thought. Why weren't the guards doing anything? Damnit, it was their job to protect her, but most of all Charik. Somebody had just tried to poison him, and they allowed this armor into her chamber? The armor become distorted and twisted in her vision.
She listened to his words in confused panic. No, she didn't want to trust him, but she trusted Charik and the priest. If they trusted him, than maybe  everything would be alright...

OOC: Darnoc's history is yours to make up, Zane... I borrowed some from your history, but I pretty much spun as tall as a tale I could from it. how much of it is real is  up to you xD

Charik nearly jumped out of his skin--perhaps literally, as he would need to shed soon--when the very armor he'd ordered away burst into the room.

With an inhuman hiss he spun around and drew himself up tall, fangs extended. He did not need a spear with which to fight; he was surprisingly quick when he needed to be, and he was capable of crushing any threat within his muscular coils. Perhaps it wouldn't do any good against a suit of armor, but he was willing to find out just how much pressure it could take before it would bend.

"How dare you--!" he started, but then the explanation came pouring out.

The wrong antidote? His eyes narrowed. A birthday gift from him? He glanced at the healer, who looked mortified, and then at the armor, which bore no expression at all.

Either way, they were wasting time, and it was only Razi who would suffer.

He turned to the servants, who looked shaken, and at Zarha, clearly seeking some sort of explanation for all this. This was completely out of his league. He was no healer and had no understanding of any of that, which made it particularly frustrating because he didn't know who was correct. But Razi, Razi was dying, and every second hesitating was a second she suffered.

Finally, he spoke. "Just do what it takes to see her live! But if she doesn't, if she doesn't make it, we shall see you melted down to scrap metal and scattered throughout the jungle."

Darnoc was impressed. The naga made a threat that was actually somewhat scary. Or it would have been if Darnoc didn't have the firm desire to embrace death with open arms. Had this been a darker time for him, he might have just ended the woman life right then and there. But this was not a dark time. And this woman was important to a plethora of people. The needs of the many outweigh the desire of the one. He would see her to good health again.

"You there" he pointed to one of the servant girls, she looked very unsure, scared even. "Would you kindly go fetch the king's cup off the table? And you should be careful not to spill it on your skin." He spoke very softly to the girl. She hesitated. Not sure if she should do what Darnoc asked of her. "I need to see how much her Lady drank as to administer the antidote effectively. If you would be so kind." Finally the young girl nodded and left.

About a minute later one of the guards came in with a large jar of honey. Opening it he walked over to Razi "this will help rid you of the pain in your throat caused by the poison." He tilted her head back and opened her mouth. Pouring the thick golden liquid into her mouth he then started tapping  her throat lightly. Next he pointed to the king. "Keep this up. Make sure he swallows all the honey in her mouth. Every five or so minutes you pour in some more honey. Do you understand?"

With that he went over to the table in the room clearing a place to create the antidote. The hand maiden from returned with the golden goblet in her hand. She set it on the table. Darnoc took notice that it were half empty, pulling out the vial of the wrong antidote. "Doctor you should be glad I stopped you." Darnoc uncorked the vial and poured a little into the cup. The moment the antidote made contact with the poisoned wine, there was a violent reaction. Lots of hissing and steam and before too long, the gold cup started to melt.

"Siren tears are chosen for most subtle assassinations because it bonds with the wine in a very peculiar way. Most common siren tear antidotes bond with the new solution to form a powerful acid." Next through the door came the chocolate and water. Darnoc set the now melting cup aside and brought the chocolate the the table. Clapping his palms together, pure power flowed through him. Placing his plan on the block of chocolate he forced the power into the chocolate. Breaking the bonds that held it together. When he was done there was a large pile of brown powder and a significantly smaller pile of white powder. He took a very small pinch of the white powder and added it to the bucket of water. Now all he needed was the flower. Where was Zarha?

Razi steeled herself. Charik placed his trust in the armor, then she would, too. She was slipping further than anyone realized. The burning in her belly ceased and now all of her just felt cold, almost damp, as if she were drowned. Razi heard faint sighs and screams, though where they were from, she could not locate.She gasped and struggled as Darnoc boldly tilted her head back and poured the honey down her throat. He was right, in a sense. It eased up the tension.

The cobra's is losing its grip, she thought, feverishly. That gave Razi hope, but only some. Razi twitched as the sighs became louder, as if the being it belonged to was lying next to her. She tilted her head, but there was nothing there. The screams were becoming louder and louder. Razi was petrified. She did not know who they belonged to, but that didn't matter. She could not move, she could not feel. She could do nothing but swallow the honey and be patient and brave.
"My lord Charik?" she whispered faintly, trying to hide the fear from her eyes. Razi boldly looked up to the King, though her eyelids felt heavy.
"They're calling for me," she continued. "But I don't want to listen. I must stay for you."

~

Zarha had never felt so ashamed for his lack of knowledge of flowers until this very afternoon. He had good reason to have no interest- he was allergic to many- but what was he going to do if the lady were to die?! He had arrived at the gardens in  a state of panic, and was only able to achieve the task with the aid of a very old and friendly gardener. The gardener had not reacted kindly when Zarha had practically ripped out three flowers by the roots and plucked an extra for measure, but this was for a desperate cause. Zarha made a mental note to himself to make it up to the old man. The only thought that ran through his mind was a drink, but the irony of it didn't appeal to him in the slightest. Out of breath, he  bowed before his King and the ill Lady Sha-Razi.

"I brought... I brought the flowers," he said, holding them out for whoever would take them before sneezing, making the hand-maiden squeak from shock.

Darnoc grabbed the flower and placed his free hand on the guard's shoulder "You did good kid." Then immediately went to the table. The flower was called the Midnight Sun, it's famous for two reasons, one is the fact that at midnight it glows incredibly bright then grows dark again as the moment passes. The others is that virtually every part of it has a medical use. The stem can be used to make an aphrodisiac, the leaves on the stem can be used to make a pain killer, the petals to make an extremely potent poison, and the stigma can be used to make a panacea. A literal cure all. Sadly that is forgotten knowledge, but people like the flower for the first reason.

Darnoc quickly removed the leaves and the stigma. grinding them up in his palms before throwing it in the bucket of water. Clapping his palms together again, he transmuted the edge of the bucket so it were smoother and and more cup like. Bringing the bucket over to Razi, he helped her sit up. "You're going to need to drink all the water, but slowly. let's start with a few mouthfuls." With that he tilted the bucket up for her to drink. It was going to taste horrible.

"Shh, Razi. We're still here," Charik told Razi, stroking her cold hand with his warm one. "Don't listen. Only our voice matters. Now drink some more. There's only a little left. There we go..." And then, gently, he tipped her head back and poured the last of the honey past her lips, caressing her throat as he did so to help her swallow.

He hoped this worked; Razi did feel more relaxed, but he hoped it was because it was helping and not because she was slipping away.

Not that she could. He wouldn't let that happen.

But god or not, there was not much he could do in this situation but trust his power to work through these people to save Sha-Razi. And so he listened and let Darnoc work, eyebrows raising, however, when Zarha brought in those flowers and Darnoc began to grind pieces of them to use.

Wha?

Charik was very familiar with that flower, indeed, but as an aphrodisiac, so for a moment he just stared. Honey? Chocolate? Aphrodisiac-flower? He certainly hoped this armor knew what he was doing...but all he could do was trust that he did. It was obvious the creature had great power at his disposal.

His hand squeezed Sha-Razi's when Darnoc urged her to drink the concoction. "This will make you better," he told her, and with his other hand stroked her throat. "Please."

"Yes," Razi whimpered before swallowing more of the honey. It still hurt to, but Charik's touch was soothing and helped eased the honey down.   
Only Charik's voice matters, Razi told herself. But it was harder to hear the voices here, the mutters and prayers of the priests and her hand maiden and the distant voices of the armor and the guards. The screams became piercing, some full of horrible agony, but others haunting, threatening. Their cries reminded her of hawks and eagles she had have the privilege of watching hunt. They belonged to not just one voice, but to many, perhaps hundreds. Their voices began to overlap, creating a chorus of horror and chaos. Razi began to quietly moan. She was too paralyzed to move.
Relax, she told herself, but there was no relaxing. Their song- if it could be called that- filled her head. Her vision, too, start to leave her, as Darnoc approached her. She wasn't aware of anybody's touch anymore.

"Stop," she whispered in a barely audible tone, in tears as Darnoc helped her sit up. Darkness overcame her.
Am I drowning? Razi thought as Darnoc forced her to drink the foul tasting mixture. It did not still the voices just yet, but only seemed to increase them.
This is poison, she thought bitterly as she tried to keep her mouth shut, but more came coming. Razi wanted to tell Darnoc to stop.
I mustn't go, she told herself. So why was he  cruelly forcing her to? Her innards twisted in protest and her ears were full of the wailing. A delirious Razi slowly muttered barely audible prayers and pleads. The song was deafening, but as Razi drank more, the song slipped away until with the last drop, it was over.

Gasping for air and exhausted, Razi fell back into her bed, allowing the antidote to kick in fully. Her feeling slowly returning, Razi squeezed Charik's hand with a strength that was denied from her before. With her other hand, Razi raised it to cover her mouth as she tried to steady her panicked and ragged breathing. There was a horrible taste left in her mouth, and she had the vague feeling that she needed to vomit. She glanced over at the armor with a new sense of wonder.

Darnoc realized that Razi were slipping into fever dreams. The last stage of the toxin before death. Acting quickly he forced the antidote down her throat. Laying the maiden back down, nature would have to run its course.

Within minutes strength returned to her arms. Looking at her, Darnoc could have smiled, "Welcome back" he then walked over to the table and bonded some of the cocoa powder together with transmutation  he tossed the small chocolate block onto her lap. "That should get rid of the taste in your mouth. The antidote I gave you will stay in your body for about a week. During that time you should avoid anything alcoholic or you could end up with the runs." He bowed acutely, not really sure if he should stay or leave. It had been generations since he last had anything to do with royalty or their kind.

For a moment, Charik truly felt afraid despite his conviction. It was hard to see her in so much pain, hard to see her struggling for breath and moaning in agony, and he wanted more than anything for it to be over, for her to be safe, and wished more than anything that there were an easier way. He squeezed her hand and whispered encouragement to her, though he didn't really know what he was saying half the time--demands that she stay, that he was there, that she would be okay.

But this was taking too long, and she was hurting! What if she couldn't drink it? What if she choked? Anxiously, he watched, throat tight with panic and heart pounding in his chest.

She couldn't die.

She couldn't leave him...

Please...

And that was when he felt it.

Sha-Razi squeezed back.

Charik let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and clenched her hand tightly.

"Razi!"

It was like the life had flooded back into her body. There was clarity in her eyes as she covered her mouth and looked to the armor. With a choked sound, Charik wrapped his arms around her and laid his head against her chest, hearing her heartbeat and feeling her warmth. He left wet marks against her skin, tears he had been hiding and would never admit to. "Razi...thank goodness..."

It was Darnoc's voice that brought him back.

Raising back up again, his arms still around Razi, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before he turned his head to acknowledge the armor. He didn't want to talk right then; he wanted to be alone with her. But he managed to clear his throat and give him a nod.

"Thank you..." It came out hoarser than he'd intended.

Razi nodded as graciously as she could at Darnoc's greeting, and slowly removed her hand from her mouth to take the chocolate. She was about to express her thanks, when suddenly, the king embraced her. Razi gasped before biting her lip as he held her. A wave of emotion sweeping over her, she turned her head towards the wall as she ran a hand through his hair, so as not to loser her composure in front of the people that surrounded them. Through silent tears, she smiled as Charik kissed her on the forehead.

"Long may you reign, my lord," she whispered, letting her head lean against his arm.
Razi nibbled on the chocolate. The armor was right, it did help take away some of the antidote's edge ,though the sick feeling in her stomach did not cease.
A whole week to recover, she thought, dismayed. They had important things to do, and Razi hoped she would recover more swiftly than that.

The woman took in a breath as she watched Charik thank the armor. Razi gestured for her handmaiden, who was now in gracious tears, to approach her. Despite her condition, there were things to be arranged of, now.
My family must be terrified, she thought, a knot forming in her stomach.
"Yes, m'lady?"  she said.
"Escort my family to my guest chambers. Tell them I'm fine. I wish to seem them, but I must talk to the Holy King first," she whispered.
The girl haltingly nodded.
"Yes, ma'am!" she said. She bit her lip before bowing before her mistress and the King and rushing out the door.

She wasn't the only on in high spirits.The tension in the room lifted as Charik embraced Sha-Razi, the people moved by the naga's emotion. The priest  who had watched the whole process baffled gave a quick bow before the armor.
"I do not even know your name, stranger, but thank you for all your help," he said. "Know that your deed will be forever recorded and glorified! But what is your name?"

Zahra, who had watched the whole scene in tense silence, beamed.
"His name is Sir Conrad, sir!" he said. "Or... Darnoc now, is it?"
Razi took in a sharp breath. Not many in the room were familiar with the name. Indeed, the Priest was confused.
"The name sounds oddly familiar..." he muttered.
However, Razi knew fully well his legends.
I thought they were just stories...
"I have scrolls," she managed to said in a low voice. "In Essyrian, a tale of long ago. I can have them translated."

Razi would have offered to do them herself, had she not been in this state.

Darnoc shook his head, "Don't bother translating it, you will find that it is a highly exaggerated account of what actually happened. Writers of such histories that are to be legends will often play up the truth and make it something less less real. If you find yourself with the time, albeit later on, I will tell you anything you want to know. I should be returning to the quaint little holding cell I were given, I don't want to cause a panic should the captain of your guard go back to find myself missing, as I'm sure it will take a few minutes for the news of your recovery to spread." Darnoc bowed again and made his way for the door, he let himself out and Zahra fell in behind him.

"So that's it?" The guard asked, "Just waltz in and save a life like it's your job then walk out?"

Darnoc voice was riddled with amusement. "Well at one time. That was my job."

"Zarha," Charik called right before the guard left. "See if there is any news on the poisoner's identity."

Once the two were out of the room and he was left with Razi, Charik let out a great sigh of relief and let his head drop back down to rest on Razi's lap. He wrapped his arms around her legs and nuzzled her gently. While he hadn't been through the sheer torture Razi had and had no real reason to feel exhausted, the worry and stress was utterly draining and he still felt a little nauseated from it.

And certainly in no mood to deal with the world beyond these chambers. Someone had tried to poison him, and had ended up poisoning Razi instead. While he didn't worry for himself--he was a god, after all!--he didn't think he could handle the pomp and questions right now, not without baring his fangs at someone, whether deserved or not. Someone had hurt Razi, almost killed her.

And that was unforgivable.

He would deal with them and pardon the armor for his good work later, once he was certain Razi had everything she needed and was properly pampered, whether she wanted it or not.

He turned his head so he could look up at her. "How are you feeling, dear?"

The other guards and priests left the room as well, though two four guards stood station outside Razi's quarters. Razi opened her mouth, about to reply to Darnoc's statements, but then shut it. Instead, she nodded eagerly at his offer. Yes, that would prove to be a valuable source of information. But a cell was hardly a place to keep him.
"Zarha," she called out after Charik had given his orders. In truth, the armory was perhaps the most sane and safest place for the armor to rest, for now.
"Please rely the message to one of the men outside to see to it that Darnoc is comfortable, too," she added quickly.

~
The Captain of the Guard escorted Darnoc back to the armory. He was more relaxed now, and freely spoke of the commonly known history of the temple, the King, Razi, and the rest of the harem.
"Most of them, you know, were given as gifts, by their families," he said. The Captain hesitated as he opened the cell door for Darnoc.
"We are all very grateful for what you have done," he said, rather awkwardly. "Though this is a rather hasty time, do let us know if you are in need of anything, and you shall have it."

~

Once Zarha had gone, Sha-Razi allowed her head to sink into her pillows. She took in a deep sigh of relief, grateful for this moment of peace.
My heart won't still, she realized, trying to erase the screams from her memory. Razi warmly smiled as Charik rested his head in her lap. Despite everything that had happened, she felt overwhelmingly lucky.

"Tired," she answered truthfully, her fingers running through his soft hair. "And happy."
Razi tsked as she shook her head, raising her hands to remove her headpiece and placing it on the table beside her bed. A flower that was tucked in her hair fell beside her pillow.  Razi picked it up and gently tucked it behind Charik's ear as a moment of playfulness.
"Look at you," she said with a sad grin. "It's your birthday, and I've now nothing. I was going to dance tonight in your honor."

Razi sighed. Though she wished they could spend some time speaking of idle things, the King's life was still in danger.
"Charik," she said slowly, careful in her phrasing as she cupped his cheek with a hand.
"The wine bearer... She's a young serving girl. She was frightened, though she had came when Sir Darnoc had startled the court. She would know who gave the jug to her, or maybe who passed her in the halls."

"I'll be fine thank you." He told the Captain. With the door to the armory closed, he began to look around. Taking notice of a white suit of armor with a full helm that looked to be a deathmask. He sighed audibly.

"Hello Tempest, why the hell are you here? And please, for the love of god, tell me it has nothing to do with the events of today."

The White armor stretched, "You know Conrad, the good lord and I aren't exactly on speaking terms."

Again Darnoc sighed, "let me give you a chance to make peace with him." Before Tempest could react, Darnoc clapped his hands together and pressed it to the armor's chestplate, it crumbled to dust. "Such is our fate."

Charik chuckled when she tucked the flower behind his ear, happy to see her in higher spirits despite the day's darker events--and the still-looming danger. Her comment about dancing earned another light laugh and he caught her hand in his. There was still much work to be done, but after what they'd been through--what she had been through--he imagined they deserved a moment's peace before the coming storm.

He certainly was not looking forward to the grim things to come.

"Oh, Razi. Don't think we won't have you dance for us, when you're well," he said, bringing her hand to his lips so he could kiss each of her fingers. "There are many more nights before us. But you've got nothing? You have your health." Another light kiss, this one pressed to the top of her hand. "That is the greatest gift of all."

Of course, it couldn't last, and Charik let out a sigh and leaned into her hand. Razi was right. And time was wasting.

Raising up, he turned to Razi's handmaiden. "Fetch the wine bearer and bring her here," he ordered, and with a start, the girl rushed off to obey.

"Then I'll get better quickly."
Razi giggled as Charik kissed her fingers. He was right, of course. There were. Still, as Charik rose to order the girl to be summoned, her hand found itself gently touching his back.
Don't go! she prayed.
The panic was over as soon as it came. The king wasn't leaving, not now. She was being silly.
Razi rubbed her aching stomach, the screams still settling in her mind.
"Siren tears are most rare," she said in a low voice. They would have had to come from an outside source. Obviously the person who managed to do this had power and was rich.
Perhaps someone within the temple. Someone trusted...
Razi closed her eyes, trying to be rid of the fear that still rested within her. The king's life was still in danger though, as was everyone's, and Razi was still uneasy.
Unwilling too say  much anything else, Razi simply and earnestly said "I love you."

A few minutes later, the young servent girl was escorted in by Razi's handmaiden and a guard. She was pale and in tears. At the sight of the king, she fell to her knees, her forehead pressing the floor.
"P-please f-f-forgive me, your majesty!" she pleaded. "I didn't know nothing. I swear, Your Holiness!"
The girl humbly raised her head to gesture towards Razi.
"I d-didn't know my lady was going to.. to... Oh!"
She bit her lip and  bursted into tears, again.
The knight growled.
"They said she was in this state in the kitchens," he said, kicking the girl's bear feet.
"Oi!' he said, gruffly. "Mind your manners in the presense of the King!"
The girl bit her lip as she wiped away her snot and tears.

Razi sighed.
"Thank you, Hagar," she said towards her. handmaiden. "Hager, do ask one of the guards to check on the rest of the harem and our Majesty's family. Make sure that they are safe and protected."
The girl took in a breath, nodded, and quickly stepped out of the room.


~

The Captain had heard talking going on and quickly returned.
"Is everything alright?" he asked Darnoc, believing that the armor had called for aid. His eyes narrowed as they scanned the room. The captain could have sworn he heard another voice.

Darnoc looked to the Captain. "I think this kingdom is under attack, by others like me." His voice showed clear shock. The Arma Immortos had been separated since Sorb's death, each giving another a wide berth. For good cause too, often times it was one that led to another becoming nothing but a soul bound to armor. The mere fact that Tempest appeared may prove to be a bad sign.

Seeing the look of alarm on the Guard's face, Darnoc added, "It is a suspicion, but we need to check other suits of armor to be sure." He removed the front of his chestplate and revealed the blood rune on his chest. "Search the insides of armor for these, all one has to do to kill one is deface the rune. It would be in the back of the helm or chest plate. Use hammers of any kind, that is what is most effective."

Charik met Razi's eyes and lightly touched her cheek with a hand, thumb caressing her jaw. "We love you, too," he said, touched by her words, and he may have said more if the servant girl and her escorts hadn't arrived.

He looked up from Razi and listened patiently to the exchange, a little pang going through him at the girl's terrified sobbing. Poor thing...it was obvious she didn't do anything; she was just the messenger that didn't know what the sealed letter contained.

When the guard kicked the girl's foot, Charik held up a hand. "Now, now. There'll be none of that! You'll treat this child with kindness and respect." And then, turning back to the girl, he smiled what he hoped was a calming smile, his fangs retracted so as not to frighten her.

"Calm down, child, we know you did nothing wrong. However, you may be able to help us here, so you need to tell us everything you remember about that wine. Do you remember who gave it to you? Or what they looked liked?"

Ritousaey fought hard against this legion of insane cultists. He couldn't help wondering why there were always cultists in these stories. Maybe someone has been reading too much Lovecraft he thought. With the number of deaths he was causing he would surely be mortal for quite some time after this battle. Unless of course he had the great displeasure of dying again. He'd died enough times on this world already, he was not looking forward to more. Just as the attack began to ebb, he was attacked my two men in heavy suits of armor. They were skilled with their weapons, but even as exhausted as he was, Rit easily out fought them. Only, when he plunged his blades into them and knocked them to the ground, they got right back up and came upon him once more. This gave the cultists renewed fervor and they charged in, ever bolder. Throwing his sickle, Blood Moon, out like a boomerang, he had a moment to grip his bastard sword, Bright Rose, with both hands and cleave it down through the helm of one of the armored men. The armor fell to pieces, and Rit was able to see that it contained no man. Arma Immortos, no wonder they survived his brutal slashes. As Blood Moon returned to him and drained its blood into him to heal his wounds, he released Bright Rose into the air.

"Dance Kiria," he called, "dance my elven maiden, and make my enemies' blood flow!" And dance she did, like a whirling dirvish the blade spun and lunged in a beautiful dance, hewing the cultists in droves. Without even a glance Rit threw Blood Moon back over his shoulder into a wide arc. As it found the throats of cultists, the soul bound armor dropped its sword and stepped toward the seemingly unarmed Rit. It clapped its hands together and lunged to place them on Rit's chest. Quick as a striking snake, Rit dodged the manuever and with the gauntlet on his right hand, grabbed the Arma Immortos on the shoulder.

"Sorry, no alchemy for you today," he said to the armor. It was covered in rust in a moment and then crumbled to dust. A cultist charged in at the opening and was about to score a hit with his short spear when Rit lifted his left hand. Blood Moon crossed the cultists path, leaving him with an ear to ear grin, and landing with a wet slap in Rit's outstretched hand. More of his wounds healed by his returned sickle, Rit reached to the sheath on his lower back and drew his steel short sword. He smacked its flat against the sole of each of his boots, then spit on the sword, and it burst into flame.

"I'm ready to continue," he said to the few stunned cultists that remained, "shall we?"

"With the blood of twelve mortal gods we will have the final catalysts for our spell to destroy the world!" The apparent leader of the cultists yelled, drawing Rit's attention, "you stopped us here, but we already have eight, and we will have four more by the end of the night. As a god celebrates his birth we will take his blood and that of his siblings. You cannot stop us now!" The cultist cackled at his own boasts, "The great leader of the Arma Immortos brought us the plan, and in our numbers, we shall succeed." Tired of the foolish boasting, Rit tore a hole in space and stabbed the man in the back with his flaming sword.

"Foolish villians, always monologuing. I swore to Findra that I would keep this world safe as long her bloodline persists," Rit told the dying cultist, "and you will be easily stopped. You gave me too many clues. I will not reach the god King Charik and his siblings as quickly as I could if I were in my immortal state, but it will still only take minutes." By the time Rit had told the cultist this, Bright Rose had cut down the last of the cultists and returned to him. He sheathed and holstered his weapons, and set off to stop deicide.

Through portals in the sky he flew with great speed. Back to the Kishahn Jungle he went. From his perspective, it had been hundreds of years since he fought Mr'latipla there and met Axieva. Without being immortal, he wasn't even sure if that had actually happened yet. It mattered little at the moment, he knew what he must do to save the world this time. At least he had a general idea anyway. His final portal opened onto the ceiling of Sha-Razi's chambers. As he dropped through the portal he slashed a dagger across his hand and used his blood to perform a power spell freezing time for everyone but himself and Charik. Without his immortality he had to resort to methods this world would accept. He quickly dropped to his knees and bowed to the god King.

"Lord Charik I show reverence for your holy position, and defer to your decisions as this is your kingdom, but I've come to warn you that your life and that of your siblings will all be threatened tonight in a plot to use your divine blood to destroy the world."

OOC: I feel like I need to make a list of all these men... XD Also, the Captain is the Hulk now :X

IC:

In a world overflowing with magic, it wasn't enough to have spears to protect a temple or a palace, though living in an environment where almost everything could kill (or seriously maim you) certainly made most invaders reconsider their options. There were wards around the temple, and only spells of the highest calibor could breach them. And those that did alerted the Head Priest. He was on his way to Sha-Razi's chambers to consult king. Strange magic was indeed afoot. It was everywhere, and it reeked. And then, suddenly, it was as if a wave of it rushed through the temple. When time stood still, most people froze along with it, stuck, unaware of what was going on until after it happened. The priest however, learned during his training how to become unstuck. But this spell was a powerful one, so he trudged through it in a very awkward manner.
What an unseemly mess, he thought with a scowl as he began chanting ancient words to undo the spell. He grasped the walls, already feeling the magic tug at his energy and the energy that he stored within the jewel of his necklace. 
Who was this stranger? It took him a couple of tries, but after a minute, the Head Priest broke the time spell. He wiped the sweat off of his brow as he walked past the guards into Sha-Razi's chambers.
"Forgive my intrusion, O Holy One and Lady Sha-Razi," he rasped, his eyes on the newcomer.

One second, there had been a girl crying at the King's feet. The next thing Razi knew, there was a strange man in her chambers. Sha-Razi screamed as she tried to sit upright, alarmed.
How on earth did he get in?!
The guard roared as he raised his spear, aiming for the man's chest. He wasn't going to take his chances with a sudden intrusion, especially the magical sort. The girl, who had been weeping on the floor fell silent stumbled to be behind the guard, her body shaking. 

~

The Captain, like a majority of the people of the temple, remained unaware of the time spell. He stared at Darnoc, his face pale.
"The armor," he muttered, shaking his head. "Hammers. Okay."
He paused.
"You best come with me," he suggested.
He went into the amory and picked clubs, and hammmers, as many as he could carry. He shouted for the assistance of two other guards.
"Help distrubute these," he demanded. "We've armor to smash!"

And so it began, guards running down the halls checking every piece of armor. Darnoc wouldn't leave the Guard Captain's line of sight for some false fear that one of the guards would attack him, but that was nothing to worry about, it wasn't like he didn't has a few dozen decades of battle experience. As it turned out, not one of the suits of armor had a seal in them. Which was somewhat of a weight off his chest, maybe Tempest was just working alone, who knows?

"Well that is all sixty-eight suits checked, not a single one of them had one of those seals." The guard stated, finishing checking over the last suit of armor.

It was, of course, at that very moment that a god awful racket was heard. followed by a quail of pain that was quickly cut off. Running towards the noise the Captain and Darnoc found a groups of three guards dead, their blood pooling together. Worst part of it all was the lack of a suit of armor that had most previously been the decoration for this part of the wall.

"I thought you said that there was no seal on them!" Darnoc exclaimed.

"There wasn't! I thought you said that they needed the seal to live. So one of us is lying and it isn't me!" came the Captain's retort. The Captain looked into the black pits that were Darnoc's eyes, trying to do the impossible an gauge a face incapable of emotion. When suddenly another cry was heard.

"Somebody help me!" There stood Zarha, armored up to the neck, wielding a hammer. "I can't control it!"

This was probably the strangest birthday Charik had ever had.

And in only got stranger when a man dropped from the ceiling--even though there was no opening in the ceiling!

Sha-Raz screamed, and Charik let out a blood-curdling hiss and bared his fangs, drawing himself up tall and putting himself between Razi and the stranger. He was poised and ready to strike, and once someone entered his coils, they didn't leave them--at least, not alive, rarely whole, and with their bones and organs doing interesting things. While he had crushed few people in his life, and didn't enjoy it, this day already had him on edge before uninvited people came crashing into his temple, much less his lover's chambers!

"How did you get in?" he demanded. "Who are you, and how do you know this?"

A scream, and a spear heading toward his chest, accompanied the ripple that signified someone had broken his spell, probably the monk looking fellow who entered then. What a pain it was being mortal, and having constraints to his power. Rather than engage the guard, he was only doing his job, and hostile action would not ingratiate him toward Lord Charik, he opened a portal under himself that dropped him out of the spears path.

"I am Ritousaey, and I used a series of portals to come from Tirial to here with warning," he explained quickly. "The details and questions can come later Lord Charik. For now it is enough that you know I am a friend. You appear well guarded here," he said, "but what of your siblings? They will be targeted tonight as well."

At their god's hiss, the guard and girl drew back, a silence over coming them. They had never seen their god in such a foul mood, and his might frightened them. Razi, however, shared Charik's fury as she glared  with fear at this new stranger. His power to move so swiftly and with such ease frightened her, but angered her more. Her heart pounded in her chest as she took in deep breaths, trying to steady herself.

She gasped at the sight of the high priest and nodded her head in acknowledgement, a gesture he returned. she narrowed her eyes, furious at this new comer's words. Friend? He was making a poor impression of it.

"No. Step away from the king! The time of questions is now. You should be more concerned about your life," she boldly retorted, a cold hostility raising in her otherwise shaken voice. In truth, Razi was frightened for Charik's kin as well. Though there were guards to protect them, if there were more beings like this one, she didn't know what to think.
"My lord," she continued in a hushed and gentle voice. "I know nothing of this Tirial... be careful with this man, if he is one."

As she spoke, the high priest took in a breath as he stood his ground by the door. He muttered an ancient spell under his breath and pointed with authority towards Ritousaey. A soft glow filled the room. If the spell worked, the magician would be unable to use his magic... at least, for a little while.
~

"Oh, damn," the Captain cursed.
He roared as he lunged towards the armor with his hammer, though the rouge armor swung around and knocked the man to the ground.
"Sir!" Zhara shouted as he vigorously knocked off its head.

Ritousaey's self inflicted wound was still bleeding, dripping on the floor. Enough had accumulated to cast an even more powerful version of his time spell. Curse this mortal shells limitations. It was times like this that made him appreciate his full powers. He felt the spell the monk looking fellow cast wash over him. The magic of this mortal form was suppressed. His immortal blood was already breaking down the spell but he needn't wait. Whipping his hand through the pool of his blood he cast his time spell again, centering it on the monk. No more interference from him would be splendid.Rit had come to the quick conclusion that Lord Charik valued the word of the bed bound convalescent so he exempted her from the time spell along with her Naga Lord. The spell was only on that room. Everyone else out in the world was moving along normally, but if they entered, they would be locked in time as well.

Rit spoke quickly and decisively. He needed to get his point across fast, and he had trouble avoiding his long winded nature without great effort.

"I'm sorry to have to freeze time again like that, but too many people interfering gets messy, and time is of the essence. I wish to prevent the imminent destruction of all things, I have an oath to keep, and I gave up my immortality tonight to prevent this sinister plot. I am still more powerful than any of your retainers, but I do tire, and I humbly ask for your assistance in protecting your realm."

Razi's sudden, bold anger took Charik aback and the fierce mask he wore slipped in surprise. He blinked and glanced back at her with a new sort of appreciation in his eyes. Goodness! Her strength continued to surprise him, for even weak and ill and having just escaped death she was not afraid to stand beside him--no, not even that, she was defending him.

If she had been born naga, she would be a fearsome one, indeed.

Charik nodded at her assessment and returned his gaze to the stranger, body tense and coils writhing. And then, sudden realization dawned.

"How do we know you're not the poisoner?" he asked, eyes narrowing. "We have never seen you before."

Darnoc walked calmly over to the guard captain, glaring at the armor as if daring it to come at him. "Get up captain. You dare have the audacity to call me a liar then get knocked away like some house fly? Get the fuck up." Darnoc turned back to the armor entrapping his friend. Transmuting his gauntlets so they had long blades arching out ahead of the glove. "Zarha, I'm going to cut the armor off, do what you can to slow it down. Now tell me Armor, I don't recognize you, what is your name?"

"I Don't have one."

Darnoc lunged at the armor, intercepting the rouge's attack and slicing at strap under the armpit. Grazing it, the tension of it forced it to snap, making the armor's arm fall limp. For the Arma Immortos, straps that hold the armor together are like vital tendons, you cut one it loses use of a limb. Next Darnoc went for the top half of the strap, causing the arm of armor to fall off. "That all you got? Zarha, try undoing any straps you can reach. Make it count."

And suddenly time stood still. The breeze stopped blowing and suddenly a dazed look over came the Priest, the guard, and the weeping child. Razi took in a sharp breath as she quickly examined the three before turning her attention back towards Rit.
An oath? she thought, nodding vaguely as Charik questioned the man's motives.

~

"Y-yes!"
Zarha grunted as he squirmed to reach for a dagger he wore at his side and reached out to awkwardly cut through one of the armor's straps that connected his pelvis to his left leg.

Rit's head snapped up at the mention of poison. "Poison? So an attack has already been attempted. Who is poisoned? I can easily heal them." He stood and stepped forward around the spear that had been thrust at his chest. "If I were an enemy, I would not have left you exempt from my time spell. You would be frozen along with the rest, as I moved about freely." Then he became invisible, "Or I would not have let you see me at all." Rit became visible again and kneeled in front of Charik, "Please let me help you."

The man did have a point there, Charik thought with a shudder. He could have been an invisible assassin, no underhanded poisoning required, and he wouldn't have attacked Sha-Razi by mistake.

And he did look genuinely surprised about that.

Shaking his head, Charik held up a hand. "Calm yourself, no one is poisoned! Ah, that is, no one is poisoned anymore. We were supposed to be poisoned, but Sha-Razi was poisoned instead of us, though she's better now!" He paused, brow crinkled, and waved his hand as though to chase the subject away.

"It's a very long story for later, moving on!" he concluded, and then peered down at the man with his head cocked. "You spoke of a plot earlier. What is this plot you speak of?"

Well thank goodness that wasn't any more difficult than that. Rit would be able to dismiss his time spell. He needed to conserve his energy. If his enemies lacked blood, as he suspected they would, there would be little to refuel himself with.

"I do not have the specifics," he told Charik, "but I know that some fool cultists, being led by Arma Immortos, are hell bent on the destruction of the world, and they need your blood to do it." Not understanding the vastness of the world would not matter in this instance. Knowing the whole thing would be destroyed should convey the message.

"I will be releasing my spell now," he stood and moved closer to Charik. "I would prefer not to be attacked by your fellows when I do."

A quick sigil, written in the air with his finger, and the room kicked back into motion.

Razi stared at Rit with a look of disbelief at his question of who was poisoned.
Is he blind? she thought dryly. He's only increasing my wariness. She suddenly felt much more awake as the 'man'- she was still uncertain of his humanity- suddenly became invisible. Sha-Razi's stomach curled at the thought.
Truly a deadly enemy, though it was clear now that he wasn't a foe, at least not directly. Though his altriusm could be admired, Razi was still skeptical about it all. So, she listened. The woman sat up straighter as the man tried to move closer to Charik.
I told him to stay back, she thought, annoyed. The name he threw danced in her head.
Arma Immortos.

A breeze passed through. The high priest gasped for air. The guard blinked, clearly rattled by this happening again. Something clicked in Razi's mind.
"The armor!" she exclaimed.
"Where is he? Perhaps Sir Darnoc's awakening is tied in with this, though I don't know how."
The woman let out a soft groan as she slowly drew her legs over the side of the bed.
"This is no time to be bedridden," she muttered.  "There are matters to be attended to.  I do not wish for my condition to make you vulnerable, my King. We must go."

Indeed, though Charik's world was his tiny kingdom, he certainly didn't want it destroyed! And if they needed his blood...

And hadn't the man mentioned his siblings, too?

...Oh no.

The room burst back to life and before the guard could act, Charik motioned for him to be at ease. "He is no threat, so do not harm him!" he said, while the guard shot him a perplexed look, considering from his point of view, one second everyone had been rearing up against the man and now everyone was okay with him, with no transition in between.

Before he could say more, Razi was scrambling out of bed, and Charik turned to grab her arm and support her. "Razi, you really shouldn't," he told her quietly, but he didn't try to stop her. She seemed to know something he just wasn't grasping, and she was always very good at explaining things that he didn't understand.

"You believe Darnoc is involved? Ah, no matter! We must leave at once! And you--" He pointed to the stranger. "You...whatever your name was! Come! We must tell our siblings at once."

With that said, he wound his way out of Razi's chamber, moving with surprising speed for someone with his bulk.

Outside the room, Chimalli, Izta, and Kisa had been doing their best to smooth things over--or, at least, Chimalli and Izta had, which mostly consisted of hearing peoples' prayers and handing out blessings.

Kisa took to brooding and picking at her scales, and she found some company in the bored as hell Ziya, who was still flopped over the table and moaning that he was drying up.

Misery loved company, after all, and the two were quick to bond over their horrible, horrible troubles, much to the horror of Chimalli and Izta both.

"Kisa! Stop that and get over here!" Izta hissed at her sister when she had a free moment, but Kisa waved her away.

"I just can't," she sighed, curling her coils tighter and leaning her elbows on the table. Idly, she pet Ziya's hair; the two of them had stopped complaining and had taken to complimenting each other to make themselves feel better. "This day has been far too stressful; it's doing nothing for my shedding. I shouldn't even be here."

Rolling her eyes so hard they nearly fell out of her head, Izta grabbed her sister by the wrist and pulled, and Kisa let out an indignant squawk. "Quiet, you. You are not leaving us to deal with this alone. Show some responsibility!"

"I don't want to!"

"Kisa, you're embarrassing me."

"You're embarrassing me!"

And that was how Charik found his siblings: proud Chimalli with a group of people gathered around him, staring on in fascinated horror as the usually elegant Izta tugged at her sister's arm, while Kisa wrapped her coils around a leg of the table to stay put.

Rit wasn't able to hold back a tiny smirk at the sight. As it seemed inappropriate to address Charik at the moment, he turned to Sha-Razi instead.

"Are they always like this," he asked her, with barely hidden amusement.

((ooc: shortest post in the history of posts!))

((OOC: not even close mate ^___^))

It didn't take long for darnoc, aided by Zarha and his knife, to remove the armor completely. Darnoc scooped the chestpiece and helm into his hands. "Nameless armor. Do you have anything to say before I return you to nothingness?"

"Sorbet lives, and he will rule the world, or what will remain of it."

"Yes," Sha-Razi replied as Charik questioned her about Darnoc. However, he was right. There was no time. They must act. The woman clenched her stomach as she followed her King out of the room. She was not better at all and felt the urge to throw up, b but was determined to stand as tall as possible and keep her mouth shut as she stood by the immortal to make sure he didn't do anything suspicious and behind Charik, who was slithering rapidly towards the banquet hall.

At the noise, at first Razi had been alarmed. When she got there, the woman was not quite sure if her anxiety was subdued or only worsened. She leaned against the wall, and covered her mouth with her hand. At Rit's question, she shot him a glare that suggested his amusement was misplaced. Indeed, such an event happened too many times, but now of all days was hardly inappropriate. Razi sighed. She had no power over Charik's siblings, though she did over Ziya.
"Cease your shameful behavior at once," she urged in a hushed voice. "Listen! Have any other suits of armor came to life or enter this chamber? This is important!"

A guard ran through the hall to bow before Charik.
"O Holy King," he reported. "Sir Darnoc is in the temple halls."
The man frowend, utterly confused.
"He has ordered the destruction of armor in your temple. Ones with symbols."
At this news, Razi's nostrils flared as her heart to her throat.  It was as she feared.
"They were made by the same god or wizard," she said in a low voice. "And if not, then Darnoc is surely familiar with whoever it was."

~

Zarha helped his Captain to his feet. The older man grumbled.
"Sorbet?" he growled. "Just who the hell is he?!"
"I think I've read of such a being before," Zarha muttered, fearfully. He looked up at Darnoc with fierce determination.
"We must tell the King!"

Monstrous footsteps echoed in the halls...

Ziya whined as Razi called him out, frowning up at her. "I don't caaare about armor," he huffed, and shook his head. "But no. No armor. Though I wouldn't be able to see it anyway through my cracked and drying eyes." He let out an exaggerated sigh and pawed at Razi's arm. "Can you go blind from that, I wonder? From drying out? Am I going to go blind? Razi! You must get to me my pool!"

"Enough!" Charik snapped, patience at an all-time low, and Chimalli, Ixta, and Kisa whipped around simultaneously. Ziya only sighed and continued clinging to Razi. It was rare that Charik used such a tone. Even Kisa stopped her wailing and uncurled herself from around the table, straightening up and composing herself like a proper goddess.

Charik stared at them all in disapproval, and when Charik, known for his obliviousness, was disappointed, one knew it had to be bad. "All of us are in danger tonight! So stop. Someone wishes to use our blood to destroy the world!" He blinked.

"...We are not sure how, or the details, but it sounds really bad and a strange man told us thus!" he added, pointing at Rit.

Chimalli's face was statuesque, and Izta's lips went thin with the effort of not speaking. Kisa gaped. "Are you serious right now...?"

"Yes! And Razi has already been poisoned and this is a really bad day so we're going to just listen because it actually makes sense! If you'd been there you'd know! Anyway, we obviously willed this man here with our power and now he is come and gods work in mysterious ways and all that!"

He had been about to say more, but that was when a guard ran into the hall.

Charik sighed sadly. "That was such pretty armor...but so be it. Take us to Darnoc, then."

Ritousaey, immortal, time traveling, all powerful Guardian of the Multiverse, currently trapped in a mortal shell, had great difficulty containing his mirth. The various ways that mortals viewed themselves and the world around them had a strange way of surprising him. And he often found it hilarious. Success was hard fought, but he showed not even a smirk at the events unfolding around him. At least Lord Charik had been able to subdue the ridiculous antics of those present, and Sha-Razi seemed to be quite astute. Perhaps this wouldn't be too rough. Rit followed Charik closely as he was lead to Darnoc.

Even Razi stopped what she was doing when Charik commanded silence, wide-eyed and pale. She quickly regained her compsoure as he spoke, pressing back any rogue hairs. Sha-Razi smiled as reassuringly as possible to Kisa, though she vaguely wondered what Ziya and the naga had thought during her absense. Did they really think she had been theatrical?! Razi patted Ziya's arm. For better or worse...

"Ziya your eyes are perfect," she reassured him. "But you must stay here with the others and protect each other. You're so big and strong, the others rely on you, especially the harem and Charik's Holy siblings. Keep them together, keep them safe. If you have to, escape to your pool, but keep together. Listen to the guards. Please, Ziya."
Razi coughed into her hand, clutching her stomach. She really was out of bed much too early, but she followed Charik none the less.  Meanwhile, Zahra was eager to grab the king's attention.

"My lord!" he said with a tone of urgency.
"The armor!" he exclaimed, and expressed all he knew about the seals and how they could be disensembled.
"But there are more..."
As if to prove his point, two suits of armor came from around the bend.

Everything had happened far too fast for Suri to keep up, gift processionals, to armor suits moving and speaking, Razi becoming ill, the declaration that it had been poison in Charik's cup that had made her so ill. It was all like some terrible dream.

He had wanted to help somehow, but there was nothing he could do during it all. His father had rushed to his side in all of the mess and spoke to him but Sureya didn't even hear his words. He watched as Sha-Razi was ushered out of the room. All he could think was that the kind woman had to be ok. She had to because Charik would save her.

Things in the large hall became both calmer and more frantic after that, but Chimalli had taken control and Izta was right there with him. Kisa on the other hand sat and spoke with Ziya. Sureya watched all of this but barely moved, he was just shocked and useless as it all occurred around him.

"Sureya!" His father finally shook him ans spoke loudly, but not so loudly as to disturb the other happenings in the room. Suri blinked and turned to face his father before hugging him tight. "It will be alright... Lord Charik will see to it. Do not despair." His father said as he led Suri to sit just a few spots down from the naiad.

Giano stayed with his son who just seemed not to be there at all. When Lord Charik returned Giano stood, but Sureya did not. Suri looked to Razi, relieved that she was alive. He knew that Charik would save and protect her.

The little white bird would have been stunned into silence by the god king's tone if he were not already stunned and silent. Again too much was happening and too fast for him to take it all in. He just looked between Razi and Charik. All he could ascertain was the danger had not passed. Everything else was a blur. Actually his father had gone. Where did he go? Sha-Razi looked like she needed to rest.... what was going on?

Darnoc helped the captain to his feet, "Sorbet is my old master, and the person who made me like this, a bound soul. If he is in fact alive, then that would explain why there are new armors. But why I killed him last there were a few hundred of us. By now, there could be thousands. You have to assume that every suit of armor in this kingdom is an enemy. Present company excluded of course. Come on, your king may be in danger."

~~~~~

Zahra was startled by the sudden appearance of the armors, slowly backing away as he was now without armor and only a knife to defend himself. The other guards in the room formed a perimeter around the two suits, but none were too eager to get closer, how do you kill something that feels no pain? But they wouldn't have too, the Captain and Darnoc came in behind the armors and swiftly dealt with them, Darnoc completely disintegrating one with transmutation and the captain felled the other with a crushing hammer blow. "Stand down boys! This one is on our side!"

Darnoc just bowed to the guards and the king, "Darnoc Ris at your service."

((OOC: Sorry for the wait X_X))

"Big and strong?!" Ziya gaped at Sha-Razi in utter horror. He clutched at a lock of his own hair, stroking it lovingly. "I am not big! Or strong! I am small and delicate and beautiful and my eyes are perfect and--"

He didn't get to finish his rant, however, as Charik lead the group out of the room to where Darnoc was supposed to be. With a scowl, Ziya turned to Sureya for support. "Do you think I'm big?"

His tone implied that Sureya would say "no" if he knew what was good for him.

Meanwhile, Charik stopped as Zahra approached the group, he listened patiently to his rushed words. But before he could process the new information, two suits of armor came lumbering around the bend and Charik reared up and slid in front of Sha-Razi, ready to defend her first, even as Zahra flew into the defensive.

Neither would have to fight, however, as Darnoc dispatched both suits.

Charik relaxed, but not by much.

"This one has our protection," Charik told the guards, backing Zahra up with a more official order. "With that said!"

He turned to Darnoc and placed a hand on his hip, frowning. "We believe you owe us an explanation. What are your people doing and how do we stop it? Mostly, how do we stop it. We already know they want to use our blood to destroy the world, though we can't fathom why."

---

OOC: xDD Is his name Zahra or Zarha? I don't know which to uuuuse! D8

Sureya hadn't really heard what Ziya said. He simply shook his head because he didn't understand what was going on, and looked around again for where his father had went. Suri wasn't sure what was going but he sure felt small and helpless, unlike the naiad next to him who seemed so big and strong in comparison.

The beautiful man didn't even seem scared by any of this. Suri was. He wished Charik could stay with them, or that his father hadn't disappeared. He was scared and confused. He scooted over to the naiad hoping the other's bravery would rub off on him, but it was just a silly thought.

Shit! Armors!

Ritousaey called up a ball of fire in his left hand and drew his sword with his right. But before he could take action, the armors were dispatched.

Well that saves me the effort.

Rit simply let the fire dissipate and returned his sword to his hip. Charik turned to Darnoc as he placed a hand on his hip. "We believe you owe us an explanation," he said frowning, "What are your people doing and how do we stop it? Mostly, how do we stop it. We already know they want to use our blood to destroy the world, though we can't fathom why."

Rit spoke up then, "I can tell you why. Because Mad Cultists are craaaaaaaazy. Why are they always crazy? Can't we have some logical intelligent cultists once in a while?"

Charik flashed Rit a puzzled look. "Is this a common occurrence where you come from?"

"Errrrrrrr........"

How to explain. Rit counted the walls. One. Two. Three. All four were there, and totally intact. Best not tread there. No need to talk about tentacle beasts, Professor Angell, or mythos. Tentacle beasts. That thought led to Mr'latipla. Killing that beast wasn't long before this event in local time. Or was it? That happened near here in fact, or would. The black tower that he created might be in view outside. He wondered if the people here had discovered that tower yet. It was huge and could be seen for miles, surely they had noticed it. Maybe they weren't as close to it as he thought, it was hard to tell when he was mortal. And the hot springs with the beautiful Axieva statue. Axieva. He smiled remembering her. That was so long ago, but not long ago at all, or maybe it hadn't happened yet, the tower and statue wouldn't be there then. He easily lost track of these things. Good thing his brain moved like lightning, or his thoughts getting away from him like this would have made him look a buffoon.

"I'm actually really really old, and extremely well traveled. I've seen so many strange things, they're no longer strange. I'm often the strange thing now."

OOC: It's Zahra :P
IC:

Sha-Razi stood rigid as she watched the two suits of armor become destroyed, but eased when she saw Darnoc. She listened quietly as Charik questioned Rit. The magician's answers made her  raise her brow slightly, her lips pressed tightly together. Mad cultists she could believe,  though there was obviously more to the situation than he was letting on.
"How many more suits of armor do we have in the temple?" Razi asked to no one in particular as she leaned against a wall for support. She didn't know how many more surprises she could take.

"Will they just  continue to appear as this one has?," Razi challenged. "If magic brought them here, perhaps there is a spell that can cut off from the source. That is the most important thing for now."
She turned towards Rit.
"You said you are old and know much. Is what I ask possible?" she asked.

"Honestly, the safest way for everyone would be simply to destroy them one at a time. The first thing I thought of was a spell that would separate the souls from the armor. But it would separate all souls in the area from their vessels. So basically the armors would die, but so would everyone else." Rit made an odd grimace at that idea."If I had more time I could figure something out I'm sure, but I'm mortal at the moment, so it's not so easy."

OOC: no one's posted in a long long while sooo

How convenient, Sha-Razi thought dryly. The sound of footsteps became heavier and louder.
More are coming.
"How big of an area do you need?" she asked, her voice ever so slightly quivering.
"If we could lure them all into one area. But how..."
Sha-Razi looked up at at Charik, her eyes brightening.
"A decoy!" she exclaimed.

A spell that would separate souls from their bodies? Now that sounded a terrible idea! And that was something he wouldn't risk! Charik opened his mouth, about to shoot down that idea, but then Razi spoke up.

"A decoy...?" he repeated, blinking owlishly.

The footsteps were even louder now, their vibration traveling through the stone floor. Charik shifted uncomfortably, the sensation traveling clear through the scales of his sensitive belly. They didn't have long.

"What kind of a decoy? Who? We will not risk our subjects' lives, Razi!"

Darnoc shrugged, "so don't risk your citizen's lives. I'll do it. At worst you lose a suit of armor. At best you save your nation."

Razi shook her head anxiously at Charik's words before resting a hand against her head.  Her vision momentarily spun.
"No, my lord," she protest, "I would never suggest something as cruel as that, only but a mirror image of you. A doll."
She turned towards the magician.
"You can do that," she said slowly. "Are you knowledgeable in the art of illusion? Surely if we used a decoy to gather them all into one room, we can safely be rid of them without a soul getting hurt. Can it be done?"

Charik eyed Razi worriedly as she put her hand to her head, reminded  to go easy on her, because she had just recovered from an almost-death. For a moment, he wanted to scoop her close and carry her, or order her to bed--but she was safer with them than without, and he didn't want to make her feel helpless.

Nodding at her correction, he relaxed. "Our apologies, love. Of course you could never mean that. We are just...slightly overwhelmed at the moment, but nothing a god cannot handle! Why, that is indeed why these people are here, after all!" And, with a tired smile, he turned to the strange new man.

"Can you do what she mentioned?"

Illusion magic wasn't very hard at all. Rit could create some decent ones without even using his blood as a catalyst. This situation seemed to call for something a bit stronger. To make a really good one, that could live up to heavy scrutiny, and wouldn't be destroyed upon physical contact, Rit would use a few drops of his blood. He would also need something personal of the subject. Either hair or skin, or even saliva. That would be the final ingredient to add to the concoction.

Rit pricked his finger and let the blood run into his hand. Into his palm with the blood he put a smear of bat guano, a dried leaf of thistle weed, a pinch of bone meal, and the desiccated tail of a lizard. He clenched his hand tightly and began the somatic and verbal components to the spell. The song and dance he used were not important, it was more the intent that he kept in mind.

"I'm a little teapot, short and stout. Here is my handle, here is my spout. When I get all steamed up, hear me shout! Just tip me over and pour me out!" As he completed the tipping motion of the dance, Rit opened his hand and a crystalline fluid poured from it to form into the vague shape and size of Charik.

"Well all you need to do is spit on it and it will become a duplicate of you. It'll even think and feel like you. But it will know that it's a copy and it will desire only to do what is best to protect you and your subjects." Rit grinned in a bit of satisfaction. Never had that song and dance had such a useful purpose. Preschool teachers everywhere would be proud.

Razi only blinked as Rit performed his spell.  She wasn't even sure if this was a proper ritual ceremony.
What child's play is this? she thought, but gasped when a fluid, seemingly like water, poured from his hand and turned into what seemed like a wax statue of Charik. The detail was impeccable!
"Amazing," Razi muttered as she hugged herself. Its likeness  almost scared her.

Charik watched in dumbfounded shock as Rit performed his ritual--which appeared to be utter nonsense! He didn't say a word throughout it, though, only stared blankly in morbid curiosity. Perhaps the man had gone mad...if he wasn't mad to begin with. This was a rather maddening day, after all. Perhaps he had gone mad, too, and didn't know it.

But when water poured from the man's hand and turned into a watery reflection of himself--his shape, his size, his features, if colorless and in liquid form...

Charik let out a surprised screech and reared back away from his likeness, body coiling like a snake prepared to strike--which he was! "What! What?! What is this sorcery?!" he blurted, for when Rit had mentioned a decoy, this wasn't what he had expected! But the copy just sat there lifelessly, and as the panic began to die down with Rit's explanation, replaced with mild curiosity, Charik leaned forward and pressed a finger against the duplicate's nose, watching the water ripple under his finger.

"How fascinating...ah...and there is no risk of us becoming confused or mixed up?" he asked, hesitating.

Except the chaos from beyond was growing louder, closer, and there was no time to dawdle. "Never mind! Fine!" With a frustrated hiss, Charik worked some saliva into his mouth and then leaned forward and...

Spat on himself. Or rather, his reflection.

This had to be the strangest thing he had ever done.

Color spread across the image of Charick from the POS or 'Point of Spit', as Rit liked to call it, like a drop of ink into water. In a few quick moments Charik was standing facing Charik.

"He is you, in every way that you are you," Rit told Charik. "But he knows he's a duplicate, and he knows that he will only last as long as you will it. If you die, he dies with your will. He is driven with the sole purpose of protecting you, and will follow your every command."

Rit gestured to the duplicate with a sweep of his arm and a nod of his head.

"Command him as you please. He is yours."

"Excellent," Razi hastily complimented the magician.
She turned towards Charik.
"One of the nearby outdoor courtyards might work," she suggested. "My Lord, we must leave."

The sound of  armor became deafeningly loud. Razi gasped as two of the many in the temple turned around the corner, both armed with swords. At the sight of the party, they charged, their armor glistening eerily in the candlelight.

Oh dear him, this was so strange! Charik leaned in and tilted this way and that, looking  his replica up and down, as his replica matched his movements. So weird!

"I suppose the first order of business is--stop copying us!" Charik said, and the replica held still. Yikes. The royal we had taken on an entirely new meaning now! Charik poked at the replica's face, and the replica reacted with the same sort of shocked offense that he would have reacted with--and even went so far as to bat his hand away! Charik gave an affronted gasp.

"How dare you!" Pause. "How dare us? Ugh! We do not slap ourselves! We are a god, we behave much better than--"

Sha-Razi spoke, and at that moment the armor came charging around the corner. With a surprised gasp, Charik pointed at his imposter. "You! Us? Ahh! Never mind, just go that way! Go!"

And, true to Rit's word, the fake-Charik obeyed and slithered off through a door to the left  while Charik scooped Sha-Razi into his arms and slithered to the right, heading for the hall that would lead outdoors.

Conflicted, the armor split, one chasing the imposter, the other barreling after them.

Though it probably should have been easy to figure out who was real. Only the real Charik would be hauling Sha-Razi along with him.

"Whoa!"
Sha-Razi shrieked as Charik swooped her up in his arms, an arm flung around his neck. Her heart pounded in her chest as she looked up in bafflement at her God-King before glancing behind him.
The plan was working.. partially.
She rested her head against Charik as she hung on for her life.

A few moments later they would find themselves in the empty, lush gardens of the temple. The flowers from the trees and bushes were bright and in full bloom. Even from here could Razi hear the echoes of the chaos that was occurring inside the temple.

Out in the gardens, Charik still maintained a protective grip on Razi. The decoy had worked--but now that they were here, in the relative peace of the gardens...

Charik found he actually didn't know where to go from here.

There was chaos inside, where his siblings still were--where his harem and guard still were--and he hoped they'd locked themselves in their rooms and made it to safety, and hoped that Darnoc had gone in to clean up the mess.

Still...what now? Just wait? Charik had never been good with patience.

"Our siblings are still inside," he said, the tip of his tail twitching like a viper's.