Spirits of the Earth

There had been so much destruction caused. Dealt by those who had nothing to lose and were forever lost to the evil that festered inside their tainted souls. The stars whom witnessed this tragic event of one such unfortunate world wept in their special way that only stars could. For indeed their light seemed to dim with intense sadness as they watched the catastrophe unfold. Evadne was one of these stars that despaired. For she had never before seen such mass destruction, in ever her millions of years of life she had lived. An entire planet destroyed, by the whims of a few. Those few who did so only because they could. Their demonic essences sickened the Star as she watched in horror from her place in the cosmos high above, in the darkness of space. Some stars chose not to be bothered with such events, for in the timelessness of space, they were free and chose to remain so. The eternity of the dark void all about them was all they ever wanted. Understandably, those stars in particular never became Flamelings for they were content where they were, shining their rays out into the black beyond. Evadne was not one of these. And so she swept her gaze across the reaches of space, looking for a world that could yet be saved from this vile madness. For she had found one, one that the relentless evil had set their sights upon to destroy as well. Evadne would not see of it. She would do what she could to prevent such mass genocide. And it was with that thought she descended downwards, towards the earth that knew little of what vileness was seeking to annihilate it. For Evadne would do all in her power to prevent another such situation from occurring. And so she would help. And help she did.

Back in the present day...

Evadne sighed. The Flameling had only tried to help the poor soul. But he was frightened of her, of her strange alien beauty and light-filled being that he had fled away from her in fear. And so with reluctance she let him be. Nothing to do for it anyway, she decided.

Her bright gaze swept around the small inn she was currently at, observing in quiet silence the patrons who presided there, all drinking away and playing cards, none of them seeming to pay her any attention at all. Evadne had come to this inn many a time prior, so a lot of the normal patrons recognized her for who and what she was. The world on which Evadne had descended to harbored many forms of life, many different races and species all coinciding together in one, big melting pot of life. It was so many species all together, that a Flameling didn't seem to receive much thought and wonder like the Star had experienced on other worlds she'd gone to.

It didn't matter to her anyway. She came here to help, many many years ago and help she would. The evil which seemed to want to take the planet for its own purposes had yet to fully surface, yet Evadne knew they were out there, waiting and planning. Waiting to plan their moves in a final game of chess. A game which would swiftly end all kinds of life on this rich, beautiful planet. Dark thoughts aside, Evadne offered what sort of support she was capable of. She was a kind soul, blazing with goodness and fiery passion for seeing life flourish. That beauty would survive against whatever odds were thrown at it. It was why she was here. Unlike her many other descents, this one was not for traveling and seeing the sights just for the joy of doing so. Evadne had a mission this time, a goal which was engrained in her consciousness, a desire harder than any steel or diamond out there.

The midday shadows gathered in the corners, bringing with them the promise of dusk in an hour or two. Yet Evadne stayed where she was at. There was a feeling that lingered inside her, one in which that something was about to occur. Not anything really major but nonetheless the Flameling felt the need to stick around for the moment. Sipping her drink of strawberry tea, all she could really do was wait. The shadows grew longer as the patrons showed no signs of leaving yet for they were having too much fun.

The Star sat in her designated corner by herself and if one were to pay her any attention, they would notice a yellow glow surrounding her, a glow of hope and harmony. Not too bright, but it was there regardless. And so she waited for whatever would happen. Evadne could feel it deep within her soul. Something or someone was coming, and soon.

In the depths of the universe, were evil and madness reigned, long before mankind had started to walk upon Le'raana, sentience was given to pure darkness. It was given a voice, a voice of sin. A voice of all that was and would be evil. A voice of hunger. It was also given emotions, feelings of hatred before all that was living and peaceful. It was given a body, which he was to use to bring the  words of the ancient darkness to the living.
    It was finally given a mission. To bring despair and chaos to the livings.

The Aberration had accomplish it's task more then just well over the millenniums. It made many worlds fall and many civilization disappear in one night. Now his new target was Le'raana and his course was straight towards it.

Back in the present day...

Anghenfil Hunllef entered the inn with a determined manner. The air around his looked a bit darker and the shadows gave the impression to be attached to him. He had purple eyeballs, with spots in them that looked like a stars and galaxies. His hair was jet black and his skin was pure white, almost transparent. His presence was powerful, making people unnerved.
    He sat at the bar and ordered a steak with a beer. His voice was deep and cavernous, like if it was a dragon that spoke at that moment. He tipped the innkeeper with a piece of gold, his smile showing the whitest teeth in the world.

When the man or creature, whatever he was, walked into the inn and sat down at the bar, Evadne kept her distance from him. She didn't know who he was or what he wanted, but she knew it wasn't anything good and that his presence here seemed to herald something darker. Energies of sinister nature swirled around him, and Evadne too was unnerved.

She sensed the people's discomfort at the purple-eyed stranger and as a result in order to try to alleviate some of this discomfort she made the aura around her body glow a bit brighter, to convey feelings of calm and freedom from fear. Those nearest her found their worries assuaged, and they glanced at her briefly as though they knew what she were trying to do, giving her a quick nod before going back to their drinking and card games.

Meanwhile, the Flameling centered her attention back on the dark stranger with skin as white as the purest porcelain and regarded him with suspicion and distrust. She would carefully watch this stranger while he was here, and also see about gathering allies for her mission here. Evadne didn't exactly know how she would accomplish this at the current time, but she figured answers would reveal themselves soon enough.

Anghenfil finally noticed the presence of the flameling, feeling her aura burning stronger and stronger behind his back. A creepy and monstrous smile formed on his lips as he took a sip of his beer. Something was trying to make people feel at ease while he was around. He had a silent laugh before turning around and scanned the room for any unusual characters, be fore finally starring intensely at the flameling, trying to cause her to shiver or to make fear sprout to her mind. Of course it was a flameling, it always were and will always be flamelings who tried to help.
    Anghenfil took his plate and beer, walked around the room, passing in front of the fireplace before sitting at a table near Evadne. A listeriosis smile, more like a grin, appeared on his face as he chomped on his steak. He made sure to intensify his aura, making the fire lower and the general light level of the room to go down of a few levels. "...Better isn't it?" He whispered to the Flameling, at his left, before picking his teeth with his long little finger's fingernail.

He took a few minutes before turning around, locking his galaxy eyes in the creature's he was now taunting with his presence.

While Evadne was unnerved, she was by no means frightened. After all, she had expected such a being to arrive sooner or later. Although she would have preferred later. The Flameling held his gaze as the dark creature came around the fireplace and sat down at a table near her, showing him she would not be deterred by the likes of him. Evadne was still not frightened even as he purposefully taunted her by increasing the strength of his vile aura, making the light level in the room go down by a few notches. She also made no move to get up and move elsewhere. There would be no point.

Instead, Evadne simply continued to hold his gaze, his foul purplish eyes that mimicked stars and galaxies in their dark depths, as though she were looking into his soul and not liking what she saw there either. For it was a very deep, very dark presence of chaos and maliciousness, the likes of which Evadne had only witnessed a mere handful of times before in all her millennia of life. Which, undoubtedly that was saying something. For the Star had lived for many millions of years, more than plenty of time for her to have seen and experienced much on many different worlds.

She was quiet for a little while, before finally speaking. "You are not welcome here, foul creature. Leave now and go back to from whence you came and there will be no further trouble."

Of course, the Flameling knew her words would have little, if any effect at all on this thing before her. If she had her way, she would choose not to pass words with his kind at all, much less sit in the same building as he. But of course, Evadne knew better than most, that one did not always get their way. That was life after all. And the being showed no signs of leaving anytime soon. Evadne hoped that he would not try anything rash and attack her or the people around her. She would rather not fight now, not when others could get caught in the crossfire.

Dread, it pounded at the back of Erin's mind. He could feel it all around him. The earth beneath his feet felt tense as if it were tightening up preparing for a blow from an enemy. The air cried out for help as it snaked through his ears. There was no fear, the world didn't fear, wouldn't fear. In fact, he didn't think the world was capable of fear. Dread was a different story. The trees howled, the wind shrieked, the earth beat, and the sky hid from what was to come. The world itself was preparing for, desperately trying to avoid...something.

As much as he wanted to speak to it, he could only receive feelings from the world. Whether the earth had no voice, or whether Erin just couldn't hear it was unknown, but he was sure something was about to go down, something big. Something monumental enough to cause the world around him to shout incessantly for a week. But the shouting was dying down, to be replaced by dread. The world had begun to accept it's fate and was preparing to fight and to survive. He could feel it, and it made him uneasy.

While separate from the world, it's feelings would leak into Erin's. Normally it anchored him in a sense or calm as the world was generally peaceful. However, right now he was uneasy. Whatever was powerful enough to cause the world to react to it's presence like this would certainly affect him too.

Erin made his was into a nearby inn, seeking a moment of calm and rest, but upon entering he felt a tiny spark of fear. It wasn't much, hardly enough to even scare a child, but it shocked him. His feelings were linked to the natural world, and fear was not an emotion felt by the earth or the air. He hadn't felt fear since he gained his powers. He examined the room and one person in particular caught his attention.

A sinister figure that emanated a foul aura. The fear he felt earlier subsided, but he could feel it in the air that this man, this creature had something to do with the feeling of dread he had experienced. Erin froze for a moment as he took in the man's presence. His instinct told him to leave, but he needed to know why the world was so restless. He walked over to an empty table and asked the innkeeper for a glass of the freshest water he had. Spring water if he had it. Erin was determined to observe, but avoid conflict if at all possible. Whatever this man was, he knew it was beyond any power of his to confront the man.

Anghenfil grinned at the odor of the steak, his smile stretching under his ears. His teeth had changed to razor-sharp daggers, a tongue clearly to big for his mouth licked his lips. Engulfing the piece of meat , he closed his eyes and smiled of contempt. That's when the strange men came in.

    As the man sat in the room, Anghenfil smiled, the widest he gave that day, revealing his razor-teeth once more. He even chuckled a bit, his deep and cavernous voice echoing through the air. As it did, the feeling in the air flared. The drunkest of the drunkards fainted and the man next to him lost it and fled the inn to never come back again, screaming. Candles died and the fire, cracking with  heat and calm, became low, almost dead, cold.

Anghenfil stood up and walk up to the bar again, handing his plate and buck. He waved at the waitress to come closer, as he had something to tell her. She came closer, as she was told to, like hypnotized. The slender and dark figure that was Anghenfil bent to her ear as he whispered dark secrets that only him and her would ever know.

The waitress grabbed mugs for everyone and went to the back-store. She came back with beer that she would serve to every client in the room. Everyone of them but Erin and Evadne.
     We would later learn that the waitress died, suicide probably...

As Anghenfil walked around the room, the people started to go limp, fainting. Some of them were even dying, being to drunk for it to be healthy. Before going out the door, he turned around, facing his opponents and grinned one last time before bowing and exiting the inn slowly.

So, as it turns out, even the air can fear. Erin had almost forgotten what it was like to fear. The feeling wasn't powerful, not to him, but the fact that it existed at all was miraculous. That aura that overwhelmed the man that fled simply nipped at the back of Errn's mind, but it was there. However, the dread that filled the air nearly overwhelmed him. He could still feel it pounding away at his mind, making him realize how defenseless he really was.

But now the creature was gone, or so it seemed. Erin let out a gasp, then sputtered few coughs as he realized he'd been holding his breath for some time. Inhaling deeply he composed himself once more. Surveying the room he observed the collapsed men, and then one character he had failed to notice before. An elegant figure still standing at another table, the only other person in the room not served whatever ale the thing had decided to share.

Being blind, Erin couldn't make out her radiant glow or remarkable eyes, but he could feel her aura. Similar to the other man's, but hers was quite opposite. It was calming and warm. It made him want to trust her, though he dared not give into such foolish impulses after such a dangerous situation.

"Who are you?" Erin asked, his voice hushed and uncertain. Realizing he had forgotten to face her before asking the question, Erin turned to the figure and pulled back his hood to clearly reveal his face. No sense in being rude, even accidentally. "Forgive me..." Erin paused realizing his voice was slightly shaking. Clearing his throat he continues "I'm Erin...Erin Arrafel. Who might you be?"

The earthbound star was still recovering from the shock of what had just happened. The sinister aura of the foul creature had increased ten-fold and even Evadne felt sick by it, dread filling her senses and awareness. She watched as the alabaster-skinned man with the galaxy eyes spoke in hushed tones to a waitress before said waitress nodded her head and obliged with whatever he had told her. She had come back out shortly with drinks for everyone except for her and another man who she didn't pay much attention to at first.

Soon after, all the patrons fell down dead or collapsed onto the floor near death as they struggled for breath, some gagging, other gurgling as whatever foul substance was given them tainted their bodies with quick death. It was all over within moments. And Evadne could only stand there and stare, horrified at what she had witnessed. Her only comfort being when the monster finally left the inn, but not before bowing mockingly at them.

After he left, Evadne breathed a sigh of relief and looked over to the man with unkempt dark brown hair wearing worn garb in the colors of the forest. She noticed his eyes were sightless as he did not see the world around him. The Star felt a power within him though, that of nature and the very earth itself. This man was in tune with the natural world and she could tell it was this ability that allowed him to perceive the things that were around him. He had asked her a question.

Slowly, Evadne turned her gaze back to him after surveying the carnage once more all around her and addressed the man. Her voice was saddened when she spoke, filled with sorrow for the lives that had just been lost. As a result her light dimmed a little. "I am called Evadne, a traveler of worlds and dimensions. I came here to this world to offer my aid in the hopes that it can be saved from the evil that seeks to eradicate it. Evil that we have both unfortunately seen just now." She smiled just a little, trying to appear more upbeat. "And who might you be?"

Erin tried to match her smile. It was difficult to have a pleasant conversation while surrounded by such a gruesome scene, but the world around him was calm once more and slowly soothed his mind. "I'm also a traveler, but I don't go nearly so far as to visit other words." He replied. "I'm a Geomancer. I can feel the natural world around me and guide it." He said as he raised his hand and made a small circular motion with his wrist causing a light breeze to blow in the building.

"You mentioned a great evil." he said, his smile fading away "The world has been unsettled for days now anticipating something dreadful." Even now he could still feel the dread beating through the air. "I believe that man...That thing, is at least part of the cause." He paused once more to collect his thoughts.

So far Erin had been following the whispers of the wind blindly, desiring to know the source of the oncoming disaster on instinct. But now...now that he had seen the man his desires were unclear. He was still overwhelmed simply by the presence of the creature. Yet, he knew that he couldn't do nothing. The whispers he heard were clear enough, this was not an evil that he, or anyone else, could hide from.

No, he couldn't run. He had to do something. He had to know more. "What was that creature?" Erin asked, voice slightly wavering "And more importantly, what do you plan to do to stop him?" Erin stood up, raising his voice slightly "I don't know if I can be much use, but I'd like to help." His voice still wavered with uncertainty, not sure exactly what he could do against such a being.

At his questions, the Flameling's gaze appeared distant as she reminisced about earlier times. "Long have I lived in the vastness of space, and yet I have only ever encountered such vileness a mere handful of times in my existence. An evil so great even the gods themselves wither in fear and discomfort. That man or creature rather, is an aberration of the darkest kind, darkness given form and sentience, it's only purpose to cause suffering everywhere it touches. A truly hideous being." Evadne's countenance seemed to deflate a little as she tried to come to terms with what was to transpire.

"I would see such a creature destroyed or at least banished into the void from which it came, however I cannot do so alone. I seek allies for my cause, this mission perhaps being the only thing that can stop it's plans from coming to fruition. Somehow this world shall prevail and life will continue on as before. I will not stand to see another planet destroyed. Too much is at stake here." Her aura burned brighter than ever before as her resolve strengthened considerably with the knowledge of what she had to do, the part she would play. "It is the Will of the One Who Creates that I help in this most important endeavor."

She looked Erin over and smiled at him. "I would be honored to fight by your side, Erin Arrafel, Geomancer of Nature. While I normally try to avoid conflict there are times when doing such simply isn't possible or even beneficial in the greater scheme of things. And so it is with much trepidation, I undergo this monumental task with as many allies as I can find. You are the first to volunteer. And I thank thee for that." Lifting her shoulders some, the Flameling added, "I do not know exactly where to proceed from here, but I may have a few ideas."

It wasn't like Erin to be this anxious. Normally he was a very calm person, almost unshakable. He had been feeling the tension in the world for far too long. Yet, Evadne's presence was bringing his placid demeanor back. That, and the world was beginning to quiet. It felt like the calm before a storm, but even so, the silence was a welcome release from the stress that used to be there.

Calm at last, Erin responded with a smile "I clearly have less to go on than you do, so I'll follow your lead." Evadne had mentioned many things he didn't quite understand, but he was sure he would learn in time. It was strange, even though he had only just met her he already felt himself trusting Evadne. "What are these ideas of yours?" Erin asked as he leaned casually against the table behind him.

Evadne would tell him but not here. Not amongst all the dead that not too long ago were alive and well. To say it disturbed the Flameling would be an understatement. "I shall tell you, but I would suggest we leave this place. Not only does the sight make me ill and upset, but the town guards may come around and demand to know what has occurred here. I wish to avoid this, as I doubt they would believe such a tale as ours." Evadne led the way out of the tavern and back into the fresh air where she was feeling a bit better, but not quite.

Once they reached a suitable place to talk, a small garden some ways from the inn where the unfortunate incident had occurred, Evadne spoke up again, eyes looking into the face of her companion even though he couldn't actually see her. "There is an old friend of mine. His name is Geldin and he is a half-celestial who dwells about a day's travel on foot from here. I would ask his help but unfortunately he hasn't been seen in some time and I fear something may have befallen him, something bad. If only to ease my spirit I wish to go there again and perhaps he'll turn up despite the fact others have seen no sign of him nor do they know where he could have gone. Other places I've checked have revealed nothing useful. Despite this, I believe it to be in our best interests if we checked out his house. Perhaps there is something there which may provide a clue that I have overlooked."

Tucking a strand of glossy, glowing golden hair behind one ear, she went on. "The only other thing I can suggest is there is a library about two days travel from here in a large city called Dunberg. It features a large collection of written works and we might find some information there pertaining to our cause. Something that may tell us such a creature's weaknesses or how to banish it. And that is all I have for now. Mayhap more will reveal itself if Fate decrees it so." Evadne looked at Erin. "What say you?"

((OOC: I assumed that your character would follow mine. I hope that's okay.))

((OOC: Yeah, that was a perfectly fine call. I'm counting on you to be making plot decisions until I get a feel for the direction of the Roleplay.))

It felt good to escape the inn. Even if it weren't for the horrid sight inside, buildings always felt so suffocating to Erin. In contrast the Garden felt fresh and comforting to him. He listened intently to Evadne and gave a short laugh when she finished. "I'll accompany you to the library for sure, but reading isn't a strong point of mine." Erin said gesturing towards his eyes.

Erin wasn't looking forward to heading to the city. He couldn't even remember the last time he had visited anything larger than a town. He had no disdain for towns or cities, they just overwhelmed him. So much of the natural world was covered up that it would stifle his senses and make him feel both uncomfortable and vulnerable. "I'm not really one for City's though. I may be of little use once we arrive."

Evadne smiled. "Ah yes, of course. Regardless I think it's best if we stick together for the time being. I am unsure where that dark being went, so hopefully we can make our way undeterred. I wish not to fight the likes of that creature until we can find out more about it. The Dunberg Library is likely our most promising lead. However, I wish to make a stop at the friend's house I mentioned first to see if anything else of interest has surfaced." She frowned as she thought of what they might find or not find, before dropping that train of thought to focus on the here and now.

"We'd best be off now. I fear that time is turning against us as we speak."

There was a path that led out of town and onwards to a green meadow valley which stretched on for miles before the path turned through a small thicket of trees. After that was where Geldin's house was located and thus their first destination. The city of Dunberg was past that, about another day's journey in the making, going past many cornfields as the terrain snaked through farming territory. Evadne informed Erin all of this as they set off for the town gates.

((OOC: Let me know when you think time skips or waiting for more members to join the roleplay is appropriate.))

Erin took in a deep breath the moment they escaped the town. He smiled as the wind whisked through his hair. He reached out and felt the land around him. The air was pure, the water clean, the earth fertile, and the skies clear. Everything was as it should be and it filled him with a sense of peace. The foreboding feeling in the air was not gone, but he was becoming more and more accustomed to it as time went on. Regardless, it didn't compare to the pressure he felt back in the tavern.

As he relaxed he became one with the wind as it snaked through the grass and trees, feeling the landscape around him. He could feel the soft footsteps of a rabbit hiding in the tall grass. He could feel the movements of the ants working to create their tunnels and forage for food. He could feel the soft wing beats of the birds around him. "The world continues to be beautiful." he whispered, "Even in the face of such peril the world continues to be as it should."

Turning towards Evadne he asked "So who exactly are you? You said a traveler of worlds, but what exactly does that mean?" Her presence was so calming that Erin had almost forgotten that Evadne was as much a mystery to him as the rest of this situation.

((I think now's as good a time as any to see who else wants to play. We don't need to time skip just yet. We can draw this out a little more. Good chance for them to become more acquainted I'd say.))

Evadne smiled at his whispered words. "Yes, and we will help to ensure it remains that way." Her companion seemed to be at peace with the land around him, and she too felt a certain joy in the beauty of it all, and seeing it upfront as opposed to gazing down at it from high above in the depths of space.

At his question, she smiled and was prepared for him to be shocked when she gave her answer. After all many were when she told them what she actually was. Evadne just hoped he didn't run away in fear though when she did tell him. "I am a Star in humanoid form actually. Therefore I can go wherever I desire in the universe. Not all my kind choose to descend but for those of us who do, we are called Flamelings for the light, fire and heat we possess within. It is very freeing to go where I please, though there are some worlds I choose not to go to. Their violence and wars do not interest me and so I do not travel there. In this case however, I came to help as no world should be destroyed like the one I was unable to save." Her expression became sad once more, her voice quiet as she spoke.

"It is a sad thing for those that wish to massacre millions just because they can. Not to mention the planets on which the people dwell, the earth has a voice like any other and to hear its anguish as it was annihilated was painful to say the least. I would not want to endure that ever again." Her face became fierce then, a fire dancing in her eyes. "That being will not have its way this time. Not with me here."

Erin went silent for a time. A star, huh? He tilted his head towards the sky. He had never seen a star with his own eyes as he had been blind as long as he could remember. He was told that the night sky was filled with thousands of tiny lights far out of the reach of any man. They were beautiful things he was told, but he never gave it much thought. Stars were beyond his reach and beyond his sight. "Evadne, what exactly is a star?" Erin asked.

Her words made very little sense. Stars could travel between worlds? They could hear the voice of worlds? Erin was half caught up in awe of her power, and confusion as to her existence. "Forgive me if I sound ignorant, but I've never actually seen one. I still don't quite understand what you are."

Evadne looked over to him and his sightless eyes and gave her response. "In truth, any mortal or other being with some exceptions of course, would lose their sight permanently if they were to look upon one of us directly. We exist far enough away so as not to cause that to happen though. Our light and heat extends far beyond us into space, illuminating and providing life to many a world in our embrace. However those of us Stars that have to give life to worlds are not allowed to descend and do not become Flamelings while they have one or more worlds to take care of. We are all bound by that universal law. I myself do not have any worlds to provide light to as I am alone in space, therefore I can travel and was granted Flameling form. There are those of us who do have this ability but choose not to descend anyway as they are content with their place where they are. Those who are part of a system who give life to various planets are not given that option. Who gives us the option? Some people I have met call this Force some kind of god or higher being and they are not wrong in a sense. I just know that those are the rules we are bound by as part of our nature."

Evadne paused for a moment before continuing. "When I choose to descend I have to dim my light and heat considerably, otherwise I'd burn everything in my path for miles around. I'd say it is the same with all Flamelings, this fact. I have met a few others in my lifetime, for I am not the only one who can travel. Our visitations tend to be brief though when we do meet. We can sense one other as well for several feet in all directions when two or more are nearby each other. Flamelings in addition to this humanoid form, are given certain powers available while we are earthbound. We lose those abilities but have other properties when in star-form."

''As to your question specifically, what are we? The answer is best said that we are the very embodiments of fire, light and heat providing life to worlds within our reach, some of us anyway as already mentioned. We are made up completely of these elements and are extremely bright to the eye, even from afar. We exist in the black reaches of space, beyond the skies where time does not have meaning there like it does here."

The duo continued walking, Star with Geomancer as they continued to traverse the greenery around them. Evadne looked up at the sun of this world and smiled at it as though in greeting. It seemed for the barest of moments to flicker as though giving a greeting in turn. Evadne looked back to Erin and went on with her explanation. "This world's sun cannot become like myself as it is obvious it has a world to offer sustenance to. There are only a fraction of us who actually descend, although I am uncertain as to the exact number of this. Regardless, we are light and fire incarnate."

She noted Erin's reaction as they continued to walk through the valley, keeping an eye and ear out for both danger and more allies alike.

((OOC: I'm going off the assumption that in this world concepts like space, understanding of stars and the sun, planets, and the like are not common knowledge and will be beyond Erin.))

Life beyond, far beyond the reaches of the sky. A heat so great it would scorch all life for miles. These ideas confounded Erin as he wrestled to grasp the vastness of what was a star. Many of the things Evadne mentioned were unfamiliar to him, but he had a general sense of what she meant. It was the last piece that shook him though. The sun was a star is what she implied. The body in the sky that filled the entire world with light and heat everyday, the radiant being that would blind any that saw it, was Evadne really one of those?

It wasn't that he didn't believe her, it was simply so much to take in. "So, you are another sun?" Erin asked. It wasn't really a question, but more an expression of disbelief. He could feel it though, the fire, the heat, the warmth and light emanating from her. It felt similar to the sun, but so much smaller. "I...I had no idea that the sun was alive...Or that there were other beings like it." Erin smiled "If you are something so powerful, that really gives some hope to our situation."

Erin took another moment of silence to take in Evadne's words. "I guess, I've always known there were powerful beings out there in the back of my mind. God's, demons,  and angels. I've always known that there were powers, that there had to be powers greater than I'd ever seen. But it was always just a feeling, and never felt quite real....until now." Erin replied "It's a lot to take in all at once."

"I completely understand." Evadne looked to him and gave a warm smile even if he couldn't see it. "Some people I've spoken to have not taken it as well as you have. While some didn't believe me, others downright were scared out of their minds, believing beings like myself were too powerful and mighty to be around. It wasn't like they didn't trust me, they just couldn't comprehend it. It is sad but understandable, for I do not wish to frighten others."

Evadne recalled some meetings fondly though. "While still others embraced and accepted the concept and myself, welcoming me with open arms. I have formed friendships with some, but sadly they are no longer around as it's been many millennia since then. They have passed from their physical bodies and have since gone to the beyond. A different beyond mind you of where I hail from."

She sighed in remembrance of these souls and gave a small smile as she recalled the faces of the ones she had befriended all that time ago. She had witnessed some of their deaths as well, having chosen to visit them in a final farewell on their deathbeds. And then they left the world, never to return. Whether or not they reincarnated elsewhere or in the same world was not known to her. The Star did know some cultures held such beliefs in these cycles of life, death and rebirth. Evadne herself would eventually die one day, and she knew not where she would end up after that.

"Despite how powerful I may be, I still require allies to fight this darkness this world has to contend with. It is a risky venture, but it needs to be done, to recruit brave souls like yourself. I just hope others will join our cause. I do not know how much time we have left, but with each dawning of a new day, that span of time grows smaller and smaller."

Millenia. She said it so casually as if it were just a few days to her. For the first time it struck Erin how far beyond him Evadne was. She was a being from another world, one who had already lived his lifetime many times over. A being that had traveled worlds and seen more than he would ever experience in his life. She was more knowledgeable and probably wiser than he could ever hope to be. He stopped walking for a moment and observed his new friend once more. Respect and awe afflicted him as he examined her once more with a further understanding of what she truly was. A creature so much more than he would ever be, and yet she needed his assistance.

The irony made him laugh. "I suppose if I am to aid you, then you should know a bit more about me as well." Erin said. "To put it simply, my soul is connected to the world around me. As far as I can see, it's not one with the world, just connected. I am not it's avatar, it's spirit, it's guardian, or anything like that. I am simply a human that is deeply connected to the natural world at it's basest form. That being said I can literally feel through the air and earth surrounding me."

Erin stopped moving and focused his mind on the world around him. "I can feel everything. I can feel the rustle of the wind through each blade of grass. I can feel the tremors of the worms and beetles digging through the earth. I can feel the outline of every tree and the beating wings of every bird. I can feel the air filling your lungs at this very moment. I sense objects based on this connection to nature. So long as your body is exposed to the air I can feel your presence as well as if my hands were touching you." Erin said as he examined Evadne. "However, much like regular sight, I can't focus on everything at once. By examining you closely other shapes become a blur, and by spreading out my awareness I lose sight of details. Even so I can keep track of much more than that of any normal man and catch any movement faster than any eye."

Erin took a deep breath, embracing the calm of the world before continuing "Just as nature is part of my physical senses, it is also a part of my emotional sense as well. When the air is pure and the earth is fertile I feel at peace. When the land is barren and the air polluted I will feel ill. It's as if the world is an extension of my body. When all is right it feeds me a great sense of calm. When damaged it feeds me anger. That's why I was able to stand that creature's presence. The world anchors me, and even in that man's presence doesn't feel much in the way of fear."

Stretching out his arms towards the ground a small distance from his side Erin faces his palms upwards, relaxing his fingers as if gingerly holding a large ball in each hand. A breeze picked up and started wrapping itself around Erin, winding around his body and funneling down his arms and collecting in each hand. Breathing deeply Erin guided the air into two swirling balls hovering just above his palms. "Just as if it were an extension of my body I can move the world around me." He said as the earth shifted at his feet and the air compressed itself in his hands. "At best I can lift a person slowly by pushing on them with air or earth, but I can also build up natural energy to release all at once like a spring." He said as he began to clench his hands forcing the balls of air smaller and smaller. "It takes time, but it can become a weapon that is difficult to defend against." As he said this he snapped his wrists towards the ground and released his grip on the air and a large gust of wind shot out in all directions around him.

"I can use each element differently, but I can only guide pre-existing elements. I cannot conjure fire or water, only manipulate that which already exists. Caught off guard I'm a very weak fighter, but given a day or so I could even bring about a storm and guide it as my sword and shield." Erin relaxed his posture once more "I hope this power will be of use to you."

Evadne listened in rapt attention as her companion explained his connection to the earth around him. The Star could feel his deep affinity to the natural world and sense the currents of life that guided him. She could also tell he felt great contentment with this ability, this way of reaching out with both mind and body, as well as soul. As a Flameling, Evadne is able to sense the life around her too but in a different way than Erin could. Hers was more rooted at a celestial level, in that being a possible caretaker of many worlds allowed her to not only give life and light, but to appreciate it as well. Alas, as Evadne had no worlds in which to watch over and provide sustenance to, she still had this innate power within herself nonetheless. As it was with all her kind.

Looking all around her at the beauty of the land, Evadne then glanced his way and said, "Yes, it is a most beneficial ability to have on our side. In fact, you would even be able to sense any evil coming before it actually arrived, and not just because of the feelings the earth generates within you. Like myself, you can feel powerful auras better than most mortals and our adversary has an aura stronger than many. I also have the ability to negate some of the vile effects of such an enemy's influence, but I cannot control their aura, only help negate what it does to the environment and the people in it."

As the pair continued to walk, Evadne felt it only fair to explain some of what she was capable of. Her glowing eyes of fiery ambiance, although of a blue-black color, gazed upon him as she began to speak. "I possess some special abilities not found in any other than us stars. As a collective, we of course provide light and fire to any worlds within our grasp and can communicate with ourselves as well through an intrinsic understanding of the life we all share in the vast beyond. It is different than our Star-Speak language that only Flamelings have access to. Those of us who descend, that is. As for powers that can help to fight our enemy, I can bring about a state of hope and confidence in my allies and confidantes, while at the same time cause the opposite effect in my foes. And this works on any kind of being, and is especially strong against evil and darkness. We call it simply, 'Star-Song'. As well I can channel some of my inner fire and heat to create a powerful light effect which operates in two separate, distinctive ways. Depending upon how many targets there are, I am able to compensate and act accordingly, to either blind them or release them from this life instantly by the sheer amount of force behind my efforts. It is called simply, 'Star-Shine', in general. There are a few other things as well, but for now I believe this information should be enough."

The day was starting to come to a close, as the sun began to sink below the horizon, its rays becoming dimmer with each passing minute. As a result, Evadne's own inner glow seem to be that much more evident as light turned to dark, and day to night. Looking at Erin once more, she asked him a question with a small smile on her face. "I hope that this is not too overwhelming for you?"

"No, not overwhelmed. At least not anymore." Erin replied. He certainly was at first, but the wind and the earth soothed his mind as it always did. He was still amazed and awestruck, but these emotions didn't flood his mind the way they might other men. Right now he was the wind sweeping through the grass and the earth holding steady beneath their feet. The world was so vast, so grand that any feelings of fright or awe would be drowned out by the endless calm offered up by the land. "To overwhelm me would be the same as overwhelming the world we currently live in. That man we met, he was the first thing I ever met that made the world itself afraid."

Erin paused for a moment pondering her suggestion that he might be able to sense evil before it arrived. "I'm not sure how much use I'll be in detecting enemies. I can't sense life and my senses don't travel far. That man was an exception; I detected his presence long before I met him. Even so, I had no idea who are what caused such dread in the land until I was in the standing in the same room as him."

Erin couldn't see the setting sun, but he could feel the earth cooling down and the missing heat of the suns rays. He knew night was approaching and could feel the shift in the air around him. It was inconvenient at first not being able to tell night from day, but as his senses honed he could detect the subtleties in the environment that signified the change. "I believe it is getting dark" He said "Should we set up a camp somewhere nearby?"

The Flameling was not surprised by her comrade's comparison of himself to the very earth around them. After all, other worlds she had been to over the multitude of centuries past had various nature mages and geomancers who called those planets home. They too were very much in tune with their surroundings just like Erin here. And many of these people Evadne had befriended before time itself eventually claimed their lives, thus passing from both mortal and star sight alike. In particular, the world of Harmonia had a very high percentage of geomancers and shamans, being that the natural world was so very important to their many cultures.

Of course, from area to area their customs differed somewhat, but in general they all held Mother Nature in very high esteem. It was simply their way of life, what they knew and were comfortable with. Not everyone there practiced magic, but every person there regardless held some kind of appreciation for the natural world and the universe as a whole. The last time the Star had visited seemed like such a short time ago, about nearly two and a half centuries. To a regular person, this may in fact seem like a long time but for a Star or Flameling, it was merely a small fraction of that time. Evadne made it a point to visit there again within the next 50 years as it was one of her favorite places to go to. But only after the current quest had been completed.

The Flameling came out of her reverie then, and spoke once more to Erin at her side. "Indeed, many geomancers have a very solid grip on their emotions, being strongly anchored to the world in which they live in. It is only natural that you, being one yourself, also feel such a calm connection. And no, you are not the first geomancer I have met."

At his uncertainty of being able to detect enemies, Evadne simply smiled. "Do not underestimate yourself or your capabilities, Erin Arrafel. Who knows, you may eventually reach that point on your life path. The fact that you could indeed sense the creature's presence before you came in contact with it, whether or not you knew what you were dealing with, it is a boon on our side. Every advantage our way counts, no matter how small. Even the smallest of things can make a ton of difference. A minute spent living in heavenly bliss is far more memorable than a hundred years of eternal loneliness. A rose given as an expression of love to another is made that much more beautiful. A smile sent one's way can make all the difference in the world, especially if that person had given up on life. Something so small and seemingly insignificant to others can spark something inside oneself, giving them the desire to try again. I have seen it many times. Those ripples in existence many think do not do much, they in fact do far more than one would ever realize. So do not sell yourself short, Erin. You are far more powerful than you give yourself credit for. As long as that power is used for good, all is well and as it should be."

As the night drew nearer, Evadne looked up at the ever darkening sky above as it continued the process  of changing color, from light blue, to dark blue, to finally black. "As a Flameling, I do not require the same sleep that mortals do. Nor does the night inhibit my vision. However, for your sake we shall make a stop here and set up camp. Both of us need to be in top peak conditioning if we are to succeed in this dangerous task of ours. I can help with getting a fire going, as well as keep watch while you get some rest. It is of no inconvenience to me."

And with that, Evadne began to look around for bits and pieces of wood and dried leaves that they could use to make their campfire with. She also searched for large stones to help keep the fire safely contained. Being that the terrain they were traveling through was composed of mainly tall grasses and sloping green hills, with a few trees scattered here and there, there wasn't that much spare wood to find but they would make do with what was available to them. Perhaps there were the remnants of past campfires around here they could make use of. Evadne kept her eyes peeled for anything of use.

Other Geomancers...It startled Erin for a moment before who once again realized who he was talking to. Evadne had said they each were connected to their own world. No, she was not referring to more of his kind here. The disappointment struck him for just a moment before being washed away by the ocean of tranquility around him. He knew very little about his powers and where they came from. It had been his goal for sometime to find another like him, or at least someone who could tell him something he did not already know. It wasn't a very meaningful or powerful goal, but it gave him a sense of purpose and direction in his wanderings.

Evadne clearly had great faith in Erin even after knowing him for such a short time. No, not faith in him in particular, faith in people and goodness. While he didn't show it outwardly he held his doubts. While Erin believed he could grow stronger, he doubted his powers would evolve in the ways she described or that this ability in particular would come of much use. Optimism can easily lead to arrogance and carelessness. Don't forget to see the world and don't forget to see past it. See everything for what it is and nothing more. He had forgotten where he learned that mantra, but it served him well. The world was as it was and to see things that were not there was foolish. Perhaps Evadne could see what he could not, but Erin would not be blinded by faith and optimism.

"Yes, I'm sorry to slow you down." He replied to Evadne as he reached out to the world "But don't trouble yourself, I can set up the camp." Erin stopped and stood still for a moment as he became one with the land. He raised his arms just slightly to his sides with his palms partially open and facing the ground. The ground in front of him began to buckle downwards as dirt and grass was shoved to either side or was pushed into the ground forming a shallow hole about a foot down with a small mound of excess dirt ringing the top. Stones shifted about to line the top of the firepit as small branches were carried along the ground, pushed forward by small movements in the earth as they traveled toward the fire. The branches were dropped into the pit forming a small pile. After the pile was gathered Erin flicked his wrist downward and tiny yet powerful air current brushed against one of the branches creating a spark. Reaching out he became one with the spark down guiding it towards the branch igniting the flame. Guiding the fire he spread it from branch to branch until the pile was ablaze.

Reaching out one last time Erin scanned the ground once more until he found the shape of a rabbit. He guided the earth as it lept towards the rabbits foot snaring it in an instant before snaking it's way towards the creatures neck snapping it in one quick motion. Erin pulled back from the world and let his hands fall back to his side before walking towards the rabbit he ended. "I don't know about sensing our enemies before we meet them, but I can handle myself in the wild." he said as reached for rabbit's corpse. Using his powers he fashioned a knife from a stone and began the task of preparing the rabbit. "Do you require food the same way most mortals do?" Erin asked as guided fire towards the rabbit to cook it.

The Star watched as Erin set up the camp using his geomancer powers. "Of course. I meant not to infringe." And she smiled as she watched him work. While the death of the rabbit was nothing new to the earthbound celestial as she had seen it countless times before in her existence, a tiny spark of sadness nonetheless filled her fiery soul. Yet the rabbit's death served a much greater purpose, and that was to aid them in their journey to protect the life on this planet.

Bending down over the animal's corpse, she began to sing a song to aid its passing from this world and into the afterlife beyond. It was a song of haunting beauty, a combination of Star-Speak and an ethereal humming sound which seemed to penetrate into one's very bones and psyche. The melody was of an ancient primordial tune, not born of this world or any world in particular, but entwined as part of the very cosmos itself, and the light which filled the vast dark void of space. As Evadne sang her lament, the land around her responded in kind, providing an even greater calm than ever before. It was like gaining an glimpse into the very beyond from which Evadne had been born in, of stars coming into being and then dying in great explosions of light and energy, all in seemingly fast-forward motion, as well as the timelessness evident there.

When she finally finished her song, it would seem for just a second that an age had passed in this world, but was really only a few minutes in length. As the Flameling stood up, she greatly regretted not doing the same for those poor souls back at the inn, but she had been far too shocked at the time by the needless deaths of so many at the hand of evil. Regardless, it was better late than never and so she began to sing another lament in memory of them all. This one seemed to last twice as long, the glow around her brightening considerably as she sang, the peaceful aura around her also growing in strength. It was now fully dark when she finished and Evadne felt much better having done all that. To help guide those souls to a better afterlife where loss of that kind could not touch them anymore.

Glancing up at the sky, she felt her soul connect with all the multitude of fiery bodies twinkling their light rays from afar, feeling once more as though she were back in her home for a mere moment. Her brothers and sisters all seemed to gaze down upon her then, as though recognizing one of their own. A silent understanding passed between the earthbound star and all her skyward brethren for a couple seconds. They wished her good luck in her endeavors as they too knew of the urgent need of her mission here. Evadne had been on this world for nearly three decades for this visit, and she decided that when their quest was complete she would make a trip back home for a time before her next descent to another world would begin.

At Erin's question as to whether or not she required food, Evadne's answer was simple. "No, I do not actually, but at times I do find it rather enjoyable to partake of the earth's sustenance every now and again. But it is merely a curiosity and not an inherent need. So please, do not worry about me as you need the meat far more than I."

As Evadne watched her companion eat, she was reminded of the last time she had come across one of her own while traveling the different worlds of the universe. After their initial greetings to each other, the other Flameling who had taken on a male form, had told her something, a mantra that had stuck with her for a long time afterwards. It was something that all Stars intrinsically knew, but a reminder every now and then especially for their Flameling kin was always a welcoming thing, seeing as how the latter became enmeshed with all the ills and trials of many worlds, sometimes losing sight of this greatly important concept. The words of that mantra rang in her head as clear as the day on which she had heard them. Don't forget to see the world, and don't forget to see past it. See everything for what it is and nothing more.

Evadne smiled at these thoughts, feeling the peace they evoked within her before quietly saying those same words out loud. "Don't forget to see the world, and don't forget to see past it. See everything for what it is and nothing more." It was a comforting reminder indeed.

The sound of Evadne's song flooded into Erin's very being. The world itself seemed to resonate with her tune. The sea of calm that anchored him so firmly in the world become one of sorrow with a glimmer of awe. He felt as if for a moment he glimpsed eternity, as if he stared into the faces of btoh life and death. It was entirely overwhelming. When her songs ended it took time for the world to quiet his mind the way it usually did. It was one thing to believe that she truly was an otherworldly being, a star as she said, but a whole different thing to actually feel what that meant. He was surprised to find a few tears had trickled down his face while he was absorbed in her song. Reaching up Erin silently wiped them away with his sleeve and said nothing. There was nothing to be said, Evadne's song had already said enough.

After finishing his meal he buried the remains of the rabbit at the base of a tree so that it's body might once again be used to give life and sat down, leaning his back against the trunk. Erin let his arms fall to his sides as he relaxed when Evadne's phrase caught his attention. It struck him as a bit odd that his newfound companion would say the exact same mantra that he carried with him throughout his life, but he figured the phrase must be more common than he thought. "It's funny you should say that" he said allowing himself to relax once more "Those exact words have guided me throughout most of my life. I can't quite remember where I first heard them, but those words ring true. I'll never forget them."

As he spoke Erin let his mind become one with the land around him. Spreading out his soul as he became one with the earth and sky. It was a habit of his to rest connected to the world. Not only did it relax his body and mind and give restful sleep, but  it also kept him aware. Sudden movements or changes would rouse his body as the change in the world would be the same as someone prodding his own sleeping body. It had kept him safe on more than one occasion.

Noticing that Erin had buried what was left of the rabbit by the base of a tree, she smiled and sat down nearby, but a little ways away from him. At his comment of the mantra being a guiding force in his life, Evadne was a bit surprised. "Truly?"

The Star knew that the phrase was a common saying among all her kin, and perhaps some other Flamelings shared that wisdom with the people of the many lands they visited. While Evadne had met a few others like her in her existence while traveling, their visitations weren't very long, perhaps a few days according to mortal reckoning, give or take. But the saying originated with the Stars, so Erin must have heard it from another like herself or from someone else who had met one.

"That is a common Star saying. We of the cosmos know this deep within our psyches, although I must admit that while traveling the universe is a grand thing to experience, it can also be very draining. Those of us who do not descend either by circumstance or choice, are not inhibited by the woes of the worlds, thus maintaining a more neutral standing on earthly affairs and what goes on in them. As you can tell, I do not share that outlook nearly as much, as my soul longs to explore. But it is a wonderful thing to return home every now and again."

Remembering her recent promise to herself, Evadne glanced up once more at the blackness above. Home lay there, as though beckoning her to return soon. The Star would, but only after she had accomplished what she came here for. They just needed to acquire more allies. Evadne hoped it wouldn't be too much longer. Time was not their friend here for each moment that passed, the sense of urgency within her increased. The darkness and corruption was out there still, planning its moves before it would strike again. The incident at the inn was only the first step in the vile being's atrocious plans and the Flameling had no doubt there would be other incidents to come, possibly many. All leading up to the grand finale. The death of this world and all of its inhabitants.

Sighing with melancholy, she looked around, eyes searching the area around them, the view as clear as day to her. Perhaps there would be something positive on the horizon coming their way soon. They certainly needed it.

Blaze remembered Creation. It was too loud for his liking. He was one of the first beings in Creation, next to darkness. He was a mistake, an abomination, an unholy merger of light and darkness overwhelming. It made him angry. He lashed out at his creator, his rage sparking the first light. With a scream, he lit the cosmos ablaze.

I am Blaze Enderman.

Present Day

A Flameling. That was something Blaze didn't see every day. Or every Eon. And a Geomancer, another rare sight.

Well, he really couldn't see them; he was several hundred kilometers away, well out of range for detection, but Blaze could feel the powerful Light of the Flameling from halfway around the world, or possibly one of the Moons.

There was another presence far away from the Flameling, one of freezing darkness and cold. The Aberration. This guy was trouble.

Blaze was shocked out of his Far-Sight by loud laughter from some drunkards. Blaze sighed, and rolled his shoulders, his sword shifting into a more comfortable position across his back. His sword was his masterpiece, and his focus for his magic. He wondered why he had chosen a pub to stalk these people.

Maybe I should stop stalking them and just go met them... Blaze thought. He couldn't get an exact pin on their location; the best he could do was a couple kilometers.

With a flash of green light, Blaze dissapeared from the pub.

And with another flash, he re-appeared on a hill, about one and a half kilometers away from the Fireling and Geomancer. I still manage to impress myself some times. Blaze thought. He could teleport directly up to them, but didn't want to startle them: that could lead to a lot of trouble. So he began the treck to the two.

"A flameling saying?" Erin mused "I suppose that means one of your kind must have been here before you." Erin doubted he had met a flameling, it was far more likely that he would have heard the saying passed down through other men. "It doesn't feel that absurd that another one of your kind visited." He said as he tilted his head towards the sky, reminiscing "I haven't seen it in a while, but if my memory holds there were countless stars in the sky. Surely one might have been here before you."

As Erin spoke he could feel the bonds of sleep begin to take hold of him pulling apart at his consciousness. His thoughts turned to gentle musings turned to silence as his mind melted into the world. It was a feeling he was never sure how to describe to others, the feeling of being one with the world. It wasn't bliss or any sort of nirvana, it was simply a peaceful feeling. Not one which he clung to, nor one which he desired to leave. A feeling of perfect contentment washed over him as he was one with the air and the earth.

"Yes, I would imagine so as well." Evadne replied. She wondered how long ago the other Flameling had visited and if he or she was still here somewhere, wandering the many lands of this world.

Turning back to Erin, she affirmed his question. "Yes, there are countless of us Stars, as we are many. We exist as a collective, although the exact number even I am unsure of. I will say that there are not just thousands or even millions of us, but a number so exceedingly high mortals would barely be able to comprehend it."

Evadne quieted then, contemplating on something. Stars were not immortal, although they came close enough to it, and Evadne knew she would eventually die one day in a great explosion of heat and light. She did not fear this, but wondered nonetheless what that would be like. Where she would go after that. Her time was not up yet, but as the centuries and then millennia passed, her life very slowly slipped away in the great hourglass of time itself. It was something she had pondered for a very long time, her eventual death and what other celestial bodies she would take down with it when it happened.

It was as she was contemplating this, she became aware of a powerful presence of light. That and its polar opposite, darkness. But more so the light is what she felt, although very different from her own aura, so it couldn't be another Flameling. Curious now, she began to look around for the source of this sensation, for whoever it was was nearing closer and closer.

Blaze flipped his cowl up as he approached the campsite, and readjusted his sword again. He wasn't expecting a fight, but there have been many time people had attacked him for no reason other than having darkness in him. The Geomancer was current sleeping, but Blaze's presence made the world want to rise up, and reap vengeance on those who would seek to destroy it, so he expected it wouldn't last long.

Blaze made sure that his flames were not burning anything, and approached the Flameling, who was already aware of his presence.

"Hello, Flameling," Blaze said in Star-Speak, a language the only the Star could understand, "I am Blaze Enderman, the Bringer of Light. It is an honor to meet you. I have seen very few of your kind in all my years, and still your purity and light astound me."

Blaze knelt before the creature of light in respect. Blaze had retracted his aura as much as possible to try and keep his duality for causing confusion. He had no doubt that the Flameling and Geomancer could sense it, but too much of it can cause quite the headache.

The last time Blaze had seen a Flameling was on a planet very similar to this, a very long time ago. He couldn't remember exactly how long ago, but it was probably several billion years. Time had lost meaning to Blaze. Blaze had befriended that Flameling, and made many memories with them. The decended stars were one the few things that could come close to matching Blaze's lifespan, so Blaze allowed himself to befriend them.

Blaze couldn't quite put his finger on how powerful the Flameling was, but he guessed it was a moderately powerful one, judging by its aura and size.

The Geomancer was also a sight to see. Blaze could sense the world's energy flowing in and out of him, as if he was a part of it. Very rarely did anyone ever achieve this level of connectivity with their surroundings without making some sort of sacrifice.

Soon, a figure approached their campsite. The aura of both light and darkness was even stronger now, but not overwhelmingly so. Evadne sensed that the person was tempering their aura so as not to overwhelm them with it. Flamelings themselves had pretty strong auras as it were, although a lot of theirs did vary depending on their natural form's size in space.

It was then the person flipped up the hood on their cloak, and Evadne got a good look at the creature approaching them. It was a powerful spirit, one even older than her, albeit only by maybe a few dozen millennia or so. Green flames surrounded his head, his hands made of the same fiery green. It was certainly not a natural form of fire. Not only could the Star plainly see this, but more so she felt it. His skin was a dark purple, nearly ebony in color and she noticed his lack of a mouth.

There was a large weapon by his side, and she briefly glanced at it, frowning only slightly. No, she was not worried about the weapon, she was completely immune to any harmful effects from it as it glowed with the brilliance of lava itself. Evadne after all did not like or even approve of weapons of any ilk, although for this mission, she would make an exception. Their enemy would no doubt use whatever weaponry it could acquire, and their team needed to be as prepared as possible for the eventual onslaught to come. The creature before her was not a threat and he seemed to be quite friendly. Not surprising at all considering his nature, even if there was some darkness in him. However the light within him trumped any darkness that was present inside him, and it was this plus his amiable, respectful greeting toward her that made the Star trust him and extend her own greeting in turn.

Evadne was not that surprised at his knowing of Star-Speak, even though in all her life she had seen few beings quite like the one which stood before her now. She figured he had his ways of knowing such secrets of the stars, as the language was one known only by Stars and Flamelings themselves, and a few select others of similar nature. Smiling she said, also in Star-Speak, "And greetings to you as well, Blaze Enderman, the Bringer of Light. It is also an honor. My name is Evadne, a name I chose for myself eons ago and one in which I continue to use. My companion is currently in restful slumber, but please, join us if you would." She made to sit down again on a flat rock nearby and waited for the spirit to join them.

"It is not often I meet others similar to myself, whether they be Star or another light-being. It is a rare occurrence when it does happen, and also a joy."

Two things stirred Erin back to awareness. The first was an odd feeling in the air. He couldn't quite place it as he had never felt the world itself feel this way. Righteousness was the best word he could find to describe this feeling. It's like the world itself began to carry a sense of purpose, a holy mission of sorts. The second was the approach of a man, or at least the figure of a man. His movement through the air roused him as if someone had bumped into him on accident. Yet he did not move.

As was his usual habit he kept his breathing just as steady as it was while he slept and did not flex a muscle. Impulsive decisions were often unwise and sometimes deadly. He instead simply reached out into the air and observed the newcomer. His figure seemed humanoid, though there were some abnormalities, most notably the lack of a mouth. He could feel fire wreathing the creature. It was fire, but at the same time it was not. It felt unnatural, yet pure. He could tell he would have no influence over this flame as it was clearly different.

Evadne and the stranger began to speak in a tongue he did not understand. He recognized some of the sounds as being similar to her song earlier. Whatever the case the stranger did not seem poised to attack nor Evadne to defend. Erin decided he would lie in silence and wait while the two spoke. No one needed to know he had roused just yet.

Blaze rose and sat on a rock across Evadne. He could think of nothing of import to say, so he played with the fire instead, making it dance and spin. This was one of his favorite past times and could do it for hours without ever tiring of it. Also, he was observing the Flameling, trying to get a more accurate judge on her power and motives. Her aura was very present and calming,taking the edge off his natural unease of strangers. He felt that he could trust her, but would reserve his final judgement for later.

Blaze stopped playing with the fire and asked: "So what is your mission here? Are you just wondering like some, or do you have specific purpose here?"

Blaze was seeking to destroy a the evil that had cursed this world, a mission he had sworn to long ago, and would like all the help he could get. This was one of the strongest presences of darkness and hate he had felt in a long time.

Blazes eyed the Geomancer to see if he was awake, but he still seemed to be deeply absorbed in slumber. Must be a deep sleeper, Blaze thought and mentally shrugged again.

The earthbound Star was also observing Blaze as he observed her, but in a less discerning way and more out of curiosity and friendliness. She could tell he was a little wary of her though, studying her as if to find out what her motives and intentions were. Blue-black eyes gazed at him with the wisdom of the ages behind their intense depths, as she smiled at him before turning her attention to the fire in front of them. The fire itself did not really affect her, as she didn't need the warmth it provided. Her body exuded its own internal warmth, more than the average human's did, but nowhere near what it was in her natural form. The glow around her was a lot more evident in the dark night, fireflies flitting nearby the group looking like tiny dancing stars. She gazed up at the sky again briefly before turning to look back at him when he asked his question.

"As a matter of fact, my companion and I are on a mission to save this world from a dark force that seeks to destroy it. Unfortunately, we both had met the abomination some ways back in a small town near here. It had killed all the tavern patrons, save for us two." Evadne became saddened once more, her light dimming as she thought of all those lost, poor souls. They did not deserve to die like that. It wasn't their time... A tear slowly formed in one eye, before dropping down to the ground, yet it was not a normal tear. It gave off both warmth and a yellow light as it hit the ground, sparkling before fading out completely as it became one with the earth beneath.

The Flameling looked back up at the other fiery being. "We seek allies to help us in this cause. Erin here has volunteered himself for this quest, of which I am most grateful. However, the more of us there are on our side, the better this world's chances of survival. I will not see another world and its people obliterated, as it did with the last one. They never stood a chance..." she whispered. Another tear formed in her eye and fell just like the last one did, yet this one sparked a tiny bit of flame on the ground, but was quickly put out by the dirt around it.

Her resolve strengthened as her eyes became ablaze in determination, the glow around her brightening to becoming almost blinding. "It won't happen again. I am here to make sure of it."

The entire inn. On a night like this, that would be around twenty or thirty people, maybe more. Thirty souls, devoured by evil. The death of so many, and Evadne's tears made his flames burn hotter with his anger. Breifly he lost his concentration on keeping his aura in check, and it flared wildly. The weird grey light mixed with Evadne pure light, causing bright spots or holy power to flicker in and out of existence. The rock under him glowed bright red, and the grass scorched around it. The air seemed to quiver in rage as Blaze's temper roared.

Blaze realized what he had done and quickly recalled the light he had made, putting a stricter hold on it. The rock stopped glowing and his flames died down as his temper was reeled back in.

After a few more seconds, He trusted himself to speak again.

"I seek the darkness as well, and aim to end it. I will gladly join your cause, Evadne," He said softly. He was embarrassed that he had lost his temper in front of the creature of pure light, and exposing his true identity. He tried hard to suppress the darkness in him, because every time he let it loose, the farther he spiraled into it. Blaze had more Darkness in him than he liked to admit, and rarely did to himself.

His temper was not the darkness being released, but it could lead to it. But the Flameling's calming light calmed him down much more quickly then usual, and his flames returned to their normal state as the last bit of rage was replaced by determination, determination to rid this world of evil.

Evadne's determination matched Blaze's temper in its intensity at that moment. The Star promised herself she would do everything in her power to stop the vileness that was out there. Not knowing what the end results would be, but try she would. She would never forgive herself if she did not.

She was only mildly alarmed at the surge of darkness that she felt coming from the other being, but it did not entirely surprise her. Evadne knew it was there after all. Many beings and peoples, save for stars, angels and some others, all possessed some darkness in them. It was a normal thing she had learned, both while in her timeless home of beauty while watching the life below her live and die as the years passed, and while traveling to many different worlds in her current form. What mattered in the end was how they chose to deal with that darkness, whether they found a way to tame and accept it, or let it utterly consume them in its entirety. That is what ultimately determined one's character in the long-run.

Some peoples, humans especially had more of this darkness in them than others, but truly evil beings were normally spawned from a place of such vile negative energies and heaviness, so much so it was overwhelming. Some mortals called it Hell, some referred to it as Purgatory, others as Oblivion or Limbo. One world she had been to even called it 'Ahavah Negeden' otherwise known as 'The Opposite of Love'. And it was everything that Evadne was not. There were few beings of this sort that the Flameling had met, as she tried her best to stay away from such sorts whenever she could.

Memories of an earlier time on the world of Gaia flooded her mind as she recalled the dark necromancer demoncraft wielder she had come across. He had wanted her heart, the heart of a Star so he could gain certain powers and longevity that were not meant to be his. He tampered with forces he shouldn't have. Evadne recalled his attempts at such, and the poor villagers who had suffered for it when she refused to obey. Reluctantly, she had gone with him so no more would be hurt. It was a trying time and the Star did not remember those moments fondly at all for he had almost won. After that, she had taken to the sky again, to return home as she wished not to stay any longer there.

Sighing heavily, she smiled at the other fire being as he said he would gladly join their cause, as he too sought to end its reign of terror. "I am glad." she said, still smiling. She was relieved as well, for he would prove to be a powerful ally. And they needed all the help they could get. This world was counting on their success, the very earth and sky spoke so in quiet murmurs of hope and need.

Evadne closed her eyes then, a moment of peace that she spent in Star-Prayer, before she opened her eyes again.

Blaze poked at the fire with his hands, deep in thought. They needed a plan if they were to succeed in this quest. Blaze had  taken down many evil creatures, but he had seen few creatures so full of hatred and darkness as the one he had sensed earlier. Because of that, he was glad that he, Evadne, and the Geomancer all shared the same goal: defeating this thing would not be easy alone.

"Where are we heading, and what for?" Blaze asked, still playing with the coals of the now dying fire. He whispered a word and the fire flared again.

Evadne told Blaze the same thing she had told Erin.

"We are traveling to the home of a friend of mine. He is a half-celestial with the name of Geldin, although I am deeply saddened to say he has not been seen in some time. Still, I would go there to see if there has been any change in his whereabouts, along with the hopes that there could be something of use at his residence that may help us out. Geldin has been known to collect various written tales and other things of interest, some of which may very well point out a clue as to exactly what manner of monstrosity we are facing. And if that avenue bears no fruit, there is another route we can and shall take. In the large city of Dunberg which is two days travel from here, exists a great library. It has one of the largest collections of books to be found in this part of the world. Perhaps there we may find some answers. However, I wish to visit Geldin's home first as it is closer to our current location, and so would make the most sense to travel there before doing anything else. If neither of these two locales work in our favor, I suppose we could simply ask around as such a vile being could not have gone far without someone noticing something amiss."

The Flameling paused here, thinking. Her worry for Geldin was something that had troubled her for awhile now. She was puzzled as to what could have happened to him, and hoped he was alright wherever he was. His friends had mentioned he had been gone for nearly one full Earth year now, one more month and it would be. Utilizing Star-Prayer had not yielded any helpful answers either. While that ability could be used to gain certain insights into things, it was not guaranteed to reveal everything. Once more, Evadne's concern showed on her face but she tried to remain hopeful that he would return soon even though eleven months was a long time to be gone for most. It was too soon to begin fearing the worst. At least not until she had more to go on.

Glancing at her sleeping companion momentarily, Evadne wondered if he would awaken soon. She was about to turn her attention back to Blaze when movement from high above caught her attention then. Looking up, she noticed a star trailing across the sky in a bright flash of light, before it quickly vanished off into the distance. It was another Star descending to earthbound form, yet its destination was not this world, but another. Evadne could tell that much at least. Smiling at this for a couple seconds, she then refocused on the other light being sitting across from her.

"I trust that this is a sufficient plan for the time being?"

                           ***

Far off, many miles away in the depths of an underground complex, the abomination dwelt here as it too planned out its moves. It had already acquired a decent amount of allies, although they were weaker in power, but it could always use more. And more it would have.

Cackling evilly, the sentient darkness continued inscribing powerful runes of destruction onto the stone floor in blood. These same runes would need to be done in all major parts of the world. Once it had found at least one more ally to aid in its plans, the ultimate ritual would commence as each demonic presence would channel their dark magics into the symbols, beginning the end of the world itself as the being of darkness had done so many times before.

The effects would first include a minor trembling of the earth's foundation, before a storm unlike any the world has ever seen before would ensue. After that, it was party time as the earth would then start to break apart, bit by bit before erupting into a huge colossal explosion, killing everything on the planet before the planet itself would die immediately afterward. Its allies were busy collecting the necessary ingredients that were needed to pull this off. It would be easy enough to accomplish, just like all the other times. Of course by that time, the abomination and its fellow allies would be long gone.

The Star would not win, it was sure of that. Anything that meddling light-being would try would not work. It had eyes and ears just about everywhere, some nearing its foes' current location even now as it worked to fulfill its devious goals. While there was only one way it knew of to kill a Star, that was not its goal at this time. Perhaps later it could acquire that power after all was said and done...

After a short period of time Erin had allowed himself to drift off to sleep. He sensed no hostility from the newcomer and no wariness from Evadne. If she trusted this man, whomever he was, he could as well for the time being. Besides, being a mortal, he needed his rest. He awoke early the next morning unsurprisingly to see Evadne and the stranger already awake. He wondered if either of them even rested at all. To call the newcomer odd would be a great understatement. At least the villain and Evadne had looked mostly human in their figures. The creature still held the shape of a man, but his features were so clearly different upon any close examination.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting" Erin said as he rose, "Who is this? He asked gesturing towards the strange man wreathed in flame." Erin felt no fear, though that was normal, but he also felt no wariness, which was not. It might be a result of Evadne's presence, as she had a very calming affect on him and she seemed undisturbed by his presence, but it also might have been the creature's aura itself. Aura might not be the right word, but the air felt strong and steady. It was a faint feeling as few feelings ever penetrated the Earth which was calm by its very nature, but the fact that he could sense it at all was no small feat. The feeling he got was one of righteousness and contained no malice. Whatever the case, he did not think this man posed any danger, at least not presently.

Blaze stood and bowed to the man. "I am Blaze Enderman, Bringer of Light," Blaze said, switching back to the common language, "Sorry for not explaining this earlier, but I did not wish to explain it twice. I am a spirit of sorts, but more primeval. As I'm sure you can tell, I am made of almost equal parts darkness and Light, A remnant of my creation. I am called the bringer of Light, because I forge the path for Light to enter, I am on a quest to rid this world of evil, a goal that we seem to share. Am what would your name be, Geomancer?"

Blaze Noted the blind eyes of the man, and how, even awake, his soul was deeply connected to the Earth, making the two almost indistinguishable. In order to gain his powers, he must have given his eyesight, a hefty price.

"My name is Erin Arrafel" Erin replied. A spirit and a star. By comparison he seemed so small an insignificant. While he was sure his powers would be useful, standing next to ancient creatures who would outlive him hundreds if not thousands of times over was daunting. "I am a mortal of this world and I would like to protect it." he said.

Erin hadn't yet thought why he was seeking to protect the world, it was simply an impulse. He had made the decision to follow Evadne as if the correct choice was so obvious it didn't need thought. He wasn't fighting for justice, light, truth, righteousness, or any other lofty ideals. It wasn't the need for survival that drove him. It wasn't his attachment to the world that pushed him to fight. As much as he searched, he really couldn't find a reason. It was more of an instinct. There was a need and he filled it. He had strength so he decided to use it. He decided to stand against the evil he saw just as a mountain chooses to stand against the wind and the rain. It wasn't so much a choice as it was simply how things were meant to be. Perhaps his connection to the world had influenced him more than he had once thought and was currently moving him to act. Whatever the case, the choice is and was clear, he would follow Blaze and Evadne and lend aid however he could.

"Shall we continue on our journey?" Evadne asked with an amiable smile.

The determination within her was just as strong as ever though, but it wasn't due to a sense of righteousness or justice. It was simply the inherent need to see everything flourish and to be a guiding force for life everywhere. That all life no matter what form it took, was beautiful and therefore it needed to be protected. It was just as much an instinct for Evadne as it was for Erin, although perhaps the reasons were a bit different. In any case they were in this together, all three of them. With their combined force, that hopefully should be enough to take down this abomination which threatened the planet. While the Flameling was still hoping for more allies, she was now that much more reassured with the new addition to their small group. She was grateful to both of them, no matter their individual motives.

As they began to move, it was then the Star caught a sense of something coming their way. Something dark and no doubt, vile. It wasn't the abomination itself though, but something far weaker. Perhaps it was a minion of it, one of many. Whatever the creature was, it stayed just out of reach of their line of sight, but Evadne could feel it at the edges of her consciousness, like a shadow trying to worm its way into a pool of light but not risk getting too close either. The dark thing she sensed could just be a spy or scout of some kind, trying to get information on their whereabouts, which made total sense. No doubt Blaze could also detect whatever it was, as maybe Erin could as well.

The Star stopped, just reaching out with her senses as much as she dared. "Something approaches, be on your guard." she warned the other two.

Erin focused and became one with the earth and the air when he heard Evadne's words. While he could easily sense everything in his immediate proximity using his abilities, the lack of sight limited the range of his senses. Things which other creatures could see from great distances he could only see when they were a stone's throw away unless he knew exactly which direction to look in. It was a weakness to be sure, but he had more than enough strength to make up for it.

As he focused his breathing and his heartbeat grew steady and his mind grew silent. He was no longer Erin, he was the wind snaking through the grass, and the ground holding steady beneath it. The air coiled around Erin's body, flowing around him as a gentle breeze, but it did not pass him by. It began to compress itself as it meandered down towards the palms of his hands. It was as if he wore a soft veil of invisible cloth woven out of the air itself. It took time to collect as the breeze swirled around him, but if released in an instant it would make a powerful weapon. Erin held onto the air and waited, though not sure for what.

It retreated his consciousness from the area as Evnade sensed him. He was weak in that form. He rose up, defying gravity, shifting from laying on his back to standing up by only shifting the way he existed in this plane of existence. He could hear the master's call, from far above. The Great Elder ones weren't happy about the way things were slowing down since he arrived in Leera'na. "Mare wantsss to pleaze the masterz, jussst give him a chanssse to make thingz right..." he pleaded for atop of his lungs.

Anghenfil had waited for them. They were three now, that despicable star-child, the blind men and someone new. It felt like he knew the presence... Who cared!? He was about the eat them and nothing could stop him.
     He walked out the cavern casually, crushing the bones of the dragon that rest there before. He ate it, it was tastier then humans at least.

"I am alwayz watching you, Ssstar child!! Alwayz!" He yelled in the wind, making his infernal voice echo through the world. As his voice went further and further, the forest grew grimmer. The trees were slowly dying, their leaves falling to the ground. The grass turned gray and the sky instantly got covered by a thick layer of clouds. Lightning struck around the beast as it laughed uncontrollably.

As Erin prepared his magic, funneling it into a weapon so he would not be defenseless in case whatever it was decided to strike, that was when Evadne became aware of two things then.

The first and foremost was the nefarious voice which echoed through her mind like sludge through clear spring water, obviously taunting her from afar. The Star frowned at this, when she also noticed the green of the meadows and valley they were traveling through started to darken as the grass wilted, the flowers curling up and dying. The effects however seemed to reach even further than that, all the way to the nearby woods which bordered two sides of the valley, one of which was the direction they were headed in to get to where they were going. The being of light hoped they would not come upon a dead forest but it seemed that that would be the likely scenario here. And she was also worried about how Erin would react, being as he was deeply a part of the very earth's consciousness and soul.

And if all that weren't bad enough, Evadne became mindful of yet three more presences that were out of sight, weak ones at that, again just leaning on the very edges of her awareness. They seemed to be coming from three separate directions, the north, the south and the east, the latter the direction they were heading towards. However a small reprieve had been given, and that was the first evil presence seemed to have vanished as the Star could no longer detect it anymore. But that was such a tiny, minuscule thing which no doubt became overshadowed by all the negativity that decided to make itself known. It was safe to say the evil being was moving onto the next step of its despicable quest as the sky overhead continued to darken, the beginnings of a storm approaching. They had to hurry.

Utilizing her Star-Song ability, Evadne sang a little to help uplift her two fellow companions and inspire confidence into their very selves. However, while the ethereal song would no doubt have the opposite effect on those they were up against, said vileness was too far out of her range for that to happen just yet. It would only be a matter of time before their group would all need to channel every last bit of strength they had in order to fight and ultimately, save the world from destruction.

Blaze drew his sword in response to Evadne's warning, the Blade igniting with an orange lava glow. He saw Erin focusing his power, the wind twisting around him. Blaze Looked around, taking in the landscape around him. This was a poor place to fight: They had the low ground, with trees all around them. He could barely sense the three darknesses, but the effect it had was obvious: the grass was wilting and the trees dying. Blaze tightened the grip on his sword, the fimiliar grip molding to his hands.

"Things are about to get messy," Blaze said,"We need to try and get to higher ground before the darkness reaches us. I hope you both are ready."

Blaze's voice was dead serious, and taunt as a bowstring. Gone was his usual more warm attitude from before, now he was deadly and fierce, his mind devoted to analyzing the situation at hand, and averting possible tragedies. From what he could tell, the creatures weren't extremely powerful, but were not to underestimated: they were probably armed to the teeth.

There was a dark peddle in his pocket, one that he could focus a spell through, but that would have to wait until the evil was closer. Blaze's flames burned hotter as he focused.

Erin felt the world dying around him. He felt it deep within his soul. As the ground grew coarse and the trees decayed he felt as if he himself were dying. The ocean of calm that anchored him was now polluted. Rage, sorrow, and desperation flooded into his mind. He became to tremble ever so slightly as his hold on the world flickered. The soft cloth of air he had woven around himself began to vibrate as the despair ate at his mind. Wind began to swirl around him as he struggled to maintain control. The ground beneath his feat began to shake as Erin fell to his knees. His usual composed face began to contort and grimace as he muscles tensed. Erin clasped his hands to his head and stifled and groan.

He felt it all. Every branch that withered, every blade of grass dying, every insect shriveling up resounded in his mind. He could hear their voices, their souls as clearly as if they were his own. They pounded against his mind. His soul was being picked clean just like the world around him. The wind whirled around him even stronger and the earth began to tremble more. Never before had he felt this desolation, this destruction. He had felt loss of life before, but never everything at once.

Inside there was a struggle for control. His calm ocean was now a storm and he was struggling to stay afloat. He battled the wind and the waves as he fought to find the calm that usually anchored him to the world, though there was so little of it to be found. He fought to accept the bitter reality of the world though it tore at his mind. See the world...see past it. he thought. Chanting the words he held dear Erin made a push for control. The death in his mind could only rule him if he let it. "See the world for what it is...Accept it. ACCEPT IT!!!" He shouted but the storm threatened to devour him still.

Evadne was very much aware of Erin's struggle for control. After all, how could she not be? As the earth trembled and shook around them and the violent wind continued to storm around her despairing companion, Evadne softly began to sing to the world using Star-Song. She sang to the dying trees, the withered grass, and the shriveled bugs. She sang to the gray skies, the wilted flowers and plants, the very air itself. She sang to it all, pouring as much comfort and solace into her tune as much as she was able, a certain sense of serenity now beginning to envelop the land.

The Star sang her ethereal song of light to both mend and console, the earth starting to respond in kind to the beauty of it all. It penetrated deep into the earth, not necessarily healing it completely, but paving the way for that to happen. The earth hummed in response as it took what solace it was given, soaking up the energies like a dying plant struggling to move its leaves and stems upward to reach the light of the sun.

Ever so slowly, the earth became calm once more and hopefully with it, the Geomancer's conflicts would also cease. The earth was still dying and barren but now it had a certain light and energy infused into it that it didn't have before. Since Erin's connection to the earth around them determined his ability to fight, Evadne took it upon herself to ease the ache the darkness had left in its wake. And she hoped this would be enough. For even as she strove to help, the dark forces were getting closer and closer with each breath, each passing second. They needed to be ready for whatever came next.

Evadne's aura flared more brightly then, as she prepared another ability of hers to counteract the coming evil. Soon they would be here. There wasn't time to get to higher ground, despite Blaze's warning. They would have to make do with what they had. And Evadne prayed it would be enough.

Blaze quickly realized they wouldn't have time to retreat to higher ground, so he whispered a word, and the Blazing blade transformed into a magnificent bow, the same color as the blade before. He pulled back on the sting, and a arrow of fire appeared. Blaze pointed straight up, and released, the projectile soaring out of sight. A few seconds later it burst in a spectral burst of color, and a serpent of flame soared down,coiling around Blaze's neck.

Blaze's familiar, Caleo, was basically a sentry, and will attack any hostile that gets too close. He can only be present in this plain for a limited time though, and Blaze's contract with him forbade him from summoning him more that once a month, which is why Blaze hardly ever summoned him.

Blaze also released his hold on his aura, deciding that it would be most beneficial for them all to have a little vengeance instilled in them. HE wanted to punish those who had harmed this land, and caused his friends so much turmoil. His wrath came to full power, making Caleo and his flame pulsate with power. He wasn't paying attention to it, but the weird light reacted violently with Evadne's light, similarly to how it had previously, but more intensely.

"They will be here in a few more seconds," Blaze said, readying another arrow. "We will reap justice on those who have done this to this land. We will make them pay!"

Blaze had a spell woven into his voice, designed to inspire confidence in those around him. Absently, he realized that he was using a lot of power, but put that out of his mind: what was more important was their survival.

Why does a storm rage? Why does the wind blow? Why does water flow? What causes a mountain to stand firm? Simply because that is the way the world is. The wind doesn't choose it's direction, nor does it get frustrated when it's path is interrupted. A mountain isn't afraid of crumbling and a stream doesn't worry about where it will go. The Earth does as it wills how it wills without feeling. To be one with the Earth and the Air is to share in that directive. The water accepts the obstacle and moves. The mountain accepts it's fate and crumbles. The air accepts it's fate and changes course. There is no room for fear, doubt, or question, only calm and action.

Erin knew this, he knew in order to control he had to first let go. He had to lose his fear, his despair, his confidence, his joy. He had to let go of sorrow, rage, greed, and justice. Everything must be another word lost in the air. He would fight because it must be so. He would guide the elements, because that is what must be. However, he was still young and inexperienced and the emotions that poured forth from the world threatened to uproot him as a storm would a tree with shallow roots. He knew he had to let go, but the despair clung to him. Yet, through all the noise, he could hear Evadne's voice.

The emotions that were a hurricane quieted until they were simply a light storm. The waves that threatened to swallow him calmed. The feelings were not gone, but they were once again manageable. Erin gasped for air and slowly began to steady his breathing as the air swirling around him began to calm, and the Earth grew quiet. As his breathing steadied he worked to relax the muscles he had been tightening reflexively and started to let his soul mingle fully with the world once more. The sorrow bit at him like an icy wind but numb to the pain he moved forward. The cold of the world threatened to sap his strength but still he moved on. The world moaned, cried out, and threatened to pull him under, but this time he held firm. The calm that was torn from him he had found once more.

Erin stood up slowly and gracefully as if nothing had happen, his face was blank and expressionless revealing neither fear, hate, or guilt, but looking closely you could see one emotion hiding in the back of his mind. He felt rage. All the sorrow, despair, hurt, and torment had boiled down to a pit of anger that seethed in the back of his mind. While it didn't have any root in his actions as of yet, it spoke to him making him want vengeance upon the enemy that would tear the world apart like this.

Quietly he moved towards the nearest tree and reached out feeling the wilted branches, the shriveled leaves, and flaking bark. "I'm sorry, but I will not let your death be in vain" he whispered as he slid his hand down the bark of the tree. Air rushed forth underneath his palm igniting a streak of fire down the bark of the. Erin immediately became one with the flame and he lept from branch to branch of the tree and began to consume it while it the same time he was the flow of water inside the tree which he began to extract from the trunk. The tree was consumed by the fire with an unnatural speed as he guided it carefully. No heat was wasted or lost to the air as it would be without his guidance. The fire left the charcoal remains of the tree and wreathed itself around Erin. He wore the fire condensed and brilliant as a cloak. It did not emit any heat as he did not allow it to, just as the air compressed around his body did not emit any wind or pressure. He was the flame that would consume the land and purify it. He was the wind that would scatter the ashes. He was the earth that would absorb the ashes and become fertile once more. Those that stood in his path had to be prepared to fight with the land itself.

Erin had found his inner calm once more, Evadne knew this to be true. While Erin did his best to control his breathing, adorning himself with a cloak of fire as his weapon, Blaze summoned a fiery serpent to this world and let his aura come alive with an increased sense of justice, as he too prepared for the oncoming battle. Evadne's own powerful aura grew brighter and brighter with immense heat as she channeled the might of the stars within her being.

While Blaze's aura and spell did have an effect on Evadne, it instead took the form of determination and hope, of a certainty that light would win out over all darkness. Vengeance was not an emotion that a star really felt, but determination was a different story altogether. Regardless of what form it took, the Flameling's willpower shone brighter than ever before, her eyes reflecting both fire and light, as well as certainty and calm.

And then the enemy arrived. They came from three different directions, all heavily armed and armored with weapons forged of black steel, sharp and deadly, burning with unholy fire and choking shadows. One of the enemies wielded a scythe dripping with acid, a strange combination of a green and magenta color. It was most obviously of demonic make, no doubt.

One opened its dark maw and let spew forth a noxious cloud of vaporous gas which quickly surrounded the trio, making the air around it hard to breathe as well as limiting vision. Evadne did not really suffer the effects of the toxic air much, but it did make for difficulty seeing. She could simply burn away the gas with her abilities, but did not wish to expend too much power too quickly though. Besides the fact she needed more clearance so as not to hit her allies accidentally. While Blaze may not be affected by such, Erin would, being human.

Each of the three enemies went to attack each one of their little group, the one with the scythe going after Blaze and the one with a sword of demonic fire went after Erin. The one with a sword of black shadows chose Evadne as its target.

Focusing her power, Evadne let bolts of fiery light project themselves out of each eye, coming together before it hit the enemy into a single line of force. It struck the one heading towards her, and the creature screeched in agony as the single bolt hit it in full. While it was gravely wounded it was not dead, and even as she prepared herself to face whatever came next, the minor demon cast a spell on itself to temporarily deflect any more attacks its way, but it would only last a few short minutes.

Evadne took this time to weave her Star-Song around the area, simultaneously inspiring confidence on their side while terror would befall their foes. It worked on the one targeting Erin, it running away in fear just before it reached her comrade. The others however stood firm in their stance and continued their forward momentum.

Blaze made a split-second decision, and ordered Caleo to help Erin, and follow any instruction that he gives. Blaze hoped that Erin may be able to feed his cloak of Flames with Caleo's power. Evadne's eerie song drifted through the air, causing the attackers to flinch, and one to flee. Blaze narrowed his eyes and loosed another arrow, the fiery shaft streaking through the air, and planting itself right at the base of the creatures neck. There is only one thing that Blaze hates as much as evil, and that's cowards.

Then, he pointed at the ground in front of the attackers, and whispered several ancient words, a spell to melt the earth. He couldn't melt the ground under them due to an infuriating curse they had woven, but he melted a huge swath ahead of them, making it so they would have to go around it. Blaze Could see the dark glittering shell the demon had cast around himself and curse quietly in Dwarfish. He would be able to cut through it with Blazing Blade, but that would be the last amount of power he had.  He muttered another word, and the fiery bow shifted back into Blazing Blade.

Finally, he made a decision.

With a blink of emerald light, Blaze teleported behind the shielded demon, and sliced the glimmering shell, splintering into into many shards. He wasn't expecting the demon to turn as quickly as it did, and its blade pierced his shoulder. Blaze grabbed the blade, and blinked again, back next to Evadne. Green, boiling blood leaked out of his wound, splattering the ground and smoking. But the demonic blade was still in his hand.

"I'm done for a while, or at least until i can absorb enough power to cast spells again. But one of them no longer has its weapon, " Blaze said, careful not to let the strain leaking into the voice. This wound was not, by far, the worst he had endured, but it still hurt. " I will provide ranged support, but i can no longer cast spell."

Blaze's power was nearly infinite, but if he used it as quickly as he had now, it leaves him fatigued. He could, if needed, use even more power, but then he risked letting his true natures out, and that would destroy them all. Blaze hoped that Erin could find a way to circumnavigate the poison filling the air; it would be very toxic to humans.

Erin had lost all sense of self by now. He was the fire, the earth, and the air. He did not make decisions, things merely happened as they were meant to. In this state his senses were far sharper than most other creatures, though he was sometimes difficult to reason with. He could feel the air being poisoned by one of the demons. He could feel it's corruption eating at his body, yet using his powers he filtered clean air into his lungs. While the plague did not manage to mar Erin's body, it did divide his concentration slightly. The real problem was his vision. He used the air to see and as it was polluted his vision blurred.

Erin raised his arms out to his sides slightly, palms up and briefly released his hold on his woven cloth of air. A burst of violent wind was released in all directions taking with it the noxious fumes in the area. About half of the air he had compressed was consumed in process. While unfortunate, it was far better than being unable to see his opponents clearly.

These demons, or whatever they were had made one grave mistake, they had allowed Erin time to prepare his defenses and they would pay sorely for that. In an instant Erin sized up his opponents. One was gravely injured by Evadne, one had a serious injury dealt by blaze, and the other had his defenses torn down by Blaze as well. Erin charged towards the demon that had lost it's shield with inhuman speed. The air parted ways to allow him to move swiftly and the earth itself pushed him forward upon every step.

The demon steadied itself upon noticing Erin's advance. He raised his sword ready to strike the moment Erin was in range. As Erin closed in the earth shifted underneath the demons feet and an invisible force of air pushed him backwards while another forced locked his legs for an instant. Few realize before it's too late that when facing a geomancer they are always flanked and vulnerable. The demon tumbled backward as Erin lunged forward. Bringing both palms forward Erin put his wrists together and thrust downwards at the demons chest. An explosion of wind and fire roared downward while at the same time the earth beneath him lept upwards forming spikes. The wind and fire ripped apart at the creatures torso as it was impaled upon the earth below. It's death was so swift that it barely had time to release a tortured scream.

As Evadne's attack had made clear, these creatures were very resilient so Erin made sure to go all out from the start. Wasting no time Erin charged towards the other demon Blaze had left injured. Blaze's flaming serpent had caught up to Erin by this time and while there wasn't any direct communication he got the feeling it was there to offer aid. As Erin approached the second demon it had finally regained it's senses from Evadne's attack. Erin knew he couldn't surprise it the way he did the other demon, but he was exceptional when it came to close quarters combat. The closer he was to something the more keen his perceptions were. He could feel every muscle, every subtle movement the demon made. As the scythe came down for it's attack Erin pushed lightly with air to redirect it's motion and duck under the swing. Feeding off the flame's off the flames of Blaze's familiar Erin took both hands and slid them across the the demons chest releasing the remainder of his air and igniting the demon's body while pouring the flames from his cloak and the serpent onto the creature.

Erin quickly backed off while focusing on the fire. He fed the fire air while guiding and containing it around the beast. The blaze ate at the demon's fleshed with incredibly speed as the creature howled and ran, desperately trying to break free of the flames. As it realized that it's fate was sealed it charged Erin but it's muscles were already burnt to a crisp and the creature fell clawing at the ground towards Erin before finally succumbing to death.

That left one more demon to kill. Moving swiftly over the lava-covered ground, as Evadne could not be hurt by such therefore she had a direct path to the last enemy standing. It seemed to lose some of its courage as it saw its comrades fall around it, but no less continued to fight.

Letting out another cloud of toxic gas, the demon made to attack Evadne then with its weapon. As she was far enough away from Erin to avoid accidentally hurting him, Evadne unleashed a wave of starlight around her being, the powerful flames and bright celestial light instantly reducing the creature to nothing but burning cinders which quickly died out, the demon's weapon clattering to the ground with its fall before it too disintegrated into nothing. The gas had also dispersed, burnt away by the sheer amount of power Evadne had used, making the air clear and clean once more.

Now that all the foes were no more, Evadne stopped then and turned back to her companions. "That was only the first wave, and by no means the most powerful we will come up against. These ones were rather weak, but I fear this will only get more difficult as time passes. I suggest we all get what rest we are able to before we continue on."

While the Flameling had not used all of her power during the battle, she had used a good amount of it, so activating Star-Prayer was a necessary thing to do before they moved onward with their journey. She had a feeling these enemies they had just fought were only a ploy to simply test their combined might before the real danger would finally arrive. And no doubt it would eventually. And it of course would be only a distraction to stop them from interrupting the devastating ritual that would completely tear the world asunder. Evadne had seen this happen from space, she knew what it was the darkness was trying to do. This time though, it would not win.

The Star told her companions all this, so they were all on the same page here. "While this ritual will take place in many locations, our goal is to stop the main power source that fuels it all, feeding all the others the dark energies that will course through the lands. We may need to split up at some point, one or two of us to deal with the diversion, while the rest of us will have to find a way to stop this ritual from commencing. Otherwise all will be lost."

Evadne sighed, but was still very much determined to do everything in her power to help. "While it is unwise to separate us from one another, it may very well come to that. I just pray that we will prevail and that this madness is stopped. If we cannot destroy the darkness directly, we can at least banish it back to the void from which it came."