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Shale's Prison
Topic Started: Mar 15 2006, 09:29 PM (890 Views)
queen_gwenefiere
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Beyond the heavy gates of the inner ante-chamber, where three wolven gaurds stood watch, the air was a bit brighter and cleaner. Menacing figures of all sorts lingered here and there, staring with eyes of rapture of the new guests. Many knew who she was, creating a line of sorts behind them. She just wanted to get to Shale's office and have him go to check the lower cells. To his door, finally, she knocked, the heavy planks reverbrating deeply through the small hallway. A small voice echoed from with in and soon the latch sounded and the door opened. A wolf gaurd stood before them, peering omniously out into the hallway.

"Chan I 'elp you?" His accent spoke of the Dhenn Isles, Draginf forth a little pride for her accomplishment of befriending the King there.

"Yes, I need to speak to Shall, Tell him the Queen is here." It irritated her though that he did not recognize her, it was more than likely that this creature thought her a legend. It's eyes buldged and it reeled backwards, pulling the door with it. Finally catching it's balance, it bowed a little and said nothing more.

She guided Alain through the great chamber of Shales personal office, to his true office, shich was well below the prison. Remembering the trip, she pulled the lock, and pressed a button, which alarmed Shale far below, that he had a visitor. He was the most odd of creatures that roamed Ombra Di Notta, But he was by far one of the most intelligent in Aronia. The door slid open and she moved through it, peering back at Alain.

"Don't worry, Shale is a good seed. You will like him, Your suite will draw his attention in a very large way." She smiled and stepped down the first stairs of the long stair well.

It took about fifteen minutes to get to the bottom, where they were greeted by a metal door and another of the buzzer buttons. Below this stood a huge age old keypad with several numerals on them that were of another language. Gwen pressed the buzzer, the menacing boom of the turbines was close, almost overpowering all else. It took a couple minutes but the door finaly creaked open, and there stood Shale. He was a creature that swore to be alf dragon, half giant. His body was human like, but his head turned to scales at the neck, and the only thing not dragon from there up were his beautiful yellow eyes. Seeing her, a smile melted his tired face and they embraced. She pulled away after a moment and turned to Alain.

"Alain, This is General Shale, Shale, Alain.." She smiled briskly, waiting for access inside, so they could speak of the Shock.
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Alain
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Alain walked in after Gwen, resting the rifle on his shoulder as he walked, though he stopped, in mild shock, seeing the dragon man. He was huge - easily as big as Alain, even in the armor, if not bigger. And his head... a dragon... well this was something you don't see every day.

Shale looked at Alain in just as much surprise, and walked over to him.

"My queen, is this a new sort of golem? Well made... but what is the odd weapon it carries?"

he reached out with a claw to scratch at the armor, but Alain locked his hand around the creature's wrist, and the helmet split and pulled back to reveal his face, looking sternly at the general.

"No. No scratching the paint. Well... okay there's no paint. Still. No."

Shale blinked a few times, then laughed, seeing the human's head protruding from the body of the golem.

"Amazing, making a suit of armor out of a golem? Might make this human worth something in a battle, that'd be a switch."

Alain released his wrist as the general pulled, and took his rifle off his shoulder, clasping a hand around the stock near the barrel, and grinned slightly.

"Oh, is that how you see it? Well sometime I'll have to show you just how much I AM worth in a fight. And it's not a golem, it's a mechanical suit. To put it very, very simply."

"Well I would love to see that. And Oh, I'm sorry, Sir Science."

"Ha, ha."

The two stared each other down for a few moments, both stern, sapphire vs. gold, and finally both broke into a smile, and then they looked to gwen again.

"Okay, so you were right. He's fine."

"Oh, thanks, kid. So, my queen, where'd you pick this one up?"

ooc: Thought I would get a head start playing ol general shale ^_^
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queen_gwenefiere
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Gwenefiere watched in glory as the two aquainted themselves. They were two very different characters, but they both had alot in common. She liked to consider the beast like her Grandfather. He had been on of her fathers creations...eight thousand years ago. Not once had he died, battle after battle. It was an amazement for her. Stepping into his office, she made her way to one of the smaller chairs that sat infron of the enormous red-wood table, that was littered with old parchment rolls and pens. Several small items held a crown at the head of the desk, which the queen admired. One seemed to be like the picture box that Alain held, but it was much much thicker, and had a speaker on it. A thin bunching of wires ran from it's thin end underneath the piles of papers and to some unknown place beyond that. She grinned and looked to the two men, waiting for them to sit also. Once they finaly mad it ovre, she motioned Alain to sit in the chair beside her and laid a frail hand upon his arm. Shale sat in the High backed chair behind and crossed his fingers before him, almost professor like.

"Tis so good to see you Norelan. Has been ages. She smiled sweetly at him and continued. "I know you felt the shock today though and that is what I have come to discuss." Taking a deep breath she looked to Alain, hearing bits of his thoughts. She knew Shale noticed that, he noticed everything. He would probably say something to her later. Remembering Shales question, she jumpred back on the topic for a moment.

"Your guess is as good as mine, he crossed from Earth, I didn't know there was much left there..." She looked sideways at her friend. "I'm not sure if it was another version, or from the past. We'll Discuss it at the feast on the second of Freyja." Returning her thoughts to the Shock. "But the shock in the Oourze. I have a slight reason to believe that it could have been from in here...from the lower level cells." She was not sure, but she would leave no room for unsurity. "I have to go to the castle and search, but I will, well, we..." She grinned this time at Alain. "Will come with you. We must then go to the castle and check..." Waiting for his reply she sat back, and tightened her grip on Alain's arm.
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Alain
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As she walked away, Alain and Shale exchanged glances, both very reminded of something in the other, but for reasons neither could explain. They followed her, and Alain sat where she showed him, smiling a little at her hand on his arm. he caught bits and pieces of thoughts again... that oddest of feelings... Shale watched, and almost smiled. Impulsive of her, but the human was likable, he had to admit.

"Yes, I felt the shock... and I'm trying to figure out what caused it already."

Alain frowned slightly. Odd... he had felt no such thing...

"And I'm from Terra, actually... not earth. Well, some humans called it that, a long time ago, but..."

Shale cut in.

"Then you are simply from a different time zone of earth. After the nuclear war."

Alain looked perplexed, then frowned.

"Um... we never had a nuclear war..."

Shale was even more surprised by this. he narrowed his eyes slightly at the human. How was that? His technology, if that was what made the suit, was far in advance of the humans that were here now... but he says there was no war? he shook his ehad, then looked back to his queen, frowning.

"Agreed, we shall discuss it then... and you mean the prisoner from this morning? Man seemed brain dead when we brought him... but yes, it might be so. Shall we go now, then? I assume you, Alain, can handle yourself even against magic?"

Alain nodded.

"So far everything I have still works the way it was intended. I'll be fine."

"Very well. My queen? Shall we?"
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queen_gwenefiere
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Gwenefiere smiled at each in return, but she was not ready to go yet. There was something here in the prison that she needed. Something very important. She didn't need it herself, but felt that Victoria needed it. SHe sat silent for a while, her eyes wandering the vast array of items and tomes that set perilously around the office. It was magnificent though. So full of life and color. Shale was a very colorful person it would seem. Leaning forward, she placed her hands on the edge of his Desk and twisted her lips into thought. She could not figure, but she was looking for a draw, something calling to her. It was like calling to a lost animal and hearing nothing. They worry came as well, but only after a few minutes of searching. But suddenly she felt it there, a glowing silver down where she thought it would be.

"We have to go down to the lower levels first...There is something there. If i remember correctly there is a room down there that has a lock that needs a blade to open...One of us has that Blade." She looked to the matter knife and then to Alain, remembering Suchara. "Let's go..." She stood, waiting for them to join her. It would take only a few minutes to get there as the only way to get in was through the office that now sat in. Shale had the key to that. The worst part would probably be the magick of the creatures kept within. They were powerful and Shale had once told her stories of finding dead prisoners right in their cells. One needed magickal protection to enter. She did not believe Alain had such, she she and Shale would combine energy for him. Oftly having to do such would make Alain dizzy, but he would adapt easily. Stepping to one of the book cases she saw a jar. It was labled with the Eld lauguage, but she read it to be Drawing powder, used to enchance the protective energy. Opening it she placed a pinch on each of Alains shoulders, then returned the jar to it's place. She was ready and hoped her Magick would withstand.
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Alain and Shale both watched her curiously for a time, while she figured out what to do, but shale nodded, finally realizing it.

"I see... Alain, you'll have t-"

Alain shook his head, and smiled, but put his hand on Gwen's shoulder.

"Save it for yourself. I dont have any magic, but I can keep magic out... caught it in your thoughts again, sorry... anyways... my suit will work well enough. Just... if I start acting funny help out, huh?"

He laughed a bit, then his helmet closed and locked, and the heat sinks along the sides started to glow dimly. There was a crack like a whip, and a soft shimmer appeared around his armor, then vanished as it cooled to normal temperature. Shale poked at the armor, and raised his brows when he found his finger stopped about an inch from the metal.

"Huh. Not too bad. Well, with any luck that'll work... but I take point."

Alain nodded behind his visor, and Shale walked ahead of them cautiously. Even he didn't particulalry like it down there... but then again no one did, it was a hellhole. Rather in the most literal sense of the word, too. Alain took the safety off his rifle, and motioned for Gwen to go ahead of him. he and Shale were both military men, and that was how it went - the one with the best lay of the land took point, and leaders always went somewhere in the middle. Alain had no special knowledge, but he did have two inches of very tough armor that Gwen didn't have... and hw was going to keep her protected. His armor's 'eyes' glowed dimly as they proceeded, a soft metallic sound whenever he took a step.
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queen_gwenefiere
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She allowed them to place her protectivly between and walk her through the door that led down. The stairwell was wide enough for them to stand aside for SHale to lock the door. Once done, they waited for him to pass by them once more and lead the way. The stairs were numerous, consisting of probably one hundred and twenty steps. The sad part was that it would be up those steps to get back, so they better hope they don't get hurt. Gwen would not be hurt, but she didn't know about the others.

Finally to the bottom, she walked along with the pace of the men. The door was past several locked ante-chambers. One by one then went through until at last they came to the horribly deathly stench of the lower cells. A metallic taste filled the air, the taste of demon magick. There were a few of them down there, but they already had their protection up to arm them. The Lower cells consisted of a long row of cells, which sat on each side of the hall. The were not cells of bars, but cells made of bricks and mortar. There was a door at the end of the corridore that was the one they wanted to enter.

They passe down the hallway silently, some of the prisoners, the one's that still lived, peered out the single window in their door, through the few bars and at the Queen and her travel mates. A couple of them whistled, some yelling in foul languages. but on, the very last one, decided he would try and greet the queen in his own way. She saw the translucent arrow through the corner of her eye and arched her spine two inches backward. with one fluid movement her hand flew and snatched the thing from the air at face level. She stopped and turned to the creature, her eyes changing to an agonizingly compelling soot color. Her hand cocked back and the arrow rocketed at him, catching him through the throat, it went all the way through and then dissappeared, leaving it's creator lifeless on the floor. It was simple Magick she used, She just reinforced his magick against him.

Grinning, she looked at the two and turned to move to the door. All the yells went quiet after that. No more whistles or calls to draw up her skirt were heard. Lifting the Matter Knife, she pressed it into the slot very slowly. Apprehensivly. She expected to see rays of silver come from the blade, but nothing happened. Frustrated she pulled it out. strapping it back at her side and crossed her arms over her breast.

"Now what do we do?"
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They walked, alain with a growing sense of dread. This place was wrong... normally he would have said that this was cruel and unusual punishment of prisoners... but he caught flashes here and there from the minds of these people. Wrong... just dead wrong... these were the dangerous ones, the ones that had killed, raped, pillaged, and burned their way here into this prison... he had a good deal more respect for the old dragon now... this was what he protected the city from, wasn't it... What bothered him most though was the sight on his low light sensors of one cell, the bars ripped nearly all the way from the wall, the cell empty. Ah well. They mus have taken that prisoner to a different cell after that, a much stronger one. Still... thats serious power... without my armor there'd be no way...

When they finally got to the end, and the one attacked Gwen, Alain gasped, and moved to defend her. No way... she couldn't... Shale, though, pushed him back, and grinned a little as the Queen took care of herself.

"See, Alain? You worry too much."

Alain muttered something unintelligible, and shale cocked an eyebrow, then turned to watch as the Queen put her blade in the hole. Shale scowled.

"Well that doesnt make sense... damned magic is always changing the key... whoever decided to put that enchantment on it..."

It was something of a safety mechanism, the key for the door was different from time to time.... the trouble was sometimes it didn't change to the right one. Shale drew his sword, a long blade of blue crystal and silver, and stabbed it in as well, then frowned deeper - that didnt work either. He pulled it back out, and shook his head.

"Lovely."

Alain, however, wasn't paying attention to their attempts to open the door. He was looking behind them, at the darkness even his sensors couldn't penetrate. There was something there... suddenly, a spear flying down the corridor confirmed his suspicion. His hand snapped up and grabebd the spear at the chaft, then crushed it, and he dropped to one knee and leveled his rifle. The thing came out then. It looked like it had once been a werewolf, likely one of the guards, but it had insectlike carapace in some places, and an extra set of bladed appendages. It looked as though it had been horrifyingly corrupted by something, and it roared at him, eyes glowing a malevolent red. Alain never flinched.

"Yeah. Screw you too."

There was a sound like the crack of a whip, and blue flash lanced from his weapon to the creature. The creature screamed as the particles slammed into it's chest, and it stumbled back, flesh having vaporized instantly upon the onslaught. It didn't fall though, and Alain's eyes widened.

"What the... Stay the hell down!"

There were three more cracks and flashes, and the thing howled in pain as it took hits in its chest twice more, and then a blast took its head off, vaporizing it almost entirely. Alain stayed in his firing postition, making sure it dropped, which it did, and he stood, looking back at them. Shale laughed.

"Well, kid. Lesson one - head or throat. Not the center of gravity. You'll never kill something that's already dead that way."

Inside though, he wasn't as happy... that had been one of his soldiers, once... Alain shook his head a little bit and slung his rifle over his shoulder.

"Yeah. I got that now..."

Suchara giggled a little bit too, but then she prodded him a little.

Why didn't you use me?

I promised Sabre I wouldn't.

Oh come on...

Seriously, you are awful. I said I promised.

I know... I'm just bored is all. Well, you going to unlock the door or not?

How the...

I just know... don't ask me why it's me, though.


It was just then he noticed that the blade had taken on a dim silver glow, and seemed to resonate whenever he was enar the door. So he pulled her from his side, watching as the 'sheath' split and melted away from the blade back into the hilt, then he looked at Gwen and Shale before shrugging a bit. Suchara smiled happily in his mind.

"Can't hurt. right...?"

With that, he put the tip of the iridescent blade at the hole, and slid her all the way in, shutting his eyes and hoping he hadn't just really screwed up...
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queen_gwenefiere
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She watched the creature barrel down on the small group and put up her gaurd lest Alain need help. He did not though and it fell within feet of them, rustling up a cloud of dust that made her gag. It smelled of blood and rot, almost like a slaughter house. There was also the metallic taste of magick in the air. Once rid of the burden, she moved away from the door so that Alain could try his blade. At first, only the clank of the metal on metal could be heard, but a low violet glow misted from the lock, In all there minds an urgent whisper intruded. It was harsh, but that was irrelevant to the beautiful voice of Lilith. " Hathor, Carna, Alsaeid, Khepra." It repeated twice then was gone, the violet glow also gone. The glow remained in Alain's skin for a moment though, creating dark rippling veins over the top of his skin. It hardened, cracked and fell away. It was a powerful sword, but she wondered if the veins had something to do with her mother. She felt fragile for a moment,bu pushed the feeling away and looked to them.

"I believe that means it is open." She looked behind them, seeing many of the prisoners standing like deathly statues of their cell doors. It was frightening.

After he pulled the blade free, she gripped the handle, a tingling shiver running over hre body. It was pleasure and pain. almost forbodeing to what lay on the other side. She pulled it open though and stepped through the door. It was pitch inside, but she moved forward, not hitting anything. A wall came up though after a bout thirty feet and stopped her. She did not know where the lights were and got sick of it fast. Gwenefiere concentrated her mind, and the electirc lights began to blink then turned on. They ran on her energy now. SHe figured that to be the point of the room. What she saw made her usher them in quickly and she told Shale to close the door.

On the walls hung weapons of different sorts, some of the bladed type, some of the liquid type. How had she forgotten this? She didn't really, that was why they were there. Something caught her eye in specific though among the long swords and oddly shaped war axes. It was a two handed blade of sorts, that curved large enough the surround 180 degrees of the wielder. It looked like a crescent moon, with two handles along it's inner rim. It was made of polished and sharpened stone, but of what kind she was not sure. Twas called the Lady's blade. For a man it's weight was intolerable, but it worked magick to combine to the wilpower of a woman, making it strictly a womans tool. It was engraved along the face of the moon. Pictures of roses, stars, and the faces of goddesses could be seen in an everchanging patern.

Stepping to the table that seperated her from the knife, she climbed atop it and lifted down the blade. It was her mothers and now it was hers. The same Violet glow misted from the weapon as she touched it, sending the violet veins up her arms. She would later find a patern of them somewhat like a tattoo on her lower stomach. It was the crest of the Vampires. Gwenefiere hopped from the table and grinned at them.
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He tilted his head slightly as the glow started, his face exposed as the visor slid back. Suchara was silent, focusing on the task at hand, but then both of them nearly jumped at the words.

"What was.... AH!"

It wasn't so much pain as... an invasion, it felt like. The veins spread along his armor at first, only the energy penetrating through - how could it? it was like when Gwen touched him, why could he feel that...? The sensors werent that sensitive... - and then he felt them start to grow along him. Nearly panicked, he wanted to pull away, but he forced himself to be steady, to hold onto his blade, as she trembled as well in his mind. They spread across his entire form, even starting to become visible on his neck and up to the back of his head, vanishing at the base of his spine, and his eyes widened for just a moment.

Not who we think we are... are we...? You'll find out soon enough, Alain... will be nice to meet you... again...

Before Alain could even wonder who it was speaking to him, the veins crumbled away from him like dust, the shimmering dust actually falling THROUGH his armor, vanishing just before it touched the floor. Alain pulled suchara violently from the door as it opened, and Shale put a hand on his shoulder.

"Kid...? You -"

"Fine... I'm fine..."

Gwen had already entered, though, so he walked in, and waited for the door to close before speaking with his blade.

Suchara...?

Not a clue, Alain... what did it say to you...?

Something about me not being who I think... you didnt hear it?

No, just a feeling from you... it cut us apart, somehow...

I'm not sure I like that...

Neither am I... but it didn't hurt you, did it?

No...

Maybe we should wait and see...

yeah. Maybe.


Shale was watching alain carefully. The kid had just been through something even he wasn't sure about... He had opened that door once before, and nothing of the sort had happened... the veins were there, sure, but... why did he feel Alain had been through something more...? Braver than he thought, this one... for a human, anyways. Hell, for anything. Why was that so familiar...?

Alain swallowed, and Suchara sheathed herself, black and silver strands wrapping around her blade, then he slid her though the ring he had made at his waist and looked around.

"The Queen's Armory...."

Shale blinked, but Suchara asked first.

How -

"No idea..."

he watched Gwen as the veins spread across her as well, a strange feleing in his stomach... what was it he was supposed to remember...? Why couldn't he touch it...? Why did it have to be there just out of his reach!? Alain grinned weakly back at her.

"Nice blade... so now where do we go?"
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