Endless Vigil

Endless Vigil
Date of Scene:	26 April 2013
Location:	Fluorgis - City
Synopsis:	Maira tries to get away from the Dark Knight, finds herself locked in a tower surrounded by Guardians.
Cast of Characters:	Deidra, Riku, Katyna, Avira, Maira, TRON, Percival, Ulharisk

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Percival has posed:
/EARLIER/

A masked demonic figure breaks into a pharmacy in Manhatten. Leaves more money than by all rights any of the medication is worth, including the damages, with an apology letter, then leaves before the police sirens blare too close. Don't look at him like that people! Lawmakers were short-sighted not to include Gargoyles in prescription laws.

/NOW/

He's gliding close to Fluorgis, with Maira drowsing in his arms in a daze and a satchel of equipment draped over his arm. Every time she looked like she was falling asleep, he'd gently prevent it by saying something or gently tapping her with the back of his hand, just because he didn't want her to burst into flames in mid-flight.

"It won't be long now, Maira. Just a little further.."

Maira has posed:
Maira yawns, but she did get some sleep in the bath tub at least. She thinks she can stay awake, really! "I'm okay Perci, really...really, I slept some in the tub," she reminds him. Not the most comfortable sleep in the world but she would take what he could get at this point.

Maira rests her head against his chest, enjoying the flight even now. There was nothing else like this. If she could fly she'd do it all the time. Her heart felt lighter.

While she'd slept in the tub, she'd actually had a bath, too, which went a long way toward making her feel more human at least!

Percival has posed:
He'd shake his head, not really believing her. "Uh-Uh. You need a good night's sleep, Maira. I'm putting my foot down here. You can go search for Angantyr once you're not so exhausted."

Eventually he'd touch down on the side of the watch tower. /Now/ there was a mattress inside, with clean sheets, a blanket, and a pillow set up for guests. He'd walk down the first flight of stairs, ranging closer to it, before setting her down on her feet and furling his wings. He'd then put down the satchel. "Now we're going to try something different.. medicine which will help you sleep, no magic involved."

He'd start to fish out the bottle of pills, before removing some of the medication he's more familiar with. He'd then open a drug book, his talons scratching the pages as he looks for the proper dose, tapping the page. "Alright, take two of these to start, it'll be safe."

He'd then remove two from the bottle, before holding them out with an outstretched palm, while digging out a bottle of water from the satchel as well.

Maira has posed:
Maira wobbles a little once she's put down, but that could be disorientation from flying as much as it was sleep deprivation! "I know...I probably won't even be able to find him yet. He was really hurt, he'll...probably be laying low for a bit," she says quietly, taking the pills and the water. She makes a face at them, then shrugs and swallows them, washing them down with a few gulps of water.

"I hope this works...just um, keep a bucket near the bed, just in case," she says with a sigh. "I don't know why its so out of control again..."

Percival has posed:
"He will be, yes, all the more reason for you to take the oppurtunity for some sleep." He'd take a moment to regard her, before smiling.

"Look, Maira.. Angantyr, sometimes he can be a.. jerk, but he doesn't seem like the sort of person that would do this to his friends without a good reason. I'll help you find him, even if noone else will."

A pause as she asks him to keep a bucket. "Oh don't worry, I actually have a fire extinguisher downstairs. I'll bring it up later. Works well, its just.. messy."

And then when she speaks on it being out of control, he'd walk up and embrace her with his arms and his wings. "Look, a good friend of yours did this to VALKYRI, and a mysterious dark knight is tormenting you. It's no suprise that your emotions are running a little haywire. Noone blames you for it."

Maira has posed:
Maira has cried many times since the incident with Angantyr at VALKYRI, usually out of despair. But as Perci tells her that he will help her look for him, she tears up because of his kindness. "Thank you...because no one else will," she replies. She couldn't ask Avira, she certainly couldn't ask Faruja or Katyna. She was prepared to go it alone. Maira gulps and steps into his embrace.

"I guess so...I hope that is all it is," she answers. Yes, it wasn't just the thing with Angantyr, though that had been the final straw. The Dark Knight was still out there, and she knew she still had to deal with him. He was still watching her.

Maira takes a deep breath and lets it out slow. "I feel like I've just...unraveled. I'm sorry, I'm coming to really rely on you."

Percival has posed:
He'd actually raise the back of his hand to dry her tears. "I.. well, I'll be honest. I suppose its in part because I wasn't as personally involved. I wish I'd been there, so I could have helped, I just don't know when I'm going to be asleep or awake anymore. I used to despise Angantyr, I'll be honest, but as I met more of his friends I realized that he can't be as terrible a person as I thought he was. And if you believe in him, I'll do so too, for your sake."

A thoughtful pause. "You'll be safe here, I doubt /he/ will be able to find you. While you're asleep I'll take your linkpearl elsewhere, then retrieve it once you've slept, just in case he can track it. Does that sound fair?"

He'd actually manage a wan smile. "You shouldn't come to rely on me. I tend to be unreliable in a pinch. But if you need me.. I'll always be there."

Maira has posed:
The mage smiles softly, closing her eyes as she feels his hand wipe away her tears. "He's...he can be very...prickly," she agrees. She remembered their conversation about how he didn't have many friends. Now...now he may not have /any/. But if she could help him...

Maira nods then and takes her linkpearl, handing it to Perci. "Right, maybe he can...I probably should have chucked the thing...but what if I need to find him? I could use it too," she remarks.

When he says he's unreliable, Maira crosses her arms. "Nonsense! You are the most reliable. I know you can't do anything when you are stone but....whenever you're awake, you're always there for your friends. For me."

Maira wonders when the sleeping pills will kick in, and decides maybe she should at least sit on the bed in case she just...rapidly falls unconscious! She doesn't know how these things work.

"Heh...I should just rent myself out to power the fire-powered airship here, make some extra gil..." she says, remembering back. "Were you there for that? I can't remember."

Ulharisk has posed:

Percival had taken Maira in the middle of the night. How did Ulharisk know this? Because he was on his way back to the hotel when he saw the two leave.

So what does the Draconian do? Simple. He follows from a distance. He follows, tracks, and keeps up without being seen. Yet eventually you are going to mess up. Eventually-- he does.

Suddenly there was a crash from above. An ouf. A thump, and then rolling down on his backside a few steps was, well, Ulharisk. Laying there, with his hand slowly extending up before softly going, "...I.. am ok.." Then his hand flops back down by his side.

Don't ask how he got up there. He may never tell you.

Percival has posed:
"He can be. Which is why I'm keeping my distance unless you're there. I don't know that he won't be looking to cave my head in for.. Evja." He didn't want to go into it though, he wasn't /afraid/ of Angantyr's reprisal, he fully understood it, he just didn't think he would be able to fight back if it came to it, especially if Maira were there.

He'd palm the linkpearl, nodding. "I'll keep it safe.. I don't understand why you'd want to look for him, but.. I trust that you have a good reason for it." And he wouldn't abuse that trust, he'd just.. use the linkpearl for a while.

He'd arch a bony protrusion just above his eyes, his smile still wan. "That's not what I meant, though I thank you for your faith in me, I just wonder if its sometimes misplaced."

"No, I wasn't here for that.. but.." And then as Maira is telling him the story of the fire-powered airship, Ulharisk crashes. While he was on edge, he at least recognized that voice. He'd motion for Maira to stay here, while he walks up the stairs, with arms crossed, a bemused smile on his expression as he looked upon the fallen Draconian, before holding out a hand to assist him in rising. "If I'd known we were going to have other guests, I'd have put the kettle on...Well met, Sir."

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk looks upside down at Percival and gives a sheepish smile. "I-- saw you two leaving and decided to tag along. I-- was getting a bit tired of the place with no light." He then reaches up and takes Percival's hand to get back up once more.

The draconian then brushes himself off and looks around the structure. "I saw the signs, but I figured I would-- take the top direction." He glances up. "..I probably should have come through the door." He rubs the back of his neck.

"Is-- is she doing alright? Maira that is."

Maira has posed:
"What about Evja? Another person Angantyr really loathes..." she sighs.

"Oh well, there were problems with the fire crystal. It went out when we were on the ship, but Ivo had this fossil thing and he thought it needed fire to burst it open and activate its magic so I used my fire and WOOSH the fire crystal powered back up before we could crash--and in the fossil was a /world shard/!" she tells him.

Then, Ulharisk crashes in and Maira gasps. "Ulharisk! Are you okay!?"

Percival has posed:
He'd respond to Ulharisk first before he descended. "Strangely enough, I tire of it as well from time to time. A place without the sun feels so.. unnatural." A strange sentiment for a creature of the night, but the sun guided the cycle of his sleep and waking of his kind so much that the sun was typically welcomed as a /friend/ despite the inconvenience. He'd shake his head. "Its best that you did climb up here, the stairs below have crumbled away at certain points, noone can get up from the bottom floor yet."

He'd gesture towards Maira idly with a claw, as he asked how she was. "Well enough, but she needs her sleep. I thought I'd bring her here for some privacy."

He held the linkpearl idly in his closed palm. Yes, she definitely needed privacy, and he intended to see that she got it.

He'd give Maira a sheepish look when she spoke about Evja. "Well, you remember that time that Angantyr was unconscious, and I was holding him up.. and Evja was about to kill Mercade. Well, bludgeoning Evja over the head with Angantyr's unconscious body to stop him isn't exactly going to endear me to the man."

He'd nod as she explains the fire crystal. "Well, huh, that makes sense. Fire powering a fire crystal. But a world shard inside of a fossil? I'm.. sometimes I wonder if whatever divine force guides the shards to their locations has a sense of humor."

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk hears Maira's voice and gets even more sheepish look on his face. He glances off to the side with his violet eyes before he looks back at Percival. "I guess that is a yes?"

Soon Ulharisk moves down to join where Maira was, nodding to Percival explaining she will need her privacy. He can't blame her. That fight-- That fight was not enjoyable. He looked between Percival then to Maria. He mostly found himself leaning against the wall and falling silent as the two talked. He had very little, well, honestly he had /nothing/ to add, as he still didn't get this world.. or even the one he somehow followed them into.

Such a curious place-- at least here there was a MOON.

Even though he would have rather see the sun. There was a sun here right?

Maira has posed:
"Well I'm not asleep yet, but hopefully I will be soon," she answers, flashing Ulharisk a gentle smile. "I'm glad you're doing alright--I'm sorry you got caught up in the mess. It is....very complicated. M-maybe Perci can tell you more after I'm asleep..." she says, obviously not up to talking about it herself.

Maira looks back to Perci, laughing a little. "I guess so...but at least we know where one more shard is, and that's better than nothing."

Percival has posed:
He'd nod to her. "Sooner than you think, if what I understand about it is true."

He'd nod to Ulharisk. "If you wouldn't mind, during daylight, would you take a shift guarding her? My people are.. inert, when the sun is up."

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk looks over to Maira and gives a nod. "Tis be fine." He waves his hand off to the side. "Besides, I was glad I was there to be honest. You and," he motions over to Percival, "he, are the only ones I have any connections to in this world. Sadly, not many are willing to give answer and by the light do I have a ton of questions that need them." He grunts in some frustration to this.

"After all, if I do find any of my people, someone will have to be willing to answer their questions and I be a horrible leader if I had none to give." He shrugs softly. "But you should sleep. You need it."

He then looks to Percival and gives a nod. "Of coarse. I would be honor to do so for you and for her." He cants his head to the side. "Though odd that such a people would be awaken during the moon. For my own people, such a place of darkness was reserved for Guardian watch over our city and to make sure monsters of the darkness did not get over our walls." He blinks and places up his hands. "Though I assure you. I do not see you as such!"

Better to make sure that was clear, he wasn't sure how sensitive such a subject would be after all.

"But yes. Yes. I would be honored to watching her during the rising and setting of the sun."

Percival has posed:
He'd actually give the Draconian an affectionate grin. "You know, I felt the same way when I came to this.. world. Once she's asleep, I'll answer all the questions you have before my.. forced repose."

And then a moment later. "Well, that's a daunting task. Perhaps you can tell me more of your people so that I might know where to look for them?"

And then another nod, at Ulharisk. "Thank you. I'm.. vulnerable during daylight. I'm unable to protect her, its maddening to be a guardian who is unable to do anything for half the hours of a cycle. And yes, it is passing odd. My people are creatures of the /night/ though, not the darkness. It is a distinction I'm coming to learn all too well.." He'd clasp a hand on his shoulder gently in a gesture of comraderie. "Then I'm glad that you're here. She certainly needs all the protection she can get."

Maira has posed:
This is really all terribly embarrassing. Needing someone to watch you sleep? An honor to guard her? What kind of crazy world was this?

Maira is certainly feeling a good degree of...fuzziness. Her head feels sort of floaty, and her body far away. Her mind was stubborn though, and she hadn't passed out yet. She fears she'll catch fire again, or that the nightmares will come, or that she'll miss something terribly important while she's out. So many things to worry about!

Maira blinks, slowly, then kind of flops backward onto the bed. "...don't let me sleep....too long..." she mumbles, her eyes finally closing.

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk gives a gentle nod to Percival. He doesn't actually say to much, but when Maira indicates she is about to fall off to sleep. He motions to Percival that he was going upstairs that way Maira could sleep in some since of privacy and they could talk without waking her up.

Once he got up to the other floor he sat down on the ground and rested his head back against the wall. Looking up at a spider web next to his head. He raised and eye brow as the spider stared at him. For now, he ignored the spider.

"As I stated when you found me on the beach, or when they," he motions to below where Maira sleeps. "..found me.. my world apparently was consumed by the dark monsters of Whe'ir.. and I suppose who ever the man was who may have been a servant of." He growls softly before staring up at the ceiling above.

"But we are people of Light. We are the children of Mit'ir. Even if Whe'ir played some small part in our history. So if I could make it, so could the rest of my people. Just-- where is what I don't know or how long is another matter as well." He looks to Percival, "Yet if you were to find my people. They would be like me. They would seem like-- the humans, only with different features, some dark in scale color others even lighter. Some with black hair, some with green."

He gently shrugs his shoulders. "..I suppose what.. would make us unique is... our hidden ability we all posses, yet not all of us have good control of it and others have never learned to master it. So I even suppose then, that would not be a great indicator." He snorts. "..Unless you threw one of us off a high structure. Then instinct would kick in to force the issue."

He almost laughs. "..Though.. they may not be such a wise move."

Percival has posed:
As Maira falls asleep, he'd actually take the makeshift blanket, tucking her in. Then before he went upstairs, he'd traipse down a few flights of stairs, before walking back up. He'd then place a very anachronistic looking fire extinguisher that he'd brought from Manhatten, and put it at the edge of the room. Only then did he follow Ulharisk upstairs.

Following Ulharisk's gaze, he'c chortle softly as he looked at the spider web. "The place is.. a fixer upper, but Zia and I value our privacy."

He'd nod his head in turn at his story. "Can you tell me what the creature who was leading these Heartless looked like? It is possible I've fought him before."

He'd then nod his head. "My people.. we literally become stone during the daylight hours. In my world, our race is all but forgotten, except that certain buildings use statues carved vaguely in our likeness to ward away evil spirits. We have to conceal ourselves, lest we be wiped out. However, its in our nature to still be protectors, and guardians, even if others do not accept us."

He'd then regard him with an intense gaze, as if memorizing all of his features. "If I see anyone of similar likeness, I'll try to direct them to you. I promise you that.."

He'd grin affably at Ulharisk. "Well, then I'll keep that in mind. Though you need not worry, if all of your kind are like yourself, I don't ever see myself in conflict with any of you."

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk smirks, seeming to get comfy where he sits. "Aye. My people are a honorable noble sort. We have never broken out into war among one another and we tend to value team work above all things. We live for one another and we die for one another. Though the guardians have the gift given to us by Xur'shio in order to help better protect us from the monsters that roamed our land... we never treated anyone any lesser then another."

He then closes his eyes. "..and to sleep as a stone statue. That is rather interesting." He hrms softly in thought. "And I will make sure if I ever see such statues like you, to treat them with great respect and care."

"Welp. If I am to protect her during the rising sun to setting sun. I will need to get some rest myself. Wake a two bells before you rest. That way I have enough time, hopefully, to fully awaken to be of use." He then seems to try to make himself more comfortable as he tries to doze off for some sleep.

Avira has posed:
Time passes for Avira. She had previously been in Traverse Town, attending to a number of things from restoration to preparation. She knew it hadn't been the end of the harassment from Garland, especially given her rather terse answer to Garland's "offers." Eschewing her usual transport by chocobo, Avira instead elects to take an airship since Fluorgis is one of the few cities that have their own airship port.

After a little while, she eventually locates this tower that Percival had detailed to her privately. She'd taken care not to get followed either, using skills taught to her by Skoll long ago to spot whether or not she had a tail. Such a thing was necessary in Fluorgis due to the presence of Khamja, whom Avira had a bit of bad blood with in the past.

Surely such a thing has blown over by now.

The huntress paces at the base of the tower, gauging the height of the structure and considering scaling it herself. It certainly would be a good challenge and she's pretty convinced that she was fit enough to pull off such a feat. However...the other way she's supposed to get up there...

Avira's already smiling at the thought. She taps her linkpearl and lets Percival know she's here.

Percival has posed:
"My people are the same. Its an anathema for us to even consider battling our own kind. Recently.. I encountered, one exception." He'd grimace, looking away wistfully. It was obviously not something he wanted to talk about.

He'd give him a gracious smile at that, crossing his arms. "We would appreciate that. There are so few of us left, that it would seem.. such a waste, for any one of us to die in our sleep. We're less than a dozen, at last count.."

And though it was a few hours before sunrise, he'd nod at him. "There is something I have to do. I will return soon. Thank you for your aid."

Unfurling his wings, he would glide off into the distance. Not long after he'd return, and a few hours prior to the rising of the sun, he'd turn to stone.

/LATER/

After the usual dramatic awakening for one of his kind, he'd heard Avira calling for him on the linkpearl. He'd glide gently down to the ground, before bending over, to allow her to climb onto his back. "Good evening Avira. Did you enjoy the trip? Wrap your arms around my neck, if it pleases you."

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk was woken up and placed on guard duty. So he guarded and stayed up at the top of the tower mostly where he can watch everything below. After all, if one could not enter from below, then this was the area that must be most protected.

The Draconian walked along the edges of the tower. His Glaive in hand, though the shaft of it was resting on his shoulder. His violet eyes ken on everything like a hawk. So when Avira showed up, he watched her closely, including when Percival awoken from his stone sleep in such an impressive display.

It was pretty amazing.

He though he recognized Avira and it seemed Percival went down to get her, so he continue to draw his gaze elsewhere. Staying alert and watching.

Maira has posed:
Maira meanwhile, continues to sleep and has /not/ caught fire. Apparently, the pills were a success! She sleeps like the dead, about as still as Perci in his stone sleep aside from the little twitches of her muscles and the rise and fall of her chest as she breathes.

The sleep was much needed.

Avira has posed:
"I did!" Avira smiles lightly, "I arrived via airship today. It's so much faster and...well, it's an /airship/." Percy is no doubt well versed in Avira's obsession with airships. Or maybe it's flying in general? She's all too happy to climb onto Percival's back and wrap her arms around his neck, grasping the wrist of her opposite hand to hold on.

Avira is light on her own, but when her gear is added into that equation, she certainly is a bit heavier. Nothing that Percival cannot handle though.

"Let's go. Up up and away~" Avira teases.

Percival has posed:
He'd laugh light-heartedly at her infectious enthusiasm in regards to airships. "Well, has Sarafina made any progress on her designs? You have one of your own coming after all..."

With her on his back, he'd simply leap onto the stone wall of the tower, with talons that can easily puncture stone in his hands and feet allowing him to climb, while making his own handholds and footholds on the way. It only takes a few short seconds for him to climb the six stories of the old ruined watch tower. "Oh ho ho. Very funny. I suppose you'll be wanting me to wear a cape next? If so, I'd demand it be made standard issue for all members of VALKYRI."

Once they were up, he'd let her climb off, before gesturing to Ulharisk. "I imagine the two of you have met? Ulharisk has been helping me guard Maira. Has she awakened yet, Sir?"

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk listened as the two started to come up. He could hear the claws of the Gargoyle impacting the structure. How odd. Is all Ulharisk could think as he came around, letting his Glaive vanish in a flicker of blue light. He then extended his hand to Avira to help her get up on the ground and Percival one as well, if he required it.

"Ma'am." he said to Avira before looking over to Percival then back to her. "I believe we had meet at her headquarter yes, though I fear I don't quiet recall your name but as Percival stated, my name is Ulharisk."

He then look over to the Gargoyle. "Asleep still, last I checked. Sleeping soundly as a newborn hatchling."

Avira has posed:
"Not that I've heard of. Honestly, we've been...a little preoccupied recently so..." Avira looks sad. Garland's rage was taking precedence over her pursuing a life-long dream. Go figure.

As Percival starts to climb, Avira's a little surprised since she did expect flying. Though this doesn't explain why he didn't elect to just pick her up in her arms. "What? Me?" Avira asks innocently, "No! Never. Capes are so unwieldly. And it isn't as if you really need one when you can fold those wings of yours."

She dismounts neatly with a jangle of her belts and gear. Right away, she looks around the tower to where the sleeping Maira is and breathes a small sigh of relief. "I'm worried, not just about this Garland nonsense, but because of the Dark Knight as well. If he has heard about what's happened, he'll no doubt come after Maira soon, figuring her heart is weak with heartache."

Attention is turned upon Ulharisk. "Well, not really formally besides small talk and introductions at our party. The most I know of him is his performance in our recent battle." she smiles at Ulharisk, "I am Avira. Nice to meet you."

Percival has posed:
"We'll look into it once everything settles down. This whole situation is leaving a bad taste in my mouth."

He'd chortle again at Avira's comment. "Oh, don't want to be a superhero do you? Or you just don't want to have your cape get caught in an airship propellar."

Once the two arrived, he'd cross her arms, putting a finger to his mouth as if to indicate they should all soften their voices when Avira approaches Maira's sleeping form. "I think.. Maira reacts poorly to magical attempts to put her to sleep. Medicine seems to work."

He'd nod in regards to the commentary on the Dark Knight. "It puts me on edge as well Avira.. I'm, looking into it, seeing if I can discover where he comes from. He doesn't appear to be a Shadow Lord."

And then he'd let the two make their introductions. "I was relieved to have his aid in watching over Maira, since I can't do so for half a day." And then he'd chortle again. "So you call your young hatchlings as well! Despite our differences, there are more similarties to our respective people than I sometimes care to admit."

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk nods to Avira. "Indeed a pleasure, Avira and yes.. though uuuh.." He rubs the back of his neck. "..Not my best fight.. then again-- my brother was always the better in combat.." His eyes drift away before he makes his way down with everyone else to where Maira was sleeping (or near of). Though he does raise an eye brow once more.

He tried to get an answer the night of, yet none would say, so perhaps now he could get an answer. Also he does keep his voice indeed down. He was good at that, came with being sneaky when he use to mess around in his youth of getting into things he shouldn't. "I-- know many have spoken of Garland but... who.. actually better.. what is he?" The draconian asks Avira as he looks at her then to Percival. "..and what is a Shadow Lord?"

He got the explanation on heartless. He saw the heartless with probably, whom was this, Garland. Yet so little information he had able to obtain.

Ulharisk then looks to Percival. "It would seem so. It would be interesting to take down some side notes and count them." He muses before his violet eyes drift over to Maira. "..be a good way to spend the time.. beyond stretching wings in boredom.." He smirks as he says that before placing his hands behind his head.

Maira has posed:
Seeming at mention of the Dark Knight, Maira begins to stir. She reaches up, tossing her arms over her head, then flips over.

Upon hearing voices, Maira reaches then to rubs her eyes, opening them and sitting up, bleary and disheveled, flushed from sleep with the an indentation from a pillow crease on her cheek. "Hummmuuuh?" she asks, looking around.

"Oh! Avira you're here," she says, smiling lightly. Maira is slowly snapping out of it, and thus looks around to discover that she didn't burn everything down. Not even a scorch mark!

Maira looks to Perci then, and grins, the first time she'd really smiled in days. "It worked."

Avira has posed:
"I don't need a cape to be a superhero!" Avira says proudly. "And neither do you. But airship propellars...far more of an issue. Yes." At Percival's motions to be silent...

...Avira lowers her voice. Slipping over to the fire mage, Avira leans over her best friend and gently brushes a bit of her blonde hair from her face. There's a sad look upon her face. "It doesn't surprise me." she whispers, "She's brimming with magical energy. It would likely interact with her poorly."

Turning to Ulharisk, she looks him over critically before a faint sigh escapes her. If she was not mistaken, he recently had his world lost to the darkness. "Garland...he is an ancient, immortal embodiment of what amounts to pure darkness." She shudders, "Gazing into him is gazing into the abyss. A Shadow Lord, which is what Garland is, is the name we have given to those who can control the Heartless. Though people with strong enough wills and dark enough hearts can do that..."

She paces away from Maira, "The Shadow Lords seem to be interested in making more worlds fall-" Maira speaks and Avira whirls around. "Hello Maira. Yes. Yes I am."

Percival has posed:
"Far be it from me to argue with a lady who ripped out someone's spine to beat others to a pulp with it. That does sound superheroic." He'd chortle once again, he knew that wasn't really how she got /THE SPINE/, but still he saw fit to tease her about it. It didn't seem like a real weapon from a practical standpoint! But it was still amazing to watch her use it.

He'd nod as Avira approached Maira, whispering. "Just have to be careful with how often I give her the stuff. I don't want her to become dependant on it."

And then she described Garland, and he didn't know how he felt about that. He'd never encountered Garland, he had no idea how Garland acted, he had trouble even fathoming the concept of someone so evil that it would frighten him to even look at him. He'd just fall into an awkward silence until she spoke of them making more worlds fall. "We won't let them."

And then Maira awakened, and he could only smile. "So it did. You're looking much better, Maira. No nightmares this time?"

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk gives a faint nod to Avira's explanation including what Shadow Lords wanted to do. He narrows his eyes as the gears turn in his head. He looks over to the side for a moment even when Percival states that they wont let them.

Yet when Maira awakens, Ulharisk snaps his attention around and gives the young fire mage a smile. He though has gone very silent, mostly leaning up against the wall once more with his arms crossed over his chest.

Including ignoring the nagging feeling of suddenly becoming the outsider to this small group once more. That feeling of 'you don't belong here'. Though really, was there any place he could belong too? But he had a promise to keep and that was watch over Maira when she slept. It was something he would keep so long as he was able too.

Maira has posed:
Maira reaches out to begin running her hands through her hair, trying to make it look just a little less insane as she looks between the gathered group, flushing with mild embarrassment. "Did you all just...sit here while I was sleeping all this time...?" its very weird to have to be watched over while she sleeps!

Maira gets out of bed and wanders over to hug Avira. "You didn't have to come, but I'm glad you did," she says. She looks to Ulharisk then, returning his smile. "Glad you are still here--hope you and Perci have been bonding," she comments.

"So...um...what were you guys talking about?"

Avira has posed:
"H-hey...that's not how-" Avira gets a little flustered when Percival teases her about the Spine. How did she get it? Well thus far she's actually only told one person where it really came from-Mercade. Though for certain reasons, Angantyr was also a little aware of its origins. "Well it works perfectly well for me!"

"What do you mean I didn't have to come?!" Avira blurts out suddenly, vigorously hugging Maira back. "Of course I did! You are my best friend and I have been so worried about you!" Maira is released from Avira's tight hug.

Turning, she gestures to Ulharisk. "Oh, we were mostly filling Ulharisk here in on the Shadow Lords and Garland. Since he asked. And, well, you do have a right to know about the mess you now find yourself in."

Percival has posed:
"Oh its not, is it?" He'd give her a teasing look, before it became a sincere smile. "Well one day, I'd like to hear the real story. We haven't had many chances to speak lately."

He'd continue to just grin from ear to ear as the two hugged, looking sidelong to Ulharisk, then back at Maira, giving her a teasing look. "Oh aye. I make a very good conversation piece as rooftop statuary. I'm told that I'm a fantastic listener. The pidgeons love me."

And then it returned again to a smile. "More seriously, I think that the two of us will get along famously. Anyone who chooses to be your guardian is alright in my book."

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk glances over at Percival, before looking back at Maira. "Oh. Yes. We been passing notes." Kinda. Though he does try to not laugh as Percival remarks on his stone nature state. His attention the moves over to Avira, giving a nod as she explains to Maira what they were talking back, before he looks back at Maira. "We were indeed. Curse I suppose of being the outsider to a new world. You do not have all the knowledge that many would have."

He then looks back to Avira, "You also have not dragged me into any troubles. I choose to fight and I will fight again if I must. If these Shadow Lords are taking words and destroying them for some evil purpose," He then stands straight before clenching his hand into a fist in front of him, while looking at Avira. "Then they must be stopped at all cost."

Ulharisk did sound pretty sure about that.

"They need to pay for their transactions and perhaps destroying so many worlds, along with who ever else they have sacked into their black holds." He then moves out his hand to his side. "For all things have a weakness and once that weakness is found, their end will soon come with it."

Yep. Very determined.

Ulharisk's eyes glow for a moment as the wind almost kicks up by how the flames move and the soft breeze that moves through the area, but it seems to die down as quickly as it starts and Ulharisk's own eyes return to normal. "..but that will take time and far more man power then what we perhaps currently have. The Guardians were at least twenty and.. we could not hold them back.." He tsks at that before frustration finds his features. "..damn that messenger of Whe'ir."

Maira has posed:
Maira laughs lightly, giving Avira an affectionate squeeze. "I'm sorry I didn't want to worry you I just...I didn't want to burn down anymore of HQ...how is Isaac? How are repairs? Have.....have you heard anything from...from Angan?" she asks, as doubtful as it may be, she has to ask.

Then, when Avira mentions Garland, Maira tenses up, going stiff with instinctive fear. The darkness--Isaac's arm--pool of blood--Angantyr...

Maira takes a deep, shaky breath. "Y-yes...you should know what we're up against," she replies.

Maira looks back to Avira, frowning softly. "Will you tell me now...if you can? How you knew?"

Maira looks to Perci then, blushing. "I don't need guardians! At least not like, all the time or anything..." she says, looking down.

The young mage looks to Ulharisk, nodding at his determination. "I don't understand what they want to do--why they want the worlds to go to darkness. I'm going to find out though."

Avira has posed:
Avira looks to Percival apologetically, "We haven't really, have we? Yes...this must be changed."

Casually, she waves to Ulharisk, "Well, we are all happy to get you all up to speed if you have any questions about this unusual and broken world you find yourself in." There's a sad smile on her face as he proclaims that he'd gladly fight the Shadow Lords, "Ahhh...we need more people like you, no doubt."

To Maira, she shakes her head. "I haven't heard a word from him. Rightfully so maybe." She pauses. How did she know?

"...Angantyr warned me. He warned me that Garland was paying him to come destroy our base." There's a bitter tone in her voice at this. "He made me promise not to let anyone know and prepare disretely-that way, Garland wouldn't find out that he told me."

Percival has posed:
He'd wave off Avira with his taloned hand, smiling. "You've had other concerns. So have I, its small wonder neither of us have had the time."

And then he'd nod in reply to Avira's affirmation to Ulharisk. "Indeed, as I've stated, I'm always happy to answer your questions in regards to fighting the good fight, though I'm.. not well-versed on this world. Will is wont to say that I'm a /newb/ when it comes to the supernatural. When Avira first spoke of Garland accosting Mercade and herself, I thought that some sort of animated wreath was after them."

And then to Maira, he'd smile patiently. "No, you don't, not all the time. Right now though? You're being pursued, and Angantyr's attack.. its made you vulnerable. Its my pleasure to be your guardian until we have this all sorted out."

And then he'd listen between Avira and Maira, finally nodding. "It is as Maira thought then. The two of us are going to search for Angantyr now that she's rested."

And then he listened to Ulharisk as he described some details of the fall of his world, from the bits and pieces of his tales he was starting to pick up some of the cosmology of his world. Though it was little more than Whe'ir=Darkness. Mitir=Light and Xur'shio as some sort of all-father deity. Little else yet, he still didn't broach the subject as he knew that religion was often a touchy subject, but he did ask one question. "What exactly happened when your world fell? It sounds.. different, than the tales from when most worlds fall."

Maira has posed:
Maira's face goes white as she hears Avira's answer, though she had sort of assumed Angantyr had found a way to warn her. "A-and he couldn't tell me because...I can't...I can't hide anything," she surmises, moving to a nearby chair and flopping down. "Oh...what is he doing? I told him...I told him how worried I was. He just told me not to be there, to not be in traverse town and I couldn't--couldn't not be there, and now--" Maira begins to breathe a little quicker, reliving it.

She reaches out toward Perci, who has been a stabilizing force for her as of late. "Yes. We're going to look for him. I have to find him," she confirms, her mouth set in a stubborn line. She has to find him and tell him he's not a monster. That it doesn't need to be this way.

Maira sighs and looks to Ulharisk. "My world is gone too...years now. A lot of us have been there--there's a way, if you dare to hope, to bring them /back/ though..."

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk nods to them both as Percival and Avira both offer their services in learning. He gives a soft smile. "Perhaps, I will take you both up on that knowledge gathering soon enough." He does glance back out. He noted when he followed there was creatures such as wolves and the like out in the desert. A source of food really.

Food-- sound really good right now sense he couldn't get anything to eat due to no money of any kind.

Ulharisk looked over to Percival then when he asked what exactly happened. "...." He looks away once more before looking outside. "A being came through a dark portal as many more were opened. The darkness filled the area as not only the spawn of Whe'ir exited from the portals, but the very dark monsters he created back in the gods rule over our world. When he and Mit'ir sat side by side. The monsters he created to try and destroy us because of his anger toward his brother."

Ulharisk shakes his head before he looks at Percival. "They came. The man killed my father before our eyes. Then left, left before I could catch him. The dark spawn however filled the streets. Filled the streets and we quickly became powerless." He looks to the ground, his hands by his side clenching tightly into fists as started to growl lowly. "Powerless to do nothing at all and I... I was knocked unconscious."

He snorts in his frustration. Once more the wind starts to gather. He shakes his head and start to head up the stairs. "I shall get us some food. If you have means to cook, I suggest you ready such things. It should only take me, at most, maybe a bell to bring back food. Perhaps less if the pray here is easier then it was in my world." There was almost coldness in his voice with the mix of range and growing frustration of the situation. Painful memories. Painful memories still far to fresh.

Avira has posed:
"If only it was that easy." Avira says sadly when wreathes are spoken of. "If only."

But to hear that Percival will personally guard Maira through all this puts her at ease. Given Garland's pronouncements, she's doubly afraid that if she remained around Maira for long amounts of time, the fire mage would be caught up in additional backlash...just as she had already with Angantyr. A look of regret settles upon her face, "Maybe it's best that Angantyr be left alone for now."

After she lets Maira know what the deal with the attack was, Maira admits her own little secret of her own. HE did try to warn her, but she hadn't listened and she was there. Perhaps that's why he had refused to attack her, just like Leon had refused to attack her. In a way, it's a little unfair. Nobody's afforded her the luxury of being left alone. Then again...she could take it.

Falling silent, Avira contents herself with listening to the fall of Ulharisk's world. The death of his father. His inability to do anything. "I'm sorry." she offers to him quietly. "That sounds like a horrible way for you and your world to go."

Percival has posed:
"I'll do whatever she wants, Avira." He states cryptically, standing beside Maira when she reached out to him, placing a hand upon her shoulder and squeezing very gently. "I'm not sure that right now is the best time either, but... it needs to be done sooner or later."

And then he listens to Ulharisk's tale. The entire tale, his expression grim. At the end of it, he would only make one statement to him before he departed. "You have my condolences. If ever you need any help avenging your world, your father... you have my sword." It was small comfort, but it was better than nothing.

The place was now wired with temporary electrical lanterns and worklights, and so as Ulharisk departed to find food, he'd go one level below, dusting off the simple wood burning stove. Nothing fancy, but it would suffice, as he loaded it with a small amount of firewood. All the other implements were strewn about haphazardly. Zia and him still hadn't had enough time to clean the place up entirely, and he didn't know what Ulharisk was bringing, so after he finished, he'd return back upstairs.

Maira has posed:
No, it wasn't fair. It was hugely unfair. Maira doesn't understand it either. She feels like she's being treated like glass, pitied. She's not fond of it, to say the least. "He didn't tell me it would be him. I....asked him to help us. I asked if he would come protect you...he didn't say anything at all," she replies.

Maira would have taken Angantyr's attacks. She'd have taken Leon's. She'd offered to, to stop her friends from being hurt. Its so frustrating. She feels so /weak/.

Rather than fall into self-pity, Maira looks to Ulharisk and listens to his story, her eyes filled with sympathy. She never knew her father, so she could not imagine such a thing. She'd lost her mother, but just to sickness, and she was so young.

"It is. I'm so sorry Ulharisk," she says before he goes. Well, food does sound amazing. When did she eat last? She can't even remember.

Maira looks up toward Perci for a moment as she feels his hand on her shoulder, smiling softly before she looks down. "I've been a lot of trouble lately....that will stop," she assures them, then lets Perci go off to deal with the stove.

Maira looks back up at her best friend, sadly. "I'm sorry....I think I have to go find him. I know you'd probably really like to do that too and you're just as hurt--if not more, than I am. But he'll think he's a monster...and if he really comes to believe it, he'll be one. I'm...sorry. I know this is...weird," she sighs.

Avira has posed:
"No doubt." Avira agrees. Maybe it was just herself, she realizes. Maybe it was just her who didn't want to find him and confront him again. Maybe Avira needed the time.

Since she doesn't know this tower well, she leaves the burden of figuring out how to cook up here to them. With Maira around they won't be hurting for fire anytime soon though.

"Don't look for him alone at least." she looks to Percival, whom she trusts to keep her best friend safe.

Maira has posed:
Maira stands, moving over to hug Avira again. This isn't easy for her, she knows. "I won't. I'll be careful. YOU be careful...I know you can handle yourself but please...Garland..." scares the piss out of her, basically. "Just...be careful," she repeats.

Ulharisk has posed:

There was a loud thump suddenly up high on the tower. Something landing down high above. Though things were quiet for a moment there was then a few thuds before the sound of foot steps. Soon coming down from the steps was Ulharisk carrying two sacks over his shoulders.

He gave a nod to the ladies, unaware that Avira was leaving and then glanced over to Percival. "So.. where do you want these? They already been skinned, so the meat just needs to be cooked. We will probably need to cook all of it, unless you have the means to salt them or freeze them."

Ulharisk did indeed bring back food.

Percival has posed:
/Thump/

What was that thump above? He almost went to check it out, then Ulharisk came downstairs. Surely the man wasn't so lead-footed as to create that sound, and how did he carry two sacks while climbing up the tower? He decided these were questions best unanswered, like the question of what would happen if he were to push Ulharisk over the side of the tower, as he'd suggested earlier. When Ulharisk returned, he'd take the two sacks of meat from him, going downstairs, and moving the firewood to an old, rusted over oven instead. "Worry not, I'll make good use of all of it."

The inside had been scrubbed and cleaned thoroughly, so it just looked worse than it actually was. He'd light a match from a nearby box, dropping it in, then closed the front of it, giving it time to heat up. While he was waiting, he returned upstairs.

Percival would chuckle, giving her a look that showed he was faintly amused by it. "Maira.. you're never any trouble. Good friends never are, and don't you believe otherwise."

And then on the subject of Angantyr, despite it being meant for Avira, he'd still give Maira a reassuring look. "I don't think he's gone that far yet, Maira.. Not yet. I would know." His tone became grim in the last clause.

He'd glance idly to Ulharisk while the oven was heating. "What sort of repast did you bring us, Sir?"

Maira has posed:
Jumpy, and for good reason, Maira is jolted by the sudden thump from above, practically leaping into Avira's arms.

Soon enough, Ulharisk has returned with bags full of meat. Well. Uh. Alright. That was good. She could deal with that. Catching her breath, she smiles to Ulharisk. "Sounds great, I'm starving," she says. Whatever he has, Maira would probably eat it. Maira would eat almost anything. You don't want to think about some of the things she's eaten.

When Perci speaks about him knowing about being a monster, Maira frowns deeply and follows him over to the stove, helping him light it. You know, with a quick burst of magic. She then places an arm around him and gives him a gentle squeeze, resting her head against his shoulder briefly. "You are not either," she whispers.

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk takes a seat on the ground. Huffing out a bit of air in a sigh. He Then moved to adjust a bit of his armor on his arm as he glanced over, if not down to where Percival may be. "Wolf meat." He explains before resting his arms over his knees. "I suppose they are wolves at least. They were rather strange looking creatures." He then closes his eyes. "Sorry if some of the meat is not very well cut up. I tried to get most of it off the bone, but I was never very good at the more fine art of cutting."

So as he was pretty sure he probably left behind more meat in the wilds then he brought back, but he didn't want to keep others waiting to long and the looks he got when he ran into some adventures was enough to cause a bit of concern.

"..Percival.. Maira.." He would ask Avira, "What do the humans around here think of.." What would they even be called here? All they ever seen is him like this. "...hrm.." He suddenly seems stumped on his words.

He gently taps the back of his head against the stone wall.

"Urrm.. Lizard... with wings?" He isn't even sure if that is the right term. Lizards were--- kinda small. Wings were on birds. Well. It have to work. He didn't know what else to call his kind when they were in their other form. After all, a Draconian was a Draconian.

He was also oblivious to the cute moment. Way to go Isk for interrupting it with your silly questions!

Percival has posed:
Ulharisk identifying the origin of the meat gave Percival pause, but after a moment, he just grinned, he was actually a rather good cook, and he regarded something new as a challenge. "Wolf meat. Interesting, I've never roasted a wolf before. Probably more stringy than beef, but leaner. And don't worry about it, I'd be a poor host if I couldn't do my share of butchering it."

And then on the subject of lizards with wings, he'd scratch the back of his neck. "Drakes? Dragons? It all depends. Many worlds give great respect to dragons, in others they are monstrous. A sort of fighting style known as Dragoon exists, for which they wear dragon motifs on their armor, but they tend to.. jump, rather than fly for their attacks, and use lances or spears. Everyone has a varying opinion of dragons. In my world, they're nothing but legends who may never have existed, or may have been some trick of the third race."

Then he descended downstairs, as Maira follows and rests her head against his shoulder, he just /crumbles/ on the inside. Wrapping his arms and wings around her in embrace. After a moment he'd just whisper, to her. "I wish I could believe that. When you say it, I almost do." He'd lean down, to press a light kiss against her forehead, before he even thought twice of it. And then, having realized what he'd done, he'd release her, turning away as if he couldn't look at her, ashamed that he'd even allowed himself to do that. He'd find a butcher's knife, a skinning knife and carving board to continue to Ulharisk's initial work at the meat.

Maira has posed:
Wolf meat? Oh boy. Well, she'd eat it, but she wonders what Percival will have to say on the matter! He's a cook, he might not know what to do with that. "Oh, um...okaay....can't say I've ever had that kind of meat before," she says, then shrugs.

Maira is pretty surprised by the sudden embrace, though she understands the reason for it, and supports him. It was not exactly out of the ordinary, but it was out of the ordinary in front of other people! Still, she hugs Perci, gives him a reassuring smile, then lets him go to get cooking.

Maira tilts her head then, watching Ulharisk. "Lizard with wings...like a wyvern? Or a dragon?" she asks. Maira thinks for a moment, then her face lights up with an idea. "I'd show you a picture but I can make one instead--lets see..." she begins, then summons her fire to hand. It blossoms into the air, unfurling and drawing together to form the popular vision of a dragon, which she's seen in picture books. Great noble beasts, large and winged with wicked teeth, etc. "Like this?" she asks. The dragon of flame flaps its wings, tail swaying.

Maira the lets it fizzle, drawing the fire back into herself less she catch something aflame.

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk listens to Percival and nods. His eyes closed for the moment. Seeming to take in the information. Curious to know such places would maybe have something akin to perhaps his species, yet such wide variety of views.

If these were indeed..

His thoughts were interrupted as his attention focus on Maira with his eyes now open. He then watches her create a dragon in fire and he, almost gets up. Seeming amazed not only by what she did but by the very fact she could do such a thing. "Ah. So you do have many ways your people can mana weave." He blinks his eyes a few times as the image fades.

He comes down stairs a bit, but he keeps his distance for the most part. Not because of what Maira could do, but mostly cause it was a six sense telling him to somewhat stay back. For whatever the reason. "Yes. Yes that be what I speak of. You call them.. dragons here?" He then hrms softly, brows furrowing. "I see. Dragons." He laughs a bit before running his hands through his hair. "..interesting name.."

He then seems to stare off back up once more. "..do you.. know how the people may view such dragons here?" He does know the men called Dragoons, which was also something he just adds to his look into later list of things to do.

Maira has posed:
Maira frowns a little at seeing Ulharisk's response, as it seems to be at least somewhat alarmed. "Don't worry, I won't burn you..." she says. At least, not right now...she had it under control now...

"Heh, well, I know I would be super excited to see a real dragon. I've seen a wyvern, heh, I've even ridden one! My friend Faruja has a wyvern...but they are not...quite like dragons, you know? I'd be...wow, that would just be so cool," she replies, getting a little wide-eyed.

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk rubs the back of his neck. "Ha.. haha.. yeah.. riding.. a dragon." Suddenly this conversation got very awkward. "..and I am not worried about being burned. It takes a great deal of time for me to actually even notice extreme temperatures.. at least-- like this.." His gaze shifts back to the upstairs.

"I think, I am going to go step back outside. Yes. That sounds like a good idea. Get some fresh air and make sure everything is still safe." He then quickly bolts right up the steps.

Percival has posed:
/TIME SKIP/

Cooking the wolf meat was definitely an interesting experience, and in the end, the meat turns out to be roasted for longer than he might have liked. He wasn't quite used to cooking with this particular wood-burning oven and was still working out the times on it. Still, he had the feeling that Ulharisk wouldn't mind.

An egg timer pings, and he takes a pot holder that'd been strewn about to remove the pan from the oven.

Giving it the critical eye, he'd let it cool for a few minutes, before he worked at carving it into steak sized slices. Since he didn't know exactly how much Ulharisk ate, he gave him three large steaks that each looked to be about sixteen ounces each, and himself the same, while serving it with some simple new potatoes that he'd brought along for his kitchen and roasted with the wolf meat. Hardly slow-roasted to perfection, but it would still do.

Once the two plates were filled, he'd carry them upstairs, with a fork and a knife both on each plate. If/when he located Ulharisk, he'd seat himself down casually on the floor.

He'd speak idly of his people, as the two started to eat. "I don't think I've told you all too much of my kind. In my world.. there aren't many left, perhaps a thousand, perhaps a few thousand at most. We're all in hiding as most humans in our world hate and fear what they don't understand. My clan is sixty strong, and entered into a pact with some humans for.. mutual protection. We serve as guardians, and they conceal our presence. Our kind lay eggs only once every twenty years, and it takes ten to hatch.. so our numbers may never recover. All of our young are kept ignorant of their sire's identities, and are raised communally."

He'd carve off a large piece of meat, biting down on it, chewing for a time, and swallowing. "Mm. A distinct texture. I think I overcooked it. Anyhow, everyone in the clan who is our elder is our parent, and those who are hatched at around the same time are our sibling. We're all trained from birth our youth to be warriors, males and females both. When we come of age, we generally choose a mate, and mate for life."

He'd pause for a time, to see if he had any questions, before he'd offer to continue.

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk was indeed up top, mostly he was outside just watching the world go by really. His eyes glancing over the sky as if longing for something that wasn't there to take. Yet when Percival arrived that distant look quickly came back into focus before he gave the gargoyle a friendly smile.

The Draconian listened to Percival talks of his race. How long it took for their numbers to grow; which would explain so few; and their relationship with the humans. As he ate, he had to control himself to not scarf down the food and in some ways, he observed what Percival did, mimicking all the same.

"That must make breeding season highly entertaining." Ulharisk states with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Mostly the sheer length of time seemed rather insane to wait around and he knew even with his people, women were not all to pleasant around that time; well, somewhere to not all /that/ bad. Though some others...

"Don't you.. ever wish you knew who your parents were? Honestly?"

Percival has posed:
The Gargoyle regarded the question for a time, before nodding. "We sometimes guessed at the identities of our Sires. It isn't that difficult truly, each of us look rather distinct from each other. Once you find a feature and match it to a parent, you know their mate."

He'd shrug, his wings lifting off his shoulders briefly at the gesture, smiling affably. "Usually, we were told its best not to break tradition, to delve too deeply into such matters. Since our parents would have been raised the same way we were, its likely they'd know, but not treat their offspring any differently. Now.."

He'd carve off another piece of meat. "Unlike other clans, we have.. strange traditions. Traditions like the humans in our world. The greatest honor one can achieve in my clan is to be knighted, so once our hatchlings come of age, they are trained as pages, then squires... Once their valor and adherence to our code is adequately tested, they are knighted by a human lord that serves in the organization of our 'handlers'. I was still a squire, when my world fell. Its unlikely that I'll ever be knighted now."

Ulharisk has posed:

"Perhaps we can find you a human lord to knight you then?" Ulharisk asks eating some of the food as he ponders over this. Did it have to be a particular human? Then again.. as he realized as he munched on some of the wolf steak and potatoes (which were really good far as he was concerned), that.. he didn't even know what a /knight/ was. I mean, was it like-- a night? No. That didn't sound right in context.

..also what was a lord?

Ulharisk hrmed suddenly before he then gave a sheepish grin after he swallowed the food. "Uh.. also.. I must admit though. In honesty, even if I was to find you a human lord to knight you, I would not even know where to begin as-- it seems strange to have a human lord night someone. Why would they wish to be moon and stars?"

He blinks. "Unless this has to deal with your kind-- OH! This is because your kind are those of the night right? ..but wait... that.." He suddenly seems very lost.

Percival has posed:
And then he'd laugh uproariously, not because he was laughing /at/ Ulharisk, but more like he understood the cultural differences that led to him not knowing exactly what was stated and was laughing at the situation. And so after a time, he decided to let him in on the joke. "Small wonder that your world has no word for it. The night, as you and I know it, is different from a knight, which is spelled with a silent /K/. A knight is a warrior who agrees to abide by a code of honor known as chivalry, in my world. A /lord/ is an authority, someone who is a leader by birth and divine right, or one who has earned nobility through service. All knights must swear fealty to a Lord, and agree to serve them. When the Lord requires their swords, they may call upon them. However, it is also expected that a Lord will act in the best interests of their knights, and serve the interests of all his vassals as a whole."

He'd grin, "In my world, its an archaic system, and we are but relics of the past, serving a monarch who has no power, serving a secular leadership who may not have our best interests in mind. All to ensure our kind actually has a future."

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk listens to the explanation and nods now. Though the laughing did put him on edge at first, but he was slowly starting to understand why as the explanation continues, the laughter. It was a rather silly situation. One he-- will have to get use too.

In slowly starting to understand this cycle. He though frowns at the end and snorts softly in soft protest He then shakes his head gently. "It sounds like your kind could shortly be misused by the very ones you serve." He grimaces as he says that, seeming to loose his apatite suddenly.

"Rather disgusting situation to be in. A tradition that has been lost, but only to be upheld because it..." He growls almost then shakes his head. "I am.. sorry.. that-- that is not right of me to judge so when I do not fully understand the situation."

He then rubs his forehead gently. "I... I do thank you for sharing this with me Percival. Your kind is, honestly, very fascinating. They sound like a proud people. A truly noble one." He grunts. "Just..." he shakes his head. "Mm."

Percival has posed:
He'd nod in affirmation at the statement that they could be misused. "It's been tried in the past. There have been several occasions in history where we had falling outs with the current leadership. As it stands.. we're not used often. They know we're prickly about our honor, and that we won't act dishonorably."

He'd smile politely at Ulharisk's disgust over the situation. "Its not the best situation, certainly. Tradition is important to my kind. We like know where we came from, and to have a connection to our past. There are so few of us left that we feel it would be a disservice.. to allow our traditions to die before every last one of us falls."

He'd grant Ulharisk a patient smile, "We know that our situation is a difficult one, we're just trying to preserve what we can, for as long as we can.. And it's only right and proper, you've shared so much of your own kind after all."

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk listens and snorts softly. "Aye.. sometimes keeping tradition alive is all we have to keep us to our origins at times." He closes his eyes and then goes back to eating. "So I do hope though in the end, your people, your race, can keep your traditions. They are very fascinating and I thank you for sharing them." He says with a smile.

He then moves one of the potatoes around on the plate. "Though I do admit-- I have not shared as much information with you, as you have to me. So.. perhaps we should fix that." He says with a chuckle. "Guardians, at least for my people, we are honest with one another, or so we try to be." He then looks up at Percival. "..so.. perhaps.. I should be full honest as we are going to be working with one another.. and hard to say for how long."

Riku has posed:
We're sorry. The Continent You Have Dialed is not in service. Rerouting to next available location.

Riku collapses with a pained yelp on a handy and convienient surface. This is within full view of anyone who may actually be available to see this happen. The teenager looks like they have the wind knocked out of them and looks so honestly confused that swirly eyes may be invoked in anything used to describe him at the moment.

"wait.. what?" he asks nowhere in particular with muzzy confusion. "How..? /I was paying attention/." Riku grunts with pain, gingerly pushing himself up from a prone position to take a look around at his surroundings.

Percival has posed:
And Ulharisk is about to confide in him during their /man time/ when..

/A WILD RIKU APPEARS/

And Percival leaps to his feet initially, expecting a Shadow Lord or the Dark Knight given his method of appearance. He then relaxed when he took stock of him, he looked very familiar. Oh that's right, the kid who yelled at him about his foolishness during the Manhatten restoration. He was also there during the fight with the Behemoth. Riku, wasn't it? While his appearance put him on edge, he still decided to act affable around him, until he knew that he meant them ill. "Well met, Riku." He'd offer a hand, to help him up, and then, shrugging, he'd offer... "...fancy a steak while you're here? We have plenty."

He was coming to expect this sort of craziness in this strange world he lived in, which explained his rather nonchalant attitude after the initial shock of his appearance.

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk was indeed about to explain until suddenly a wild Riku appears. The Draconian's violet eyes follow the boy down and just as quickly as Percival stands up, dropping his plate (that poor plate), which amazingly doesn't break nor dump the steak, and his hand is marking the air with a symbol of some kind.

Yet when Percival says the boys name. Ulharisk blinks a few times and then stands up straight from his defensive stance and then blinks again. "He is--- a friend?"

Without even looking over he waves his hand through the air rune wisping it away like smoke. "Curious place this is becoming... humans that fall from the sky as if they were rain droplets."

"..Are you alright though?" Ulharisk asks, moving carefully to sit back down, weary of this new guest, and it seems he have to share his secrets with Percival another time, and perhaps deeper explanations into his culture as well. "..also please remain up here. Nothing personal, but we do not wish to disturb those whom are resting below."

Deidra has posed:
Deidra had been here in town to pick up some reagents for some spell work she's working on for the TDA. However she smelled something something that was just mouth watering. Maybe it's a new merchant selling something. Yet it's up here? She's flying up to a ruined watch tower, and comes int for a landiner she's suprised to see who she does here. Percy she knows and that gets a grin out of her. Ulhrisk is an unknown and she doesn't realise it' Riku this yet, as she comes in for a landing.

"...Humans have that habit of getting into places they tend to be unexpected to be...so umm hi I smelled something really good down in town coming from here."

Riku has posed:
Riku groans and takes a look around. He looks at Percival slowly, raising an eyebrow. He rubs his eyes and blinks several times. A little late in the day to be a nightmare, isn't it?

He then shrugs and decides to take everything in stride. He looks genuinely flummoxed and embarrassed as he rubs the back of his head. He turns his head over to look at Deidra and winces further.

"Uh.. sure. Thank you. Sorry about this." he blinks again. "It doesn't /usually/... nevermind. Um. Could I ask where I am?"

Percival has posed:
"More like a passing acquaintance. A friend of a friend. Though for anyone else those.. portals? They're generally bad news." He'd chortle at Ulharisk's statement on humans dropping like rain. "Only this human."

No Riku, this was not a nightmare. This is just another day in your crazy life.

"You're in Fluorgis. And don't worry about it, any friend of Will's is welcome here."

He'd just grin as Deidra appeared. "Good evening, Deidra. I'll get fix a plate for you as well. Welcome to my /extremely/ humble abode."

And then he'd descend for a short time, before emerging with two other plates of sinewy wolf steaks, potatoes, and utensils, offering them to Deidra and Riku both.

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk starts to eat again, watching Riku very closely. He then takes notice of Deidra as she comes in, though it seems Percival may know her. She also appeared to be another of his kind. Interesting.

His eyes then look back at Riku as he takes another bite of the wolf steak. He stares at him again for some time, before he at last looks away. When he finishes swallowing his food he speaks up, directing it toward Deidra. "I am not a human, I'm afraid. I am a Draconian. Though yes, there is some similarities I am slowly finding." And some with the gargoyles as well it would seem.

He then slowly looks at Riku once more. Not the right height. Not the right voice. Not /him/. Though Percival explains that such portals are bad. Ulharisk remembers them. He just didn't continue preparing because Percival said Riku's name. If it wasn't for that.. "Interesting magic trick you displayed there on your arrival. That-- hole you created. Is that a common ability among some of you mana weaving humans?"

"Portals.. as Percival called them.." He then takes another bite of the steak once more. He really wasn't trying to come off being aggressive, really, he was just very, very unsure about this one. "...I am.. curious simply on how many others may know /how/."

Deidra has posed:
Deidra fl3exes her wings a little bit and grins a bit more. "Oh! That would be grat i'm starving and I didn't know you were living out here. It's a nice suprise really. It's got character at least. "she now looks over to Ulharisk and dverns he's not human and wonders what he might be, and she gets her answer she looks over to Riku for a moment raise an eyebrow but prehaps she's let go of bad blood either ways he's honestly plesent to him "So it's been a while hasn't it Riku..." She shifts about with her ttail and finds her self a comfortable potion. "I'm Deidra." she notes to Ulharisk.

Riku has posed:
"And apparantly bad news for me as well." Riku grumbles good naturedly as he coughs out a sigh. "I think I've saved up all my bad portal jumps for this one week. Have you seen Will recently?"

Riku asks Percival as he gratefully takes the steak, potatoes and utensils and sits down somewhere. He takes a bite of the steak and some of the potatoes, having not actually managed lunch right just yet and the embarrassment ebbs into caution as he regards Ulharisk.

"No." he says with a shake of his head. "..to my knowledge, not a lot of people can pull it off. It looks like I barely qualify for that. Hello Deidra" he smiles with chagrin and inclines his head to her. "I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention to come here. If this is Fluorgis then I'm not even on the right /continent/, let alone the wrong building. I'm apparantly getting much worse at this very abruptly."

Percival has posed:
Percival would sit back down, continuing his work at his own steak. "He's been around. I think he was in Cornelia not long ago, last I heard on the radio."

He'd watch Riku eat the steak, giving him a sheepish grin. "Hope you enjoy it, its the first time I've made the attempt at cooking wolf meat."

He'd chortle at Riku's woes of not even being on the right continent. "Well, at least you'll get a square meal out of the experience. Where were you looking to go?"

And then a glance at Ulharisk. "Generally only Shadow Lords know how to do it, or their.. apprentices, associates. Riku is a special case, as I understand. I don't know him very well, but I trust Will's judgement. And he did aid us in restoring Manhatten from its darkened state. That makes him a hero in my book."

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk listens to what Percival has to say on Riku and gives a gentle nod. It seems he slowly starts to relax a bit. He then looks over to Deidra. "Ulharisk. Tis a pleasure ma'am." Says the Draconian with a tenor, slight British accent.

He then goes back to eating his wolf steak and potatoes being very quiet now. Mostly once more just listening to the conversations around him, as really-- he wasn't sure he wanted to state things about his culture around utter strangers.

Though after a bit he does speak up again. "Is it hard to restore a world?" He asks, looking at Riku.

Deidra has posed:
Deidra says "...Wrong conitent? Riku? How did you pull that off?" Seriously it's like some Anime characters she knew of who were infamous for getting lost. Or Reize but she never expected anyone else to end up as such. "Well you landed somewhere friendkly right?" She looks over to Percy and tilts her head for a moment "I been honestly thinking of finding a new place to sleep given what happened to VALKYRI I'm not a cowered but...well you know what I mean Percy right?" She also kooks to the food at this point. "More than most would try to do something about a mistake like that. I have to give you that." There's worse things to worry about Riku did try to do something about it right?

Riku has posed:
Riku snorts. "Well. Then that's their problem I suppose." he chuckles in relation to Will being inflicted on Cornelia. He pokes inquisitvely at the steak now that he knows what it is and nods. "Well. As much as some of these things have tried to make /me/ lunch instead of the other way around, this is very good. Thank you." he takes another bite as he says this and still looks extremely confused. "As to how I manged it, I don't know. I was just going across the city. I've been living in the city of Archades and.. now I guess I'll have to walk." he snorts with frustrated bemusement. "Who knows where I'd turn up if I just tried to simply go back the same way I left."

Riku seems to completely ignore Ulharisk's question, contently eating.. except the action slows, and then slows further until he is very gently resting the utensil against the plate with a soft click and staring down into it absently. "It depends." he says very softly. "Some worlds can fall and be recovered.. but that usually is because the shards.. the pieces of that world can be found. Found and gathered together and restored by a keyblade wielder." Riku rattles this off, gently tapping the utensil against the plate. Picking it up a fraction of an inch. Dropping it. Picking it up again. Staring at the plate and not the people. "..others.. are never restored..because those shards are destroyed or never found." Clatter. Pick up. Drop. Clatter. Silence. "..It's a very big universe.. and a lot of ground to cover."

Riku raises his eyes slowly to Deidra. "..What happened to Valkyri?"

Percival has posed:
"It certainly is. He's everyone's problem, part of being the Hobo King, he can turn up anywhere he likes, at any time." The russet-skinned Gargoyle would chortle, before looking up to regard the trio of guests. "You're quite welcome Riku. I'd made more than we needed anyhow."

He'd scratching the back of his neck as Riku described his misfire. "I'm not exactly sure how it works, but Archades is.. very far. It doesn't suprise me that you'd be thrown off course from time to time.

And then on the subject of restoring worlds, he wouldn't throw in his two cents until Riku was finished. "Its a...daunting task, we only restored a single city from our world, and its a large world."

And then on the question of VALKYRI he'd reply honestly, "Angantyr attacked their headquarters at the behest of Garland. And Maira is being harassed by a being called the Dark Knight. He's.. a rather persistent figure."

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk hears Riku explain how some words can be restored and then--

-- How they could also be destroyed. Completely.

'last of your people'

Those violet eyes suddenly look very distant as he suddenly stares off into the distance. All conversations around him becoming drowned out like suddenly being plunged underwater. All words seeming to phase over him like a flood of nothing.

'Gift from Whe'ir..'

'..never restored..'

Never restored. Destroyed.

That was your gift, wasn't it Dark One?
You could not have us, so you would destroy us.
That is what you always wanted...

Wasn't it?

Ulharisk seems to slowly just freeze what he is doing, before his face seems to even loose almost all expression as he then goes to slowly stand up on his feet. "Thank you for sharing the information, Riku. I am sorry if the topic was troubling for you. If you excuse me.. I should go check on Maira."

He then starts to head downstairs. One foot slowly at a time. Almost as if somewhere in there Ulharisk just checked out.

Deidra has posed:
Deidra says "My world got lucky to be honest. "I have to say ya it's not an easy task but it can be done. As for the what happened there? Huge number of heartless, Ang and I think another clad in dark armor like Darth Vader himself."

She looks to ulharisk with a sympathic look to ulharisk andf tries to look comfortting for a moment and she looks back to Percy before going for her food. "It's really one big mess."

Riku has posed:
Riku knows that expression even on the face of a stranger but doesn't know what to do other than go back to his food. He picks at it, temper and appetite muted as he sighs quietly.

He raises a hand almost to a 'stop' but then sighs and sits back, shaking his head. "Great." he murmurs quietly. He then registers. "Wait-- What?!" he sits bolt upright. "Angantyr did.. wait. Is Avira alright? What happened?" he pauses, then sighs and shakes his head.

"Wait. Dark knight? Are we talking scary armor the sequel? Red eyes. Questions. Floods darkness like a baking soda volcano?" So. Many. Questions.

Deidra has posed:
Deidra says "No not that one this was different. Issac intercepted him I hear and kept him from getting involved by keeping him distracted talking but if Ang is scary that guy is Love Craftian err cosmic horror. No fatalties but the building is leveled. We .... angered Garland. So it's more scary armor the greater." She shakes her head and takes a bitt of the meat before talking again. "It's just one big mess."

Ulharisk has posed:

It would seem that poor Riku will not get his answer with Percival probably going down below to check on things, just as Ulharisk is gently leaning against a wall watching over Maira for a moment (like he said he was doing), and drumming his fingers softly against the stone wall.

Losing hope was bad. Losing hope was never good. He had to stay strong. Maybe, just maybe, there were others alive. Somewhere. There had to be. He couldn't truly become the only one left alive...

Ulharisk let out a soft growl in frustration before he came back up once more. "Could either of you let Percival know that I left out for a bit. I should be back before the sun rises. I just.. need to go for a walk."

The Draconic then seems to leap over the edge, using some magic to slow down his descent before he lands on the ground and then seems to jog off in some distance.

Maira has posed:
Another day, and Maira is still in the tower where Percival and Zia live, though she's seen nothing of Zia. Perhaps she was keeping her distance. Goodness knows it was getting crowded here sometimes. Not that Maira didn't appreciate it, but there is only so long she can hide away, feeling miserable, letting herself be protected from the Dark Knight. Perci and Avira are so sure he will come and try to take advantage of her emotional state. They may be right.

Maira sighs gently, sitting at one of the tower windows, looking down at the city below like some sort of princess in a castle.

Except the gargoyles and dragon were protecting her rather than holding her hostage. She would leave, really, she wanted to...the only thing stopping her is that everyone would be angry with her if she did.

TRON has posed:
TRON had heard word thanks to Percival and Avira about Maira's location and condition, but he didn't want to give her more reason to worry in her vunerable state. He'd only recently gotten his Disc and his data both on the road to full recovery, though it isn't fully repaired.

So, here he is, wearing his World of Ruin armor under his battered cloak, using his staff as a walking stick. He ends up blending in quite well with the crowd as he makes his way to the 'Gargoyle tower', occassionally glancing up for signs of life. It isn't until he gets close enough to the base of the tower specifically that he is able to identify Maira at the window high above.

A pensive look spreads across his face as he considers. What was that old fairy tale...? He rocks back on his heels and focuses squarely on Maira, a grin lighting his expression. "<Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair?>"

Maira would notice that his mouth never opened to speak and his voice has that distinctive neutralized modulation he would usually have when in his black suit and helmeted. Hopefully his 'voice' carries well enough for her to hear him.

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk was indeed Maira's day guardian, however the day guardian had to stay away because he promised her that he go get her some fresh fruit from the market -- somehow. This actually lead to him looking for some fruit baring trees, like apples and pears, and then bringing those back instead.

Yeah, they would have be cleaned before eaten, but no big deal!

TRON outside may suddenly see something flying in the sky. With a rather large wing span, at least around maybe sixteen to eighteen wing space. It had a long body and tail with a fin at the end of it heading right for the top of the tower! It was what many people would call a small size dragon - A drake to some.

It then lands on the tower and there is a flicker of light.

However back on the inside all Maira would hear is a loud, typical thump that Ulharisk seems to make, before heading down the stairs, calling down to Maira. "Maira. I am back. I brought you some apples and pears."

Maira has posed:
Upon hearing a familiar, modulated voice, Maira looks directly below, a smile appearing. At his words, she laughs a little. "I don't think my hair is long enough for you to climb! Also, that seems as though it would be pretty painful!" she retorts. "Do you have a way to get up here? Percival is sleeping....and short of tossing myself out the window, I really can't get down either!" she calls. How entirely ridiculous this all is!

Maira smiles anew when she hears the thump of Ulharisk returning, with fruit no less! She'd had to come up with some reason to get him to leave for a little while. She liked Ulharisk a great deal--he was quite amiable, but a girl needs privacy sometimes! She'd had some time to heat herself up some water and take something like a bath. Oh but she missed the great big tub at VALKYRI HQ! But the fruit, that's still a wonderful thing! "Wonderful! Thank you Ulharisk. I have a friend come to visit but I'm not sure how he's going to get up here..." she says, gesturing down toward TRON.

Katyna has posed:
Overhead, Katyna flew on the back of her baby dark dragon. It was a pretty small dragon and not nearly as intimidating during the last few hours of daylight, however from up here, she might yet be mistaken for a dark knight of sorts..

Still, she was determined to check up on Maira after having heard that she was holed up in some tower..For her own sake, apparently. Down below, Kat can make out the figure of someone who looks vaguely familiar..Was that TRON, or one of those weird 'programs' or whatever? She didn't really know him that well, and she didn't really care..Not at the moment.

For now, she angles her dragon to land near the top of the tower, moments after Ulharisk himself lands there. "What...Another dragon?" She frowns, not knowing the draconian that well either. Well, whatever it is, she's determined to find out! He disappears moments before she lands however, causing another thump for whoever is in the tower to hear..Before she follows after the draconian, calling out Maira's name.

"Heeey, Maira! You here?"

Deidra has posed:
Deidra has been keeping with Maira since she found out about what waws going on. Percy's cooking was also a pluse into hanging around if one looked at it even remotly selifhsly but well given how crazy Gargyole sleep patterns have become? She's currenly asleep but not for much klonger she'd seem to be a stone stature here at least for a moment longer. The first sound is the sound of cracking stone, then it gets louder and louder as cracks appear all over her stone form and then her taloned feet grip the ground and the stone utterly shatter her eyes gloe red for a moment and she lets out an inhuman yawn stratching out her wings, and other limbes.

"uggg.....this is always so trippy ummm....hey?"

She now looks around rather sheepish and please mind the stone shards!

TRON has posed:
TRON gives Maira a wave upon her recognition, his grin only widening. "<The lack of a door waz not what I expected,>" he admits. The flyover of a winged lizard/dragon is noted, but he barely knows what such a creature even is much less understand possible danger.

He taps his chin thoughtfully. "<Light Cyclez cannot zcale vertical zurfacez...>" There are no flying-type Grid vehicles in existance, nor would he have the baton even if there is. "<Climbing could work, though.>" He tests the surface of the tower and how much grip he'd have, and how much of a ledge he could possibly use. "<Unlezz you have a better idea?>"

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk smiles at Maira as he places down the basket of fruit. "They will need to be washed before ate." he explains to her as he suddenly hears another 'thump' from above which causes him to raise an eye brow.

Though he watches Maira speak to someone from outside, his attention goes to the one who apparently just landed. His eyes narrow as he places out his hand to write a rune in the air with blue light. Suddenly from that very light a blue pole starts to extend out before he places his hand on it, the blue light then shines as it creates the whole Glaive with the red runes glowing brightly.

He walks up a few of the steps as he peers upward, "Who goes there?"

Maira has posed:
Well, now that Deidra is awake, Maira does indeed have a better idea! Smiling over to Deidra, she waves. "Morning Deidra," she greets. She's so use to Perci that the stone sleep doesn't really startle her anymore. "I have a visitor...do you think you could bring him up by any chance? Please?" she asks, smile sweetening. "Ulharisk brought some fruit..."

Maira blinks then, looking over as Katyna arrives. "Katyna! It's alright Ulharisk, she's a friend," she explains, hopping away from the window to move over to Katyna and hug her gently. "I'm glad to see you are doing better...oh!" she says, then scrambles back to the window. "I will see if Deidra can come down for you!" she calls to TRON.

Katyna has posed:
Katyna makes no attempt at hiding her presence as she jumps down the steps of the tower, searching the windows for Maira. Finally she hears talking coming from the main room and she steps towards it, halted only by Ulharisk and his glaive. "Erp! Oh, hey it's you! From Traverse!" She sweatrdrops, tensing a bit at the glaive, holding up her arms as if in surrender.

"Heey, it's okay! I'm a friend of Maira's..I helped you guys fight Angantyr and protect VALKYRI, remember?" It'd probably be too complicated to explain that she was once a member of VALKYRI too.

Fortunately, Maira explains things and Kat smiles gently at her, reaching out to hug her gently. "Maira! I'm glad to see you're okay, and so well-protected! But..Is this all really necessary for just one guy?" She frowns, remembering her brief run-in with the Dark Knight, shaking her head. "What..Does he want with you, anyways?"

She finally notices a somewhat familiar looking gargoyle behind Maira and she grins sheepishly, trying to place the name. "Heh, I've met you before, what's your name again? Dee-something? Nice t'seeya again.." Too bad she missed the stone sleep thinger.

Deidra has posed:
Deidra says "Morning and sorry about the mess, and sure thing I'll head down and get him."

She takes a moment to spread her wings again she'll move to leap off the edge and glyde down to come pick up TRON. It's like she's some sort of elevator operator now and that thougth makes her laugh loudly as she comes down for a laning and looks to TRON. "So need a lift just let me get hold of you and we'll be on out way. It's Deidra." She adds to Katyna.

TRON has posed:
TRON gives Maira a thumbs-up and does not have to wait long before Deidra glides down to the ground. He slings his staff over his back and tucks the majority of his cloak under one arm so the Gargoyle doesn't grab it instead of him. "<Ready. Thank you for the advance warning,>" he replies to Deidra, still without moving his mouth. His head bobs as if speaking and he has all the facial expression, though, so it's still him 'talking'. Just not in the standard way.

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk stands down as he realizes /who/ its and what Maira says also allows him to let the Glaive vanish in a flicker of blue light. "Sorry. Just the loud thump from above concerned me." He then moves off to the side watching as Deidra not only wakes up, but goes to fetch one of the others that was there at the fight.

He however takes the time to get the broom and pale to clean up the stone shards. Such strange creatures were Gargoyles...

Even with Percival sharing information to him, including realizing how similar they were to his own people, they were still /so/ different.

Maira has posed:
Maira sighs. Should she mention that she spoke to Angantyr? Katyna wouldn't understand. She isn't sure anyone would. She isn't sure /she/ understands! She'll hold off for now.

When Katyna takes note of her guards she blushes. "I think its probably a bit much...really, I can't just keep sitting up here and waiting for him to come for me--and no, I have no idea what his deal is really, but I know he'll come back. I keep hearing about his appearances...I heard he was in Wutai and--" Maira takes a deep breath and lets it out slow. She wants to tell them what she plans to do, but she knows they will try to stop her.

Maira sighs, then puts herself to work washing the fruit Ulharisk had brought. She hadn't asked him yet about his mode of travel, but she has some guesses.

Once Deidra has brought TRON up, Maira runs over to hug him as well. "I'm so glad you're alright...how are things at HQ? Rebuilding? Are you um--totally repaired yet?" she asks, concern painted plain on her features.

Katyna has posed:
Katyna smirks at Ulharisk, trying to place the name. She's sure she had heard it during the battle. "It's Ulharisk, right? I thought I saw a dragon up on the rooftop a moment ago..I mean aside from my own." She grins, "Dont worry, Sardonyx is harmless..At least now she is, since she'll only follow my orders."

But there was something else that worried her too. "Heey Maira, I'm sorry we didnt get to finish our conversation the other day. Guess I was pretty out of it, but..I hope you didn't go after Angantyr again. I mean, he could hurt you next time and I'm really worried about you. y'know, you're a real trouble magnet.." She makes a face, not really wanting to bring up painful memories, although she knows it's necessary all the same.

"But Heey! You're right! Whose crazy idea was it anyway? Someone's been reading too much Rapunzel! I mean you cant just hide away here forever right? I suppose maybe we should go looking for him and deal with this once and for all!"

She sighs, "I just wish I knew what he wanted.." The question is pretty vague though, did she mean Ang, the Dark Knight, or both?

Deidra has posed:
Deidra carefully grabs hold of Tron to make sure he's scure and she's stronger than a human of her rough build would seem to be. She has no problems moving and she spread her wings again. "Up up and away!" She starts laughing to herself for some reason clearly she said something she thought was funny afterward she land sup top with no real problems and will let TRON off.

She has been curious and unlike Percy had not got a chance to know just what is up with Ulharisk and wanted to learn more about him.

TRON has posed:
TRON lets Deidra carry him up without complaint, his gaze more focused on the ever-increasing vantage point over Fluorgis. It isn't often he gets a chance to get such an interesting view, after all. Once they land, TRON inclines his helmed head to Deidra before slipping inside--

--Only to get immediately hugged by Maira. With a low but rather (unintentionally) robotic-sounding chuckle, he pats her shoulders and readjusts his cloak more into a cape. "<The area iz ztill being cleaned up, but the town and Datapoint Zecurity are azzizting. Rebuilding effortz should begin in earnezt zoon.>"

He looks down at himself, perhaps a little exaggeratedly checking over his armored form. He's clearly making up for his relative lack-of-voice with body-language and expression. "<Phyzically, I am fine. My Disc iz undergoing repairz az we zpeak, and my voice zhould be back to normal once that iz complete.>" He grimaces, not out of pain but out of distaste. "<My 'zpeech' iz like thiz zo I won't have to ztutter out every word in the meantime.>"

He nods to the others, recognition lighting his brown eyes as he notes who is present. "<Greetingz to you all. I take it everyone iz well?>" He includes Maira in his question, giving her an especially concerned look.

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk glances over at Katyna after he comes back once disposing of the stone shards. "Hm? Yes ma'am, that is my name." He says with a smile and then she brings up the 'dragon' bit. "Did you? I don't recall any-- dragon. Though I guess that explains the thump."

Yeah. He wasn't sure how ready he was to disclose that information.

"Sardonyx huh? That is a nice name." He comments before walking over and snatching up one of the apples that Maira has already cleaned, before taking a bite out of it. He chews on the piece before he looks between the two women. "There is nothing wrong with going out, in my opinion.. so long as you have someone with you Maira. I-- don't know what is really going on, but if that man comes after you. That-- one who attacked-- He could do some serious injury to you or to this place."

He grunts. "..I don't think Percival would be very thrilled if something happened to you, nor Avira."

He glances up as TRON and Deidra come down, giving them a wave as he continues to eat his apple, just leaning his back against the wall now. Yummy, yummy apple. Something though Maira may have noted about Ulharisk. The man can eat a /ton/ and seems to probably have a slight black hole for a stomach. Though he himself has to admit, he doesn't really eat as much has he should only cause these people here don't have the feasts they would have where he came from.

Ulharisk then peers back over to TRON trying to make heads and tails of what he is saying. Some of it was easy, other parts were kinda lost on him and caused his brows to furrow a bit. "I'm doing fine." He remarks with a soft smile. "Thanks for asking." He then tilts head a bit. "..if you don't mind me asking, /what/ are you? You appear to be Human, yet it is, in some ways, obvious you are not. A-- living weaved construct perhaps?"

Maira has posed:
Maira looks back to Katyna, frowning as she mentions Angantyr, her brow forming a very stubborn expression. "What Angantyr did....he did to protect us. I may not seem that way....but its true," she tells her. "He doesn't want me to see him--" she says, but she'll say no more. He wants to protect her, and if she's seen with him, if Garland knows...damn it all!

"It was...well I suppose it was mine and Perci's idea. I was having trouble sleeping you see so...but he found me something that helps and now I've just been here...."

Well, since Katyna brings it up, Maira might as well say what she intends. "Yes, I'm not going to sit around and wait for him--the Dark Knight. He...I will deal with him," she says, looking down for a moment. She will not be talked out of this.

Maira catches TRON's looks of concern and tries to give him a reassuring smile. He won't approve either, she's sure. "Heh...Avira seems to like you talking this way for some reason! I just want you to be all the way well again, whatever that entails," she replies.
% To Ulharisk, she sighs. "I'm tired...tired of dragging people into trouble--I attract it, obviously," she says, gesturing to Katyna to harken back to what she'd said. "The one who attacked Traverse Town...that was Angantyr, and he...its very complicated but he is my /friend/ even now. The Dark Knight....well. I told you what I'm going to do. I can't keep resisting the...the tug, forever."

Deidra has posed:
Deidra is sizing up Tron for a moment and seems to be curious at what he's talking about. "I can understand that and humm Datapoint is helping I see." She'd heard the mayor wasn't human but after some of the crooks Manhattan had had? MCP had been an upgrade ironically even if his laundry came out he still might be.

"Might want to go find some food after sleeping like a rock." She doesn't tire of terrible stone puns it seems. Ulharisk also beat her to a question for a moment. "Well I think she likely finds the accent it gives you sexy most likely."

Katyna has posed:
Katyna blinks at TRON. "Heey, you're TRON right? Did you get damaged in the fight with Angantyr too, then? Or was it something else?" she doesn't really know much about programs, or whatever he is, but.."Nice to see you again!"

She glances back at Ulharisk and nods, "Yeah, I could've sworn I'd seen a dragon land on the rooftop of this tower before I arrived here. Wonder where it went? It vanished pretty quickly afterwards.." Odd that. She has yet to connect the dragon to Ulharisk though.

Kat peers back at Maira however, having many questions for her. When Maira continues to defend Angan, it causes Kat to frown, as she eyes her suspiciously. "Did..Did you go see him, then, Maira?" Her tone is not angry, just..Concerned. "I dont understand. Why did he do what he did? I know he cares for you and Avira, so why..? I just dont understand. I mean, it seemed like he was just being controlled by Garland, so how could he have been protecting anyone? If we hadn't been strong enough, he would have killed us all..Does he really not have a choice in the matter?"

It made her a little angry really, and confused. Afterall, Kat *chose* to become good and yet there were people who still distrusted and disliked her, and demanded she prove herself. But Ang..Had done so much worse. Still, she didn't forget her promise to him..

"As for the Dark Knight, do you have a plan?" She simply smirks at Deidra, "Hah! It is a pretty funny accent!"

TRON has posed:
TRON raises his eyebrows as he closes his eyes and seems to inhale. Oh, the joys of explaining /what/ one is to someone who more-than-likely doesn't even understand the level of technology behind it. It isn't Ulharisk's fault, but it's something TRON has come to dread. "<Well, I am an artificial life-form from another world, called a 'Program'. I apologize if I am difficult to underztand. My current manner of zpeech iz honeztly better than trying to zpeak with an uncontrollable ztutter.>"

He has tried. It makes his healing code glitch and his throat feel uncomfortable, plus the aggrivation of being unable to get a word /out/.

He nods to Katyna with a smile. "<My name iz TRON, yez, and I did zuztain damage in the battle az well. The accent iz a conzequence of the modulator, though I find it amuzing how otherz react to it.>"

He walks over to a nearby surface to take a seat, looking around at everyone as his brow knits together. "<Everyone zeez the entire event differently, bazed on how cloze they were to Angantyr. I did not know him that well before, and my neutral ztance haz not changed.>" He taps his foot thoughtfully. "<He would have destroyed everything around uz if we were not ztrong enough. But beyond that, I cannot underztand a purpoze in conztantly azking 'why', when we really need to focuz on and overcome what haz been dealt to uz, becauze it iz not over.>"

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk snorts softly. "Well Maira, unless something happens, I will be honored to stay by your side and fight for you." He then glances off to the side. People before yourself, he reminds himself before he looks back to her. "Yet I know I am a stranger to many of you-- so I understand if.. you decide you do not wish me there."

Ulharisk then takes another bite of the apple, he stays quiet for a bit before his violet eyes look over to Katyna, "I really do believe talking about this... Angantyr or even the Dark Knight may not be the best of topics of conversation. There seems to be a bit of heat around these subjects and until things cool down, maybe best to cease conversation on them." Yet he too was curious as what Maira had planned for them both. Though in some ways, he didn't want to hear either.

What he didn't know was probably better then knowing.

He does seem to avoid the thing with the Dragon, for whatever the reason. Mostly cause he just didn't want to get into explaining really /why/ or what as a Draconian he able to do. After all, through the explanations that Percival gave him, even though Maira seemed really open to it, it sound like more people were fearful of these... dragons.. then open to them.

TRON then attempts to explain to Ulharisk /what/ he is. All the Dragon can do is nod his head gently and then shake it softly. He kinda knew what an artifical life form was, that was like little things that the weavers would do, but nothing on this scale. Yet, so many questions! "I-- will take that explanation for now and I will most likely get back to you later." Say the Draconian with the slight tenor, British accent, who has slightly scaled skin, clawed fingers and toe nails, oddly shaped elf ears, and nearly slits for pupils.

Such a strange group of people this Tower has become.

Maira has posed:
Maira sighs heavily, walking over to take a seat and fold her hands in her lap. "I spoke to him on the ma belle. He won't see me," she replies. "You have to understand what Garland /is/. He is..." Maira trails off, merely shivering as she remembers that impenetrable darkness. "Angantyr did his bidding because if he hadn't, Garland would have done it himself. You must understand how much worse that would have been. Avira got everyone out of Traverse town because Angantyr /warned/ her he would be coming--to get innocents out of the way," she tells them.

Maira closes her eyes for a moment, holding out a hand. Upon opening them, a small flame burns in her palm--a brilliant white that lights the room. "My plan...it isn't much of a plan at all and it is difficult to explain. Everyone is light and dark, right? The Dark Knight has...something has happened to him and he is different. He is filled with darkness but...its not....right. Light wants to balance the darkness, and I think some part of him wants to be balanced. I really hurt him that last time. I...I think I reached something in him. I plan...I plan to try again. I plan to let this--light--just do what it seeks to do," she replies, hoping that made any sense.

Maira looks up to Ulharisk then, the light dispersing. She stands and moves to him, reaching up to put her hand on his shoulder. "You just lost your world, but you fight. You knew almost nothing about me but you volunteered to help--you don't /have/ to do this...but I think I know you need to fight so I am really, really grateful for you help."

Maira lets her hand fall and takes a deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling with it. "Perci told me once that some people are made to be heroes--but some people choose to be, and that's really remarkable."

Deidra has posed:
Deidra listen for a moment the Gargyole seems to understand for a moment pulling out a portable game system. "Wait program like the things that run on hardware like this?" She kinda stares for a moment and looks down to the game system for a moment. She just kinda puts it back into a pocket for a moment "So .... this brings up disturbing implications, TRON." She loos a bit concerned about it but that's not the matter at hand, okay so maybe she won't throw out her old PC now.

"That other Dark Knight not ang? Sounds like a animal more than a man or one of Cyberbiotics drones I keep hearing about."

TRON has posed:
TRON turns his gaze to Ulharisk. "<No. It haz been a week already, and time doez not heal all woundz. If not now, when?>" He shakes his head, frowning. "<Bezidez, Garland will not wait on uz to recover on our own time.>" That being of Chaos is beyond his ability to classify at all, delving far beyond that. The MCP was right, he /is/ scared of Garland after two encounters.

He offers a brief shrug to Deidra. "<The extent of my world iz unknown to me. I do not know if all zuch technology iz zimilar, or if my world iz zomehow unique.>"

He listens to Maira closely as she explains her plan concerning the Dark Knight, then nods slowly. "<Running forever zolves nothing. If that iz what you need to do, zo be it.>"

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk tilts his head to Maira as she comes up to him placing her hand on his shoulder. He was actually very warm; like warmer then a normal person. His violet eyes studied her for a moment. Though he stayed quiet. Just listening before he smiled. "I am no hero nor do I really wish to be. I am just doing what needs to be done. Those Whe'ir servants should not be allowed to take worlds at their whim."

He glances off to the side. "Besides," he looks at her. "You helped me when I arrived to this-- crazy worlds.. I should repay you in some way for this kindness and the continue one you keep giving." He then smiles warmly.

Ulharisk glances over to TRON and sighs softly. "..trust me.. you don't have to talk to me about healing wounds with time.. I have several still healing and it hasn't been that long ago.." He glances away from the program looking out the window past everyone. "Yet I still stand by what I say. I will make them pay for their transactions. Some way-- or another."

Ulharisk then glances over to Maira, "..by the way, how did you do that-- fire light trick. I never seen such weaving to that extent. I mean. I have seen things conjured from the mana but you have such perfect control over it."

Katyna has posed:
Kat stares at Maira, looking a bit..Confused. Whatever Ulharisk says, she doesnt care. She wants to know. She NEEDS to know. "So it's true then, he really HAS just become Garland's puppet. I just...Dont see the point of that. I mean, true, Garland is a Shadow Lord, and a powerful one at that. Buut..Just agreeing to be his slave, just because he doesnt have faith that together we can beat Garland..That's just the same as running away. Why doesnt he just escape Garland and help us fight him? Together, we can beat him.."

She glances sadly at her mabelle, knowing that she'd somehow been cut off from VALKYRI a long time ago. "I....I will also stand by your side..By VALKYRI's side. I'll help protect you against Garland..The Dark Knight. Anything else the world can throw at us. You still have my number, dont be afraid to use it. Ulharisk. Deidre. TRON. Please take care of Maira! I..Have to go! See you later!"

She flashes one of her charming grins before she waves and leaves the tower. Ugh, too cramped for her style! She needs fresh air..

Maira has posed:
Maira laughs lightly at Ulharisk's response. "Well, neither do I! I just...want to help," she replies, shrugging her shoulders. She'd lived an extremely lonely life before, and she will cling stubbornly to every friend she makes.

"How couldn't I help you? Years ago someone else did me the same kindness when my world fell...took care of me, gave me somewhere to live, answered my questions. I'm just...passing it along," she says with a smile.

"Heh....you're warm, like me. Fire-touched! As for the things I do with my magic I don't even really know. It's just...part of me and sometimes it is very difficult to control. That's really why I came here. I was having nightmares, and I kept um...bursting into flame in my sleep," she admits sheepishly, her cheeks flushing. "It comes from my heart I guess. Fire is passionate, sometimes...sometimes it get the better of me."

Maira looks toward Katyna, shaking her head sadly. "I'm trying to convince him...I am trying," she replies. She doesn't know if she could ever be successful. Garland is terrifying. He is a /god/ she is sure....but there has to be a way. If she can use light on the Dark Knight, maybe.....

Then Katyna leaves abruptly, and all Maira can do it wave. With a sigh, Maira flops down again. Can she really be tired again already? "TRON...you'll look out for Avira, right? She's so strong, but this thing with Angan and Garland...it's really hurting her."

TRON has posed:
TRON inclines his head to Katyna as she leaves, then turns his gaze to Maira once more. "<Of course I will.>" He emits a strange sound like a static-laden buzzing growl, but there's no anger in his eyes. Only a deep concern. "<Thiz zituation iz hurting everyone, it zeemz. Zome more than otherz... and there iz no good anzwer to fix it.>"

He gets up and rubs the back of his neck, a corner of his mouth rising in chagrin. "<But. Firzt thingz firzt: rezt and recovery, which haz been neglected az of late.>"

Ulharisk has posed:

Ulharisk raises an eye brow as she brings up him being fire touched, then listens to her explanation. Including catching on fire when she sleeps. Now, that is something you don't hear about. Then again-- there was once that story about a Draconian Guardian falling asleep in his.. ok. So Maybe he can /sorta/ understand in a silly story kind of way.

He was never sure if it really happened or not.

He cants his head as he listens to her talk to the others. He doesn't really remark until she is done talking to everyone. "Mm. My kind, us Draconians, are all very hearty against the heat. However we have a great weakness against colder climates. Thankfully in our world, it was very rare that we saw snow. Only during the cold winters that sometimes would come and cap the mountains with snow. The valley in those times stayed cool, yes, but tolerable."

He then waves bye to Katrina and nods in agreement to TRON. "Yes. You should sleep Maira and with that." He motions to TRON and Deidra. "Up the stairs with the both of you. Lets go." He then will shoo them out with him right behind.

Oh and yes, still enjoying his apple.