PROJECT RECON - The RPG Forum Story

[The_Dark_Goddess]

Throughout this little gathering, Amaya had simply sat and listened.
No one had yet to say exactly WHAT they were there to do, only that they were brought together for a purpose.
Such news.

What concerned her most was the creature Kalaila, and her connection to Evanguard.
Whatever the connection, Evan most certainly did not like it.

When the girl....Fey-ya, she believed be the name, had spoken, her words were both clear and confusing. A rhyme of many meanings, a meaning of many layers.

Two seers, two warriors, a priest, a girl who housed a dragon, a goddess...and the creature Kalaila...Amaya's thoughts circled in her head.

She looked to her left, where sat the warrior Pyroslasher, holding the girl seer...the girl who was asleep again, or so it seemed.

The girl was significant. The fact that she felt the girl so strongly, when before she barely felt her at all...that was significant...

As though in a trance, Amaya stood and walked towards Pyro and Fey-ya. On the staircase behind her Evanguard finally was beginning to descend, he was yelling at her, several people were trying to tell her something, but try as she might Amaya could not control her body, and did not hear their warnings, though she did notice that the other seer, Polios, simply stood by.

Before any of the others could stop her, Amaya placed her hand on the girls head and with a gasp, was drawn into her world.                    

[Polios]

" Do not touch either of them," said Polios commandingly, as he saw Evanguard approach," Fei-ya has let Amaya enter our realm. Beware, however, for you are not invited. You must wait here, I shall go and brief you on what is happening, for they shall be too tired to do so. Amaya has never been to there and Fei-ya is being tested, both shall be exhausted."

"Where are they?" said Evaguard curiously.

" It is a place where those who have see with their eyes are blind, unless put under certain circumtances. Such is this, for the rest of you, you must have 'sight' to see," said Polios.

He then walked over to Fei-ya and Amaya. Both of their eyes were moving rapidly behind their lids. He raised his staff close to them and said," Let me enter where those who see are blind." With that a flash of light came from his staff, and then his staff went black. The room was black, they now realised that it was night and the light before was coming from his staff and Fei-ya, but Polios's cloak was blacking her.                    

[PyroSlasher]

PyroSlasher gently iet the girl down from his arms and stepped back to allow Polios to try and revive them.Amaya and Fei-Ya,now both in a state of sleep.....Evanguard and Kalaila not on one term ......and himself in a state of confusion.Why were we still here?Why is the group slowly breaking apart?
There can only be one answer.We were assembled by a certain force and now a contradictery force is trying to pull us apart.
 And...with Polios' cloak covering the girl......the room was plungrd in total darkness......which Pyro did not trust....much the same ,anything for that matter.
He drew his sword which illuminated the room in a pale blue from its flames ,ready for anyone and anything....if nessasary.                    

[Zero-X]

More confused as ever, Zerokun turned to Evanguard as he descended the stairs..."Are you well, Evanguard? It seems that you were startled, and by a kiss from a fellow vampire...oh well, it is not my business to interfere, but hopefully you are well enough to brave through this journey..."

As Polios had cast his spell and threw the room into a world of darkness, he looked around in amazement...

"Do you sense some sort of danger Pyro?" as Zerokun turned to him...for as Pyro drew his sword, Zerokun became aware of his surroundings, expecting some form of imminent danger, but no one knew what catastrophy awaits them...                    

[PyroSlasher]

Its just too coincidental Zerokun.All this cant just happen by the randomness of our own personal lives.There is a higher order....namely the council.But,I have a strange feeling that the council isnt the only power that allowed us to reunite...."
The sword kept burning....his eyes a pale blue appearence from the flames of the sword
".....I think that there might have a second coming."
Zerokun stepped foward to hear the answer to"A second coming of what?"
PyroSlasher looked at him directly in the eye and said "The Angel of Death."                    

[ShowTime]

"This is rediculous."  Serene pushed herself from the wall on which she rested her back.  

"I'm wasting my time here."  As she reached for her cloak, she thrust out her hand and concentrating her ki, she pulled her staff neatly towards her.  

"Wait," prevented Evanguard.  "We were 'all' brought here for a reason.  We are not even sure what we're supposed to do."

Solemnly, almost painfully, Serene headed for the door and replied, "That's not my problem.  I'm sorry."

Evanguard reached for her, but was slowed by a seemingly mental force.  "What?"

"He's strong.  That enough power would've pushed back a normal human."
Serene used enough power to completely stop Evanguard, repeated her apology and left.                    

[The_Dark_Goddess]

"In this world you are blind" said a soft, soft voice to Amaya'a left.
"What?" Amaya whirled, "Where are you? who are you? where am i?!" she asked, stretching out her hands.
Fei-ya placed her own hand on the goddess' shoulder.
"You are in the world of a seer. Only those with the Sight are not blind here. But you are a goddess, if u concentrate, your vision shall be restored."
Amaya nodded and tried to focus.
Slowly, but surely, she was able to define colours, and soon shapes formed in front of her.

Standing before her was the girl seer, Fei-ya.
"How did i get here?" Amaya asked her.
"I called you, something is wrong, i tried to awaken but i cannot. They say only i can release myself from this sleep, but i dont know how. I called you so that you may help me, take my message back to the others."
"They? who are they? And why me?"
"They...He. A voice that i hear...i dont know who...I chose you...i dont know. I called..and you came."

Amaya nodded and looked around again. They stood at the eye of a storm, all around her images and sounds whirled past in blurs of colour. A pattern she assumed could only be made out by those who belonged here, the seer.

"Well then, what is your message?"
Fei-ya looked around, a strange expression on her face.

"Tell them they must leave the inn. Go to the house in which...the vampire girl...Kalaila..go to her house. From there shall my other half shall tell you what he wishes you to do." Fei-ya gazed past Amaya's shoulder.

Turning, Amaya saw Polios, still and silent.
"When did u get here?" She asked guardedly.
"I am a seer. I belong here. You must leave."
Amaya snorted.
"Do not attempt to command me. But indeed, i shall leave. I have heard all that i have come to hear, not so?" she turned back to Fei-ya, who nodded.

"Very well then"
And with those last words, Amaya began to fade from the seer's world.

When she opened her eyes, the first thing Amaya saw was Pyro's chin, as he watched Serene leave the inn. Standing, she looked at those who remained.

"Get me my armour," she commanded, "And follow me."                    

[Evangelion_01]

Evanguard lounged in the chair, his ears perking at the Blood Goddess' words. He got up again with a grin and shake and headed for the stairs.

"Yesh ma'am...right away..."

He ascended the stairs slowly, but stopped and looked back down again. "Anything else while I'm up here?" Amaya gave him an annoyed glare that only said:

"GO!..."

Evanguard noticed and clumped up the stairs, chuckling a bit. The others wearily swung to their feet, the scraping of chairs and tables mingling in the relative silence. He rummaged around in the room and picked up the stack of armor from on the chair and draped it over an arm. As he walked back into the corridor, he passed Pyro and Zero heading to their respective rooms for their possesions. Smirking, he waved a finger as the pair passed: "Murchu..." Zero stepped ahead but one of his legs moved backward instead landing heavily on Pyro's sandal clad foot. The swordsman let loose a loud curse, and bounced on one leg, holding his burning foot. Zero looked back, bored.

"Watch where you step..."

"Ow...yeah I know better next time..." and he glared at the retreating Evan. "Damn you..." he muttered. Evanguard smiled as he came out of the stair's darkness and handed Amaya her armor, bowing playfully at her feet.

"Anything else ma'am?" He said, hiding a grin. Amaya sighed and looked away, grumbling as she pulled on her armor. She adjusted the sword and tugged at her cloak till she was comfortable. Pyro and Zero soon reappeared from the stairs, Pyro still wincing slightly as he walked.

"Yay...the party's all here...Can we go now?"

Zero glanced around. "Is Serene really gone? And where's Polios?" Evanguard growled.

"I don't give a rat's behind where that weirdo is...he hasn't come back from wherever he is...as for Serene, she can follow from a distance...Now let's move please..." There was a note of slight insubordinate impatience in his words.

He watched as everyone filed out the doorway at Amaya's commands, she at the head of the group. He was about to leave as well when the bartender grabbed his shoulder and handed him a slip of paper.

"Herr...Dun think ur leavin witowt payings..." The slip had a gracious total on it for the rooms and minor damge costs from the table and upstairs doors. He searched in a pocket opposite from Galghiel's resting pocket and thrust a bag of coins into the tender's gnarled palms. His eyes widened, the wrinkles throbbing. He gave Evan a toothy smile.

"HERE...this should take care of things twice over...can I GO now???" He swung towards the door again, but the bartender called him over again.

"Err..tha weird girl, shesa still sleepin...you're gon leave her here?"

Evanguard gave another frustrated growl and picked up Fey-ya gently, cradling her in his arms. His boots clunked as he stepped over the threshold of the doorway and his eyes roved, following the group which was now a distance away. He hurried after them, the Book jingling in his inner pockets.

"Grrrr...this is the reason I dislike humans so much...they stick me with the bill and leave...and I hafta carry this girl all the way...Good thing I'm a vampire..." Galghiel thoughtspoke out of his pocket.

"This contempt, impatience and anger of yours will get you into trouble Evanguard..." Evanguard gave a thoughtmuttered - "Oh shut up Galghiel..." and caught up with the group, Amaya at the head, Zero and Pyro behind her. Kaliala was just behind Zero, tagging along in silence, and he, Evanguard, brought up the rear with Fey Ya over his shoulder. He sighed as he fell in to the group and adjusted the prone form in his arms.                    

[Polios]

Amaya had left, now it was just Fei-ya, Polios and the swirling lights.
" I think they are ready for the truth. I am not the one to tell them," said Polios darkly," When they reach the house, you must wake up. Without you I can not tell them everything, we must do it together. Leaving this dream for the first time is always hard. You must do it yourself, when the time is right you will know what to do."

"You are just as vague as that voice. And you all keep telling me the same thing! Well, how will I know when they reach? I feel as though I am not of that world anymore. Also...what do I say to them? All I see is flashes, little things...things that aren't even true...neccessarily."

"I shall call you when they have arrived. When you're ready to leave, everything will make sense."

With that, Polios dissapeared.
"Now everyone is gone again," said Fei-ya sadly, sitting on the ground in the midst of her world.

Amaya opened the door and they entered Kalaila's house.
There was a cloaked figure already inside.
"Is this guy everywhere we go," said Evanguard irritatedly.
With a blink Polios dissapeared.
"Fei-ya shall hopefully be able to wake now," said a voice, Polios, now behind Evanguard.
Evanguard turned and looked at Polios.
"Insecure in your ability? Must you demonstrate so?"
Ignoring the words of the irritated vampire, Polios touched his shoulder with his staff and commanded Evan to put the girl down.
Scoffing and shrugging off Polios' staff, Evan rested the girl gently onto a couch under a window.

Amaya stood by him, hand resting uneasily on her sword, she thoughtspoke her uneasiness to the vampire, who nodded, and took a position on the opposite side of the couch, to help guard the girl.

Polios came to her and stood over her head, holding his staff with a hidden hand beneath his cloak.
"Awaken, Fei-ya, light to my dark. Awaken and return to this world." He intoned gravely.                    

[The_Dark_Goddess]

There was an odd shifting of the light around them, akin to the warping of air in a heat wave. Polios let loose a harsh gasp and staggered backward, away from the body of the girl, collapsing on the floor.

The girl herself then began to rise, as she did so her eyes flew open and a hand extended to where Polios lie. He too, rose above the ground and his body flew toward her with force.

Then stopped. As one they spoke, voices echoing eerily.

"Two parts of the cycle
Light to counter the dark
We are joined"

And with a burst of light, both fell from the air.
Amaya ran to catch the girl as Zero took two steps forward and caught the falling Polios.

Slowly, Fei-ya's eyes opened, fluttering to life like two delicate butterflies.
The imagery was soon lost.
"NO!" she screamed hoarsely, "No! What has happened?? Something has gone wrong!" She flew out of Amaya's arms and to Polios, grabbing him about the shoulders and shaking him violently.
"Wake up! Wake up woman wake up!" he cried. Zerokun put the dark seer down and stepped away from him warily. Fei-ya now crouched on the floor over him, still yelling hysterically.

"AWAKEN!" she screamed again, and this time, he obeyed. Polios shot up from the floor into a sitting position, heaving and shuddering.

"Wh-what? What is going on? What is this? Where am I?" he asked, gently.

Amaya frowned.
*something is not right here," she thoughtspoke to Evanguard.

*indeed!* he responded *she is so fierce, so..cold...not at all the way i imagined she should be...she reminds me of..no...*

*Yes!* Amaya thought immediately, that was it exactly! And indeed, it was to be proven.

"Give me back my body!" Fei-ya screamed again. But it was not Fei-ya who screamed, it was Polios.
The body of Polios jumped in surprise, then let out a mournful wail.
"Oh no! i KNEW somethng was wrong! It didn't happen the way i thought it would at all! You said i would know how to waken! you said it would come to me!" He said, or rather, so said Fei-ya, the girl seer, from the body of her darker half.

"Foolish girl! Ammateur! Look at what you have done!" Polios said, tugging at his waterfall of hair
"Look at this body! How will i live in this..this thing!" he said again.

"You?! What about me?? I AM DEAD!" She said heatedly, the feminine stance of her masculine body looking awkward.

"You are dead but i am DYING! i can feel every cell of this body decaying, one by one!" he yelled at her.

"ENOUGH!" Said Amaya, coming to stand between the two. "What is this? what has happened? How did this come to pass?" SHe demanded.

The two stopped arguing and simply looked at her.
She stared back.
"Fine then. We don't know." She concluded.

Turning to the other members of the party, she gave some comands,
"Kalaila, this is your house, get us some food. Pyro, find us somewhere to sleep. Zerokun, scout the area a bit, tell us if there is anything we need be wary of outside these walls, Evan, consult the Book. If you find anything, let me know." returning her attention to the seers, "As for the two of you, consult among yourselves and sort this mess out."

"Wait!" PyroSlasher said, stepping forward, "He told us that 'all shall be brought to light' when we got here. I don't know about the rest of you, but i am still in the blasted dark!"

Amaya turned again to Polios, who stood in the form of Fei-ya.
"Well?"

"There has been a malfunction. Whatever mission we had is now on hold till Fei-ya and i can return to our rightful bodies" He said bluntly.

Pyro snorted. "So wat now then?"

"Ask the vampire girl"

Every eye turned to Kalaila, who leaned casually against a door.                    

[ShowTime]

"I'm sorry."

The screams had drowned out everything.  So much confusion.  Death.  So many people.  Too many people, she remembered.  For the first time she remembered.  Her birth parents had fled the village, taking her as far away as they possibly could.  But they didn't make it.  They were too weak.  Humans.  But they had successfully taken her far enough.  There was a small village in a terrace of valley's not far from where she was left to fend for herself.  Normally, her earliest memories can only reflect back upon these times.  Outsiders were forbidden, but to kill a child, it was inhumane.  That was their way.  Because of her age, she was to be trained as one of them.  A dragoner.  Her powers of telekenisis came from her knowledge of the manipulation of ki, or life's energy in which dragoner's were well aware of.  She grew to be one of the strongest summoners in the village due to her determination and accepted the powers of the eldest in exchange for the protection of the village.  But the Angel of Death spared no one, no matter how hidden.  

Survival is a funny thing.  One can die but not truely be dead.  The legendary immortals faded from legend to myth to tale to story.  She was the only one that 'survived'.

Finding herself once again outside of the city walls, Serene shook the recurring memories from her head.

"It's not my problem," she lied to herself, again.  "Everyone has their own path.  I have mine."

"If it comes again..."

A hand rested on her shoulder.  That hand.  That voice.  "Wh...Elder?"

"If it comes again.  They won't survive.  You know that."

"Elder, I am doing what I must."

"You've seen what the Angel of Death has done to mankind.  I know what's in your heart, but you must forsake us to help them."

"...After I die, I will be with you all, will I not?"

"You have to power to live, Serene."  

For the first time, since the seperation, she turned to face her mentor and smiled, an honest smile.  "Soon..."                    

[Zero-X]

After being given the order to scout outside the house and seeing the irregularity of the spell between Polios and Fei-ya, Zerokun thought to himself...
"This is strange, very strange..."

And with that he stepped out the front door and observed the environment, using his warrior skills to sense any immediate danger, but there was none, for now...                    

[Evangelion_01]

Evangaurd sprung to his feet and watched the forms of Fey-ya dn Polios stuble around in the unfamiliar bodies. He hid a smirk of contempt.

"Why should I do anthing to help them?...They can consider it a new learning experience..." Fei Ya sprung at him, Polios anger reflected in her eyes. Her arms aimed for his throat.

"DAMN YOU VAMPIRE!! DAMN YOU TO HELL!!! I know that you cna help free me from this...Get me out of this horrible carapace and back into my form..." Polios body stumbled forward.

"Horrible??!! How can you call this rotting mound of flesh a body?...HOW!?" Evanguard reached out an arm and caught Fei-Ya's body by the neck and lifted it off the floor. His eyes began a gleaming red and a slight disturbance in the air. Kaliala gasped as she saw his robes flutter in an invisible breeze. He clenched his fist around the seer's throat, hearing her gasp and choke in his arms. He spoke, his voice now strangely amplified and deepening:

"Now listen here you...ant...I have no more use for you than to just snap your spine right now and end this quest right here..."

He gazed over at Kaliala who leaned against the door, her eyes widening at the strange sight of Evanguard, now an almost omnipotent aura flowing in the air. Pyro stood at ready, his sword drawn and gleaming in the darkness. Polios' body approached and tugged fruitlessly at Evan's arm. The vampire turned on the bleak body tugging at his arm. With a mirthless laugh, he flung Polios' body acros the room and into a corner cabinet, shattering some dishes that were contained within. The body lay motionless on the floor. Amaya cursed under her breath, her own sowrddrawn, but she kept her distance. She thoughtspoke to the possesed vampire, but winced in pain as her thought were flung like a brick back at her head. She creid out as her head was rent with a splitting pain, her sword clattering to the floor. Galghiel cowered near her feet, mewing in fear.

Zerokun burst back inside, his own sword drawn and his cyber eyes fixed on the now spluttering neck of Fei-ya Evanguard held higher in the air. There was a twisted smile fixated on his face as he listened to every last choke and gasp the body spit. Her face slowly drained of its color. He grinned and licked at Fei-Ya's cheek hungrily, lapping at the tender skin. He turned his attention back to Kaliala who was now nudged against the wall, a look of ultimate fear in her green eyes. He saw himself reflected in them...making his mood rise higher.

"Look at this pathetic human..." he spoke, his voice echoing in the silence of the house. He dangled Fei-Ya before Kaliala, her gasps beccoming weaker and weaker and his satisfaction growing.

"Look at them my dear Kaliala...SO weak...so pathetic...they TRY to become like us...but they can never get to our level...they try...they mean nothing to us....nothing..." He reached out and tugged Kaliala close, clenching ehr in his arms, his eyes gleaming evily.

"Now that I have found you...the one that haunts my dreams...it is time..to make you...mine...." With those words, he palnted a forecul kiss on her lips in full veiw of everyone, causing Zerokun to growl in shock. His sword gleamed in the darkness as he lunged at the vampire with a scream of anger. Evaguard thrust him against the wall, not parting his kiss. His body clanged against the floor and he skidded to halt near the couch, unhurt. Evanguard forcefully kissed kaliala, enjoying the power he now had over the feebly flailing Fei-Ya. Suddenly...His eyes flew open and he pulled back from Kaliala but couldnt...there seemed to be a large aura around the pair. Evanguard clutched his face with an agonised yell and Fei's body dropped from his grasp...alive...but unconscious again...
He fell to the floor writhign in pain as a spirit whirled from his arms and swirled in the air, an unearthly scream renting the air, causing even Zero to shiver in fear. The Book skidded out of his pocket to Kaliala's feet where the spirit swirled into its open pages, fluttering brightly and the Book closed suddenly, its pages smoking. It's bearer lay on the floor...unconscious and Kaliala looked at the Book at her feet in abject terror.

"F...F...fath...father...."

Suddenly, in the absolute silence, Galghiel spoke up for the first time, his tiny mew relflected in the air.

"The Angel Of Death seeks his daughter...It has begun...all...over...again..."                    

[The_Dark_Goddess]

The pain in her head was maddening.
Few times in her life did Amaya ever experience this type of pain, and never had it been a good sign.
This was not her Realm, not her World.
Here, she was not God.
But she was still A god...and that...that would be enough.
Reaching, stretching for her sword Amaya grasped the blade and ran her hand along the edge.
Blood.
Sweet.
Crimson.
Blood.
She could feel her waning power restored, the powers of a sorceress increasing, filling her chosen body with energy and vitality. SHe drew on the power of the blood on her palms, feeling the bloodlust fill her head with its sweet, enticing scent.
More.
She wanted MORE.
Grabbing the person nearest to her, she thrust her sword into their stomach.
Pyro gasped in pain and looked at Amaya in surprise.
His glare was lost on her as her body drank in the power of spilled blood and her eyes became glowing red with power.

But something was trying to overpower her again.
She hissed, a deadly sound, and turned her attention to the Book, whirling on the floor like a living thing.
Of course.
It WAS a living thing.
The spirit of the Book beat at her, trying to drain her as it did before.
NO.
SHe raised her sword and pointed at the Book, focusing her mind's power on smothering it.

The thing fought, it wanted out, its pages whirled about and it spun towards Kalaila.
Menacing screams tore from its bound pages as spirits tried to escape, trying to attack not just Amaya, but Kalaila as well.

In her mind, Amaya smiled grimly as she overcome the Book.
Its pages were suddenly shut as the book closed, smoking at the feet of the vampire girl.

"F...F...fath...father...."  she said timidly, fearfully.
And Galghiel looked up
"The Angel Of Death seeks his daughter...It has begun...all...over...again..." he said softly.

Amaya, still high on power, looked at him dangerously.
"What does that mean?"

Galghiel opened his small mouth again, but was cut off by a small moan next to him.
Amaya looked down to see Pyro, hand clutching at his chest where he still bled from Amaya's sword wound.

"_____" she cursed. "I have to remember, I'm supposed to be on YOUR side."
She knelt quickly, and drew upon her excess power while it lasted to heal the warrior.
Then she turned her attention to the bruised body of Fei-ya, tending those wounds as well.

Galghiel smirked.
"I didn't know the Blood Goddess had such a motherly side."

Amaya gave him a scathing glance, her still-glowing eyes menacing in the darkness that was settling about the room as night made her stay.

Galghiel choked and stepped back.
"Right...um...what about Evanguard?" he said instead.
Amaya looked at the unconscious body of Evanguard, and snorted.
"Leave him there, he can recover on his own. Serves the bastard right for being so damn hungry and arrogant."

Besides, she could feel her powers waning again, returning to the state they should be when she was not in her own Realm, and reflected in Galghiels large eyes, she could see her own losing their menacing glow.
She took another look around. Pyro was just sitting up assessing the state of hisbloodied clothes, Zero was standing, looking a bit dazed but otherwise unhurt.
And Kalaila...she was still at the door, eyes locked on the Book at her feet, pale and beautiful.
Shocked and scared.

Amaya went to her, and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. As gently as she could, she spoke to her.
"Be comforted, child. It is over, you are safe."

Kalaila only looked at her, eyes wide and frightened.
"No," she said quietly, "It has just begun."                    

[Polios]

"It has been centuries since I have felt this. Let me see if I remember the name."
Fei-ya's body sat up. It looked over at everyone, then stared at his.
" Pain, yes, hurt. This body is so weak, it is decaying. The cells falling off, it has yet to know the face of death. I need my body back."

" I have finally come back. All this time I have been searching for an exit, and now where have I arrived? In my other's body!" said Polios's body.
" Maybe this is a test, that even I have not forseen. Now we are truly bonded at least."
He thought for a moment at his words.
" Damn this, I am becoming optomistic. I must free myself."

He turned to Amaya.
" I wish to thank you for healing me, I do not know if this feeble body is capable of surviving. At any rate, if it is I won't be able to unlock it's strenght. I gave up my physical strenght before for my mental ability. Never had a problem, but now I am mortal."
He pondered his uncharateristic thanks, and so did everyone else.
"I hope this isn't permanent."                    

[Evangelion_01]

Evanguard groaned in pain on the floor, his soft moans bringing gasps to the audience watching his prone form on the floor. His head swam with a haze and darkness that he could not fathom. His eyes fluttered open weakly, the first sight he saw was Amaya standing over him.

"Well well well...look who's awake..."

"W..www..who...hatt??..." He felt a sharp, echoing pain shoot through his ribs, making him scream in pain and convulse. Zero had slammed a fist into his ribs, renting a sharp sliver of pain to him.

"Wh..why..di..did..you hit me..." he mumbled, looking weakly at the crowd. His vision blurred and images floated through his head, which was now beginning to pound with an aching pain now. He rolled over on the floor, gasping for breath, clutching his broken rib to him. He crawled over to the Book and found he could not reach it...the image he saw was blurred...it was further away...at Kaliala's feet. He groaned softly and dragged himself acroos the floor to her. A rising wave of nausea swept over him and he stopped: he gagged and choked and vomited onto the floor, spitting blood from his lips. He almost screamed in pain as the burning rib turned to a near inferno in his chest. He felt an arm grab at his robes and thrust him roughly away from Kaliala, sending him skidding into a chair. He felt the broken bone thrust deep inside him, near tears of pain in his eyes. He looked up with a pained expression to Amaya who stood, glaring at him, a cold expression etched on her face.

"Ama..aya...wh..waht..is this?...why..are. you do.." he stopped as another wave of vomit made another appearance. He collapsed weakly to the floor, his vampiric strength ebbing for some reason, his brain too burnt to think...

Amaya stared in disgust at him.

"You attacked Fei ya...and assaulted Kaliala...and now you beg for mercy?" Evan looked up...confused...

"W..w...what are you..talkin *coucgh* ing about?...I n-n-never touched her..." Another kick slit another rib, this one from Pyro, rolling him over to another side.

"LIAR!" shouted Amaya. "EVERYONE in this room just saw you near strangle Fei and kiss Kaliala..." Evan's eyes widened as the pain doubled over, his tears flowing down his cheeks.

"P..p.please...beilive me..."he coughed, his speech slurring from the overcomming darkness. "I..its wan't me...i..didn.tt.t..." He pointed to the Book at Kali's feet. "Ustrel...m..mad...e.e..m...nee..d..blod...."

His head hit the floor, tiny bits of blood flowing from his mouth as he remained curled in foetus postion on the floor...unconscious from the pain...The Book calmly closed itself and locked with its spell seal. The cover glowed momentarily in the darkness and it all grew silent again. Kaliala watched the prone from of Evanguard on the floor, unconscious. Galghiel just sat on the couch silently...watching, his eyes glowing in the falling dusks' light.

"No more than a slave himself...but twice as worse...the suffering is even greater..." He spoke grimly, his tiny eyes unremoving from his masters body. He watched as Kaliala kicked the Book aside and ran up to Evan's unconscious body, cradling his head in her arms. Amaya, Pyro and Zero watched warily at Evans form, their weapons drawn for emergency. Amaya turned to the cat.

"Now look here you...things are getting totally f-u-c-k-e-d here...what the heck is going on...!!" The cat watched her with an unconcerned look.

"Now now...the more you curse..."

Amaya brandished her sword at the feline. "I let you sleep NEAR me beast...now Evan has gone insane!! EXPLAIN NOW or else I slit your tiny throat..." Galghiel padded off the couch and over to Kaliala.

"I think it is best for Evan to explain...but he is weak and requires fluid...the precious fluid..." Amaya watched the feline warily.

"You mean blood right? One of us must sacrifice for him?..." She drew a dagger and looked to Pyro. Galghiel looked to her.

"He will not do...the one who took it from him must give it back..." He turned his gaze to Kali.

"You must do it....you took his power...you must bleed for him Kaliala....." The silence grew so thick at these words, it could have choked. Everyone waited patiently for Kaliala's response....                    

[Asian§pices]

"What!!!!!!!!!
I'm in your body now!!!!!!
Geezzzzzzzz Polios didnt you hear the voice!
It said i had to find the key within ME!!!!
and now with your impatiency you have screwed up everything!!!!" Fey-ya screemed with horror and anguish in Polios body.

Then inside her mind she heard a voice..
"Shut your eyes and change to and wake another way of seeing,
which everyone has but few use."

With this she slid slowly to the ground growing wairy of all these voices.
I just wish they would shut up, she thought angrily.

But the fates have not left me that choice.
They have taken that option from me.
I cannot approach them.
I freeze up.
Something stops me.
Something within holds me back.
I am furious with myself.
I try to fight it.
I try to fight myself.
I try to do what I want to do, but I won't let me, and I am mad at me, but I can't show it.

As she was just about to slowly slip away into her own world again she heard
"You must do it....you took his power...you must bleed for him Kaliala....."
Blinking back to reality she saw that something was wrong with Evanguard
And slowly she drifted towards him...
even thought she knew she had switched bodies with Polios she could still feel the healing power she posessed inside of her...
"The is no need for anyone to scrafice their blood for him...." Fey-ya whispered
and with that she knelt besided him
placing her hands on his heart
and whispers
"The hours go by and a day is gone.
The days go by and a month is gone.
The months go by and a year is gone.
Does it hurt any less?
Do you care any less?
A little, but only a little
And the scars will take forever to heal
but yet they will always remain.

Spirit standing before me,
I plead to you
Angel in my sight
surrounded in the radiant glow
of God's eternal light.
Do not fail me now.
I call to you to help heal this one in need
Powers do not fail me now!!"
And with that Polios body began to glow with light eminating from his dead hands...

And all of a sudden it stopped.
"What?!, whats goin on??" Fey-ya asked confused

"There must be some confusion due to that fact we switched bodies. So our powers might not work as effectively....or they might even go heywire..."Polios replied weakly and turned to watch Evanguard cautiously....                    

[Zero-X]

"This is a problem...how can we proceed knowing that Evanguard will set off like this again? Perhaps his hunger is stronger than his will..."

And with that, Zerokun aimed the tip of his saber directly at his throat and muttered...

"If i had the choice, i would kill you right now, but i won't, all because i respect you as a warrior and that you may serve a purpose in this quest and for Kalaila's sake as well...But, should this happen again, i will see to it that you do not harm anyone else in this group..."                    

[Lafiel]

"NO stop it!  All of you. I will nurse him back to his true form." said Kalaila as she knelt down besides Evanguard."He is my other, and no matter what he does i will forever be faithful to him."
Kaliala picked up the fallen vampire and helped him up the stairs.
"I am truely sorry that this had to happen to you. I am only concerned about your welfare. These other fools are only need for their powers."

Rei looked at Kalaila carry the pathetic vampire preist to a room. How could she care about the very man that will bring about her distruction? Well never mind that. It was time to reveal the mission to these poor fools that had sighn away thier souls to me.

Kalaila layed a brused and battered Evanguard down in the bed. She looked down at him sadly. He was bearly breathing. She need to feed him before she lost him. Kalaila took out a dagger that she kept in the waist band of her dress, sighed and slit her wrist.
"Drink my love, and you shall be made whole once more."
Evanguard drank hungrily from her wrists as if he himself wished to drain her completly of what little life she had left in her. She couldn't blame him. It was her fault that her was this way.                    

[ShowTime]

"Is this really what I'm supposed to be doing?  I don't like this," she thought.

After taking a deep breath, she stepped into the room filled with people she had once forsaken. Evanguard was not too long hauled upstairs and all eyes now focused on Serene questioning her return.  She simply crossed the room and leaned silently in a corner.  No questions asked.

"It doesn't seem right," she thought.

Zerokun returned his sword into place and without any indication of direction asked, "So, have you returned to stay or can we expect you to leave us again?"

There was no response.  No acknowledgement of his statement. No sign that anyone spoke a single word, much less to her.  It was as if no one else was in that room with her.  

"Tch...listen sorceress..."

Serene simply pulled the hood over her head and returned to her position.

"Zerokun, leave her," Amaya said, almost commandingly.  Everyone silently agreed that time should not be wasted anymore on feeble matters such as these.  

"What now?"