Bound by Remnants (Dist and Anj round 2)

[Distain2003]

Peace had been the held laid over land for over 600 years, at the end of the last war the king of Sul created 10 magical items. He was a firm believer in balance and thus created 5 items to use in peace and another 5 to use in war. Those 10 items would be would allow the royal family to make there once small nation the largest and most powerful nation in the world. They were peaceful and only used their 5 war items to scare off any threat of upcoming attack.

Over the centuries the royal family slowly drifted away from their old ways leaving the magic ways of the past. Many believe that the artifacts are just items used by the elders to inspire the people of the past. A few still dabble in the magic of the ancient ways but they are able to do little more then what there ancestors would call parlor tricks. It was not long before even there enemies began to lose there fear of the once powerful nation. Slightly over 100 years ago all of the artifacts went missing.

Some said they left on their own punishment for falling away from the old ways. Many assume they were stolen by a rival nation and hidden so that their power could never be used against them. Recently as a the other nations grew bolder they began attacking taking back what was once theirs. With great ease they took back the lands that they sought after theirs was a military nation making them much better prepared for the war they started.

For years they pushed further and further into the Nation of Sul taking nearly a quarter of its lands. Now Sul has sent their last hope the kings son the strongest mage still in the royal family to the front lines to aid the army. Recently there have been rumors building about the locations of some of the relics heart broken the king has asked his only child remaining in the castle his daughter, Merilee, to search the nearest location for the relic.

High in the mountains to the north was a small neutral nation that most thought was one of simply myth. For thousands of years they remained secluded their appearance was generally enough to put off outsiders. They appeared to be half dragons they had wings and scales that covered their bodies from the nape of there neck to their feet, sparing only there most sensitive areas and the palms of there hands and feet. Every member of their nation was a powerful magician the strongest of which was was named there leader. He held this position until his death, over 1000 years they had only 5 leaders each seeming to stop aging the moment they became leader.

They to had lost artifacts long ago though theirs where simply items of historical importance. There newest leader Allidon Volarian took up the task of finding them. He set out to find them as war approached there door step he hoped that finding them would bring his peoples moral up enough to defend against the coming assault. He had found the location of the safest to get little did he know that he shared that location with the lost treasure of the people of Sul.

 

[Anjeru]

Merilee Shoalin was the king's remaining hope and he'd sent her, at the mere age of twenty three, to seek out the artifacts that were needed to help restore what had been lost to them. Holding the figure of a woman, but the spirit of any warrior, the princess was a formidable force to be dealt with. She stood at five feet six inches, had rippling golden curls that spilled to her waist, bright, unique blue eyes that glittered strangely with each emotion. Her body was lithe and compact, though she had a shapely behind and ample bosom, weighing no more than a hundred and thirty pounds. She was dressed in breeches and a blouse, chest covered in silver armor. A broadsword was strapped to her waist, her golden curls pulled back from her youthful face into a pleated braid. Legs were encased to the knee in black boots, to protect her legs as she traveled.

She was here now, inside this strange place, where she had traveled to over a possibly truthful rumor. It was said that one of the artifacts laid here and she was desperate to find it, wanting to help restore and protect her kingdom, to help her father, the King, continue to reign as he had for many decades. At this moment, she was crouched beside a small pedestal, her eyes studying the glyphs that decorated its surface. So immersed within her study, she was unaware of the new body making its way inside.

 

[Distain2003]

Allidon had flown into the cave landing softly on the ground not far from front 'door'. He had noticed the horse out side and it confused him this temple had been abandoned for centuries. With a soft sigh he began to change, his golden scales shrinking seeming to retreat into his skin his wings doing the same until they where gone. The pools of gold that where his irises slowly changed the gold seeming to retreat into his pupil brown replaced the gold where it could. Though little flecks of gold could still be seen i his eyes if one were able to look closely enough.

He shank quickly in height from a staggering seven foot three down to a much more manageable six foot one. His thick muscular build shrank some tanking his well over 200 pound appearance down to in the mid hundreds. His hand reached up pushing the heavy light blue cloak from his head letting his black hair flow out over his shoulders and down to his shoulder blades. His cloak was covered rune and glyphs in a dark blue, each holding the keys to one of his powers making it easier for him to cast his spells. He tread silently into the building eyes searching for what he sought.

He saw the young woman pouring over the pedestal and paused she did not appear to be a threat to him and he would just as much like to avoid contact. He was after all a stranger in this land and during the times of war that could be considered a threat. His eyes inspected her armor admiring its quality before going back to to the pedestal. He knew the old script well and read it even at this distance. He found quickly that there where 2 ancient artifacts from 2 different cultures here.

 

[Anjeru]

Merilee seemed to figure it out at almost the same time as her new guest, though she did not see him there at first. "So there's two here..." her soft voice said as gently as a wind's breeze, as if she meant to only speak to herself. She stilled after a moment and then stood, turning sharply to face where he stood, her hand on the hilt of the broadsword sheathed on her hip. Her brows dropped in sharply over her crystaline eyes as she openly glared at him; there wasn't supposed to be anyone here. It had been abandoned for many years, as far as she could tell, and she needed to find those artifacts for her king, her father. "I'm here for the artifacts. If you, too, seek them, I suggest you keep back. I won't be giving them up," she said quietly, an edge in the tones of her voice. She wasn't about to let anyone interfere in her mission, no matter who they were.

 

[Distain2003]

He stared at her as she turned he was not scared of the blade at her side even as she drew it. His cloak and his shirt both had an inner lining of heavy thick chain. To his knowledge there was not a blade in a weapon that could piece wither layer. He only wished he could find armor as impervious to the blows that usually followed the touch of a weapon like an ax or a hammer. He stared into her eyes with a almost eerie calm placed on his face.

He continued to stare at her long after she had stopped talking he knew that one of those artifacts where his even if the other was hers. He would not let her leave this area with his relic he glanced at the 2 fallen over statues not seeing anything of importance there he figured they must be placed in the bases. His hands hug loosely at his side and the under sides of his fingers seemed to glint in the light as though there were some metal objects in his hand.

"It would be wise for one to speak to someone who had the opportunity to take your ones life and did not. I highly recommend you return that blade to its rightful home before its presence causes you displeasure. " He looked at her taking a long slow deep breath mumbling softly the words to to the spell he was preparing to prevent her movements.

 

[Anjeru]

She stared at him for a long moment, quite aware of what her new advesary was planning as he began to mutter some words; probably preparing some spell to incapcitate her and to prevent her from going after the artifact that she was needing. Slowly, she put the sword away back into its sheath and continued to stare him down with her blue eyes. He was probably expecting her to budge, but that was a highly unlikely scenario. If she was one thing, stubborn was it.

"I'm not leaving without the artifact," she stated simply, not completely dropping her defensive stance, preparing herself for anything that he may be planning on trying to surprise her with. "I don't plan on being in your way. I'm sure fighting will not benefit either of us in any way, so perhaps you should...I don't know, maybe lighten up a tad," she suggested, not mockingly, but sincerly enough. "Perhaps we can even help each other, you never know," she murmured. "Who are you anyway?"

 

[Distain2003]

"I am certain you are not aware of who i am or you would not be acting in such an aggressive manor to me. Though i think we are looking for different relics i would hope for you and your family that is the case. " He moved slowly to statues that he was certain house the relics and knelt down his back turned to the young woman. Though his attention had not turned and his spell was still readied to defend himself if he need to.

His left hand ran gently over the base of the statue inspecting it for any way to open the compartment that housed their relics. "I think it best if you not know my name for the time being young lady i would hate for your people to get the wrong impression when you go back to your home and relay this story. I do not wish your people to think mine as some type of thieves in the night. " He moved over to the other statue finding the trap door here much faster pressing the stone in firmly revealing the small compartment. This was what he was searching for it was the relic of his people a fist sized dragon cut from a ruby. He smiled slipping it into his robe and into a small pocket inside.

 

[Anjeru]

"The same could be said, I think, for you," she said in response to him as he moved forward, babbling some nonsense about her being better off not knowing who he was. She had a feeling she should know who he was and what he was up to. Though, since he had already moved and taken what it was that he needed, she doubted he would indulge her and simple be on his way. "If that is what you think, then I guess I will simply tell you my name. I am Merilee; if you know enough, you'll know who I am with simply that," she said.

She moved forward and slid her hands along the similiar, opposite statue. Thinking about it a moment, she pressed her fingers down on a similiar ledge that popped open a small drawer which held the opposite artifact that she needed. "Now, I have what I need," she said as she wrapped her fingers around it, sliding it inside a piece of her armor. "I will be seeing you. My father is counting on me," were her parting words as she stood and turned, moving to the leave the ruins they were in.

 

[Distain2003]

"Good bye princess. " He smirked knowing full well who she was he had been in her fathers meetings several times though it was likely neither had seen him before. He waited for her to leave grateful she had declined to attack him he would have hated to have a spat with her over something so simple to resolve. Once she was gone he returned to his natural from and took flight from the ancient room. He speed home to return the precious dragon to its rightful place on the tomb of a fallen king.

He glanced around 10 other chambers including the one that would some day be his final resting place. He still needed to find 7 more of the small dragons before his peoples relics would be restored. He was well aware of the plight of Merilee's people and with this relic being the second he had found in a tandem tomb. He was beginning to thing that the person who had stolen them had sabotaged both nations. He would go the next morning and speak with the king about the relics perhaps he would allow him to aid them.

 

[Anjeru]

Merilee slipped the relic into the saddly bag that lay on her steed's side. She turned back to look at the ruins, again wondering who it was exactly that she had fortune to run into. Pursing her lips thoughtfully, she looked upon the ruins for a moment more before she set her foot in the stirrup and swung up onto her horse. She took the reigns in her hands and kicked her ankle gently on the horse's side to get him to start across the landscape. For now, she headed back to her father's kingdom; she didn't dare continue on her journey with more than one relic at a time. The risk of losing them was too great.

It took some time to reach the castle, but she eventually made it home and gave the relic to her father who, proudly, hugged his daughter and told her to take a night's rest before she dared to venture out again. Grateful for the chance to rest, she did just that and retired to her lavish chambers after a filling meal. She made sure her armor and weaponry were well taken care of before she slid herself into a lady's night dress of pale lavender and stockings. She sat on the edge of her bed and stared out the window, over the balcony, as she braided her beautiful curls, her mind lost in imaginations and wonders.

Before long, she found herself laying back and quickly falling into a restful enough slumber, and a much needed one that had been dragging after her for awhile. Being her father's only child, the responsibility of retrieving the relics fell onto her shoulders since her father, of course, couldn't leave his throne unattended for fear of it being advocated to another. Just some days she felt exhausted, this night being one of those days.

 

[Distain2003]

Allidon woke early the next morning placing one of his many fine robes each filled with an inner lining of chain mail. This robe was one of his favorites filled with several places to place the many necessities of his trade. It was a deep blue almost black and trimmed in silver that matched his scales perfectly. Gathering up the box he had take from the place he had found the first relic and slipping it into a pouch under his robe. He had tried several times to open the box but it appeared to be locked to only the royal family.

He set out early before the sun rose his large form masked high in the sky by the bright light of the rising sun. He flew quickly arriving at their castle just after breakfast his large from vanishing from view as he flew over the walls and into a open door on the upper floor of the castle. He moved quickly threw the castle having been their several times before to listen in on the kings meetings to be certain they where no threat.

Arriving at the front door he became visible standing just inside the door that never had opened. Not reacting in the slightest to the guards who drew their blades in shock at the sight of him. Even in his human form appearing out of thin air was enough to set the guards on edge. "I require an audience with your king at once. It would be unwise to confront me with out speaking with him first. "

 

[Anjeru]

Princess Merilee had awoken rather early herself despite the long journey she'd taken before this day, to retriece the artifact and bring it back to her father. She had her lady's in waiting fetch her some clothes as she bathed herself and refreshed. The women brought her a golden dress of folds and silk, that drew tight on her waist and emphasized her ample bosom. Her hair was dried and tied atop her head; first braided and then folded into a sort of neat braid bun. Errant curls fell against her youthful face and she put on matching golden slippers before she descended down the great staircase to her father's throne room.

He was seated upon the throne when she came in and she curtsied politely before he stood and drew her into a loving hug. They chatted for a few moments before a gaurd came bursting in. "I'm sorry to interupt, your majesty, but there is a man who is requesting an audience with you," the gaurd bubbled out a tad hastily, obviously jostled by seeing a man appear out of thin air.

"Send him in," the king said with a wave of his hand. The guard nodded and quickly left to allow Allidon enterance into castle. "Come daughter, sit with me and greet our guest," he gestured as he took his place on his throne. Merilee smiled, "of course father," and took her seat at his right side. Her mother would have sat to his left, had she still been alive, but as of this time, it was just her and her father there to greet him.

 

[Distain2003]

Allidon walked into the room his head held high his human form not being the one he wished to be in. Slowly as he stepped forward towards the king he seemed to begin to grow soon standing over six feet tall his body getting thicker as his muscles grew. The wings slowly slipping form his skin stretching a bit before resting comfortably against his back.

"Hello your highness. I am Allidon. Leader of the my people, ruler of the small nation in the frozen mountains. " He spoke firmly his head held high as he reached into his pocket producing a small item. It floated from his hand and rested at the feet of the king. It was clearly a relic of her people to them to him it was just a piece of old magical junk. He gave them a few moments to inspect it before he continued speaking.

"It appears your daughter and i share a quest we both seek to reclaim what was once ours. I found that nearly 3 months ago it took me 2 weeks to free it form its home. I thought nothing of it until i saw your daughter yesterday. It would appear that who ever stole from my people did the same to yours. " He grew quiet again taking a soft deep breath as he relaxed his eyes scanning both of them. Wondering just what they where thinking sending her in alone.

 

[Anjeru]

The King leaned down and picked up the artifact, studying it for a moment before passing it off for his daughter to inspect. "Welcome Allidon to my lands," the king said first in proper greeting. "By the looks of it," he continued, "I would have no other inclination but to believe you. Princess Merilee has been seeking the artifacts at my behest. There is no other here qualified for such a task, other than myself, and unfortunetly, there are those who would seek to take the seat of power from me should I leave."

Merilee turned the stone over in her hands and spent a few moments looking upon it before simply setting it into her lap. She raised her eyes back to their guest, not as surprised by such a man though if she had seen him before starting her journey, she'd likely be intimidated by him. "What my father says is true. There is none here but I that can complete this task," she confirmed. "More than once has that been doubted because of the simple fact that I am a woman, but I have no other choice."

She glanced at her father who nodded. She nodded back and stood slowly from her seat, holding her own head high proudly. "I have thusly handled myself with no problem," she added, "I have often been more than a match for any man in my father's service. So please, do not doubt me in my mission; I can see it in your eyes. I can and will complete my father's request." She took her seat again.

 

[Distain2003]

"Men are nothing they can be handled easily a simple blade can dispatch any man. That is not what will cause you to fail. The person who stole these gems was a powerful wizard. One i am certain would make short work of you princess. I would suggest you not over estimate your power. Most of your kind know little more then parlor tricks. Have you not yourself found someone walk in behind you before you even had a chance to react. "

His face remained stoic as he looked at her not wanting to insult her by smirking at her. He was glad enough she had decided to allow him to pass with out any violence. She was a brave confident young woman and he did not want anything bad to happen to her. "I would suggest that you be more cautious when entering ancient tombs. "

 

[Anjeru]

"Hmm, I suppose you have a point," she said after a few moments of emotionless silence. Thoughtful contemplation. "However," she started,"just as I should not over estimate myself, you should, in turn, not under estimate me either." And she left it at that, seeing that beneath his stoic facade, that he was hiding a smirk. She had a sixth sense along with her abilities, and often could read another without them even knowing. She leaned back in her seat, hands resting in her lap as she simply retreated back for now.

"If you truly believe my daughter cannot handle this task," the King began, "then what is it that you suggest, Allidon? She is the only one who can take this task to heart. At times we have sent guards with her, only to have them return shortly thereafter. My daughter can be rather...independant."