A Love that Crushes like a Mace.

[FinlandiaWhiteEyes]

-Arioch gasped softly. Her eyes fluttered briefly open, and she whispered in a tone barely above silence. "Break...it...break..."
Her leg twitched and kicked the white orb. Undine stared at her, horrified.

[lukuz13]

-Luke watched her nearly limp body for a moment, before turning his eye to the orb she kicked nearby.
"This thing... that brought you here." Luke managed, standing up and letting Arioch lay where she was. "If this is the cause..." Luke reached for his sword and drew it, holding it high above his head. "Release her!" He cried out, slamming the brunt of the blade as hard as he could into the sphere.

[FinlandiaWhiteEyes]

-As the orb shattered into large shards, A loud humming reverberated through the endless black chamber. Then the remains of the orb flew into that endless night, seeming to slice open the darkness. As the shards disappeared from their sight, that darkness exploded into life and light. Bright stars, unharmed and unfettered by cloud or sun, wheeled slowly in beautiful flights. They formed and reformed countless constellations, all swirling around one still pattern; that of a dragon in flight.
-That dragon began to grow larger and larger, until it became flesh, hovering above them, rider on its back. The dragon landed, and the rider dismounted, and the group recognised the par from the mosaic. The elf regarded Arioch, eyes full of sorrow, as the woman began to speak again, her voice barely a whisper that filled the endless chamber.

-"Orb...pulled...Salamander...out." The dragon turned and lifted his head, and, following his gaze, our heroes saw a streak of fire that they had not seen before in the darkness, streaking around amidst the stars.
"Free...now. But...died on alien world." The voice of the fire elemental gave a wild, furious shout that made even Tianlong shiver. "Separated...orb in place...broke enchantment." Arioch coughed.
"Break it, Undine."
"No!" The water elemental was anguished, every flow and ripple in her body spoke of pain.
"Shock broke...fire...pact..."
Salamander screamed again.
"Cannot...undo...what was done..."
"I won't! I can't! I swore not leave-"
"Undine. Won't...kill...you...too. Break...it..."
"NO!"
"Can't kill...you too...Undine...Please..." Tears, bright and full, flowed down Arioch's face.
Another loud scream broke the silence. Then there was a rushing sound, akin to a great waterfall, or a rushing river.
Arioch smiled weakly.
"Good. Blood...and...spirit...of world...must...live. Dragon...knows. Orb...key...trap. Save...Save..." her eyes drifted to Luke. Her smile became sad.
"Always...kind..."
So saying, she trembled and fell still.

-Undine stood silent and still. Not a single ripple marked her body. Then she screamed and launched herself into the abyss, to join Salamander in his furious dance. The white dragon lifted his head and keened, whilst his rider murmured a prayer.

[lukuz13]

-Shattering of souls is not strong enough to describe it. Breaking of the mind is not harsh enough to empower it. Only the crushing of the heart can begin to imagine it. Luke stood there, his stare vacant, his grip on his weapon loose, to say the least, before it slipped from his palm and slammed against the floor with a metal clang that broke the otherwise deathly silence. The twinkles above did not help heal what had been done, nor did the kind prayer of the new stranger. Neither did the pleas from some voice, so distant in the back of his mind.
*What have you done...* a hushed, tone whispered through his mind.
"...."
*The very reason you are here, it is gone, why...*
"...What...have I..." words, slow and weak as if from a drunk mind.
*It is your fault.* a harsher, more masculine voice spoke, almost accusingly.
*Dear child...*The softer one began, as a mother would.*You have acted rashly once again...you were too late.*
*You have proven your ineptitude.* The harsher one spoke, growing in strength. *You are not good enough, could never be good enough.*
*To save her* The voices spoke in unison this time, growing in strength to become like drums in the man's ears.
"Why..." He said simply, falling to his knees in front of the body that no longer housed the soul, a sound so distant in his mind seemed to scream desperate for him to hear, it felt familiar, as someone he knew so closely, yet it was so faint.
*ARBALESTER!*
Luke felt whatever hole within him grow deeper, as the odd hint of glow surrounded his form.
*She believed in you...and you have let her down...* The harsher voice spoke suddenly in the void of his mind.
*You held back, and fell short...if you had only been stronger.* the softer one began, before suddenly the vessel they spoke to reacted back.
"WHY!?" he demanded, his voice echoing loudly throughout the room. "Why did it have to be this way?! ANSWER ME!" He screamed, unsure of the target of his words, the glow now getting far more active and vicious looking, encompassing his body as the ocean would, yet like a fire danced above him as if alive, running down his arms. "Damn it why..." Luke seemed to choke up, as he hung his head low, yet as he did, not a tear was shed, it could not be, for he had no more to share. "Why now!?"He roared, his voice began to change, as if two others were speaking with him, slamming his fist into the ground below, the ground itself seemed to vibrate under him, as he gritted his teeth. "No... No! I will not let it happen this way!" He roared now, angry as the energy burst down his spine, and the man suddenly held a look of horror on his face as he threw his head back, letting out a scream that would rival that of a Banshee. As he did so his arms shook violently, as a strange white substance materialized around his back and began to encroach on his arms, across his neck, the scream only growing more powerful, as the voices mixed well with his own, the Aura like a fire was spreading through his body, his eyes like that of a construct, hollow and blank began to fill with the brilliant blue glow.

[thatfallout3guy]

Isaac's eyes shot open as he saw what was happening with Luke, "Guessing they were close?" He asked as Tianlong formed.

"The time for jokes has long passed Isaac, now is the time for action."

"Well what exactly are you suggesting we do?"

"Whatever is necessary..." Tianlong said with a fierceness in his voice.

Isaac gulped, "Luke! Calm down! I don't think the dragon's gonna like you going all ape shit around him like this!"

"IS THAT ALL YOU CAN THINK OF?!" Tianlong exclaimed as he glared at Isaac.

"Well it's true..." Isaac said. He then noticed the look Tianlong was giving him, and tried something else, 'LUKE! It's me, Isaac, snap out of it!' He said to Luke in his head, hoping he'd be able to hear him.

[FinlandiaWhiteEyes]

-Netreya's eyes began to glow too. 'What is this...this power? It is not the Wellspring...or is it?' He was helpless to aid his pact partner, unable to save the elf, incapable of save his people...his world...in his mind's eye he saw his father, feathers torn and eyes full of blood. He had done that, the first human. 'Have I not learned? Will I always be helpless to save them?' He thought of his mate, the children they might have. All of them bleeding and broken, like the elf, like his father. Devoured, destroyed, and he watched and couldn't save them. His eyes filled with terrible light, and the same white substance began to surround him, on his wings, his chest, like some unearthly suit of armour. He gouged at the odd ground with his talons, before shrieking with Luke, his voice high and full of rage.

-The rider of the white dragon seemed shocked. When he spoke, his dragon spoke with him in perfect unison, with the same worries, the same unnerved tone.
"It was not you! The orb should not have acted as it did. It was poisoned, trapped! You were not to bla-"
He was cut off by two violent screams. First Undine, then Salamander, shot past him and slammed into Luke, knocking him from his feet. They both shone like twin suns, red and blue, and spoke.
Salamander's voice was fierce as an inferno. "Why do you claim the blame? I killed her. Me. I killed the one I swore to protect. Killed her in my own fire."
Undine's voice was ice, so cold as to freeze the blood. "By what rights do you mourn her with such fury? By some thoughts of love? We who were her soul and her heart, we deserve to mourn her, make this place her pyre. But we have not"
"You knew her briefly and you would rage in her name, for vengeance of her?" The fire elemental asked sharply.
"We brought you here to save her. And to save our world. For that aim, to save this world, she has died. Would you spit on her memory, her gentler, noble spirit, by giving in to fury?"
"You were not weak because you could not save her."
"You will be weak if you give in to some mutterings in your mind."
"Now control yourself, fool. Before we beat control into you," Salamander hissed.

-Caim was still, staring at Arioch with hollow eyes.
"So passes another." The dragon's voice was weary, full of an old sorrow. Then she looked at the white dragon. "Who?"

[lukuz13]

With the impact, Luke was sent a few meters away from the duo who returned to stop this horrible transformation. Their words cut deep, rather it would, as the man behind it simply stood again, his legs not stable enough to hold together, as he began to levitate his eyes regarding bother of them coldly.
"Not...good...enough...You...YOU! You would know! You feel it! Why..." His voice shook with instability, before it suddenly snapped back to the sound from before, his arms seemed to burn with the blue runes that now coated his body, glaring at them with a look that would slice through steel itself. His arms ripped themselves apart, and began to take their new form, elongating into the weapons once seen before yet seemed...to stutter, as if something was wrong.
"Creatures... a mild whisper are we? You do not understand our child... our vessel." They seemed to chuckle as Netreya too made his way closer, his transformation seemed more complete, his wings coated in the brilliant white, his eye glared at the two, a harsh blue and white, aura surging through both of them as the voices spoke.
"Ours...ours" They spoke now, overriding the voice of the man they held. "He does not control us..." The hiss became a cackling laughter as they spoke once more. "The boy requires guidance...and what of you? You could not protect her any better then the boy" they began before Luke's own voice roared into a shout suddenly."YOU ARE THE CAUSE!" They suddenly hissed, snapping from the laughter into a rage. "YOU SHALL BECOME THE ASHES OF ETERNITY!" They roared now, launching forward at such speed to dazzle those behind him as did Netreya, flapping his powerful wings in a sonic boom and, in a instant, where in front of the two. With the close, Luke brought the barrel up now, it seemed to spark, before exploding forth in a powerful blast at closer range, while Netreya opened his beak and let fire a similar bright blast of energy towards the two.

[FinlandiaWhiteEyes]

-With a burst of flame and a torrent of bubbles, the elementals vanished. The red dragon roared, and launched into the air, knocking Netreya from the starry sky. Something about her seemed different, some ancient power shone about her, and it sang of the holy. Not fully awoken, nor at full strength, but her strength was palpable.
-"No!" she roared, pinning the griffin to the milky cloud that formed the ground in this strange place. Her grasp was gentle, but firm and unyielding.
Luke turned in the air, glaring at the dragon. Then, two forms coalesced from sparks of light and bubbles of flame. Salamander seemed as a great demon, a spear of burning flame in his clawed hands. Undine was crowned with fins that resembled wings, a torrent of water incased by ice.
"We could not save her." They spoke in unison. "But we will not dishonour her by killing you. Be wise, and do not push us further."
Luke pointed the terrifying weapon that had once been an arm at the elementals who had once been Arioch's heart, Arioch's soul. Before the two could prepare their own attack, the white dragon and his rider spoke.
-"What do we accomplish, fighting amongst ourselves? This will not bring the young woman back, nor destroy the gods and their catspaw Arzoth to avenge her. Please, be calm now. Listen to what must be done, else the world will become the ashes of eternity, and all the light and love and innocence within it will be gone." The dragon's voice was surprisingly quiet, yet it cut through every other sound, and its mild tone seemed to calm the elementals, who both descended to stand by their fallen partner. Tears of water and of fire began to trickle down their faces onto her, and her body glowed faintly with light.

-The red dragon released Netreya, staring into his glowing eyes with her fierce golden ones. Caim touched her flank, and she snorted with surprise.
"Love and peace, he says. Remember that, griffin?"

[lukuz13]

-The angry mass that was the man before let out another scream, shifting between the voice of before and the man he once was.
"THEN TELL ME WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE ME!?" He roared, his voice seemed to beg for release. "WHY DID I HAVE TO...DID I..." He stuttered, waving the weapons around as the surge of power became upset. Netreya did the same under the great dragon, he strained against her claws, opening his beak to let out an attack, yet every one missed her, not because of the dragon's dexterity, but seemingly on purpose, whatever purpose remained within.
*This...is not the way.*
Luke writhed in agony, pointing the weapons to the elementals again, his voice filled with rage at the sound of the white dragon rider's words. "THEN LET THE WORLD BE CONSUMED IN ASHES!" It was echoing with that of the others again. "MY CAUSE HAS BE EXTINGUISHED! I..." the man's arms aimed so accusingly at the fire elemental shoot for a moment, the end charging. His eyes roared in rage yet seemed to mix with a sadness as well. "No...NO!" He roared, letting the blast explode forth preparing to engulf the two...only to rush past them and reach on into the stary sky forming a twinkle of its own. Luke stood there, his weapon still facing forward as he fought for dominance. "I...will not...take more lives here... especially yours." He choked, as the voices spoke in anger to him.
*Child! Quiet yourself! You do not know what you do!* the normally soft one hissed against his head.
*We must destroy the cause! That fire elemental destroyed her! Eliminate him. NOW!* The harsher one roared with glee almost.
"No...no...NO!" He screamed out loud, flexing his arms in such a fashion as a huge wave of energy exploded outward, as the white armor broke at the explosion, and began to crack, the energy surrounding him slowly vaporizing into the air. The wave was felt by all, as if a strong gust hit their bodies, as Luke himself now returning to his own persona, his arms slowly fitting back together now with nothing to guide them but his will. At the dragon's words, Netreya's eyes shot open, letting out a powerful screech as the light encompassed his face and white substance almost melted away from him, if slowly in response to the Arbalester's own transformation. Finally, Luke came to rest on the solid floor, on his knees, he stared at the floor, never turning from it, as he spoke.
"Undine...Salamander..." He began, his voice soft, audible over the now deathly silent room. "Forgive me, I...I can never know...the pain you must feel as well..." Luke whispered softly, before a small almost sarcastic smile appeared on his face and he continued. "But...be happy...you can express your sadness with tears for the fallen...even if you choose not to...oh and please tell Arioch... I am sorry." The voice that now escaped the man felt empty, his eyes holding more then could be expressed, before he turned his head to the new comer, figuring it was time to introduce himself.
"Good evening...I am Luke von Dash and I...am a fool." He laughed softly, coming to rest where he sat, to mill in his own thoughts.

[Noven]

-Talfen made his way over to Luke, Zephyre in tow, who remained silent as well. She wished to give him wishes for the best, but she did not know him, did not have any connection to him as Talfen did. This annoyed her, to be held helpless in such a manner, to see such a person in obvious and consuming grief, though to not be able to alleviate it. She fussed over that as Talfen took charge, gripping Luke's shoulder, while speaking uncharacteristically gently to him, "Luke, I know the... the pain of losing those you care for. It will... it shall hang with you, yes... but you will be able to release in time, yes? Have another purpose... Please, come... do not let yourself succumb to that, here and now, or ever. Nor should you play yourself as the fool, it does not bode for you very strongly. Your reaction is one that is just, indeed. And while not of the soul, a human's love is a bond as much equal to it, do not be disheartened by their words. Come, now, let's be off, forward to better things." He rose from his kneel, still gripping on Luke's shoulder, giving a gentle pull upwards.
Zephyre spoke tentatively, and shortly, "Come, one of a young and peaceful spirit. Talfen may only speak the words of truth now, as our pact demands. Take those words to heart, incase it in them, find yourself stronger and mended." She moved a warm air over him, brushing his hair slightly, a feel of calm that was hoped to come with it, to soothe the hurt man.

[FinlandiaWhiteEyes]

-Undine lifted her head, regarding Luke sadly. She motioned from the man to the griffin, who had been let up by an usually sombre, apologetic dragon. The griffin nuzzled Luke gently. He was troubled by those strange voices, and he ached from his partner's loss, but he remained silent, offering what comfort he could.
-"You, of all people, could come closest to understanding." Salamander, hearing her words, sighed, wispy smoke cloaking him. For the first time his voice was gentle;
"Do not blame yourself. Undine told you when she fetched you. We lived a half life, a mere existence, since that day of fire all those worlds away. You should not blame yourself." He lifted a hand, and a mark burned ashen gray on his palm. It was the pact mark that had bound the two fierce spirits to the elf. "We will remember her. As will you. Thus we are kin in sorrow."
Undine murmured, as Arioch's body was lifted by a spiral of water and flame, "we will return her to what was once her village, before the empire defiled it."
With his old harshness, the fire elemental hissed, "and then we will make that Empire her funeral pyre, and send the beasts that spawned it to serve her in the beyond."
"Starting with that Arzoth." Undine's eyes met Talfen's. "Make sure you call us for that one. I would aid you in that vengeance."
-"You must work to call a Grand Council," the white dragon and rider declared, "for that end. All must come. All must rise."
-The two elementals nodded, before disappearing. All that remained there of what had once been three were tears made of ice, glittering eternal in the starlit night.

-The rider of the white dragon looked at Luke, and his mouth opened to speak, but he was cut off by a very familiar voice.
-"Now, hatchling, it is never foolish to love, to rage at loss. You regained yourself, eh? That's what'll matter in the long run. I once knew a man, heh, that did something five times as foolish. They say he redeemed himself, but I was never sure. Barmy things, these humans!"
-The lumbering form of a magma sprite had appeared in the vast chamber, unnoticed and unlooked for. It stood stiffly, without any of the usual slumping or melting, and its eyes were a dragon's eyes. The white inclined his head respectfully.
"Ancient one."
-The voice echoed again from the sprite "Hey, now, you pallid snatchling, there's no need to get so personal." The voice was full of rumbling laughter. The sprite pointed smoothly at Isaac and Halt. "I don't know these two. More strays you've picked up, griffin? Eh? Ha!"

[lukuz13]

-Luke remained in his spot, though his body showed no reactions, he was still quite capable of hearing, tilting his head if slightly upward, just enough for Talfen to see the same sarcastic smile on his face.
"Such kind words...hah..may I prove worthy of such a thing in times to come...I will not stop here..but...may I have but a moment to consider all that I have done...?" He murmured the last bit, the smile vanishing under his own brilliant blonde hair, which danced excitedly against the winds of the kind spirit. As he said so, he remained where he sat, the grip on his shoulders weakened by his words no doubt, blood pouring from his arms, yet he seemed to feel no physical pain.

-As he said so, Luke found his partner nudging his side, the familiar beak and feathers he had grown to know so well, simply relaxing his back, if only enough to lean against the griffin. Luke regarded Salamander's words, a bit surprised with nothing but a silent nod, as he whispered almost silently.
"Kin in sorrow..." he repeated, eyes now closed tightly as if expecting something that never came. He did however let out a small chuckle at the sound of making the empire her pyre, a voice distant now in his mind, whispered.
*A more serving target instead...*
Luke shook his head slightly, to no apparent avail, until he noticed a small sparkle in the corner of his own empty eyes, three small crystalline tears. The man felt his heart ache for something of the sort, but simply reached forward and grasped all three in his still bleeding hand, rolling the tears to avoid coating them otherwise.
"In memorial..." his whisper was so soft even a mouse would struggle to hear it, before holding the hand full to his own chest, and inhaling deeply for the first time since he fell to the earth once more.

-Luke suddenly opened his eyes a bit wider, turning it to see the presence of a familiar friendly voice, one he could not mistake. After a moment of staring, Luke simply smiled to himself and said more loudly then before. "Regain myself indeed... better then bathing myself in eternity no?" He sighed now, feeling the strain of his words hold his voice gentler, his arms send a jolt of pain to the man as he muttered something unintelligible about the feeling of a thousand needles in your arms.

[Noven]

-"Undine... your right to have vengeance on Arzoth is as much as any, though the one I am to have is one I shall have...." He was forced to reconsider, and could not possibly go on, whether he willed it or not. "No... no, never mind. The point stands, however, that your vengeance is as just as any, and... it would be good to stand by you, together, against such a putrid excuse of a person." Undine at that point vanished away, and Talfen went back to tending to Luke.

-He remembered the balm he carried, having already been applied to Isaac. He retrieved it again, applying it gently to Luke, "Hey, now, we need to try and stop everyone from being hurt so quickly, already had to use this twice now. Won't last forever, unless, of course, we gain some magic to make it spew more from itself, that might be a handy trick of sorts." Talfen's warm smile had turned to a more playful grin, hoping to bring Luke's spirit up some. He gave a final tab on his shoulder, before turning to meet the source of the Weaponmaster's voice. "Ah yes, you again. It has been... quite some time, yes? I must thank you for the... enhancement of Imovan, here. It has quite been a loyal ally to me in recent time past."
"Grand Council, is it? Very much so, it would seem." She smiled and lightly chuckled to herself, "So, reunited at last is it, Talfen? The Weaponmaster is... to say the least, a good compatriot to have, and... it is very much an honor to be in front of him. No, rather, to have the chance to speak with him." Zephyre had mended her words hastily, giving a show the the sort of nervous feeling that she hid underneath her still warm and calm smile, chiding herself all the way for the minced words.
Talfen chimed into her mind, breaking it, 'Is it really worth such nervousness? He seems to be quite the sociable fellow, of all. Why, nothing special in the least, by his demeanor.' He wore the same grin from earlier, though elongated in the least by his most recent message to her, speaking aloud before she could scold his disrespect for the powerful being,
"If you need metal to shoot flames as much as a circus performer would of his mouth, it would seem so." from here, swirling eyes without any material, though of the greatest weigh forced him to correct himself, "Ah, yes, of course, in truth, his power is a great one, a grand ally for us, for all that would desire life over perpetual destruction." Talfen tacked one final note on that had almost escaped him, "Oh, as for the newcomers... Zephyre herself, even... to say the least, our merry band plays a tune with a larger ensemble by the day."

[graybeardhalt]

-Halt maintained his distance. He looked down at his hands, not sure if he was really there or not. They seemed solid, but he couldn't be quite sure. He shrugged slightly and just went along with it. He looked up at Talfen. "So does that make me the panflutist?" He asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. He turned back to the sprite a harsh smile on his face. "Yeah, I'm new. I've been around this planet for a couple of days and I thought I had seen everything. Then this," He said, gesturing all around. "Happened." He stuck his hands in his pockets, taking a posture of indifference. "I've kind of taken a step aside for now until I can figure out what's going on." He said, keeping the posture.

[thatfallout3guy]

Isaac leaned over to Tianlong, a bit confused as to all of this, "Why is the lava golum calling everyone hatchling?"

Tianlong sighed, "Because he is actually a dragon that took control of the golum, at least that is my guess, and his name is the Weaponmaster."

Isaac cocked and eyebrow, "Weaponmaster? Hmm..." he looked down at his swords, and smiled a bit, "Hey, uh, Mr Master, could you make my swords better? Please?" Isaac asked, his face that of a child wanting a new toy.