A Love that Crushes like a Mace.

[FinlandiaWhiteEyes]

-The Weaponmaster's cavernous rumbling laugh filled the chamber.
"Don't be so nervous, little breeze child. I'm not THAT intimidating, am I? Hmmph, probably for the best I didn't come here in person, then. I make an impressive sight then, despite that faerie making fun of my lack of aerial ability. Cheeky buggers, faeries. 'Specially that one. Still, he's doing well enough for himself, eh?" The silver haired elf smiled mysteriously. "Still, a Grand Council? HA! I don't envy those two in that task. Wouldn't fancy dealing with those crotchety grumbling spectres myself." The sprite looked at Tianlong, knowingly. "You'll be there, I expect. If you can sort Slithers out, eh? Eh? HA! Don't envy you either."

-At Halt's caustic remarks, the dragon-within-sprite roared with laughter. "Aye, I can appreciate that, lad. This isn't the most simple of worlds. Why'd you think I live in a volcano, eh? There's some stuff I just don't want to see! And this place and it's rather pasty occupants are rather nice. Between you and me," the magma sprite leant near to Halt with a loud, theatrical whisper, "it's going to get a LOT worse. Just accept what you see as normal, even when it isn't, and you'll do alright, lad."
The white dragon nodded. "Good advice, noble one. You'd all do well to keep that in mind. Elsewise, you'll struggle in some places. Most everyone's mad, here. In their own way."

-The lava sprite cocked his head, dragon-like, and smiled at Isaac.
"I would if I could, young one. You'll need another dragon for that, though. My power and your power are very different. Wouldn't want to disrupt your flow, eh? No! You should go with the flow! I believe that's how the saying goes, eh? More good advice! I'm on a roll, today! Maybe I should sit on a rock on the top of a mountain and dispense wisdom to passing travellers! A new career, eh? Ha! Still, go with the flow of life. Don't struggle against it. What has occured was meant to be, hmm? This world was meant to be wreathed in tragedy. But you also were meant to save it. And that is an encouraging thought, yes?" Though the sprite spoke to Isaac, his eyes wandered to Luke.
"Still, I can do something for you, youngster. I'll work on it, and have it sent to you! Might find it useful, eh?" He chuckled to himself. "Useful indeed."

[Noven]

-Zephyre's body of swirling air hastened slightly to the Weaponmaster's remark, before she settled herself about again and regaining the calm air about her, matched by the slow, smooth rate of the swirling air. Talfen made one comment in passing, "''Specially that one'." He repeated it with a half inquisitive touch, half statement to it. He felt very much sure of who it was that he referred to, stating it for himself more than for the others. "That would be... you know of Achintya, Weaponmaster? Our... long lost friend, would you have word on him then? Well... regardless..." The man turned to the White Dragon and rider now, speaking to them next.

-"Yes, now, as we have now made progress in making ourselves known, let us further that very same cause. You, rider of and the White Dragon yourself, would you mind giving us your names? Furthermore, what reason is it that has had us brought here? Why to have to see you so suddenly?" Talfen looked over the room silently, given the lull in action, looking over the room that was bearing witness to what would most likely be things of great importance, history hinging on this, the axis.

[graybeardhalt]

-Halt grinned back. "Oh, madness I can handle, just within reason." Halt continued to smirk, taking a step back from everything, literally, and waited for a time when he could finally be a part of the events, again.

[thatfallout3guy]

Isaac just stared in awe of the Weaponmaster, his mouth wide open. Tianlong was the first to speak, "Isaac. please close your mouth. You are drooling," he then turned his attention to the Weaponmaster, "Naga you mean? I am not looking forward to meeting with her, shocking as it may seem, our last meeting ended on bad terms I am afraid."

Isaac completely ignored Tianlong as he continued staring at the Weaponmaster, "C-can I make a pact with you? Please?"

Tianlong only sighed.

[FinlandiaWhiteEyes]

-The Weaponmaster chuckled, causing his vessel to lose an arm, which fell to the milky 'ground' and oozed hot red. He looked at it mournfully, before looking up at the White dragon.
"The young human asked you a question, Hatchling." There was no humour in his voice now. The old rumbling voice was grave and calm. Together the White dragon and his rider began.

-"We are Venkael, the white dragon, and Alk'sino, the elf. For a millenium we have been bonded, and half of that in stasis, here. The reasons for that long sleep are many, and complex. Even before the Empire whose ashes you now seek to sweep away, there were other catspaws of evil, not all of them god-made. Because of what we can do, what we can see, we have always been a target. Thus, friends of ours who declared themselves priests of the White worked powerful magics to keep us hidden and safe. And in the dark, we waited. Then, the Empire arose, and even the temple would not save us."

The elf fell silent, and the dragon continued, "So Alk'sino sacrificed himself, to a degree, that we should be safe and ready to deliver what was needed. Ready to become the doom. He turned himself into the orb that the young elf woman found, and returned here today. The priests bore it from this place to give to the Indral, but they would not take it. One of their number, disgusted with her sisters' inaction, suggested the Weaponmaster. Before it could get there, an agent of the Empire, by the name of Arzoth, caught the courier. He sought to use the orb for the glory of his mistress. However, that Indral by then had left the lakes of her kind, and by chance was able to rescue the orb. Pursued by an army, she was told by the Seer to send it far away, into the stars. Much of what transpired later, you know. Arioch found it, and it brought her back. The water spirit brought you along soon after. Driven by compulsion, she sought me, to return the two halves and set events in motion. But Arzoth had his last petty revenge. The orb was cursed to kill whoever returned it to the temple-an action complicated by the half alive state of Arioch and Salamander. Likely, there was a warding set upon it that alerted him. He may be coming here even now."

-The dragon trailed off, and the elf resumed. "That matters little. We do not intend to stay here long. You asked, Talfen, why you had to come and see us? Because there are things we know, that we can see, that will give answers long sought for. This seems odd if you know of the Seer, who knows all and is the scribe for this final sonata. Your faerie companion has met her, and you no doubt will soon enough. However, she knows what will and can be with clarity, whilst the specifics of what now is may be clouded. There are things hidden from even her sight..."
-"And she is bound, in many ways we cannot understand, as all are bound in life now..." the Weaponmaster's voice was achingly sad, though none there, not even the white dragon, could ponder why.

-In perfect unison, Venkael and Alk'sino continued, "look around you. The stars in this chamber are a reflection of the heavens above. They are more than just sparks of light to our eyes. We can see what is, what must be, to bring about what has been seen in our future."
-The Weaponmaster cleared his throat, and glanced at the group.
"This is why I am here," he murmured, "to ask the questions that need asking. Though, I am glad to see you all again, for sure. Heh."
-The white duo intoned softly, "will you hear what will be, from her lips to your ears?"
"They shall. And I wouldn't mind hearing it again."
"All of the world must save the world, with the farflung heroes, and the flames of four.
Four they shall be, to end the world:

The first of these shall be upon a White Dragon, for he is Conquest, and it is given to him to begin the doom of the world.

The second shall ride upon a red wind, red with the blood that shall run at his command, for he is War. Losses of his he shall wreak tenfold back upon the earth, with blade and blood and flame.

The third is black, as night, as fear, as the womb. He shall feast upon innocence, and hunger for more. All of the wicked shall be devoured, and he never sated, for he is Famine."

The Weaponmaster roared with the white dragon then, and the two of them proclaimed in terrible, joyful voices:
"Then shall be the breaking of the sky, the turn of the tide, the return of holy and profane."

"The fourth," continued elf and dragon, "and the last, is the end of empires. Born on a battlefield, and born again on a gravestone, upon pale wings. Death, death, death to them all, and the end of the world."

They were silent for a while, and then continued, in terrible voices.

"When all seems won, it is just begun. Apocalypse will reveal the door. A blade will unlock it. A smiling death will clear the way. Then the bones of the world, the breath of the world, the blood of the world, the spark of life of the world, will begin the task. Opposites in balance will finish it, and magic will see it done."
"So has seen the Seer, through a pact and an enemy's eyes." Their heads snapped up, to gaze at the stars. There was another long silence which nobody dared disturb. The heavens wheeled overhead. Then:
"What would you know?"

-The Seals were broken. Both god and arch dragon should have returned. Why have they not?
-"The Seals were broken and reformed. The enemy was unready for the return of the Ancient Tomb of the arch dragons. They made a new godess."
-"Who? Where?" The dragon sounded genuinely surprised.
-"Within the stars, I see a woman without a face, waiting and longing for death, but guarded by armies who give her safety she does not want. A castle, within the last lands of the Empire. Exactly which, I cannot see."
-"Who does know?"
-"The one who proclaims all knowledge. Kin, who sees far in th worlds of men. The city of the Alchemists. There you will find your answer."
-"Will the world unite?"
-"It will. It must." Both elf and dragon looked down, regarding the heroes fiercely. "They will make it so. They must make it so, else that castle will not be breached."

-"Oxbridge, then, is where you must go next. By now, an old...heh, friend, of yours is should be waiting there for you. Maybe with a new friend, eh? It's nice to make new friends." The dragon eyes within the magma face considered them for a moment.
"SO young, and many so new to this world...I hope you're not too confused? Much has been made clear to me, but as pale scales keeps remarking, I am very old." He shot the white dragon a glare. Alk'sino covered his mouth with a hand, hiding a smile, whilst his dragon looked ever so slightly sheepish.

"You must go to Oxbridge, the base of the Alchemists, to find out where the last, hastily made Seal is. Then, I suspect you'll want to gather up an army to take that castle, and break the seal. As to where you'll get that army...heh, you could try a market, perhaps? Armies seem to be in plentiful supply of late. Failing that, I suspect the Nameless Indral might know what to do. With that amry, you'll smash the Empire and break the Seal, allowing their godly patrons to pour into the world en masse, along with ours. Then we shall see what we shall see, eh?" He made to nudge Isaac with his head, then remembered he was made of magma at the moment. He coughed and grinned.
"Are we all set? Any questions? I wish they didn't ramble too, you know. With all these people who know so much, you'd think they could be plain about it! Mumbo jumbo that people can't understand won't help anyone."
Venkael blinked. "Honoured one, the future of the world and the paths of the stars are convoluted, difficult, more-"
"More twists and turns than a twisty turny thing, I'm well aware. I've had that from the girl, though she was much less respectful about it. Anyway, I was asking them, Venkael, not you. Hush yourself, hmm? "

-The red dragon lifted her head and looked directly at the Weaponmaster. "'The second shall ride upon a red wind, red with the blood that shall run at his command, for he is War. Losses of his he shall wreak tenfold back upon the earth, with blade and blood and flame'." Her growling voice posed it as both statement and question. Caim looked puzzled.
"Aye, Angelus. You may not being playing the part they had all intended, but you're playing an important one nonetheless, Lady War."

[lukuz13]

-Still as before, the red clad man sat and listened. He listened as a good student would, though his eyes where not at the 'teachers'. The balm, he felt, tightened and became soothing to his wounds, both arms, while still a sort of mess, his glance remained at the floor. The man's mind was already in shambles, and yet so soon news of this proportion dropped on his shoulders? He wasn't sure, hardly ever was, yet the interruptions of the Weaponmaster helped Luke keep a sense of familiarity, however distant it may be. He wanted to ask so many things, yet feared none would be answerable by even beings of such great knowledge. He wanted to ask what if he had never shattered the thing, what if he had just taken time to examine it. No no no, there was no time surely for these things, especially for such a selfish reason. Selfish though it may be, his mind still wandered,hoping, maybe praying.

"Venkael and Alk'sino." Luke spoke, suddenly, softly, as if wishing to say more, then after another silence spoke again. "I must give my deepest apologies for...what I have demonstrated." He managed at first, leaning up a bit more, Netreya nudging his side to remind him of his presence, prompting Luke to use the feathery back to help him stand. "Such a display...is not worthy of you, nor her memory...but I will keep my promise." He began, slowly starting to stand again, strained at first, before his long red coat shadowed his legs once more, Netreya standing by his side. "I promised I would do my best for your world...if I can keep but one promise, it must be this one..." He stated, eyes cast to the floor, before raising them more to the brilliant white being. "Oxbridge... and you say we shall meet up with our fearie friend once more?" Luke pondered to himself softly, attempting to occupy his mind, turning to the red dragon with a glance for a moment, one of surprise. "And War herself..." Luke continued his mumblings before speaking out loud again, towards the white dragon. "I think I understand...you have my word then I shall do my best for you, for all of us, for Drakengard itself." Luke nodded, letting his arms hang at his side for now, no doubt still numb, but nodding his head all the same, his voice rising if only a little, strained again his own mind.

[Noven]

-"Never would I have expected the path to saving Drakengard would be the path to slaying the beast like Arzoth. Heh, oh, what a blessing for me in that way." Talfen said, a bitterness in his words, as he had one looming though, 'Slay him, if he does not slay me.' Zephyre grabbed his attention, though, responding,
'Slay you, he may, but us as one, bound and souls entangled, shall never succumb to such a creature as that is Arzoth. Talfen, hold not such bitterness in you, it is not befitting of a savior of all the land.' She wore her smile to him, full in warmth and affection, still the usual course.
Talfen gave a sigh, one of resignation and acceptance, though, happy in this endeavor. "So, Lady War it is now? I cannot help but feel such a title, purpose, befitting of you. Death upon our enemies, there is no such course but that with you set against them." Zephyre entered, a chime of her own to be made, "Faerie, is it? An old companion, to be met again. Another pleasantry of our quest, is it not? It shall be great to meet this one." She was enthusiastic in this, Oxbridge home of the Alchemists, a place where knowledge would be in easy access, easy learning.
"Ah, yes, indeed it shall Zephyre, I have been... pondering over him for some time, to say the least." To hear him at their destination, talked of as an ally still, Talfen's old suspicions around him were not exactly put to rest, however, they were satiated, him satisfied that he would be a trusted companion, at least, for the time being. That, he would go over with Zephyre in more depth at a later time, though he suspected she would be able to feel the... oddness of Achintya herself, when the time came to reunite. He nodded, looking over the others to ask what they may, eager to head out, put things to motion yet faster.

[graybeardhalt]

-Halt thought about the prophecy spoken by the white duo. "Four Dragons of the Apocalypse, eh?" Halt said, his voice distant, lost in thought. "Well, we already have 2 of 'em." He said, looking to Red and Venkael. "Guess this is gonna be easier done than said." He finished, smirking slightly. "So, where is this Oxford? I'm guessing it's not a college somewhere in the country side, or the publisher of a dictionary." Halt said, meandering around with no destination, just walking for the sake of it.

[FinlandiaWhiteEyes]

-Contented the group understood their task, the Weaponmaster nodded.
-"Oxbridge, then. Say hello to that faerie for me. And tell him I finally got rid of all the blood." He paused for a moment, then said, more softly,
"And beware the shadowed man. He cares little for your kind."

-Venkael and Alk'sino said together; "look for us on the battlefield, for we shall bring you the doom of the world. Now, we go to gather our brothers and sisters. Good luck in your task, and remember: much that is eccentric is sane, and the wise may not be as wise as they seem."
-Caim pointed his sword at the group, and the red dragon spoke for him.
"We will go to gather the clouds of war. We shall see you soon enough. Bear our good wishes, and our blessings, the blessings of War." She seemed unused to their new title. Her pact partner touched her flank, prompting her to continue. Caim smiled briefly, as she did so, "and know that you are peerless warriors indeed, and we know you can accomplish what you must."

-The stars began to spin in the chamber, faster and faster and faster, until all Isaac, Tianlong, Luke, Netreya, Halt, Talfen and Zephyre could see was light, pure and indestructable-the light of hope.

***

-The faerie at the window looked from the shadowy figure who had somehow reappeared by his table to the middle of the room. It was fortunate that the common room of the Bridge Inn was large, because it was suddenly filled by a crowd of adventures. And a griffin.

[Mog]

The group looked from the cloaked, shadowy figure to their left over to the small horse that seemed to be comprised more of a strange blue mist than any tangible flesh, before their eyes finally fell upon the small creature sat on the chair facing them, a creature familiar to a few of them. The rim of his hat cast a dark shadow over his sombre face, sinking his tired, weary eyes further into shadow. The small thing regarded the group with a serious expression, what little light left in his eyes dulled by age unmeasurable as he began to speak in a deep, creaking voice.

"So, you come at last to Oxbridge, and to me. Our fates remain intertwined in ways we are lucky enough to not fully understand as we are pulled against our will along the threads of time to face our destiny and meet the doom of this world and its dependents. I see you have gathered more allies around yourself, and armed yourself too. This aid and more you will need if we are to triumph over the unspeakable evil inching ever closer to all that life here holds dear..."

The faerie's dim eyes looked over the group silently, passing through the invisible Zephyre without any sign of recognition. The creature pulled his hat down and took a moment to flick his empty glass, causing a loud ringing noise. Then he looked back up, his expression nothing like it had been a moment before.

"Just kidding!" said Achintya with a smile like a solar flare, "Heeeeey guuuuys!"
He hiccuped.

[Noven]

-Talfen chuckled a bit, "Yes, good to see you Achintya, I suppose it is. Fate, now? I don't know, life seems to be quite the cruel one, giving oneself over to it blindly rather than forging on for yourself seems to be a fool notion, as you'd hand yourself over to a master that delights to your torture." He wore a serious face, letting it fall then, smiling again and restraining a chuckle, "Yes, well, Oxbridge, town of scholars... I'm sure there would be enough of such talk, and truly, I don't much think to why, just that things are. Keeps it nice and easy, yeah? Well enough that I'm moving about doing things."
"A gift to be set into your presence, faerie. Achintya, was it?" She looked to Talfen, who nodded a confirmation. She had not paid his words much attention at first, rather, looking out the window upon first arrival, distracted, a sort of child-like glee welling up slowly inside her, knowledge set all around, ripe fruit to satiate her hunger.

[Mog]

Achintya smiled at the wind spirit, picking between his sharp teeth with a toothpick, an act that likely had cataclysmic repercussions in some faraway universe.
"Achintya, yes, my name is Achintya... Just another dime-a-dozen faerie looking for a free meal, eh? Ha!"
The faerie shrugged before turning back to Talfen and continuing with a chuckle.
"It's unfortunate, I know. Lucky the same restrictions that create fate also stop us from understanding it. To live is to be bound, though, aha," here Achintya gestured a thumb at the cloaked figure next to him, "I'm sure this guy knows a thing or two about that."

[thatfallout3guy]

Isaac looked to Achintya, "Hey, you're the fairie right? I saw you at the battle, but I never got the chance to speak to you before you went flying," he said with a slight chuckle before turning to the shadowy figure, "and I've never even seen you, name's Isaac."

"And I am Tianlong," Tianlong said with a slight bow.

[Mr.Chocobo]

Ulaer was still slightly shaken from what happened, But he didn't miss a beat when the new arrivals poped into being. Ulaer had seen the glow of magic on his plane before any had truely arrived. Then he smelled it, the reek. The stench of humans.
Ulaer took a step forward and made his hulking, shadowy presence known. The armour and robe made of shadow that covered his non-existant body clinked and shuffled slightly.

"I am Ulaer... and you... people.. are?" He said bittingly. His haunting voice filled the room like a terrible dream fills one's head. He could feel the group's power... but that didn't change the fact. Humans amoung them. Humans. He could smell them. They smelled of horse and sweat and bitter iron. He hated that smell.

[graybeardhalt]

-Halt sighed, once again not exactly sure what was going on. He looked to the little faerie who was conversing with Talfen and the others, feeling....something. Some deep, primal fear from looking upon this creature, as if it could kill Halt just by looking at him the wrong way. "Uh, hey." He said, speaking to the new creatures he assumed they had just intruded on. "My name's Halt, and I'd like to have a little slice of reality right about now." He muttered the last part, sighing slightly.