RPG OtakuBoards Survivor 4

[Sandy]

[font=Century Gothic]The instrumental version worked just fine [I]technically[/I], but it was nigh impossible for me to insert the lyrics you wrote into it while I was listening. It must've lacked a few important instruments or something... The melody of it was just so vague.

Keep in mind that I'm not the most musical person in the world, though. ;P[/font]

[Aaryanna_Mom]

[QUOTE=Sandy][font=Century Gothic]The instrumental version worked just fine [I]technically[/I], but it was nigh impossible for me to insert the lyrics you wrote into it while I was listening. It must've lacked a few important instruments or something... The melody of it was just so vague.

Keep in mind that I'm not the most musical person in the world, though. ;P[/font][/QUOTE]No worries, I understand exactly what you are talking about, I do teach piano lessons after all! So for me to know when the lyrics will occur is easy. But then I've been involved in music for quite some time. The problem was getting the silly video program to put things where I wanted them to go.

Thanks for answering the question though since I was worried that the actual video didn't work! ;)

[TheResplendent]

[FONT=Tahoma]Hmph...we had a pikachu on OUR background. >.>

*ahem*

Anyways, good work to The Mercenaries. It seems you guys have been enjoying quite the roll as well. The Titans are coming at cha next round even stronger though. So beware ;P.

Is too bad bout the LOLs though, I was actually looking forward to seeing their song.[/FONT]

[Sandy]

[FONT=Century Gothic]The result of the [B]fourth team council[/B] are clear.

[COLOR=DarkOrange]Team Argo[/COLOR], I got all three votes from you, two of which went to [B]Allamorph[/B], and the third to Shy.

[COLOR=Green]The Laugh Out Louds[/COLOR], with two votes you have kicked out [B]Kitty[/B].

[COLOR=Blue]The Titans[/COLOR], you unanimously voted out [B]The Boss/Mike[/B], who seems to have vanished from the face of the Earth. Or at least from OB.

This means that Allamorph, Kitty and Mike, you three will be leaving this game now. You all get one more post to say goodbye to your team-mates in[I] this[/I] thread.

---

Next challenge is going to be a major one, because after that, this game will have only [B]two teams[/B] left. Prepare well, Survivors, as the [B]sixth challenge[/B] will commence soon enough.[/FONT]

[Allamorph]

[FONT=Arial]Well, it's been interesting, and rather entertaining. I wish you both the best of luck.[/FONT]

[Sandy]

[FONT=Century Gothic]There are thirteen players in four teams in this game now. I have decided that only [B]twelve[/B] will fit the two teams that are going to be created after this next challenge. The battle for those twelve spots will be an especially demanding one. Let me introduce:

[center][size=5]Sixth Challenge: SurviWars[/size][/center]

In our quest to master the elements of OtakuBoards, we are now moving to our homebase: [B]roleplaying[/B]. In this challenge, the teams must roleplay their way through changing themes and surprising twists. Here are the quite complex rules, so pay attention:
[indent][B]1.[/B] All of the roleplaying takes place in [B]this thread[/B], but teams are of course allowed to plan their strategies in their own Team Threads.
[B]2.[/B] This almost goes without saying, but the members of the same team must play as allies, whereas the members of other teams will be their rivals, [I]except[/I] if I advise otherwise. Also, killing off other players' characters isn't allowed.
[B]3.[/B] As said, there will be a changing [B]theme[/B] to the roleplaying, familiar from the different types of RPGs played here at the Adventure Square. Each time the theme is changed (by me alone), the characters and the setting must adjust accordingly. Throughout consistency is not relevant in this challenge, and you mustn't fret if the theme changes quite abruptly. I will also interfere at times to insert some zany [B]plot twist[/B] for you players to overcome.
[B]4.[/B] You all will be playing as different [B]characters[/B] suitable to the given themes. You can post profiles of your own characters to the Team Threads if you so wish, and you can relate them to other characters created by other players.
[B]5.[/B] There are no limits to the [B]amount of posting[/B], but too much domination from one team or a single player will be frowned upon. Even though this is a competition, you must give space to the other teams as well. Likewise, [I]all[/I] players must post [B]actively[/B], otherwise it will hurt the whole team.
[B]6.[/B] The [B]winning[/B] team will be the one that shows the most creativity, adaptability, activity and improvisational skills as a [I]whole[/I]. One player's efforts won't do much good this time if others are slacking. The [B]reward[/B] will be one of a kind: the team gets to [I]choose the two teams of five players[/I] that will continue in the game. This unfortunately means that they will pick the three players who will be left out as well.
[B]7.[/B] One more thing, when you're posting to this thread [B]in-character[/B] (meaning when you roleplay), use your [COLOR=DarkRed]te[/COLOR][COLOR=DarkOrange]am[/COLOR] [COLOR=Green]co[/COLOR][COLOR=Blue]lor[/COLOR].[/indent]

That's pretty much all. However, if you do have any questions about this, don't hesitate to ask.

Below is the first theme and a little background story for it. We will start with an easy one. [B]Survivors GO![/B][/FONT]

---

[FONT=Garamond][COLOR=DarkGreen][CENTER][size=3]Theme One: [B]High Fantasy[/B][/size]

The magnificent [B]Phoenix Heart[/B] had been the treasure of the [B]Aria Kingdom[/B] for centuries, but now the evil [B]Sorceress Morgwyn[/B] has stolen it to restore her youth. It is up to brave bands of heroes to start a quest to Morgwyn's castle and retrieve the royal jewel.[/CENTER][/COLOR][/FONT]

[TheResplendent]

[FONT=Tahoma]I might have missed it or might even be misunderstanding, but the winning team choosing the 12 players to move on within 2 teams, does that mean we would essentially be rearranging the players into 2 teams of our choosing regardless of existing teams?[/font]

[Sandy]

[quote name='BKstyles][FONT=Tahoma']I might have missed it or might even be misunderstanding, but the winning team choosing the 12 players to move on within 2 teams, does that mean we would essentially be rearranging the players into 2 teams of our choosing regardless of existing teams?[/font][/quote]
[FONT=Century Gothic]
Well, assuming that the winning team wants to keep their ranks unified, they would get to choose which players from other teams would join them and which would form the competing team. Remember that both teams must have six members, so if for example your team, The Titans, wins, you'd get to choose one more person to your team, and then six from the remaining seven players to form the other team. The seventh would be the one who'd get evicted. Hope I explained this clear enough now...[/FONT]

[Shy]

[size=1]Are all of the team's various players supposed to have their characters interact with one another, or should we look at this as four separate RPGs with the same setting taking place in the same thread?

-Shy[/size]

[Sandy]

[QUOTE=Shy][size=1]Are all of the team's various players supposed to have their characters interact with one another, or should we look at this as four separate RPGs with the same setting taking place in the same thread?

-Shy[/size][/QUOTE]

[FONT=Century Gothic]To keep things as simple as possible, you'll all play the same game. Interaction is allowed, but keep in mind the rule about alliances as well as using the team colors.[/FONT]

[Riku]

[COLOR=Navy][SIZE=1][FONT=Tahoma]Sounds like a lot of fun, but I hope I'll get the hang of it. It'll be a little confusing, but... alright. Can't wait to post.

When is this starting exactly?[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Sandy]

[QUOTE=Keyblade Wielder][COLOR=Navy][SIZE=1][FONT=Tahoma]Sounds like a lot of fun, but I hope I'll get the hang of it. It'll be a little confusing, but... alright. Can't wait to post.

When is this starting exactly?[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR][/QUOTE]

[FONT=Century Gothic]As soon as somebody posts, of course. Why don't you start, Tiana? ;D[/FONT]

[Dragon Warrior]

Guess I'll start this bad boy :]

[indent][COLOR=Green][size=1]The branches of the trees that littered Hollowgyre on one fine summer morning glistened gently in the early sun. The townfolk were just waking up and only the mere resonance of chirping birds could be heard across the peaceful plains. That is, until the pickering between two young brothers interrupted the pleasant symphony. Dwight and Darren Herother rode into Hollowgyre doing what they did best--argue. This time it was to be Dwight's argument that it was his own amazing acrobatics that distracted and confused the banshee of Bolderhorse, but Darren believed it was the Mairiechile Mist he concocted that evaporated the spirit in its place. In truth, neither of them knew how the banshee was defeated. But to the villagers, the ghost was gone, therefore they paid Dwight and Darren handsomely. That's all that mattered in the end.

Hollowgyre was an excellent stopping point for their journey where they'd take a quick rest and perhaps stock up on supplies. It was not their intention this day to find a brand new adventure.

"Give me three pints, my good sir," Dwight said to the bartender in the local tavern. The bartender smirked and ruffled his 'stache. He placed the three pints on the table.

"Expecting one more, are ye?"

"No," Dwight replied, then downed one of the pints. Darren sat next to him dwiddling away his thoughts in literature. The bartender looked over to him, and Darren merely made a shy smile in return.

"Oh, um, just one pint for me, thanks." The bartender shrugged and went to retrieve the beverage.

"You're such a little girl," Dwight snickered behind his mug of brew.

"Why?" Darren replied, never looking up from his book. "Because I don't drown myself in liquor?"

"You don't take chances. No woman would ever want to sleep with a man who isn't daring."

"Oh, excuse me for not whoring myself out to the public like you."

"I'm just saying--"

"You two!" Dwight and Darren were spun around in their chairs by a fiercely powerful grip. A tall, dark stranger, clad in armor and cloaked in a large robe seized them and stared deeply into their eyes. "You are the Herother Brothers, are you not?"

Without thinking--as usual--Dwight replied. "Yes, that's us."

"The legendary heroes for hire?"

"Aye," Darren nodded.

"I've been looking for you. Come with me." It wasn't like they had a choice anyways. They were immediately dragged away and up the stairs to a room high above the tavern. There, they were tossed into the corner of the candle-lit room and stared down by the stranger.

"Who-who are you?" Darren asked?

"That is not your concern," the man replied. He took a seat, but had to use two chairs for his enormous stature. "You have a duty to do."

"And what's that?" Dwight asked curiously.

"You must find the fabled Sorceress Morgwyn's castle and retrieve the Phoenix Heart from her."

"Man, we just got on vacation," Dwight grumbled.

"This is a very serious matter. Using this jewel, she can replenish her youth... and I cannot even say what may occur after that." The man looked towards the blazing fire in the fireplace and he flicked at it with a spike.

"Just do it," Dwight grunted. "I'm already bored with the story."

"Confound it, insolent shrew! Listen to what I say or it'll be the last thing ye hear!"

Dwight had a newfound fright in him. "I'm listening."

"I have a map that leads you perfectly through the valleys to her castle without any danger. Do not, I repeat--DO NOT lose this map! The way is far too treacherous to go without it."

"Why us?" Darren asked.

"And who is paying us?" Dwight added.

"You'll see why it is important for the two of you alone to be the ones to fulfill this request. And you'll get what's coming to you, Dwight Herother." Dwight and Darren felt uneasy for a moment.

"Can we get some rest first?" Dwight asked.

"No," the man replied. "You begin now." He, again, flicked the fire with the spike and a flash emerged, blinding the room. When Dwight and Darren's eyesight returned to them, they found themselves at the edge of a dark forest. It was also strangely nightfall, though it was only merely afternoon shortly before. Their horses were well-equipped for the journey and their pockets were plenty full of currency for any other needs.

The brothers looked to one another, then to a hill in the distance. There, the large cloaked stranger stood. He didn't stay, however. Mounting his own horse, he rode away from them and out of sight. Darren then felt something. He reached into his cloak and found the map the man had shown them. He looked to Dwight, who arched his eyebrow at the parchment. But they both knew--there was only one way to go from here.[/size][/COLOR][/indent]

[Aaryanna_Mom]

[COLOR=DarkRed]"[B]WAKE UP![/B]" Kathy yelled at the sleeping members of her team of mercenaries.

Since they had beaten out several other teams for a prize in a recent job they had been staying at the local inn relaxing and celebrating their victory. Until the news of the Phoenix Heart being stolen reached the town. They had decided last night to go after the jewel to get the reward money, or at least she had. The others had probably been a little to tipsy to even realize what she was saying.

She sighed with exasperation. And then cursed colorfully when none of them responded other than to stir slightly. [I]This is what I get for letting them drink too much last night. [/I]

"[B]Bloody hell![/B]" She exclaimed as she started yanking the blankets off of each one. "[B]I told you last night that we would be heading out today![/B]"

Kathy resisted the urge to toss cold water on all of them, especially since they had earned a few days of celebration. They had worked hard on the last assignment, beating out three other teams who had also been after the prize.

Finally one of them stirred, "[B]Come on Captain! Give it a rest, can't we head out tomorrow?[/B]"

"[B]No. Unless you want someone else to get to the Phoenix Heart before we do and collect on the reward.[/B]"

With a groan he sat up in his bed, "[B]But weren't you saying that it was stolen by the evil Sorceress Morgwyn? That's not exactly going to be easy to do ya know.[/B]"

"[B]Since when has that ever stopped us?[/B]" Kathy countered.

He stretched and yawned at the same time. "[B]All right, All right! I'm moving.[/B]" He said with a smile.

Kathy turned her attention back to the two other women on her team. "[B]I'm not kidding you two.[/B]" She said since she could see them stirring. "[B]Get moving or I'll dump cold water on both of you.[/B]" A statement that was met with groans of protest. [/COLOR]

[Riku]

[COLOR=DarkOrange][SIZE=1][FONT=Tahoma][B]?And so, off starts another boring day here in our lonely camp grounds??[/B]

[B]?Your momma is another boring day.?

?What was that about my momma??

?Oh, nothing at all, Shy,?[/B] Tiana replied, licking her index finger and gently flipping towards the next page in her book. Her and Shy were leaning on a nearby tree near the Aria Kingdom, taking in another loss and losing one more member of their adventurous team. Ever since their Dark Knight Allamorph left on his own, their confidence seemed to be wearing thin every minute. Now all that was left was the two Argos: Shy the Modjestic and Tiana the Keyblade Wielder.

Shy sighed once again as he quickly stood up and walked towards the edge of the hill, looking upon the vast Kingdom. [B]?Tiana, I seem to think as if we have no chance to win anything now that there?s only the two of us,?[/B] Shy sighed as he slowly turned around, his dark blue cape spinning along with him, [B]?everyone else has more members than we do, and now??

?Gah, quit your whining, Shy!?[/B] Tiana yelled annoyingly as she slammed her book and placed it on the green grass. [B]?Look here, just because we?re the only one?s left doesn?t mean we?re automatically going to lose! Besides,?[/B] she walked over next to him and placed her hands on her hips, [B]?when we conquer the next challenge, we?ll definitely be a force to be reckoned with.?

?Oh, really??[/B] Shy grinned as he crossed his arms, his sleeves crunching up at the corners.

[B]?Of course,?[/B] she nodded, her short black cape swaying in the wind as her long brown hair got in her face. [B]?Pbbth! This cursed hair always gets in the way of my dramatic speeches! I swear, I?m going to cut it all off one day??

?And finally reveal that you actually are a boy?!?[/B]

Tiana glanced her brown eyes to the side, glaring at a laughing Shy. [B]?What was that, hmm? I hope you know that I AM the Wielder of the Keyblade and can shove this thing up ANY hole??[/B] She slowly reached her hand towards her back and tightly gripped the handle of her Keyblade.

[B]?Uh, um,?[/B] Shy sweated as he waved his arms in negotiation, then glanced his eyes toward the Kingdom. [B]?Hey? you hear that??

?Hear what??[/B] Tiana annoyingly answered as she slowly let go of her grip on Shy?s cloak. She stepped closer to the edge to get a better view and a better point of hearing. Everyone was crowding in the town?s square, circling around someone whom was shouting something that seemed of extreme importance.

[B]?Here ye, everyone! I, the Kingdom?s Official Reporter, have just gotten news of the robbing of King Sandy?s most prized treasure, the Phoenix Heart, by the evil Sorceress Morgwyn!?[/B]

The whole crowed gasped in horror and started talking amongst themselves, everyone starting to become worried and irritated every second.

[B]?The what now??[/B] Shy questioned in confusement.

[B]?The Phoenix Heart,?[/B] Tiana replied sternly, her eyes narrowing in anger. [B]?It has been the great treasure of the Aria Kingdom for millions and millions of years, only recently being passed on to King Sandy.?[/B] She thought for a second, then turned around to face Shy in annoyance. [B]?Wait a second, we both reside in this kingdom? so, why do you know didly squat about of how much importance this is??[/B]

Shy merely shrugged and shook his head in innocence. [B]?Just because I live here, doesn?t mean I know every single thing about it.?

?But tha- ugh,?[/B] Tiana sighed, placing her right hand on her head for assurance. [B]?Nevermind. Just realize that this news is of utter importance, got that??

?Yes, Leader!?[/B] Shy nodded in a mocking tone.

After another sigh, Tiana crossed her gloved hands over her chest and raised her right one to her chin, her leather fingers rubbing her chin. [B] ?Either way? why would Morgwyn steal something of such great importance? Surely she realizes what trouble will fall upon here for something big such as this??[/B]

Her thoughts were interrupted by a slight tapping on her shoulder, her head then turning towards her partner. [B]?Sorceress Morgwyn stole it in order to restore her youth, learning that the jewel has sorts of magical healing powers.?[/B]

Tiana?s faced scrunched up into a weirded expression, her mouth about to fall onto the ground. [B]?Wha? whe? wher? ho? How the hell did you not know about the jewel a second ago, but now you know so damn much about it?!?[/B] she replied in anger, her voice angry and annoyed.

[B]?Well,?[/B] Shy replied as he put his index finger on his chin and looked away in a thinking notion, [B]?that?s what the Kingdom?s Reporter just said; I was just paying attention.?[/B]

Tiana sighed and looked the other way, already feeling tired just by talking to this guy, wondering how in the world did they meet. [B]?So,?[/B] she replied, her eyes glancing towards his for a straight answer, [B]?tell me, did you hear anything else of utter importance that I should know about??

?I?m glad you asked,?[/B] Shy smiled and nodded, [B]?Morgwyn resides at her castle to this day and the Kingdom is asking for courageous heros to retrieve the precious stone. Anyone who brings it back will be hi-?

?Forget about the reward.?

?What??[/B] Shy questioned in astonishment, his eyes slightly widened, [B]?but you don?t even know what it is!?[/B]

Tiana wrapped her arm around his shoulders and smiled a heroic smile, her face telling him that she was ready to protect her Kingdom no matter what. [B]?Who cares? Only those money- loving creeps will die in the end? we?re real heros and we?ll do whatever seems right.?[/B]

And with that, Tiana ran down the mountain as she grabbed her supplies, her sense of justice in order and her goal placed: to regain order in the Kingdom and retrieve the precious Phoenix Heart jewel. With Shy right behind her, they both set off on their journey, ready to cut through anyone that stood in there way.

[B]?Wait? does that mean I?m a money- loving creep, Leader??[/B]

[CENTER]~+~[/CENTER]
OOC: This is on friendly terms, Shy, don't worry. ;] Come on, let's get to it, Team Argo!![/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Aaryanna]

[COLOR=DarkRed]Bethany groaned in protest when Kathy yanked the warm blanket off of her. [I]God damn it![/I] She thought. [I]She really needs to lighten up. It's not like a few more hours of sleep will make that much of a difference![/I] She shivered a bit from the cold morning air as their shared room had no fireplace to keep them warm. But as Kathy talked about retrieving the Phoenix Heart from the evil Sorceress Morgwyn it all started coming back to her.

[I]That's right, [/I]she thought. [I]Morgwyn has stolen it to restore her youth and the reward to recover it,[/I] if she remembered correctly [I]is quite impressive. [/I] With a small sigh she started to open her eyes just as Kathy spoke to her and Alexandra again.

"[B]I'm not kidding you two. Get moving or I'll dump cold water on both of you.[/B]"

"[B]All right! All right! I'm awake![/B]" She finally said as she turned her head to look at Alexandra who was in the other bed right next to hers. Bethany slowly sat up, stretching as she did so, movement catching her eye as their other companion quickly rolled up his bedroll where he had been sleeping on the floor and then he picked it up along with his other belongings and promptly left the room.

She turned back to glare at Kathy who was standing at the edge of their beds, her hands on her hips as she glared at them. Over on the far corner Kathy's things were already packed and ready to go, leaving only Alexandra who was still lying on the bed in the middle, with the pillow pulled over her head. [I]So, sleeping beauty doesn't want to get up does she? [/I]Bethany thought. She smiled mischievously . [I]I'll fix that. [/I]

Bethany recited the words under her breath and waited till the last second to extend her hand towards Alexandra and release the spell. Ignoring Kathy's order to stop. Cold air flew from her hand, catching Alexandra by surprise when with a startled shriek she was blown off the bed and onto the floor. A second later she was up and climbing over her bed to get to Bethany to clobber her.

"[B]What the hell was that for![/B]" She said angrily.

"[B]Girls![/B]" Kathy snapped at them.

Both of them stopped and turned to look at Kathy.

"[B]Would you two save the squabbling for later? Honestly, if I didn't know better I would swear the two of you are sisters.[/B]" She sighed dramatically as she went over to grab her things off of her bed. "[B]I'll be waiting for you two outside. You have ten minutes to finish getting ready.[/B]"

Alexandra waited until Kathy had left to turn and glare at Bethany. "[B]I'll get you for that.[/B]"

Bethany stuck her tongue out at her. And then started gathering her things. Smiling once Alexandra's back was turned. Truth be known, the two of them were rather fond of each other and positively enjoyed pulling pranks on each other. They never did anything that could actually hurt the other person. And sometimes it was more fun to see Kathy get annoyed than getting the other person. Bethany smiled even more.

They finished gathering their things, checked the room to make sure nothing had been missed and then left to go join the others who were probably waiting outside. [I]I wonder if they have anything for breakfast that we can take with us?[/I] Bethany wondered as they headed down the stairs. Since she doubted that Kathy would give them time to have breakfast before leaving. [/COLOR]

[OMNOMNOMALY]

[COLOR=DarkRed]Alexandra grinned at Bethany as they reached the entrance of the inn. [B]"Breakfast, right?"[/B] Bethany laughed

[B] "I love it when you read my mind. Shall I distract the baker next door when we get outside then?"[/B] Alexandra smirked

[B]"You know it."[/B]

10 minutes, flirting with an ugly baker and a sack stuffed with baked goods later, The Mercenaries met around the side of the Inn.

[B]"Mercenaries! Stand at attention!" [/B] Kathy bellowed at the rag-tag group. None of them moved. Alexandra yawned. Bethany picked something in her ear. The silent one stayed silent.[B] "Good... good. Glad to see you're all ever so enthused." [/B] Kathy rolled her eyes. She reached back and pulled a map from her bag. [B]"So I was thinking we should--"[/B]

[B]"HOLD IT!"[/B] Bethany interrupted her with a shout. [B]"I know just what you're going to say, and I thought about it last night. The problem with taking the route through the woods is that there are no more villages or towns or anything. I think we should just ride horseback down the road to the next town, re-stock up on supplies and then hike from there."[/B]

Kathy tapped her foot in patience. [B]"Are you about done then?"[/B] Bethany nodded.

[B]"As a matter of fact, I am."[/B] Bethany replied indignantly.

[B]"Good. Then as I was saying, we're going to take the pass through the mountains to the north. It will take us to the same town that Bethany mentioned, but it's more straight forward. I hope you're ready because it's atleast a full day of walking today, and then it will take up another good chunk of our day tomorrow." [/B] Alexandra turned and began to stroll down the side of the building to the front street. [B]"And just where do you think you're going? You realize that the pass is the other way."[/B] Kathy pointed with her thumb to the other end of the building.

[B]"It's a long walk, right?"[/B]

[B]"Right.."[/B]

[B]"And we have to eat, right?"[/B]

[B]"Right..."[/B]

[B]"So I only managed to grab enough bread and stuff to maybe last us until tonight, if we're lucky. I'll have to hit up that farmers stall for some more supplies before we go."[/B]

[B]"Oh alright. Bethany, you go with her. Please don't get caught, we really need to speed this up. I'm sure tons of other groups have left already. We need to make up for lost time."[/B]

[B]"Yeah yeah. Don't worry, we're on it!"[/B] Bethany giggled and flashed Kathy a thumbs up, before running to catch up with Alexandra. The two girls laughed as they rounded the corner of the building, and were out of sight.[/COLOR]

[TheResplendent]

[FONT=Tahoma][center][size=1]Name: Adrian Cobalt
Age: 74 (elven years)
Species/Job: Wood Elf / Rogue
Appearence: Adrian (Male elf)
Weapons: [URL=http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/Bklynstyles/3dragsm.jpg]Daggers[/URL] / Crossbow[/size][/center]

[center]* * * * *[/center]

[color=blue]The forests of the Aria Kingdom run vast, some of them so dense that hardly any sunlight shone through the leaves and branches. The northeastern continent was home to the most advanced forest based civilization, home to many elf kind. The treetop city of Dalithe was amongst the largest, and served as an ample supplying city for travellers of all kind. Well, all kind but the unwelcomed filth of the marshes and boneyards. Ogres and trolls, that sort of company. They were hardly any kind of threat to the progressive army of the humans and elves.

Dalithe lays third closest to the southern tip of the continent of all the cities. It was south eastward the travellers collectively known as The Titans were headed before stopping in for supplies. Their destination was the port city of Gonalden. One member broke away from the group upon their arrival to Dalithe, waving behind him as he walked hastily up one of the ramps leading to the treetop platform where one of the bar/inns of the city was located. This one secluded for the most part from the main inhabited part of the city.

Adrian walked in and looked around casually. He adjusted the chainmail under his tunic and blew a few strand of his silvery hair our from out of his face. His eyes hurried to the left side of the room as he began walkig over to a table with 3 other elves sitting around and talking over drink. He took a seat, drawing the attention of the darker haired elf who glanced oddly at him, stilling the mug in his hand.

[b]"You've business here?"[/b] the dark haired elf asked firmly. Adrian reached into his satchel and pulled out something wrapped in a cloth hankerchief. He slipped it underneathe his hand toward the inquiring elf without casting a single glance in his direction. The dark haired elf took it and grunted.

[b]"You'll have to see Syd for your reward. If this is real, of course."[/b]

[b]"What're you joking? Of course it's real! I almost got killed trying to retrieve this thing, and why do I have to see Syd?"[/b] Adrian asked, a little louder then he should have.

[b]"Would you lower your voice! You know not to say Syd's name in a public place like this. Now just shut up and follow me."[/b] the dark haired elf instructed, getting up and leading Adrian behind the bar and into a secret door behind a wine rack. They descended a bit, clearly they ended up below the treetops once reaching an area lit by candleabras with dim stone hallways.

[b]"Dien, what's the problem? The poster said 5,000 gold easy. It's just a stupid gem, why does Syd have to be involved?"[/b] Adrian inquired.

[b]"We've gotten a bunch of fake submissions already, and i'm especially suspicious of you Adrian. Don't think I forgot the last time you scammed 10,000 gold off of that crest we hunted for! Syd is still angry about that as well, so you'll be lucky if he even gives you a silver piece for this!"[/b] Dien answered, opening a door rather forcefully.

[b]"Hey come on, you guys are too uptight! I apologized already about that, besides you got that dagger submission didn't you?"[/b]

[b]"It was worth significantly less!"[/b] Dien said, gritting his teeth.

[b]"Hey come on, it's the trade afterall. Tell you what, our next hunt i'll let you have the precious piece."[/b] Adrian said facetiously, attempting only to quell Dien's anger.

[b]"Hmph, and what of your companions? The name of the Titans spreads throughout the land for their feats. Do they know they travel with a good for nothing rogue who swindles his partners, I wonder?"[/b]

[b]"I guess you've yet to discover the wonders of finding a group of people you can actually rely on for once, Dien my friend."[/b] Dien scoffed at Adrian's last remark and opened one last door. The two rogues walked into the room which was fashioned like an underground meeting place. Elves, humans, and dwarves a like walked about and mingled. Over in the corner there was a table, a dark haired human male with an eye-patch stood next to a seat and looked as if he was plotting out a map of some sort. The two elves walked over, as Dien approached the man.

[b]"Adrian is here, with what he claims is the gem."[/b] Dien spoke. The dark haired man took the hankerchief and examined it. He looked toward Adrian who was doing a few tricks with his dagger, tossing it into the air and catching it and such.

[b]"It pains me to say that this is the genuine artifact. I trust you'll be satisfied with a thousand gold."[/b] the man said, placing the gem on the table.

[b]"A thousand!? The reward was five! Come on Syd, old pal..."[/b] Adrian retorted.

[b]"Consider it your down payment for what you still owe me for that fake crest! Your lucky your getting anything at all."[/b] Syd replied cutting Adrian's sentence short. Adrian didn't bother arguing back, considering he was surrounded by a large group of Syd's right hand men. As the leader of the Thieves Guild, he always had a slew of followers around him in some form or another.

[b]"Hm, fine then. So we're square for now. How about another mark?"[/b] Adrian asked.

[b]"Nothing for ya right now, you can see yourself out and i don't give a crap if the door hits you on the way out."[/b] Syd answered back, wanting very much for Adrian to leave his sight. He sighed and headed for the door. Before reaching it, Adrian was stopped by a figure in a hooded cloak. His face was well hidden, it could not be told if he was elf or human, though clearly not dwarf by his stature.

[b]"You...are you not Adrian Cobalt of The Titans?"[/b] an raspy elderly voice came from the hooded man. Adrian pulled his arm back quickly from the man's grip and wore a weary look on his face.

[b]"I am...what of it old man?"[/b]

[b]"Some information for your band...you will not hear this on the thieve's channel my boy. It is about the famed Pheonix Heart..."[/b]

Adrian raised his eyebrow and brought himself closer to the old man, now interested in what he had to say.

[b]"Come again?"[/b]

[b]"The Phoenix Heart...the sorceress Morgwyn has taken it for herself. The Titan's willingness to retrieve this precious treasure would serve as quite a service to this land as she seeks to replenish her youth and the true strength of her powers. You being a hunter of precious treasure would surely see the worth in such a journey."[/b] the man continued.

[b]"Indeed that is grave news, but certainly an opportunity. But tell me old man, how do you know all of thi...?"[/b] Adrian stopped himself mid-sectence after noticing the old man has vanished into thin air, leaving only his cloak behind. Adrian shook his head and checked the entire room over. He was nowhere to be found.

[b][i]"Who in the..."[/b][/i] Adrian thought to himself, slowly proceeding out the door and back out into the city. On his way out he saw one of his comrades, the swordsman Halbereth.

[b]"Hal, where is everyone else?"[/b] Adrian asked.

[b]"They said they would meet us at the eastern entrance. Sunny and Dayne went for the supplies."[/b] Halbereth answered.

[b]"I think we should gather everyboy at the central inn. There's something I just heard from the thieves guild that may prove rather interesting."[/b]

[b]"You mean Morgwyn and the Phoenix Heart?"[/b] Halbereth answered, leaving Adrian a bit surprised.

[b]"Wait...how do you know about that?"[/b] Adrian asked.

[b]"The old cloaked man...I thought it was rather strange."[/b]

[b]"Old cloaked man...I wonder if he appeared to all of us?"[/b] Adrian wondered out loud.

[b]"It seems it was meant for us to embark on this journey...we must see what happened with the others."[/b][/color][/FONT]

[Shy]

[size=1][indent][COLOR=DarkOrange]Shy sighed as they began their trek into Aria's darkest forest. Ancient trees spread up into the air, seemingly forever, their canopies obscuring almost all light. It was only late in the afternoon, but inside these woods it looked like midnight. Tiana shuddered from the cold as they continued walking the through dense brush, guided only by their compass and a largely incomplete map they were able to purchase in the town square.

This would only be the first stwp in the two young heroes' question to the Aria Kingdom's great castle. Most land in Aria was uninhabitable; thick swamps, dense forests and vast deserts blanketed the and. As a result Aria was sparsely populated, and it seemed that they would encounter friendly faces on their journey across the land. In order to protect the great King, his castle was placed in seclusion. Castle Sandy was only accessible by powerful magics, and the bravest adventurers. Shy was far from a stranger to Aria, but the kingdom's reliance on magic was something he would never be quite used to. His adventuring partner Tiana, who he had only met recently, seemed much more comfortable in this world of sorcerery. After all, with each new adventure Tiana seemed to unlock more power and secrets from his enchanted weapon, the Keyblade.

"I feel we stepped into this quest without much thought," Shy muttered to himself, struggling to free his boot from the thick mud and brush.

"Nonsense, Shy," Tiana said confidently, "We are Argos, Aria's greatest protectors. If anyone is going to save this kingdom it's going to be us."

"I only wish Allam were here, or Zeke, or any of the others. Our many failures have cost us a great deal of members."

"All the more reason why we need to... oh dear."

Tiana stared at her compass for a moment, terribly confused.

"What's wrong, Tiana."

"The compass... it's... spinning."

"Is it broken?"

"I don't think compasses break like this."

The two began to inspect the compass, ignoring the sounds of the forest around them drawing closer and closer. Tiana's Keyblade let out a feint glow.

"Magic!" She yelled in surprise, "Something is trying to keep us from finding Castle Sandy."

"Morgwyn, I imagine."

"If that's the case, we may be in trouble. We're still a good ways from the castle."

"I hate magic."

Suddenly a loud roar could be heard from directly behind them. Tiana dropped the compass from surprise, and drew her Keyblade.

It was then they saw it: A massive, hulking beast with gray hide and a disfigured human face. Shredded clothing covered its body, hiding various scars and wounds. The monster stared at the two Argos and let out a faint growl as it approached.

"This isn't good."

"Speak for yourself, Shy. Hiking was getting boring anyways."

Shy turned towards the creature, pulling a pair of small daggers from his pack.

"Yoooouuuuu.... arr.... lossssst." The beast screamed. The power of the creature's voice echoed thorughout the deep woods.

It lowered its head and lunged towards Shy with its powerful arms. Shy attempted to roll out of the way, but quickly realized that his foot was still stuck in the mud. He threw both his daggers at the creature, jamming them deep into the beast's shoulder and chest but completely unaffecting it. The creatured continued his charge, and Shy braced himself for the worst.

Tiana grabbed Shy by the collar, and at the last moment managed to push them both out of the creature's path. The beast continued charging, unable to stop its own momentum, and slammed into one of the nearby trees, managing to knock it over with the powerful impact.

"Lossssttt.... soldier...." The beast continued repeating the phrase as it struggled to stand.

Tiana's keyblade began glowing even brighter, and she prepared herself for another strike from the beast.

"Grey skin, smashes trees, knife proof." she said with a small grin, "Sound like anyone we know?"

"Maybe we can find out... if he doesn't tear apart the rest of this forest first."

"Forget the forest, Shy. I'm worried about us."[/COLOR][/indent][/size]

[Darren]

[B][COLOR=DarkGreen][SIZE=1]"Where are we?"[/B] Dwight Cried in frustration as they continued their trek through the Red Forest. If the brothers kept up their pace, the should arrive at the castle in two days time.

[B]"Where do you think? We're still in the red forest."[/B] Dwight held up his hands in futility.

[B]"I know that. I mean, are we close to getting out of here? I'm bored."[/B]

[B]"Well, then find something to entertain yourself with."[/B] Darren finished and turned back to his book. It had all kinds of information on magical items, but the pheonix heart only had a paragraph or two over the history of its creation. [B]"This won't get us anywhere."[/B]

The truth about the map was that even though Darren was smarter than his older brother, he wasn't so good with directions. At their last stop, the brothers stocked up on everything they would need and Darren cursed his forgetfullness to bring the compass. But the pathways in the Red Forest seemed to be pretty self explanitory. It should be a strait shot with only one fork in the road in which the brothers would take the left path.

Just then, Dwight let out a grunt that could easily be confused with a gorilla. He was practicing his punches and kicks on the trunks of the trees.

[B]"What are you doing?"[/B] Annoyance was taking hold of Darren as dwight jumped up and down, dodging imaginary punches before side-kicking the tree.

[B]"Practicing. And you? Oh wait, don't tell me, you're reading."[/B] Dwight loved to give Darren a hard time. In fact, that was the biggest part of their relationship: Not having one.

[B]"You'd better quit,"[/B] Darren said stopping to let Dwight catch up, [B]"You know why this place is called the Red Forest don't you?"[/B]

[B]"I'm not even that stupid. It's because all the trees in this forest have blood red leaves year 'round."[/B]

[B]"But the rumor is that they're red because they drink the blood of all their victims."[/B] Darren was trying to scare him. It wouldn't work, but it could supress his urge to punch the trees.

[B]"Don't be stupid. That's an urban myth. There's no proof whatsoever that these trees can even move, let alone drink[I] blood.[/I]"[/B] With that last word, he pulled out his dagger and stabbed it into the trunk just behind him.

A loud howl of wind came through the pathway, rustling all of the trees. Just then, the tree's leaves turned gray and began falling off the branches. A red substance began trickling out of the stab wound, and Darren could have sworn that he'd seen something move out of the corner of his eye.

[B]"What is that?"[/B] He asked, indicating the red liquid which was now forming a puddle on the ground. Dwight bent over and dipped his finger in it and brought it to his nose.

After a few brief moments, he replied, [B]"It's blood."[/B]

[B]"Great! Now what have you done?"[/B][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Rachmaninoff]

[COLOR=DarkRed]Sergei was carefully following a game trail though a thicker part of the forest with Alexandra and Bethany between him and Kathy who was bringing up the rear. Kathy who was more familiar with the forests surrounding Morgwyn's castle had insisted that they leave their horses at the last town, though Bethany had protested, [I]loudly[/I], about having to carry their supplies in packs. But now that they were there he understood. The path among the trees with leaves the color of blood would at times be so thick that they either had to find a small game trail to continue or sidetrack a bit to find a way around.

Horses would have not only slowed them down, but forced them to go out of their way. And leaving them here would have been a mistake. Since though they had not encountered them yet, Kathy assured him that there were plenty of monsters that dwelled in the forest.

Finally a few steps more and the trees gave way to a tiny clearing. The ground sloping down a bit as they were on a small ridge. Something that gave them a view of the forests that stretched as far as the eye could see. And off in the distance Sergei could see what appeared to be a castle or rather the tiny hints of gray stone sticking up among the trees. Sergei hadn?t realized that he was blocking the way out until a hard shove from behind sent him sprawling.

?[B]How about letting the rest of us out,[/B]? Bethany said smartly as she shoved him. ?[B]You can gawk like a country bumpkin later.[/B]?

Sergei got up brushing his clothing off as the others came out from among the dense trees. Smiling sheepishly when he realized that he had been blocking their way out.

?[B]Sorry, I got distracted by the castle.[/B]? He said pointing towards it.

?[B]It?s about time! I am sick of walking already.[/B]? Bethany declared.

?[B]Too bad,[/B]? Alexandra said as she poked Bethany in the side. ?[B]Looks like it will take us a couple more days to get there. That is, if the forests continue to be as dense as they have.[/B]? She reached up and brushed some twigs and leaves out of her hair.

?[B]They are,[/B]? Kathy confirmed as she too brushed twigs and leaves out of her hair. ?[B]Also, the closer we get to the castle, the more monsters there are. I?m a bit surprised that we haven?t run into any yet.[/B]?

?[B]I bet,[/B]? Bethany said in her know it all tone of voice, ?[B]That all the other adventurers we saw headed in this direction ran into the monsters.[/B]? She paused to snicker a bit. ?[B]After all some of them couldn?t walk more than two feet with out making enough noise to scare off all the game.[/B]?

Sergei winced when he saw a sneaky look on Alexandra?s face. [I]Uh oh,[/I] He recognized that look. [I]What?s she up to this time?[/I]

?[B]Of course Bethany,[/B]? Alexandra said innocently, ?[B]They were far noisier than someone who complains every five minutes that she?s not a pack mule.?[/B]

It took a moment for that to sink in but when it did, Bethany whirled to pounce on Alexandra only to stop when a burst of wind came out of nowhere rustling all of the trees, sounding like something was howling. Startling all of them, causing them to look around as the howling sounded almost inhuman.

Sergei was the first to spot it, ?[B]Look![/B]? He pointed, off in the distance to the right one of the huge tree?s leaves were turning gray and falling off the branches. ?[B]What happened?[/B]?

Bethany grimaced, ?[B]You don?t want to know.[/B]? She turned to Kathy uncharacteristically serious, ?[B]Captain we need to get moving, either a monster accidentally damaged the tree or some stupid adventurer did it. But more importantly, we don?t want to get caught up in what?s going to happen.[/B]?

Kathy just raised her eyebrow, ?[B]And what would that be young lady?[/B]?

?[B]Captain, we don?t have time to discuss it![/B]? Bethany said, a touch of annoyance in her voice.

?[B]True,[/B]? Kathy agreed, she turned to look back at the tree as more of the leaves fell. ?[B]I?ve heard all sorts of rumors about what happens, and if any of them are true we may be too late.[/B]? She sighed. ?[B]All right, lets get going. Sergei you take the rear and I?ll lead this time.[/B]?

?[B]All right Captain.[/B]? Sergei replied. He took a moment to make sure his pack and sword were all in place and then followed the others as Kathy took them away from the tree and yet still towards the castle.[I] I wonder what will happen? [/I]Sergei thought as they finished heading down the slope and finally entered the trees again. [/COLOR]

[Dragon Warrior]

[indent][size=1][COLOR=Green]"What have I done?!" Dwight snapped back. "What about you?"

"You're the one who's causing all the trouble by doing stupid things!" Darren replied harshly.

"Well... uh..." Dwight stumbled. "... you're the one who's supposed to make sure I don't [i]do[/i] those stupid things."

"You're pathetic."

"You smell funny." Their bickering was interrupted once more by the howls. The trees began to move, but a presence of any sort of wind was scarce. Dwight and Darren put their backs together and studied the surroundings. The noises continued to resonate about the deep forest.

"It sounds like the woods are crying," Darren stated.

"Then get it a hanky and let's get out of here," Dwight said. Even he had a bit of fright in his tone. But it was too late. Branches suddenly wrapped around their legs and they were tossed to the ground. Vines and roots joined in to lock them in place. Darren looked to Dwight and gasped.

"The trees have us!" he shouted to his brother.

"Thank you, Sir Obvious," Dwight scowled. Dwight wriggled his hands about, but they were tightly tied by strong mossy vines. "If only I could reach my sword..."

"Don't worry, Dwight," Darren reassured. "We're not in trouble as long as we have our weapons." Suddenly, the two brothers were stripped of their swords and other equipment by the branches and tossed into a pit nearby. Darren looked to Dwight. "We're in trouble."

"Oh, Mother Hubbard!" Dwight swore. "Where's a fire breathing dragon when you need one?"

"There's only one other way out of this," Darren exclaimed.

"What?" Dwight called. "What is it?"

"We have to use our heads."

"Oh, great. Unfortunately for us, mine is the only one available. Yours is always up in the bloody clouds!"

"Just trust me. I have a tiny pocket knife on me. It's not big enough to really harm the trees, but I think if you can scootch your way over to me, I can cut you free."

"Did you just use the word... [i]scootch?[/i]"

"Dwight!"

"Alright, alright. I'm scootching, I'm scootching." Dwight used all his strength to push towards Darren, who was pulling his small dirk from his sleeve. The two moved their backs against one another with all their might and Darren began to saw at the vines embracing poor Dwight's hands. As the blade cut into the vines, a warm gooey liquid oozed out over their hands. Dwight and Darren grimaced. "I am so taking a shower after this."

"I'm almost there," Darren squirmed. Sounds of pain echoed about the woods; the trees were in agony. They wouldn't stand for it. Without notice, the branches and vines lifted Darren and Dwight high into the air and away from each other. Darren dropped the dirk and it stuck into the ground. "No!"

Dwight felt uneasy. "Um... Darren. We're a little high up."

"I can see that, Dwight," Darren said.

"You kind of loosened these vines a lot."

"Yeah?"

"I don't feel so secure up-" Suddenly, the vines enveloping Dwight snapped and the hero dropped to the ground. "... here."

"Dwight!" Darren shouted from above. "Grab the weapons from that pit!" Dwight got up and made his way to the hole, but it was too dark to see anything down below.

"I'm not going down there, Darren."

"Just go!"

"Why don't you go down there?"

"You!"

"You!"

"No, you!"

"I am [i]NOT[/i] going down that hole!" Suddenly a branch swung by, hitting Dwight, and knocking him into the hole. "Mother Hubbaaaaaaard!"[/COLOR][/size][/indent]

[SunfallE]

[COLOR=Blue]Sunny along with Dayne was waiting at the eastern entrance, the supplies they were suppose to get in hand. They had barely arrived when a strange cloaked man had appeared his words still echoing through her mind.
[INDENT][I]You two are members of the Titans are you not? I have information that would interest you. The Phoenix Heart...the sorceress Morgwyn has taken it for herself. The Titan's willingness to retrieve this precious treasure would serve as quite a service to this land as she seeks to replenish her youth and the true strength of her powers. Both of you being hunters of precious treasure would surely see the worth in such a journey.[/I][/INDENT]
She had wanted to question the old man further, but he had vanished as mysteriously as he had appeared after his simple statement.

?[B]That was odd,[/B]? Sunny speculated, ?[B]I wonder who that was. Do you think they were telling the truth?[/B]?

Dayne shrugged, ?[B]Who knows. We can always ask the others about it once they are finished with their business.[/B]?

Sunny expression darkened slightly, ?[B]They should be finished with it by now, perhaps one of us should go looking for them.[/B]?

?[B]No, it?s better to stay put. They?ll be here soon enough.[/B]?

?[B]True.[/B]? Sunny replied as she continued to scan the people moving about, looking for either Adrian or Halbereth as well as their other companion who for reasons of his own had slipped off promising to meet them at the eastern gate as well. Sunny sighed, feeling a bit impatient and worried that Adrian had gotten himself in trouble. [I]Again[/I].

?[B]You know Dayne, if what that old man said is true, recovering the Phoenix Heart from someone like Morgwyn isn?t going to be easy. She may need it to recover her youth and powers, but she?s still pretty damn powerful from what I?ve heard.[/B]?

?[B]All the more reason to recover it,[/B]? Dayne replied, ?[B]Someone like her would only wreak havoc should she manage to use it to restore her youth and powers to their fullest.[/B]?

Sunny nodded in agreement, ?[B]I bet its worth a fortune as well, it is Aria?s national treasure after all. We could probably retire off of the reward from recovering it. At least I'm assuming there's a reward for recovering it.[/B]?

?[B]In that case, if we do decide to go after it, convincing Adrian to go along will be easy, you know how he loves treasure.[/B]? Dayne said with a smile.

Sunny laughed, ?[B]True, he does love treasure doesn?t he?[/B]?

?[B]Even when getting to it will be a treacherous journey, we?ll have to pass through the forest with blood red leaves as well as many other dangers. Even with her power?s waning Morgwyn is still a force to be reckoned with. And I?m sure that others will be after the prize as well.[/B]?

?[B]We?ll just have to beat them then,[/B]? Sunny smirked. She turned at the sound of someone calling her name. It was Adrian and Halbereth.

?[B]Speak of the devil,[/B]? Sunny said with a groan. ?[B]Here comes Adrian and Halbereth. Now we just need to find our other companion so we can decide what to do.[/B]?

?[B]Hey you two![/B]? Adrian said cheerfully and then stopped looking around. ?[B]We seem to be missing someone one.[/B]?

?[B]He said he had some business to take care of before meeting us here.[/B]? Sunny said with a shrug. ?[B]But forget that, have you heard about the Phoenix Heart being stolen?[/B]?[/COLOR]

[Sandy]

[CENTER][COLOR=DarkGreen][FONT=Georgia][B]First Twist[/B]:
As the bands of heroes approach Sorceress Morgwyn's castle, they find it surrounded by a flock of countless Obsidian Gargoyles that attack them on sight.

How can one pass through a wall of flying stone demons? That's for the heroes to find out...[/FONT][/COLOR][/CENTER]

[Aaryanna_Mom]

[COLOR=DarkRed]?[B]You have got to be kidding![/B]? Kathy said as they got close enough to see what the dark cloud surrounding Morgwyn?s castle really was. She had never expected to run into a wall of flying stone demons! ?[B]It was bad enough dealing with those damn trees when they tried to attack us, but this?[/B]?

?[B]Oh I don?t know,[/B]? Bethany said a bit arrogantly, ?[B]I could always freeze them. Those wings won?t do them much good if they can?t use them and frozen stone tends to shatter when hit.[/B]? She smirked. ?[B]Dropping from the sky is more than enough force for them to break when they hit the ground.[/B]? Bethany immediately started to prepare her spell.

?[B]Oh no you don?t![/B]? Kathy quickly reached over and dragged Bethany back into the cover of the tree line. ?[B]There are too many for you to freeze all at once. And the last time you tried a freezing spell on that level you ended up starting a full scale blizzard.[/B]?

?[B]But?[/B]?

?[B]No buts, we need to come up with a better plan if we intend to make it into the castle in one piece.[/B]?

?[B]What about that gate over there?[/B]? Sergei indicated with a wave of his hand. ?[B]It looks like it actually leads into part of a building instead of part of the inner courtyard. All we have to do is distract those monstrosities long enough to get inside. Once we close the gate the building would offer enough protection to keep the Gargoyles out. Or at least keep them out long enough for us to work on getting further into the castle.[/B]?

?[B]That could work, if we can get the gate open that is.[/B]? Kathy observed.

?[B]I can do that.[/B]? Alexandra stated. ?[B]Just take a look, there?s an opening near the top of the gate, I can easily fit through that and open the gate from the other side.[/B]?

Kathy looked at the gate; sure enough there was an opening that looked just big enough for Alexandra.

?[B]All right, here?s what we?ll do. Beth,[/B]? Kathy said, switching to her shorter nickname that she always used when she was more serious, something she did with all of them, ?[B]I want you to start freezing Gargoyles on the other side of the castle in small groups. Once that gets their attention we?ll make a run for the gate. Serg and I will fight off any that get into range while Alex opens the gate.[/B]?

?[B]Got it.[/B]? Bethany replied.

?[B]Uh Bethany,[/B]? Sergei replied. ?[B]Try to distract as many as you can. If they rush us there will be to many for me and the captain to fight off.[/B]?

?[B]I know that! Besides, if they start rushing us I?ll help keep them at bay. I?ve got a new spell that would be perfect![/B]?

Kathy resisted the urge to groan. ?[B]Beth, what ever you do, please do not use a new spell![/B]?

Bethany just glared at Kathy and then jumped when Alexandra poked her.

?[B]You know what happens when you use a new spell Bethany. Last time you nearly drowned the entire town we were staying in![/B]? Alexandra said.

?[B]It put the fire out didn?t it?[/B]?

?[B]Girls,[/B]? Kathy said warningly. ?[B]We need to be fighting the Gargoyles, not each other.[/B]?

Bethany stuck her tongue out at Alexandra before turning back to Kathy. ?[B]I know.[/B]? She sighed, ?[B]Give me a moment to get the spell ready and I?ll start freezing those over sized flying stone chickens.[/B]?

?[B]Chickens?[/B]? Sergei said as he raised an eyebrow.

Bethany turned a bit red in the face, ?[B]That?s right [I]chickens[/I].[/B]? Then she turned her back on the group and began to prepare her spell.

Kathy looked back at the spot where they had stashed their food and packs; the extra weight would have slowed them down. She just hoped that they had secured them well enough to keep animals and monsters out of them. Otherwise, once they recovered the jewel it would be a long trek home. She turned back and waited for Bethany to begin. [/COLOR]