OOC:For visuals sake, Stella is wearing this. :)
IC:

The Holy city seemed empty - almost deserted. Nightfall had came and gone several hours ago, and Stella stood in the freezing cold, her silvery blond hair whipping her anxious face. Her hands gripped a little locket around her neck, and her eyes never left the gates. Her hair today was tied in two pigtails, the end straight and reaching her shoulders, with a dark blue short dress with sleeveless arms flowing under it - shorts of the same colour underneath. Her boots where laced up with pieces of ripped fabric, and pieces of this fabric was tied around her upper arms and her thighs.

Over all this was her cloak, fastened at the neck, blowing in the light, frosty breeze. She stood waiting, her eyes never seeming to leave the gates of this city. They where slightly late, but she remained patient. Something about tonight creeped her out, and it wasn't just the fact that it was night. The clouds obscured the moon and stars, making her ever more anxious. The stars seemed to calm her down.

A pulse from her necklace sent shivers down her spine. Her eyes focused in on the small thing, her arms dropped to her side in defeat. It was getting worse. Somewhere far off a wolf cried. Silence. Then a reply from further away. The only sounds heard, apart from her steady, shaking breathe. Being scared of the dark was silly, but Stella couldn't help herself from checking the shadows every now and then for movements. It seemed even they where against her. The necklace pulsed once more, causing her to fidget, taking a step back.

This had been happening for some time now. It didn't matter where she was, what she was doing, but her necklace kept pulsing, evil thoughts escaping its barrier. Even now, Stella found herself about ready to cuss at her friends for being just a slight bit late - somthing she would never have done usually. It seemed her necklace was loosing what ever magic is had once contained, the seal breaking, her evil that extra step closer to breaking free and taking total control.

It hadn't been easy, but Stella had managed to send word to some of her close friends for assistance. A rumour that the man who had sealed away her evil was last spotted here, though if he was still around she didn't find likely. It had been over 40 years since that day, and she even doubted if he was still alive. Another wolf call, closer this time. Scuffling sounds could be heard from beyond the gates, what sounded like movement. Fidgeting again, she regained her stand, making her face cheery, as though she wasn't afraid. A lie.

Closer the sounds approached, and the more worried Stella became. What if they couldn't help? It seemed a long shot, but she was relying on these people - her trusted allies, to help her find away out of this situation. Doing this alone would mean failure, even she knew that. Louder. Footsteps now could be clearly distinguished, and the corners of her mouth tilted up, and out of the shadows the figure approached.

"Your late." She commented, the smile still on her face, relief that at last some one had come.

Ayaker walked at a relatively fast pace along the small path on the way to the Sanctuary of the Angel's. He had been sent a letter from an aquaintance...no, a friend of his. The carrier pidgeon that had been sent carried a message from Stella, the girl he had first met at Alulanta falls, when he had protected her from a demon thief. He met her on one or two occasions after that, and they had become quite good friends. Although Stella didn't know of Ayaker's true form, she had been very friendly and receptive, and he felt lke if he was forced to reveal it to her she wouldn't mind.

The problem he thought, Is the other people who are coming to help her, how can I be sure they will be as accepting. I'll have to be careful about my sleeping habits.

He looked up and saw the gates of the city looming ahead of him, it was a sight he had never seen before, a beautiful piece of architecture. The little bit of white light that shone through the clouds seemed to illuminate the walls. Or perhaps it is just Stella. He thought with a smirk on his face. A frown returned to settle on his lips, this was not a happy occasion. Stella had informed him that the necklace she wore, the powerful magical artifact which kept her evil aura intact, was beginning to crumble. Ayaker wasn't quite sure what he could do, but he hoped to do something, at least provide moral support. It was a scary thought imagining innocent little Stella being filled with a dark bloodlust. He shuddered, he would prevent that if he could.

He felt his hand on the gate of the city, and was suprised that he was able to merely push it open. The wooden doors creaked loudly as they swung forward, and he was afraid of waking whatever residents lived here. He quickly ran through the opening and darted in to the shadow of the nearest building. He needed to find Stella now. I wonder why she picked such an out of the way place. He scanned the horizon until he spotted a glowing figure, and he knew who it was. He ran over to her, and was about to say something when she noticed him.

"You're late." she said. Ayaker would have felt worse if she wasn't still smiling. "Well ya know.." He said. "I got word only this morning, and I have a tendency to get lost finding new places, my sense of direction stinks. " He looked at the ground a little embarrased. He raised his head and looked at her with a more serious look. "How are you doing? Is it getting worse? "

Nathaniel was not a man easily surprised. Even as a young boy his brothers had difficulty trying to sneak up on the then short child. When he grew older he trained under a respected Sir, and eventually became capable enough to join the noble army. Then his sharp intuition had served him well there, too; it was hard to capture him or those he led in an ambush. Some claimed he had cultivated powers, others still thought he might not be fully human. They were wrong of course, but Nathaniel saw no need to let them in on his secret. He'd spent years training, eyes sharp as he memorized details. It was the only way to survive when others could move like the wind and strike like thunder. Predicting things before they happened, analyzing what was going on.

So it was rather shameful that he was shocked when he recieved Stella's letter. Initially he'd not recognized the letters, for how smoothly they flowed into one another. Nathaniel was used to reading brisk letters written in a sloppy hand; this neatness was unusual for him. Also, while he wrote phonetically (not unusual, given his minor schooling) that was crossed with his dialect to form quite the different speech than say a fallen Star. So, for twenty minutes -- give or take a few, he stared at the paper in his hands, squinting. Occasionally he drew it close to examine critically, and other times he extended his arm as far as it would go to try and examine it from a distance. Finally, pining for some alcohol and thoroughly embarressed, he left the open letter on the desk of the small room he rented at the inn, leaving it for now.

The day passed, as days usually do. Filled with drinking, hearty tales and more than a few glances of disapproval. Over all a very low key day, and when he returned to his room for an early retirement he once more caught sight of the parchment. He paused by the door, debating if it was worth it. Then he moved slowly over, as if the paper might flee. When he reached the desk he once more lifted it in his hand, holding it halfway from his body. Dark blue eyes scanned the ink, then glanced to the door. He moved over and shut it, locking the heavy bolt. Then he moved to the bed, sitting on the edge. Like some actor he held it just below his face, trying to sound it out. A juvenile attempt, but it was the most he could muster.

It took him around forty minutes. Every time he'd have difficulty on a word he would have to sound it out a number of times, repeating it in different ways until he finally recognized it. By the time he understood it he'd have forgotten what he was reading previously, and have to reread the sentence all over again. A long process, filled with many guesses at words not spelt how he had been taught. "Sand.... Sane... Sane..sue... Sane suit..." He rubbed the hair on his chin as if it would inspire the word to come to mind. "Sane-suit-yur... ye? Ee? Hmm." Nathaniel rose from his seat, moving to the desk and placing the paper on it. There were no drawers on the desk, but on the top was a quill. He quickly set to work, and within moments, his plan had come to fruition.

Words he recognized but were spelt differently than him he crossed out and wrote atop, ones he was unsure of he merely wrote above but left the word below uncrossed. Then, content with his work, he scanned it with his eyes; once, twice. Sealing the jar of ink and setting the quill beside it he lifted the paper. Once more he read it aloud, but this time he merely skipped words he couldn't fathom the meaning of. It left him with a number of broken sentences, but in the end he was able to pick out some of the more key phrase. "Meet.. of the Angels..." Well, there was only one place he could think of referred to like that. If he was wrong, well, it wasn't as if he would be able to find another place. There were other key parts, something about evil, a locket, but his knowledge was half at best.

The charming signature, thankfully, was something written in a tongue he could understand. Stella. Odd that she would want his help, but he wasn't going to turn it down. Sure she'd set him on fire (among other nasty things) but those were easily forgiven in the face of freedom and the absence of battle. Besides, people rarely asked for his help, either because he was too mean, to sharp with his tongue, too prone to violence, or too loud. Clearly if the young girl (who had bashed him in the face with a mace not so distant a time ago) wanted his aid, it was a very dire situation indeed. So, the sun straining as it drowned behind the horizon, he set off for the Sanctuary of the Angels.

~-~-~-~-~

What a wretched place. The sour man decided he did not like this place at all during the night. Normally a place of peace and serenity, the night had a way of making it almost foreboding. Shadows in every corner seemed to twist whenever a half light would shine; other times the clouds were so thick there was no respite from the shadows. The heavy statues and building of stone, glorious in the day, were frightening at night. It seemed cold and hollow, with an impassive distaste for those passing by. Silent witnesses to whatever would unfold.

Perhaps the worst was the fact he could hear wolves baying at the moon. Too deep and long to be coyotes, and Nathaniel's imagination liked to twist the image of wolves into that of the dreaded werewolves; bloodthirsty cousins to the lupines. Constantly the palm of his hand rested on his sword, ready to whip it out at a moment's notice. One of his fears was that it may stick to the sheath if he did not move it, but the problem with such was that his location would be given away. He had no supernatural stealth or protection, he had to rely on human capabilities alone. A very difficult task, despite having done it almost his entire life.

A sharp noise ahead made him pause, muscles clenching as the frills of panic brushed along his stomach. A creaking sound-- a door, perhaps? The wind today was harsh and icy, and he could only imagine the difficulty someone like Stella, with long blonde hair, would have in this weather. Even he was having a hard time keeping his eyes open, the whip like tendrils painful against his eyes. Despite this he struggled on, closing his eyes for long intervals on occasion. What seemed like an eternity passed, though it was likely little over five minutes. He came to a great wooden door, and carefully set his hand on it. The wood was cold, but not as much as he'd expected.

With brute force he shoved it open, striding past it and ready to strike. What his eyes fell upon instead was what appeared to be a young man talking to another young boy. The young blonde boy, dressed in shorts and sleeveless shirt, looked interested in what the other young man had to say. He must be freezing! The sight calmed Nathaniel though, and his tensed shoulders lowered to their usual height. His pace was slow but relaxed, eyes on the two. Naturally, his hand never left his sword. "Good evening, gen--..." His words died when he got close enough, a single cloud lazily rolling off of the moon. That was no boy, it was Stella!

Well... certainly a different choice in clothing than usual. "Ah, Stella. It's good to see you again." He gave a casual smile, then let his eyes move to the lad nearby. He eyed him up and down a few times before crossing his arms and looking to the young woman. "So, is this your boyfriend, then? I do hope I'm not interupting anything." Clueless, naturally. But all he'd been able to make out of the letter regarding friends involved fried NDS... or ND's... whatever those were. "In any case," He continued smoothly. "I'm Nathaniel Rystoff. Who might you be, young man?" He didn't offer a hand to shake; they were warm enough huddled close with his arms crossed thanks, and something set him off about this one. He could swear he knew him, and yet from how or where he did not recall. Where was that sharp memory when he needed it?

Even if he hadn't felt a wary sort of trepidation towards the stranger he still would not have offered his hand. For all he knew this runt was the cause of Stella's problems to begin with!

A figure approached from the shadows, and Stella could just make out the shape of Ayaker, a close friend of hers. "Well ya know.." He began. "I got word only this morning, and i have a tendency to get lost finding new places, my sense of direction stinks." Stella laughed - but a pulse from her necklace halted her laughter, and she gripped the small locket closely, closing her eyes briefly, willing it to last just a little longer...

"How are you doing? Is it getting worse?" He asked, seriously, and Stella couldn't help but heave a sigh. "Not too well... i don't see why now... why its even doing this!" She dropped her hands in defeat, and gazed ahead at the gates, her eyes cautious. The others... now they where definitely late. A movement caused her to startle, and she squinted into the darkness, trying to find out what it was. He approached, and she stifled a laugh. Of coarse Nath would have to be late. And sneakeh!

His hand was at his sword as he approached them. "Good evening, gen--..." His voice cut off, and Stella frowned. Was he about to say... Gentlemen!? "Ah, Stella. It's good to see you again." He corrected, and Stella smiled approvingly. Gentlemen... he was glad she had called him there for help, otherwise... her thoughts trailed back to the tourney, and she snickered quietly.

"So, is this your boyfriend, then? I do hope I'm not interrupting anything." Once again Stella found herself frowning. What was Nath talking about?! She glanced at Ayaker, and shrugged, feeling slightly embarrassed at the situation. "In any case, I'm Nathaniel Rystoff. Who might you be, young man?" Nath asked, and Stella turned to Aya. "This is my friend Aya." She announced, then realised that perhaps it was rude to introduce him... perhaps he had wanted too?

She kept quiet after that, and looked around further, hoping some others where going to show up. Stella wasn't scared... just... well, yeah, scared. Her necklace's nudges where getting more and more powerful, and it scared her to think of what would happen, should the seal finely break. But then, she had to consider the conclusion, that the old mage would most likely not be around here anymore, or alive for that matter, leaving the question of what to do... open.

"I..." She paused, unsure of what to say, but feeling that somthing had to break the silence. "I think that, well... im not sure what to do truthful, about this." She gestured to her necklace disgustedly, sighing afterwords. "It's not somthing I've ever been through before... and im..." Again she blushed, feeling stupid. "I feel scared." She whispered, embarrassed as though revealing a personal flaw. It wasn't often Stella showed fear, or even a weakness, having been told once that people often took advantage of such things.

Turning away slightly, she faced the gates full on, angleing herself so she could still talk to her friends. "I'm sorry to have troubled you..." She mumbled again, feeling pretty pathetic. This converation was... depressing, and Stella hated depression. She lightened her exspression, and laughed breifly. "I must be boreing you. Ignor me!" Her voice was loud, more cheerfull. "I hope others will come.." She mumbled, feeling fooligh at revealing she knew little about who would achually come.

The night was perfect. The bright moon was effectively blotted out of the sky and even the stars were dulled, as if they could sense what was to come. A large falcon had been floating in the sky for some time now, as if seeking out something particular, though it could scarcely be searching for prey since many an opportunity had been passed over. The bird was large and covered with earth tones, though glints of silver attested to a noble breeding. Just then, the sharp eyes caught sight of a dark figure, one which was attempting to keep to the shadows.

Having recognized the bird almost immediately, the lich was more than content to remain in the shadows. In the past, those falcons which were particularly bred by a certain elite for use as messengers, ones which were more than capable of delivering missives even in the most harsh of conditions on a moment's notice. As if they were enchanted, the letters they bore were received just in time, and there was never a question of an interception, at least none that was recorded.

Having no choice but to move between the shadows for a moment, the scarce light caught his figure which was just enough for the messenger to notice. Immediately, the falcon would swoop down, declaring his arrival with a screech. Standing upright, Clayton would greet the bird coldly as it landed on a nearby post. "Go back to your Master, Trefynia. His messages are not welcome here." If it was possible, the bird would have given a grin, though it made no motion to move. Instead it remained stoically watching the man with a knowing gaze. After a time of silence, it would give a call to him before dropping a rolled note at his feet. It was not addressed but with these birds, the senders had no reason to give address, for the letter was always delivered. Immediately, the bird would soar into the sky moving in the direction of Lomedor.

The letter was on a rough parchment as he allowed his fingers to pull the tweed tie which bound the paper into a small roll. The hand was slightly slanted and crisp and neat as he scanned the contents. A smaller paper was rolled neatly, the edges flushed and the paper white. Only scanning the initial letter, Clayton would unroll the second, a little more cautiously as he studied the neat hand. Easily legible, his brows would raise slightly. A star? And a necklace which was of particular interest to him. Immediately, he would return to the original missive which gave only a brief note about how the other would be entertaining:

Surely such an artifact would interest even the most rebellious of sons. Help will arrive when you have need of it. As always, there is no need for questions. Don't you remember? We take care of our own.

Affectionately,

The Unseen Hand

The paper would crumple easily in his hand as his mind raced over the information. Tucking the letter from this star into his belt. Was he to take this opportunity? The necklace seemed to call his greed while his pride was taking a beating from getting aid from those he left behind many years ago. Furrowing his brows he would weigh the situations carefully before starting his journey to the Sanctuary of the Angels.

---

The sanctuary of angels had received its title of the "holy city" for good reason, as it had always served as a place of peace and safety. Many had made pilgrimages to this land for various reasons, but most found it the staple of their faith. Clayton had no opinion of the gods, and though he never thought them false, he made no effort to chase after the grace of a deity or seek their disfavor. The hair along the back of his neck would raise as his hand rested on the cold wood as had that of the others before him. Pushing forward, he would enter almost silently.

His body was altered from its original state though not incredibly so. He still appeared as an aristocratic nobleman in a draping onyx cloak. The hood of the cloak was pulled over his head and fastened at the neck with a small crest, assumed to be a family heirloom. His body was broad and well muscled, filling out the navy tunic and onyx trousers effectively. Though he was far from a physical combatant, he surmised they would not take to a deteriorating corpse as well.

Sighting a group, the man took a detailed perusal of each, paying particular attention to those who were to become the star's guardian. Then his gaze fell on the girl herself. She was how he knew the group was the correct one, for she seemed to emit light even without ample heavenly support. If he had ever been capable of such emotion, for it had been too many years for him to remember such a time, he would have felt disgust at himself for wishing to take something so valuable from such a young girl, practically a child, but fortunately as he watched her, he only received an empty feeling where the emotion once had taken up residence.

Twisting his features into a charming smile, he would approach the small gathering dipping his head to each of the gentleman in turn. Immediately he would fall down upon a knee before the female, his gaze lowered which only allowed the top of his cloak to be seen. A hand would emerge from within, offering to her the neatly retied letter she had sent.

"I have come to offer my services to you, M'lady" His head would tilt back slightly, "Though not the purest of companions, I am dedicated to you." He would give her a somewhat warm smile, his dark brown eyes catching hers for a moment. "If you will but accept my company."

Waiting for her reply, he would think through his explanation for how he received the letter once again, hoping she did not question his appearance or motives. Also swimming in the back of his mind was the thought that perhaps the puppeteer had simply set him up, wishing to see him fail and perhaps nearly killed for his flight. It was far too late now, so he could not allow these thoughts to permeate his mind. Instead, he pushed them aside as he slowly rose to his feet, proudly standing his full six feet and two inches.

Ayaker stood there, listening to Stella, a bit of relief coming when her smile came, but disapearing once she began talking. "Not too well... i don't see why now... why its even doing this!" she said. His heart sank a little. How the hell were they going to fix this? Ayaker sighed, he was optimistic, and very hopeful that they would find a way to help her.

Speaking of helping her, Ayaker noticed a presence in the shadows around them, and he sensed another of Stella's friends had come to help her. He turned as the man crept out of the shadows, his hand at his side, ready to draw his weapon like a cobra. What was that? Fear? No, it was quite casual the way he almost called Star a 'gentleman.' Ayaker would have laughed at Nathaniel, but there was something foreboding about his presence. Ayaker had seen that face somewhere before, and he was sure he had met him before. He couldn't quite figure out where though, and he was obviously a friend of Stella's, so he decided to let it go for the present.

The man asked Ayaker if he was Stella's "boyfriend," and he blushed and looked confused at him and shook his head. Ayaker had never once been in an intimate relationship with someone, and he hadn't even had any friends three months before. "Star is merely a friend of mine who I have come to help out of a jam." he said.

The man announced himself as Nathaniel Rystoff, and Ayaker decided the name itself was not familiar, though the man was. He asked Ayaker's name, and Stella attempted to introduce him, but stopped, letting him introduce himself.

"My name is Ayaker Buceg. I have no family, no status, no home. I am a drifter, going wherever I please, and doing whatever I please. I met Stella on a visit to Alulanta falls once when she was being robbed and I helped her. We have been friends since. " He stopped, not knowing what else to say. He wasn't very good at introducing himself properly, since he didn't openly like declaring himself a thief or a half dragon.

It was quiet for a while then, the three of them waiting for what would come, Ayaker noticed Stella looking around impatiently. When Stella spoke, she enforced Ayaker's fears again. She had no idea what to do about the necklace. She said she was scared, and Ayaker felt a pang of sympathy for Star. He was scared too he supposed, he may not be really close friends with Star, but he didn't want his friend to suffer or become evil.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you..." she said. "It's not a trouble Star..." Ayaker said. "What are friends for afterall? Do you think I could have just sat by and watched this happen? I'm glad you got in touch with me, I just hope that we can figure this mystery out before it's too late."

Ayaker paused in the silence, and he felt another presence, though this time it seemed less friendly. A giant of a man approached them, bowing his head to Nath and himself, a gesture of respect. He kneeled in front of Stella and held out a letter, and offered her his services. Ayaker felt a dark feeling in the pit of his stomach, which was made only worse as a wolf cried through the night at that exact moment, making the moment seem ominous. This man did not seem like the friendly type, why was he even friends with Stella? Nathaniel seemed like a weird enough friend, but this guy....He seemed dark, almost sinister.

"Stella, you know this guy?" He asked.

"What are friends for after all? Do you think I could have just sat by and watched this happen? I'm glad you got in touch with me, I just hope that we can figure this mystery out before it's too late." Nodding once, she carried on her search. She was immensely lucky to have friends such as these, who volunteered to help her like this, and times such as these made her glad she had come here. Watching from afar, moments of kindness - friends helping each other out would have passed her eyes without much thought. Just another emotion.. just another day. Experiencing it live, here right now, that was another thing.

Opening her mouth to reply to Aya's kind words, the corner of her eye saw a movement, and she turned her head expectantly. A man came out, donning a dark cloak, the hood pulled over his head, hiding his features from her. She wasn't too sure who he was, but he was no doubt some one she had known. Fastened at the neck of his cloak was a small crest, and her eyebrows knitted together. A noblemen? Did she even know of any noblemen? She looked him over carefully as he approached, looking for signs of who he could be. His frame was large - well muscled, but then again, that held no clues as to what she could see.

As he came close, the mans head tipped politely to her companions, and Stella was about to nod in return when he dropped to one knee before her, extending his arm, the cloak still hiding his appearance from her. He produced her letter, and her eyes widened, as she realised he knew who she was. "I have come to offer my services to you, M'lady" His head tilted back, and her mouth parted gently, as she took in what he just said. Offer his services? "Though not the purest of companions, I am dedicated to you." At last she got a glimpse of his face, his smile warm... genuine it seemed. "If you will but accept my company." He stood, his height causing her head to snap back, so she could look into his dark eyes.

He was waiting for an answer, but for the life of her Stella wasn't sure what to say. Offering his services? He wanted to help her? But why... she frowned slightly in thought. She really was over thinking things, and really, if he wanted to help - then the more the merrier. She smiled at him, her eyes brightening. "It would be an honour for you to help us... uh.." She trailed off, and again her eyebrows knitted together. Had he offered a name? She wasn't too sure... "I don't think i cought your name..." Her childish manner kept all other thoughts from being risen, such as why he was extending such a courtesy in the first place, or why he even came to know of this mission.

She extended her hand to him, smiling again. "Let's get acquainted shall we?" She asked, and took a slight step forward. "I'm Stella, and this is Nath... and this is Aya - my friends." She introduced them in turn, her hand pointing in their direction, but her eyes never left the mans. She may not have been the brightest in their group, but Stella always wanted to know about everything, and right now, she was VERY curious about this man. Later, she would bombard him with questions, demand his life story, and in turn answer anything he would like to know. Everyone had a story to tell, and it was these that Stella enjoyed to hear.

After she had made sure they where all acquainted, she turned her attention back to the real question. Where was everyone else?! Sighing, Stella looked at them in turn, before smirking some what sadly. "It seems... that everyone else is either VERY late, or is not coming. I think it's time we made a plan really... any suggestions?" She asked, trying to keep her tone cheerful. Yes... suggestions where good, as Stella herself was clean out, and somthing needed to be done DRASTICALLY! Time was running out, and as if it prove this point, her necklace pulsed again, sending her head thudding into her chest.

The current time lay plans much ahead of time to be changed.

Ciraxis was on top of a building, peering at the group below. His arms were crossed together, whilst Ciraxis stood confidently, wings closed. The clear air filtered through Ciraxis's nostrils, as a toothy grin was seen. His teeth were clean and white, strange despite Ciraxis's lifestyle. His snout looked clean, and his golden yellow eyes had a tinge of a glow equipped. He wore little clothing, as he preferred it not needed except in areas it WAS needed, so he wore no shirt, so his corded upper body was fully exposed to the light, whilst Ciraxis wore padded pants, covering from his waist to his near-ankles. To a close observer, it would seem that Ciraxis had sharpened his claws for this occasion, as they were gleaming with a lust for blood. A hunger, so to speak. Ciraxis's feet wore no shoes, as talons were easily seen, just as large as the claws, if not bigger.

Ciraxis wasn't much for words around this time. He was sent here by a letter, the letter requesting that Ciraxis has to go help an unfortunate soul that couldn't stick up for itself. One sentence really made Ciraxis's day...

"It is requested you go help him, as the darned little bugger will die on his own."

When Ciraxis thought of this sentence, he always laughed, whether out loud or just inside his head. He decided to help whatever pitiful excuse for a man, just because of the pay. He hated humans. He LOATHED them, but if he got some clean shineys, it was well worth it.

He peered over the edge of the building, as his wings twitched for a moment. Apparently they had a mind of their own about this 'mission'.

"That's him..." Ciraxis thought.

The man appeared to be in a hood. He wore navy clothing, effectively filled out. It seemed the man was in no bad shape. He seemed healthy, if not perfectly fit. His bulk wasn't too large, but in a hand-to-hand fight, Ciraxis supposed it would do. Perhaps he was an agile one, in lieu of pure brutish strength, such as Ciraxis himself?

He was with a few others, apparently conversing with one another. Ciraxis got irritated.

"What is he doing there? Steal the thing and run, and I got your back!" Ciraxis thought to himself. Ciraxis was a very direct kind of person. If he wanted something, he'd take it. If anyone objected, that person would not be able to walk for quite the while. Most likely, anyways. As long as Ciraxis wasn't heavily outnumbered.

Ciraxis gulped.

The other people seemed to be a girl, wearing a necklace. She must have been the one with the necklace. And then there was another one, and Ciraxis could not help but feel a tinge of familiarity with that one. He was confused on that part. The third was Clayton, apparently. Ciraxis sighed.

Ciraxis was hoping for a fight soon.

Nathaniel waited in silence and calmly, eyebrow raising slightly when Stella frowned regarding his question of her and Ayaker's relationship. This died to a wide smirk across his lips when the young man blushed though, and he seemed quick to correct Nathaniel's assumption, informing him instead that they were "merely friends". With a knowing grin he clapped Ayaker on the shoulder, the glow of Stella's figure illuminating his features enough to reveal how long he thought they'd last as "just friends". Then he'd gone on to introduce himself, and the words had hardly chilled in the night air before Stella was informing him the brunette was 'Aya'. The warrior cast another curious glance her way, but she seemed to sink into a silence as she looked about.

"My name is Ayaker Buceg. I have no family, no status, no home." Ahh. That sounded reasonable. Appropriate, too; Stella w.as exactly the sort of figure one might imagine taking in strays and making them friends. "I am a drifter, going wherever I please, and doing whatever I please." Something about the tone irritated Rystoff, but he did not comment; a mere nod to show he was indeed listening. "I met Stella on a visit to Alulanta falls once when she was being robbed and I helped her. We have been friends since." Not an evil lad, then. Perhaps he doesn't indulge his vices. But then why say he does? A perplexing notion, but onehe shrugged off into the cool night air. "Certainly a worthy reason to befriend someone, then." Better than 'I bashed her shoulder in with a log'.

That statement seemed to be enough to close the conversation, the silence befalling them not unwelcome yet still unwanted all the same. From the way Stella peered it was clear she was waiting for more to arrive, but he had seen none on his way here. Rude to ignore someone in distress, especially if they too claimed to be friends of Stella. No wonder he made it on that list.

Nathaniel inhaled slowly, his body visibly relaxing. His grip on the sword hilt slackened, the side of his arm merely resting on the hilt loosely. His stance wasn't battle-hardy or defensive, and really he looked no more threatening than a distant dog on a leash. Even his tone was more relaxed, calm as he responded to Stella's apology. Ayaker spoke first, but Nathaniel spoke if naught to hear his own voice. "There's no need to be frightened. I'm sure this mess will get sorted through." Regardless of his personal feelings on fear, a young girl clearly shouldn't feel bad for being frightened. It was the very reason men were sworn to protect them in the first place!

"I'm sure others will come, Stella. I don't see how they could let someone as kind as you down." He didn't reveal his surprise that she, too, knew not of who would show up. It seemed odd they wouldn't in the least send word that they were busy. A nasally inhale was produced when he drew in breath through his nostrils, the man clearly under some minor cold. Likely because of all the cold weather Arda had been seeing of late, though it could have just as easily been something else. "Who else did you invite, if I might ask?" Nathaniel asked casually, looking to one of his arms to try and right the sleeve there into a state of perfection.

Before she could answer another figure emerged, the timing perfect as usual and the man clearly on cue. He donned a dark cloak, pitched the same dark hue as the shadows streaking the ground. When he drew close enough to Stella the glow caught upon some metallic piece, making it gleam. A crest? Perhaps of his family, or else a ranking. The man was tall, but not particularly bulky. Perhaps some form of archer? A nod from the man was met only by a raised eyebrow from Nathaniel, who neglected to show respect to someone he'd never seen before. Then he dropped before Stella, and Nathaniel drew back on his heels, muscles once more tense and hand on the hilt of his blade.

Accept his company? Unpure companion? He sounded like some demented form of stalker. Nathaniel cast a glance to Ayaker, as if to ask if the other knew the man and to even exchange a look of pure disdain. The man's words reeked of nobility, and the clothing looked to be sewn of expensive materials. Nathaniel knew nobles, had dealt with them his entire life. A wretched bunch, with no knowledge of the outside world and an arrogance as fat as the pigs they dined upon. What good would some noble be in what would undoubtedly be a conflict leading to battle? Ayaker was lean, but looked capable of dodging blows if not returning them. This man's step did not carry the eight of a soldier, and his shoulders were not broad enough to swing a blade. What use was he, then?

Unless he was some form of benefactor, a rich man who wanted to put money into this for some reason. Perhaps he'd seen Stella at the tournament. Regardless, he rose, and Nathaniel felt the pit of his stomach twist. The man seemed to raise just as high as he! One of the things that Nathaniel so used to intimidate others was his height, for none enjoyed having a broad male leaning over them. This man, of noble heritage and tall stature, had likely never suffered a bad day his entire life. He was ready to bark that the man would be no more than a pain when Stella suddenly informed the man it would be an honor to have him along. And honor?? She didn't even know his name, and yet she held no suspicions. Something dark was afoot, evidenced even by nature who so fitfully cried of it to the moon.

Nathaniel crossed his arms sharply, lips pulled into a sneer and dark brows furrowed. He may have lost his title long ago, but he still pulled off a rather decent haughty glare. Ironic, for it was this noble tendency that made him dislike the stranger so thoroughly. "Nathaniel. Nathaniel Rystoff. Is it common for men of your status to wander out all alone into the big bad world?" No civility spared for Stella, no attempts to try and be publicly nice so he could berate the man in private. It was odd to see a noble wandering around late at night and alone, but it could have been worded much better. Especially for someone who was typically good with his words. Alas, he saw no need to saved face in front of a young girl and some homeless pup that likely lusted after the blonde.

When Nathaniel got irritated, he really got irritated. Had he not been so busy hating the new man he might have heard the subtle rustle of leather, the creak of stone under hard nails as a large beast of reptilian descent perched not far off.

It seemed to last forever, them just standing there, waiting. From the moment this new person had come and pledged himself to Stella, she was aware that Nathan held a grudge. His stiff posture, and harsh words confirmed this, and Stella was at a loss for words as the tense atmosphere cut through them all. Too quiet. Stella hated silence, it always demanded a sound to be made. Clearing her throat, she rocked back and forth from her heels, whistling softly as she did, her arms clamped firmly behind her back.

The minutes ticked by. It was plainly obvious now that the others where not coming, but then again Stella has assumed not everyone would be able to make it. Letting out a gust of air - Held in when she had believed she had heard a sound at last - Stella turned to face the others, releasing her arms and letting them lay beside her. It had been a long night, but now, looking upon her trusted companions, she smiled slightly.

"Well... it seems all who are coming has come. Now all we need is some sort of plan. I chose this location because the original man to seal away my evil was last spotted here, many years ago, but i think its clear to say he is no longer here. It has been over 50 years, and he is most likely deceased, so i have no hope on relying on his kindness. Im truly at a loss for ideas." Sighing again, she rested her hand on top of the necklace, flinching at its coldness, at the hatred pulsing into her. It was getting slowly worse, and time was of the essence.

Turing away from them, Stella looked up at the buildings, a mixture of fear and concentration flowing through her, as differnt plans ran through her mind. She needed some one to discuss these with, and she knew just who. Ransacking through her cloak, Stella brought out a strange dark blue with yellow moons and stars scattered randomly on it. Examining briefly, nodded now and then, Stella placed the strange hat on her head, then folded herself down on the floor, her legs crossed, her elbows resting on her knees and her chin cuppsed in her hands.

She sat like that in silence for about 4 minutes, just listening. From the outside, it appeared that Stella was merely sat in silence, every now and then mumbling some words that where too quiet to full hear, her eyes closed tightly, her hair a silver halo around her in the light breeze, her glow brilliant against the black backdrop. But to Stella, a conversation was going on in her head;

"Hat?" She asked, her voice unsure as she always was when usu=ing this particular little trinket. "Yes?" The hat replied, it's voice male and deep, rubbling through her mind. "I need your advice" She mumbled to it, trying to keep her voice as quiet as possible. She probably looked so odd, but she wasn't talking to herself... not really. "On what?" The hat asked weirly, sighing. Stella had been using it a lot of late, pouring all her problems and worries into the small hat, and every time good advice and comfort was given to her. "My necklace..." She needn't go on, as the hat already knew everything.

He mumbled silently, then let out a great sigh. "Honey, there is nothing you can do. Perhaps you could take off your necklace, and destroy it. It will need to be DESTROYED, with your evil still in it. But you need to do it before too much evil can escape... or else it will over come you." She nodded so vigourously the hate fell off, and with a quick "THANKS!" She jammed it back into her cloak. Turning to the others, she smiled deviously, then cocked her head to the side. "I have a plan.." She told them, her voice hushed, then went about trying to explain what the hat had told her.

Ayaker waited in silence, shifting his view from Stella back to the new arrival. Could this man really be trusted? Ayaker wasn't so sure... Then Stella spoke: "It would be an honour for you to help us... uh..I'm Stella, and this is Nath... and this is Aya - my friends." Ayaker forced himself to give a small wave and fake smile at the newcomer.

So that was it, she was completely throwing her trust in the arms of a mysterious stranger. Was Stella really that desperate? Ayaker couldn't imagine Stella being evil. Imagine how Stella must feel, to think that she might lose control of herself and hurt innocent people must be tightening it's stressful grip on her consiousness with every breath.

This stranger was apparently making about as good as an impression on Nath as he was with Ayaker. Nath's body language gave clear indication that he was not impressed with Clayton. It was made blatantly obvious by his comment, "Nathaniel. Nathaniel Rystoff. Is it common for men of your status to wander out all alone into the big bad world?" Well it was no mystery now, hopefully they wouldn't get along too horribly. Ayaker caught Nathaniel's eyes at one point and returned the discontented and unsure look regarding Clayton. Ayaker wasn't quite as worried about Clayton's noble appearance, but rather his underlying sinister nature.

Then Stella spoke again,: "It seems... that everyone else is either VERY late, or is not coming. I think it's time we made a plan really... any suggestions?" Ayaker, despite his eagerness to aid Stella, had absolutely no ideas what they could do to help her. He wasn't very knowledgable about these sort of magical things. He wished they had a bit more help, like a powerful mage or a knowing scholar.

Now there was silence, for quite a while. Ayaker gazed from person to person, not saying anything. Stella bore a look of distress which he had never really seen before. Nathaniel glared at the newcomer, his hate and distrust evident in his eyes. Ayaker couldn't really tell what Clayton was thinking, he was rather unreadable. Heads turned, waiting for the others who were to come. As the minutes passed, Ayaker's hope for more help dwindled until it was gone.

Stella at long last broke the silence with words. "Well... it seems all who are coming has come. Now all we need is some sort of plan. I chose this location because the original man to seal away my evil was last spotted here, many years ago, but i think its clear to say he is no longer here. It has been over 50 years, and he is most likely deceased, so i have no hope on relying on his kindness. Im truly at a loss for ideas.""

So that was it, no one was coming, and they were completely stuck on the topic of ideas. Ayaker thought of the stories his mom had told him when he was little, when the hero would come up with a daring plan and execute it right in the nick of time. Real life just wasn't life that he supposed.

Then something very odd happened, Stella pulled out a wizard hat. What could she do with a hat? She put it on her head, sat down, and began mumbling to herself. Ayaker looked strangely at her, wondering what in the world she was doing. She threw the hat down and thanked it. Ayaker was about to question her, when she said those welcome words, "I have a plan."

"You have a plan?!" he said. "That's great! What is it?" Ayaker's face seemed to brighten a little bit and his lips curled in to a smile at the newfound hope.

As he raised himself up, he became quite aware of the two others who had arrived prior. He would arrange his face into a mask of politeness which would easily hide the sneer which would have graced his features. How could they dare to judge him merely on so brief a meeting, though their assumptions were of course correct. The corners of his lips would turn upwards as he turned his attention to the other two as they reacted in turn to his approach. The only reaction which mattered was the girl; if she would accept him, the others would begrudge his company until he found it fit to disappear.

Chocolate eyes would warm at the thought, and his features would be filled with joy. Fortunately, the timing was appropriate and it was just as she had accepted. "Edward." The name would fall easily from his lips, a title he had given himself in a previous encounter, and one which had come to distinguish him without any danger of revealing his true self. His hand would catch her's as his body bent at the waist, his fingers pulling hers upwards, his lips hovering just over her knuckles in the traditional polite greeting of the nobles. Releasing her hand, he would turn to the others she had introduced, bowing his head once again to acknowledge them. Play the part. That was the only thought which kept him from ruining his entire plan just as it was beginning.

Turning towards Nathanial, his head would turn slightly, almost expectantly as he held the gaze evenly, working to keep his emotions from revealing themselves too soon. Let them have their suspicions. As long as they did not disrupt his work, it would be good for them to be on the alert. The stare which met him was a harsh one Clayton had endured many times when he wandered the circles of nobility. If only this other knew how little that stare meant to one such as he. The correction to his name caused the smile to spread across his lips, cracking into a grin for a moment. His features seemed to lose the harsh darkness which had covered him previously.

"Tis a pleasure, Nathaniel." His voice would linger on the name, as if drawing it out in his own voice might taint the precious title. He would turn to Ayaker, the smile still present as he noticed the one he received. "Aya." His sentence seemed to continue as he finally turned to the girl. "Stella." Her name, he seemed to speak with a honey tone as if she were all that mattered. Surely flattery would work a bit of its magic in this setting. He would eventually address Nathaniel's question, a single brow raised as if that question was simply illogical. "As the younger son, I am destined to the life abroad. Surely you would know of the duties of the nobles." He would give his false smile, his words cut with an undercurrent of steel. "Perhaps when I received word of your task, I thought my studies in magic would assist you. I am so fond of helping those in need." Turning his gaze back towards Stella he would add a line onto the end. "Especially when it is Beauty herself who needs help."

As the introductions were finished, he would turn towards Stella as she asked for suggestions, his lips twisting lightly into a smile for a moment before allowing the others to speak around him, for surely it was not his place to entertain thoughts so early on when his welcome was surely not as well accepted as he could have been. Patience had always been a virtue, though he had never been able to quite master it. He attempted to hide his irritation at the time this was taking, but only by reminding himself of what his purpose was here would he be able to stifle this to ensure only the semblance of calm was visible.

He would watch as the peculiar girl would sit and begin mumbling, wearing a ridiculous hat. How he came to be following such a character would surely be a tale to weave for others, as well as the ridiculous occurrences which seemed to follow her. When she leapt up, he almost stepped backwards from the devious grin touching her lips. Was there more to her than met the eye? One corner of his lips would raise slightly as she explained that a plan had been set.

At least one of the others had forgone his trepidation in order to hear her plan, which should incite excitement among them. Hope would drive them and that is what was needed right now; this hope would only make the harsh reality worse when then necklace vanished.

"It appears we need something to destroy the necklace, rather than brute strength and blades which would merely crack the surface and release the powers." His eyes would linger on the jewel in question for a moment, though attempted to keep his gaze from being lustful and lingering. "Perhaps there is someone we can find? Or perhaps I know a bit of magic which can cure us of this entire predicament."

Looking curiously at Stella, he would wait for a reply, for her acceptance was crucial if he was to continue on this ploy.