A month had passed since the shade had stepped foot into Ondolond, and yet the fires of the old University still burned within his heart and soul, though all that was left was ash to be consumed by the earth. He wore a stoic expression as he moved through the streets, trying not to appear too emotional over the loss of his beloved academy, but he could not hide the pain he felt in his soul. Walking past the charred ruins was like stepping onto hallowed ground, and to watch as workers picked through and piled up the pieces of his old home was like torture to an already tormented mind. He could not accept the fact that his world had collapsed around him in only one night, but he found some solace in the fact that those who had survived were now united again under a single banner. It brought a bit of peace to his heart.

But with a sigh Annihilate parted from the once great building, and walked down the streets and back alleys away from the center of town. In the fading light there were many who sought to get into the town, traders and travelers from all over the world, but he was one of the few on his way out. With simple clothes on and a dark traveling cloak he looked nothing out of the ordinary – perhaps a ranger or woodsman who came into the city for supplies. Needless to say the guards did not stop him on the way out. The only thing they might have thought strange was that, amongst all the black and gray there was a little blue feather tied into a braid of hair on the left side of his head, but he was sure none would stop him for such a trivial matter.

Still he acted very nonchalant on the way out. He made no eye contact, held nothing resembling an expression, and did not let his deep red hues cast the slightest glance in the guards directions. The north pass was heavily guarded, for it went deep into the Nandgirith valley, and that was his destination. He passed by the guards without a sound, and when he disappeared down the mountainous path he made it a priority to remove his cloak, flip it over, and dawn the typical blood-red side. Anni drew up his hood as he walked, and eventually veered off the beaten path. Above him on another path was a small copse of trees where it was still warm and sunny, and a very light, very subtle pillar of smoke. That was his destination.

Annihilate’s spies had told him of vast treasure and wealth buried beneath the ground in the mines of the dwarves. Deep underground there were treasures to be had that were superior to most found in the world above, and he just wanted to be sure. While he was not excessively greedy, the promise of wealth and adventure was more than enough for him to want to strike out and see for himself, but he wasn’t stupid enough to do it alone. No, he had sent letters out to two of the other members of the Marauders – members who he knew of very well, but who he had had little contact with up to this point. Nathaniel M. Rystoff, the first, and the chaos elemental Tithdaeron. Both of them were trusted members, and both of higher rank, but he knew next to nothing about them from personal knowledge. Now he was curious for more.

So, when the shade entered his campsite he stoked his fire, and he sat down on a bedroll he had borrowed from some other adventurers, and he waited. They had a large window of time to get down there and into those mines, and he had enough information from his spies and informants that it promised to be a grand adventure. Therefore, he was very patient waiting on the others in his party. Hopefully they would find him easy enough, though, because he wanted to jump into it as fast as possible.

Tithdaeron stood against the dark backdrop of the cloudy and uncertain night glancing over the small but detailed map. On the reverse side was a letter, from one of the Shadovar Concordance's triad. Annihilate, the leader of the Marauders, the sole remaining faction of those dedicated to chaos and anarchy. Out of a slight amount of regret for the loss of his own men, the Templar of Pandora, and also respect for them, Tithdaeron had never gotten involved with the Marauders or Annihilate.

However, times had changed. It was high time Tithdaeron ought to get familiar with the guildmaster, considering that the counselor would have to know his ways in order to do his job properly. Just because you were a mentally unstable chaos elemental didn't mean you couldn't make sense every now and then.

The lone creature moseyed on towards his destination, and as he came over a rise in the landscape a campfire could be seen in the distance. This campsite was pretty close to the cave site, judging by sight and the map at hand.

It was about another five miles to go by foot, and would likely take the better part of 3 hours to get there. While that would likely be fine, as the night was still young, Tithdaeron wanted to get the show on the road. There was blood to be spilled in the deep caverns ahead.

Tithdaeron did not care much for treasures or plunder, but rather the skill and power he could procure from devouring the souls of weaker ones. Putting them to better use as a sort of energy source for himself. It was necessary for the predator to do so. He was no longer being sustained by a God or Goddess.

The chaos elemental opened his mouth to say a simple chant. Although not necessary to accomplish the task he set out to do, it helped him concentrate. "Where I may see, there I may go."

Tithdaeron disapeared for a breif moment. It was as if he had ceased to exist upon the surface of Ea. Then, suddenly, the creature reappeared on the side of the campfire opposite Annihilate. Whether or not this would startle the man, Tithdaeron knew not. Nor did he care. After the teleportation was complete, he spoke up to greet his new ally. "It's a nice night for murder, wouldn't you agree?"

Nathaniel had been enjoying the luxuries the new guild had to offer him for the past while. The bed was comfortable, and with only he and Skertin to share it there was no worrying over others getting it filthy. The room, though plain, was spacious enough to hold his personal effects quite nicely, which left him dressed in plain clothes when he had nowhere else to be. Lately he'd been busy scrawling letters and relying on Jakabok to deliver them -- Jakabok, who's inherent affinity for winter made him at home in this cold region.

The snow drake wasn't discreet or fast by any means, but his superior size meant that he was rarely halted by predators and could usually reach his destination. The animal was also surprisingly smart, despite his size. It hadn't taken long for the creature to grasp the notion of carrying the letter to other places. Most of them had ended up rather generic when he personally wrote them, or written by Skertin and passed off as one he wrote. This was necessary for someone with such poor literary skills though; not because such things would be frowned upon, but because there was a chance they wouldn't understand him or the message.

For now, though, he was busy unwinding after a meeting. Or more correctly, the meeting. The call to war, the damning of Curin, and all manner of other wages of war. It'd been... eventful, to say the least. It'd also afforded him the great opportunity to get at least something of an idea for the competition. The being he was most worried about was the 'overseer' (That was what his ally Tithdaeron had called him, was it not?), 'Vaudeux Jupiter'. There was an animosity there, one that needed to be quenched. Nathaniel wasn't yet certain how to go about such tactics, though.

Following that, he needed to deal with that woman who had attended the meeting as well. Her seat and mannerisms spoke volumes of her place, though her clear disregard and distaste put her low in his books. Nathaniel doubted she was any better than the flea-ridden canine that had entered, but such thoughts were better kept to himself. In time he would deal with her; after the matter of Jupiter was taken up. Naturally he would have to wait until this little 'war' finished as well, though a twist in his gut almost made him...

What? Eager? There was something carnal about dominating the other forces so thoroughly, something that made his muscles flex in anticipation. Besides, overthrowing nature meant that he could do away with the weakened Shadovar forces, and rightfully restore humans to the throne. Demons and dragons had no place except on leashes. Of course, that was another thing better left unspoken. Until he could wring all of their necks while they slumbered, of course. Even his letters were carefully penned in an alias, on the off chance Jakabok let it fall into the wrong hands.

Of course, those who needed to know the name did, through years of service to the man. Those who didn't know likely never would.

With a scree Jakabok came through the open window, landing on Nathaniel's shoulder just as a knock came at the door. The entrance had been magically guarded, so that those who opened the door would let out an ear-splitting shriek were they not to speak the password. Those who did passed on through as if nothing was there at all, though. It was especially useful for discouraging any thieves that might have been slipping in from the mountains. Greedy dwarves.

A whispered word was all it took, and suddenly his hand upon the knob no longer offended it. He swung it inwards, staring at the lanky messenger there. "A letter for you, sir." Nathaniel looked to it, taking the parchment slowly. His dark eyes drifted over the wax seal momentarily. "Who is it fr-...?" Silence echoed, as his eyes drifted up; meeting nothing but the empty expanses of the hall. Nathaniel rose an eyebrow at the queer occurrence, then shrugged it off and closed the door once more, moving to the bed to read the letter in privacy.

The emblem was unmistakable, and certain definition to it further signaled its allegiance to the Marauders. He stroked his thumb over it, as if committing the image to a blind memory; then, with careful precision, peeled where the edge met the paper. His fingernails, well kept, were more than capable of pulling it from its designated place. Inside of it he spied a map, though a second parchment seemed to be included. First he looked over the map, then set it beside himself to look the letter over.

It was difficult to read, given his poor literacy combined with the hasty hand that had writ in the ink. No... not ink. The coppery brown town wasn't quite the rich crimson the seal had been, but he recognized the crusted liquid like a seamstress recognizes thread. Blood. But who's? More importantly, who would have the gall to write with such, when the Shadovar was attempting to remain quiet and subtle?

The signature answered all of it at once. Annihilate. Though the deciphering of the rest had taken some time, soon after finishing it he had struck up the map and started getting properly dressed. Jakabok flew to a corner of a desk nearby, crawing in question. Nathaniel ignored the animal, unable to resist the opportunity to get a leg up on the game. Riches intrigued him, though he wasn't a man motivated by greed. Adventure, too, warmed his eager heart, though given a choice he would have chosen to remain to his duties and ignore it.

What, then? Was it the name worn by the man who called? In a manner. Annihilate was a formidable warrior and a higher ranked member; befriending him would allow him to weld puppet strings to others. That was the very offer that had led him to accepting; the possibility of getting ahead of the rest of the members. Briefly the concept of it being a trap had crossed his mind, and the fear that perhaps the other knew. But if that was the case, he was no more safe here than he was going. At least there he had more space to move if an attack did occur; or at least he judged so, by the map.

So that had been it then. Nathaniel had quickly gotten his armour and cape on, sheathed his sword at his side and grasped a dagger he'd recently come into ownership of. A quick note had been left for Skertin, to ensure the poor boy (girl?) didn't worry over him. Then he'd strode from the castle grounds, happy that the location was so close to the guild. He wasn't in the mood for a long walk unless he had a considerable amount of alcohol beforehand.


The rocky ground had been difficult to traverse at times, and eventually he found himself at a point where even his teeth threatened to shake loose. However, in respites from the hardest of tremors (tremors that sent him to his knees from the force) he was able to move far, and soon enough his long legs had brought him within range of viewing a black smoke curling into the sky. Even as animals and trees became more scarce he continued on, hand straying to the hilt of his sword as the licks of flame made themselves known on the horizon.

The sight that met him when he arrived wasn't what he'd expected. Annihilate was there, as he'd expected -- but so was Tithdaeron! The letter had mentioned a second member, but he hadn't expected the ally. Slowly his hand fell from his blade, his shoulders relaxing under his plate male and his lips quirking upwards into a smile. Nathaniel offered both of the other men a nod. "Sir Annihilate, Tithdaeron," He gestured at both with his eyes. "I do believe the promise of adventure and fortunes was foretold, was it not?" He smirked, and it looked quite natural. Almost innocent, compared to the darkness that brimmed within the other two.

As usual, the human had no idea what he was getting himself into. Nor would he have turned away, even in that knowledge.

Time seemed to move at a snail’s pace as the shade sat in his camp, staring deeply into the flames of his fire, mesmerized by the dancing flames. The coals reflected in his eyes, though not as deep as the shimmering crimson, but they caused the deep reds to boil madly. All his thoughts were focused on the time that he would spend deep underground, on the promise of adventure and riches, and as he sat there planning out each step of their adventure to the center of the earth one hand sat with a tight hold on his sword, idly guiding it across the dirt. He sketched the shape of the entrance of the mines, and then deeper into the caverns below, until he came to a point where the path branched. His sword stopped abruptly, and a slight glimpse of anger spread across his face. All of his rage was focused on that point – the area of the caverns that were completely beyond him. Although his spies had gathered quite a bit of intelligence on the area it just wasn’t enough.

Suddenly, his mind was pulled away from his machinations, and his knuckles where white as he grasped the hilt of his sword. Annihilate looked about quickly, trying to understand just how long he had been in such a deep, trance-like state. He immediately deduced that something was amiss nearby, and then suddenly it all became clear. Tithdaeron’s sudden appearance did not surprise him, for he had been expecting the rogue’s appearance for some time. In fact, he was slightly disappointed the man did not make a more vibrant and exciting entrance, but he merely smiled and shook his head when the man appeared.

“Aye, a fine night indeed,” Anni replied calmly without looking up from the fire, “So it’s safe to assume that you’re here to join in with the festivities? I’m sure our other companion will be here shortly.” He finally turned his gaze up to the chaos element, red eyes burning in the growing darkness. He sat on a small log that had been haphazardly cut down and stripped of bark, but there was enough room there for Tithdaeron to sit down as well, though he was not sure whether the creature would take up the apparent offer and take a load off of his feet. Annihilate supposed that it had been a long walk all the way here, but then again the way he had just appeared he supposed the Chaos Elemental had teleported. Either way, Anni sat quietly still staring into the flames with a hand on his exposed blade.

He started to let his mind wander again, but thankfully before he could become so deeply fixated on his plans for glory and riches again the second of the triumvirate appeared in the clearing. It was getting later, and that meant that it was about time to unveil his plan to the two warriors. Slowly, he stood, and greeted Nathaniel kindly, “Welcome, my friend, welcome,” he began, “I’m glad to see you two accepted my offer. Capital.”

With a turn of his wrist the shade slid his blade down into its sheath, and took a deep breath as he motioned them both over towards him. He stood next to his poor sketch of the mines in the dirt, which was illuminated in firelight, and with a smile began carefully unveiling his plan to the two. “Well, I hope you two boys don’t mind getting just a tad dirty, because we’re going for a walk deep into the Annon-en-groth mines,” he began slowly, his voice very serious as he glanced back and forth from the two warriors. He wanted to take a few moments to gauge their reactions to his initial explanation. Then, a few moments later, he continued, “I’ve had this on my mind for over a year now; it is a place the dwarves abandoned years ago. It is almost guaranteed to be wrought with danger, but the rewards will be vast.”

Annihilate turned a kicked a bit of dirt onto the fire, and then stamped out the last of the flames with his boots. He looked up, glancing back and forth between the two of them, then he noted, “And it won’t be a long walk to find the entrance.” Slowly, a faint grin curled onto his lips, exposing his personally sharpened teeth, and he awaited their answers. Time was growing short, and by the way he stood, one foot propped up on the seat he had once occupied, it was obvious he was ready to go.

The pair of Tithdaeron and Annihilate had not been waiting long. Annihilate had greeted the chaos elemental quite cordially, which was appreciated in it's own strange manner. "I suppose he will show up soon..." the predator replied, trailing off at the end. It wasn't more than five minutes after that, did Nathaniel M. Rystoff himself show up. Tithdaeron was quite pleased at seeing that his ally was also coming along. Although the creature was unsure of Nathaniel's combat ability, he was also anxious to find out.

Nathaniel greeted his newfound party members, to which Tithdaeron cracked a crazy smile. The party was about to begin! Annihilate stood from his simple seat and propped a leg up. He opened his mouth to begin explaining what they were getting themselves into.

"“Well, I hope you two boys don’t mind getting just a tad dirty, because we’re going for a walk deep into the Annon-en-groth mines, I’ve had this on my mind for over a year now; it is a place the dwarves abandoned years ago. It is almost guaranteed to be wrought with danger, but the rewards will be vast.”

Brimming with excitement over the sentence 'wrought with danger', a strange look overtook his eyes. They suddenly seemed hungry and restless, squirming to jump out of their restraint. Letting loose with a satisfying flurry of stabs and spells would certaintly cause his heart joy. Indeed, that was all he truly had left in the world. The thrill of the hunt, and fulfillment of the kill.

Annihilate proceeded to put out the campfire, and then looked back up at his two allies. "And it won't be long to find the entrance." The shade leaned onto his foot, which rested upon the simple stool he had occupied previously. With a smile that perhaps only Tithdaeron truly understood, he invited everyone to follow.

Tithdaeron was loving every moment of it, and returned his own wide, insane and thirsty smile. "My belly is grinding against me. I could use a meal. Heh heh heh..." he replied. A small click accompanied his slight chuckling, announcing with modest implications that his katar had just come out from it's hiding place. The bloodstained blade was ready to enter into countless more bodies, eager to swim in the flesh and red blood of any living thing. Just like Tithdaeron.

"... Let's go, comrades."

[Eww, sorry for the tardiness! Won't happen again!]

Nathaniel hadn't expected to be greeted as civilly as he was, and an impressed grin expressed his delight. There was little needed to be said in response, and already the proud Shadovar member was moving a short distance. The sheathing of his blade was indeed a good sight; comforting, even. Either he was confident enough in his own skills to withdraw it quickly, or he trusted the two companions he'd invited. The human knew embarrassingly little of the shade, rather ignorant to the mechanisms outside of his own world. He'd fought with him before though, and from what he'd judged the the other was a capable leader and a clever combatant; highly prized traits in these times of farmer boys picking up blades and claiming to be warriors.

Casting a quick glance at the elemental, he offered his own smile of recognition, once more choosing silence. Like Annihilate, Tithdaeron was a man Nathaniel had fought beside. Unlike Annihilate, the elemental had entirely captivated his interest. Like some stuttering child on wobbling legs he chased after the graceful butterfly, pudged hands sailing through thin air as the creature artfully avoided capture. And why wouldn't it? The chase was what made it so enticing, the allure of not quite knowing. Though already they'd had interesting encounters and worked splendidly, there was yet more the human may glean from the other.

A gesture brought him from his thoughts, the action innocent in its own right. Trusting the sheathing of the blade being a sign of good faith, Nathaniel strode over to stand near Annihilate. It brought back memories of pouring over maps involving caravans, of planning strikes around bends and trying to slay holy regiments. Of course, this instance had its own unique flair. The map was too detailed to be a simple lurking; even in the dirt it looked well thought-out. “Well, I hope you two boys don’t mind getting just a tad dirty, because we’re going for a walk deep into the Annon-en-groth mines.” The voice of the long haired warrior confirmed his thoughts, and with a simple nod he ingested the information. His expression was somewhat thoughtful, if not slightly still. It wasn't a mechanism to throw the other off, but simply one he adopted as he turned the information over in his mind.

The Annon-en-groth mines. Dwarven mines, if he recalled correctly. He imagined it'd be rather dark in there, and infested with all manner of horrid dark beast. Furthermore, the danger presented by the ever-frequent earthquakes could kill them. Avoiding a cave in or being crushed by falling stones had its hand dipped largely in the vase of luck, which was sadly something few could prepare for. There were a few abilities he'd picked up as of late, through his own reading and networking; hopefully that'd protect him from the worst of it. Nathaniel may not be especially unlucky, but he'd been lucky enough lately to make him fear testing it again.

Once more the leader of the Marauder faction spoke, and he listened intently. "I've had this on my mind for over a year now; it is a place the dwarves abandoned years ago. It is almost guaranteed to be wrought with danger, but the rewards will be vast." It was hard to imagine the greedy little men abandoning anything of value. Weren't they infamous for mining gold in even the most treacherous of terrain? It wasn't unheard of for rumors of riches to spring up, only to be proven false after a few lives were claimed trying to find it. It was one thing to risk being killed for riches, but there was the added chance that nothing but grime was down there?

But then, Annihilate was clearly a smart man. If he'd been plotting this for years, he would have considered the possibility. An impulsive man was not quickly elected leader, especially when the individuals he led were as chaotic as the Marauders. Nathaniel watched him thoughtfully for a few minutes, his thoughts slowly ebbing away as the fire was crushed as well. His dark eyes rose from Annihilate's boots and up his body, finally resting on his face as he spoke. A confirming nod was all he offered. Then he looked to Tithdaeron, as if to gauge his response. The other looked much like what he remembered of his father's hounds; drooling, muscles flexing in eagerness, and eyes full of malicious anticipation.

He wasn't quite as eager, but smiled slightly once more. The thought of adventure was pleasing, though most of the glitter had been rubbed off years ago. Still, there was some curiosity left in him. If nothing else, he might discover the bane of dwarves. That information alone could fuel his ambitions, and aid him later on. Tithdaeron gave the go, and Nathaniel nodded. "Alright. Let's see what's down there." He took a step, faltering partially on the come down. "I must ask, though; what are we to do with these tremors? And the light?" He paused. "It would be a shame to discover the riches of the world, only to be locked in with the remains of a few slow dwarves."

Though he had his own plans for dealing with such (for he was far too paranoid to entrust his fate wholly in the good will of a man he barely knew), it would afford him a greater knowledge of how much planning Annihilate had put into it. It would also bring to light at least some of his capabilities (or lack thereof), giving him a better handle on the other. Most importantly, it would show how self-serving he was; surely if he'd planned only his entrance and escape it would show? Or else the other was a great liar, which Nathaniel wasn't particularly skilled in catching up in their webs. Not that he'd admit he was a poor judge of character.

Glancing off, he tried to visually estimate where the entrance might be. Then he resumed his glance upon his superior, trying to minimize any offense his comment might be construed as through expression alone. It wasn't particularly easy for a man who relied on words so often, but he had a talent with diplomatic values and negotiations. Something vital to surviving in the Guild, if not the whole of Arda.

The stage was set, the players in position, and now it was time for the opening cues. Annihilate, the director of the tragedy, stood with his hands on his hips, close to his blades, and his companions – a literal triumvirate – stood around him. Anni glanced at Tithy, and he gave a little grin. “Don’t worry my friend, a meal is inevitable.” he said very convincingly. It was hard to deny that there would be plenty of blood to spill, and more than enough food afterwards. He just had that feeling. However, he quickly turned to Nathaniel, as if the man had personally insulted the shade. The expression on his face was one of disgust, a bit of anger, but there was a good natured understanding that came upon him afterwards. Nate had good honest questions, but he still felt insulted that he didn’t know that Annihilate had already planned it all out. “The dwarves more than compensated for the tremors in their mines, but I can guarantee that we will not be going out the same way we go in,” he said very assured. Then, he continued, “But do not worry, my friend. We will have light.”

That was when he raised one of his hands, a very dramatic wave, and he motioned northwest. “Shall we?” he asked in a voice like poison seeping between razor teeth with a very disarming smile playing across his lips. It made many people fall into the trap, which had cost many their very lives. However, there were other times to twist and maim, for now it was time to go. They had places to go and people to kill. Without awaiting a response from the pair, the shade turned and slipped past the both of them. His cloak billowed in his wake, and his chainmail shirt jingled with every step. Exiting the thicket they could quickly discern the path. It was more subtle than the others that wove through the mountains, and was only marked by a few specific rocks and a broken twig here and there. They would walk for several minutes, over hills and up the sides of ridges towards a dwarf-range in the distance, and when they got close it would be easy to discern the small mountain they were climbing towards. Once they passed over the next ridge it became very apparent exactly where they were going.

There was a very low valley over this next ridge that separated them from the mountain side, where very large spires exploded up through the ground towards the sky. Most of them were around twelve feet high, and until they passed over that ridge it was impossible to spot them or the valley itself. It was well hidden, and from the sheer drop off of the side into the valley it seemed like they would not be going any further. But the bowl-shape made it somewhere easier to navigate, and Annihilate did not spend very long peering over the edge. He turned along and walked the lip of the bowl, down to the southern slope, and then what appeared to be a long set of stairs came into view. This was the valley of Asern`dur, the abandoned hold the dwarves left nearly three centuries ago.

Walking down the steps they could easily make out the forms of statues that had been broken down and destroyed. They were great dwarven heroes bearing weapons and shields, and many showed these very warriors defeating dragons and orcs. However, as Annihilate walked past these figures he was not intimidated, for they were broken relics of a kingdom long sense forgotten. So he made his way down the long staircase to the very bottom of the valley, strait to the entrance of the mighty fortress. However, it was just one of a hundred different paths out of the mines. Curiously, there was no apparent entrance. This was just a slab of granite, polished smooth on the outside, but it sang of magical energy. Annihilate stopped before it and ran a hand down its surface. It was marked with magical energy, similar to the ink he had branded his hand with. He could not sense it anymore, though he knew where it was, and he wondered if his companions could feel it?

After taking a deep breath he turned and stepped away from the obelisk, and he turned his attention back to his two companions. It was obvious he would not be moving it with his strength, no matter how great, and he looked at his companions with a smile. “So, my friends, now comes the beginning of our adventure. If you two could rip this little barrier down, I will make sure we have light.” Annihilate turned and got out of range of the door, because he knew it would come crashing down very hard. And he found a clear place to kneel.

Turning away from his two companions he pressed his finger tips against the earth, and the seemingly simple black tattoos upon his hands and forearms ignited in inky red flame. Tendrils of shadow and fire echoed off of the glowing symbols, and words spoken in a long forgotten tongue slipped from his lips. “Into the light I command thee, oh son of hell,” he mumbled, “Come brother, come I say; Seiryou, come I say!” The inky flames that caressed his flesh seeped into the ground, and a circle of runic markings appeared on the ground before him. The outline of a medium sized demon appeared wreathed in flame, and suddenly the elemental demon appeared. It was around five feet tall, and when Annihilate stood tall before it commanding its respect.

Now they had their light…

Curious and yet ever aware, the chaos elemental made note of the trail they followed. As hungry for combat he may have been, it was not beyond him to plan an escape route if things got too ugly to handle. Tithdaeron didn't suspect this amount of hardship from the typical cave dwelling inhabitants, but one never knew. Especially when it came to the remains of a ruined civilization. Those things had a tendency to whip out all sorts of hideously powerful enemies.

The thought only brought to bear another thought. Tithdaeron was once one of thos hideously powerful things. But his age was getting to him, strangely enough. Or that's what it seemed at any rate. More and more did the predator rely on the life force of others to sustain his own, to the point where he had nearly reached the state of vampirism he had in his previous life.

Nothing but sadness filled that life. Crazy and kill-driven he might have been, but the creature had no desire to go back to that miserable way of life.

They had reached the cave entrance after a moderate hike through the various mountain ranges of Errod-Anon, ending up in the Nandgirith territory. Tithdaeron had heard of this area, but never considered it important enough to take the days travel. However, being closer to the location via the Concordance stronghold, and the invitation of fun, convinced him to make the trip.

Inside the cave was like any other typical cave. Dark, damp, cold. Various spires of stone stabbed into the open space. Ever reaching out to the opposite end, they would take millions of years to reach their destinations. Strewn about the first stretch of the system were various piles of ash, trash, and other rubbish associated with travellers seeking temporary shelter.

Nathaniel was becoming decidedly nervous at the lack of a guiding light. He had in fact, mentioned the concern several times to the group on the way their. Tithdaeron was wholely unaffected, but Annihilate in contrast seemed to become slightly annoyed by the human's pestering.

The trio's footfalls sped ahead of them and returned, signifying either a sharp turn
or a dead end in their current path. Before long, they had reached a monolithic stone barrier. This was no naturally formed barrier. Simple and non-assuming in design, the perfect edges and smooth, shined face nearly shouted of dwarven craftsmanship. There was something special about it beyond that.

A sense of some sort of force that was a part of the stone reached Tithdaeron. The same feeling one got when experiencing a powerful spell being cast next to them.

Annihilate spoke up first. Ripping down the barrier? That was no longer a simple task for Tithdaeron. Walking up to it and placing his right hand upon the granite surface, the chaos elemental leaned against it. Then pushed, to test its apparent thickness and weight. It didn't budge or flex. So it had to be somewhat thick and well placed within the cave walls.

Clearly someone had cast a spell of preservation, or perhaps a shield on it. It was in too perfect a condition for this environment. Tithdaeron placed both hands on the wall, then focused. Magic was magic, whether it was crafted, casted, or chanted. IT could be influence by more than one person. Tithdaeron had the ability to redirect and cancel magical energy, and this was what he was working on at this moment.

Destroying or canceling the spell upon this barrier would be the first step in bringing it down. The next step would be to throw something heavy at it. " Forfeited you are to my will. Steal away, steal away. " Suddenly a heavy shift in the rock around them occurred, and the granite obelisk visibly cracked from the sudden stress upon it. Success.

It wasn’t a very fun trek, to say the least. None of the men (could he really refer to Tithdaeron as that, given everything that had happened?) spoke much, and the bloodlust dripping from the pair was rubbing him raw rather than inspiring. Still, questioning the leader of the Marauders was hardly a wise decision, and the promise of power made his mind salivate too much to function.

Of course, there was some irritation spared for the long walk. Nathaniel wasn’t entirely convinced of Annihilate, though like many Ardians he had heard tales. They weren’t very flattering. What did he expect from a demon, though? Or what he assumed was a demon. Perhaps a dragon? Everyone seemed to be a dragon these days, even if they hid it well.

Whatever he was, it wasn’t human. The warrior couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but there was an aura that displaced him from the race, no matter what deals he may have made or how many spells he might have learned. Even the most powerful of archmages still had some shred of humanity left in them.

~-.~-.~-.

Arriving within the bowl was better than Nathaniel had expected. The tremors weren’t as common here, and the crude magician found himself admiring the architecture, even if it was in bad taste. The human felt like a child again, staring up in awe at all the giant statues. So hard and defined; capable of destroying him if they so wished. It was a humbling feeling his oldest brother had never understood.

“Dwarven mines?” The human asked slowly, though it was released under his breath. Even destroyed, the statues and arches painted a clear enough picture. It made sense that Annihilate would assume there was something within Dwarven mines; were not the greedy little creatures renown for finding hidden treasure? Set them on a leash and they’d uncover truffles.

A wind whipped across the low rise, stirring up dust in a chaotic image of a serene river. He breathed slowly of the acrid air, then followed behind his two allies within an alcove. Or so he assumed; all he had to go by were padded feet on the dusty earth, and the whistling of wind defining the edges of walls. As he’d feared it wasn’t possible to see once they’d entered, and he felt his chest hitch. Did he go on like a stubborn fool, or back down like some wretched coward?

That was until Annihilate announced something was in the way, and moved off to create light (that was the rustling of the male’s clothing, wasn’t it?). The human could not see Tithdaeron, but a loud crack clearly symbolized his attempts at clearing a path. Perhaps if he used the wind to help him hear, and –

Whoomf. Suddenly he could see, the cave walls lit by an orange glow. Nathaniel turned to find the source of it, expecting a fireball to rest in Annihilate’s hand. Instead he was presented the image of a flaming demon, who’s neutral stance seemed to imply its alliance. The marauder leader didn’t look like he was about to kill it, so the human could assume little more than it having been summoned. To provide light. Right.

Rather than actually speak, he made himself useful by moving to one side of the cave. The male’s hand twitched faintly, as if trying to grasp something. Behind the boulder the wind whistled, rock groaning in a sleepy fit. Control over the air was more useful than he’d expected when first undertaking the art.

Unfortunately, the boulder was fastened through the warped rock above. It would have to be broken in half before he could move the pieces. Though the wind might be able to twist it if he exerted enough pressure, he feared exhausting the flaming creature. Not because he cared for its health, but because he had no intentions of getting on Annihilate’s bad side.

“I can push it from the other side.” He said simply. “Unless there’s a better way to do away with it?”

Licking his lips, Annihilate let his eyes wander to assess the situation. With little other options Anni shook his head. “Clearing this path is the only way,” he paused for a moment, “That is, unless you’d like to march for another three days to the next entrance.” The little demon snickered, golden-red tendrils whipping all about as the winds began to pick up. Annihilate glanced at it, curious, but the demon just nodded its head. It would be fine unless it was directly struck by water, for as long as there was an ember remaining its incorporeal form could regenerate a thousand times over. It could also take the form of any other creature or being, wreathed in flame, with eyes as black as obsidian stone. It stood back, as did the shade, to allow Tithdaeron and Nathaniel their room to work, for as anxious as Annihilate was, which had clearly rubbed off on the summoned demon, he knew the intricacies of moving stone.

With the valley constantly assaulted by tremor after tremor there was little room for error. The slightest miscalculation could cause the entire cave to collapse around them. Suddenly, at the very thought of the rumbling, a mild tremor caught the valley, and sent the small cave into a tumult. The demon, who had crossed its arms over its chest impatiently, fell onto what could be considered its bottom, and Annihilate grabbed onto the side of the cave’s wall for support. Stone and rubble began to cascade across the floor falling from the ceiling and there was a resounding crack throughout the room. All around, everything seemed to move over and over again. The entrance they had come from only a short time earlier was blocked by falling debris.

When the rumble subsided, however, the large slab that had been cracked earlier had grown further and further apart, and pieces of granite had fallen upon the ground revealing the cave beyond, and the cave behind them had become pitch black. It appeared as though one of the many pillars at the entrance had fallen, for the blockage was very uniform and seemingly hand carved. Annihilate turned to look the way they had come, and he sighed. There was no way they would be going back this way now. The elemental demon glanced to Anni, who nodded to him, and then it stepped close to the cracked stone peering inside, and the dark catacombs seemed to ignite in the golden light of its gaze. However, the room beyond was hidden from view on the other side of the creature. Suddenly, its shape changed and it became a wisp of flame that was seemingly sucked inside of the crack and into the next chamber. Result was a highly illuminated room, and a very clearly defined entrance.

Annihilate turned to Nathaniel, and then he glanced to Tithdaeron. However, his attention settled back on the human. One side of his lips curled into a smirk. “Nathaniel, if you’d be so kind as to go first, it would be appreciated. If you can make it through so can I,” he commented. Nate was just a bit bigger than the shade, and Anni knew Tithy could shift his form and easily make it through the crack. So, if Nate could make it through then so could the shade, and the demon would be on the other side to help them along. At best it could attempt to melt some of the granite, or even blow it apart a bit. In theory that was. Either way, as long as the path was open and they could get further into the mines he didn’t care. There was only one more close exit that he knew of, and they had to get through this obstacle to get to the end of the trip.

Tithdaeron looked on quizzically as for a moment, nothing much happened. The barrier had indeed been damaged to some degree, now that it's seal was removed, but it held fast and true. Tithdaeron frowned slightly, and wondered about what to do next.

Phasing through the barrier was a possibility, but with uncertainty as to the thickness of the material it was risky business. His right hand rose through the air lazily to grasp the end of his chin, and stroke it lightly. Suddenly, the whole cave threw to one side and then the other.

Rock and dirt began to filter down in small pieces from above. There was a groaning, sighing vibration that filled the room and then passed on. Even as it left the shockwave could be heard traveling through the cave system. A stalactite speared the ground next to the chaos elemental. Quickly, he juked left to avoid the one that had been next to it. Sure enough, the second stony polearm punctured the dirt floor.

Tithdaeron knew well that a collapse was occuring, and immediately turned to make good his escape. But it was no use, the way out had been blocked. A aftershock caused the ground to rush up to his face, and the confused elemental was buffeted about a few more times before the caverns stopped their seizing.

On all fours, the creature looked about. More rubble had fallen into place upon the barricade of stone that forbade them the path they had taken to enter the system. A cruel irony; it seemed as though the other barrier was now moderately damaged. The small stress fractures had opened up into good sized cracks, large enough for a man to just barely squeeze his way through.

The room was now brightened due to less space and closer proximity to the flame elemental. Annihilate commanded his servant to pass through the broken barrier, and it did as he said. Curling into a playful ribbon of flame, it whipped around the edges of the crack and reformed on the other side.

At this point, the challenge presented at first to Tithdaeron was now moot. The chaos elemental had much the same ability as the flame elemental. However, Annihilate spoke up. Tithdaeron decided to listen.

“Nathaniel, if you’d be so kind as to go first, it would be appreciated. If you can make it through so can I."

Tithdaeron thought it was a good idea. As much as he enjoyed having Nathaniel as a faithful ally, it would be better for the human to get caught in a trap. Or stuck in a barrier. The former was the bigger of the elemental's worries, of course.
In order to reassure himself, and the human, Tithdaeron decided to fall back on an old and useful spell.

"Open the way to my eyes." stated the predator softly. Suddenly, it was as though the barrier no longer existed to his eyes. On the other side could be seen another large cavern, light up in a sort of grand manner by the flame summon.
Crystal stalactites glimmered along the ceiling, reflected and refracted the firelight to cast wondrous shapes upon every inch of the interior.

Tithdaeron peered directly above the barrier, and saw no sort of treachery looming.
He thought it odd, but trusted his eyes. "Your way is cramped, but not fretful, Nathaniel." said Tithdaeron, to provide the party member with reassurance the human needed.