A Red Stain on a Black Rose

Lanist sat with the elf Rizzen. He wore a red stained bandage around his head. He was angry and horrified that Lehti had discovered their base, and killed so many. It was fortunate however, that the wizard's arrogance stopped him from killing Rizzen and Granite.

The elf started to cry. Lanist put an arm on Rizzen's shoulder.

"Who can understand the methods of a madman? I... I am sorry elf, for your loss."

Their mourning was cut short as Red, the pirate traitor, entered. Lanist's rage started to bubble when he saw Red. The panther got up and walked straight for Red.

Red wrote:

"Aye whish to speak to a panther of ye's, Lantiest aye believe his name is"

Just as the man finished his sentence, the panther pulled his arm up and slugged Red, sending him to the ground, knocking him out.

"Put the traitor in the now empty cell!" roared Lanist.

A few Black Rose aniver picked up Red and literally threw him into the cell. The door was locked and a guard posted there. He was given specific orders not to interact with the prisoner until Lanist had a chance to interrogate him.

Rizzen ran after Red and the guards but was too late as they threw him in the cell and locked him in. Rizzen grabbed bars on the door and began screaming:

"TELL ME WHERE HE IS YOU SON OF A BITCH! TELL ME WHAT HE"S DONE WITH BROM OR I'LL KILL YOU!"

PTOO! Rizzen spit a large, nasty, green, slimey loogie into Red's face.

"TELL ME WHERE HE IS!" he screamed again, tears pouring down his cheeks, snot running from his nose.

Who the hell was this wizard? Where the hell were his seeds? And what were thos weird siloheuttes that gave him quite the beating!? He had many questions, but he could the Black rose clan mourned the loss of their kin.

He kept silent, watching the sorrow. The elf lurched through the bars for the traitorous lizard, "Easy elf, there'll be no makin' him talk thataway. I understand yer pain, really I do, but these things require bein' tactful. Let me show you how a druid does it,: he said, patting Rizzen on the shoulder.

He cocked his rifle, "Ye got three seconds to start talking, ye red scaly bastard!"

OOC: As according to the HtD rules, reptilian aniver are NOT playable characters. Whether they exist or not, they are NPC's. Sorry, Red. You might not have the red scales, but you could have a red neck.

IC:

Lanist approached the cell, gently motioning the elf and dwarf (steering clear of the rifle) to the side.

"Listen, Red is it? We all know of your treachery. Why have you come back? What is that wizard up to? Speak quickly and honestly. You've made yourself a lot of enemies in a real short amount of time. No more games! I'll give each one of these people some "alone" time with you if you don't want to cooperate."

Meanwhile, Granite's seeds had been found. Apparently, one of the anivers that had been killed by Lehti's sudden appearance, was bringing the seeds down for the dwarf. Unfortunately, because the aniver was beaten so badly, the seeds broke and were ground to bits.

An aniver that looked much like a monkey, named Ponkey Kuhn, came to deliver the tragic news to the druid.

"...We're very sorry, Mr. Stonebeard. We can get you more seeds, but they'll be delayed."

Red lifted his head and his tail swhished slightly his red eye blinked and looked over his fellow kin his voice was horse and soft his body littered with cuts and brusies from the torturing guards.

"I..." he said weak taking a breath "was trying to get on the inside, and help you." those were his words he glanced at Rizzen and shooked his head slightly as if saying "Im unawere of his wereabouts". Red's head fell back down as he fainted and tryed to regain concussness.

"LIAR!!!" screamed Rizzen shoving his hands between the bars.

"Ast el morath, ke Vak!" he shouted the arcane words shooting a Force Orb from his hands hitting the unconscious aniver in the face.

"TELL ME!!!" he screamed, as two aniver guards pulled him away and began dragging him to another room to calm down.

"HE'S A LIAR! HE'S LYING!!!"

Rizzen had to be put in his own cell.

Lanist sighed heavily. What could he do now? Lehti knew about the Black Rose. The base would be in constant danger from now on. The panther scratched his ears, trying to think.

He motioned for two anivers.

"Splash the pirate with water and slap him around till he wakes up. When he's awake, bind his wrists behind his back. He's going with us."

The two Black Rose members nodded and ran off to get the ropes and supplies ready.

Lanist turned to the dwarf.

"Well, seeing as your seeds will be taking a while, would you mind coming with us to destroy Lehti? The offer still remains. Any supplies you can carry with you, if you help us. I'll let you think on it. I understand if you don't wish to join."

The panther left the dwarf and moved over to Rizzin. Lanist sat inside the cell with the enraged elf.

"We'll find your mate. It is both our goals. We are getting our supplies ready. You, maybe the dwarf, and me and a few of my men are going to his tower. We'll take the pirate. If nothing else, he can possibly be bartered with. However, I need you to leave him be. My men and I will watch him. We'll leave when the supplies are ready."

shouts and curse words where heard as pales of water and body's thudded around.

"get off me! ye scurvy peace of shit!" was heard as the panther walked up to lantist and just finishing puting on all his gear.

"we shant hesitate to kill the wizard." Red then looked at the elf and walked up to him and picked him up on his feet.

"Aye friend, aye know how ye feel, me own wife was killed cause him." said the panther wanting to rile up Rizzen and get him on his good side but wanting him to want to kill lehti aswell.

"And there's only one thing ye can do, and thats trust aye and help us help you, and find ye mate so ye to can be with ye again." proteted the pirate as he looked at the other guards wacthing him.

"whada ye doin! get me some rum! and a ship while ye at it," said the pirate wanting his ship dearly for he couldn't stand not being in the air, like so long ago.

"Fool. You're not going with us as a companion. You're our prisoner. I'm not gonna risk leaving you here without me."

The aniver arrived with the supplies and the tools. They bound Red's wrists together, tying them behind his back. A wooden plank with braided hemp rope in a two slots were used. It would be difficult for a contortionist to get out those, especially with Lanist and the other guards watching.

"Behave yourself, pirate, and maybe you can redeem yourself."

Lanist turned towards Rizzen and Granite and motioned to the guards. A female cockatoo, and a male (German) shepherd dog.

"Lisa and Jasper will accompany us to the tower. We'll follow the road as long as we can until our scouts direct us to where it will be easiest to enter from."

"When you two are ready, Rizzen and Granite, we'll begin."

Red wrote:

Red then looked at the elf and walked up to him and picked him up on his feet.

"Aye friend, aye know how ye feel, me own wife was killed cause him." said the panther wanting to rile up Rizzen and get him on his good side but wanting him to want to kill lehti aswell.

"And there's only one thing ye can do, and thats trust aye and help us help you, and find ye mate so ye to can be with ye again." proteted the pirate as he looked at the other guards wacthing him.

"DON'T YOU TOUCH ME YOU TRAITOROUS BASTARD!" Rizzen yelled at Red shoving him away. "You aren't my friend. you aren't even my associate. You aren't even air to me. You're nothing! And the only thing you'll ever become to me, is an obstacle. I don't advise doing so, you piece of trash," he whispered angrily at the pirate.

Lanist wrote:

"When you two are ready, Rizzen and Granite, we'll begin."

"Let's find Brom," Rizzen said walking stand near Lanist.

Granite paid attention to nothing, just his rifle, and a scratch he was sure wasn't there before their capture. He opened the revolver like chamber, filling the two empty slots with bullets.

He broke away the barrell and began cleaning the inside of it with a special brush, which he keeps "holstered" under the stock of the rifle. The wire brush made an irritating scraping noise that, to Granite at least, sounded almost musical. He shook out the debris from the barrel, then finally noticed the peopel staring at him

"Wha-?" he said, "Oh, was ye talking to me, Sir Kitty?" He asked Lanist, following suit and standing by Rizzen

Lanist, Lisa, Jasper, Rizzen, Granite, and Red all headed out of the bunker and north from Chu Lai. The jungles of Lang Pho were unsettling. It was night, but Lanist insisted they moved at night, to make it easier to hide from Lehti's scouts.

Noises of undead could be heard through the trees. Jasper swore he saw a sprinter jump from a tree. Fortunately, the group didn't encounter any undead. Only their presence.

After a few hours, they made it to a small camp. There were just a few huts and a camp fire and a well. A screen of netting warded off the insects. The leader was a jackal aniver.

The group sat on logs around the fire. Though Nju Shenghuo was a warm region, it seemed more comfortable with the fire. The shadows had their boundaries that way. The noises continued though. The anivers' good ears could hear the sound of teeth on bone. Everyone was still, save for the jackal. He was too used to it. Spikes of his own make surrounded the camp, creating something of a barrier.

The jackal talked with them all. Even Red, though he was forced to sit in the dirt, instead of on a log.

"You know? I was one of the last ones to see Lehti before he went into the temple. He wasn't a bad guy, to be honest. I found him quite likable."

The wind shifted to the south and the smells of burning flesh and devastation could be detected. Obviously the jackal could smell it as well, for his attitude changed instantly.

"That temple is no good, that's for sure. Too many have died because of that damn thing. Evil magic lurks in that temple, I can tell you. I haven't the faintest idea what it could be."

"You know? Its not even the temple he lives in now that he first visited? There's another one not far from here. Half a mile up the road, an animal trail will take you to it if you're curious. You cou-"

A loud noise masked and interupted the last part of what the jackal was saying as a ship flew overhead, heading north towards Lehti's tower. The group could only see the bottom of the ship. Little did they knew who was on it.

"Hmmm" Rizzen muttered eying the ship. he then looked back to the jackal aniver.

"He wasn't 'a bad guy'? You do realize this man kidnapped my life-mate. He's dying. Brain cancer. So you tell me....if he wasn't always 'a bad guy' then just who the hell was he before all of this?" Rizzen asked in condescending tones.

The jackal just shook his head.

"I only knew him for a short period, but he promised to assist me with something. After he left the temples though. I believe he was a zombie hunter from how he reacted that night. We were attacked that night, by some horde zombies. Nothing severe, but he did his part before leaving."

The Jackal's ears pinned back and he looked into the jungle. He then turned back to the elf.

"You know elf, I believe you and Lehti have much in common. Both elves. Both angry at something. When he was heading to the temple, he told me it was by force, and not choice. Yet he stays there by choice now."

"Either way, elf, I know quite well the atrocities the wizard has committed. His hollow wizards have raided my camp before, they take my friends, but leave me alone. My point is, though: don't judge a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes. Then, if you don't like him, you're a mile away and have his shoes."

Don't judge him until I've walked in his shoes? Until I walked. In. His shoes....I see. You know what, Lanist. Kiss my elven ass. I can get Brom back on my own. I certainly don't need the help of someone who is going to be callous toward what I've lost."

And with that Rizzen stood up, red faced, angry, and near tears, and gathered his belongings to leave.

Granite grabebd the wizards bag, stopping him from leaving, "Now listen lad, I understand ye being pissed and hotheaded right now, but how exactly do ye plan to find the temple and the wizard?"

Off in the woods an animal growled, then screeched. Teh sound of ripping flesh echoed throughout the now silent campsite. "More importantly, lad, how will ye survive to get there?"

He released the bag and left the wizard to his own decision

"Well you tell me which is worse dwarf....wandering out there into that jungle against who knows what....or being led straight into a trap. That's right, I said it. The jackal is setting us up! He 'used to know Lehti'. Lehti 'wasn't always such a bad guy.' And Lehit just happened to never capture doggy boy here. That aniver is as much a traitor as the idiot pirate. the only difference, is the aniver doesn't need to be walked to take a dump!"

Rizzen then stormed off into the jungle.

The jackal just sat there and took it all in. He didn't mind what the elf said. Though he was confused why he would run off on his own and leave his group.

"I meant no offense to the elf. I only wished to share some wisdom. Sometimes the best weapon to fight with is knowledge. If you knew more about Lehti, wouldn't it be easier to know his weaknesses? I'm only sharing what I've witnessed. I certainly hope he is successful in rescuing his mate. I've lost mine long ago."

With that the jackal headed into one of the huts.

Lanist was a little angry at Rizzen for being so sensitive. Though, it he couldn't really blame the elf for being so hateful towards the wizard.

"We better go, and catch up before he gets into trouble," Lanist said to the dwarf and other anivers.

They were able to catch up, but Lanist wanted to give the elf some room, if he wanted it. Unfortunately, the jungle had its way of bringing people together, and then taking them away.

As they moved down the road, they saw a bright light coming from up ahead. They weren't even to the animal trail, but they were coming into another camp. As they neared it, they realized it wasn't a camp for the Black Rose, but for the wizard's scouts. It was a little larger than the jackal's but with tents instead of huts. A large pyre was raging in the center. Lanist motioned everyone off the road and into the brush.

Everyone spied at the camp for a moment. They crawled forward, quietly. Red was gagged, to ensure he wouldn't reveal the group's location. It wouldn't matter however. When they got close enough they realized the camp wasn't filled with Lehti's troops, but was infested with zombies feeding off the recently dead. The fire in the camp was out of control, and started to burn the trees and grasses around the camp. Dozens of zombies risked being scorched so that they could feed. Most were aniver, but there were also some human zombies filling their jaws.

Lisa had to hold back a shriek when she saw the carnage. Jasper forced himself to turn away.

"We need to get around them somehow," said Lanist.

The six sat there, in the shrubs, together, wondering how to pass the zombies. But one would be taken away...

The air ship arrived and Nithelas and Mathias entered the temple. Zevren ran off somewhere into the temple. Lehti was at his table and throne and looking into a crystal ball. The sphere revealed a scene going on halfway across the world.

"Welcome my friends. I am merely gazing at my progress in Greyshore. Madame Ithel has so far lured three people into her little card game. Not as many as I'd prefer, but it does not matter. I'm sure the ritual will continue without much trouble."

Lehti's table swiveled back behind the throne and the wizard stood to greet his guests. He bowed to Mathias and Nithelas in turns.

"The Goddess of Vengeance has returned has she?" he asked Mathias. "I remember her well. I wonder if she thinks of me? Likely not, since she's not visited my tower yet. All the better. I'm finally rid of that damn curse."

Lehti turned to Nithelas.

"And you will be my apprentice! I hear you too were once a druid, now lost. Well, the arcane powers of the wizard aren't quite as thrilling as the powers the druids hold, but they are useful, and still existent."

Nithelas barely looked at Lehti. The trauma from Teseron Isle was still fresh in his mind. Lehti's enthusiasm sickened Nithelas. Still, Nithelas had noticed his druid powers weren't as grand as they used to be. He felt so disconnected. Alone. Perhaps wizardry was what he needed.

"I'll help however I can, sir."

"Good! We'll have Immolation ready in no time. Oh, do not worry Mathias. I promise my Immolation spell will be under my control. I'll only cast it in areas my allies and I see fit."

"You'd better, elf," said a human, having appeared at the top of the temple stairs. He entered the throne room and joined the other three. Edaw, Lehti, Nithelas, and Mathias stood together.

"We're anxious to retrieve the riverfolk. It was wise of you to keep him safe for us. We're watching and waiting; waiting for your true intentions to expose themselves. But, for now, we have a riverfolk to tend to."

So, the four traveled down the seven story temple to the base. Lehti had installed a giant pulley system to get non-teloporting people down quicker with out stairs. The hollow wizards would crank the levers to raise and lower the lift.

At the bottom they went to several tubes. They weren't connected to the raging Immolation behind them. They were simply prisons. They looked to be made of glass, but the captives could not break through, though they tried. The riverfolk looked at the wizard with fierce eyes, even sticking his tongue out. In the cell next to Popurum, stood an elf that didn't look too healthy.

"What is the elf for, wizard?"

"Bait. The rest are mages that have burned out. Soon, they will be hollow. I kept the riverfolk unharmed, just for you Edaw."

"Fine. Release him to me now."

The wailing of a woman echoed inside the chamber. Edaw, Nithelas, Popurum, Mathias, Brom and especially Lehti looked around curious about what was happening. A wispy mist entered, making the room feel very damp and cold, despite the giant ball of fire in the center of the room.

The mist covered the floor of the chamber and everyone was blinded by this fog. The wailing intensified and even hurt the ears of the men that listened. With a last loud shriek, the mist vanished along with the elf and the riverfolk.

"Where'd they go, elf?!" roared Edaw at Lehti.

"I haven't the damndist idea. It was nothing of my make. My bait has been stolen from me!"

Then they heard more screaming, but the cries came from a horde of zombies. Thicker and far more numerous than anything Nithelas had ever seen. And comparable to a massing seen by the other men.

"You sent undead to my temple?!" accused Lehti.

"Not I," replied Edaw.

"Nor I," added Mathias.

The undead swarmed the top of the temple and seeped down into the chamber below. It began to rain zombies.

The six sat there, in the shrubs, together, wondering how to pass the zombies. But one would be taken away...

From the thick jungle, sprang a giant tiger. It charged and crashed into the group, knocking most of them down. The only one not knocked to the ground was being dragged off, deeper into the jungle: Rizzen.

The elf was carried off deep into the woods, moving at a high speeds, yet never crashing into logs or trees or rocks. Rizzen felt no pain. The beast wasn't sinking its teeth in, only carrying off its capture.

The commotion from the tiger caught the ears of the horde. While Lanist, Red, Lisa, Granite and Jasper recovered themselves, the horde had begun to charge. They noticed immediately.

"After the elf!" cried Lanist, and the group charged after the elf and tiger, being followed by the swarm of undead.

Rizzen was getting sick from moving so fast, and though he struck and fought the tiger as much as he could, the tiger didn't slow down any. Several minutes went by until the tiger stopped. The dark jungle hid the surroundings from Rizzen. Though he'd have trouble seeing them with his wobbly legs, and dizzy eyes.

Lanist and the group were running as fast as they could; partly to catch up to the elf, mostly to escape the zombies. Luckily, the jungle was kinder to the group than the zombies, that tripped and stumble and got caught in vines. The living group had their brains to help them steer through the dense foliage. Though the darkness only made it more terrifying.

After having gotten sick a few times, Rizzen was able to stand and take a look at where he was. The tiger wasn't attacking and seemed content to lay there. It was a magnificent beast. Bright yellow fur cradled between dark black stripes. The beast was illuminated quite nicely, as odd as it was. Rizzen then noticed the light shining from a wispy mist.

Lanist, Granite, Lisa, Jasper and Red finally had out run the zombies. They could no longer hear the starved cries and desperate grunts. They continued forward until they found Rizzen gazing up at a glowing blue mist with a giant tiger laying peacefully nearby. Behind the mist, was a tall temple, smaller than Lehti's but caressed by the jungle.

"I have no idea where we are. None of our scouts have scene this place," said Lanist.

Rizzen stood there trying to get his bearings. The tiger had done a number on him, and the dizziness was slowly but surely passing.

"Is.....is this....is this where Lehti took Brom?" Rizzen asked. He then looked to the tiger. "Odd," he though silently to himself, "it's as if the tiger wants us to be here."

Rizzen walked up to Lanist, while giving the other aniver (the jackal one) a disdainful glare. "Why do I feel like we're being set up?" he asked.

Granite surveyed the forest around them, mtystified by the beauty around them. His eyes glazed over as he used his eagle vision, surveying the temple and all around it. "No elf, I do not be seein' any of this Lehti fella."

He blinked his eyes and they looked normal once more, then he looked back att he group, "Well then, are we just goin' to lolly gag, or are we to be movin' along?"

A banana fell from a tree and landed on Granite's head. A bat swooped down and quickly began to eat the fruit while sitting on the dwarfs head.

"Apple! I told you to stay away from wizards other than me. You never know who is working for him, or who wants to kill you!" whispered a darkling, fiercely at her familiar. "I'm sorry, she's a bit defiant. Just be happy it didn't get in your hair," she giggled knowingly as the bat flew over to her and hid.


SPLAT!

The creature had swished the remains of the banana on the top of her head and continued to eat.

Red stood there and looked at the elf and then back at the guards escorting him.


"Get these danm cuffs off me ye sea dog!" said Red as he extended his hands to the guards. They glanced around momentairly and took them off.

"Aye, have no motive or a place to go why would aye run?" said the Pirate as he rubbed his rists and adjusted his wepons wanting nothing more for Lehti's head to be in his hands.

Lisa and Jasper removed the cuffs, then shoved the pirate down, making him eat dirt... literally.

"You're bait, pirate. Nothing more. You hold no respect with us," said the cockatoo.

"If you get eaten by the horde, we have nothing to barter to Lehti with. Your cuffs are only off to save your pitiful life. We wont hesitate to kill you if you try to stop us," said Jasper.

Lanist wasn't paying attention to Red. He was focused first on the elf.

"You are walking around in the jungle alone? Are you a friend or foe to Lehti?" asked Lanist.

Every moment or so, he'd look towards the glowing blue mist. Something was happening inside. The shapes of two men were appearing... one the size of a human or elf, the other seemed smaller, like a riverfolk.