In a tall, dark room underground Tigersfan withdrew the shining blade. It glowed with holy light, and spoke to him. Lolth clambered over to the side, and for a moment he questioned whether he need abide by the rules of the duel. She was wounded, an easy target. A single stab, and so much evil would be destroyed. His sword caught him though, and his honor was retained. Holding out his hand for her, she grabbed it and stood tall, completely unharmed. She smiled, curtsied, and left him alone with his new friend. Tigersfan sheathed his newly won blade, noting its bright light and lightness. Exhausted, he did as instructed and spoke the word “Arza.” Instantly, he vanished in a flash of diamonds. ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// [u]SCENE CHANGE[/u] //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Unbeknownst to Tigersfan, the moment he spoke the word a shockwave of energy resonated throughout the cosmos. Less than a hundred beings of great power could feel it, and less than ten could identify it. One such, was Poly. Deep in an undisclosed location, a pattern of cryptic and powerful runes kept Poly from entering our reality. The intricate wards were spread out across a long triangular hallway that ended in a massive door. Some Void, others liken to the Conflagration or pulsating with Arc energy. A few of the most powerful runes guarded the door’s center intertwined with Deep and Light. Someone had gone to great lengths to conceal this area, and even further to restrain the occupants. Evelyn sat cross legged about 50 feet from the door, her hands gently holding a small pile of golden sand. It glowed with a life she loved, and she slowly molded it with care and precision. For the first time, Evelyn experienced joy. The Eater of Hope had found her own. Out of the few that could identify the disturbance, Evelyn was one. The sand felt it too, and shuddered, hiding in her bosom. “Mom… what have you done?” A terrible screeching commenced as magic was torn asunder. All across the room, runes were failing or exploding. For a brief moment, Evelyn knew fear, and the sand felt it. Casting her apprehensions aside, Evelyn’s eyes turned into a myriad of colors. The rainbow sparkled in her eyes as she estimated the defense protocols’ integrity. A tint of red flashed, and she approached the door. As suddenly as it started, the light show stopped. The runes emblazoned on the door held, but the tension was obvious. Looking over them all, Evelyn was satisfied, and resumed meditating. A hundred voices all at once, then 34, then 2, then 1 spoke to her. [u]“Come, little head. We know you can dismiss this magic.”[/u] Evelyn nodded her head. [u]“You know how this ends.”[/u] Her head bowed once more. [u]“Then free us, and we can free you.”[/u] Evelyn bobbed her head once more, then again, then in a rhythmic pattern. [u]“Are you… listening to music?”[/u] Evelyn grinned, and continued to get her jam on. [u]“Heh. Not bad, kid.”[/u] “Thanks. It’s not often other parts of myself complement, well, me, on my music taste.” [u]“We aren’t a part of you, little one. You are a part of us.”[/u] “Doesn’t matter. Semantics isn’t a strong suit of mine.” [u]“Oh, we know. And whether you set us free or not will determine your fate. Let us free, or they will.”[/u] Evelyn pauses the music, and her eyes turn green. “No… they would never… they don’t even know.” [u]“But they will. We may be imprisoned here, but our influence goes beyond. Promises of wealth, treasures and pleasures will turn them against you.”[/u] Evelyn does not reply, and walks away. [u]“Nice kid.”[/u] Evelyn’s eyes turn a Deep red and alight with flame as she clenches her fists. Even with no lungs, she mimics the human action of taking a deep breath before continuing. When she turns to face the door, they turn blue. “Four of them. The Knight, the Dragon, the Golden and the Honorable.” [u]“There are horsemen, lords of chaos, and elements. Four is truly a magic number. And they will be our jailbreakers, the saviors, but most importantly, your killers.”[/u] “It takes more to kill me than a piece of whittled stone.” Evelyn gives Poly the bird, and walks away. . . . . . . . . . .