The Search For Mana

[Chrono Blackwyng]

Chrono's mind also made him wander past his current quest, and possibly farther along than reaching the Mana would take. He also couldn't tell if he had taken the mana or not as he felt no overflowing strength like one would assume you would get from the Mana. However he did realize one thing, he had no third eye, and neither did his siblings. He was training the first-born of the clan in what his dream-self refferred to as the arts of the Majicka warrior, and of course dream-logic kept him from hoping this was reality. Then again, it was probably his only good dream as anything that plagued his mind was nowhere to be seen or felt; making him content only to watch.

Outside his dream however, he was rolling around the sand with a dumb grin on his face...

[Vosur Aekira]

Vosur exhaled as he slightly dug himself a 'dune chair' in the sand to sit in more comfortably. "Well, since you're eager to listen... you would be the first person to sit down and listen, even the first mage to accept my company. " he says to Lazaryos as he shrugs, continuing on. "About six years ago, I was the apprentice of a blacksmith and silversmith couple. I had spent about a couple of years under their tutoring before I first saw a lovely kitsune fire-manipulator that was wandering through our town during the time with other mages. We exchanged glances, not enough to alert the others in her group and after their venture through the town I decided I'd try to make something for her. I sat down with the silversmith and she taught me how to make jewelry." He leaned back in the sand and looked up at the sky. "I met up with her and gave her the pendant, which led up to future encounters... and then we eloped. She disguised as a 'normal' and we managed to live life as a blacksmith couple with the blessing of the ones who taught me to work metal. Ruby was the name of my wife and we were wanting to get the blessing from her family. She was told 'as soon as he becomes a mage, you have our blessing', and the first thought that came into her head was that the Mana was coming of time and could make a mage out of any normal. Well, since mages and normals are deep in conflict... have been for centuries, they did not approve of a normal getting Mana. They tried dissuading her, separating us, and even restraining me, but nothing would stop her until they decided to hire help." He paused for a moment before he continued on. "They hired mercenaries to try to kill the both of us to keep their way of life. Their own daughter was a sacrifice to prevent the normals from achieving Mana." he muttered as he looked to the stars as he slowly closed his eyes.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

"Sounds no different from any other major Mage family. A kitsune girl, then your wife must have come from the Rampart Clan. They are as proud of a clan as the Tri'Malis, but aren't much for dirtying their own hands. I guess it's no surprise how they felt. Not only were you not a Mage, but you were also NOT a kitsune yourself, no different from the Tri'Malis Clan. Despite Majicka affinities differing randomly between people, certain species do have the majority of a certain affinity. Dragons with Dark, Kitsunes with Fire, Wolves with White, Otters with Water, Eagles with Wind, and the Rhinos with Earth. Each one has formed their own major clan, claiming dominance and regulation of users of their own magic. Each one is very specific in breeding. The Tri'Malis are the only ones to actually kill those who aren't born a Mage. Others coexist with those who are Normals, while others exile Normal borns. The one who raised me was actually a retired Elder from the Loranys Clan of the eagles. He broke off from the clan after they had exiled his daughter and wife. Having been an Elder, he had knowledge of the clan's secrets, and also the secrets of maximizing his element's power. When some greedy Mages caught wind about him leaving, they hired mercenaries to hunt him down. However, during the sortie, the mercenaries killed his daughter and wife after separating him from them. Despite his power, he didn't have enough to protect his loved ones quick enough from a mob of mercenaries. Months later, he found me, a cub of less than a year old, in an alleyway in Brisbain. He took me in as his own and was surprised that I was also a wind Mage, particularly lightning. He trained me and raised me to be like him. I learned all the most powerful lightning magic and how to maximize its power. In our time together, he taught me all the wonders of the world, its history, and the ancient relics that grants its user immense power at a cost, known as the Cursed Items. By the time I was 12, he had already begun nearing the end of his life. And that's what really started my intense research and quest for Jigan's Tear. Even now, Horus waits at the village of Gamaran at the southern-most tip of the main continent. He's near the end of his life, but if I can obtain the Mana, my search for the Tear will at least take a little less time to find. That man is the only thing I have for a family and truly a 'father' to me..."

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Ember woke up after her dream had ended, which had only really taken a minute or two. As she laid there with her eyes still closed, she listened to Vosur's story as she hoped to fall back asleep soon. Unfortunately, she had no such luck and when Lazaryos started talking again she opened her eyes, staring up at the sky. When he was almost done talking, she finally sat up slowly on her sleeping mat. "So much for sleeping..." She grumbled to herself and stretched her legs and arms.

[Chrono Blackwyng]

Chrono had also woken up during Vosur's words, then shot a look at Lazaryos when he mentioned 'Tri'Malis  are the only ones to actually kill those who aren't born a mage'. However, he waited for him to finish before correcting him. "I don't know what happened during the ten years I spent away from my family, but there was no slaughter of Normals when my father was ruling. I was the only normal he saw fit to have eliminated since we were supposed to be a mage clan. Uncle Resho was probably the reason why my father hadn't been able to kill me or do his freaking mind-control on me. He told me that before we aquired the eye, our clan was known for pioneering in mages that could perform feats of supernatural ability. He told me the purpose of this was to establish a kinship with the neighboring Normals; but that was the last thing father wanted to occour. What is going on now is probably his ideal of trying to make a 'dark beastmaster' by having a mage corrupt or 'empower' a creature and then tame it for combat. As far as Mana is concerned, it could burn to a cinder and the drop vanish from existance, I just want that old man dead and Mana is the best place to wait for him. If y'all gonna' go nuts at the end and leave the Mana, I'll just take it for myself before burning the plant and getting rid of the cursed eye of our clan..."

He was probably going to be the first to get targeted since he just announced that he wants Mana gone.

[Vosur Aekira]

He glanced to Chrono and spoke as he shrugged his shoulders. "I guess that's the reason why they tried to hire mercenaries to do the job... to shift the blame away from a mage clan trying to kill their own daughter. It would be a 'convenient' circumstance to them. And before you ask, the ones they hired left me to die in the desert and do not know I'm still alive. After I escaped their trap, I went back to the smithy Ruby and I owned, made myself my current gear I use, then burned the smithy to cover my tracks. Because of the trap, I was changed... my hair and tail became this sickly-white, my eyes a fiery-red. I had to become a different person, so I became a mercenary under the trademark name of the 'Knave of Blades'." he sighed a bit.

"My most recent job led me to where I met you, rumors of someone with the knowledge of Mana's whereabouts traveling in the desert. This lead was the strongest one I had so far, so I couldn't help but to take up the job. That chameleon may have more information since he looked so adamant in stopping this motley crew, and so I anticipate us to fight him again somewhere along the way." he spoke towards Chrono, remembering how he felt about the sword the chameleon was using. Vosur looked back to Lazaryos, mentally preparing himself for what he was about to say. "Bless my dearly-departed wife's soul and her mortal coil's desire for me to become a mage, I'd only take revenge against her parents if I were to have that type of power. So probably to best-think on how she'd want me to live, I'll find the Mana, but I'll destroy it."

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Lazaryos let out a low growl against the dragon, who was already mentally questionable, and socially inept. After Vosur finished talking, the tiger couldn't help but facepaw, "Bloody hell. I guess I'll have to kill you first, if that's your decision. I like you, kid, but I won't let you stop me from infinite power. If you don't want it, step aside, or else you'll face the same fate as the other maggots who have tried to tangle with us thus far... assuming we even make it past the guardian dragons. I'd like your assistance to get there, but if you dare to (censored) with my mission *draws the scythe and holds the blade to Vosur's throat, glowing as brightly as the anger in his eyes* I WILL end you personally." Small sparks shot from the edges of Lazaryos' eyes, showing the determination in his eyes.

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Ember rolled her eyes at what she was seeing though she was surprised that Chrono and Vosur said they wanted to destroy the Mana. She was even more surprised that the way Chrono had said it had sounded somewhat like her dream. "Oh would you knock it off. You know you need him around until we get past the dragons, so stop being so impulsive and get that stupid thing away from his neck." She said finally, looking slightly annoyed. "Makes me sick just seeing it..." She muttered, low enough so no one else would hear.

[Chrono Blackwyng]

Chrono was obviously unfazed by the lightshow in Lazaryos' eyes since he had gotten hit with much bigger bolts, especially the one that wasted a battalion of creatures in a single shot, even though it was the edge of the shockwave that nicked him. "Lazaryos, you should get your rest, just to get ready for whatever tomorrow is going to bring..." and he finished his hint of 'advice' by lying down and quickly going to sleep again.

[Vosur Aekira]

He instinctively unsheathed his blade and had it at Lazaryos's neck at when he pulled the scythe around to Vosur's neck, putting them at a stalemate as they now had their weapons at each others' throats. "What about this power that was bestowed upon you, this accursed blade you now hold? Isn't its power enough to help you in your goal or will your thirst for power never cease?" he spoke, a slight growl in his tone as his one-hand hold was rather steady for what had just happened. He took a quick-glance at the blade of the cursed-scythe and locked his eyes to the mage again, giving him a slight smile, beguiling of the life-and-death situation. "Since we are at a do-or-die situation, my mission is to either, and I quote: Secure the Mana or destroy it. Since I do not wish to personally have such power for the sake of the memory of Ruby, what would you intend on doing with it once you have it? Revenge? Conquest? Annihilation? Or would you try to use it to heal and defend?"

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Lazaryos growled through his throat, "What I do with that power is my own, but I won't allow it to be destroyed. It's too important to me. As for this weapon, it is the most limiting kind to have. I can't cast any spells anymore, and I have to rely on using this weapon. It's how you would feel about using magic instead of your blades. The only way I'll be removed of this damned curse is to possess enough power to remove it, and not even the strongest of Mages in the world possess that power. So I have even more of a reason to obtain the Mana." The lightning blade receded and Lazaryos slowly took his blade back. He looked at the pup and gestured for him to lower his blade. "It seems we all need some sleep."

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Ember let out a hiss-like sound when Lazaryos finally lowered his blade and said they all needed some sleep. "Tell me about it. It's kind of difficult to sleep with you lot going on the way you were." She snapped before lying back down. "Bunch of grown men acting like children..." She muttered as she closed her eyes, not caring if they heard her say it because maybe if they knew how foolish they looked then they might stop acting that way. She was the youngest of all of them, or at least looking at the guys she sure seemed like it, so she didn't understand was she had to act like she was their mother. Of course, she didn't have to, but it was too irritating to ignore.

[Vosur Aekira]

"At least we're getting these problems off of our chests now instead of quibbling like kids right at the Mana..." he spoke in a slightly playful tone to Ember, then lowered his blade away from Lazaryos before sheathing it. "When the time comes, I will have to secure the Mana somehow... the agreement didn't say how." he spoke to Lazaryos, leaning back in the 'dune chair' as he looked up to the sky again. "Since the contract was quite a bit vague on that idea, it is open to a lot of interpretations." he muttered as he shifted and reclined further into almost a laying position, the fire he had going dying-down on its own as he started to doze off.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Lazaryos snorted and closed his eyes, drifting off into a state between sleep and meditation. He noticed right off that his sleep was not like it usually is. Lazaryos figured it was one of the effects of the scythe, but he couldn't be certain. However, one thing was for certain: it was a state in which his body and mind are being rested, but things were still going on with his body that he never felt before. Lazaryos pondered it, he was conscious, but at the same time, he could feel his body and mind in a state of relaxation, almost as if his consciousness was sent into almost an astral realm while his physical self rested. It was truly an odd a new feeling.

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

"There will be no talking when we reach the Mana, only action." She said softly with her eyes still closed. It was one thing she knew for sure. After saying it, she wondered if she would live through it all. She also remembered that she still didn't know why she was going after the Mana. She had no personal reasons like the others did. All of their reasons seemed worthy of the Mana, but she had no reason whatsoever. At least, not one that she could think of. "What am I even doing here...?" She whispered to herself and rolled over onto her right side on her sleeping mat.