Thunderwalking [Closed] - Printable Version +- Hydaelyn Role-Players (https://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/mybb18) +-- Forum: Role-Play (https://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/mybb18/forumdisplay.php?fid=27) +--- Forum: Town Square (IC) (https://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/mybb18/forumdisplay.php?fid=21) +--- Thread: Thunderwalking [Closed] (/showthread.php?tid=226)

Thunderwalking [Closed] - Shamadconde - 07-13-2010 Shamad Conde was the youngest son in a family of 5. He was born in the deserts near Ul'dah. His parents were traveling scholars with their own beast. It was big enough for the whole family plus a few guests. They made money transcribing magical scrolls. He was 5 when his brothers went to Ala Mhigo to study different methods of magic. They were killed in the Garlean attack. Shamad and his parents became estranged for the next 10 years. They went about their daily business without saying a word to each other. Eventually Shamad couldn't take any more silence so he ran away. He got to Ul'dah before life became very difficult. He had to scrounge for food and water. He joined the Ul'dahn military when he was 16. It was a hard life. They would go out into the desert and fight the hordes of beast tribes. He was trained in the art of killing with magic. How to use it in special ways to maim and kill with slight effort. He became a ruthless killer. It was all good until his 19th birthday. There was an Aetheryte accident which left him changed. He became distant and strange. He was easily distracted and startled easy. He was diagnosed with aether sickness, a condition not uncommon to soldiers using the Aetheryte portals as often as they did. They discharged him and sent him on his way. He is now on his way to Limsa Lominsa to see what he can learn. Re: Thunderwalking - Shamadconde - 07-13-2010 Shamad Conde tossed and turned on his cot. He was on his way to Limsa Lominsa to search for the Crimson Blades. He knew they could help him find what he was looking for. He started dreaming. Shamad touched the aetheryte. It was warm to the touch from the previous people. He felt the familiar tingle. Then the pain like he had never felt before struck. He saw white spots in front of his eyes. His body went numb. Suddenly images started flashing before his eyes. He saw an island with strange people on it. He saw them fighting a massive war with magic. He saw entire towns burned to the ground. He saw 12 people he could sense were powerful mages start to cast something. He saw the massive amounts of aether being drawn by them. He had never seen so much being used at once. The mages started to glow brighter and brighter. He watched as each of them touched a metal bracelet. The bracelets started to glow brighter than the mages. The mages dissolved and the bracelets floated into the air. The bracelets split into 2 groups of six. The two groups merged into bracers. A strange figure Shamad couldn’t make out put his arms up. The bracelets attached themselves to his forearms. The figure started to mutter an incantation. The perspective zoomed out. All Shamad could see was the island. He watched as a dome of six colors formed over the island. He gasped as the dome exploded. When Shamad could see again, he saw the island was gone, wiped off the face of Hydaelyn. As the perspective pulled back farther, he saw 12 lights streak from the island's former location. He gasped as he saw them impact on a very familiar continent. It was Eorzea! He heard a voice in his head. It said “That spell was the Nad Ma Kal. You must find the pieces or the world might be destroyed.” Shamad shook his head and replied “Who are you and why me?” He heard a sigh. “Why does everyone say that? Always 'why me why me'. Why can't people just accept they are chosen and go with it? I am the spirit of the elements.” Shamad snorted. “Goatshit. There is no 'spirit of the elements.' Who are you actually?” Shamad could hear the voice's anger. “Fine. Don't believe me! Just find the Nad Ma Kal or we are all screwed!” He felt and heard a rushing sensation. He opened his eyes and saw his friends. They picked him up and rushed him to the infirmary. Shamad bolted upright, screaming. He hated that dream. Re: Thunderwalking - Shamadconde - 07-13-2010 Shamad stretched and walked to the front of the beast. He was on a Dunesfolk caravan to Limsa Lominsa. It was slow but it was also safer than walking. He sat in a seat behind the driver. He opened the journal he was writing in. He wrote in it to organize his thoughts. He was writing a story in it about a psychotic Lalafell from a faraway island who found an amulet that makes him kill. It made him feel better to write this stuff. It was very cathartic. On the back cover he was writing a poem. He read it again. 'The Color of Trust' Give me your Trust, said the Seedseer with a sigh For on my shoulders I support the sky Trust me to know and to do what is best And I will take care of the rest But Trust is the color of a dark seed growing Trust is the color of a hearts blood flowing Trust is the color of a Souls last breath Trust is the color of Death Give me your trust said the queen on her throne For I bear the burden of ruling alone Trust me to lead and to judge and to rule And no man will think you a fool. But trust is the sound of a grave dogs bark Trust is the sound of betrayal in the dark Trust is the sound of a souls last breath Trust is the sound of death Give me your trust, said the king on high Our people shall triumph, our enemies die Trust me to reign with an iron hand And peace will prevail in our land But trust is the scent of an open grave Trust is the scent of an unwashed slave Trust is the scent of a souls last breath Trust is the scent of death Give us your trust said the Lady and Lord We will protect you by law and by sword Trust us to keep your land safe and secure And We shall ensure it endures. But trust is the touch of a knife in the back Trust is the touch of the ropes on the rack Trust is the touch of a souls last breath Trust is the touch of death Give me your trust said the Love of your life I'll be your lover and I'll be your wife Trust me to love you and stand by your side As mother of your children, and your bride But Trust is the taste of a poisonous cup Trust is the taste of a life given up Trust is the taste of a souls last breath Trust is the taste of death. Give us your trust said the Gods in the sky Be faithful enough and you will not die Trust us to help you when on your quest And your enemies will die like the rest But trust is the sight of a hangman's noose Trust is the sight of an enemy let loose Trust is the sight of a soul's last breath Trust is the sight of Death Give me your trust said your friend in war Together we can even the score Trust me to always have your back And we can survive the attack. But trust is the fear of being left to die Trust is the fear of an unknown spy Trust is the fear of a soul's last breath Trust is the fear of death It was crude but he liked it. It reminded him of events in boot camp. He rubbed the scars on the back of his hands. While he did the scars glowed a little. He could feel the crystals moving around inside. He didn't like them. Not at all. Re: Thunderwalking - Shamadconde - 07-14-2010 Shamad leaned forward and tapped the driver on the shoulder. The driver looked back. "Yes?" "How much farther to Limsa Lominsa?" "We'll be there tomorrow. Please be patient. Thaliak knows you've been a pain with all your screaming at night." Shamad smiled at his old friend. Only Bekkar could be allowed to joke about such things. He walked back to his hammock and had another nightmare. He was back with his unit in Ul'dah and it was time for the hazing of the new ones. They didn't call it hazing but that was what it was. Unfortunately for him, he was one of the new ones. "Each of you recruits are going to be Sharded. It is painful, it is long, and it is painful. You will endure it or you will be imprisoned for a year. If you endure it, you will be accepted into the ranks." The recruits gulped as one. They had spent the past 6 months training together and holding each others' lives in their hands. They heard the rumors about the Sharding. 1 in 10 died from it. There were 100 of them. 10 of them wouldn't make it. The XO looked them all over. "Any volunteers? No? Ok. You, you, and you. You're first." He pointed at Shamad and the two next to him. They stepped forward and stood at attention. Another recruit walked forward with a case. Inside were aetheryte chips, razor sharp. The Drill Instructor had taught them what to do. Shamad took out a crystal and, as he was taught, cast a elemental spell on it. He used lightning. The crystal glowed purple. He carefully inserted it under his skin on the right side of his chest. He felt electrical pain surge through his body. The recruit next to him inserted his. He screamed as it took hold. Screaming was allowed, just no fainting or stopping once started. The third recruit inserted his. He immediately fell to the ground and died. There was steam coming out of his mouth. That reaction wasn't unexpected. The fire and lightning crystals were the most dangerous. Shamad mourned for the one who died but he had to continue. He picked up another crystal and cast an earth spell. The crystal turned tan. He shoved it into his right hand. His hand felt dry and hard. The recruit next to him did the same. They continued putting crystals in. Right foot, wind. Left foot, ice. Left hand, fire. Shamad and the recruit next to him barely survived that one. They each prepared the last crystal. They both cast a water spell. The crystals turned a deep blue. They shoved them in, just above the heart. They both started flailing as the circuit was complete. The seizure lasted about a minute. They got up, soaked with their own sweat and blood. They looked down at their wounds. They had healed! The XO walked forward. "Welcome to Charlie Company, the Drunk Drakes." Shamad and Bekkar walked to the back of the formation and watched as all the others were Sharded. 9 more died. They were all marched to the barracks. Shamad woke up when Bekkar touched his shoulder. "We're here Shamad. I'm sorry to see you go. I hope you find what you are looking for. Shamad squeezed Bekkar's shoulder, gathered his things, and walked into Limisa Lominsa. He failed to notice the 4 people watching him intently as he passed by them. Re: Thunderwalking - Shamadconde - 07-14-2010 Shamad wandered around Limsa Lominsa for a few hours. He was finishing a journal entry behind the Drowning Wench when a huge hand grabbed his shoulder. He spun around and found himself face to crotch with a Roegadyn Sea Wolf. He looked up and up and up. "Can I help you?" A huge rumbling voice answered. "Yes. You can help me. You can die!" With that, the Roegadyn whipped out an axe and swung. Shamad jumped back just in time. His journal fell to the ground. He quickly cast Paralyze and Gravity. The Roegadyn froze in place. Shamad didn't have much time. He popped off Exaltation and whipped out his radical. He used the entire length to create a Wind Blade like he was taught. He sent it at the Roegadyn's head. The Roegadyn was decapitated. After the body fell with a rather large thud, he went through the Roegadyn's pockets. He found nothing except a pendant around the Roegadyn's neck. It was in the shape of a spinning wheel. He was an adherent of Nymeia. Why would a disciple of Nymeia be after him? He ran away from the Drowning Wench and parked himself where he could see what would happen. He watched as two male Hyur Midlander and a Miqo'te ran into the back. He watched as they came running out, calling for the Watch. Just before the Watch came, he stared as a Lalafell in a black robe ran in and out of the back, carrying the head. He needed a drink. He went to the Bismark. He had heard good things about that place. Re: Thunderwalking - Shamadconde - 07-18-2010 Shamad walked into the Bismark. He threw back his hood. It had started raining while he was walking and he hated being wet. He glanced around. He saw many people and most of them were tall. Tall people made him nervous. He rubbed his chest and got to a table. That Roegadyn must have got in a glancing blow or something. He ordered the special and a fruit juice. Now was not the time for alcohol. While the waitress got his meal he watched the other patrons. The waitress dropped off his meal and he paid. He watched as people came and went. He saw as a rather plain looking Hyur come in. He saw the sword and was on his guard immediately. He watched as the man sat at a table far away. He decided to watch this one in particular. He put himself in a corner where he could watch this man and his lips. He had been taught lip reading in boot camp. It came in handy when the targets had good hearing and you had to mouth instructions to your squad mates. When a battered looking Roegadyn came in, Shamad bought him a meal. he looked like he could use it. He had jumped when the man had yelled and poured water on himself. He still kept his eye on the one in the corner. He saw as another man moved and saw his ax. He quickly cast Blood Rite on himself and continued to watch. He caught the man's gesture in his direction and saw the guy wasn't going to cause trouble...yet. He stopped his hand's bleeding. He watched with interest as a highlander entered and approached the man in the corner. He didn't catch much but he did see "Lord Revan". Three men entered and Shamad got more nervous. The way things were shaping up, there was going to be a fight. He prepared himself for battle. A few minutes later, a bunch really big and really tough men walked in. Shamad could taste the tension. He made a tactical retreat and watched the inn from across the street. He was only on Lalafell after all. 15 minutes later, he could hear the fight start. He debated with himself about going in but decided against it. He saw the guards charge into the inn. He did a quick estimation and realized the odds were good he could get out alive and relatively unscathed. He charged into the inn. He cast Blood Rite and Dark Seal and went for the hulking men. He cast Gravity and Drain onto the group and hoped it would help the guards. He cast Numbing Rime at an unsuspecting victim and went for his throat with an Air Knife. He waded into the carnage. He had forgotten the fun and stress release of battle. He did what he could. He dodged the arrows that flew everywhere. He watched with horror as the one called Revan set the place on fire. He decided to run. On his way out he ran over someone, he didn't know nor really care who. He ran to the beach. He rested next to a statue of a seagull. When he caught his breath, he realized that he couldn't let people die like that. He raced back in time to a man channeling water at the fire. He joined in with his own stream. He watched with amazement as a crazy woman walked into the bar. He and the other man goggled at each other. Shamad told the man to direct his stream at him and he walked in. He put out the fire and gave the lady a good soaking for being crazy. He watched as the militia started questioning witnesses. He gave his statement and went to the Drowning Wench. He hoped to get information there. He didn't get anything. The place was deserted. He got a drink and went back to the Bismark, seeing as everyone was there. He sat at a table. He heard the mage who helped him mention a book. He decided to get a look before the night ended. He didn't see a way to get into the conversation without being weird so he moved to the table next to the mage. They yapped on and on, saying many words but nothing at the same time. He floated a fireball over his hand, making it many colors. He heard the crazy lady call the subject of the conversation nonsense. He spouted off and blushed for his trouble. He giggled as the conversation went on. A strange Miqo'te came in and talked to the waitress. The waitress glared at Shamad's group. He glared back. The strange Miqo'te walked up and Shamad waved. She walked up and asked about an author. He didn't know who it was. He wished her luck in her search. The Miqo'te let out a frustrated outburst. He offered to help. She declined and got into the conversation. He introduced himself as Tai. Wouldn't do for strangers to know his real name. They chatted on about books and what not until he heard an outburst from the counter. An arrogant looking Lalafell was making a nuisance of herself. He offered to help the Miqo'te again and the other Lalafell shoved herself into the conversation. The Miqo'te went over to talk to her and Shamad relaxed. Suddenly one of the people at the table had an accident. His chair broke. The Miqo'te ran over and helped him up. She introduced herself as Katt. They chatted a little more until the annoying Lalafell stuck her nose in again. He followed Katt to the table just to annoy the other Lalafell. He succeeded. When he heard her name, he stiffened, apologized and went to another table. Just as he sat down, the head chef came screaming out of the kitchen saying something about a cooking competition. He wanted no part. He watched as Katt entered the competition. He went back to Nanapariri's table and introduced himself. She offered Katt a prize to win and Shamad asked her why she was in Limsa Lominsa. She was looking for workers. HE offered his services but seeing as he had no talents, she turned him away. They watched as the competition got under way. A Hyur walked in and whispered into Shamad's ear. "You are needed outside sir." Shamad got up and followed the Hyur. Re: Thunderwalking - Shamadconde - 07-18-2010 Shamad followed the Hyur outside. They stopped by a statue. Shamad waited for the other person the Hyur had promised. He looked at the statue. It was a statue of a seagull. He saw something odd at the base. It was a tiny sword carved into the stone. He heard a throat clear. He looked up and saw a Miqo’te in the uniform of the Ul’dahn guard. She looked down at him with an expression that made his blood freeze. He could sense that whatever she was going to tell him, it wasn’t good. She started speaking and didn’t stop until she was done. “Shamad of the Conde tribe? I have some very bad news for you. Your family is dead. Your parents and all their siblings were found massacred in the middle of the desert. They had been all killed by decapitation. It doesn’t look like they suffered. Among the bodies, they found something strange. A piece of parchment was found in the middle of the carnage. Inside they found two necklaces and another, smaller, piece of parchment with writing on it. We haven’t been able to decipher it. Maybe you can read it.” She handed over a package. Inside was a piece of paper and the necklaces. When he touched the necklaces, he gasped. They both had a spell on them. The Conde tribe was such a large tribe that things often got mixed up, so a family spell had been made. Each member cast a unique signature onto their possessions. These two necklaces were his brothers’. He thought they had been killed in Ala Mhigo. What were their necklaces doing there? He unfolded the paper. The writing was haphazard and the language was archaic. It looked like it been written in blood. It said: Witness, We have killed your family. We killed your brothers to prevent this catastrophe from coming true. We are going to kill you. You will not find the Nad ma Kal. You must not. It is all according to prophecy. Turn yourself in and we will show mercy. Run and your life will end slowly on the edge of a knife. This is your final and only warning. The People. He looked up at the Hyur and Miqo’te. “Please leave me alone. I need some time.” They nodded and left. They mentioned they would be at the Drowning Wench when he was ready. He sank down and sat, back against the statue’s base, his legs splayed out in front of him. He read the letter again. He looked on the back and saw more writing. He read it. Magic of the Gods, it comes again An ancient war, it yet starts Its new master it seeks, who shall use it and die, yet still live on What shall stand against its coming? The progeny shall kneel Blood feeds blood. Blood calls blood. Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be. The Witness stands alone He searches for the blades Two paths before him, one to peace and death, one to war and eternal life Which will he choose? Which will he choose? What arm shelters? What arm slays? Blood feeds blood. Blood calls blood. Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be. The Witness bleeds The blades are revealed The hunt is now begun. The Peoples’ hounds search and kill The blood of the Witness waters the desert The time of pain has come Blood feeds blood. Blood calls blood. Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be. The Nadma Kal awaits The seed of the twelve thrive and search Death shall sow and cities burn, before the Echo comes Death shall reap and gods mourn, before the Echo Comes Again the seed gather and kill, before the Echo comes Now the Echo comes He started pounding his fists against the statue’s base. He felt his skin split where he cut it earlier and felt blood flow. He didn’t feel it. He stopped as he heard a slight grinding sound from behind him. He looked down. Where the sword had been was a little slot, just big enough for his finger. He reached in and pulled out a ring. It was gold with little swords all around the inside. It had a little ruby chip set on the outside. He slipped it on. The world turned red then went back to normal. He stood up and looked at the statue. The hole was gone and so was the sword. He walked around it, looking for more. He saw a bright spot in the middle of the base. He looked closely. It looked like another sword glowing. It was like looking at the sun through a piece of paper. He looked at the ring, then the light, then the ring, then the light. He had an idea. He placed the ruby part of the ring against the light. He saw the stone melt and reform into a chip of stone about the size of his palm. He pulled off the chip and examined it. It was part of a map! He wrapped up his hands and put the chip into his pocket. He wasn’t ready to face the two messengers. He went back to the Bismark with the intention to get blackout drunk. Re: Thunderwalking - Shamadconde - 07-19-2010 Shamad walked into the Bismark and headed straight for the bar. He immediately ordered a whiskey and downed it. Nanapariri ordered a round of drinks for the bar. He saluted her with his mug and drained it. He looked around the room as he played with his new ring. He noticed the cover of Siben’s book had something strange on it. He was a little buzzed by now but far from drunk. He needed to look at that book. He acted drunk, weaving his way across the room and slurring asked to see the book. Siben gave it to him with a look of pain on his face. Shamad stared drunkenly at the cover. There was a giant red sword across it corner to corner. He hadn’t seen that before. Carefully he pulled off his ring. The sword disappeared. He slipped the ring back on. It reappeared. He thought there might be more to it. He opened the cover. There was red writing on the inside. He stared at it and memorized it. It said: So it begins. Since you are reading this, it is apparent you have found a Ring of Seeing. Do not lose it. You will never get another chance at this marvelous journey. Look through this tome. You will see 5 paintings. Find them and follow the directions you get. We wish you luck. You will need it. Across the bottom was a giant CB. He flipped through the book. The paged with the paintings were bordered by red swords. He was starting to think whoever was responsible had a rather unhealthy obsession with red swords. He memorized the titles of the paintings. The Ladies, The Battle for Right, Calm Before the Storm, Time Never Ends and The Hand and The Lily. They all looked like beautiful paintings. He needed a reason to leave for a minute. He thought of the grossest thing he knew, aldgoat cheese. He turned green and ran out wildly. He turned the corner outside and puked. After he finished, he took out the ring, necklaces, and other valuables. He placed them in the hole he made by lifting the cobblestone he just puked on and digging a little. He was still going to get absolutely blasted and he knew some of the patrons would have sticky fingers. He cast a spell on the cobblestone to make it absolutely unnoticeable after he checked all around for any witnesses. There were none. He went back inside and ordered another whiskey. And another. By the time he finished his second one, he was out like a candle. Meanwhile the Hyur and the Miqo'te had been waiting at the Drowning Wench for quite long enough. They grabbed the other member of their group and started walking to the Bismark. They were just in time. Re: Thunderwalking - Shamadconde - 07-21-2010 The trio opened the door to the Bismark and saw a Miqo'te leaning over Shamad. The Lalafell ran forward and stopped the blade just in time. The Miqo'te jumped back and hissed “He must die!” The other two ran forward just in time to get stabbed in the legs. They spun around and whipped their swords out. They looked down at the Lalafells with blood on their daggers. They stabbed them in the head and died. The last of the trio and the Miqo'te attacker started wrestling. They knocked Shamad off his stool. He woke up slowly. He heard a yowl and looked over to see the Lalafell stick the Miqo'te's knife in her chest. Shamad grabbed the pendant off her neck. The Lalafell grabbed Shamad and ran out of the tavern. Shamad was dragged to the Drowning Wench. They ran up to the inn and into a room. Shamad was thrown on the bed. He passed out immediately. When he woke up several hours later, his face hurt and the other Lalafell was staring at him. "Why does my face hurt?" "Because I've been punching you for the past few hours." "Why? What have I done to do deserve being punched in the face repeatedly?" "You got my partners killed. I need to know why! I was punching you to wake you up. Plus it felt good!" "I understand...I think. How did I get them killed exactly?" "The one who was going to kill you had two partners it would seem. They stabbed both of my partners in the leg. I suspect they used poison on their blades. They all died too quickly for it to be anything else. I barely scratched your attacker. They were coming after you specifically. I want to know why." "Ok. Fine. We'll need to go back to the Bismark first. But first I need your name. I can't just call you He-Who-Punches-Me." "It's Alantin. Let's go." They left the Drowning Wench inn and walked to the Bismark. Shamad led Alantin around the corner and pointed at a vomit encrusted stone. "The explanation is under there." Shamad dug up the stone and retrieved the contents of the hole. They left the stone where it was. They ran to middle level of the Mizzenmast. They took a table and sat down. Shamad pulled out the notes and necklaces. He explained everything that had happened to him. He kept the ring to himself. He didn't think Alantin would approve or allow him to pursue the Crimson Blades. Alantin nodded throughout. "So we need to kill these people? How do we find them?" Shamad touched the two pendants he had. "With these. I can sense a direction to go when I hold them. I have no idea what we find there though. Can't be good." Alantin nodded. "Let's wait here for a while. We can decide in a week. It will give you some time to grieve too. I'll arrange a room for us." Shamad nodded and sat back. He ordered some food and contemplated his ring. He had to make a decision. It was going to be difficult either way. Re: Thunderwalking - Shamadconde - 07-25-2010 Shamad took the week and considered his options. He decided on the last day. He would go find and destroy the Nadma Kal. The map pieces weren't going anywhere and they certainly weren't trying to kill him. He and Alantin grabbed their possessions and left Limsa Lominsa. They took a boat to Vylbrand, following Shamad's sense of direction. They spent a few days scouting the island. They found a compound at the base of the volcano. It looked to be patrolled day and night. They waited until night before they did anything. They grabbed one of the guards. The idiot had been staring at a fire when they captured him. They tied him to a tree and started interrogating him. He was missing a few things by the time they were done. He was a very stubborn man and the information was very precious. Alantin and Shamad were apathetic about what to do with the guard. They flipped a coin. Heads they leave him alive; tails they kill him. It came up heads. They left him tied to the tree after removing his tongue. Shamad studied the map they had drawn with the guard's direction. It was in the shape of Llymlaen's symbol. Apparently the People had discovered this series of caverns centuries ago and killed any who stumbled upon it. Shamad gripped the pendant he had gotten from the Miqo'te assassin. In his mind he could feel a pull towards the compound. They started walking to the outskirts of the target. Just as they were out of sight of the guard, he started yelling incoherently. They ran back and decapitated him. They had given him a chance and he blew it. They hid in the bushes for an hour or so. No one came to investigate. They waited until dark and approached the tunnel entrance. They killed the guards and hid the bodies after stripping off their uniforms. The tunnels were dimly lit by torches. They walked through the tunnels, guided by the pull Shamad felt. After an hour or so, they approached the central chamber. Alantin peeked around the corner and quickly pulled his head back. "There are 5 people in there. Look for yourself." So Shamad did. He peeked around the corner and saw the room. He saw a chamber that was brightly lit and shaped like a bowl. There was a raised dais with something glowing on it. Surrounding the dais were 5 people, one of each race. He looked closely. They were all female. He guessed it made sense. Llymlaen was female after all. All five turned as one. They called out. “We know you are there Shamad. Come down here. We will not hurt you even though you have killed some of our guardians.” Shamad looked startled. He stared back at Alantin. Alantin shrugged and stared back. They both stood up and walked down to the women. Alantin and Shamad were confident they could kill the women if necessary. They all greeted Shamad somberly. “Why have you killed our guardians? There was no need to do that.” Shamad got angry. “Why?! Why did I do it?! Because you are hunting me! You have killed my family and everyone of my blood!” He whipped out the letters and threw it at their feet. The Lalafell picked them up and read them. The color in her face drained. She showed them to the others. They started whispering to each other. The Lalafell approached. “Where did you get the prophecy? It looks to have been corrupted.” Shamad looked at her with contempt. “I got it when the messengers told me about my entire tribe being slaughtered. It was found among the bodies. But you already know that. They also found two very distinctive necklaces. They belonged to my brothers. We always believed they were killed in Ala Mhigo but that letter throws that theory out.” She looked troubled. She walked back to the others. They talked a little more. The Lalafell came back. “I know you won’t believe me but we didn’t do it. The prophecy is supposed to be a joyous thing but someone added some words to it to make it and you seem evil. It really goes: Magic of the Gods, it comes again An ancient war, it yet starts Its new master it seeks, who shall use it and die, yet still live on What shall stand against its coming? The progeny shall kneel Blood feeds blood. Blood calls blood. Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be. The Witness stands alone He searches for the blades Two paths before him, one to peace and death, one to war and eternal life Which will he choose? Which will he choose? What arm shelters? What arm slays? Blood feeds blood. Blood calls blood. Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be. The Witness bleeds The blades are revealed The hunt is now begun. The Peoples’ hounds search and hope The blood of the Witness waters the desert The time of pain has come Blood feeds blood. Blood calls blood. Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be. The Nadma Kal awaits The seed of the twelve thrive and search Death shall sow and cities burn, before the Echo comes Death shall reap and gods mourn, before the Echo Comes Again the seed gather and worship, before the Echo comes Now the Echo comes As you can see the part about us killing is wrong. You are the chosen one. We have known for the past six months that you were coming. All the People do.” Shamad looked into her face. He didn’t see any guile. He nodded. “I still don’t trust you. I will need proof that you are as benign as you say.” She looked at him with surprise. “I never said we were benign. We do kill intruders. This power is a very dangerous thing after all. We only trust you because the Nadma Kal chose you. I am curious though. How did you find us?” Shamad shrugged and showed the pendant. “I see. I don’t know how you got it but I know for a fact that was stolen years ago. We keep a close count on our locators and that one disappeared about 15 years ago. About the time of the Garlean attack I believe. Maybe whoever stole it also killed your family and brothers.” Shamad nodded. It made sense. She walked over the dais and picked something up. She led them to a clear spot on the floor. “Before we can hand over the Nadama Vron, we need you to prove who you are.” She unrolled a map of Eorzea.”Mark the locations of the other compounds. If you fail, you will be killed. If you succeed, we will hand over the Nadama Vron and you can be on your way.” Shamad swallowed hard. He closed his eyes, concentrated on that pulling sensation, and grabbed the quill. He opened them and put 12 exes on the map. There didn’t seem to be a pattern. She picked up the map and took it back to the others. They all gasped and turned around to stare at him. The Lalafell ran over and kissed his hand. Shamad jerked it back. “No one has ever done it! In a thousand years no one has ever gotten them all correct. We will now give you the Nadama Vron.” She stood up and started to go to the others. Shamad grabbed her hand. “Before you do that, I need some questions answered.” She stopped and nodded. “First, what is the Nadma Kal?” She considered the question. “We don’t really know other than a very powerful spell. We do know that it is alive and can only be used through the use of twelve bracelets, one for each god. We found this and the other networks of tunnels about 1000 years ago. We suspect they were created when the Nadma Kal arrived here. The 5 families who found them devoted their lives to protecting the spell. We have passed the tradition for a very long time. Did you have any other questions?” Shamad considered for a minute. “No. You just answered them all.” She nodded and motioned him to follow her. He and Alantin walked to the dais. They looked at Alantin. “I’m afraid he is not allowed to see this. We know he is your companion. That is the only reason he has been allowed to stay.” Alantin looked mad but he walked back to the entrance. Shamad looked at the dais. On it was a dome of shimmering light. He reached forward and was zapped for his trouble. The women each cut her left palm and as one, drew the wave symbol of Llymlaen on spots arranged around the dome. The dome disappeared and they all motioned for him to pick up the bracelet that lay in the middle. It was only as wide as his little finger and was the color green. He picked it up and felt a nice rush of power. He put it on his left wrist and clicked it shut. He grimaced with pain as he felt spikes pop out and puncture his skin. He felt it shrink until it was welded to his skin. The pain stopped and the bracelet turned transparent. He could barely tell it was there. All the women clapped and cheered. Shamad made his goodbyes and left with Alantin. For the next month they traveled around Eorzea, retrieving each bracelet. When Shamad put the last one on, a voice starting talking in his head. "You must come to me to get the full power you have been seeking. Come to me and we shall live forever!" In his head a map popped up. There was a bright spot marking the place he needed to go. It was near a place by the name of Al'mian Oasis. There he would go to get his reward. Re: Thunderwalking - Shamadconde - 07-27-2010 Shamad and Alantin walked into the Al'Mian Oasis, dusty and tired. They had covered themselves in brown cloth to protect them from the sun and dust. They entered the tavern and took seats after dropping their packs. They ordered water. Shamad rubbed his wrists where the Nadama lay and whimpered about finding the Aertheryte. Alantin patted his back. A Miqo'te wearing a lot of jewelry walked and nodded at them. They both nodded back and didn't bother with her further. She wouldn't know anything anyway. They watched a Hyur stumble in, bleeding and mumbling. They both got up and healed him. They then watched as he made an ass of himself. Shamad sat backk at the table and Alantin sat at the bar to get a room, food and information. They were treated to a show by the colorful Miqo'te and threw gil to her. Alantin ordered the food and got what he needed from the barkeep. He walked over to Shamad. "We have a room. Lets drop off our gear and eat. The Aetheryte is only 3 malms away. We can walk there easily." Shamad nodded and followed Alantin to the room. They took off their over-robes and dropped their packs. They went downstairs for a pleasant lunch and left the tavern, walking in a south-east direction. They didn't see the Hyur woman follow them. They walked at a brisk pace, not giving the heat a second thought. They made it to the Aetheryte in good time. Shamad heard the voice from his accident in his head. "Come. Touch this Aetheryte and recieve your reward." Shamad walked forward and touched the Aetheryte, not seeing the look of greed and lust on Alantin's face. His vision narrowed to a white point and then expanded to a vision of a lovely woman. She kept changing races. First Lalafell, then Hyur, then Miqo'te, then Elezen, and finally Roegadyn. The pattern repeated over and over. He heard a voice in his mind. "Congratulations on being able to complete the Nadma Kal. I will now bestow the knowledge necessary to use the spell." He saw images as information flooded his mind. A particular one stuck out to him. It was an amulet that felt very familiar. "What is that amulet? It seems familiar to me." She looked at him in alarm. "Where did you see it?! That is my sworn enemy! It is the Aman D'masam! I was created all those years ago to destroy it and I failed. It slipped out during the explosion that destroyed the island." Shamad was alarmed. "I wrote about it in a journal after my "accident" that you caused. Did I see it before? I hope so. If not, then the boy I wrote about is real and that is a very bad thing." She looked worried. "Looks like you need to find out if it is here or not. It won't be easy. Look for someone who seems to use magic too freely and does things that seem impossible." Shamad nodded. "Looks like I'm done. Thank you again!" She bowed and the vision disappeared. He took his hands off the Aetheryte and turned around. He was greeted by a knife thrusting towards his heart. He was quick but not quick enough. He was only able to deflect it into his shoulder and pushed Alantin away hard. He looked at Alantin in shock. "Why?! Why did you stab me?" Alantin looked at him with contempt. "I stabbed you because I could. It is time for this farce to end. Give me the Nadma Kal and I will let you live." He made grabbing gestures at Shamad. Shamad responded by putting up his strongest shield, made stronger by the bracelets. Alantin stepped back and took off his shirt. His chest started glowing in the middle. Lines of dusky light spread from the glow and settled in various parts of Alantin's body. His hands, forehead, throat and feet glowed different colors. Alantin started to float. He was yelling as he went. "You cannot beat me Shamad. I am the one who killed your entire family. I've been waiting for 100 years for you to come. I've murdered and tortured my way to you. I hired people to kill you. I corrupted your mind with my past and got you to write that journal. Now I'm going to kill you and kill my enemy. The Nadma Kal will be mine to destroy. Now die!" He sent a bolt of absolute darkness at Shamad. The bracelets went incandescent and giant bubble of pure power surrounded Alantin. The bolt bounced around the inside of the bubble. Alantin started to swear. The bracelets detached themselves and entered the bubble. They lined up and created 12 concentric bubbles of the elements. They were arranged just right to create the perfect explosion. The bubbles mixed and the explosion was mostly contained by the power bubble. The uncontained portion knocked Shamad and his bubble into the Aetheryte. As he lost consciousness, he heard the voice. "Goodbye Shamad. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to kill my enemy. I used all my power to kill him. Goodbye forever Shamad." He passed out. He didn't wake when he was picked up and taken away. Re: Thunderwalking - Shamadconde - 08-01-2010 The Wildwood Elezen woman carried Shamad all the way to the Oasis. She had him over her shoulder and covered with a cloth to keep the sun and sand off him. She had splinted his legs and his left arm just to be safe. She walked into the tavern and asked for the key to Shamad's room. Shamad woke up and looked around. He saw the three people who had started the riot at the Bismark and started screaming. He yelled to the rest of the tavern about it. She carried him back to his room and set him on the bed. "I'm going to get you a doctor. That was quite the explosion and you need to be looked at." He nodded and she went downstairs. She took a seat at the bar and waited. She waited for a while. A Miqo'te walked up."You seem somewhat worried. Is something wrong?" The Elezen looked back at the Miqo'te. "Do you know if there is a doctor here? There is a Lalafell that needs some medical attention. He was caught on the edge of an explosion and was thrown into an Aetheryte." The Miqo'te once again surveyed the crowd, raising an eye brow before looking back to the Elezen woman."From the looks of it, I'd say not... Then again that Roegadyn seemed to have been treated rather recently..." She pondered for a moment, as if lost in thought, and then returned her attention to the woman. "I'm no doctor myself, but perhaps I can be of some assistance, I've treated minor wounds on myself and some others. How bad is he hurt?" The Elezen sighed. "I suspect broken or at least fractured legs and arm. There is also the possibility of internal bleeding and a concussion. What bleeding he had, I stopped when I carried him here. Anything you can do would be appreciated." She nodded and stood. "Take me to him. I'll do what I can." The Elezen led the Miqo'te to room 5. Shamad was on the bed, his legs and left arm splinted. He had bruises on his face and his red eyes were slits. His left shoulder was stitched and there was dried blood in his blond hair. He groaned and tried to reach for the water on the bedside table. He rolled back, unable to reach. "Damn my short arms." The Miqo'te handed Shamad the water. "Can you tell me your name?" She put on a warm smile. He looked at her a little suspiciously. "Who are you and why are you here?" He looked at the Elezen. "For that matter, who are you and why are YOU here? Thanks for saving me but I still need to know who you are. My trust is a little strained right now." The Elezen looked startled and thought back. She hadn't mentioned her name to anyone. "It's Chalinda and this is...." She pointed at the Miqo'te. "My name is Nedral, a swordswoman of sorts with more than one skill than the blade. I've offered my assistance to Chalinda to see if there was anything I could do about your wounds." She chided slightly at the Lalafells attitude. "Though I can leave you here to writhe if you'd like, waiting for a doctor that I'm sure won't come. It would be hell to travel back to Ul'dah in your condition." Shamad felt like an ass. "I apologize, Nedral. I just had my best friend try to kill me. I'm Shamad and anything you can do would be much appreciated." He smiled weakly.She nodded once again, returning her smile, and handed Shamad the water. She then picked up his wounded arm gently and began un-wrapping the splint. "I apologize in advance if this hurts, but I need to check for broken bones. It won't be for a minute" She probed his tiny arm with her fingers as gently as she could then, when satisfied, set it down then moved to his legs, removing the splints and examining them similarly. It hurt. A lot. When she was finished she sighed and smiled. "Well, nothing life threatening, but you'll be in pain for a while. You have a fracture in your arm, but it will heal quickly with the proper care. Your legs are in better condition, not broken but the bones and surrounding muscle are severely bruised, it will be some time before you're able to walk again unassisted." She examined the wound on his shoulder, probing around it much in the same manner though more carefully. "This was well tended," she said turning to Chalinda, nodding. "Some bruising will be expected just so long as you don't over extend yourself and tear the sutures." Nedral reached behind her and produced from underneath her cloak a messenger bag. She rummaged through the bag and produced a medium sized glass container. "This is an ointment that I picked up from a merchent in Ul'dah. It will help with the pain and swelling." She motioned to his wounds. "May I?" Shamad nodded. "How long do you think before I can walk?" He didn't want to have to spend too much time bedridden. Nedral removed the lid from the container and scooped out a green paste and began working it into the skin of his arm. "Well, you should be able to walk now aided with a cain or staff," she moved on to his legs, taking more of the paste from the container. "But I would wait a while and rest before attempting it, it's up to you." She applied some of the paste to his shoulder, being gentle over the stitches, and then wiped her hands clean on her trousers. When she was done, she capped the container then set it on the table next to the bed. "You can keep that one, I bought two. Now, as far as a concussion goes, you seem to be coherent enough so if you do have one, it's minor and should heal on its own. But, it’s hard to tell with the lighting in this room and your eyes are a most peculiar color and that doesn't help." She took up the splints she had taken off and reapplied them to his arm and legs then brushed her hair back. "Chalinda said she was worried about some internal bleeding. I'm no doctor, but I can check for internal bruises. Were you thrown into the Aetheryte from the front or back?" Shamad thought back and gave her an appreciative look. "I hit it with my back. Knocked me out and certainly didn't tickle." Nedral chuckled slightly, her smile broadening a little before retracting in slight pain from her bruised nose. "No I imagine it didn't. I'll need you to turn over and examine your back." She said. Shamad turned over with her help. He was uncomfortable on his front. He was uncomfortable on his back. He was screwed either way. As he turned over, he asked a question. "What happened to your nose?" Nedral lifted the back of Shamad's shirt, grimacing at the sight. It was horribly bruised, the skin broken in some places but nothing severe. "This is going to hurt..." She said more to herself than to him. "What happened to your nose?" he asked her. She ran her fingers over his back, feeling for bruised internals, careful to be as gentle as possible. "Have you ever taken a line shot to the face by a very large and very angry Roegadyn after hitting a hard wood floor face first then a wine bottle was broken over your hand, its shards cutting your face in myriad places?" She replied, continuing her examination. He giggled a little then grunted. It hurt. "In fact yes. Only it was a stone training floor, a beer bottle and a drunk combat instructor. He was teaching me a lesson about taking a punch. The key is to ride the punch backwards. You don't and skull fractures are extremely possible." She finished her examination then reached for the ointment and applied some to his back. She smiled to herself, her mood lifting at the sound of the tiny man's giggle. "Luckily for me I escaped with a broken nose and naught much else." She was quiet for a moment as she finished applying the ointment, returning it to the night table. "Can't say the same for him though." Her tone was a little darker. After a moment she stood, sliding her bag back under her cloak, then helped Shamad turn back onto his back. "There's no major damage done to your internals, though I cannot tell if there is any bleeding but you do not have a fever so my guess is you're fine. But again, I'm no doctor, I would travel to Ul'dah as soon as you’re comfortable enough to travel by coach and find a doctor there. I'm sorry I couldn't be of any more help to you." Shamad nodded as he turned over. "Hope you castrated him. A punch to the face hurts like hell. You've been a great help. As soon as I can move freely, I'll go to Ul'dah. I hope you don't get hurt again." Nedral smiled, thinking after Luther again. "I've got my own personal giant to watch over me now, though he's a little too over protective of me for my taste, though he's welcome enough." Nedral took a step back to the door, looking at Chalinda, then back to Shamad, speaking to them both. "I will leave you to your rest now, should you require anything else of me, I will be staying the night here so feel free to ask." And with that, she nodded to them both and left the room. Shamad and Chalinda looked at each other after Nedral left. Chalinda closed the door and approached Shamad. She sat on the bed and looked at his splints. "Are you in a lot of pain?" Shamad shrugged. "I'm not comfortable by any stretch of the imagination but I can deal." She nodded. "I figured as much. You hit that Aetheryte pretty hard. Are you hungry? No? Well I'm going to go downstairs and get something to eat. I'll be back with the food. We will have a nice talk when I get back. Chalinda came downstairs and approached Nedral's table. She dropped a medium bag of gil on her table. "For your trouble." She went to the bar and sat down. Nedral watched Chalinda approach the table and place the bag of gil on the table. She raised an eye brow but the woman was off to the bar before she could reply. Nedral eyed the bag for a moment then picked it up and moved to the bar, sitting next to Chalinda. She plopped the bag down between them then grabbed her tail and idly played with its hair. "There's no need. I recently came into a good deal of gil, besides, Shamad could use it more than I. For his doctor's fee that is." Chalinda pushed the bag back to Nedral. "You don't need to worry about Shamad and his doctor's fee. It will all be taken care of by the people I represent. They have a need for him. That's why I was sent to this sand trap. You earned the money. Especially considering his rudeness. I have already sent for a doctor by linkshell. He will be here tomorrow." Chalinda smiled at Nedral. "Where did you learn your medical skills? They are far surpassing mine. All I know is battlefield medicine. Splint this, sew that, it’s too late, put him out of his misery. That sort of stuff." Nedral thought for a moment, eyeing the bag of gil not really as a want, but more just because it was something to look at. It took her a moment to respond when she finally came back she shrugged slightly. "When I was young, my mother was a nurse of sorts so I learned a bit from her. My Master taught me most of what I know, though, and a lot is due to experience on the battle field. I'm also somewhat of a botanist; there are a lot of flowers and plants about that have restorative properties and one needs to know these things if one is to be a good botanist." She pondered to herself, lost in thought. "Might I ask why you have need of Shamad?" Chalinda sighed. "I'm afraid I don't know." She lied. "All I do know is that I got orders to come here and talk to him. Just as I got here, he and his friend walk out into the desert. I followed them to an Aetheryte and all hell broke loose. Shamad touched the Aetheryte and when he turned around, his friend tried to stab him. There was talk about some sort of war and his friend admitted he had killed all of Shamad's clan. There were some artifacts floating around and then there was an explosion. I was untouched thanks to me being behind a sand dune that blocked the shockwave. I saw Shamad's friend was gone and I did what I could for him and brought him here. Sorry. I'm babbling. I've just never seen anything like that." Nedral's brow furrowed as she listened to the story. Nedral broke from her reverie, releasing her tail. "I'm sure not many have witnessed such a thing. I know what it's like to be betrayed by a friend, I can sympathize with what he's going through. However, if you'd like some company getting him to Ul'dah, I'm sure Luther, my Roegadyn companion, and myself wouldn't mind going with you. It'd be a bit of back tracking, but should you be attacked it might be nice to have some extra hands." Chalinda looked startled. "I will have to discuss that with Shamad. I personally would love a couple more hands on the way back to Ul'dah. In fact I'll do that now since it seems the bartender has gone missing somewhere. I will be right back." She ran upstairs . She entered the room and approached Shamad. “Nedral wants to come with us when we go back to Ul’dah.” Shamad pondered. “Ok. I don’t want to go back but if I have to then I would be ok with it. When she came back, she was beaming. "He said yes. He doesn't want to go to Ul'dah but he will if the doctor orders it. He would prefer to stay here. Only Nald'thal knows why. Either way I'm going back to Ul'dah.” Nedral smiled and nodded, her tail swishing slightly behind her. "Thats good news. I look forward to the travel. And he'll thank us by the end, whether he wants to go or not." Chalinda put her hand to her ear. She murmured to herself and nodded. She looked over at Nedral. "The doctor is here. He practically killed his chocobos getting here. He has also brought HER!" The doors opened and two Lalafells walked in. The male walked up to Chalinda. "I'm Dr. Darei and this is my nurse, Serenla." He gestured at a female Lalafell who seemed to have the build of a Roegadyn. Chalinda goggled at her. The doctor paid no attention. "Where is the patient?" Chalinda handed him the key. The doctor and the scary looking Lalafell went upstairs. The doctor and monstrous nurse entered the room. The nurse brusquely grabbed Shamad and pulled off his clothes. Shamad screamed as the nurse held him down and the doctor poked and prodded mercilessly. The doctor ignored Shamad’s screams and started healing carefully. When he finished, he finally spoke. “You are very lucky to be alive. Who rubbed that paste on you? It saved your life.” Shamad described Nedral to him. “Ah I see. This is Serenla. You are going to need physical therapy for the next month and she will stay here with you you do it.” Serela grinned evilly at Shamad. Shamad fainted in terror. The doctor came downstairs. "Well I've healed what I could but he needs physical therapy. I'm going to leave Serenla here with him to facilitate it. He wants to stay here and I figure things will be hard enough for him without forcing him to go somewhere else." He looked over at Nedral. "That paste you have is very good stuff. He'll need it in the coming month." He turned around and headed toward the door. Nedral didn't even have time to respond to the man before he was off and heading towards the door. As he opened it, the doctor nearly ran into a very large Roegadyn, who startled the poor Lalafell. "Well 'ey there lil' fellah'! Didn't see yah there." He mused, his tone deep but humorous. "Best to watch yer step, don't want to squish ya!" He laughed as the Lalafell huffed then continued out the door. The Roegadyn looked around and, upon spying Nedral, smiled and walked over to her. "Allo Princess. Scoutin's all clear, nothin' of note to report." He looked over to the Elezen sitting next to Nedral and smiled. "And who might this one be?" he asked, his ever persistent smile growing larger. The corner of Nedral's eye twitched a little but she smiled. "I was beginning to wonder about you Luther; afraid you might have wandered off into the desert." She turned around and waved a hand at Chalinda. "Luther, Chalinda. Chalinda, Luther." Chalinda stared up at Luther. "Well aren't you the tall one. I hope you are better company then I am. She'll need it!" She turned to Nedral. "Princess?" Nedral sighed, cupping her hand over her face for a moment before replying, shaking her head slightly. "I've no ties to any royalties, Luther just likes to call me that." She glared at him. "Even though I've told him repeatedly not to." "Well, you ought to be." He mused, a wide grin on his face. "And I'm plenty 'o good company. 'Er majesty needs someone to keep 'er out 'o trouble." Again he laughed and sat down, stretching is legs and arms. "So what's on the agenda?" He asked. "Well," she started. "I know the doctor came, so I'm not sure if you still plan on returning to Ul'dah, Chalinda, if not then we stick to our original plan and head north and eventually make our way down to Limsa Lominsa." Chalinda put her finger to her chin and thought. She nodded. "I'm going back to Ul'dah. I'm going to have Shamad meet me there after he is better." She got up and went upstairs. She entered the room and saw Shamad was passed out. She gave Serenla a look of irritation. “When he wakes up tell him to meet me outside the gates of Ul’dah. We have things to discuss. She closed to door and went back downstairs. "Shall we go or did you want to wait until tomorrow?" Nedral pondered for a moment, looking to Luther who shrugged. "Up to you." He said. Nedral turned to Chalinda. " I would like to go back to Ul'dah, actually, there's something I'd like to check on. Is Shamad going to be alright traveling on his own?" Chalinda chuckled. "Oh not right now. He will be in a month. He'll travel then." Nedral nodded. "Then let's leave on the morrow, I'm still a little weary from the heat." She stretched her arms over her head and let out a much needed yawn. "That and I could stand to sleep in a bed for once." She chuckled slightly. Chalinda nodded and got herself a room. She slept like a rock until morning. She left before dawn, leaving Nedral behind. Re: Thunderwalking - Shamadconde - 08-26-2010 Shamad woke up and groaned. He hurt all over. He rolled over and was graced with the "lovely" sight of Serenla naked. He groaned again. That was an image he would never get out of his head. She got dressed, dressed him, and carried him downstairs. She plopped him at a table and strapped him into the chair. "I'll get you some breakfast and then therapy starts!" She said in a deep voice that was oh so completely wrong for a Lalafell as she rubbed her hands with glee. Shamad shuddered and started his mental exercises to get himself emotionally away from what was going to happen. A placid expression suffused his face. Serenla glanced at the other two patrons. She looked behind the bar and seeing no one, hopped behind the counter and cooked breakfast. The smell was offensive and cloying. She brought the two plates to the table and plopped one down in front of Shamad. He took one sniff and pushed it away. Serenla gave him an evil look. "It's good for you and will help you become strong again. If you don't start eating it, I will force feed you." She flexed an arm. "As you can see, I have the ability and the desire to do it." Shamad gave her face a long look and shoveled it in without tasting it. It was an ability that came in handy sometimes. Serenla chuckled and ate her food with gusto. Serenla belched and grinned at Shamad. Shamad shrank back as far as he could. She unstrapped him and, in front of the Twelve and everybody, stood him up and took all his clothes except his undies. He gasped and attempted to cover himself. She laughed and pulled out a jar. She took out a big dollop of green goop and liberally rubbed it all over him. He gasped, giggled, and blushed as she spread the stuff. She redressed him and strapped a harness on him. She put a similar harness on herself and connected the two with a rope. She grinned at him. He wished she would stop that. "Here is how your therapy will be performed. I like to run therefore YOU like to run. We are going on a brisk jog around the oasis. You can either run or be dragged. Now lets go!" Shamad started to hyperventilate. "Don't I get a say?!" She shook her head and walked them out the door. He was proud he didn't start screaming until they had made it around the corner. They ran at a furious pace and Shamad eventually was dragged for a few yards. Serenla gave a snort of disgust and picked him up by the harness. Serenla opened the door. Dangling from her huge fist was Shamad in his harness. She was harangueing him in her deep and disturbing voice. "That was pathetic! You didn't even make it half way around! You had better do a better job tomorrow or we'll move on to something more bone breaking." She plopped him into a chair. "I'm going to finish my run. You stay here and don't be hassling the wait staff." She ran out the door with a cackle. Shamad shuddered. Shamad sat with some discomfort. That "lady" ran like the wind and he ran like a rock. "You know, Shamad, I could have Luther come down and set her straight." She smiled sheepishly. "He's got a few pounds on her." Shamad shakily got up and, using the chairs for support, toddled over near their table so he wouldn't have to yell. "That's ok Nedral. As much as I hate her right now, she is here to help me. I'm guessing she's being a jerk just so I will get well as fast as I can so she'll go away. Besides I'm not sure Luther could take her. It would be an interesting fight though. I'll let you know when I get to that point." He looked around the bar. "Where is the wait staff?" Tadir looked around, wondering where the cute bartender from last night went as well, then shrugged. "Do you want a drink?" Without waiting for an answer he dropped his barstool to all four legs again, stood up and leaned over the bar. He scooted a bit farther so his feet were off the ground, kicking slightly to keep his balance. "...got one!" he grunted before slipping off the bar and returning to his feet with a glass full of beer. He set it on the bar next to his and Nedral's chairs. "Join us? I'm sure you could tell us an intere..." Tadir's eyes widened slightly and he started to grin as he realized Shamad is a Dunesfolk. He coughed, "uh, I'm sure you could tell an interesting story." Shamad looked at the goofy grin on Tadir's face and grinned himself. He carefully got up and, wincing, sat between them. He took a sip of the beer and sighed. "What do you want to know?" Nedral was a little relieved at the change of attnetion and she sat back in her chair and crossed her arms, her tail shifting back and forth gently behind her. She let out a yawn and tilted her head to either side, stretching. She became lost in thought for several minutes, staring off into space, taking a single glance back at the stairway to the bedrooms before going back to her lost state. As Tadir was considering what question to ask, Shamad pulled a folded piece of paper, sealed with wax, out of his shirt. He slid it to Nedral. "Chalinda left this for you." Nedral's ears perked up as she broke from her reverie. She looked to Shamad then to the note on the table. She picked it up, turning it over once, then slid her thumb under the fold and broke the seal with a snap as the wax broke in half. She unfolded the letter and began reading it. Her dual colored eyes narrowed for a moment then looked up to the door, then back to the letter. She refolded the letter and slid it back to Shamad, eyeing him curiously. "It would seem Chalinda isn't happy with your present company." She nodded to him, signaling him to read the letter. Shamad read the letter. His eyes widened. He looked pleadingly at Nedral. "I would very grateful for anything you can do. I don't feel like being broken." Nedral pondered, coming in and out of awareness. She sat forward, resting her elbows on the table, clasped her hands together and looked between Shamad and Tadir. "First thing is to get you away from Serenla, I would prefer it not come to blows in doing so, but so be it should it. The second is we should get you to Ul'dah, as that was the original plan before the good doctor showed up. Chalinda relayed some importance to me, but did not express much urgency, so I'd say we have some time to devise a plan to safely secret you away." Tadir watches the exchange between the two for several minutes before finally interjecting with his questions. "So, what exactly happened that caused you to have need for Serenla's services in the first place? Last night you were brought in with rather extensive injuries. Today you don't seem to be quite up to normal movement. It takes quite a bit to take someone beyond healing magic." He smiled at Nedral, hoping she would understand the shift of emphasis. Considering her reluctance to answer, Tadir doesn't think she will mind. Shamad sighed. "To make a long story short, clan was killed. Went looking for the killers with someone who became my friend during the journey. The ones I suspected weren't it and I was given access to a powerful artifact. We journeyed for a while, putting the artifact together. The last step involved going to the Aetheryte near here. I finished the artifact and my partner tried to kill me. A fight ensued and the explosion marking the end threw me into the Aetheryte rather hard. Chalinda carried back here and you know the rest." He took a long pull on the beer. "I have a very strong suspicion that Serenla will be quite a while. Lets go to my room and we can carefully rifle through her stuff." She nodded in agreement to Shamad. "You think she's hiding something?" she asked. Shamad nodded. "I certainly hope so. You can't look like that without SOMETHING illegal to enhance yourself." Shamad carefully made his way to the stairs, wincing all the way. Nedral gave Tadir an apologetic look. "We'll be right back." She said then got up and followed after Shamad, offering him some help as they made their way to his room. "Chalinda said that her linkshell sent the doctor and his, uh, assistant so hastily because of some use they require of you. Any idea what that might be, if I may ask?" While passing her room, she gave two gentle knocks on the door. Shamad thought for a bit as they entered his room. "I have some idea but I don't think I will be able to help them. They might want to get their hands on that artifact I talked about but it was destroyed during the fight." He grabbed Serenla's pack and dumped out the contents. "You know herbs and what not.....what here is illegal?" Nedral watched Shamad dump the contents out then began rummaging through them. "Hmmm, do you have any parts of the artifact?" She asked, then came upon three different corked vials. She lifted a vial filled with a murky gray liquid, uncorked it and brought it to her nose. Her nose twitched and she replaced the cork. "This is a fungi based steroid, though not illegal it is rather potent. It would explain her unusual size." She placed the vial down and grabbed the next, a greenish liquid. Like before, she uncorked the vial and took a whiff. "This is a form of Aloe used to treat, uh, itching or rashes." She quickly set it down. She picked up the last vial, a clear silky liquid jumbled about inside. She removed the cork, put it to her nose and immediately took it away, turning her head. She coughed and quickly put the cork back on. "Ok, this one is illegal, at least in this region. It's Datura Stramonium, known by many names but most commonly called Devil's Weed." She brought the vial close to her eyes to inspect. "It's often fatal in large doses, however, it's main purpose is a hallucinogen. In small doses it can cause a person to see things they normally wouldn't and, as a by product, it can sometimes be used to recall suppressed memories or, most commonly, the person will spill any secret they may have." She turned her head to Shamad. "Have any secrets you don't want anyone to know?" Shamad watched as she inspected the contents of Serenla's bag. "The artifact no longer exists. I do know the spell it controlled or at least how it worked. It'll take another thousand years for it reform the artifact, if it ever does that is. What is the penalty for that Devil's Weed? If the penalty isn't harsh enough, we could always slip a fairly large dose of it in her food....." She pondered Shamad's question. "Well, back in my d-- Many years ago the penalty for such a toxin would have been death, should it be used for malicious purposes. Now, as this type of thing is somewhat more common, a long prison sentence would most likely be involved, but I cannot say for sure." She smiled a bit. "We could administer a large dose to her, should you plan on killing her. But, a small enough dosage mixed with some alcohol might get her to talk, if she has anything to say. It's also worth noting that this is a rather large amount of Devil's Weed and, considering the size and proportions of any Lalafell, this amount could keep one subdued for well over a month, possibly two." Shamad clapped his hands with glee then winced. "That wasn't the most brilliant thing to do. Let's put everything back except the crazy weed. It doesn't matter if we put it back the way they were in there originally. She isn't the most organized person in the world. I need a nap. That run tired me out along with turning my hair white. I will leave getting the truth out of Serenla to you. I would only be a hindrance to the operation." He toddled over to the bed and lay down. Nedral stared at Shamad's back and went back downstairs. Re: Thunderwalking - Shamadconde - 08-26-2010 Serenla huffed and puffed as she walked into the inn in the Al'mian Oasis. That was a great run, even with that pipsqueak slowing her down. She looked around the common room. All she saw was the Miqo'te and Hyur from earlier. She headed for the stairs. Nedral looked up from her drink as the Lalafell walked into the bar, breathing rather heavily, looked around then headed towards the stairs. Nedral set her drink down and got up, slightly interjecting herself between the stairs and the woman, putting her hand out slightly to further bar the path. "Excuse me, sorry. Serenla, right? Shamad wanted me to tell you that he's resting and he doesn't want to be disturbed. Your little run tired him out." Nedral signaled to an empty seat at the table for Serenla to sit in. "Would you like a drink?" Serenla gave Nedral a searching look. She shrugged. "I guess I can stand him sleeping. It will help him heal at least." She followed Nedral to the table and took a seat. She got a glass of water and drained it. "There we go. Now I'm ready to drink." Nedral forced a polite smile and lifted up the bottle she had gotten from the bar. "This one is empty, I'm afraid. What would you like? I'll get it for you." She said and made her way to the bar. Serenla put a sausage finger to her cleft chin in thought. "Any oosquai? It's my favorite. You'll know it by a blue label with a flame border." Nedral began rummaging through the different bottles and finally found one with the blue label with flames on the back wall. It was nearly empty, but there was enough for at least three more glasses. "Aha, here it is." She announced. She grabbed an empty glass from the front of the bar with one hand while retrieving the vial from her pocket with the other, then turned back to the bottle. She upturned the vial for a moment then uncorked it and squeezed one drop of the liquid from the cork into the glass while pouring the drink at the same time. She quickly recorked the vial and slipped it back into her pocket. She then grabbed another bottle and, while carrying the oosquai as well, went back to the table and set the glass and bottles down, sliding the glass to Serenla. "Here you are." She said, pouring a drink for herself. Serenla took the glass and downed the contents. Her face turned red and she pounded on the table with her open hand. "That's the stuff!" She coughed with tears in her eyes. Her face went placid and she started to drool a little. She looked at Nedral dreamily. "Did you know you have a caterpillar on your nose?" Nedral gently scratched her bruised nose. She seemed to hear something no else could. "Me either." Nedral said aloud then grabbed the blue labeled bottle and leaned forward. "Another drink?" She didn't bother to wait for a response and filled Serenla's glass. "So tell me, Serenla," she leaned back, setting the bottle back on the table and took a sip of her own drink. "How long do you think it will take Shamad to recover?" Serenla hiccupped and took a sip. "He's almost recovered now. All he really needs is exercise and sleep. That won't stop me though." She stared at the walls as if there was something moving on them. Nedral stopped mid-drink, an eye brow perking up, and she set her glass down then ran her hand through her hair. "Stop you from what? I mean, if he's almost healed shouldn't you head back to Ul'dah?" Serenla snorted, an ugly sound. "Not hardly. I still need to extract the information from him. It's a matter of pride. A Shari never leaves without completing her mission. I'm going to have fun squeezing everything out of him." She stood up and started pacing. "First I'm going to break his legs. It wouldn't do if he could get away. Then if he won't tell me what I need to know, I'll carefully peel him a little. I know how to do that without killing you know. It's a matter of heat. You can't bleed through cauterized flesh. I could just skip all this fun torture and just drug him but where is the fun in that? Anyway after I'm done peeling him, I might do a couple nonessential amputations. Then I'll kill him. He will have confessed everything by then. After all that fun wetwork, it will be back to the Garlean Empire for me!" She sat down and drained her glass. She shook it at Nedral, indicating a desire for a refill. Nedral laughed loudly then removed her cloak and stood up, placing the cloak on her chair. She moved around to the other side of the table and took a seat next to Serenla, still giggling slightly. She grabbed the blue labeled bottle and graciously filled Serenla's glass, emptying the bottle. "Sorry, but the image of his little body squirming under a hot blade is quite comical." She took a measured sip of her own drink then, lowering herself somewhat to meet Serenla's statute, put her arm around Serenla's shoulders. "But you have to tell me; what kind of secret are you expecting to get out?" She chuckled maniacally. "You've struck the curiosity of the cat." Serenla joined in her laughter. "The secret of the Nadma Kal. It is a legendary weapon the has been tracked for the past 1000 years. There was a powerful island nation that was in the middle of a civil war. Both sides made powerful weapons, one upping each other in lethality. Both sides' weapon research culminated in a living weapon. The two weapons hated each other with an unholy passion. The Nadma Kal and the Aman Saem were only deployed once. The island was wiped off the map. We tracked the twelve pieces of the Nadma Kal to Eorzea. We don't know where Aman Saem is but we search continuously for it. We have been watching for the Nadma Kal's avatar and Shamad is it. We have been instructed to watch for someone who suffers from Aetheryte sickness and comes out with blond hair and red eyes. As you know, Shamad has those features. He should know how to make the weapon and we will possess it!" Nedral's eyes widened slightly, wondering if what Serenla referred to is the same artifact that Shamad had that was destroyed. "Mmm," she muffled with a mouth full of her drink before swallowing. "And who is 'we'? Perhaps I can help you." Serenla looked at her with astonishment. "You've never heard of the Shari? No. I guess you wouldn't. 'We' are the branch of the Garlean Secret Service responsible for spying and assassination. There are very few of us for obvious reasons." "Ahh, I see. Well, I'm quite good with assassinations. I've got just the thing for them," she reached into her pocket and produced the vial of the clear liquid and held it out for Serenla to see. "This will knock 'em out and get them talking before they even realize it. Enough can kill." Nedral smirked, looking Serenla directly in the eye. Serenla looked at the bottle, paled, and started to shriek. She stood up shakily and started for the door wobbling. Shamad's eyes popped open at the sound of the screaming. Nedral stood, walked up to Serenla, grabbed the front of her shirt, lifted her up then carried her back to the table and slammed her down on its surface hard enough to knock the wind out of her. Nedral looked down on her, holding the vial up so she could see. "Be silent, wench." She said then uncorked the vial, grabbed Serenla by the cheeks, forcing her mouth open, and went to pour the liquid in her mouth. Nedral stopped suddenly, looking around the room for a moment then back to Serenla and her eyes narrowed. "This must be done, Aixa." She replied. Nedral thought for a moment then re-corked the vial then drew her sword. A flash of blue steel followed the shing of the blade out of its sheath. She held the blade up to Serenla's throat. "Any last words?" Serenla didn't say anything. She hocked a loogie at Nedral and looked at her balefully. Nedral flinched as the saliva hit her face. She grinned then ran the blade through the Lalafell's neck, twisting it hard. A sickening pop sounded out about the bar and she removed the blade, watching the life leave Serenla's eyes. "Damnit." She said to no one in particular as she looked at the dead body. She cleaned her blade on Serenla's shirt, sheathed the sword then grabbed her cloak and headed up the stairs. She banged on the door to her room. "Luther, wake up!" she shouted then moved to Shamad's room and entered. "It's done." she said. Shamad sighed with relief. "Did she suffer?" He saw she was getting ready to leave. "Are we leaving already?" "She suffered enough towards the end." She turned at the sound of heavy footfall on the wood floor. "What's all this then, princess? I was havin' a good dream." Luther said, rubbing an eye for dramatic effect, Nedral knowing full well he wasn't tired. She turned back to Shamad. "It would be prudent that we leave now, lest anyone find the body." She moved over to the bed and started to help Shamad. "Body?" Luther scratched his head. "I had to deal with something." She said then looked to Shamad once again. "You should probably let Luther carry you for now until we're a safe distance. We can talk on the way." Luther picked up Shamad carefully and carried him out of the inn. The trio walked to the outskirts of town. They were amazed to find a carriage with a sleeping Lalafell inside. They were all astonished to find it was Dr. Darei. Shamad motioned for Luther to lower him down. Luther lowered him to the level of the bad doctor. Shamad pantomimed to Nedral for the Devil Weed. She handed it to him. He dripped a tiny drop into the doctor's open mouth. The doctor sat up licking his lips and looking very sleepy. They pushed their way into the carriage and they took off for Ul'dah with Luther driving. Luther stopped the carriage 5 miles away from the Al'mian Oasis. He climbed in, rocking the carriage. He nodded to his companion and the Lalafell they were helping. Shamad nodded back and gave the doctor a hard look and turned to Nedral. "I don't know what questions to ask or how to ask them. I'm only familiar with brute force interrogation. Can you ask him the right questions?" Nedral nodded to Shamad then looked to the doctor. His eyes were swimming and slightly glazed, but he should still be coherent enough to respond to questioning. She situated herself to a more comfortable position, moving her sword sheath slightly then leaned a little closing, shooting Shamad a slight glance. "He's a little more out of it than Serenla was, but we should be able to get something out of him." She ran a hand through her hair then grabbed the doctor's collar and slapped him across the face slightly. "Hey, pay attention. There we go, that's better. Now tell me, what were your orders regarding Shamad? Who sent you and what was to be done with him?" The doctor shook his head. "I am Serenla's apprentice. She doesn't tell me anything interesting. All I know is that we were to come to this oasis and get some information from some Lalafell. Apparently the information is really important. She wouldn't tell me anything else." "Apprentice?" Nedral shook him a little bit when she saw his eyes begin to roll. "I don't think I believe you. Where were you headed in such a hurry? Why not stay with Serenla if you were the apprentice?" The doctor's eyes rolled back to Nedral. "She told me the information was too important to risk me bungling everything. She sent me back to the carriage and told me to wait for her, even if it took a month. Also I get sick at the sight of blood." Shamad paled and started to shake. Her eyes narrowed as she listened to the man ramble on. She turned to Shamad and saw him begin to shake, the blood leaving his face. She let the doctor go and grabbed Shamad's shoulders, trying to calm him down. "Are you alright? Was it something he said?" She asked, sharing a glance with Luther. Shamad looked up at Nedral. "What did they want with me? He's insinuating they had plans to hurt me. I don't want to be hurt. I don't like being hurt." He shuddered again. Nedral sighed then gave the the doctor a threatening look. She grabbed his collar again and shook him a little more violently to bring him to attention. "Serenla must have given you some indication as to why they wanted Shamad. If you can't remember, my big friend here," she motioned to Luther, who gave an evil grin and cracked his knuckles. "Would be more than happy to extract any other information out of you and leave you here in the middle of the desert to rot. So speak up!" The doctor glanced at Luther and gulped. He started to sweat. "I did hear rumors about a weapon being found. It's entirely possible that you are the target. Or not. The Shari pull all sorts of duties." Shamad leaped across the carriage and proceeded to strangle the doctor. Nedral reacted immediately and pulled Shamad off the doctor. She had some trouble keeping him still as he struggled against her grip. She handed him off to luther who had little trouble holding him back. "There, there litt'l guy. What's all the fuss about?" Luther asked, trying to calm him down. Nedral checked the doctor, who slipped into a state of unconsciousness. She laid him out on the seat then turned to Shamad and Luther. "Serenla also mentioned this Shari group, what is it?" Shamad struggled in Luther's arms but he couldn't get free. "I heard about them from my traveling companion. They are spies, saboteurs, and assassins who answer to no one. They just wander around Eorzea doing what they think is best for the Garlean Empire. I've made a promise to myself to kill every one I come across." Nedral's eyes narrowed as she watched Shamad struggle. She turned back to the doctor and sat him up, slapping him a few times. He snapped out of whatever reverie he was in and his eyes widened as he became aware of his surroundings and of the struggling Shamad. "Hey, you mentioned the Shari. Where can we find them? And what do you know about this 'weapon'?" "The Shari? You can't find them. They find you and they eliminate you. As for the weapon.... It's the most powerful we know of. The Nadma Kal is out there and you know how it works!" He pointed his trembling finger at Shamad. Shamad trembled in Luther's arms and made strangling sounds. She looked between the two Lalafell, sharing a quick glance with Luther then punched the doctor full on in the face, knocking him out completely. "That'll be enough, thank you doctor." She said then turned her attention back to Shamad. "Are you alright? He won't be able to answer any more questions, looks like you gave him a little more than he should have had." She nodded to Luther, who loosened his grip on Shamad. Shamad whimpered and sat next to Nedral. "I was hoping that nightmare was over. Did Serenla say those things too?" He rocked back and forth in his seat. Nedral nodded. "She did." She placed a hand on Shamad's shoulder and smiled warmly. "It'll be okay for now. It will be a few days before this Shari group realizes you've slipped through their fingers. That gives us enough time to plan our next move." Nedral stood and moved to the other seat next to the doctor. She removed the vial of devils weed poison, uncorking it, then poured the rest of it down the doctors throat and left the vial on the seat next to him. "Now, do you know anything about this weapon he mentioned? Why does he think you know how it works?" She asked. Shamad looked at her with trepidation. "Because I do. 6 months ago I had an accident while traveling home with my unit. I entered the Aetheryte green eyed and brown haired. I saw a vision of the destruction of an island and how it happened. I left the Aetheryte looking like I do now. That weapon is or was alive. To create it requires people to die. A lot of people. I don't want it to come back." Nedral froze for a long moment, thinking hard, trying to remember something fleeting and losing it. She shook her head slightly. "Do you know where it is?" "It destroyed itself to kill its enemy. The explosion is what threw me into that Aetheryte. I really hope it can't come back. No one should have that much power." Nedral nodded then picked up the dying Lalafell, opened the door to the carriage and threw him out side, along with the empty vial. "We should get to Ul'dah as soon as we're able." She motioned to Luther who went back out side and sat in the driver's seat, and coaxed the two chocobos to start moving again. "They probably do not know that it's been destroyed if they're after you. You think they'll stop if they know?" She asked, sitting across from him. Shamad took a deep breath and sighed. "I don't know. I doubt it though. I do know how to make the damn thing and it is incredibly powerful." He rubbed his forearms. "And painful." He cleared his throat. "Enough about me. Tell me about you guys. You've done so much for me and I don't know anything beyond your names. Plus you kick ass." Nedral sat in thought for a long moment, seeming lost a few times, her lips moving a bit as if she were speaking very, very low. When she came to she studied Shamad for a moment. He appeared to be much more worse for wear than he did this morning. Stress has that effect, she mused to herself. "So what now? I know you must be anxious to go after this Shari group, but you're still not in any condition to fight." Shamad glanced at Nedral. "I've been worse. I think all I need is crutches. As for going after the Shari...... I'll wait in Ul'dah until I can walk without assistance. Nice dodge by the way." Nedral's ears twitched slightly and she tilted her head slightly, brows furrowing. "Dodge?" Then she realized she spaced his question. "Oh, no, I wasn't dodging it. Sorry." She ran a hand through her hair and stretched her arms out a bit. "Well, there's not much to tell, really. I met Luther roughly two years ago in Limsa Lominsa; he was in with a pretty nasty pirate who had Luther held captive. I come from Gridania, I spent some years in Ishard as well. Luther and I travel around, well he follows me mostly figuring he's in debt to me for saving him, but we have no clear goal or direction. Well, at least until now anyway." Shamad held out his hand. "Good to meet you. How long do you think it will take to get to Ul'dah?" Nedral smiled and took his hand, shaking it slightly. "And you. It shouldn't take more than a day, day and a half maybe, by carriage. And that's assuming we have water and food for the chocobos. I didn't check when we got on." Nedral had Luther stop the carriage. They found more than enough food and water for everyone. They traveled to Ul'dah without incident.