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Post by Tiger on Feb 22, 2013 19:38:38 GMT -5
Rhigor listened, expressionless, to King Altador's explanation. It was possible the king was possessed or brainwashed, but even Rhigor's paranoia only went so far.
"All right...I'll bite for now. I guess she's been docile enough." He'd still keep his eye on the sorceress, but King Altador didn't really need to know about that.
Before the conversation could continue, Saeryennan and a faerie came through the door, wearing expressions Rhigor was used to seeing on the faces of his haggard, haunted clients. "Trouble, I'd guess," the brown Lupe said in probably unwanted answer to Altador's question. He prowled toward the door, nose twitching. He couldn't smell much over the scents of the party guests and the pastries.
Then again, he wouldn't be able to smell a ghost if one lurked in the ballroom. Rhigor edged past the two pets, hoping neither they nor King Altador would notice him lloping off to investigate. For a moment, he thought he saw the shadow Xweetok from the shool - but then he was gone. Either a trick of Rhig's eyes or more ghost business.
He hovered near the garden door, ears turned toward whatever conversation might be going on in the garden.
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Post by Dju on Feb 22, 2013 21:02:51 GMT -5
((Huzzah, I was so excited to get back to this! Saeryena posted that she was taking a break from the internet (except Neopets) a few days back, I sent her a neomail asking if she'd like us to wait for her. I think it'd be best if we do, but I'm not sure since I just sent it. XD ))
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Post by Dju on Feb 26, 2013 11:37:09 GMT -5
(( Woo! Sae is back now! :3 ))
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2013 15:36:52 GMT -5
The King watched the Lupe leave. He seemed to believe him now.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Your Majesty..." Caylin began, but then stopped. How was she supposed to tell him?
"Tell us, please!" Saeryennan begged.
Caylin took a deep breath in.
"Katriana is out," she said. "I came home from archery practice and found her prison smashed to bits. I don't know how she did it, since only my magic was able to undo that. And I didn't do it!" she added hastily.
Both Saeryennan and the King had gasped before Caylin was finished.
"Caylin," the Lupe king said, "I do not believe for a moment that you had anything to with this. There are greater powers at work here, I fear."
"NO!" Xandra screamed.
If she was here, that could only mean...bad things were to happen. Perhaps it would make Rhigor believe her, but that didn't matter. She had to tell Saeryennan and the King!
She ran out to the garden. "Altador! Saeryennan! Katriana is - "
"Yeah, we know," sighed the princess. "Caylin just told us."
"Caylin!" gasped Xandra. "Are you alright? What happened? Did she do anything to you?"
The Earth Faerie shook her head.
"No," she replied. "I came home today and just found her gone."
Schala, meanwhile, was back in Neopia. She was shaking. Quickly, ran to her sister. It had gone almost dark for a minute, but now everything was right with the world...or, at least, as far as she knew.
"Schala!" cried Mima, embracing the Cybunny. "Are you alright?"
"I'm...fine," she breathed. "That was so scary...there was a voice, and it was talking about me and the Xweetok being dead togther, and...oh, Mima!"
She trembled.
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Post by Dju on Feb 26, 2013 19:03:41 GMT -5
((Sorry for the length... XO )
Baron dodged guests from here and there – he knew he was a ghost and dodging was a complete waste of energy, but the memories of his living life were so intense he actually felt solid. He knew what that meant – the thing pursuing him was close. And there was no mistake, when the xweetok looked upwards he saw there, hanging itself against the long windows of the altadorian ball room, the silhouette of an eyrie. It’s features were hid by shadow, the big yellow eyes were monstrous and terrifying.
“That’s what he really is. He pretends to be calm, to be sane.“ Manfred thought, “He hides all his menace behind that disgusting smile of his. But when no one important is looking, he reveals his true self.”
But there was no time for exchanging unpleasant glances, he had to find Rhigor! The xweetok dug his way through the crowd until, finally, he found the lupe. “Pssssst! Pssst! Rhigor” Manfred called, popping straight out from a nearby flower vase, “There’s something I hafta show you!” he pointed towards the ceiling, and there he was – the eyrie, stading right where he was but with a much more sane look laid upon his eyes, he even smiled and waved at them as if he was waiting all along to be spotted. The creature let go of the window and glided gracefully towards them, Baron thought that was his end for sure but instead of hitting him, the Lord Kass look alike hit King Altador sending him straight to the ground!
“Forgive my manners, your Majesty. It’s part of my nature.” The young black eyrie said in the most sincerest and painful tone, touching the King’s throat with the point of his phantasmagoric falchion. Dozens of tendrils sprouted from the ground, holding all the royal family and scaring off the guests, Xandra, in particular, was being held quite tight. “Lady Alyxandra, don’t move. She’d hate if I let you go.”
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Post by Tiger on Feb 28, 2013 17:03:35 GMT -5
Rhigor scrabbled through the palace, cursing the staff who kept the floors so slippery - why, with so many paws and impractical shoes roaming about, would you want a waxed floor? When the ghost Xweetok popped out of the flower vase, Rhigor tried to come to a halt and only managed it by snatching the table as he went sailing past it.
He followed the Xweetok's gesture to the ceiling, and glared at the...ghost? It must be a ghost, but Rhigor had never seen a spirit quite like this one. If only Zee were here so Rhigor could immediately send him to a library!
The Eyrie came toward them, and Rhigor reached for one of the charms at his neck. Before he could create a shield or try to banish the creature, the Eyrie struck King Altador and brought tendrils exploding from the ground. This was going to be hell on the floor.
Scampering out into the center of the room, Rhigor snarled, "An' what is your nature, 'xactly? I'm havin' a hard time pinning it down." He titled his head down, revealing a bit of his glowing red eyes over the sunglasses. "You better let all these pets go, or I'm gonna have to get real ghost-hunter on your tail-feathers."
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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2013 14:23:13 GMT -5
"Don't worry, Alyxandra, I - URK!" King Altador yelped in surprise as the Eyrie knocked him to the ground.
"Lord Kass?!" he said, shocked. Then he looked again. No, it wasn't Kass. It did look a lot like him, though.
"No," he said. "Who are you, then?!"
"FATHER!" Saeryennan screamed. She was about to draw her sword when the tendrils grabbed her and Xandra. Xandra tried to blast them away.
"This is Katriana's doing," the Xweetok said, shaking her head.
"RHIGOR!" the princess yelped. "HELP US!"
"What is going o - oh my..."
Mima had just entered the scene, curious about the screams. Schala was eyeing the mysterious Eyrie with fear. Queen Kalara, a Green Wocky with curly orange hair who shared the sea-green eyes of Xandra, her sister, was also there.
"Xandra!" she cried.
Caylin raised her bow, ready to strike the new Eyrie with an arrow.
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Post by Dju on Mar 2, 2013 16:41:31 GMT -5
" Lower your bow, faerie, or I'll crush your friends and king." said the eyrie with his deep and hushed voice. It sounded as if, long ago, someone slit his throat and his voice box was left permanently damaged. He was very tall, equipped with broad shoulders and handsome features, but the figure itself did not look very menacing. "Who I am, your majesty, will be cleared soon enough, but be assured your sister-in-law is correct about Katriana. I am an opportunist, after all."
"As for my nature," the eyrie turned to face Rhigor, "be certain it can not be beaten by jewelry, lupe. As far as I can tell, a lot of neopets here are putting hope in you, including an acquaintance we have in common. An xweetok." he said, tilting his head towards nearby tables. Tendrils dragged from beneath them no one but Baron himself!
"RHIGOR! Don't let your guard down, you're doing a good job! KEEP IT UP! Show this Lord Kass wannabe what you're capable of!" Manfred yelled, "RUN AWAY SCHALA, and take your sister Myra with you!"
"Manfred Von Drago, who am I?" he asked in the most relaxed tone possible, ignoring all the nonsense Baron was shouting.
"You're..." Baron whispered. Suddenly, all the traces of madness were gone from his eyes - the teeth looked fewer and the mouth smaller. He stopped struggling against the tendrils. "...they call you Isen the heartless, also referred to as 'the plague' and 'the wraith reaper'...so many names."
"Go on."
"Destroyer, spirit collector, trapped for thousands of years and released two years ago with the fall of Faerieland. Responsible for the ruin of Geraptiku and countless other previous civilizations. Killed hundreds, including me. Currently in allegiance wth a faerie." the xweetok recited.
"That sums it all up." Isen smiled proudly, obviously content of being reminded of his feats. " Are you sure you want to play this game, Rhigor and Caylin?"
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Post by Tiger on Mar 5, 2013 21:49:24 GMT -5
"RHIGOR! HELP US!"
Although the young girl's cries tugged at the Lupe's heart and made his stomach drop, he tried to stay calm. "Hang in there, darlin', I'm workin' it out. Although I guess the plants'll be hangin' on for you..." Strangely, nobody ever called Rhigor comforting.
A faerie and Wocky entered the room, the faerie with a bow drawn but quickly rendered useless by the Eyrie's threat. Rhigor took note as the Eyrie talked - Katriana.
Katriana!? ...I have no idea who in the fire pitsa Moltara that is.
"As for my nature, be certain it can not be beaten by jewelry, lupe." Before Rhigor could correct him - the charms were magical artifacts, the Eyrie added, "As far as I can tell, a lot of neopets here are putting hope in you, including an acquaintance we have in common." There went his stomach, flip-flopping again. The Xweetok cheered him on, surprisingly. No pressure.
Rhigor felt his muzzle twitching as Baron named and described the Eyrie. It turned out the Kass look-alike was not the Darigan warlord risen from the grave, but Isen.
Isen!? ...Nope, no idea who he is, either. Rhigor had to admit that he didn't like the litany of titles, backstory, and statistics Baron provided.
"Okay," Rhigor said. "But is it a ghost? A spirit? Undead abomination? I mean, considerin' the circumstances I'll go outta my comfort zone if I have to, but restless spirits are sorta my specialty."
"Are you sure you want to play this game, Rhigor and Caylin?"
Rhigor tilted his head. "Look, Isen, I 'ppreciate you offerin' me a chance not t'be psychopathically murdered, or whatever party game you got goin'...but I really can't just let you murder King Altador." Expecting some form of attack, he darted into the potentially-dangerous cover of the tendrils, tossing a necklace charm into his teeth as he took the first lunging step. Around the piece he mouthed a rumbling, silibant word, and the room's temperature started to rise. Hopefully these tendrils were made of plants and not shadow or ectoplasm or the tears of children and would slump in the heightened temperature. Rhigor wasn't sure he wanted to test a direct magical attack yet; Isen might be right about his jewelry not working.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2013 15:46:28 GMT -5
Saeryennan sighed. The Lupe seemed to be trying to help, and her father...he was still under attack by Isen. She was afraid of him, as were Mima and Schala, who had both entered the scene. He said he was a reaper...
"K-Kalara!" the King cried. "Get yourself out of here!"
"But...Xandra..."
"Kaly, don't worry about me! I've been around these before!" the Xweetok said with an angry fervor. She tried to blast the tendrils off of her.
Afraid, Caylin slightly lowered her bow, but only enough so she could still strike if needed, though this Eyrie...she wasn't sure he would be affected.
"I want to know something," the Faerie said. "Only my magic could release Katriana. How did you do it?"
At the mention of Katriana's name, as if by fate, a great increase in heat startled them.
Saeryennan and Xandra knew what that meant. She was here.
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Post by Dju on Mar 9, 2013 19:21:38 GMT -5
"So many questions..." Isen sighed, turning his falchion with his hands as if everything around him was meaningless. "I'm dead. A ghost, if that’s what you’re wondering, Rhigor." he said, without taking his eyes off his weapon. Baron was still hanging upside down by the tendrils, blinking and confused while the eyrie made his speech. "I lived when Neopia was still pretty...dark. The faeries were few and wraiths were many. I was hunting in the forest when I was captured by them. Funny thing, now that I think about it." Isen said, his falchion was looking longer and thinner. The blade started to stretch, taking form of a scythe. "Wraiths feed on spirits, you see? There's enough time to think about it. They overpower you with such strength...But something happened that night and I overpowered the wraith. The pray became the hunter and ever since then I've been something of a wraith myself. A better version of one. A Reaper." "A self elected reaper, you mean." Baron hissed, in a surprisingly sane and poisonous tone. “Growing stronger with the murder. Until the faeries gathered enough strength to lock you up with the rest of your kind!” “Exactly.” Isen agreed with a content smile. “Then I came back, thanks to Lady Alyxandra and Katriana. I owe them both. And you too, Von Drago. He led me here, Caylin…led me to this peaceful kingdom with a troubled past. Full of opportunities... I killed so many times that I was able to free Katriana. We’re even now, but we’ve made another deal.” "Look, Isen, I 'ppreciate you offerin' me a chance not t'be psychopathically murdered, or whatever party game you got goin'...but I really can't just let you murder King Altador."
"I don't believe that's really up to you." Isen's feathers rose with anger. Hitting the floor with his staff sent more tendrils after the lupe, but the heat made them fragile and the plants quickly undone themselves. The eyrie's hands turned into fists, but his poker face remained intact. "I see. Interesting jewelry you've got there." "But whatever it is that you think of me, I do not enjoy party games." Isen lead his scythe not to King Altador, but to Xandra's neck, almost touching the xweetok's fur with it's blade. "I go straight to the point." ((I edited a few things ))
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Post by Tiger on Mar 11, 2013 19:36:37 GMT -5
Ghost, Rhigor thought. Good. Least I've dealt with someth'n like it before.
The news about wraiths upgrading to reapers was, well, new. Rhigor didn't like that part so much. Nor did he like the Eyrie's confidence that Rhigor's amulets wouldn't work. Maybe he'd known - and beaten - other ghost-hunters.
"I see. Interesting jewelry you've got there."
Rhigor came to a stop in the shadows of a thick cluster of tendrils, able to see th Eyrie ghost through a few slender gaps. Okay. So. Ghost-slash-Reaper Isen didn't know everything about Rhigor. He must've...seen papers or heard 'bout me from other pets. Could be how he knows my name an' what I do an' that I use the amulets.
"But whatever it is you think of me, I do not enjoy party games. I go straight to the point."
Time for subtltey: over.
Rhigor twined his fingers through the amulets, finding one charm and tossing it up into his teeth. He raced forward, darting around the tendrils, and around the metal in his mouth manged a syllable that fluttered like wings. It was a locking charm, designed to freeze a ghostly Eyrie in place for a few minutes, but Rhigor didn't expect it to work nearly as long, if at all, on a ghost this powerful. Still, you worked your way up with these things.
At best, though, Rhigor hoped it would distract the Eyrie long enough for Rhigor to make the jump to tackle him. He turned intangible as he crouched - the Lupe had learned long ago that trying to tackle something ghostly while in solid form lead more often then not to a concussion when you hit the opposite wall.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2013 18:10:59 GMT -5
((Sorry for the long delay!))
Mima and Schala gasped as Isen's falchion became a scythe. "Wraith reaper"...that could not be good. At that mention the two sisters moved protectively toward one another.
Saeryennan screamed when Isen held his scythe up to Xandra's neck.
Xandra thought carefully. How best to blast him away from her without getting decapitated?
King Altador stood up. This was not good. His daughter and sister-in-law were in danger. The ghost hunter seemed to taking care of the Eyrie, so he drew his sword and ran to the tendrils holding Saeryennan, ready to slice them.
Caylin still kept her bow pointed at Isen. If he hurt Xandra, he would answer to her...but wait. What was this?
A tall Fire Faerie walked into proximity. Her orange hair was up in a bun, and her completely black eyes, with orange flames as pupils, turned to King Altador.
"Really?" she laughed. She fired two sparks at Caylin and Altador, knocking them out.
"NO!" Saeryennan screamed. "Mother! Get help!"
The Queen ran to find some guards.
"And for those of you who do not know," she said, eyeing the school girls, Baron and Rhigor, "my name is Katriana. And I am the rightful queen of this land."
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Post by Dju on Apr 1, 2013 10:35:11 GMT -5
Isen's muscles went stiff quickly, making the scythe stop right where it was - a few inches from Xandra's neck. Instead of having a logical reaction he simply laughed.
It was juvial and relaxed, the kind of laughter a young man releases when told a very uplifting and inoccent story. With effort, turned his head to Rhigor with a smirk of approval stamped on his face"Ah, freezing spell! How ironic! I've always been fond of this, well played....well played. How long until I set free, though?"
Baron slowly slided from the dry thendrils, he fell on the floor and - given his constitution- went right through it, just like a swimmer taking a dive. His head emerged from the tiles, eyes and ears alert as always. He ran towards Schala and Mima.
"Quick, Marina and Schala! Get the HECK OUTTA HERE!" He said, trying to push them out of the ball room but - once again, given his constitution - just managed to go right through them. "When Isen's around, things tend to freeze and die. And when Miss Katri-something's around - well, I'm not sure about her methods but... the result must be the same!"
Just when Katriana walked in, once again Isen smile. This time confident and in obvious relief.
"I was starting to think you've went back on your word."
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Post by Tiger on Apr 9, 2013 22:09:53 GMT -5
Rhigor did not like when enemies laughed during a fight. Anger was good - frustration was weakness. Amusement usually meant a spook felt way too in control of the situation; Rhigor was holding out hope that someday he'd get an actual laugh at one of his wisecracks, but he didn't think he'd said anything witty enough to explain this one.
"How long until I set free, though?"
"Until I cast a counter-spell," Rhigor said instantly. It was a lie; powerful ghosts could fight the spell off and Isen was nothing if not strong. Rhigor wasn't going to share that information with the ghoul in question.
He saw Baron escape none-too-subtly from the tendrils and try to get the schoolgirls out of the room - probably a good idea at this point, though the Xweetok's execution was not so admirable.
And then the fire faerie herself walked in. She certainly looked the evil type. She also seemed the 'unholy strong magic' type, and that was confirmed when she knocked out the earth faerie and King Altador faster than Rhigor could swallow one of Zee's mini-cupcakes.
"And for those who do not know, my name is Katriana. And I am the rightful queen of this land."
Son of a Mortog - Xandra had been telling the truth about that, at least. Y'know, universe, there're other ways of provin' me wrong. Ah well - one crises at a time.
"You're a queen, huh? Wow. I'm learnin' a lot 'bout royalty today."
He sidestepped toward an overturned table, dodging around scattered deserts and snackfoods. "So, Katy - I can call you Katy, right? Thanks - I've gotta admit, Katy, I really don't see how ruinin' perfectly good parties and keepin' company with spooks is gonna make you a queen again. I've been doin' it for years and I can barely pay the rent on my hotel room. You got more to this plan than settin' things on fire and dealin' with a scythe-happy spirit?" One of his back paws landed in a puddle of punch. Rhigor stretched a front paw toward the table cloth, hoping the fire faerie would be more annoyed with his words than focused on his movements.
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