Dax shakes his head and shrugs, taking the cig out of his mouth. "Dont know... just wandering around I guess, and trying to stay away from TZM for sure..." (note: his name is Dax now instead of DTZM, lol, dont call him that, he'll get pissed. XD)

A teenage boy sat inside and against the castle walls. His clothes were plain and scruffy, his was hair clean but long and roughly hewn, it swayed as he viscously scratched words into the ground between his legs. His expression was set in a cold stare which contrasted with the remaining trails from anrgy tears on his cheeks.
Zak didn't remember much about the last few hours, just the red mist and the constant running.

"It's rare I get to sit down and share tales, long or shot, bitter or joyous. I appreciate the oppertunity." The old man pours himself a glass of his late son's wine and offers the bottle to TZM.
__
Standing between gargoyles on the tallest towers of the fortress, the fallen Angel Alinos spreads his grayed wings. "It's funny, gargoyles are grotesque, almost devilish creatures and yet they are placed on castles and churches to scare away evil spirits. Sort of darkened Angels, I suppose."

It is then that the Angel spots the distraught teen bellow. Curious to the new face, Alinos leaps from his perch, diving until just above the ground, at which point his wings open and break his fall. He makes his way over to the boy and folds his wings around his torso. "May I inquire as to your presence here and what has upset you?"

((Hey, nice to see you join in Nem.))

TZM smiled then shook his head. "Very sorry, but I do not drink, but thank you for your offer." He looked away, out the window for a moment then sighed. Do you mind if I ask an odd question?..."

((Temptation beat my lazyness in the end))

Zaks gaze moves slowly up the figure in front of him and reaches to rub furiously at his face. He tosses the stone to the side before blinking and looking at his work as if seeing it for the first time.

- only the strong survive -

"I'm not upset, I don't cry, real men don't cry."

He trys to stand but his legs give way now fatigued after their recent toil.

"DAMN" Smashing his fist into the floor and cutting his knuckles open Zak sobs once more and curls up.

"Where am I? I want my home, I want...my life."

After a bit of rest, Avalon rises, seeking out the kitchen. Too many people in this castle for comfort, he thinks to himself. After making it to the kitchen, he approaches the person he was looking for. "Ayn.. I wanted to know how you've been holding up. Do all these people in the castle bother you? Still upset..?" He was careful with his words, he did not want to anger her again.

Ayn glances up at Avalon, then smiles at him. "Don't worry about me, I'm doing much better now. I can't be mopey all my life, or I'd be boring, don't you think?" Ayn becomes fascinated with an unopened bottle of wine and tries to pull the cork off.

The wizard, intrigued, shakes his head. "Not at all, go ahead."
__
Alinos raises a puzzled eyebrow, people could be so strange. "Well, in that case would you like to come inside and rest?"

Sander is walking around, swigging drinks now and then. But all in all just looking for someone to talk to.

Rarrr i'm so bored.

It had been a while since anybody had been kind to him so Zak almost found himself distrusting this angel but he recovered enough composure to look up again and force a smile.

"That would be...nice."

He tries to stand once more and then falls unconcious back to the ground as his body finally gives up with the knowledge it had found safety

He looked away slightly and sighed. "Do you know what happened to him? Gale? " he looked back. "When we were both younger, we were good friends, and although their was a rivalry between us, we were never enemies... and yet..." He stopped for a moment. "The last time we met it was eather I was his allie... or he'd kill me, I didnt understand what was happening... for I saw a change had come over him. Would you know what change that may have been?..."

Alinos suddenly appears in the library, carrying the unconscious Zak. "No, I don't know who he is or how he got here." Without further addressing the others in the library, he places the boy down and folds his wings. "No further signs of Legion, seems he's left for now."

Onarav is silent, hesitant to admit that some of Gale's problems stemmed from the wreck he was in since Vera died. "He was...too much like his father. It seems that he met a woman, a siren, named Laena who took a genuine fancy to him. Being affection-starved, it was only a matter of time before she broke his shell, then she was killed. He's just like me when it comes to disappointment, the only reason I acted differently was because I had matured. Gale, as old as he was, was hardly ever more than a boy."

Sander, wandering around in a half sleepy daze when the girl bumbs into him. He staggers back a bit and then looks up at her face.

o...oh hi there. He puts his hand out to shake hers. The names Sander. Whats yours? He continues on. You need something to eat? Well come with me to the kitchen...

Sander leads her through the castle to the kitchen.

We'll fix you up with some food right quick.

Sander gets her some bread and a piece of fruit from the kitchen.

It's all I could find. See I'm new here, so I'm kinda on my own for this kinda thing since I don't wanna bother the other folks here. They seem to stick together.....tight group, hard to get in.

Sander sits down at the table with her, nibbling on a smaller piece of bread. He is yawning quite a bit and has his own head on the table now and then, but never really falls asleep.

Dax walked from the library to the kitchen and sat at another table, lighting his cigaret. he looked over, seeing Sadler and Alyce. he looked at Alyce for amoment and smiled slightly, his cigaret in one hand. He couldnt help checking her out slightly, but he looked away after she noticed, a slight smile on his face.

Zaks state shifted from blankness to a deep sleep, from the dark images began to surface. The dream placed him back in the field. He could see her face, her smile, the joy in her eyes all over again. And then he appeared and Zak stepped up to face him once again, and just like before, he lost.
He heard her screams and his laughing, heard the blows and the thump as her body hit the floor beside his. But he couldn't do anything about it. He was too weak, he'd already lost.

He awoke but couldn't bring himself to open his eyes, there didn't seem to be much point.

"Leanne..."

She walked up to the castle, her footsteps making no impact on the grass. Her hair blew in a wind only she felt.
What the hell am I doing here?
---
I'd heard them talking in the pub. Two of the locals complaining about a previous visitor. They said he was a strange one, that he looked far to shifty to be normal. Then the rumours started. They said that a local mystic had almost had a fit when he went past, claiming that he had no aura, no soul. They said that, if nothing else, he had certainly looked like Death warmed up... no, they corrrected that. He looked... well... dead.

So I left them. I went to find this wanderer. I'd heard little snippets about him in most places, but no-one had really seemed to notice him. Piqued my curiosity, you might say. It took me a week, just following that road. That night, I found the wanderer. He was lying in a field, one arm up as if trying to reach the stars. I just watched him to start with, but after a while it was evident he'd noticed me.
"I'm not in the mood for games. Where are you?"
Rougher than I expected, but nothing too bad. So, I intoduced myself to him. He said that he had no need to be haunted further, and started to walk off. I let him go, but caught up again the next night.
"Why do you lie in the mud?"
"How else to see the stars?"
I wasn't in the mood for philosophy, but we ended up having our little chat. He was cold, and I got a hint of some deep inner sadness from him. The wanderer was just trying to be left alone, I suppose, and I burst in on him. But still, I asked him
"What are you?"
"Lost and alone."
"We all are. But, What Are You? Why do you just wander like this? Some of us have a valid reason, but you... what's your problem?"
"[color=navy]I couldn't begin to explain to you. You've been following me for a while now, haven't you? There's a castle, a long way behind us. If anyone's still there, they might tell you what you want to know, and you will leave me in peace."
Well. Hardly a gentleman, but still. Here was someone actively interesting, and with whom I felt... well.. pity for, I suppose.
---
Yes, thankyou for that. Mental note: don't allow reminicing to get too in-depth next time.

By now, of course, she'd pretty much reached the castle gates. The wind literally whipped straight through her, but her ragged clothing blew in a different direction, her semi-transparent form leaving no physical evidence of it's existence.

Hmm. Wonder if anyone's in?

Rose wanders through the castle, stopping at a window that shows out towards the front of the castle. At a glance, she sees a half-woman approaching the castle. Blinking, she peers closely and sees a semi-transparent figure moving closer to the castle and shakes her head. "Great, more guests. Semi-transparnet ones now...I'm just going to hang a sign that says "Come see the castle of Gale! Admission: $20 for adults, $15 for students, kids under 6 months come free!" Still, a part of the curious 14 year old is magnificently intrigued by the ghostly figure approaching. Rose decides to meet the newcomer.

A couple minutes later, the door to the castle opens and Rose stands beyond its threshold, staring out at the woman.

After the initial feelings of despair Zak begins to sense the slow burning anger and determination for revenge seep through his system that had so powered his actions prior to him passing out.
He opens his eyes and takes a deep breath. Above all the current worries and questions he realises that his body needs fuel.

"Excuse me? I don't want to be of any trouble to anybody but would it be possible to have some food and water. When I regain my strength i'll make sure to repay any time and costs with work."

TZM nodded his head. "I too know what thatc an be like, as I mentioned KB... I lost her... then i was placed into Hell for crying out loud... but everyone handles things differently I guess..." he looked away. "I'm sorry if I am bothering you or hurting you for speaking of your son now..."

With the promise of food Zak manages to stand and makes his unsteady way after the woman

What is this place, who are you people? Is this a place of learning?

Sander looks to Alyce and watches her eating for a while, he's more zoning out staring at her than anything else.

Hey, I'm sure that when your done with that we can find you a room for the night. Work out in my favor to cause i need to find a place to sleep.

Walking through the hallways he spots Lara heading twoard the kitchen, followed by a man whom he'd never met. He smirks at the thought of tantalizing her for the trouble she'd lain down for him. As he neared her, he tightened his glove. "This isn't a place for romance, Abbis. You're going to bring the whole house of drama down around us here by keeping pets."

She was just contemplating actually knocking on the door, when it opened, revealing a rather young girl.
...'kay...

"Um. I was sent here by a friend. He said that there wa a library here that I might be interested in. Virtually unique, I believe he said it was"

Sander takes Alyce's hand.

Follow me, we might be walking a while, I have no clue where we are going.

The two walk down numerous hallways and find no room. Sander then falls down and slightly twists his ankle.

Oh ****er that hurt like a bitch. Sander is now limping a bit. It'll be better in the morning, lets sit down for a minute while I take a look at it. He takes her into a room with a couch and some other arbitary furniture. He takes off his boots and takes a look at his foot, as its slightly swollen.

Yeah...better in the morning.

Dax watches them go off and looks away for a moment before looking back. There was something about that woman... something didnt feal right... he got up from his seat and started after them, treading softly, using his own abilities and comand of the wind that he shared with his other half to make him rather soundless if need be. We walked behind them, staying out of sight untill he heard Sander hurt his ankle then leed her into a room. Dax looked down slightly... something just wasn't right...

Sander looks into Alyce's eyes. Yeah your probably right. Sander gets up and find a rolled up carpet in the room, he spreads it out on the floor.

I hope you don't mind, but I am truely very tired. Unless you'd rather not, you could sleep on the couch and I'll sleep here on the floor. I'm quite used to sleeping in rather...solid places...even though it is exceptionally cold in here.

Sander takes off the suit jacket that he wears, and then removes his body armor that was under it. He places his revolvers on the window sill.

That is, unless you'd rather continue walking around or find somethin else to do. Sander takes his shoes off and sits down on the carpet.

A comes to rest on Sander's shoulder. Avalon had once again escaped from the main group in the castle and was exploring the area. "Hello, Sander. I've decided, for Ayn's sake, to go around checking who's in the castle and why they're here. I understand why you're here but..." He nods to the stranger standing near Sander. ".. who is she? Does she have purpose in this castle?"

Sander, just about to lie down, looks at Avalon.

Oh hey there. She was hungry so I gave her somethin to eat and now we're lookin for a place to sleep. But I hurt myself and am too exhausted to walk anymore. What you up to...why's Ayn all nosey about everyone in here?

"She was hungry? Hmm. Make it quick then, we don't want too many people in the castle. Why is Ayn nosey about the people here? This is her home now, she has a right to know who wanders within her dwelling. Not to mention...." His eyes flicker and for a split second looks at the stranger. "..Ayn has enemies around the area. It's our job to protect her."

Rose evaluates the girl with a curious, friendly eye. "There's lots of books here. Some haven't seen the light of day for years. I'm sure we have whatever you're looking for...but first, I need to know your name, what this book's about, and-out of curiousty's sake-what you are."

At another entrance to the castle ((it's a castle, dammit, it has more than one door.)) the door is pushed open by familiar hands and a cloaked figure steps inside the castle. Riki, the biological mother of Rose, takes the hood of her long coat off and gazes absently around the castle. '"What are you doing here, Riki?" She shakes her head and shrugs. "I didn't know anybody else. I have no memories of my own before Megiddo. I have no other family, no other friends." Satisified with her reasons to enter the castle, Riki begins to make her way to the library. She walks in and gazes around, then walks to a chair like it's perfectly natural for her to be here.

Sander nods his head.

I totally understand. I'll keep my eye on her all night ok? Just let her catch some sleep alright man? You can trust me. He puts his revolver in his hand. I'll sleep with this thing in case she tries anything funny.

But what she could do that would harm anyone is beyond me. Looks at her. She's one of those innocents.

He nods towards Shadow. "Don't get ahead of yourself. I'm not accusing anybody of anything. Well, I'll be heading back now. Hope you get a good rest." He turns around and makes his way to the library.

The only response Cylas recieves is a rather crude hand gesture from Lara as she walks by. "Not really, this place use to belong to a man named Gale. He sort of went crazy and died, so now it's his sister's castle. Now people are just gathering here for whatever reason." She reaches the kitchen and sits down. "Help yourself."
__
Onarav waves his hand dismissively, and rises. "If you'll excuse me for a moment." The ancient wizard seemingly glides across the floor of the library, and faces Avalon. "You seem troubled, brother."

He looks up at hearing Onarav talk to him. "Oh, it's nothing really, Onarav. Just... doesn't it trouble you having so many people roaming in the Castle here? Many of these people had no ties to Gale or have any ties to Ayn. Do they belong here?"

TZM nods and looks over to Avalon, he himself standing. He kept quite however so that he might not interupt or show any disrespect to either of them. He couldnt help but smile slightly... he felt like his other half... always in the shadows...


~~~

Dax, hidden within the shadows stood outside of the door, leaned against the wall for confort. he looked out towards the door, studying eyes peering, ever watchful for who might come in. Something didnt feal right... but if things were ok, then whatever fine by him, heh, another gorgeouse babe to flirt with. (XD)

TZM looks over and notices Riki and stands. 'if you dont mind, I'm sure you two have business to take care of." he nodded and walked over to Riki. "Is something wrong?... you look kinda messed up."

Riki smiles lightly up at TZM. "I'm just feeling a little tired...and anxious. There's a lot I have to do, but none I really feel like doing." She laughs a little. "You know what I mean?"

He smiles slightly and sits with her. "yeah i know what you meen, I ahve alot of responcibilities and such, but... i feal like i shouldn't be the one that has all of them, and I should do more, at least i feal like i should... but I dont. " he chuckles. "Simmilar, but different I guess."

Glancing around at the cupboards and shelves with eager eyes Zak first fills a large cup with water and half drinks half spills the contents over his face. The result manages to rinse some of the layer of grime and sweat from his features.

After opening various doors he finds a store of bread and sits down with a loaf that he finishes off within short time.

He looks over at the woman who brought him here.

Thankyou ms ...?

"I couldn't tell you what it's about, as I don't know. It's the whole library I would like to see. I'm afraid I'm not overly clear on what he wanted me to find out.

As for the rest, my name is Serafine and what do you think I am? I'd imagine it would be fairly obvious. Anything else you'd like? Passport? any and all fruits and vegetables?"

Onarav shakes his head. "I'm not sure I like it either, but I have yet to reason to act. You and I know that you, me, and Vorena all possess the power to crush a threat beneath our heels like insects. Even that Demon cannot contend with us."
__
"Kousken, but call me Lara." The Abbis grabs a wine bottle and takes a swing as Zak eats.

He nods. "You're right. I'm being paranoid." He takes a step back, and tilts his head in Cylas' direction, but doesn't look at him; he then says loudly, "Take a round Bael, have us rest easy."

Cylas nods and rubs the back of his neck. Strain was aggrivating this late at night. He took off his sword and sheathe and laid it against the wall before heading out of the room. Quietly he peeked his head into every room he came across. Walking down a rather long flight of stairs into the dungeon. Curious, he walked through it deeper. "Heh.. I'll bet he had great parties here in his 2,000 year life span."

"...I'll bet he-.. eh?" Cylas' busy entertaining boredom thoughts were interrupted by the loud ring of a cell phone that echoed through the dungeon. Cylas picked it up with a friendly hello of: "Who the hell is calling me this late?"

Cylas puckers and starts walking back out of the dungeon. "So who's this then? You a fan of my decapitations, or would you just like a closer look to see how I do it? Because that's where you're going if you keep this up." He takes the phone from his ear for a short second to look at the caller ID only to see 'Unknown' in place of a number. He puts the phone back up to his ear.

He raises a brow as he rests his right hand on the top of hilt, turning around. Even with his bike light on, the strangers face is somewhat shadowed in the night. "First meetings usually warrant introductions. But you owe me more than your name, you owe me a damn good reason for calling me out here like this."

Well Lara my name's Zak, Zak Segall. I'm not to sure where I am but I guess it can't be that far from my home.

He pauses and blinks as an avalanche of emotions invade his thoughts, he forces them to the side and looks back at Lara

I can't go back there, not yet. I've spent the last ten years, since I was five, training and training to be strong. I've always been congratulated and rewarded. My father is a kind man but he built my ego untill the point where I assumed I really was good.
Well the other day I had to fight for real, I couldn't do it. I...I'm not who I thought I was and I've just been thinking. I'd like to find a new master who can teach me for real. I wondered if any of you people would be willing to have an apprentice.

Riki smiles wanly. "Yes, I see how you relate. Have you met Roselenna yet?" Riki seems to wince slightly at the name.

---
Rose laughs and waves Serafine in. "No, nothing else. Sorry about the inquistion. Ayn doesn't want any troublemakers here. Welcome to Estecia Castle, Serafine. My name is Roselenna, or Rose for short."

Avalon turns at hearing the sound of Cylas' sword hit the ground. He makes his way over, worried about his young friend. "Bael, I have you look around the castle, and you wander off to get drunk. What's the meaning of this?"

Cylas snaps from his trance and looks at Avalon. "Don't worry about it... I checked this whole place before leaving.. Every room I saw and even the dungeon..*hic*.. But I had to go to a 'meeting'... and now I'm going to have to leave the castle soon for a long time.." Cylas, slurring his words, tried to sound as composed as possible for the time being. He had other reasons for being hammered.

He examines Cylas for a second before replying. "You must have gotten bad news at this meeting. You're wasting away though, drowning yourself in that bottle. You're a strong kid, Bael, but you shouldn't deal with your problems this way. Get up now, and do something constructive."

Cylas looks at him and gets up, holding his bottle closer. "You're nuts, I'm gonna go pound a few.." Shakily, he starts to try and walk away from Avalon before nearly falling down. he rests his hand on a wall for support and to regain composure.

His face contorts, a sign of anger from being disrespected. "Leave here then, where you are in plain sight of the others. Go drink away in the dungeons, or an abandoned room. Don't come back out for the night." Avalon turns away from Cylas, obviously disgusted with him.

Cylas obeys by returning the look and hurrying out of the library, passing corridor after corridor. He finds himself in the courtyard, looking at the graves. "It's been a while..."

TZM shook his head. "No, I do not believe I ever met her..." he looked away slightly. "But Dax did I believe..." He chuckled. "sorry... heh..." He chuckled for a moment more, obviously unconfortable slightly. He looekd at her and had himself noticed her change in emotion when saying her name. "Is something wrong?..."

Frustrated, Avalon makes his way back over to where Onarav is. "That Bael kid is a walking timebomb. He has no direction in his life." He shakes his head. "So sad, living like that."

TZM looked up as he heard this, just as he had heard everything Onarav and he had said as well... as he could hear it all. he shook his head slightly. "So then what am I?..." he looked to Avalon. "I have no path, really no purpouse, I'm just some puppet now..." he glared slightly.

He is amused with TZM's question, not sure how exactly to respond however, he asks: "Where do you turn when you come to the fork in the road?"

"He looked at him streight in the eye for amoment then sighed. "the middle path..." he shook his head. "I lost my path a long time ago, before i came back here..."

He nods. "Good answer. How come I never heard of you before? What's your name? Where you from?"

Onarav nods at his brother's comment. "Aye, that is too true. The young are fools, and the old are fools with experience. Don't you agree?"
__
Lara thinks to herself when she hears Zak's query. "I'm not sure....The Gin's are talent in combat, but I don't know if they'd train you. It depends on what they think of you."

TZM sighed slightly. "My name's TZM... i haven't been here long, but I was once a friend of both Ayn and Gale... as for where i came from... a small town... nothing big, back in a place once known as Hyrule.

He looks at TZM, examining him. "Well, TZM, hope you stick around. You seem like a man of class, even if you yourself say you have no direction in life. You at least have a good head on your shoulders."

Riki shrugs and joins in their conversation. "Seems it is easier and easier to loose your way and live without a meaning. But does that mean you cannot find a new meaning?" The question seems to be more directed at herself than the others, for she gets lost in thought following it.

TZM nodded. "Thanks..." he sighed slightly. "I plan on sticking around... I have some unfiunished business to see to..." he looked back. "I never caught your name..." He was lieiong, he knewe his name, he had heard Onarov speak it several times, but he prefered to be polite.

He nods to Riki. "Anybody can find new meaning in their life. It's what kept our Gale sane at first, but he also lost his meaning and things went downhill for him." He turned back to TZM. "My name is Gin Avalon; father of the late One Avalon."

TZM nods. "Finding and losing your reason, your meaning... can be different for everyone. I've lost my reason to fight... so i gave up my weapon, although powerful... to another, an innocent. I lost my meaning very much like gale had, his loved one died, just as mine had. For a time I used her weapons to fight... my mental state unbalanced..." he stopped for a moment. "I'm sorry... I did not meen to go off of subject." he looks to Riki then Avalon. "It effects us all differently... or maybe it was becouse i spent several hundred years in a hellish prison..." he sighs slightly and sits down, still directing his speach toward them however. "As corney as it may sound... My meaning was love, and now... i have no love, no meaning... no... reason..."

Riki still seems troubled. "Do you think we are each born with a meaning? With a purpose in life?" Riki, who had been born as a vegetable, had no memories before the dragon Rikali had possessed her body and gave it the activity her brain lacked. As a result, Rikali had no memories of her own, but rather fuzzy memories that belonged to Rikali.

He waves his hand dismissively. "No, we definately all have a meaning in our life. Whether it's a good meaning, or a bad one, we all have one; and it means the world to us. Quite the morbid group, though. If you'll excuse me..." With that, Avalon steps away from the group and makes his way to the kitchen to grab a drink.

Riki flashes a genuine smile at Bern. "I've been...well, I've been trying to figure out who I am and what to do with a bunch of memories that aren't mind. In other words, bumming at the bar." She laughs a little. "It's good to see you again, Bern."

"It's treating me very finely, thank you, but some of those bruises ya gave me in the process of getting it haven't really healed all the way." Riki takes Bern's hand and shakes it firmly, also glad to see somebody who she really knew. "Of course, it doesn't help when drunken idiots think they can have their way with me, simply because I'm female, drop dead gorgoues, (sp, I know..) and alone. Some of these ol' bruises just keep coming back, and some of the local bar-goers are disappearing." She laughs again. "How have you been?"

"Hah, Bern. I know what's the matter with you. You're, well, bored! A young...man...like you shouldn't be living a drull same-shit-different-day life! You need excitment, battles and adventures. You should just go out on a quest, just to see what you find."

"I think many of us are feeling that way...look around. Everybody looks bored out of their minds, ya know?" Riki waves her hand around the room.

"Wasn't sure if you were comfortable with having your uh, true nature revealed." Riki shrugs and blushes slightly. "Pretty silly of me, I guess. I mean, there's nothing to be ashamed of about it..."

Riki laughs and nods in agreement. "So what kind of shell is that, exactly? I mean, it's obviously magical..." She winks back.

((. . . *slams head against keyboard* something needs to HAPPEN!))

Riki immeditatly blushes bright red and shifts her gaze away. "Jeez, that's a very..uhm, convincing spell!" She laughs a little.