Welcome To My Zoo

[Arage Bao]

[SIZE=18.6667px]Wayland - The Great Temple[/SIZE]​

[SIZE=10.6667px]Twisted, gnarly roots digging deep in the dark, dark mud of the surface. Hallowed screams in the night of the forest, things lurked there that your worst nightmares could not conjure, the fauna and flora of Wayland seemed to be specifically designed to [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]kill[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px] the intruders of their domain. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]Those intruders were everyone who weren’t native to the world in the first place. And yet… the Primeval seemed to feel right at home here amidst the deadly threats of the night, the alluring menacing touch of beautiful, living flowers and the old, wise gnarly exterior of the heartwoods, Khaleel did not have much of an opinion either way. He was a practical man. A man who had [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]seen[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px] so much in his life that faith could not and was not a part of his everyday life - which is not to say that he made jokes about the Gods, the mythology preached by the faithful of the Marches or anything else of the sort. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]This was what set him apart from the non-believers that plagued this Galaxy.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]He didn’t have to believe, because he already knew.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]The Underlord had looked upon the face of the Gods, shook hands with the dead and forsaken, made deals with the angelic entities that only existed within the threshold of what the common man would call [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]Existence[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px], and these experiences had left him changed, left him… [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]knowing[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]. He didn’t believe, because where knowledge had already replaced whatever hole faith would have lingered in.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]A grand temple was being established by the Primeval, it was hidden and unhidden in the jungles of Wayland, an [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]act[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px] that made it quite [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]influenceable[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px] by the deadly stalkers of the night and day. They had realized this threat, but not to its fullest extent.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]And so it had fallen upon the informal Spymaster of the Host Lord to come and solve the situation for them. Within the hold of his shuttle was an artifact of immense power, infused with the power of nature and creation it would [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]hopefully[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px] stave off the deadly beasts and mutants that were hidden by the jungles of this cruel world.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]One of his usual contacts in the threshold had parted with the artifact after some… [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]discussion [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]about the nature of the payment. The fresh claw marks digged deep in his side was one of the souvenirs Khal had received from that negotiation - better than to have his very soul be sucked from out of his ear and be enslaved for three or four eternities though.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]You never knew with those entities. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]They didn’t have much of a sense of humor when it came to business.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]His shuttle landed on the platform behind the main structure that was still under construction. It was an eerie design all things considered… organic in nature, twisted and gnarled just as the trees that surrounded it. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]Khal gingerly climbed out of the pilot chair, took the contained with the artifact from the hold of his ship and then exited it, stepping foot on the more familiar durasteel platform - hopefully this would all be worth it in the end.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px][member="Loxa Visl"][/SIZE]

 

[Blackthorne]

Tireless, the last month passed by in a blur of ritual, magick, and dark worship. In the twilight of the last moon three individuals stepped forth and in the darkness did offer their souls to the Gods. It was here that the first soul lay to rest within the ground, at the very heart of the sprawling temple of wood and vines. Within this realm a growing sense of awareness bloomed.

Each movement made by the inhabitants watched and observed by something greater than them all. As if a lingering spirit resided within the trees - in every branch, every root, every leaf. It sensed everything.

At the heartwood was where Loxa stayed, deep in meditation, filling the clearing with unspoken prayer. She'd gathered a small force of Witches; old and young, experienced and nubile, each and every one of them now had a purpose. To tend to the heartwoods, to nourish the seeds, to grow that which would serve the Gods.

"Sha'Matri Visl, a man has landed in the clearing," a young witch approached, greeting Loxa with the name granted to her by this new coven. Mother. Leader. Elder. She was now both respected and revered for all that she had grown here.

"This one knows," Loxa replied breathlessly, her voice seeming to echo from the very vines strewn across the canopy of the chamber, as through her meditation she was connected to the soul of the temple and through it she saw, felt, experienced all things within this realm. This man she had met before, briefly, on the plains of a distant planet. Loxa knew very little of him and less of his affairs within the Primeval. The Host Lord trusted him, that is what she did know and all that she would need.

"Bring him forth."

-

"Sha'Matri Visl bids you entry," the young witch greeted him from a woven vine archway that lead in through the thick tangle of treelimbs.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[SIZE=10.6667px]Khal nodded without responding - his attention was taking away from the feeling of being [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]watched[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]It was the same feeling he always got when he visited the Threshold and at this point it did nothing to disturb him anymore, but it did sign off the fact that the Matriarch of the new Witch Tribe here was exceptionally more powerful than he had first assumed. Just hit the ball home that underestimating anyone in this world was not a [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]brilliant[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px] idea by any stretch of the imagination.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]The Witch Initiate did not seem to be overly annoyed that their guest was wordlessly looking around instead of following her, but she did gesture once again for Khal to follow her, which the Underlord did this time around.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]There would be enough time for sightseeing at a later point. They wandered across the wayline, he could hear the screams of the jungle softly in the background, but they seemed to be… [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]less[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px] hostile than before.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]So perhaps the daemon hadn’t been just peddling shet like Khal had first assumed.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]Finally then they entered the room where Loxa was meditating and watching over her domain. Quite a scene, if he had ever seen one. Khal made a short, half bow that was more an inclination of the head than anything else and finally greeted the Matriarch. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]“Ma’am. Aj’Rou asked me to fix your wildlife problem, so here I am.” even after all those years the Underlord hadn’t learned a lot of proper manners, or perhaps he simply didn’t care all that much.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px][member="Loxa Visl"][/SIZE]

 

[Blackthorne]

Disuniting from a separate conscious state was a process that took time and care. Loxa maintained her meditation, watching the man enter the cavernous shade of the temple structure, wandering astray like some curious lamb from its shepherd. He was not the only curious one here and his presence, powerful enough to gain the attention of the seedsoul, drew the tentative whispers of leaves and vines.

Formless eyes watched him ever so closely, following him from area to area, seeping away from his steps yet shadowing his every move.

The temple was still quite young yet and Loxa felt through her bond with it the ebbing sense of concern. She impressed a sense of calm upon it as she slowly began to withdraw. The scent of the man's habit reached her physical self first. Strange how the heady aroma had come to her through the bond - an ultra stark wash of air against fragile babe leaves that could only be compared to the sting it brought to her nose.

Distant still as she recalled her conscience from the bond...

“Ma’am. Aj’Rou asked me to fix your wildlife problem, so here I am.”

His voice traveled to her from all directions, absorbed as easily by the temple as it was by her own ears.

"Asante," her voice answered back, echoing through the whole of the chamber as if spoken by the very branches themselves, "the Host Lord is most gracious...." and that voice began to fade, growing faint before losing itself within the shiver of leaves. Loxa opened her eyes and looked up from her meditative position, glowing golden orbes settling upon the man with a hint of curiosity, falling upon the container in his grasp, "what gift do you bring?"

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[SIZE=10.6667px]Brow lifted a [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]touch[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px].[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]They had met before on a different world. He couldn’t recall the name anymore, but it had been a battlefield, pirates and marauders trying to pin them down on some location, and it was Loxa who had come to their aid by flanking the slavers while they were committed. If Khal remembered it correctly he had actually saved her nicely-shaped behind while she was kicking the teeth in of some nasty piece of work, but with the chaos and madness raining that day they never had the time to properly acquaint themselves with one another. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]Which is why Khaleel was at least a touch surprised at the manner of speech she employed - it was rather… [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]excotic,[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px] but if Khal was anything, it was well-versed in rolling with the metaphorical punches that social interactions sometimes send his way.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]“A frozen tear from a Dchinn.” Khal replied after studying Loxa for a moment or two, he put the container on the ground and opened the lid, which revealed an ocean blue orb, the size of an adult, humanoid male’s fist. Deep inside of the orb there was a swirling of movement, pure white mixed with obsidian black. It was still alive, suspended forever into a little micro-bubble of activity that would never stop.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]“It’s infused with the energies of the Wyld, and it should make any beasts compliant. The radius is… well, it should probably be tested out, but looking at the reactions of the mutants I have seen already? It should be enough to protect the Temple at least.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px][member="Loxa Visl"][/SIZE]

 

[Blackthorne]

"Ahh, yes?" Loxa gazed from her position at the center of the chamber where the heartwood sat suspended amidst a web of roots and vines over a massive hole in the ground that dropped far down beyond range of sight. The heartwood itself, a giant, glowing red seed pod upon which the Sha'Matri stood, emitted a pulse within the Force not unlike that of a heartbeat. It was here in the chamber that the sense of awareness was the most powerful.

"This one has never heard of such things..." spoken without any sign of indignation. Loxa was well aware of her own limited education on the vast expanse of the galaxy, "where does a man find this?"

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[SIZE=10.6667px]It was not a sign of her limited knowledge on the expanse of the Galaxy that she had never heard of such things, he doubted that any [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]regulars[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px] knew of what he spoke. When billions had disappeared from the face of the Galaxy and reappeared in the Netherworld… things had changed for Khaleel, he had been fighting on Alderaan, trying to liberate the world from the vast hordes of Yuuzhan Vong that had made their home there - accidents happened and he had fallen through one of the portals that had appeared there.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]Just as those billions Khal reappeared on the other side. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]His hands red with the blood of innocents through unspeakable fury. Khal had spent… months there, years maybe, a very long time to his perspective at any rate and he had [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]seen[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px] things there. Most people spoke of fields of blades and blood, Sith Spirits run rampant, canyons that incited pure madness through simply being there.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]But Khal had been privy to the [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]other[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px] side. He had discovered an entire new world that was usually hidden from the prying eyes of the unworthy, and it opened [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]his[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px] own eyes to the reality that truly existed.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]“Too far for any starship to take you… and yet close enough that one simple step could bring you there.” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]He replied cryptically with an apologetic smile, it wasn’t something that could be [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]explained[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px] by words, it could only be shown and learned from experience.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px][member="Loxa Visl"][/SIZE]

 

[Blackthorne]

Riddles. A bare smile pulled at the Sha'Matri's expression with curious amusement.

"A man is strange," said the robed Priestess presently standing atop a massive, glowing, thrumming tree heart that fed the sentient awareness of the very structure they stood within. She did not find any sort of irony in her statement.

"This one may see the gift?" Golden eyes watched [member="Khaleel Malvern"] as he gave a simple nod and set the case down. With only the movements of his hands as visual aid the man levitated the orb from its container and lifted it with unseen tendrils of power up and over the gaping, threaded hole in the ground. Loxa lifted her own hands, exuding a gentle will upon it as it neared to direct the orb into her reach but never did touch the artifact. It remain floating, gleaming in the warm glow of the heartroot.

The Priestess hummed in intrigue before tapping into the energies of the sphere, cycling her hands through the space around it, effectively tasting the arcane aura exuded by the object. Crafted of nature, it seemed not to hold any particular bias towards dark nor light but there was an ... evident amount of curious weight to its power. She did not believe it to be dangerous nor did it seem to affect the tree.

"Sante," she said, leveling her hands beneath the orb and floating it upwards into the arching branches above. From the tangled ceiling vines crept down, curious at this strange thing, snaking around it before forming a cradle. Under her breath Loxa uttered words in a forgotten tongue. The vines slowly latched around the orb and drew it up into the canopy, forming a protective webbing around it.

Loxa quietly left her place at the center and stepped her way calmly across a bridge of braided roots to meet Khal where he stood on solid ground.

"This one remembers the planet Belkadan where a man fought with the might of many warriors beside the Host Lord. What manner of influence does a man have in the Primeval?"

 

[Arage Bao]

[SIZE=10.6667px]Khal blinked, but it was not an ordinary blink. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]There was no dust that was interfering with his ability to comfortably look, neither was it the natural blink that every human had to utilize every once in awhile, instead it was something entirely else. A ploy, a technique and a trick all together, combining into a second sight that enveloped his vision the moment the blink completed its course.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]Everything slowed and quickened at the same time, color drained away from the world as it was replaced by the black hues of nothingness and the white brightness of [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]power[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]It was in that meta-world between [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]here[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px] and [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]there[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px], that Khal saw the taste moved by Loxa and her test of the orb itself - he could almost taste it himself, even though he was so much farther away from the artifact know. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]A blink later and things resumed their usual pace, her mouth moved, words entered his system and the Underlord smiled as if all was still the same.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]“This one’s role is quite complicated.” the smile turned into a grin, filled with just the right amount of mischief, as he replied in the same manner. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]“[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]Whispers reach his ears and he shifts, and shifts until he finds those that matter. Those that do he brings to the Host Lord[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px].”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]Khaleel let that hang there for a moment, before he gave the barest of shrugs.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]“This one remembers a woman fighting with unmistakable skill. What role does she have here now?”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]Not that Malvern didn’t have his little whispers, but it was polite to hear it from the source itself before acknowledging the knowledge of it.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px][member="Loxa Visl"][/SIZE]

 

[Blackthorne]

The galaxy was full of languages and powers unknown to the Sha'Matri - a woman who had become enveloped in multiple tongues of spoken word at a very young age that were not common within the larger realm of the galaxy. To learn basic only just a few years ago left her understanding and spoken skills broken and bare at best, so to hear her dialect echoed back at her cause Loxa to pause, to tip her head in a curious degree of wonder.

A man was strange indeed.

From within her hood pale golden eyes glowed somberly in consideration of his reply, the shadow of an amiable smile just showing.

"To walk blind," Loxa replied, echoing the words of her Host Lord, voice low, "to hear the voices of the Gods and make their will known."

He had been present at the ritual nearly a month ago. He had seen her lead that ghastly ceremony of blood, death and sacrifice. What he thought of it all she would not question - it was not her place to do so.

"Much has come from the night of blood, would a man like to see?"

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Loxa Visl"]

“A man would.” the Underlord replied with a nod.

If only as a reminder to himself what kind of power zealotry truly possessed. One should never underestimate the power of sheer belief, a lesson Khaleel had learned a long time ago when he had seen how sheer belief could spawn Gods out of nowhere, how mortals were given powers beyond that which their mortality had granted them - just because a following had whispered words of belief at them every night.

The Galaxy was a strange place indeed, especially if one opened his eyes towards the unknown that was hidden within the corners of the corners.

His eyes went to the orb, now pulsating softly behind the texture of the living wood, he could still hear it echoing out to him: and strangely enough… Khal almost had the feeling it was crying, an endless sobbing that almost made him sad, its keening reminding him of a past he would have rather left buried in the slick mud and blood.

 

[Blackthorne]

"From the first seed this temple grows," the pair traipsed the bare hall of soft earth down along the main corridore towards the gaping entrance archway, "a woman's heart loyal and strong will build the foundation of faith. In the seed she lives on, reborn."

Pausing at the gateway, Loxa lifted her right hand, pressing the palm against the smooth, young barn of the woven branches forming the arch. A sensation of warmth pooled there, drawing forth curious buds and vines. Smiling, the Sha'Matri stepped away to lead [member="Khaleel Malvern"] along the footpath through the surrounding marshes and into the thick of the jungles.

"A man's heart of truth and courage makes the second seed. It will become a great ship for the Host Lord and her people to fight against her enemies."

And the third? She did not speak of it yet, her voice trailing off along with her gaze.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[SIZE=10.6667px]The higher mysteries… they implied troubling things most of the time. He had walked amongst vile and pure, and in the end there was one running theme that kept coming back to him: it was that the question of morality was created by mortals and that the Gods did not concern themselves with it whatsoever.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]It was the fact that there was no special place reserved for the vile after death, unless they themselves chose to be imprisoned by that dogma.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]It was the fact that there was no special place reserved for the pure after death, unless they themselves chose to be liberated [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]from[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px] that dogma.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]It was quite… depressing, but at the end of the day nobody really cared. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]Apathy reigned throughout the Galaxy and it was up to them to make any difference at all.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]“Fascinating, I have seen such things in my travels before.” [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]but the things he had seen were far more extreme in nature than this. This woman seemed to be at peace with her continued existence, perhaps happy to serve her people in this specific capacity.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]It was curious how the first time he had seen mention of this it had disturbed him on a deeply fundamental level… and yet now he could not even muster any emotional response at the fate of the woman.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]She chose this herself.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]“[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]Those places[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px] had never been at peace such as this one.” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px][member="Loxa Visl"][/SIZE]

 

[Blackthorne]

"Yes," Loxa replied slowly, "the soul trees are not alone in this realm, but unique, this one thinks. When the soul goes freely and with faith, great things can happen."

The soul trees had long since been a practice of the witch tribes on Aaris III, but not for such means as Loxa planned. Soul trees were often grown as a remnant of a passing elder. They were sources of worship, vessels for belief. The heartwood forest on Aaris III had long since been a favorite place for Loxa in her youth where she could find solace and the strength to carry on in a life that was most unkind. It brought great warmth to her heart to know she would now provide others with such a place as the temple.

The hollow patter of footsteps along the raised wooden walkway gave way to the soft earth as they reached the edge of the marsh and ascended a steeper hillside. Up they climbed along a thinning treeline where soil turned to gravel and stone. As they reached the precipice of what was a minor mountain ridge cutting across the valley slopes Loxa came to a stop.

"There," she lifted a hand towards the distance where their line of sight offered a view of the jungle canopy - a sea of dark greens swaying in the wind. Straight ahead, two miles out, a dark spire rose from the canopy top with thorn-like protrusions, "Eogorath grows."

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

“Beautiful…” he spoke without thinking, almost whispering before blinking as the realization settled in.

A rueful smile accompanied it, while he kept on studying the outlining form of the dark spire raised up in the air in the distance - it was an fascinating sight and one that only served to remind Khal of what was possible in this universe… as long as you let go of the restrictive nature that locked down your mind usually.

“Tell me of Eogorath.”

The question was two-fold. He was curious of the ship itself, yes, what it could do, how powerful it would be and how large it would turn out in the end, perhaps even a timetable.

But he was most curious about the seed that had created such an interesting sight, it was untrue to assume that any random soul would suffice for works of powers such as these. They needed to be… special somehow, they needed to contain the power of nature itself, strong, resilient, enough pride and creativity.

No… a random sentience would definitely not suffice.

[member="Loxa Visl"]

 

[Blackthorne]

An easy smile found its way into her expression.

"A great warrior Eogorath is. Mighty and fearless, many foe have fallen at his blade and known his ferocity," Loxa moved on, following the path that would take them to the great tree.

"The first warrior to step forward at the call, Eogorath is loyal and his faith is strong, unbreakable. Like the Mandalorian Iron, yes?"

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[SIZE=10.6667px]“Nothing is unbreakable, miss Visl.” the Underlord responded softly, while following her. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]Except me.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]They would wander, explore and Khal would watch, study intently all that was. There was a lot to see, a lot to learn and it was this trait that made him such a good Spymaster. He knew exactly when to pay attention and what information to store for later use.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]“But yes, I feel his might even here.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]The Force connected them all.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px][member="Loxa Visl"][/SIZE]

 

[Blackthorne]

"Ah?..." coy was her expression, "maybe there is better word. I do not know."

Basic was, most certainly, not her first language and still rather a work in progress for the Priestess. Fumbles were expected and she did not let them bother her much.

Eogorath stood before them, massive in comparison to the surrounding jungle of trees. He'd already overgrown the clearing made for him and overtaken many of the nearby arbres. His roots grew in great arching tangles large enough for Loxa and [member="Khaleel Malvern"] to walk under unimpeded. They curled off, nearby plants ensnared in their grasp and slowly wilting as he gorged on their nutrients. It would not be much longer before Eogorath would outgrow this very forest.

A deep rumbling sounded as Loxa stepped forward, speaking to the tree in her own tongue. Pacean was a wonderfully useful tongue in regards to such arcane things. Every word dripped with power and a connection to the ether.

Loxa leaned to place her palms against the trunk and felt the vibrations of the tree as its branches moaned high overhead.

"Eogorath remembers a man," golden eyes looked to Khal, "at the night of ritual. What does a man think of such things?"

 

[Arage Bao]

[SIZE=10.6667px]Khal craned his neck slightly. Pacean was known to him - to the same degree as Basic was known to the Priestess, but that was good enough to understand the basic gist of what she was whispering. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]It was a powerful language to be sure, humming with power when nearby arcane sources and constructs, one of the reasons he had picked it up during his travels (or was there a different reason for his knowledge?). Difficult to say these days. With as much going on around him it was getting harder and harder to pay attention to [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]everything[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]. The thought that he would have to start to delegate the shots was becoming increasingly more underlined.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]“It fascinates me.” [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6667px]useful. Though his power worked best within the cities. Amidst the forests of forged steel and glass. Surrounded by the animals of sentience, the thieves, whores, murderers and other predators of the night.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]“Why does one ask?” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]In Khal’s mind questions were never asked just for the sake of it. There was always something behind it, something to be gained, something to be discovered, paranoia run rampant perhaps. But it had kept him alive until this moment.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]No reason to ignore the thoughts now.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px][member="Loxa Visl"][/SIZE]

 

[Blackthorne]

"A man is not like the others," Loxa replied, saffron gaze strong, "even Eogorath knows."

She pulled away from the tree, approaching Khal where he stood and letting her gaze wander over his curious wardrobe.

"A man does not speak, dress, act, or pray like the rest, yet a man is comfortable in this realm. A heathen in the Primeval's eye," her accent lilted over those last few syllables as she stood before him, gazing up now at his face, reading the lines of expression and the light of his eyes, "does a man know the sanctity of the Gods? This one thinks so."

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]