Keros Divided (IC): Eruptions

The Messenger, hearing this, jumped up, "Wait a minute! You mean the Creature knew my Granny?!" He seemed shocked at the idea. Vine nodded and looked at him, "Apparently so...Widow Senna was a terrible loss to all of us...her remedies she made with the Fire Flowers saved countless lives...when many of us fell ill...she was very wise, and long ago...we even asked her to join the council...but she declined the offer." Many members of the village nodded in silent agreement. Many of them recalled as children when the Widow would visit them when they were ill. As Vine had said, she had saved many of them. "I never knew what she did in the Fiery Fields..." Vine said, "...But it seems that the Creature was with her...and possibly aided...in gathering the Fire Flowers...and as such...was assisting our Village, although indirectly..." He now appealed to the Village, "...Tell me...my people...why should we condemn a creature when she grieves...for the loss of a friend...who surely meant so much?" People once more nodded in agreement.

Vine turned back to Ryiner, "Tell the creature...we are grateful...for her kindness...both to Widow Senna...and to all of us...for helping to provide...the medicine that has saved many of us...countless times."

Meanwhile, the Messenger seemed to be in deep thought, before suddenly jumping it. "That's it. I'm sick of running. I'm coming to meet the Creature, too. If Granny could do it, than so can I!" At first, he had been to scared, but seeing now that the Creature had powerful ties to his grandmother, he had to speak with her.

"I don't care it you come, just be warned the path is quite dangerous. Many of the bridges have fallen since the volcano's awakened. several came down just as i was to cross them. But
i assume you can fly. You have wings right? Now head the warning and leave soon."

With that he once again set off towards the crater. He hear a shuffling behind him, looked back and saw the Messenger was indeed following him. Not that it mattered to Rynier. He had another though.

"Do come I think it would be a grand idea after all. If you need help crossing I'll do my best to help. And Elder I will make sure Pyrena, the creatures name, get your message. I'm sure she'll appreciate knowing she's no longer feared."

Turning to the he said. "Now lad what is your name? I'd rather like to call you something other than Messenger. It seems demeaning."

The Messenger shrugged, "You can call me Cannabis, my Ma was carrying on this weird family tradition my great-grandpa started where everyone is named after an herb." He flapped his tiny wings once, "As for my wings, no, I can't fly, but I can jump and move much faster. I can probably cross most of the lava patches by catching the thermals. That's probably how Granny got around." Cannabis, indeed was able to cross most chasms, and as such, it may have at times seemed like he could fly, although his wings were very small. He left the flying to people like Vine, who had wings large enough to carry them.

"Cannabis? Odd name indeed. Came up with mine when I first stumbled into that human village you found me in, had to call myself something. My kind are solitary. I don't even know who my parents were or even where they are. If they're still alive. It's the way we are. Now COME! we have a magma spewing Volcano to climb!"

When he said that several onlookers gave him a few stares like he was crazy. He was a bit off, but that's beside the point. With knowledge of how fast his companion could travel he took off at full speed. He looked to his side an saw that Cannabis was keeping up fine. Really he could likely pass him if he wanted. At least now they were moving.

Pyrena was busily blasting holes into the side of the volcano. She shot bright blue flames at it, which exploded upon contact. Afterwards, lava began to seep out of the new crevices, and she also enlarged areas where steam shot forth, helping the mountain vent pressure, which was already appearing to buy more time. She didn't know how much that would be, maybe a few more hours added to the five days, but it couldn't be a lot. It was still a gigantic volcano, and she was only one Elemental.

When they reached the Fiery Fields, Cannabis could not believe his eyes. From Emerald Falls, only the red clouds above the volcano were visible. He didn't know that the sky was so beautiful. "Hey, does the sky always look like that!?" He cried, as he began dodging lava floes. The volcano was plainly visible, explosions coming from its sides, and lava spewing out the new holes.

He saw Cannabis looking about as they rose higher. His comments caught his off guard for a second. He honestly didn't know.

"I have know idea. Till today I'd never been on a volcano, but I'd say no. Perhaps it Pyrena trying to relieve pressure. I won't know till we get to the top."

So they climbed higher yet till Rynier came to a halt not far from a ledge with a far drop into the valley below. He turn to his fellow traveler.

"Now up ahead I a gorge that was spanned by a bridge on my way up, but it had fallen on my way down. Do you think you can clear it? It's not too wide really, I can clear it and attach myself on the opposite wall. Then I can climb up, but can you glide across it?"

Cannabis smiled, "I don't think it'll be a problem, coming here can be considered a death wish, whether I cross the chasm or not. I can't fly, but I can jump far enough to clear it. Really, don't worry about me so much, If you can clear it, then so can I." Up ahead, another bright blue bolt exploded into the mountain. "Man! If that was Pyrena, I don't know how anyone would survive a fight with her unless they were fireproof like you."

He looked where Cannabis was staring. She was clearly busy stabilizing the volcano. He hoped she would be able to buy a few more days for the villagers, but he knew it was a fiant hope. It was true . To fight an elemental such as Pyrena was death if you didn't have abilities such as his. But thanks to him maybe things will be better between her and the villagers after this.

"Yes. But you really don't what to know what it took to fight her. I shudder at the thought of it. Needless to say its not spmething I care to repeate anytime soon. Now lets cross this chasm and continue up."

He looked away from where they had been looking and readied himself to jump. Then he took off over the side. He plummeted a short distance before he spotter a ledge to grab onto. Then he sunk his claws into the hard rock and began his way up the wall. Soon he was climbing over the edge. Then he stood and waited for Cannabis to make the gap.

Cannabis stepped back, and began to run, jumping over the cliff moments before he fell, and opened his wings, pushing back the air for an extra burst of speed. He landed on the other side and skidded a short distance before stopping. "I said that I could jump this, and trust me, I've seen larger gaps than this." He now seemed to be gaining confidence, as he had cleared the jump.

He watched Cannabis leap across the chasm and was thourly impressed with the smaller being. Perhaps he did know what he was doing. Now that he stopped to think about it Cannabis did make it all the way to Ryium in one peace.

"It seems I've underestimated you. That was rather impressive. I wonder what other tricks you have up your sleeve. Now lets go on. Hopefully most of the path up ahead is still intact. It was when I came back down and the volcano hasn't been too wily."

With his urging on they continued there way up to the summit. It was there he hoped Pyrena was waiting for him. That or shed show soon after there arrival.

Pyrena saw that Ryiner and another small creature, perhaps from the Village, was once more scaling the volcano. She stopped what she was doing and landed, shifting back into her humanoid form, "What are you doing, bringing someone else here?! As soon as you left, the volcano started to become unstable. I've blasted a million holes into it, and that's going to buy time, but there's lava everywhere! You could get hurt!" Her markings were fluctuating in color, changing from red, to orange, and even to white on occasion, as the temperature was changing.

"I'm fire proof remember? I'll be fine. My companion here is Cannabis. He wanted to meet you, though i did warn him its dangerous up here.It seems that you two both knew someone important to you both. Go ahead and speak if you want cannabis. It is why you came up here."

Cannabis knew he had to be very careful with his choice of words. Ryiner was immune to fire, and had been able to avoid getting burned, which was why he did not appear to be bothered by the heat. However, now that he only stood a short distance away from Pyrena, he realized that for anyone else who came in contact with the Elemental, it was very easy to get hurt. Just standing where he was, he could feel heat radiating from the being, and it was no doubt fluctuating as the volcano affected her. "Well, I came because...uh..." He found himself at a loss for words, "Ryiner told me you...uh...knew my Granny."

Pyrena frowned, her coloration still changing rapidly, "You mean the Medicine Lady? Are you her grandson?" She asked. Cannabis' throat had closed up, so he simply nodded, "She was a good person. I have kept her herbalist book for several years, and I also currently have the map, as well. I would help her find the flowers." Cannabis nodded again.

The awkwardness grew, before the volcano rumble, and she shook her head, "What are we doing!? This is too dangerous! I don't care if you're immune to fire! Poison gas is still poison, and if it erupts, the rocks will fall so fast they'll fracture your skull!" She glanced over her shoulder, "I think I've done all I can. Now I have to distance myself, and get the artifacts inside to a safer place. If I am far enough away when it erupts, I might not lose my control."

"The gasses won't bother me much. I can hold my breath nearly indefinently if I have to, but cannabis can't. You should really go. I told you it's unsafe. I could help somehow up here. You'll died for sure when it erupts. You know the way down don't you?" He turned to look him in the eye. "You can talk later if you live through this. The village needs to know they have a bit more time. That way they can prepare better, now go." He may have been a bit rough with him, but it was vital he not be on the volcano when it went.

"Pyrena, is there anything I can do to help? I may not be much help, but I do know my way around caverns and such. If you're relocating a few things away from the volcano I'm sure the best place would be a cavern with an elevated enterance."

Cannabis nodded, "Uh, okay, then." He scrambled off, "Nice meeting you!" He cried as he started to rush away. Pyrena stared after him, "Strange..." She muttered, before returning her attention to Ryiner. "Yes, I could use some help. There's nothing left I can do to delay the eruption. If I blast the mountain anymore, part of it could collapse, and that would put us in a dangerous situation. As for the artifacts, I have various objects in an old lava shoot that could be destroyed in the eruption. I have a total of eleven artifacts. Two are the book and the map, but I also have nine elemental artifacts. Three from my mother, another three from my father, and another set belongs to me. I can carry the book, the map, and the fire artifacts, but I don't want to risk the other six. If you can help me remove them, then I would be very grateful, but you have to be careful, because you probably aren't immune to elements aside from fire." Pyrena didn't want to say any more. She turned and waved him on, "Come on, it's this way."

"I'll be fine I'm sure. My scales are Pratically a from of armor. So six elemental artifacts ? I can Handel that. I did take on The Guardian of The North Forest and live. But that's a story for another time. Lead me to the dried magma pockets and ill grab them"

Pyrena nodded, "Okay, don't say I didn't warn you when you see my Dad's artifacts." She then led him up to the edge of the crater, and vanished around a corner, revealing a tiny hidden walkway. She moved a little to the left, and disappeared into a dark hole in the wall. Inside the cavern, there was little need for light, as glowing coals seemed to illuminate the entire lava shoot. Eventually, she turned to the right, and came to a small alcove. In the tiny hidden chamber, a large volume, the herbalist's book, which was about the size of a thick textbook, was resting on a large rock, like a pedestal. It's cover was bound with brown, floral pressed leather. The pages, made of beautiful white vellum, where bright white, having not faded at all. The entire book gave off a faint, golden glow.

In another corner of the room, there were three bags, whose appearance indicated the elements of the three objects inside. One bag, clearly Pyrena's, was a shimmering gold. It radiated intense heat, and a glow came from inside it. Flames coursed over the sack, and clearly only a Fire Elemental was meant to touch it. It was sealed shut with a small golden ribbon. The second bag was stranger. It was lush green color, and the fabric was sleek and reflective, like a velvety leaf. A greenish glow, like sunlight through a canopy of trees, seemed to shine from within it. This bag was closed up with a green vine that served as a rope, and smelled like honeysuckle and many more green plants. The final bag, seemed to be the most hazardous by far. It was a stormy grey color, and an unsettling fluctuation of temperature came from it, at first normal temperature, and then dropping to a freezing cold chill. Inside, it appeared to contain a whirlwind, shapes like clouds darting inside, with a bright white glow. The bag was closed with a sort of wire, and its surface crackled with electricity.

Pyrena walked over and grabbed the book, along with the red bag. "Can you get the other two? I'm sure you can handle a nettle sting and not feel it, but be careful with Dad's, electric shock can't always be blocked by scales. It won't kill you, but if it does zap you, it won't feel very nice."

Perhaps he got a little ahead of himself. That earth elemental artifacts posed no issue. It was the other bundle that worried him a bit. She was right. His scales were thick, but not any gerentee to keep him unharmed. But he said he'd help, so by the Gods of the North he's helping. He went up and grab the first bag and came out okay. When he grab the other he was done for a second, but got a mild electric shock. He cursed under his breath and hoped Pyrena didn't notice. Now with both in hand he turned to her.

"I got it. I'll be fine. Now lets get out of here." Then he started towards the enterance.

Pyrena nodded, "Okay, just a warning, be very careful with those. They aren't nearly as fireproof as everything else, and will burn if you aren't watching where you're going." her pupils contracted, "Also, another thing I should tell you, I don't like to threaten, but those are the last possessions I have to remind me of my parents. If you mess up and they get damaged or destroyed, I'll probably never forgive you for it." With this, she placed the bag around her neck and shifted into her bestial form, charging out of the cavern and out of the crater.

He followed her out of the crater. He trusted her to guide them away from the volcano safely as possable. He was sure that they'd probably be dodging boulders and the like before long. But his main constern at the moment was what he was carrying. He wasn't worried about dropping them per se. Rather he was worried that he'd get another shock. If that happened there was a good chance it'd be flung quite a distance away from them. Then him likely getting murdered. Although as she already knows she'd have her work cut out for her. With that thought he chuckled a bit.

But not it was time to get serious. Where were they going. I don't think she has any real goal beyond getting away from the volcano. He wondered if there were any largish towns near by. The closest place he knew of was back in southern Ryuim. And he'd never even been there. He wanted to know so he shouted ahead to her.

"I know this isn't the best time to talk, but when we've gotten for enough from here I'd like to know where we're going!"

Pyrena snorted, "As soon as I get away from the volcano, I'm going to travel until I can find a place where I won't have to deal with the volcano erupting." This was the first time she had spoken in her beast form, and it sounded quite terrifying, in reality. "I have to get away from populated areas, because as soon as the volcanoes erupt, I'll wind up taking the blame if I get spotted. One thing I know, is that a majority of beings know nothing about Elementals, and we get blamed for imbalances in nature, when we uphold and represent that balance in itself. For ages, our kind has withdrawn from normal creatures, because every time we try to reach out to them, they use us as scapegoats, and we take the blame for all their problems. Water Elementals are probably extinct by this point, and Fire Elementals are so rare there's only a handful of us left, and we are born so rarely that it's easier to find hen's teeth. It's equally bleak for Earth Elementals that represent stones and rocks, rather than plants, although plants aren't far behind. Lightning and Wind are either in the same boat, or have withdrawn to some place in the sky nobody else can reach."

She looked over her shoulder at him, her eel-like features not conveying much emotion, "Elementals have begun to lose faith in most creatures. In our history, you have done little to earn our respect, and much to make us suffer. Normal creatures pursue science and ways to improve life, but at what cost to the balance? Farming can turn jungles into deserts, and too many believe that nature can be tamed. In defiance, it will torment them in the end, whether or not Elementals are present. Even then, when nature rebels, we are blamed. They don't understand that killing us will simply make nature fall apart even faster, and that as the more of us lose hope for them, the more Elementals that leave this realm in favor of a different one, where there aren't any people to hurt them. We take everything with us, our knowledge of the arts of our elements, and our magic."

The moons began to darken as suddenly the stars blasted with purple life. A few moments passed and the moons returned to a normal light, but then nearly blinded the people who looked at them directly. Purple light shined all over the realm and black clouds began to form shooting down lightning in the furthest of places.

The Altar of The Celestials

The circular pond of what shined even brighter now. Mallis smiled wickedly as suddenly a huge life form as tall as a tree emerged from the water. It was made of pure light purple light. It had two huge stump-like feet and a long torso. It's head was a bulb the protruded from the "exoskeleton" portion of its shoulders. Two or three long tendrils branched out from its shoulders and head and its eyes gleamed dark purple and a bright blue.

Mallis screamed with victory. He had done it. The Celestials had risen again.

The being bowed its head and slightly bent over in a respectful bow to Lord Mallis.

"The Celestials thank Lord Mallis for raising the fallen from the celestial grave. What does thou want of our kind?" asked the being. It had a deep voice that seemed to echo and have a strange, nonevil yet no entirely peaceful warped tone to it.

"Join my forces and help me conquer Keros!" said Mallis.

"As thou wishes" said the Celestial.

The moons lit up like a fire, they began to crack along their surfaces. The Celestials had broken the boundary between life and death and soon a terrible disaster would occur.

Keros Gravefields

The Keros Gravefields was the largest graveyard in the realm. It stretched over a mass of floating landscapes that consumed miles of space. Around it stars were shining and nebulas were looking down upon it.

As the moons cracked a few of the graves burst open as skeletons and zombies broke out from their coffins. From in front of a huge obelisk shaped gravestone a large three headed skeleton wearing a gray cloak emerged. It had four arms and a long skeletal tail. Its eyes screamed a yellow glowing flame and its breath smelled of rot.

It screamed in triumph as it had risen once again. Mallis may have awakened an army of Immortal Beings from another time of Keros, but he had allowed the dead to come alive. This would dent his plans severely.
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The Altar

The Celestial rose to the skies and merged into the Darkness, not dying, but being held inside. The castle began to split into several sections as the lakes and pools that were around it, the ones the fountains hinged to the side of the castle fed into, began to glow and the same Celestial beings emerged and flew into the skies. Mallis, Terror, and Bane all flew up into the Darkness and immediately the cloud began to disappear... but not for long...

The Enchanted Forest

A few minutes, perhaps 15 later the clouds reformed above the Enchanted Forest. Mallis was after something else too. The clouds moved northways towards the Blessed Pool. Immedialy the clouds rained monstrous Minions down to the ground, they spat acid onto the trees, but they were smaller than they and could be squashed or taken out by water or magic.

Three of the Celestials rained down, Mallis had gone into one and possessed it, controlling it with magic. It now seeped a dark smoke from is eyes and began to blast is way through the trees.

"Out of the way! Make way for your new overlords!" the Celestial shouted.

Pyrena thought she was going to get away, but as soon as they had gotten away from the Fiery Fields and about half-way through Emerald Falls, she collapsed to the ground, and was forced back into her humanoid form. She clutched her skull, as though experiencing a splitting headache. Pain wracked through every fiber of her being. "The moons...!" She cried, her voice shrill, yet barely audible. She was unable to speak further, and continued to cringe for about five minutes, before she managed to get back up, looking horrified. She looked at Ryiner, "It's worse, far worse than I thought. Nature itself is beginning to unravel, laws that should remain untouched have been broken, and there's only one possible cause!" She shuddered uncontrollably, "The Celestials...they shouldn't be here! They should be in the Underworld!"


Warrain screamed when the moons changed. Waves began to violently crash upon the shore of the island, and currents intensified. The entire balance of nature was being disturbed. He knew it in his heart. But what could do such a thing? It had to be a very powerful, and certainly evil, source. Only an evil creature would dare break such laws.

The Celestial being controlled by Mallis surged a massive heat wave through the trees and caught them on fire. Its massive feet mad huge booming thumps as it took each giant step.

"Make way for your new overlords!" it repeated as if stuck like a record player. "Make way for your new overlords!"

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Mean while near the volcanic lands another smaller blotch of the Darkness was swarming. The transformation of the moons gave it an immediate signal. As soon as the rise was complete it released a terrible swarm of bat-like creatures that flew over the land in search of any enemy life. So far they found nothing to spark their immediate interest, but they did see some activity.

The leader of the bat-like creatures was a terrible creature made of pure slime and magic, like the others. His hands were hinged to the ends of his wings which were essentially a morphed limb of his arms and two wings merged together. He had a long snout that dripped black slime. His eyes were large and purple glowing with fire. His feet were talon-like and seemingly liquefied and dragonic.

Coaron.

Coaron soared through the skies. He felt a surging of confidence and power in him as he was signaled by the moons. The Celestials, fierce beings that once ruled much of Keros, had returned from their grave.

The celetials? He didn't know what they were,but it sounded as if something really bad was about to happen. Pyrena would likely lose control of herself now. It didn't look good. And they were so close. They'd probably almost far enough away. Now he had to desided if he was going to stick wish her or leave. Perhaps it would be best to leave. Bu she may need someone to help her if and when she losses it. And so far he's the only candidate available.

"Pyren! Listen try to keep control of yourself as long as possible. I'm gonna try and stick with you if I can. It may not be safe, but what else could I do? I doubt I could get away in time anyway"