Unfounded [Open to any and all]

[Silvarn]

Silvarn had approached the copse at a brisk pace, the tempo fighting against the setting cold with its own generated heat. Still, he gripped his arms to his sides and curled over himself, condensing his body and preventing heat from escaping. He pondered, running through the dark halls of memory, trying to recall the banshee's face when she lived. He had spent years, over a decade, repressing the memories of his days as a slave. When he had killed for sport, for pleasure, for his master. Yet, the face escaped him. The voice, too, had been distorted by the power of whatever gods had exalted her ghost. He gave up on the thought and lifted his head to look around him.

The freak blizzard had adhered snow and ice to one side of the trees, like white crystal moss. Again, his thoughts returned to the banshee -- who was that woman? The woman whose family he had murdered, one of countless?

No matter, the copse was near at hand. Silvarn intended to stride boldly into the midst, but when he heard the blue's voice mention the Shrine, his pace slackened. He crept to the edge of the copse, his boots crunching the snow softly, and listened carefully to the answer. Indeed, the blue already seemed on better terms with the other two already. It would be easier to eavesdrop on them than to try and extract the information himself.

[WolfEnchantress]

Adrian heard Silvarn approach from a ways off. He could smell him, hear him. But he knew no one else could. He flicked his eyes a bit to the side, looking directly as Silvarn, who his just outside the ring of trees, probably eavesdropping on the conversation at hand. In a second, however, he looked away again. He would keep his mouth shut-after all, there was probably a good reason for Silvarn to not want to be seen. At least he hoped so.

At Talwyn's question, he answered.
"I know how to get there. I was there once when I was very young, far too young, actually. I wandered, and that's where I ended up."

He shuddered at the memory-the feeling the shrine gave him, the way it seemed like the devil himself spoke into his mind. He was young, vulnerable, stupid. he hoped this time wouldn't be the same, that he would have enough control of himself to remain relatively unaffected. The first time, it nearly drove him mad with the haunting thoughts that followed him after he left.

"I'm leading these two to where the Shrine is. If you'd like, I can take you too. That is, if the others don't mind either." He remembered Kai saying that they would have to go through her land. He looked to Kai for an answer, but she seemed disturbed. He watched her for a moment-something was definentaly wrong She'd bit her lip so hard it was bleeding. And her tone when she asked for water...
"Kai, are you all right?" He asked, making a move as if to get up, but instead settling onto his knees, a note of concern his voice.

[iridescentdreamer]

When Adrian spoke, her eyes flashed to him in muted alarm, half fearing the other would say too much....but to her great relief, he seemed to understand.

"....My family used to up keep the shrine as well....I've only seen it as a girl as well..." she closed her eyes.


"...there are many malignant souls mingled with it...both amplifying and tainting it. As well as what some would call" She paused "...a distortion. Monsters feed off it, and it twists their desires. Just like that banshee. It reaches to anyone that-"

She trailed off, shaking her head.

"It is not somewhere you want to go, and regardless if I want to come or not...I must. Since it overlaps my people's land, uninhabited or not, it's my responsibility." She started, gulping the rest of the water down, licking her self inflicted wound.

"To ensure anyone who loses themselves to it, dies at my hand."

She said icily.

It will be inevitable... The foreign voice crooned in her mind, and she stubbornly pushed it back banishing it from her mind, her hands trembling a little bit, with a bit of suppressed feeling that she refused to acknowledge. All weakness in her character had to be sealed tight at all times after all.

She wouldn't know how to act otherwise.

After a mute moment though she pushed a mute smile to her face, eyes softening a bit, both at Adrian's concern and her own actions.

"I apologize. I'm reacting irrationally when I shouldn't be. They say the woods here have ears after all." Her voice was solid, but heavy, her usual accent carrying a distinct cynicism as she sat a bit more upright.

"Only a fool can trust such..." she whispered under her breath, the memory of that intrusive voice still fresh and frightening in her mind. It left her with doubts of all at the moment.

In the too curious glint from the cursed one's eyes that she could recognize in her own half the time.

In Silvarn who spoke to himself.

In the wolf, gentle and soft, but no doubt vicious when exposed.

In herself...she didn't always even know who she was at times...

"....Fine...perfectly fine. Sorry Adrian....bad habit of mine. Chewing on it...." She nodded again, looking up at the other two with her former perkiness. Obviously she was lieing. However. She didn't want to be seen as the weakest link.

Not in a group of men.

"It's probably better if we travel in a group after all. Rather than sneaking around each other like thieves. I doubt Silvarn would mind too much, but as far as I'm concerned he can speak up about it when he returns."

It at least -seemed- as if she were fine now, and the uncomfortable feeling was just a fluke, from the way she now bluntly stated her irritation.

Long ears flattened back in illustration of such. That she had became aware of Silvarn's presense...a little later than she would personally like to admit.

[Talwyn]

Talwyn had a satisfied look on his face. "Good, it's settled then. Lets wait until morning and head out at first light. That should give your friend ample time to get back to us as well." Obviously, Tal was the only one that hadn't noticed Silvarn had returned already. What was also obvious, was that he choose to ignore both Kai's and Adrian's uneasiness about this shrine. Honestly, he was happy it could be resolved peacefully, but he would have resorted to using force to get there if it had come to that.

Slowly rising, he walked towards the edge of the copse. "I'm gonna go get some more firewood before our supply runs out." He crossed his arms to keep himself warm as he said this. "It seems better then before, but I don't like the idea of not having a fire with these temperatures." Stepping out of the copse, though from the opposite side of where Silvarn was secretly listening to them, he shivered slightly. He truly hated the cold. Why can't these clues ever be in a nice, sunny place with a gentle breeze or something? He mused.

Walking around in his search for more firewood, he suddenly heard something. Or well, he thought he did. He looked around but saw nothing. The second he figured it was merely his imagination he heard it again. It was like a whisper, but it was so soft he couldn't make out what was being said. "Is anyone there?" He called out half expecting one of his new companions to show themselves. "Stop imagining things you fool." He muttered as if to scold himself. Shaking his head, he went on and a smile appeared on his face as he finally found what he was looking for.

Even then though, he couldn't help but feel as if he was being watched. Not only that, but the whispering continued. And while it was louder, he still couldn't make out a word of was being said. No, that was not true, he could hear one word. "...come...". Something was calling to him it seemed. Shaking his head once more, he shut of his thoughts and returned to the task on hand, getting more firewood. After he was done, he walked back to the copse and for some reason, images of himself as a normal human flashed through his mind. The strange thing was however, the images he saw, where of himself in the present and future, not from before he got turned into the monstrosity he considered himself to be. Just calm down you fool, don't get your hopes up you always do, and it always bites you in the behind...

Stepping back into the copse, he dropped the wood on the supply pile. A satisfied look on his face he turned to Kai and Adrian. "Well, this should last us through the night don't you think?"

[Silvarn]

So, it is an evil shrine. Scorcahr mused. And where have we encountered those before, hmm? You know what happened the last time we ventured towards a shrine that was palpably evil. The banshee was a product of that, I believe.

Silvarn growled and stomped into the copse, plunking himself in a vacant area of the circle. He ostentatiously ignored the looks the others gave him, busying himself with the intricate weaving of oranges and reds before him.

He could almost feel the tension in the air. He noticed, though, that not all of it was directed at him. The lycan seemed the most normal of the bunch; the imp kept looking at something in the ring of trees, then quickly looking back; and the blue one appeared uneasy at something. They had only been together for little over an hour and had endured one conflict as a group, and there was already inner-party tension?

This is going to turn into quite the merry romp. the demon whined.

[WolfEnchantress]

Silvarn finally joined the rest of them, though he pointedly ignored them, focusing on whatever it was he was doing. Adrian sighed. He, too, felt the tension i the air. He, however, didn't think it had anything to do with the strange company of four, rather the subject they spoke about. He frowned. It seemed the more they talked about this shrine, the more bothered people seemed to get.

"That will be plenty," Adrian replied, his almost musical voice a tone quieter. "Thank you, Talwyn." He settled back into a cross-legged position, still just outside the ring of light provided by the fire, his thoughts tied up. Never before had he ever met anyone that had the intention of visiting the shrine. Now there was two, and each (he assumed) had different reasons. And getting there wouldn't be easy. It wasn't far, but as you got closer, it got harder-as if something didn't want anything-or anyone- visiting it. It was quite easy to be walking and suddenly find yourself turned around. And it seemed like the path branched out a billion different ways, all of which lead to nowhere-at least, that's what he remembered. He hoped that between him and Kai, they would be able to find it without too much trouble.

Despite the growing unease in his stomach, he turned to Kai, for the first time since changing back into a human looking directly into her eyes, hoping to convey the importance of his question.
"Kai, this shrine we are heading for. You lived near it, yes? Do you know anything about it that would help any of us prepare for it?" The last thing he wanted was anyone going insane. He himself knew nothing. It seemed to have a different effect on everyone - usually terrible, almost never pleasant.

[iridescentdreamer]

Kai was almost thankful for the break in silence and she sighed a little.

"I know that lately will-o-wisps have taken to the area close to it at night...so traveling during the day is a good idea. Kind of eliminates the chances of someone following the lights."

Feeling a bit too warm, she scooted away from the fire before turning to the wolf.

"Other than that...all I can say is steel your minds and keep an eye on everyone. As soon as someone starts to act strange-"

She paused, deciding to change her wording. "Well, stranger than usual, I'm escorting them out of the area. By force if I have to. It lies when it offers, It's why I a lot of people..I hear don't go coming back.....along with other things..."

From the sounds of things she already knew....too much for what she had told them before. It was fairly obvious she was hiding something at this point.

"But it should be fine, as long as no one gets lost, between you and me....and as far as a defending ourselves go...I don't -think- it should be a problem"
she said lightly.

[Talwyn]

He smiled and nodded to Adrian when he thanked him. Casting a quick glance at Silvarn, he said nothing as he sat down, seemingly lost in thought. Whatever it was he had thought he heard earlier had come back. He still couldn't completely hear it, but whatever it was, it had gotten stronger. ...Come... ... ...your wish... ...come... Again the images he had seen earlier flashed through his mind. Images of himself in the present and future, except that in the images he was a normal human once again.

He tried to focus on the moment again as he heard Adrian ask Kai if she knew how to prepare them for it. When she told them she would force someone to leave if he would start to act strangely, he unconsciously checked if his sword was easy to draw. He had no desire to make an enemy out of the fae, or any of his current companions for that matter, but he would not be stopped.

"It lies when it offers, It's why I a lot of people..I hear don't go coming back.....along with other things..." Kai went on, but Talwyn got distracted again. The voices had returned once more, louder this time, loud enough to be clear. Lies! She wants the power for herself! She doesn't care about your suffering... For just a second, Tals eyes narrowed as he wondered if he would have to kill the fae. No, just no. Clear your mind Tal! What she says makes sense. He could still hear the voices, but they now seemed like mere whispers, barely loud to hear.

There was just one more thing... If he wanted to reach the shrine, he'd best try to get along with ALL of his new companions, the cranky wizard included. He had to admit once more though, that he himself hadn't exactly been very helpful in trying to establish any sort of camaraderie. Slowly getting up, he walked over to Silvarn, and loomed over him before finally slowly reaching out his hand. "Look, we got off to a rough start there. Let us not kid ourselves by saying we will be friends or anything, but let us at the very least be mature enough to forget about that and start with a clean slate."

[Silvarn]

Do not trust him. his demon warned.

"Why not?" Silvarn asked.

There is someone else in there already. Someone who should not be trusted. To be blunt, it is getting dark in there.

"Hmm." Silvarn replied simply, looking up at the blue. His eyes suddenly snapped back into focus. He studied Talwyn's face for a moment,then folded his arms across his chest, leaned back a little, and narrowed his eyes. "If it is all the same, I would prefer not to touch you. That being said, I am perfectly willing to indulge your clean slate methodology, provided you stick to it." He then glared, as if to say, "And if you dare insult my maturity again, so help me..."

Content with his threat, he closed his eyes and relaxed his face back into its natural frown.

"Anyone have any good stories to tell?" he asked, if only to be polite. Frankly, he did not give a damn if anyone spoke for the rest of the evening or not.

[WolfEnchantress]

Adrian nodded. Will-o-wisps would be irritating at most, they shouldn't be a problem.
"We should be fine," He dared to say, though he did notice Talwyn acting somewhat distracted. He had no idea if it was a true statement or not - even for himself. Honestly, it scared him to think about going back there, remembering the last time he'd unfortunately stumbled upon the shrine. Dozens of 'what if' questions kept rolling through his mind.

At Silvarn's reaction to Talwyn's offered hand, he rolled his eyes with a slight grin. He saw that coming. But at least he agreed to the starting - over bit.

"Stories?" He answered Silvarn's question with another. "What kind of stories?" It was an odd request, but he somehow felt that Silvarn wouldn't care one way or another if anyone said anything at all. He thought for a moment before shaking his head. He had no stories, at least none he was going to willingly tell without some prompting. He hadn't spoke to anyone in years but the wolves, and suddenly having an audience of three was kind of daunting.

((I'm back, but this seems to have died. Sadface.))

[iridescentdreamer]

[God so sorry for my absense! Wisdom teeth surgery+Work. Kept me knocked out/busy!]

"Stories..." she gave a haphazard smile when the unwanted presence faded away when she pushed it away from her mind. After all. Such things, even if that successful, were difficult.

..and Talwyn and Silvarn seemed to 'make up'. Which was a slight relief to here, and visibly, her shoulders relaxed a little.

"I always have some nonsense stories...but I doubt they're to anyone's taste." She gave an awkward giggle, long ears flicking back as she glanced to the three males.

"I believe them better suited to children....So...maybe one of you should come up with one before I start blabbing~." came the light, playful warning.

[Talwyn]

"Story's huh..." Talwyn sighed. "Somehow I don't think any of us is much of a story teller, though I do suppose I can tell the story of a fool." Staring at the fire, he gathered his thoughts and after a moment of silence he told his new companions the story of how he had been turned into what he was today.

He didn't tell the full story though, but enough so they could get an idea of what had happened to him what exactly he was and how deranged Anexar was. "Now... I would like to know if any of you know anything about these "man-made chimeras"." He looked around, knowing it was foolish to hope one of them knew more then he did yet unable to keep that slight sliver of hope from gaining a slight foothold.

((OOC: We were waiting for you wolfie Well that, and I was kinda brain dead >_>
didn't know what to post. This post is not good either but it'll just have to do ))