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@All: What’s up? Where is everybody? I was hoping someone might have something happen...

As they enter the base, Magus takes his leave of the party. Void stays with them, keeping up a steady banter with the grumpy and anxious Flagg.
“Blast it, what’s with all this damn WALKING?! I’m ready for some action!,” the dwarf grumbles not so softly.
What’s that? Tired of walking again? I’m always happy to oblige...
“Oh no you don’t, you cursed mist!” Flagg shouts at Void, his face quivering, remembering the levitation incident.
Void backs off, feigning fright, and the comedy continues.
*****

Magus searches for Aerie along the twisting paths of the astroplane, an ability granted him by their joining of souls back in the Rift. He sees her, and his physical body is suddenly at her side, in the real world. She is tending to Quayle, who seems pale, but much better now. With but a glance, thousands of images, thoughts, feelings flow between them, and abruptly Aerie knows her next task. She nods quietly, trusting her beloved’s judgement, and the two walk away to prepare the ritual.
*****

Magus leaves without a word, and suddenly Rail finds himself in charge. Keldorn and his knights gather a distance away. He had promised to fight on the side of the Shadow Thieves this time, but that didn’t mean he had to deal with them. Aran walks casually over to his desk (Rail wonders how in the Hells he managed to salvage it from the Guild), and leans back in his chair, glancing up and eyeing Rail with that ****y smile. Rail’s head turns, locating everyone else. Void and Flagg have ceased their foolishness, and Flagg nods toward Rail. Fallout stands tall and alone, ready to fight when needed. Melosh is curiously...absent. Void’s eyes catch his attention, staring intently into Rail’s own, as if observing something only he could see. Then the careful scrutiny elapses, and Void looks curious and expectant. Rail turns back around slowly to face Aran.
“So my friend, what shall we do next?” The glib query hits Rail forcefully.
Aran was asking HIM to give the orders.

@Rail: You like?

@Flagg: Am I overdoing the banter-with-Void thing? I haven’t gotten any feedback from you yet.

@Melosh: Here’s your chance to settle your character question once and for all. Magus and Aerie are preparing the ritual. You can confront Magus with an answer, run away, or take any of the other numerous options open to you. It’s all up to you.

Edit: Apparently c*cky is now a bad word! Somebody neglected to inform me of this! (swearing under my breath)

[ 04-12-2001: Message edited by: Magus ]

Can I join in the next story thread(It's a bit too late to start now )?

@Brink- Sure, you can join the next one. You can still join this one.

@Magus- NO!!! That is not alright with me!!! At least, it would really miff a certain assassin, but he'd deal with it. I think it's great! Rail's kind of a loner, good with tactics of two or three people, but all the paladins and shadow thieves would really make him feel uncomfortable. But, he's got little choice. Hey, wait a minute! It's been that way ever since I decided to follow Aegis into your mist! Remind me, why do I hate mages again? I'll get an update here in the next couple of hours. I've been completely swamped with work and other things of late. Sorry for the inactivity.

[ 04-13-2001: Message edited by: Rail ]

@Magus, I don't have a lot of time to respond right now. I will check in later today or tomorrow with some feedback and my update for my character, sorry for the delay.

Okay, this is a long one. Sorry.

Rail frowned as his stomach knotted up like an ogre's fist. He had no desire to lead, and Aran knew it. The master thief simply stared back at the assassin as if amused at some private joke, absently fidgeting with a jet-black jewel he had pulled from a pouch.

The assassin glanced across the room at the paladins, his eyes falling on Praelit Keldorn, as the paladin leader looked toward him expectantly. Of all the paladins, only Keldorn seemed to treat him without the least bit of scorn. There was an unspoken mutual respect between the assassin and the Praelit, going years back to deeds out of the reach of the Order, but easily reachable by the young assassin. The two shared similar views on mages, though the paladin was understandably far more tolerant than the obsessive Rail. Keldorn nodded ever-so-slightly toward the assassin, clasping his hands behind him in a patient, calming manner, and leaning back on the well-crafted table behind him.

Rail took a deep breath. It hardly soothed his nerves. "Well, we, uh..., we have to get back into the Radiant Heart, Right?"

Several of the paladins nodded, shifting uneasily at the thought of their once glorious headquarters in the clutches of such a vile power. One of the paladins frowned, glaring at the assassin, "It won't be easy, either."

Rail smiled. No it wouldn't. Not as easy as the last time, anyway. The last several times, now that he thought of it.

Fallout scoffed. "Let's just pound the gates down, and let him throw his spells our way. We've got our own mages..."

Flagg grunted, but whether in approval or amusement was yet to be seen. He'd finally gotten most of the kobold out of his spikes, but it was beginning to smell, and both the paladins and thieves kept their distance, only seeming to further amuse the dwarf.

Rail held up his hand toward the barbarian, smiling disarmingly. "Not this mage! Magus, Ubik, and all the Cowled Wizards together couldn't have done this." He gestured around him as if all the city were on view from the sewers.

"So where do we hit, then?", Aran asked absently, hands crossed on his desk, still fidgeting with the gem.

"The kitchens and dining areas are probably the easiest," Rail responded. "They usually are, and I doubt demons need a banquet hall to feed."

"The sewer entrances are probably well guarded," Aran added thoughtfully, putting the gem away and looking intently at the assassin for a few moments.

"Not the actual sewer drains, I'll wager," Rail countered. "Especially the ones to Lathander's temple. We could enter the Temple, then access the Heart from there through a number of entrances."

Several of the paladins mouths were hanging open, and one indignantly took a step forward as if to reprimand the thieves, but he stopped short with a wave of the Praelit's hand.

Aran smiled approvingly. "The Morninglord Passage?"

"No," Rail's brow creased thoughtfully, "I was thinking of the one down the stairs from there. Second room on the right. It's a smaller and older passage."

Keldorn frowned. "How will we get through the sewers undetected. There will be fiends that close to the Radiant Hart, even in the sewers."

Rail smiled and stared over at Void. "Teleport."

"Any use of magic will be instantly detected by Aegis and his ally." Aran shook his head disapprovingly, leaning back in his gilded chair and crossing his feet in front of him.

Keldorn frowned. That chair Aran so casually abused had been in the Temple of Helm several days ago, before the bleeding of the city began. How much had the Shadow Thieves looted in their flight down here? Were they still gathering the valuables of innocent victims, here?

Rail smiled, nodding toward the Master of Thieves in a way that made one of the paladins shudder. "Mages aren't known for their stupidity, but they aren't tactical thinkers, either."

Aran tilted his head curiously to the side, waiting for clarification.

Rail gestured over at the Broken Order, addressing Keldorn. "Your mage will teleport most of the Order and many of the thieves close to the coffers in the Radiant Heart. You will attempt to get in there, though it will undoubtedly be heavily guarded. Use a teleport field in the battle and retreat soon thereafter. That should give us a credible distraction. We'll get in, and do our job." I should just go it alone Rail thought. I can get at least one. Maybe both. Getting in with this many... Somehow, he knew this would be far more difficult than he thought, shaking his head in frustration.

Keldorn smiled at the assassin. "You don't think much of liberating the Heart, do you?"

"No," Rail answered matter-of-factly. "I only plan on killing two mages."

"Causes are above you, but you are right, in this case." Keldorn said, cutting off gasps from a couple of the less-lenient paladins. "We can worry about the Heart after it's new masters are dethroned." He turned toward Gaunric, his second in command. "You take the group. You know where to teleport in to. Grab the first of the artifacts you find and teleport out of there. Use the field to cause chaos, and your protection from evil should handle the demonkind. Kill what you can and get out. We'll regroup at OUR base, if we don't succeed."

Gaunric nodded. "And you, sir?"

Keldorn smiled. "They're going to need me with them."

Aran sighed, partly at the thought of continued association with the Praelit, and partly because he knew the veteran was right.

**********

This okay with everyone? It's a bit simplistic, but it keeps the confrontation down to just our characters (plus Keldorn and Raistlin). That way, we don't have armies of paladins, thieves, and demons to try and describe. We can focus on just eachother's characters.

[ 04-13-2001: Message edited by: Rail ]

Thats all fine and good Rail, except one thing. You forgot I was a Paladin to start, and an experianced one at that. So, when you said they are known for their brains, but not tactical genius, you might want to consider the fact We have a sly, genius of a Wizard, and a tactically proficient Wizard. Just keep that in mind.

Melosh stood there shocked, at the words that Magus spoke. Thinking to himself, "I can change back, to what though? An inter shell of a Cavalier and grovel for forgiveness to Keldron? I might be able to control the evil?"
Melosh felt the powers of Void in his head.
"Like what you see? You overgrown wind cloud."
Melosh turns and looks at Void. Void just looks and smiles.
" You are not looking at the rightousness from your heart, are you?"
"Why should I, I'm a leader of a vampire brood. I think, I could make things work."
"But, what if you are wrong? It could be your end."
Melosh looks at Void, with a raised eyebrow. " Then it's my end, it's my life you know. Hell, ever since I can remember, I've been told what to do and what not to do. Now it's my turn to make that choice. Even if I make the transformation back from the undead, I still won't be trusted. You can tell Magus my decision."
Melosh turns and walks back into the sewers.....

[ 04-15-2001: Message edited by: Darkpoet ]

Yes, Aegis. I am aware of all this. But, remember, Rail thinks you are gone. He thinks you are possessed by some ancient and evil(is there any other kind? ) mage. Thus, he thinks the tactical thinking warrior Aegis is no more. Too bad, too. He liked you lots better as a paladin.

Flagg was listening carefully to the conversation as he finally managed to get the blasted kobold off his helmet. He looked at the blood smeared helmet, and shrugged. He just put it back on his head.

"What is all this talk about killing mages? Can I join in the fun? I had hoped to get back to felling some of those nasty dark skinned ones, but they will be around. I am sure that I would be able to create a bit of chaos and diversion."

Originally posted by Flagg:
<STRONG>Flagg was listening carefully to the conversation as he finally managed to get the blasted kobold off his helmet. He looked at the blood smeared helmet, and shrugged. He just put it back on his head.

"What is all this talk about killing mages? Can I join in the fun? I had hoped to get back to felling some of those nasty dark skinned ones, but they will be around. I am sure that I would be able to create a bit of chaos and diversion."</STRONG>

Rail smiled at the dwarf, a seemingly genuine smile that never seemed to take the hardness from his eyes. "I think you'll create more chaos than diversion. You are more than welcome with us."

Keldorn smiled at that and nodded in quiet agreement.

Fallout looked confused.

Aran frowned, but kept his thoughts to himself, once again leaning back in his stolen chair to watch his companions. You didn't get to where he was in life without knowing your friends well. And your enemies better. Sometimes the line between the two was rather blurred.

Flagg snorted, not sure what to make of the group. There were so many people here who would never associate together given any choice. There had to be some kind of powerful mage to drive these thieves and paladins together. Well, he thought, I'd prefer some darkskins, but these mages will do. They better have some good loot, though! Just the thoughts of their skinny little bodies wriggling in his thorny grasp got his adrenaline running.

Rail took a deep breath. Looking over the motley group of warriors, he sighed. "Let's get separated and ready to go." He wondered how long they should wait for Magus to return, but he had no idea where the mage had run off to. He couldn't be in trouble, since Void was still here. Void! "Hey, Misty!" Rail sent the thought out and sensed an annoyed hakeashar listening impatiently in return. Poking fun at the creature always seemed to relax the assassin, though he rarely got the better of the exchange. "Get hold of that magic-riddled master of yours. We're ready to move."

Strangely, the hakeashar didn't shoot back any glib response. It simply reached out to communicate astrally with the mage.

Keldorn ordered the paladins and others from the shattered Order over to one side of the room, along with the remaining Shadow Thieves. Aran stood confidently alongside Praelit Keldorn, and for the first time in the history of the City of Coin, the Master of Thieves and the Head of the Order of the Radiant Heart combined forces.

On one side of the room, Rail stood next to fallout and a grumbling Flagg, waiting for Aran and Keldorn to join them. Void drifted nearby, anxiously waiting word from Magus and a sign to begin their assault on the Broken Heart.

You didn't get to where he was in life without knowing your friends well. And your enemies better

That's a classic line there Rail! I like it.

Thanks, Vehem.

@All- I'll be out of town for a few days, so I don't know if I can get any updates. Please feel free to continue this story. I'll see you all in a few.

@All: Just got back home... Turned out that they charged for phone calls! That's why I couldn't connect. I'll throw in my next bit later today or tomorrow.

@Rail: I like it! I'll have to read through a few more times to understand it, but you certainly illuminated the path to the final showdown.

Cani join in? PLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

[ 04-25-2001: Message edited by: craig ]

@craig- plz edit your post as it skews the alignment of the page. Make the line of Z's shorter. This story's almost finished, so it's be pointless to jump in now. We'll start another one at the conclusion of this.

@all- it seems interest has been lost in the thread. Plz, someone feel free to add to this. Otherwise I'll have wrap this up myself (and make me the hero! ). I'll have some time in a few days and hope to update more then.

Sorry I couldn’t post yesterday. More school.

@craig: Please shorten your last post. It’s screwing up the page. And I agree with Rail. The story is about to finish, so it would be rather pointless to join now. We hope to start a new story after this, and then you can join in.

@Rail: Void and Magus communicate telepathically, not astrally. That is a newly-acquired special ability that only Magus and Aerie share (due to their sharing of souls). BTW, Magus said that he was going to prepare the ritual once they arrived at the Shadow Thief base. Also, I’m assuming an appreciable amount of time went by while you were planning the attack.

Magus and Aerie set about the task of preparing the ritual. Luckily, Magus’s great storehouse of magical components in the Rift is sufficient for the major ingredients. However, he finds to his dismay that he lacks one of the minor reagents required in binding the paladin’s soul to the undead form. Doing some quick mental calculations, he determines that a substitute should not alter the process. With reservations, he and Aerie proceed. All is finally in place, and they begin the process of intricate speech and complex gestures. The chanting reaches a climax, and they each place a hand on the chest of the fallen paladin. His body glows with streaming magical energies, which slowly fade until his body looks normal once again. They wait...and nothing happens. Magus’s brow crinkles in puzzlement. He had FELT the process work, but nothing seemed to be happening. It went against all that he had learned through his considerable studies and experience.
Then he feels Void’s mind link with his own. Automatically, Aerie’s mind becomes linked as well, through the bond she shares with Magus.
“The others have finished planning and are awaiting your arrival to start the attack. They grow impatient.”
Magus hesitates. Something had went wrong, and it was against his nature and sensibilities to leave it at that. Not only was it dangerous to not figure out what had happened, but the thought of leaving an experiment incomplete, of a question unsolved, bothers him more than it reasonably should. Magus never left a puzzle unsolved. His thoughts are interrupted by Void once again.
“What is keeping you? The others will not wait any longer.”
Aerie’s eyes catch his own, and they silently ask Magus to let it go. He shakes his head in regret and sighs, then they teleport back to the party.
Immediately sensing the emergence of the new leader, Magus looks over at Rail and raises his brow in what seems to be amusement. Then he walks over, looking him straight in the eyes, and showing no hint of his earlier disappointment. “You’ve formulated a plan, then? Could you explain our individual parts in more detail before we reach the point of no return?

@Rail: I think I’ve added a little twist of the unknown in BTW, Void told Magus and Aerie about the part of the plan you’ve revealed already. I couldn’t find a place to add that in without disrupting the “flow” of my entry.

@Melosh: Void hasn’t told Magus about your choice yet. He’ll do that soon though.

[ 04-24-2001: Message edited by: Magus ]

Sorry, all. I like to write. Another long one. I'm going to make a big jump to conclude this soon. At this point, most of the shadow thieves and paladins are off to hit Aegis' Heart in a diversionary move. Aerie and Magus now stand with Rail, fallout, Flagg, Keldorn, and Aran. (did I leave anyone out? ), waiting for word of the diversion so they can teleport into the Temple of Lathander and from there get into the Heart to confront Aegis and Co.


“You’ve formulated a plan, then? Could you explain our individual parts in more detail before we reach the point of no return?" Magus stared at the assassin expectantly, as one did an equal, and the assassin shifted his stance uncomfortable under the scrutiny.

Rail kept his gaze firmly on the mage, though. I'm NOT going to trust him, Rail thought, though he seemed to be trying to convince himself. He, too, will eventually fall, though not by my hand. The last thought shocked him. For the first time, he realized he harboured no ill feelings toward the man. Despite the fact that Rail felt he had been carefully forced into current circumstances ever since the first time he chose to enter the Rift, Rail considered Magus, a mage of no small power, both an ally and a friend.

With level eyes, Rail smiled. It was an old smile, not as warm as it once was, but the assassin was out of practice. "We've been through this before, Magus." Rail looked around the room, nodding at both Keldorn and Aran equally. "I think all of us have."

"Just give us the damn mages," Flagg grunted, again spitting on the floor in exclamation. It was a wonder there wasn't a puddle surrounding the surly dwarf.

"Aye," Keldorn agreed. His eyes were weary, but the rest of his expression was one of grim determination.

"So be it!" Aran rose from his chair, striding over to one of the chamber walls. Removing an amulet from an inner pocket, he held it toward the blank wall and muttered a phrase under his breath. One section of the wall swung inward, revealing a room full of glitter and dust. Several bookshelves and tables contained scrolls and tomes of seemingly every imaginable size and shape. Baubles and trinkets of varying precious metals and gems littered the place, as if they had been hurredly thrown in there and abandoned. All manner of valuables, from ornate jewelry of all kind to gem-encrusted scabbards, were scattered haphazardly throughout the room.

Aran strode into the treasurehouse with an ever-so-slight glance over his shoulder.

Keldorn frowned. "This stuff is stolen?"

Aran didn't respond, walking over to a set of shelves and pulling out a few select scrolls.

The Praelit's scowl deepened. He recognized several of the items. "More loot from nobles and temples, I see."

Aran turned toward the paladin, a slightly amused look on his face. After a moment, the master thief snorted derisively. "You do your job, paladin. We'll do ours."

"We will discuss this later, thief." The disdain and contempt dripped from the Praelit's words.

Aran nodded, turning to open a drawer full of jewelry. "Yes," he responded unconvincingly. "We will."

"Bah!" fallout snorted. "Let's get going! The others should be hitting the Heart any minute."

Keldorn turned respectfully toward Magus, seeming putting the Shadow Thief out of his mind. "This mage...," Keldorn began, but he paused, seemingly unable to find exactly the words he wanted to say.

Magus understood and shook his head grimly. "No, I cannot match his magic but for a moment."

Keldorn nodded. "It is as I figured." The Praelit looked over at Rail questioningly, but said nothing.

The assassin drew his blade. "It doesn't matter." His voice was as a man walking calmly to the gallows, but his smile still held a touch of remembered warmth.

As if on cue, a wind seemed to flow into the still chamber. On the wind, a whisper of a voice could be heard. "By Torm...," the rest was cut off abruptly.

Keldorn's brow creased in concern. That was not how the message was supposed to go.

"No matter," Rail nodded toward Magus, who was stowing a number of scrolls Aran had handed him.

The mage gathered up the arcane power around him and wove the spell, whisking the group off to the Temple of Lathander, where they would begin their assault on the Broken Heart.

* * *

As the light began to fade from the undead preparation room, the deceased paladin suddenly gasped a painful breath of air, fists clenched at his side, as a cold and steady light filled his once sealed eyes. Not a illumination, per se, but more as light distantly remembered. With the light came purpose.

* * *

Rail eased from the shadows of the dusty tunnel into the library of the once-Radiant Heart. Istantly, he knew something was wrong. He should have been able to hear the remnants of the battle fought elsewhere in the Heart. Instead there was only unnatural silence. Like a spider.

Void interrupted his thoughts. You are wise to be cautious, silent one.

Somewhere, from the back of Rail's mind, laughter rose, but the assassin squeezed it out of his thoughts. Thanks, Misty, the assassin shot back sarcastically. Wordlessly, he motioned the rest of the group to join him in the study.

Hands holding weapons to eliminate as much noise as possible, the others crept in among the ancient bookcases of the venerable study.

Rail silently slid to the doorway and tested the air. Only distant light and faint echos greeted him. Still, he couldn't help but feel his skin crawl. Every instinct seemed to scream that something was wrong, but there was no other choice to be made. For the first time, he was hunting mages for something other than vengeance, but he couldn't help but wonder if it was hunting or trapping that was being performed.

Gritting his teeth, he led the group out into the shadowy hallway and on toward the inner chambers of the Broken Heart. Toward a waiting Aegis and Raistlin.

@Rail: Let me just say that your last post was absolutely splendid...you played everyone flawlessly, and you even guessed my intent with the fallen paladin. Great job. I’ve been thinking in-depth on his combat abilities. I’ll send you an e-mail with my ideas.

As Magus treads quietly through the library with the others, his mental focus is abruptly disrupted by his familiar.
I hadn’t time to tell you before, but Melosh decided to go his own way.
Yes, I’d figured so. I’d hoped he might reconsider, but I didn’t expect it. Unfortunate as it is, the choice was his. We must all walk our own path.
Void nods grudgingly in acceptance, but his own mind rebels against such a philosophy. Those who would harm society should not be released so casually. He preferred a much more active role in combatting that threat. Sensing his unease, Magus briefly smiles and shakes his head, knowing through bitter experience the trouble that such meddling brought. Despite his boasts of wisdom beyond mere mortals, his life was yet young, and the inexperienced Void still had much to learn.
*****

I would have written more, but I’m out of time. Until tomorrow...

Aegis stod behind Raistlin. The Arch-Mage stood, peering into a crytalline pool of water, watching the approaching forces of good. He sneered at their attempt, and thought nothing off it. Aegis lifted his new found blade, and fitted the tip into the small of Raistlin's back.

Aegis: What did you make me do!

Raistlin grinned, turning calmly, as if Aegis didn't have a blade.

Raistlin: I merely did what all men of power want. I took a city, and decemated the population. I am made a town of graves, and lost souls. Is that not what you asked my help for?
Raistlin grinned again. He lifted his hand, and a force of energy sent Aegis flying back into the wall, dropping his blade and leaving him immobilized.

Aegis was left hanging on invisible hooks on the wall, suspended only by Raistlin's sheer will, and intense powers. He walked to Aegis's suspended body, a sneer creeping onto his golden face.

Raistlin: Naive basterd. I have been controlling you since the day you were whisked away to Anasalon. You have been my pawn, a mere puppet in the grand scheme of things. *Raistlin stopped, and his face turned to a scowl* I have no more need for you. Once your old friends arrive, I will've ascended to Godhood, and you will be tried and killed.

Raistlin grinned, and turned his back to Aegis. He went back to watching the assault on his lair.

[ 04-26-2001: Message edited by: Aegis ]

the storys comeing on whats the full?
pg 20 !!

[ 04-27-2001: Message edited by: craig ]