Update June 3rd 2:30 PM:

A great many things too place last night......friends reunited, and new friends made. All of it ending with the thing all Messengers of Good fear in these dangerous times: battle.

Azalare was found in the beginning reaches of the Kandhar Plains, as suspected, searching for new allies in new races, to hopefully come to the aid of the Messengers of Light. While camped out, he heard suspicious noises off a short distance away. While investigating the noises, he stumbled upon three Orcs in a campfire.

Azalare used simple tactics, thinking that the Orcs could be easily fooled, and he could divert them in time to steal supplies. Instead, the Orcs surprised and shocked him by being more powerful and more intelligent than he had ever seen any Orc. Azalare quickly fled, but soon found himself surrounded when he stopped to charge his mana. Before he could unsheath his sword, the Orcs were brutally upon him. Luckily, while charging his mana, he had sent a distress signal into the air.

In a small forest, not very far off, the large group of human rebels that had been recently recruited and trained by Damian had just ambushed and ransacked a small Dark Elf camp, and had made a small encampment there for themselves. Seeing the signal in the sky, Damian, and a group of his best men, including Ruka, went off in search of its origin.

Quicker than expected, the group came upon the three Orcs and a nearly dead, and travel weary Azalare. Though they had enhanced intelligence, the Orcs were easily defested by the numbers of the humans. The group, led by Damian and Ruka, took Azalare back to their encampment, for healing and rest.

It was the first rest that Azalare had taken for six days, and he was greatful for it. They woke up early the next morning, Azalare still badly beaten, and had a council, introducing themselves and hearing of each others' missions. Damian's group was headed back to their hometown, and invited Azalare to stay with them until he was fully healed. Azalare could not accept, and was suddenly aware of a dark prescence, which was coming closer at a determined pace.

As thick, dark clouds swirl overhead, Azalare, even in his injuries, was prompt to get his weaponry, and advised the humans to do so also. Though skeptical, they agreed, and before they knew it, the dark rider of hell was in their midsts: Reseru was upon them!

First, a horde of wyvern-riding goblins attacked the men, and were taken out easily, but wave after wave of them continued to press forward. Azalare helped, but was forced to divert his attention, as the almighty Reseru slowly dropped to the ground, ready for battle.

While the brave humans made quick and relentless work of the goblin attackers, Reseru and Azalare found themselves neck and neck, and knee deep in their strongest powers. Neither one could best the other....that is, until Azalare's weariness and battle wounds from the night before settled upon him. He was soon beaten by Reseru, and dragged off of the field. It seemed hopeless, as Ruka and Damian began to both fight Reseru, and could barely get an upper hand.

Just when everything seemed to be concluded, and it would be Reseru's battle, all the fighting ceased at once as everyone, both dead and alive, stared with terror as, seemingly out of nowhere, Gnarthax appeared. This should have been the end for everyone there. Reseru was smiling, happy to see his master once more.

But happiness was soon not his emotion.

Gnarthax made it quite clear that he felt Reseru had abandoned him, and that he no longer would give any help to Reseru. Surprisingly, he did not kill Reseru, but instead, began to charge up a high-powered Elemental blast. Azalare, barely concious, tried to stop it with a wide array of spells, but they were all easily deflected by Gnarthax. The blast sent any survivors, except Reseru and his power, flighing high for miles, and were attacked by the elements the whole time. Reseru was left, confused, unsure, and alone.

Now, once again scattered, can the so recently rejoined Rebels reunite once more, and make it back to Red Rain Raus?

What will happen to Reseru? Who are his allies? Who are his foes?

Without a right-hand man, how strong will Gnarthax remain? What will be his next move?

And what of the highly-intelligent Orcs that Azalare came across? Are the evil forces somehow being enhanced? Will the remaining Rebels of Good have to finish fighting this war against a giant army of superpowered undead beings?

These questions, and much, much more, will be revealed as the ongoing plot continues, in The Legend of Red Rain Raus.

Update June 4th 10:20 PM:

Many interesting events took place last night....the end result being more sides split, more friends lost, and overall, utter confusion once again taking the reigns, and plowing through the hopelessness of Red Rain Raus.

It started off with Azalare, Reseru, and Damian, still phased from the blast by Gnarthax. Azalare is lying in the close reaches of the Kandhar plains, where he is found by a new, but well-trained private, Ashira. He can barely stand up to her in his weakened condition, but through the boiling hatred of the split Shadow race, he struggles to fight back anyway. She easily knocks him unconcious, and, surprisingly, instead of killing him right there, takes him back to her camp to be a slave until she got back to the Dragon Isles. That was not to last, however.

As soon as night fell, Azalare, who now had his strength back from rest, escaped. Ashira found him, but didn't pursue capturing him, because with his strength, she'd have no chance to beat a general. Azalare took off to find the others.

While that was happening, Reseru and Damian, who tried as they might to pitifully battle, were ambushed by a squadron of Gnarthax's Dark Elves. They were taken to an Elven city. Being surprisingly unguarded, they broke down the walls and escaped. Reseru, who seemed to take an odd liking to Damian, dropped him off at the battleground so he could find his city. Damian soon arived, and found to his depression that the gauntles had become unremovable from his arm. Bed stricken, he knew not of the danger that lay so close.

Azalare arrived at the human city soon after to check up on Damian. Finding his hospitalized state was depressing, but Azalare couldn't stay, because he felt the evil prescence of Ashira closing on the town. Azalare left the protected gates to confront her. In his confrontation, Damian ordered the gates closed. Azalare gave up the chase for Ashira when she was safely away, and found the gates closed. Seeing no other option, he decided to head back towards to the Kandhar Plains to finish his recruitment mission.

Reseru, after he dropped off Damian, went back to his Citadel. Upon arrival, he discovered it being torn down and burnt by his ex-goblin servants. Obviously, this was an order sent by Gnarthax for more revenge on Reseru's betrayal. Reseru gathered up his Scion Magi, and went off in search of more help on his way to attack Gnarthax. While he travelled, he came upon Azalare. To Azalare's amazement, Reseru asked for his help, in his strike against Gnarthax. Azalare was torn.....it was a good attack, but it was suicide with such few numbers. Before he could answer, though, his senses told him that a friend was in dire need of help: Damian.

Azalare took off at his fastest dash back to the Human City. Upon arrival, he found the gates ripped apart, and the entrance flooded with attacking goblins. Azalare drew his sword, and charged the goblins, slicing heads, slitting throats, hacking torsos, and maiming anything else. Soon, Reseru and his magi arrived to help the defense. Reseru's magi attacked with magical blasts, while Reseru morphed into lightning bolts, and simply ripped through the masses of goblins, melting them until there was nothing left but a bubbling ooze.

Sensing the action, Ashira soon arrived, and helped in the final blows to the now decimated goblin attack squadron. In the aftermath, the entire city was in ruin, Reseru's magi were dead, Ashira was scared to find him a traitor, Azalare was confused as to just whom his allies were, and Damian and the few remaining humans couldn't express their rage at not only Gnarthax, but the others as well. Blaming Azalare and everyone else for the onslaught that had occurred, they left to their sister city, and withdrew their alliance with the Messengers of Light.

Azalare took off towards Red Rain Raus, though he'd never make it there in less than a month at least. Ashira took off towards the Dragon Isles to warn Gnarthax of a possible attack by Reseru. Alone, and confused, Reseru wandered off to find answers.

Who is allied with who? Who will overcome who?

Will the Humans join Gnarthax for revenge?

At this stage, hell, even I have no clue.

Update June 5th 11:35 PM:

Surprisingly, not very much happened today. The few Messengers who are active seemed to be taking a bit of a rest in their travels. But still, action happened. And a furture plot thickener showed its face, to top it off.

We started off with Ashira and Azalare getting their nerves back from the horrid battle in the former Human City. Azalare went straight to sleep, while Ashira went into the sister Human City, and after hospitalizing Damian with a knife attack, and killing a small boy, anonymously stole a hotel room to recouperate. Azalare, after a deep rest, and dreams about his long lost Crystanthium Sword, went off to continue his travels. While walking, his stumbled upon another traveller: his old friend Ruka, a Messenger of Light! After a brief happiness in meeting, the two sought shelter from the newly oncome rains.

Finding a rather comfortable cave, the two made themselves at home.....only to realize it was already the home of some Orcs! The two made a smashing team, together, and with amazing wall-to-wall and slice-and-dice tactics, the Orcs were finished in no time.

Meanwhile, after her quick rest and bathing, Ashira was awakened by a hotel man demanding that she show herself for stealing the room. Creeping through the shadows, she snuck behind him, and easily snapped his neck. She then fled the city, and ended up, by shapeshifting and flying swiftly over the terrain, in the same forest that Azalare and Ruka resided.

Azalare and Ruka awoke to a strange sense of power nearby them, but all they could see was a grazing deer. But, before they knew it, the deer became Ashira, who attacked Ruka. Azalare remained hidden in the shadows. When Ashira had Ruka at sword-to-throat, Azalare stepped out with his blade an inch from Ashira's head.

Ashira fled, and, seeing Ruka check her pockets, Azalare inquired her bounty. Ruka explained that when she had been by the lake nearby, she had sensed something in the lake, and went and grabbed, rather easily, a chest. Inside of the chest were a bracelet and a tiara. Azalare was shocked to identify these artifacts as the lost treasures of Princess Yirsid, an Elven princess in the days of old. The princess was loved by everyone, and on her death bed, had her spirit put inside of her favorite jewels, so that the Elves would never lose her. The Elves, having spells and enchantments all over their territory, chose to hide it deep in the lake nearby, because the lake was especially protected. Being the only known home of the Talkaris Fish. The Talkaris Fish, the most beautiful aquatic animal of the Red Rain Archipelago, were highly respected by the Elves, and so, in turn, were highly protected by them.

However, what puzzled Azalare, was how easily Ruka had claimed to find the treasures; this brought to his memory an old profecy of the treasures. Azalare decided to have a council with Himyae, the wisest of the wise in the Talkaris Fish. After another slight confrontation with Ashira, who seemed to be after the jewels, the two went off to the lake. While Azalare had a little arguement with Ashira, over Shadow rivalry, Ruka's curiousity got the best of her, and she tried on the jewlery......bad idea. When she tried to take them off, she couldn't. They were fused on. When Azalare found her, he was displeased, but amazed that the enchantments of the jewelry hadn't melted her.

Azalare rushed to Himyae, warning Ruka that it was hard to keep your head straight when talking to him, because he tended to ramble on for years. After a long discussion, the Azalare and Himyae decided that the profecy might have come true, but Himyae argued that there would be no reason for the profecy to come true. The profecy was that in a time that could endanger her beloved Elven followers, she would make her jewelry find one that could weild them, and help protect her people. But Himyae knew this prophecy upside down, and it would take a pure-hearted Messenger of Light to weild such power. However, as chatty as he had been before, when Azlare exposed how Ruka was still alive and weilding the jewels, and fish silently swam away.

Unbeknownst to them, a small ground of the "smarter Orcs" had been closing in. Before they could turn around, Azalare had his head beaten, and had been thrown through a boulder. Not realizing it, Ruka took out every single one of the three Orcs by herself. When Azalare got up, he found the jewels glowing a light blue, and Ruka standing utterly surprised. Needing a decent meal and a bath, Azalare and Ruka decided to head to a nearby city they had spotted on their way to the cave, a little ways off. Little did they know, there awaited Ashira, ready to do evil once more.

What evil does Ashira plan to do this time?

What powers do these jewels hold, and how will they fully affect poor Ruka?

Just where ARE these smarter Orcs coming from?

Could things finally be looking up a little bit for our weary Messengers of Light?

Update June 8th 10:35 PM:

It seems that last night was an extensive night, full of all sorts of plot thickeners, and battle! Just what every RP session needs!

From what we gather, Reseru and Damian were engaged in a heavy battle between each other, though the reasons of which are still unknown. While the two were battling, Ruka was on the docks in the city, along with Azalare. Azalare suddenly remembered about an appointment he had, and fled the town swfitly towards a deep jungle. Ruka continued on the docks until she came upon Ashira, who was in a shark form, eating a few boatsmen. Ruka wasted no time, threw off her cloak, and tackled Ashira in the water. They began to fight each other heavily, and just when Ashira seemed to be having the upper hand, Ruka made a daring stab into one of Ashira's eyes. This wound caused Ashira to flee. Ashira, needing to escape the new danger of Ruka's rain of arrows from the docks, morphed back into her Shadow form, and climbed on a boat, and was soon out of Ruka's reach.

While that battle had ensued, the battle between Reseru and Damian had broken up, neither one the victor, it seemed. Damian sat on a beachside, contemplating how he wanted his life...whether to live normally, or within a metal suit, to fit his forsaken arm. Reseru went back, having nowhere else to go, to his destroyed Citadel, to ponder and think heavily.

Since she had the powerful jewels on her still, Ruka's fight made them emit more power, and gave away her position to just about everyone. Damian sensed her first, and came to her quickly. Ruka had found an Inn, and Damian went to her room. The two began to talk, after a confusing confrontation. Reseru sensed it next. He wasted no time, feeling danger with such a power, in getting to the town. Swiftly he travelled, and soon he was at the town. He easily slaughtered the guards, and barged in on the chatting Damian and Ruka. Reseru demanded that Ruka hand over the jewels so that he could destroy them. Ruka, however, refused to give up the jewels. The arguement and tension built up, until a another battle was about to ensue. While Reseru and Damian were heated on each other, Ruka slipped out of a window, landed on her feet, and made a dash into the forest nearby.

While Reseru and Damian chased her, Ruka threw two lighting balls back at them to buy her time. One of the balls landed in Reseru's back, causing him to fall. This bought Ruka enough time to get away from her pursuers. Just when she thought she was safe, and far enough away, she found herself surrounded by Orcs! However, the jewels, sensing the danger, began to brightly glow, and released a powerful attack, which ripped apart most of the Orcs, but left Ruka drained. Ruka was totally exhausted, and there were still Orcs to be killed. Luckily, Damian, who had not been hurt in chasing Ruka, easily sensed the jewels again, and came to her rescue, killing off the rest of the Orcs.

Sensing amazing amounts of power, and hearing Orcish war cries, and death cries, Azalare left the jungle, and flew as swiftly as he could, in griffin form, to the forest where Ruka and Damian were. Azalare arrived, and was quick to cast a minor heal on Ruka. But, knowing this wasn't enough, Azalare reached deep into his soul, and pulled out as much mana as he could. He finally cast a Super Heal on Ruka, which nearly collapsed him. Being a strong warrior, he was able to get up, but accepted an herb drink that Ruka made for him to help his mana recharge. Now all of them safe, Damian and Azalare began to talk. It was obvious that Azalare did not approve of Damain's metallic suit, which he had fitted on himself, but knowing that Damian felt it was right for him, Azalare let it go.

When he felt everything was all right, it was worked out that Damian would take Ruka back to the inn, and watch over her. When morning came, Azalare would relieve Damian. Damian took off with Ruka, and Azalare took off back into the jungle.

Upon arrival to a special place, Azalare was greeted, as planned, by The One himself: Archie! Archie, who had set this meeting up, informed Azalare of a possible deadly blow to the remaining Messengers of Light, if it was not taken care of now. A small group of Eepscans had been put under Gnarthax's control. This small group took over more and more groups, until it was an extremely large group of evil Eepscans. Archie advised that if these Eepscans were fully trained in the evil ways, and cloned into an army, the overwhelming power might force the Messengers of Light to have to surrender. Azalare was in horrific shock at such an idea. Archie informed him that he had been leading the Elder Fighters who could still be used to kill off whatever evil Eepscans they could find. He told Azalare, however, that before he joined the crusade, he had to finish his training with his old master, Lionkeepyr. Azalare, having such little memory of his past, did not remember this man. Archie told him to go to the Tyracillis Volcano, and seek this man anyway. He must complete his magic trainings, if he were to be the full potential of fighter that he should be. Before Azalare could argue, Archie vanished.

It seemes that everyone is having to go their own ways, now. Will this be the crushing blow to the Messengers of Light?

Will the jewels end up being Ruka's downfall if she cannot learn to control them?

Will Damian, now that he does not consider himself a human, join back with the Messengers of Light, or stay a rouge?

And what of these evil Eepscans? Will these be Gnarthax's new force that will be the end of Red Rain Raus?

All of this and MUCH MORE will be revealed as the plot continues in The Legend of Red Rain Raus.

Update June 9th 3:25 PM:

Very odd, and impactful occurrances have taken place, and have set a new path for all the Messengers involved in the war.

Reseru and his small band of followers, being rogues, declaired their neutrality, but evil bias. Seeing the opportunity, the Human race has declaired its neuturality, having a bias of good. However, some Human Messengers refused, and stuck with their affliliated teams.

The teams now stand: Evil: Gnarthax; Good: CAR and RFOG; Neutrual: Neutural/Good and Neutural/Evil.

It will be interesting to see how the Neutural Messengers can shift the movements of this war, and what tables they might turn.

Update June 25th 3:40 PM:

Some amazing occurances has taken place. The war is in complete havoc. The word loyalty means nothing anymore.

We start off with Azalare, after having been brutally beaten by a mob of Orcs to save Reseru and Sariella, awakening in pain inside of a huge conglomeration of Orc, Goblins, and Trolls. This was Gnarthax's army. Azalare had known not the sheer magnitude of the forces of evil until his eyes rested upon the size of the army. Trying to escape, Azalare was knocked back down, and blindfolded along with being tied. He then heard a voice walk to his guard and tell them to bring him to their Lord's chambers. Azalare didn't get frightened until one of the guards showed his fear at the Lord's chambers, and had his head chopped off by the other voice.

After a painful series of stairs, Azalare was thrown into a room, where he would await his fate from the monster himself: Lord Gnarthax.

Meanwhile, Ruka trvelled through the large marble catacombs, hoping for a way out. After what seemed like an eternity of darneked travel, she saw a gleam of light, and followed it until she found herself in fresh air and inside of a forest. She went forward through the forest, still searching for the Elf whom Azalare had sent her to find: Lossenlith. Supposedly this old and wise Elf could tell her more about the bracelet and tiara she had found, and could maybe tell her how to control and harness their power. However, it was still a very long journey for her to find the Elven city.

Far away from poor Ruka's weary travels, Sariella and Reseru fled northwesternly, making good use of the distraction Azalare had been for them. After many treatorous hours of running, the two stopped for a much needed rest, and found themselves soon in a bit of a tiff. Sariella, knowing the sacrafice Azalare had made, and what his fate would most probably become, pleaded Reseru to take her back so that they could save Azalare. Reseru knew of how positively insane and suicidal that type of rescue would be, and held Sariella back from certain death. However, in her own blind persistance, the arguement heated up so far to the point where Reseru gave up, and left her to her own decisions, flying eastward towards to other mainland. Sariella, seeing no other choice, turned back, hoping to somehow be able to rescue Azalare.

Sariella's journey, however, would be in vain.

Azalare, after what seemed like an eternety of waiting, could suddenly and terrifyingly sense the gigantic mass of demonic essence that was Lord Gnarthax. Azalare, though as brave and daring as he was, had never been this scared in his whole life. He backed into a wall, but Gnarthax showed no pity. He threw Azalare into walls, and cast horrible spells upon him, taking utter pleasure in his utter pain. However, to the surprise of Azalare and everyone else, Lord Gnarthax stopped quite far from killing Azalare. Instead, he'd simply weakened him to the point of possession. Casting black electicity throughout Azalare's body, and chanting an old undead curse, Lord Gnarthax happily turned the most righteous Azalare into the most unholy Messenger of Evil.

Gnarthax could sense the increase in Azalare's power, and the sheer evil that flowed through his vains, blackening the blood that once upheld eveything noble and holy. Gnarthax proved suprising once more, as he opened up a large golden chest, and handed Azalare his most precious possesion, the theif of which he had never knwon until now: his Crystanthium Sword. Armed and eager to kill, Azalare was sent off with no other mission but to lead any hordes he wanted into battle, and to make Gnarthax's victory swift, but slow and painful for the Messengers of Good. All Gnarthax asked in return were the heads of his two rejected and traitorous children: Sariella and Reseru.

Flying off with a newfound passion, Azalare flew as fast as he could to Red Rain Port, to cause havoc and just have a little fun. Without much delay, Azalare arrived at Red Rain Port, and had a blast casting olden enchantments upon the eath, causing it to rise up in huge pillars, crumbling half the city. The remaining survivers were engulfed by fireballs that chased them around the city.

Flying still Eastward, Azalare was headed to the Dwarven City. Little did he realize, that with an AMAZING newfound sense of telekenesis, Reseru had already raided and slaughtered the Dwarven City, and was now making much use of their riches. Azalare got there, and was initially ready for battle, but found that in his newly aquired stance of Neutrality, Reseru was in no mood to fight. However, it came as a great shock to Reseru, which snapped him out of his glorified reverie, when Azalare was perfectly happy with Reseru's slaughter of the Dwarves, and was only dissapointed in the fact that he himself hadn't gotten to do it. Learning of Azalare's evil possesion, Reseru decided to follow Azalare on his travels for a while, though he vowed he'd have to kill Azalare when he went to kill Sariella. This was fine with Azalare, and mounting a huge black dragon, they took off towards the abandoned sunken city, Oceanis.

With Azalare now turned evil, is there ANY FREAKING HOPE FOR THE MESSENGERS OF LIGHT?!?!?!?!

Will Reseru and Azalare make the ultimate terror tag team?

Will Ruka ever find Lossenlith, and unlock the secrets of the jewels?

What will happen if Sariella goes back to the Dragon Isles to rescuse an Azalare that isn't there?

All these and more will be answered, in the next breathtaking chapter of The Legend of Red Rain Raus.

It was a tragicomic chapter of our epic tale, one that started with danger, flowed with action and excitement, and ended with a possible even worse danger.

Our story tonight starts off with Azalare leaving Reseru to go to the sunken city Oceanis, and to make a camp and stay safe. Azalare planned to meet Reseru there after he finished some pressing "business". Azalare then left Reseru, flying Westward at speeds unmatched before, across the vast ocean, towards what he sensed as Sariella's power source. He had planned to kill her then and there, and bring back her head to Reseru. He knew he could beat Reseru, but if he was weak from travel and a possible fight with Sariella, the rage in which Reseru would be enveloped would make his battle tactics sloppy, and easily overpowered. However, that was not the case. When Azalare finally arrived, not only did he sense, in his now quite weakened state, Sariella's power, but also Damian's power. Damian alone, and more so the two of them combined, in Azalare's state (being weakened from high-speed travel, and not used to his new powers yet), could possibly have a victory over him. However, having the evil flame within, he cautiously pressed forward, and approached the two.

Putting on an act to be the good old Azalare, he was able to quickly and easily convince Sariella that he had escaped the horde of Orcs, and had come back to find her and Reseru. Damian, however, being far wiser, was able to sense something not right about Azalare. Something....changed. Something.....evil.

Striking up a conversation with Damian, hoping to ease his mood, and acting as though he had no idea why Damian was acting so strangely and coldly towards him, the three of them got onto the topic of Azalare's reclaimed sword. Azalare stated that he had stolen it from the Orc captain, who had received it as a gift when Gnarthax had stolen it. Again, however, Damian was not convinced. Azalare continued the conversation smoothly, getting closer to Sariella. Noticing her hair, Azalare inquired about it. Hearing that Sariella had cut it off, Azalare's mood quickly changed to his true evil persona, and with one swift move he was behind her, sword to throat, asking if she'd like her head to go with it.

Sariella panicked, as planned, but Damian seemed to care less about Azalare. Little did he know, in his evil ways, he had been turned somewhat less sharp than he had been before, and Damian was pulling a trick on him. Damian finally caught Azalare's attention once more, by claiming that Azlare was a servant of Gnathax, which Azalare claimed untrue, stating, enraged, that he only worked for Gnarthax because he hadn't killed him yet. Totally pissed now, Azalare threw Sariella to the ground, freezing her legs, hands, and mouth. Standing, sword readied, Azalare challenged Damian to a fight. Damian, still being the wiser man, knew he couldn't fight his way out of this, but outsmart his way through Azalare. Claiming that he would use his every power, even if it took his life, Damian would destroy Azalare. Azalare, knowing his power to be stronger, accepted, sheathed his sword, and awaited Damian's "onslaught". Damian, now knowing that his bluff had backfired, pulled out a magical veil, and muttered a few enchanted words. In a flash, the veil had gone and reappeared. Damian took off the veil, which had now covered a bottle of Holy Water. This was the winning factor, and Damian could see this, as Azalare began to worry a little. Holy Water could melt an evil entity down to a puddle of hellfire goo.

Seeing now no win for himself, Azalare turned back, grabbed Sariella, and took off into the sky. Damian sighed, and rested against a tree. However, all was not well for him. No one gets off that easy with the Almighty Azalare. Azalare turned his hand, now holding a black ball, back to the ground, shouting to Damian that he'd let someone ELSE take the hit of the water. Confused, Damian looked up just in time to see the black ball enter the ground, and watch, rising from the soil, fifty undead minions. With quick speed and no hesitation, Damian shot out a ring of fire, taking out twenty of the creatures. After that, he bravely held his ground, filling the oncoming wave of terror up with Holy Hit after Holy Hit. When they were all dead, Azalare chuckled, and left, leaving Damian to rest, weakened. However, Azalare could no long keep fooling himself, and knew that he had to stop using so much of his newfound magic at once. As soon as they were a safe distance away, Azalare put Sariella to the ground, and tried to walk with her. But Sariella had been trying to fight free in the air, and she certainly wasn't stopping now that she was on the ground. With a few swift kicks, Sariella had broken free of Azalare, and then she took off faster than he'd ever seen her go, leaving him to sit and curse.

Meanwhile, on the far other side of the continent, Ruka still wandered, searching for the wise Elf Lossenlith. Now past the Elven city, she came into a large thicket, where she saw a small figure muttering to himself, and investigating trees. Inquiring the man, she found that it was, indeed Lossenlith! Oh what joy!.....or so it seemed. The joy wasn't until later. First she had to get to Lossenlith.

It seemed that Lossenlith was really four wizards come together from a bad collision, and they all wanted to come out and talk at the same time. Well, this got the conversation to nowhere at warp speeds. Lossenlith claimed to have had an enchanted watch, and that keep him at his normal personality. However, an Ent, who was hiding in the trees, had stolen the watch, and now Lossenlith couldn't find it. Begging Ruka to help, and promising help in return, Lossenlith was able to get Ruka to join the search. After a while of searching, with no avail, Lossenlith suddenly claimed that he sensed someone, quite a distance off, who was headed this way, and in search of help. Lossenlith used some of his wizardly power, and sucked this person at a great speed over to them. To Ruka's surprise, it was Sariella!

The two of them reunited was a joyous occasion, and brought hope back into the hearts of both of the beautiful women. Sariella happily joined the search, and within a little while, Ruka had found the tree, Ruka and Sariella tackled it down, and Lossenlith got his watch back. However, when he got his watch back, he told the Ent to go hide. They'd been playing hide and go seek, and Lossenlith had only just now found the Ent after twenty nine years of searching!

Sariella, finding the way to Reseru through Lossenlith, now departed again, bidding Ruka goodbye and good luck on her journey. With Lossenlith's help, she was carried very swiftly across the continent, and ended up close to the Raven and Hawk City!

Meanwhile, not far from Sariella, Azalare trudged along, and accidentally tripped over a root at a crossroads, smashing into another passing traveller. Greeting the traveller, and shaking hands, Azalare noticed burns on his hand. Perhaps this man had some good in him. Maybe....a Messenger of Light? Azalare pursued the stranger a while, and learned he was not a Messenger of.......anything! Just a solemn, lone traveller, going Azalare's way: towards the Raven and Hawk City. Deciding to travel together, the two spoke of news of the land. Azalare learned the stranger's name to be Ein. While the two walked, they heard a rustling of someone running in the bushes. Seeing the figure, Ein pointed to a shadow in the distance a little ways. Azalare shadow dashed and tackled the figure, only to find....Sariella! What luck!

Through much acting, Azalare introduced Sariella to Ein as an old friend. Sariella, who continued to spit out truths about Azalare's being possessed, tried to get Ein on her side, so she might escape again. However, after Azalare got sick of this, he used what little energy he had left to telepathically tell Sariella that if she truly wanted to see Reseru again, she'd come with him. He told her that he was going back to Reseru at the sunken city Oceanis, and there, Reseru wanted to fighter for her, because he still had feelings for her. Accepting this truth, Sariella finally stopped fighting, and agreed and played along with all of Azalare's lies to Ein.

Back with Ruka, she had been discussing her bracelet and tiara with Lossenlith. Lossenlith explained to her that the true power of the two jewels cannot be unleashed unless the person had all three of the jewels. He explained that the third jewel was a pin that the princess wore everywhere. Lossenlith then pulled out of his pocket, none other than that very pin! He said he'd found it while he was fishing in some lake a while back. When Ruka tried to grab the pin, she was denied it, but Lossenlith then became violent, and ripped the tiara and bracelet off of Ruka! Lying on the ground, nearly powerless, Ruka watched as Lossenlith put on all three jewels, and was transformed into a power monster, no longer the joking Elf whom she had helped so soon before. Screaming as loud as she could, the sound echoed through the valleys and off of the hills, and was passed through the trees, until it reached the other side of the continent, as a faint plea.

Azalare and Ein, with their sharp hearing, heard the cry, and Azalare identified it as Ruka. Then, a sudden wave of horror came over the warrior of dark, and the tossed Sariella to Ein, ordering them to get to the town as quickly as possible and to make sure everyone there was safe. He couldn't say what had happened, other than Ruka had probably been deceived, and had not found Lossenlith the wise and caring Elf, but his dark brother, Thrainenlith, one of the most powerful and mischievous Dark Elves to ever grace the battlefield. Azalare took off at a great speed, heading back across the continent, though his power was little. Azalare knew of what could happen if Thrainenlith were to get the power of the jewels. Azalare cursed himself for not remembering about this danger both when he sent Ruka on her mission, and when the squad of Eepscans had told him of the abandoning of both the Elven and Dark Elven Cities. Azalare flew off into the setting sun, to attempt to fix this new problem, before they had something possibly worse than Gnarthax.

What will come of Reseru? Will he find friends in the sunken city? Will he find anything?

What will come of Damian? Could he have also heard Ruka's cry, and perhaps might get to her before Azalare, and save what Azalare cannot?

What will come of Ein and Sariella? Will Sariella convince Ein to run off with her to escape Azalare, even though she knows how dearly she wants to see Reseru once more?

What will come of Azalare? Will he get to Ruka in time to destroy Thrainenlith? And what should happen if Azalare cannot recover his strength in time to fight Thrainenlith? Would his evil conversion soon be the death of him?

And what will come of Ruka? Will she be able to fight off Thrainenlith long enough for help to come, even in her now weakened state. And will losing the jewels so maliciously have any affect on her power?

All of these questions, and much much more, will be answered, as the next exciting chapter of our epic unfolds, in The Legend of Red Rain Raus.