Cleyra Act 1: The Protector of the Sanctuary - Open to Cryptic & myself

"Yes.  This is my home. I forget how strange it is sometimes - it has its own rules and doesn't belong to the rest of the world." She walks along, carefully following the golden lights - at a casual place, more content and relaxed than usual. "My mother was a dynastic monarch of a very ancient culture - hidden and forgotten but infused in everything.  My father was an archaeologist.  They taught me to see the world without time - listen to the voices of the earth and even the dead who have departed from it.  It is in my blood to find the secrets ... to sacrifice everything. It's so odd to end up back where I started - I was not skilled enough to notice the first time ... and perhaps I needed to find you too." She walked with carefully, noting the golden lights were becoming more rare.  As they disappeared, a stream of violet, blue, and red lights began to take their place.

"From sun-quenched desert, to the deep sea, to forgotten wooded path - the blood of the broken soul will forever burn - and in the darkness after, peace will come." She altered her path to follow the blue lights, - the deep sea - ignoring the forked paths of the other colours. She happens to glance over to see the magician wandering toward the violet. She had to correct him before the blue lights were out of sight and they were lost.  She dashed after him, grabbing his arm to spin him around, but forgetting the odd nature of the very fine sand, slipped and turned into him, sending them both to the ground.

She lifted herself, slightly, discovering she had landing on top of him. "Are you alright?!"  She sat up, her lithe frame snugly straddling his hips, as she tried to see if he was responsive.  Leaning down over him, she placed a hand behind his head and leaned in close to see if he was breathing. The thumb of her other hand gently wandered over his cheek.  "Hawks - I'm so sorry... you must pay attention and only follow the blue lights."  The blue glow of the lights reflected in her eyes, giving them a unique aqua tone as she worriedly waited to see if she had accidentally killed him.

"Hm? I was merely distracted by this beautiful scener-?" Hawks begins to speak to her, eyes slightly dilated as she ended up on top of him, again, but before he could finish his, oddly calm, sentence, he halted, then immediately fell asleep. Something that must have been the most unexpected and awkward thing to occur at such a situation.

Seconds later, his eyes open up again, and he glares at her, then smirks with a tone of mischief. "My apologies, see, I decided to stray my eyes away from your beauty for a mere moment, and this happened. I'll make sure not to look away again. At your command and under your guidance, darling.~"

Well, he hasn't appeared in a while.

"Yes it is --- did ... did you just fall ASLEEP?!" She looks down at him in disbelief. Before she can check his breathing, he's up again - that look in his eyes - that unadulterated mischief and confidence, she had seen it before. She froze, swallowing hard, hoping she was mistaken - then he opened his mouth and let those bold and careless words fall out like cannon balls among porcelain. Not again ... what got into him this time?  Did she accidentally give him a concussion?

"Oh bloody hell - not YOU again" - she almost whines, putting her entire hand over has face as she considers tying him up. Her hand slipped away, as a dizziness overtook her for a moment. That damn rum was getting to her.  She knew better than to get into Kiana's brew - but it had been right after she washed up alone on the beach - to make her forget the feeling of loss, just before that Yalani attacked - so much had happened in the last half hour, it seemed like an eternity ago - but that one lapse in judgement with the devil's rum was beginning to catch up with her.

She didn't feel particularly intoxicated and the dizziness was wearing off.  Her eyes became focused as she gazed down at him.  "Oh there you are... my Emperor..."  Continuing to straddle his lap, she pulls him up so she's sitting on his lap, facing him. "You must have been victorious in your Northern campaign - you'll be pleased to know I've sealed off our eastern borders. Our empire is secure and the new territories are loyal to you. "  What on Earth was she talking about? ... She seemed to be living another life that he was some how apart of.  "I've missed you ...your golden hair and deep blue eyes ... don't torture me with such a long absence again!" Her posture was different and somewhat regal, which oddly, suited her.

She offered a playful smirk as she lightly bit his shoulder, before slowly brushing her lips up the side of his neck. "Now, my love ... what do you ask of your Queen?  I am yours alone to command..." There was nothing but sincerity and loyalty in her eyes. "What territory shall I take next, my lord? We shall take the world together ... but let's start here ... with your most loyal capital ... " Her emerald eyes fill with a playful danger as she runs her hands down his arms before pulling his hands around her waist. Her lips find his, with unrestrained and hungry intensity.

"Oh, so you have realized that there's more than one of us? It was about bloody time, should add." Hawks alter-ego -his words further cementing the speculation that the magician was apparently suffering from some sort of a multiple personality disorder- comments, with a casual, somewhat playful, somewhat soft-scolding tone. Oddly, that bizarre situation was to actually be overshadowed by a far more confusing and awkward -perhaps, especially for the "normal" magician- scene. It was her that was speaking of nonsense now. Maybe she suffered from the same ailment?

"My my. What a mess, are you drunk or lost your mind over my enticing perfection? Either case-" He gets himself up, then places his hands over her posterior; but not to proceed to immoral acts, it seemed, as he immediately lifted her up and placed her over his shoulder, his hand however still firmly attached to her buttocks. "We have to reach some place, and that place is important for that weaky one. I felt bad for him so am gonna do him the favor to get him there. We can have all the fun and naughtiness once we find the place, and a nice cozy location to have some fun. So, we follow the blue, right?" He questions, then begins to walk towards the light's direction. After a few steps, he actually lightly slaps her posterior. "Oh, and that was a very sensual kiss .. you seem to be good at it. Let's exchange ever more once we are there~!"

Upon feeling herself lifted over his shoulder by her backside. She squirmed a bit, turning about before flipping herself backward over his shoulder, one foot pressing against his back and she pulls his shoulders back and tumbles backwards.  Carefully she uses the leverage to flip him over, tumbling atop him.  Her hands run down her own bare thighs, finding the twin daggers in her thigh scabbards. She crosses one dagger over the other pressing them to his neck while smirking down at him. "You know you'll never catch me without a fight, Love. Now ... " She leans closer to him as she moves one of the daggers, dragging the cool steel along his creek and over his lips. "Did I say I was finished with you and your 'enticing perfection'?"

The pale blue lights continue to flicker, giving their skin an ethereal glow   She tilts her head to lightly nip at his ear before lightly biting the side of his neck.  "... you know how I love it when you struggle..." She sits up on his hips, one blade still at his neck and the other moving to pop his shirt buttons loose to expose his chest.  Her eyes glaze over with lust and she brings both of her twin daggers up, jamming them to the ground on either side of him, through his shirt pinning him to the ground.  Her free fingertips roams over his chest as she crawls over him, giving him a hungry gaze. She lightly nips at his lower lip, tugging softly. "Are you well, Emperor - you usually put up more fight than this." Her fingertips trail down his abdomen to the top of his waistband. "Does my declaration of war lack sufficient aggression?" She smirks as her other hand claws his chest, drawing blood in its wake.  Her lips find the side of his neck again - bites mingled with vicious suction. "Where is my warrior?"

The trickles of blood escaping his chest catch her eyes.  Instinctively, she slowly licks away the crimson liquid, the wound beginning to close on contact.  "I've challenged you..." She cradles his face in her hands kisses him with savage insistence. She stops after a time, her eyes seemed less intense then frightened. "What... Hawks?  I-... What ... What have I done?" She lightly brushes her thumb along his lower lip, visibly confused and upset.  "Forgive me... " After a slight hesitation she kisses him again, slowly and softly, void of the previous aggression. Which Jade was responsible for this mess?

"My my, sweethearts like you shouldn't let themselves become drunk; what if your ethereal beauty falls victim to the likes of thugs or brutes? Luckily for you I am quite the lucky draw." The male comments, while left to merely observe her erratic acts and senseless phrases she was muttering around. Eventually, things did got rather unnerving, even for his elevated levels of creepiness, as she went ahead and started playing around with a knife. "Careful with that, you shouldn't toy around with sharp-!"

"Really now, you scratched me with a knife? Your foreplay rituals are really messed up .. should I also reveal my vices, then?" He notices her expression and eyes change, which indicates that perhaps she had come to her senses; or maybe not, as she carried on anyway. "Well, alright, if you so insist, let's do it right here in the desert, I don't really have a problem, since you seem to be that restless about it."

Jade was still a bit confused awakening to such a situation with vague memory of how everything happened. Their prior conflict in the desert left her with unresolved internal conflicts that were now being liberated. She want's sure if it was sincerity or revenge that drove her the set aside caution. "I'll toy around as I like or do you intend to stop me? Vices? You mean your sword? Yes ... please show me. You wish to battle right here?" She sits up, taking on a more serious expression while glaring down at him. Slowly she pulls the daggers imprisoning him from the ground and slowly trails their cool steel down her thighs until they are gently cradled in their respective scabbards. She tugs him up while remaining on his lap. She tilts her head and runs her thumb lightly along his lower lip. "Don't expect your magic to save you this time, Nemuri ... I'm tired of being toyed with."

She brushes her lips along the side of his neck as her hands never stray too far from her daggers since he offered his own 'vices' - whatever that meant. Her lips wander to his shoulders where she begins to nudge his shirt out of the way with her lips. Her well muscled frame presses firmly against him, making any sword play precarious at best. She carefully captures one of his hands and moves it to her thigh, where her dagger rests as her other hand guards the opposite blade. "A gift - so you can never say I do not fight fairly" Her lips slowly trail back up the side of his neck and along his jawline.

"Hmmmm, I see." The blonde remarks, while not really reacting or struggling against her actions, however close or precarious they would be. After she was mostly done, to be precise, after his hand was placed over her thigh and the dagger located there. "There is one misconception, however." he then adds, his mouth carving a rather vicious, full of confidence -or arrogance- smirk.

Moving his arms, slowly, away from her antics, he then places them over her shoulders. "I'm not "Nemuri"." he calmly, almost casually, comments, all the while his hands moving close to her garment's collar. And then, with a violent expansion, he tears off said garment in two pieces. "And I am not one to be freaked out by the kinks and passion of a woman." he comments, the smirk only becoming wider and more full of confidence.

His smirk and arrogance was getting to her in the worst way, she bit her lower lip trying to settle herself. "You're certainly not the Nemuri I know ..." She nips lightly and slowly at his lower lip. "... but you certainly taste the same." She gasps slightly as the garment covering her torso is shredded. She looks down for a moment, unbothered by her own exposure for once. Her green eyes gleam with a particular intensity and fury as she gazes up at him, a smirk crossing her lips. "Happy now? - You can't spook me any more, magician. You should also know I'll be fashioning yet another garment to replace that on out of YOUR shirt ... speaking of which..." She wasn't going to let him get away with terrorizing her, running away, then conveniently forgetting this time - she was finished being toyed with and was confident he would give up if she pushed back hard enough. Pure mischief begins to tug at the corner of her lips as the dagger which was safely tucked against her thigh comes back out to prowl.

A gash across his chest is initiated, lightly nicking his skin in the process. Replacing the dagger, she begins to tear the fabric away with her hands. Her hands then slide slowly up his chest, through the small amount of blood from the dagger gash. She brushes the blood against her lips, carefully tasting it with satisfaction. Pinning him to the ground again, she flips her hair over his chest and slowly brushes her lips along the center of his stomach, her hair following her movements, tickling his bare skin. Upon reaching the waist band of his trousers, she bites their rim, lightly tugging before she slowly brushes her hair away before giving him a dangerous gaze. " ... and how many 'kinks and passions' have you experienced? You don't seem to know what you're doing, really... or perhaps you're just not interested."

She crawls back up until she can gaze down at him with a feigned pout as her hand comes up to cradle the side of his face. "Do I bore you, Hawks?" She leans down carefully until her chest presses against his. "On second thought, I should shut you up before you get into more trouble..." She kisses his nose almost sweetly and playfully before beginning a trail of feather light kisses to his ear, along his jawline and to the corner of his mouth ... skipping over his mouth, she kisses the other corner, followed by his chin and neck. Returning to her original goal of stopping his speaking, her lips find his very lightly at first with gradually building intensity and insistence. She was consciously trying not to lose control of the situation - his mouth tasted like pure magic ... bloody magician.

"Hmmm ... alright, I think I had enough." After a little while, the blonde comments and moves his hand, to get a hold of her hand that held the dagger. "There's one thing in playing, and another thing in inflicting me with all sorts of scars. Now, with that out of the way, let's move on." his other hand then moves straight towards her posterior, which he inflicts a firm grip on. His tongue then finds its way onto her bare skin, on her collar region, before it begins to trail upwards and across her neck, to then reach her left cheek. "You taste fine, tho."

And then, taking a step back, he abruptly throws off his trousers; all left as a garment being his underwear. "If you are going to be taking off my clothes like this, might as well discard them all." and, saying that, he throws off his underwear too. So, there it was, the blonde was completely naked, with his arms crossed. "So .. where should I begin?"

She probably raised the stakes too far back there.

She narrows her eyes as the blade is taken away.  "I barely scraped you - you actually think that will leave a scar?  Are you made out of paper?" She frowns and replaces the blade in its scabbard. Annoyed, she turns her head as he assaults her neck - not reacting and barely acknowledging him.

She raised a brow when he abruptly decided to disrobe. "Really? Just like that?" She wanders over to him and drags her lips along the little cut on his chest, the wound sealing in their wake. "You're really a delicate thing aren't you?  You should probably put your clothing back on before this rough, course sand gets the better of you. ... you poor soft thing." She takes the tattered remnants of hid shirt and carefully ties it around his waist. "I refuse to be responsible for any more damage to that silken hide of yours... and I certainly won't be a chore for you to get out of the way."

His mixed demeanors were so mentally draining that she lacked energy and passion for anything she should care about after the invariably traumatizing experience was over.  Trying to suck it up and deal with it only seemed to make things more erratic and annoying.  What ever happened to the shy awkward creature she had grown so fond of? This creature he had become was a confusing sociopath that liked to inflict psychological terror that she felt compelled to not only combat, but compete with.

His arrogance always drew her in - it was both alluring and it begged for competition.  "Start? Don't make me laugh ... "  She smirked a bit, gently placing a hand on his cheek. "You're not ready, love ... you're not even you. You are just the soft little shadow of someone I used to know. "

"You talk too much." The male complains, while rolling his eyes and making a grimace of annoyance. He was, seemingly, completely unfazed by her actions, and especially about everything she told him after he went ahead and displayed complete nudity. Actually, it could be implied that he literally didn't even noticed what she was talking about, and merely took it all in as "pointless babbling".

"So, are you done?" He then extents his hands and grabs both of her wrists, before he moves his body forward, causing her to fall down on her back, and then he lands atop her stomach, his hands firmly holding her down, her arms widely extended. "Because you seem too rough still, so I should soften you up." Saying that, he bends down -how flexible was he, after all?!- and connects his lips to her neck, the grip over her wrists being quite rough and mighty, his legs were crossed and he seemingly had a lot more physical strength than he would let out; it felt like a powerful wild animal was the one applying the capturing pressure.

She narrowed her eyes while being pinned in a most uncomfortable situation. His rudly dismissive actions annoyed her enough to crave his blood even more - but not in a playful extraction as before. All it would take was a moment for the beastly sphinx to emerge and take his throat right then ...bit it didn't happen. She was torn between battling and enemy and protecting someone she was genuinely concerned about. "Wait .. what you said before ... you said you are not Nemuri - who are you? This shall not continue without Namuri." Her back ached and she turned her head to avoid his nonsense. She was genuinely surprised by the amount of strength contained within such a slender frame.

That question seemed to be a way out of this; that was because, the moment she spoke those words, she could easily tell that his tongue, which would roughly and vigorously travel across her bare skin by that time, stopped moving, then was lifted off her body. The male takes a rather annoyed and lamenting expression, before he opens up his legs, in order to locate his right arm's elbow over his thigh, and his head now placed over his open palm; all that of course resulted in his more delicate parts to now be fully visible to her.

"My, did you had to ask such a deep question now? What a turn-off." The creature complains, then glares down at her, expression with traces of irritation, boredom and uneasiness. "Well, since you asked tho, alright. See, I was born when an event took place that regular Hawks, especially at that young delicate age, couldn't possibly stomach .. I am under the impression that he begun to explain some of his past to you, am I incorrect?"

Jade noted his attack stopped as soon as her words were uttered - she couldn't tell if he was annoyed or hurt. She was sincerely concerned about dragging the real Hawk's body into an act he would never actually approve of. As the curious stranger moved away from her, he started to speak of an event from long ago but - what was with his pose?! It was very hard to pay attention as the strange man spoke in what appeared to be an over the top sexy pose - she refused to allow her eyes to wander beyond his torso - what in hell was he doing? Her eyes eventually locked on to his blue gaze so she could be less distracting. He had devastating eyes but at least she could pay attention this way. "Yes I couldn't - we couldn't do that to him ... he is traumatized enough and - what the fuck are you doing? Don't lay like that! - did you say born?! ... what the-?"

"I am just getting comfortable." The blonde responds in return, and, in the spirit of making himself comfortable, he leans and repositions himself in a more comfortable position, then proceeds to casually and slowly rub his lower abdominal region, in a "I'm lazy" manner.

"Call me Azure, by the way. That's my name." The alter-ego then explains. "Back then, you see, Hawks faced everything he knew of and loved get burnt down and disappear right in front of his eyes. Someone as weak and fragile as himself, couldn't possibly endure that. So, I was "born" at that time, a side that could muster this sorrow and actually endure it. Although, to be honest, I hardly care about him; haven't been able to break back for so many years. Thankfully your doctor is pretty good at his .. job, whatever kind of madness he toys around with."

"Azure?! How can you have such a sexy name - you definitely just made that up - no one is named damn Azure!" The sphinx narrows her eyes as her speaks, trying to ignore his sloppily creepy mannerisms. "So ... I am so traumatizing to him that it crushes his spirit so heavily that the darkest part of himself is manifest as a subconscious defense mechanism? I'm sure I've encountered worse insults - can't think of any right now, though." Jade was growing visibly annoyed - the green in her eyes began to flicker and glow, sharp canine teeth beginning to emerge, making her look somewhat like a vampire. She still managed to repress her beast form for fear of accidentally killing him. She pushing him over and crawls over him, completely disregarding his random nudity. She glares down at him pinning him down by the wrists. "While I appreciate you shielding him, if you lead him into harm's way, I will employ every possible method to wrench the toxic entity that you are from the shadows of his soul, you blue eyed bastard. You'll wish you had bothered to care a bit more. Don't you know better than to tangle with a guardian-type beast?"

"Do you think that it is a solid idea to threaten me in such a way? Also, my name is .. of course made up, I was born in such a way, so naturally I had the right and option to opt for whatever name I pleased." The male replies to her, not really showing any form of restrain or effort to elude her invasion. Although, to be perfectly fair, not a lot of males would be willingly struggle away from a nude female grinding her way on top of them. "After all .. harming me harms him, remember? So, your threats fall in void, unless you are that naive or a foolish simpleton enough to be unable to figure out the obvious." he adds to what he said, then chuckles a bit at her. "Oh, also .. you may want to be informed that pressing and grinding your breasts across a man's body is a bad idea if you have no intention to be involved into a mating action, unless if you are into that in which case I am ready to play.~"

" ... and you picked that on ... on purpose?" Her gaze darkens into something resembling pure evil. "Don't get me wrong .. I know that all I have to do is shift my hips ever so slightly and there will be no turning back - but I'm sure that's not something either of us will be pleased with - you're not the one wan- er ... not the one I'd bother with, you've merely highjacked a body ... and you seem satisfied with anything concave and snug enough for adequate sensation. I could offer you my wine skin and you would be just as happy." She tugs him up by the hands and narrows her eyes, continuing to straddle his lap. Slowly she tugs his hands down to her hips and raises a brow. "Are we done here or are you really going to be this foolish?"

"It is a fine name, come on, you know it is." He suddenly seems to shift his attention somewhere else, as he turns towards the west, and observes there for a couple of seconds, thus allowing her to do whatever she wanted. Once he turns back, he lets out a smirk. "Well, as much as I'd like to show you just how I could just rock your world right here and there, we must ..-" he suddenly, almost as if he had no resistance to begin with, tosses her off him, and gets up, which, unfortunately had the problematic result in her face being mere inches away from his crotch area.

He grabbed his robe, and then lamented. "But, we will have company now." as soon as he stated that, a number of robbed figures appear out of the blue; they also carry pole-axes, implying fighting capabilities. "We are here to capture the intruders, as informed by-WHY ARE YOU PEOPLE NAKED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT?! ARE HUMANS THAT LUSCIOUS AND CONTROLLED BY THE URGE TO MATE SO MUCH?!" The one that spoke yells out in sheer shock and awkwardness.

Jade raises a brow at being tossed away and fashions a new top from the tattered pieces of scattered fabric.  She eyes the newcomers with visible boredom as she gets to her feet.  "Considering your obvious body shame and unreasonable prudence, it's no longer a mystery why so few of you remain. Anyway, there will be no mating with that shabby, arrogant body snatcher."

She saunters over the the bothersome occupant of her favourite magician's body.  "We're not done here, Blue." Here eyes glow with something between rage and mischief. She keeps her eyes on his own and slips her arms around his waist and leans in close, after a moment, her hands emerge with the ends of the sash to his robe.  Smirking, she carefully ties it with deliberate slowness. "Those really aren't yours to be parading around like a trophy."

"What is that female doing?! She is being ... alluring!!" The person from before, yells, the usage of the word "alluring" being quite an awkward pick. This was evident by the long sigh of the person standing next to him. "I told you so many times, watch what you are saying ... the word you was looking for is "preposterous" .. idiot." The first person gasps in shock, before he shakes his head, and then inexplicably remove his helmet to face Jade and Hawks face-to-face.

"That may be true but .. these must be the duet Aria spoke us of ... humans! My name is Mitobe Freyon. We are ordered to take you in custody until we can confirm your intentions. Put your clothes on and come with us, without resisting .. or we will have to use thrust!" -Meant to say "force"

Introduction Box:
Royal Guard of the Cleyra Shrine
Mitobe Freyon

"Hmmmm ... are you done acting awkwardly and in such a naughty way yet?" Azuke asks Jade, completely ignoring the newcomers. "HEY, I AM SPEAKING TO YOU! DO NOT IGNORE ME, YOU .. HUNK!" -Meant to say "Male". "Well, we do not have time so, let's just go." Azuke then grabs Jade and once again hurls her on his shoulder, with his hand once again smacking onto her posterior, before he begins to run away. "Ah, they are escaping!!"

Jade also ignores the inept guards. The archaeologist part of her was curious - long had she heard of the elusive and ancient race who guarded the secrets of the powerful weaponry as both the race and the weaponry had fallen into the realm of pure myth. There was so little evidence as to the existence of either. Now that she had seen the mythical guardians, she felt underwhelmed and annoyed. Not only did they seem a bit stupid - they may have been their own undoing. Their bizarre prudence lead her to believe they un-bred themselves into tiny numbers and the small amount left were forced to inbreed, accounting for the stupidity. It was always some kind of religious nonsense and irrational superstition that brought all the great civilizations to their knees - it was painful to think about and worse to watch. Their stead as guardian was too important to be undone by an unprecedented fear of breasts.

Jade gasped as she was yet again scooped over "Azure's" shoulder as he was bouncing off through the desert. For once she ignored his lewd passes and did not struggle despite having a better speed as a beats of winged hybrid. The desert had many secrets - most of which related to the stars. She squirmed a bit, shifting herself properly into his arms, against his chest so she could have a decent view of the sky rather than the previous view of the ground and his ass. Upon a moment of studying the sky she found the markers she sought. "Go west until, toward the violet star - just when you start to see the top of a cliff formation on the horizon, head south and follow the green star. It leads the a place where the horizon seems to disappear and the winds constantly shift, erasing all track and sight. There is a system of tunnels near that shore but its best we ignore them since we'll be expected to go there for refuge. Instead, follow the direction of the wind."

"Alright, you do the guiding, and I will do the running." Azure thumbs up to her as he continues to dash, this time in line with her guidance. "Oh .. your ass is pretty tight, good job." he then pointlessly adds, with yet another thumb up, accompanied by a flashy grin.

"I see .. they are making a run for it. How exaggerating." -Meant to say "pointless". The creature comments to his companion. "They clearly underestimate us, it seems." the other individual adds, and the first person then nods; apparently he will go after these two.

"So, how long until we reach .. what do we look for again, anyway?" Azure, meanwhile, asks Jade, as he continues to follow her directions. But, as he tries to find his bearings, he observes something, but only barely. "W-what the-?!!" Hawks hardly manages to duck down, dodging a kick that felt like it appeared out of nothing. "Impressive reflexes .. guess I took you for granted." -Meant to say "underestimated you"
"That bastard followed us .. that was stupidly fast." Azure comments, with a tone of irritation and discomfort. Meanwhile, he was just carrying her around as if she was a bag; surely she was getting increasingly upset about that fact.

Jade was unsurprised by their speed. She squirmed a bit until she freed herself from her creepy crewmates grasp. She pressed on his chest gently as if telling him to wait. She walked forward ito approach their pursuer. Quietly, she begins speaking an ancient language that had been dead for quite some time, the old language of the species ancestors. "By the ties of sea and sand, we are allies of the old blood bond, I bear you no harm ..."

Her family had ruled over the kingdom that used to flourish here for centuries ... before the interference of the world government - before everyone was slaughtered. Her father kept her and her sister's identity well hidden - but they continued to research and study the ruins of the lost kingdom as they grew up. Her mother had taught her the old languages before she died. The languages weren't spoken outside of her family but the Talani would know them - the alchemy and architecture that made them the technological leaders of the world were based upon those old languages. Only the Talani and the royal family continued to use these old languages.

She hated to bring up her past, but they needed to know she had spent her entire life trying to preserve what was left of a ruined kingdom - to keep the old technology out of the wrong hands, to protect the artifacts from destruction, and make sure the survivors remained hidden. The few people that knew what this place was, what it used to be, and why it needed to be protected could not fight each other ... there was too much to lose and attracting any attention was dangerous. This was a corner of a kingdom that was her home, once ... protecting it was woven into her blood. "Why are you out so far - have there been scouts after all these years?"