[event] once a future [3/3]

[Pahoran]

Pah ice blue eyes watched the Orkhan as he wandered around looking at the grotesque cemetery. Pah suspected that while the man didn’t show disgust he couldn’t be the culprit. Though the white winged knight was sure that then man was safe either. The baritone voice replied. “I to am curious as to what has happened here” He then introduced himself. “Pahoran Rayunia and I am the Third son.” He continued to watch when an idea came to him. “Was the city this way when you went to bed last night?”

It was also then when another voice was heard calling to them even as the skull crumbled into dust. Pah adjusted his position so that both would be within view and he could react if necessary. The newest member was a fair young woman who was approaching them. She though seemed to have reached a similar conclusion to the wigged youth.

“I wasn’t here when I went to sleep, so I hope and pray that I am dreaming.” He paused and looked at the growing cloud, “Though this is different then what I usually experience while dreaming.” He was still warry but he also believed that they were guided in there lives, and it appeared that here and now they were meant to meet. Though what was the purpose of that meeting still kept him wary.

His ice blue eyes turned to the crumbling bones, and he focused on the knights calm that he had been taught about. Pah enjoyed a fight, didn’t seek them since he was aware of who he was, but enjoyed when they came. This was different. He was sure something was coming but he couldn’t say what, and that put him out of his comfort zone. So he focused on keeping calm even as the skull formed and emphasized the light he had seen earlier.

He glanced at the young woman as she said something was coming. “I fear it might be more then one. While in the air I saw another light deep in the chasm. I am also sure that what ever caused this came from the warrens. Much of the fortress is destroyed with the rubble spread outward from chasm that has increased in size from what it was yesterday.” Pah found strength in the practical. He looked between the two waiting to see what they would report on their discoveries. “I don’t know how much we can do to prepare but I don’t like just waiting.” He paused. “Though running blindly into something doesn’t appeal to me either.”

“Most have been forgotten. Most deserve to be forgotten. The heroes will always be remembered. The best. The best and the worst. And a few who were a bit of both.”
― George R.R. Martin, A Feast for Crows

[Paragon]

The sigh that whispered through the streets, the dark chuckle that reverberated off the walls of the ruined buildings, it heralded the forming of what looked to be a hand in the mist. The fingers extended. There came a rushing of winds before the fingers elongated, plunging downward from the skies, crashing into the ground. Wind and mist began clawing its way through the streets, a dull roar filled the air as the mist barreled through the streets making its way toward the group that was gathered.

The group had but a few choices.

They could ground and face what was clearly coming their way, seeking them out as the wall of eldritch mist came ever closer.

They could seek shelter and wait for whatever it was that sought them passed.

Or they could run.

Whatever their choice, they had but moments to decide for it was clear that the whole of the city would soon be obscured in this ominous cloud.

As the wall drew nearer, shapes took form at the forefront. Figures in black armor shrouded in mists, wielding weapons that exuded auras of wickedness. They charged through the streets. Their faces were helmed with nary a one of them having features that were visible beneath their dark armor.

[Galius]

A disgusting fascination with the bones had nearly over taken Galius. As he stood watching them turn into dust. Had it not been for the winged man that had joined him. Galius might have tried something mostly unspeakable. But never the less, he was not alone to his wandering mind. As the skull formed in the sky and Galius turned his attention to it. A sense of unease set upon him. The third son. There weren't many who returned the Orkhans curious way of introducing himself. "Well Pahoran, if I am allowed to call you as such. I believe that we must act as unsure allies in this time. That... symbol" He said waving his hand towards the sky. "Lends it self well to more of a bad omen then a good one.."

Pondering at the winged one's question. Galius turned himself to face and look over the man. Tall, physically strong and winged. Though that was a fair description of most of the Avialae he had met. Not that he had really met many. But the one that he had met. There was something a bit different between the two. Something Galius couldn't quiet place. He shook his head as he focused back on the mans words. "No. When I went to bed the city was as bright as it had been since I arrived. I was not some yards down the road." Pointing back towards the direction he came.

"I would have to agree with you. This seems more of a dream then of reality." He paused against as the chuckle filled the air. Glancing about the entrances and exits from the square they stood in. It was smart to have an escape plan. But the unseen only made it harder. How many were there, and where were they coming from. Of course for one of them that would be little issue. As long as they could get in the air before they were set upon. But Galius wasn't so sure about his chances...

Though maybe that was him thinking too logically. If they were correct about being in a dream then maybe the rules were different. A sigh escaped his lips as he looked back towards Pahoran. "Or maybe a nightmare of sorts. Anything coming from the warrens is not to be ignored. However I agree that we shouldn't run blindly into this. We need to leave, something is coming." Glancing up to the highest point that he could see. The mists seemed to grow thicker and began to engulf some of the buildings in the distance. "Do you know of anywhere high we can go? Somewhere that might be safe?" Stepping towards the man as he spoke.

[Kala Leukos]

Kala was considering the knight's words, considering how to articulate what little she knew and how she knew it. Nodding along with his assessment, though, she was trying to think quickly. Unfortunately, it was not quick enough. A sort of hand manifested within the mist and then everything went wrong. There was no time to talk, only to act. At least Pahoran would not have to wait. Running seemed ill advised. While she knew the city fairly well, she didn't know enough about this lifeless ruined version to know where to run, and panic would help nobody. In any case, what divine guidance she had been given had led her here to them.

Here with them, it seemed she would have to make a stand. She drew one dagger, her other hand holding Saedene's relic as though punching something with it threaded around her fingers might do more damage than a fist alone. She dropped into a stance of readiness; though she was small and unassuming, she did know how to handle herself in a fight. But all the same, it seemed as though their foe was magical in nature. One rune had functioned; perhaps the other one would too.

She activated her elemental rune, calling out to Air. It made her wish her twin were here; he was bonded to Air more closely than she was. Blowing across the edge of her curved weapon, she urged it to spin. Her breath picked up speed and force, whipping around her blade as its center, then whipping past the knot of her fellow dreamers until they were at the eye of the tiniest storm—the wind whipped about, enough to keep the mist at bay, she hoped, and perhaps even the strange creatures it had summoned.

"If this is some lucid dream," she managed in the quiet of their bubble, "then perhaps our wills might be powerful to alter it."

[Pahoran]

Pahoran listened to the two others as various questions were answered and asked. The young knight nodded towards Gallius, “You can call me Pahoran.” He confirmed as the man said they would need to be allies regardless. Pah couldn’t argue with that though he thought he would still be warry. The skull was intimidating and the youth felt that this wasn’t going to be the best dream.

At least they were all in agreement that what ever was going on it must be some type of dream. Pah wasn’t particularly familiar with anything that could make you walk a dream, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t. He realized though that he didn’t really have time to pounder on this subject. A hand cloud was descending towards them. The icey blue eyes flashed as Pahoran summoned his bounded blade and looked around.

“We can’t face them here in the open.” He said to the young woman who had joined them. “We are to exposed, if we have to fight these creatures lets us choose where that will be.” He drew from his memory and said. “There were some larger buildings this way.” He pointed into the warrens of streets. “We can get inside and either find higher ground or at least not be exposed from every angle.”

Pahoran’s wasn’t afraid of a fight, but he had been taught not to be stupid about your fights. He knew next to nothing about this enemy, and he most certainly didn’t want them to be there in the open. He grabbed the young woman’s arm. She seemed ready to face these things her head on. “That is impressive lets uses it so we can choose our battlefield.” He would not force or dragger her. He came from a family where the woman were almost as tough as the men, but just as stubborn and determined. He also wasn’t sure what she meant by our will could control the dream. “It might be possible

Pah resisted the urge to fly and instead began to fall back into the city glancing left and right until he found one of the buildings that was intact enough and looked stabled enough and hopefully even had another floor that they could fall back in. With his icy gaze glancing all around he moved to back into the building with who every also came with him. He focused his will and aiming it to push against the encroaching mists. He wasn’t sure if it would work but it was worth trying at least.

“Most have been forgotten. Most deserve to be forgotten. The heroes will always be remembered. The best. The best and the worst. And a few who were a bit of both.”
― George R.R. Martin, A Feast for Crows