The Calm Before the Storm

[Shae the Bat]

All across Mobius and in its various surveying realms, actions have been set in motion for events not fully understood. Dr. Eggman's plans for revenge are now underway, sending the vampire Lucian to the surface to awaken his "reinforcements". Chronus, Father of Time has also made plans and started a cycle of events for an unknown means. What will transpire in the days to come.. no one could truly be ready for.

In the central hall, Lord Shae stands staring out the window at the vast paradise of the Chaos Realm. Spirits abound in their eternal bliss, the reward for their lives lived well. More still, his new bride, Ishillar, is with child, a rare and wonderous event considering their state of un-life. Such an event can be a sign of the Goddess and her will.. or something worse, like a remnant of the dark Syntaru spreading his evil. Questions and quandries race through the head of the chiroptera.. questions with fearful answers.

High in orbit over Mobius, the devious Doctor sits in wait. Watching the monitors as Lucian makes his way to his appointed objective. Clasped hands infront of his fuzzy moustache, a blank stare upon his face. Attention completely focussed on the screens..

"Things were so much simpler when it was Sonic and I.. granted, I lost 90% of the time and joined forces the other 10.. but still, there was a sense of expectation and regularity then. Now, I have the likes of Legioon and the very Gods and Goddesses of the planet to contend with.. Sonic.. Knuckles, Shadow.. Tails my technological rival.. even that annoying brat Amy.. I miss them.. off on their quest across the universe.. I thought I'd be living high, but instead, things are low as can be."

The Doctor's remenising was interupted by a transmission from his mechanics bay.

"Doctor Eggman, sir, we're ready for you."

" -grumble- very well, I'm on my way."

[Psychosis]

Amon stood up from his chair heaving a sigh. He walked over to the window over the sink and stared out at the city. Such an enormous place, filled to the brim with activity. A vast array of different species, existing together in a societal way. Yet beneath it all lay terrors unimagineable to most, those who can forsee the horror are often taken as lunatics.. this was the view of Amon. His stance on the worl dafter Syntaru. Though the populous is saved they know not how or why, or even from what. Ignorance is their bliss, that same ignorance is the qualm of those heroes.

"Dear, I'll return shortly, I must collect a pupil and finish a lesson before the danger arrives. I'll explain more fully once I've finished this."

He walked over to his feline love giving her a soft and gentle kiss upon the cheek before teleporting out into the city, locking on to the telepathic signal of Tayuu. He appeared a short distance away from the feline, observing what his wayward pupil had been doing in his absence. He shook his head in disappointment and sent out a rather potent ringing sound through young Tayuu's mind followed by;

"Meet me on the roof, clearly, you have gained nothing from your previous lesson, class is once again in session.."

[Myst the Hedgie]

Myst was now only a few minutes away from the Aegis Forest and the treetop Avian Villages. She was anxious, excited, and all aflutter at the same time. Her first big adventure since she last set out from the Ice Cap zone to face The Dark One. She thought back to that day, many months ago and her strange encounter with the desert Monk and his errie assistant. Chills ran down her spine as she remembered the events that had transpired.

She shook it off and concentrated, she was nearing the drop-point for her cargo, a clearing just outside the Avian Village where a small flock of sparrow were waiting for it. She lowered her altitude and slowed down the craft, keeping her eye on the lush forest below. What remarkable scenery, such beauty and grace untouched by urbanization and machinery.

"(sigh) What a wonderful place this Aegis Forest, not as beautiful as my frozen home in my own eyes, but I bet to the eyes of the people here, it is the most beautiful land on the planet.. well, enough wishy-washy stuff, back to business.. then off on an aerial tour of the planet.."

She drew closer and closer to the drop-point, she could barely make out the waiting team of birds. Business was almost finished, play would soon begin for the young hedgehog. Still, there was an ominous feeling in the air.. something not quite right about this place.

[CC]

CC watches Amon go before wandering over to their room, a smile still upon her lips and a bounce in her step, but darkness in her eyes. Taking a deep breath she quickly goes through all of her belongings, she had not acquired much in the time that they had been back, but they had gotten enough to create memories and keepsakes, things that she felt somewhat saddened in a strange way, to leave behind. Usually she was not one for keeping much of anything and it seemed as if she was destined to never truly have a home. She shakes her head and makes she that her trusty and worn pack is stuffed with essentials before putting together a pack for Amon. They would not need much on the road, but it would be good to be prepared for anything, besides, in battle anything could happen.

"Wait... student?" She looks up with a curious expression on her face and goes over to the window, as if she could actually see where they had gone, but she sees nothing but the hustle and bustle below. She rolls her eyes and does a double check of the packs before sitting down. The food sits upon the table, barely touched and CC finishes off what is on both plates, her healthy appetite going into overdrive as if her body knows that there is something big coming up. She hated waiting, but that is what she seemed to be destined to do, and so she sat, looking over to the window occasionally, standing up and walking around, cleaning and puttering and just wishing for something, anything, to happen.
_____

A flick of shadowy movement in the corner of a large forgotten temple alerts no one, there being no one around the temple or the bright and cheerful forest that it is within. Well, that should say -once- bright and cheerful forest, for it had gone strangely quiet, the normal calls of birds and bugs strangely silent and even the wind had gone dead, as if not wanting to tresspass upon that area. Inside, a tall form sits on a delapidated platform that used to be a rather impressive stone throne, legs are crossed as if the form is in a meditative position. Large leathery wings hang over the back edge of the platform and the black head is bowed down reverently.

Just off to the side of the platform is a small statue with the stubs of lit candles in front, homage to the Fair Lady, the Goddess Aurora. A clawed paw reaches out and taps it on the head, almost thoughtfully. Out from the sharp claw an inky blackness almost seems to pool on the top of the statue's head, melting down the front, back and sides until it is coverred in the inky blackness. It swirls and a small mist starts to seep out of the cracks in the statue until a crack that resinates throughout the empty halls of the temple sounds and the statue shatters into a thousand tiny shards. In its place a lithe, shadowy black creature goes to one knee, one paw out as if preparing to run off at any moment. The new arrival is the demonic form of what was once a young feline, small, quiet and deadly.

"Kitsa..." Says the figure upon the old throne, without even lifting its head.

"My Queen" The shadow wraith bows her head, but stays where she is.

"You will search for the ones that were at the battle, you will be quiet and you will not be noticed. You will find each and every one then report back to me where they are and what their status is. Go."

The Wraith nods her head once and then takes off running, straight into the shadow of a large pillar, disappearing from view, leaving the temple absolutely empty once more save for the demonic figure upon the throne.

[Stealth Greyblade]

Evergreen city a sprawling metropolis, a city in which some consider the the second biggest free city on mobius as well as due to robotnick and legion a major military power. The EDF (Evergreen Defense Force) provides military and economic aid for its nearby ally of casinopolis and nearby villages and some villages in the heavy vally zone. It also maintains a military mutual aide pact with westopolis and mobotropolis to come to each others aid in case of a eggman or Legion assault.

Though most of these contributions to the welfare of the planet that this city is known for, its most known achievement is how the city deals with paranormal threats. Do to its location on the planets mystical energy lines, Evergreen seems to attract paranormal activity ranging from all sorts of magic and energy users as well as its share of psychics and mad scientists wanting to follow in legio nand eggmans footsteps. it is these threats that the EDF has put much funds into technology into weapons that can combat this threat and the creation of the special operations division of the EDF. The Hunter Corp.

It was another busy night for a certain EDF operative. The mad jackal known as Tesla had escaped from jail and had built himself another power suit and was attacking the western residential grid E5. And High command had assigned to the case the fox that had locked him up last time, a fo that this would be his first case after his mental breakdown after the templer invasion . But now he was medicated and the shrinks gaveh im the ok to get back to work. So on the former warrior of aruar flew on the hover bike of his headign to e-5 in his hunter armor.

[Lucian]

Down, down, down the vampire and his robotic associate went into the depths of Aegis Base. Duro had slowed their progress some by insisting that they get the main generator and the shield fo the base up and running again. The charging mechanism for the creatures down bellow would take longer than 6 hours and it seemed prudent to have some form of protection against the sun when they arose again if Lucian was to make it to the return shuttle to report to the good doctor that their mission was a sucess.

Whilst on their first trip Lucian recanted his previous state and smiled a nervous grin. He had both arms, a suitable weapon of down right evil, and bit more knowledge about mechanical devices where this sort of thing pertained to. But in spite of this new found knowledge he found himself hesitating and on edge to be once more beneath the Mobian soil in this technology crawling place. Lines of circuitry in the elevator shaft coarsed through the walls as it charged the machines running everything again as they decented.

After a time of dead silence, pun not lost on the undeadite, the cage doors opened and before the vampire stood the four capsules that held some grim tiding for the mortal enemies of Lord Robotnik. Duro however, seemed unphased this time. Perhaps the knowledge of what these creatures are or a hearty electric shock to his logical fear circuits curteousy of the good doctor was the cause of his bravery. Not caring to know either he remained alert while the miniature dragon went about his diagonstic work.

On the far wall to the left of the elevator shaft and not far from the creatures, the metalic lizard inserted his tail into an outlet and his eyes went blank. A moment later the robotic tones of the dragon's brain rang over a grill not far from Lucian's head giving him an auditory recanting of what was happening.

"Diagonstic Program Exicuting:
Now patching into the Aegis Base Main Frame. . . .
Running Four_Horsemen.EXE. . .
Password Application Necessary. . .
Password accepted, identity confirmed.
Begining warm up and diagonistic setup protocols. . ."

Why, oh why do I have a bad feeling about this. . ., the bloodsucker thought.
_____________________________________________

Meanwhile; Paladin Twilights journey to the Nether World of Mobius was going no less anxiously. Not far past the gates and waving once to Naia he jumped through the Gray Portal made of bones and dark energy. This Gateway lead to only one realm and one alone and few wise spirits ever ventured near this doorway for many good reasons none of which could stand up to the vanguard's sense of duty.

At first there was naught but a black hallway, the light of the Chaos Realm fading swiftly behind him as the monk light fighter strode swiftly if not confidently into the darkness. And then it happened, like an ever so brief pin prick the shell between realities reached it's maximum pull and popped. Allowing the corpreal spirit of the ex-Reaper into the Pathway that lead to the Zone Between Zones. The familar green light of an alien sun slowly glowed in the distance as the familar scents and sound of the Kingdom of Thanatos alerted the traveler that he was nearing his destination.

But whilst his mind wandered ever so slightly a creeping sense of dread filled the deathog. Something wasn't right, something out of place that he didn't notice as a Reaper but did now as a Dizen of the Light. Normally this tunnel, accessable to him at all times as Collector of Souls would beam him straight to the Roof of Thanatos Tower in the center of the Land mass that made up the Isle of the Dead. A free floating terra firma that hovered in it's own pocket dimension. But the closer Twilight got to the end of the tunnel the more gravity seemed to weigh on him. As if some otherworldly force was pulling him down. He felt weaker, more exausted, as if the infinite energy that coursed through his soul was some how lesser here. Like living on the Moon all your life than stepping foot on Mobius with it's increased gravity. Even breathing came harder, another shock as souls now departed shouldn't need to breath. Next his steps seemed to sink as if the ground held no purchase for him, and when the very top of the tower came into view it happened.

The tunnel bottom gave way and shattered into pieces under the traveling Light Keeper's weight. Down the deathog plummet into the landscape bellow, the very wide expanses of the realm laid out before him. The panoramic view was savored only momentarily when while falling two things registered in the plummeting protagonists plight. The first being, not only did Death know he was coming but he was denying him a swift audience. And the second being that his powers as a Vanguard did him little good ina realm outside the Goddess' Influence. He would have an equally hard time trying to manifest any power in the Pit if he tried and much to his dismay the powers of flight were direly needed as soared toward the ground at increasingly dire speeds.

With no shadow to save him, no magic to propell him, and his very nature reverted to that of a mortal deathog all Paladin Twilight was left with was his wits. Rolling so his back faced the ground he cast aside his walking stick and grasped for the edges of his traveling cloak. This enchantment being part of his very being seemed to maintain it's self in the alien environment and held fast. Rolling over again this created a largely ineffectual parachute for the still falling hero. But it did offer him a bit of control over his dissent. As the cold hard ground rushed up to meet him a small spec of blue reflected the green sunlight back at the vanguard. Steering as best he could he glided what little was possible towards the tiny body of water.

Second later brackish liquid filled the air as Paladin Twilight traveling at Terminal Velocity touched down on the Zone Between Zones in a swampy land not far from Thanatos Tower. Much to his dismay how ever the pools depths were not as deep as he had hoped and it's contents filled with many logs and underwater trees. Long moments passed as air bubbles rose to the surface and popped as the crash landing played it's self out.

Dazed, bashed, and bleeding from the head the traveler floated to the surface and clung to a stump barely submerged in the water that he had narrowly missed colliding with moments earlier. Coughing up the skeleton of a fish, which flopped about the dead tree stump for a moment before resuming it's swim in the fetid waters of the swamp Paladin Twilight proceeded to regurgitate a good deal of water and gasping for air he was unaccustomed to needing he sighed a ragged lament.

"Always the bloody hard way, always the bloody hard way."
________________________________________________

Tommy found himself in no better a position. For the second time in his unlight the vampire rabbit knew pain. And also knew he didn't like it. From then on Tommy didn't recall much in his animalistic short term memory. He recalled slamming into the wall and feeling the bite of this prey's blade, but after that it was flashes.
He remembered springing off the wall, fast, hard, and accurate.
He recalled his prey dancing about him, biting him again and again with her weapon.
He recognized limits of range and strength.
He rallyed by leaping forward and blasting them both through a cement wall bits of foot thick man-made rock crumbling like so much sand stone.
The bit of wires and pipes shredding them both as their impromptu door was completed when they exited the otherside.

Now both stood panting, eyeing one another hungrily. Both had sustained massive damage in their romp through the sewer's wall as they now stood in the Melting Chamber. The odiferous stench not bothering either undeadites as the raw refuse was burned, belching vile smoke and casting a eeiry light. No better portrait of Hell could be painted for th two combatants as foul steam and dripping red hot sludge oozed about them in their enthralling battle. Fellis, not equipped with the proper gear and being mortal had to stay at the very edge of the arena, the heat and the smell being more than his senses could hand. Again the pair came at each other, not as sentient beings but animals, bent on the other's very destruction.
__________________________________________________

For Shade the return was swift, rocks seemed to jump out of his way as he rose to the surface with a haste that belied it's demonic spuring. Higher and higher he went at last to bask in the glow of the Day Star's Light. Narry stopping a moment he reached the spell circle he'd used to travel from the Chaos Realm down to Hot Crater Zone to do his investigation. A brief spell and the teleportation innvocation activated and a tube of brilliant light filled the air as the Living Shadow was drawn towards the Hero's Afterlife.

Already the Gate to the Chaos Realm loomed into view as the harrowed Shade made his accent. Popping once more into the Land of the Goddess the messanger raced towards the doors and knelt before Aries and spoke his tale. "I return with dire news for his Highness pertaining to the Shadow Queen!"

[Tayuu]

“Cheeses!” cried out Tayuu, flinching as the ringing sound reverberated in his head. He was about to look around for the source of the ‘fire alarm’ when he realized it was the psychic hedgehog’s doing.
The catboy had quickly sobered up in personal record time as Amon’s voice reached him.
He focused on the words and then grimaced, but then his thought process switch to defensive; “Class is in session? Feh… who does he think…”
Tayuu stopped talking to himself and scratched his head with a sigh. It wasn’t like he had anything better to do and there was still a chance he could find out more about his father and his own past.
He looked up towards the nearest rooftop and then glanced to the alley beside it before quickly dashing towards it. With a series of wall-kicks and grabs at stair railings or ridges, he bounced between the two opposing buildings and gained height with each jump. After a short time, Tayuu had made it to the top, flipping himself over and landing on all fours on the roof.
He scanned the area for his hedgehog ‘teacher’ and called out before even laying eyes on Amon; “What’s up professor? Sorry, I did my homework but then my dog ate it.”

[CC]

Though it had only really been a few minutes, CC found herself pacing back and forth across the hard linoleum floor of the kitchen, looking out the large windows overlooking the crowded streets of Casinopolis occasionally with a frustrated frown on her face. Promised a bit of danger and excitement, the energetic feline found herself merely wanting to go, rather than being told to sit tight and wait for things to happen. Amon had disappeared with a kiss to go teach something to someone and she was left behind to wonder what was going on.

It had happened far too often for her liking.

With a grunt, CC walks into the adjoining room, returning a few moments to the bright kitchen with a piece of paper and a pen. Though she knew that it was silly to leave a note, old habits died hard and she scriblled out a quick message to Amon, informing him that she had gone for a patrol of the city and that if he needed to find her she was sure that he would not have any troubles. Signing it with a heart she looked it over once befoer shaking her head at the futility of such a thing, but leaving it on the table anyways for him to find when and if he returned. She grabbed her pack, slinging it over her black furred-shoulder and stopping at the door only to take a final look at the small, but cozy apartment. It really had been nice, having a little place and living together in a bit of peace for the past little while, but as always, it seemed that all good things had to pass and that life had to continue on. With a mere shrug she leaves, locking the door behind her out of habit, not hesitating a moment more and even taking the old stairs two at a time.

Once outside, the stale air and warmth of the ever-busy city assaults her fur and the noises that were curiously dampened by the walls make her ears bend flat against her head. A moment of pain for her sensitive ears until the accustom themselves once more to the hustle and bustle and the cat walks casually down the sidewalk, heading to an unknown destination, as if her feet were taking her on a course known only to themselves. She followed them patiently, keeping a wary but casual eye on everything going around her and doing her best to keep her senses tuned to any possible bursts of energy that may be the potential threat that the psionic hedgehog had felt was coming.

_______

There had been a few choices for the Shadow Wraith to decide upon, but it was easily made as a few small energy bursts, almost imperceptible to anyone unless they were looking for it, and fortunately for her, she was. They caught her undivided attention, leading her through unknown climes, but they did not bother her at all, she did not feel heat or cold anymore, not since she died.

The shadows were easy enough to follow, it being night in the area that she found herself in and she slipped in and out of the inky blackness like a fish through a fast current of a stream, almost like a seamless dance. If she could smell normally, she would be able to find the hint of smog upon the air and the smells of mobian flesh in great amounts. Instead, all she could smell was energy in varying amounts. Most of it was regular, but there were a few, as there would be in any large place, that were irregular... special. Hopefully, they would be what she was looking for.

She would hunt them down, tirelessly, as her Queen had commanded and she would watch them, gathering their details and finding out where they are so that she could report proudly and efficiently back to her Mistress. Kitsa knew that she would not fail, it was a simple task as long as she was not caught.

And she would not be caught.

[Shae the Bat]

"Lord Shae, Shade of the Void seeks an audience, he states that is is urgent." called a voice.

The ever quiet and still chiroptera supremus, o'er seer of the Chaos Realm in the absence of the great Lady Aurora made only a simple waving gesture giving cue to let the spirit known as Shade entrance to the central chamber. It was a morose and macabre wind that blew in, the inky shadow crawling across the bleach white marble floor and up to the desk. One could sense the bad Omen floating, wafting and lingering in the cool air.

"What is it, Shade?" grimly asked the bat.

----
Far below the surface of Mobius in the 50th floor basement of Eggman's ravaged Aegis Base, as the miniature Dragon's diagnostics program was running, a string of errie yellow lights began to flicker on around the liquid filled chambers. Followed by local lighting around each chamber in a specific color. The first lit up in a brilliant orange revealing the partially roboticized body of a bengal tiger. A large metallic arm and a set of bio-mechanical legs as well as a bionic eye complemented the immense size of the beast.. this.. was Stryfe.

In the next chamber, a calming yet unnerving purple light flickered on revealing an unroboticized Hyena with long flowing purple-hair, a pair of eloquent and deadly looking daggars mounted on a belt around her waist. Black furred stripes on various parts of her body resembled claw swipes, accenting her sumptuous curves and contrasting the fear and uneasiness of her intimidating weapons.. this.. was Misery.

The third chamber lit up in an emerald green revealing a fully roboticized gorilla in a cold blue steel color and vacant eyes. Mounted on its back was a large and equally intimidating hammer accented with errie cyan lights. A quick glance at the massive hands of this steel primate would reveal strange protruding diamond-plated spikes which were lso accented with the same cyan colored glow... this.. was Wrath.

The fourth and final chamber lit up in a chilling white light revealing the fourth member of the Horseman, and befittingly, this was a partially roboticized stallion powerful mechanical hooved legs made up the lower half of the body and a pair of jet powered angellic wings on its back. A mighty lance with gilded edge stood in its hands.. this.. was Avariss.

[Stealth Greyblade]

Suddenly Stealth's bike shuddered and a loud explosion ripped the underside."Son of a bitch...spotted me."the fox growled as his bike spiraled to the ground below. With no other choice the fox lept of his bike clinging to the nearest ledge watching his bike explode into a firey ball of death as he struggled to climb up to a sure foothold on the ledge."I loose more bikes that way." he grunted.

Geist simply panted, inhaling more of that plague ridden air from the waste boiler as she stared down the pitiful creature that dragged her trough the wall and into this filthy cesspool. A small smirk began to cross her dark features as one hand let go of her scythe, preferring to weild it one handed now. her other now free paw began to clench and unclench her steel paw bearing her claws. then with an unholy scream the centurion bolted forward in a blaze of speed hooking her weapon into the undead creatures flesh dragging her prey closer as she stabbed her claws into its belly wrenching it into its guts and yanking out whatever she could grab, while keeping her body guarded agisnt a counter attack.

Meanwhile back in legions control room the wolf was monitoring his new breed of centurion. Her vitals were energetic, while the five other ones next to hers on the screen where still in hibernation...as they haven't been finished yet. But that didn't really have simon's attention. Instead he was looking at a blueprint and map of robototropolis and its shield defense schematics. he pressed a button and several green dots were placed around the premitier of the city inside its shield barriers and suddenly the map was filled with green and all parts of the map under the shields were erased and a picture of a crater was put in its place. Above the map were the words: Operation Chaos Star: test phase 2.

[CC]

Turning off of one of the main streets, to get away from the crowd more than anything else, CC finds her mind wandering to when she went thruogh the time chamber and discoverred her powers. During that time, or lack of time, she had experienced so many strange feelings and somewhere during that period she had gained a love for the quietness of the outdoors. As much as she loved the excitement of the city and how it kept her nimble, she was not at home any longer in the busy streets of Casinopolis. In the short time that she had been away, many things had changed but even more had stayed the same... crime, injustice, the smell... those were sadly the exact way that she had left them.

The fine feline finds herself following the steps of old, to a place that she had long tried to forget about, though it always lay at the back of her mind. Garbage had been cleared away, only to be replaced with more garbage and the blood stains had washed away with rain and street cleaners, but she knew... she knew... there was a feeling here that would never go away. Not for her. This place was full of memories for the young cat and as she kneels down by the wall where Dante had been beaten to death, CC felt tears welling up inside. Her moment of tenderness was disturbed by the slamming of a metal door against the hard brick wall and shouts and scuffling. She turns around quickly, staying low, her eyes open wide and wary as she watches a group of thugs take a young pup and throw him down the stairs. One of the larger men, Tony, the name rings out like a warning bell in her mind as she recognized one of the lowest of the lows in the underworld. He walks towards her, obviously not recognizing the cat, "Hey, youse gotta get outta here miss, dunno what yer doin down there either. Unless youse is a bit messed up, are you messed up pretty little kitty? After we take care of this boy here why dun you let 'ol Tony take care of you" He grins a toothless grin and cracks his knuckles as the rest of the thugs grab the young boy and start moving him towards the wall.

CC stands slowly, "I'm fine" she manages to growl between her sharp clenched teeth, noticing that Tony had taken his eyes off of her to watch the others, a perfect opportunity, "but you're not"

"huh?" Is his only reply before the spritely feline sweeps her foot in a low half circle, knocking the larger cretin to the ground with a loud thump. He swears and sputters, but is not given a chance to say anything, or even fight, as the cat hits him solidly at the back of his head with a strong kick, knocking him out cold.

The others stand in shocked silence for only a minute before they run into action, leaving the already bruised and beaten bulldog pup that they had been taking out on the ground, where he lays, watching with wide and frightened eyes as three large henchmen go to take on the smaller, lithe geline.

_____

As she neared the city and was able to discern more clearly the areas of the energies, she found that she had to stop and concentrate, frustration creasing her brow.Closing her eyes, Kitsa feels the pulse of energies, one is barely imperceptible. Subtle and quiet it lays underneath everything like a large net that has been cast about the entire city, keeping all of the other energies within its grasp. Keeping an eye on everything that enterred and exited, she would have to be careful with that one and keep a low profile, one miniscule burst of shadow energy would alert the watching one to her pr esence, and she could not have that. The other one, now that was something that she could follow! Tempting, teasing and fun, but with a source of anger and primal energy that calls to the Walker, pulling her in that direction as if she was attatched to it by a spider's stringy web, each moment the energy getting stronger and stronger. The one behind it was obviously into something, getting worked up for one reason or another. Not only was it making it easier for the feline Walker to follow the energy path, but it was also providing an unknowing cover for her stealthy, shadowly movements.

[Psychosis]

The black tone hedgehog that Tayuu was in fact looking at, was merely a diversionary avatar. The real Amon, was just now appearing behind the young tattered feline and with a swift kick to the back of the legs, Tayuu was brought down to his knees.

"You just don't get it.. I am not giving you these lessons so that you to can become a templar.. far from it, the lessons I have planned fo ryou are to teach you a better way of life. To teach you morality, values and virtue.. for if you continue on down your path of a scrounging, dirty, underhanded little pick pocket, the road of your existance will lead straight into the pit. I am offering you salvation, restitution.. a chance to be a real hero.. like your father before the world turned on him.."

Sharp words, ones that Amon hoped would strike hard and give poinient meaning to the point this hedgehog was trying to make. Amon gazed into the drawing night sky, a silvery moon was on the rise.. a perfect backdrop to the next lesson. If Amon is going to show this pupil what darkness brings, the burning twilight is the time to do so. But first.. a means to show Tayuu what it really takes to gain the cursed abilities of Telekenesis.

"Get up.. we're going for a walk.. don't make me ask you a second time.. you're on a short leash my pupil."

[Tonixion]

Unfortunately for Andre and Natasha, the storm had already come. It could have been hours, days, or weeks, but to the both of them it was still far too long. The rocking waves had already caused multitudes of unenjoyable bodily functions for Natasha, though Andre was ever resilient of showing any weakness. Though even he seemed to be a bit green. The raft was holding up fairly well with Natasha's arcane help, overly large and even sporting a ramshackle cabin on strong logs. That did little to stop the cold though, as both of them bitterly tried to ride out the wave of remorseless nature. Andre was beginning to think luck was against him, and Natasha was starting to regret his not-so-cunning ways.