<Storyteller> All around you is darkness that seems to seep into the light, as if
trying to snuff out the offending torch
* Brianna blinks, trying to orient herself
<Storyteller> "Where are we?" William asks
<Angelo> "What the..?"
<Brianna> "Ahuru is showing us what happened before. We're not really here. At least,
I don't think we are..."
* Brianna looks a bit uncertain
<Storyteller> As you look at each other you find yourselves very different, from your
modern day clothing.
* Remy looks around.
<Angelo> "Convincing enough to me..."
<Storyteller> Most of you are dressed in armor, your gladius are replaced by mideval
swords
<Storyteller> A distant dripping is heard
<Storyteller> "I think we need to forge ahead," Daniel says holding the torch
* Brianna looks down to see what she is wearing
<Remy> "Might as well."
* Remy moves forward, towards the dripping
* Angelo tests the weight of the sword in his hand, and then nods, moving forward.
<Storyteller> Brianna is wearing a long skirt, and bun, the clothing is finely
crafted, but not what you would call richly dressed.
* Brianna follows Remy
<Storyteller> You continue on, down the tunnel, the walls get narrower as you forge
ahead
<Storyteller> finally you reach a large room,
<Storyteller> Within the large room are several Roman statues, and in the center of
the room is an altar with a sleeping body upon it
* Angelo looks at the statues and the altar.
* Brianna 's eyes are immediately drawn towards the body on the altar
<Storyteller> Most of the statues are of Roman gods
* Remy eyes the body
<Storyteller> the body stirs for a moment, and then sleep overcomes it once again
* Angelo whispers, "Hmm. You think that's the guy?"
* Brianna nods tensely
<Storyteller> William looks at the body, his hand goes to his sword
* Angelo frowns and looks at his sword, then at the body.
<Storyteller> Daniel watches on in awe
* Angelo whispers, "It can't just be so easy as running him through, can it?"
* Remy shakes his head
* Brianna shakes her head
* Brianna whispers "Don't touch him!"
<Storyteller> William looks at you with a disgusted face
<Storyteller> "What do you mean, don't touch him?"
* Angelo shrugs. "What do you want us to do, then? Sing to him?"
* Remy smirks. "A lullabye, perhaps."
<Brianna> "I don't know, I just know that if we touch him, we are doomed."
* Angelo chuckles, and shakes his head.
<Angelo> "So then, what are we here for?"
<Storyteller> "I don't care what he said, I don't take orders from anyone!" William
draws his sword and approaches the body
<Brianna> "No!!!"
* Angelo winces, and moves to stop William.
<Storyteller> William swings his sword with all his might and strikes the prone form
<Angelo> "Well, shit."
<Storyteller> The body clenches and it's arm grabs him by the throat and tosses him
aside
<Remy> "Yay logic."
* Remy holds his weapon ready
* Brianna is frozen in place, staring at William and Markova
* Angelo looks to William's prone form on the floor and moves between him and the
altar.
<Storyteller> Daniel draws his sword and rushes Markova,
* Angelo mumbles, "Hail Mary, fulla grace..."
* Remy makes a cautious strike on Markova
* Brianna forces herself to move twoards Markova
<Storyteller> The blade runs Markova through, he looks down and grabs Daniels arms
* Brianna draws her sword, whispering a prayer as she does so
<Storyteller> There is a ripping noise as Daniel is nearly ripped in half, his body
falls to the floor fading in the ground
<Remy> "Come on, you over the hill sodomite..."
* Angelo moves around to encircle Markova, making an attempt to get behind him.
<Storyteller> Markova smiles, "this is what he sent....old fool."
* Brianna stands ready, sword held out before her, studying Markova's every move
<Storyteller> Markova is very tall, and coldly beautiful, is blande curly hair is cut
short, and his blue eyes look out upon you
<Storyteller> He motions, taunting you to engage him
<Angelo> "Fuck you, asshole."
<Storyteller> "Who is next to join me?"
* Brianna waits, not rising to Markova's taunts
* Angelo moves in from behind to take a cheap shot.
* Remy holds back.
<Brianna> Moving lightning quick, Brianna slashes at Markova's chest
* Remy cloaks himself in shadows, moves about, and then runs by Markova in a random
direction, slicing as he moves
* Angelo swings high from behind, making a piercing jab at Markova's back.
<Storyteller> You slash his chest and dodge his claws, he howls in pain as Angleo and
Remy both hit
* Brianna whirls to hit again
<Angelo> "Take that, cocksucker."
<Storyteller> He catches hold of Aneglo, and drives his hand through his chest, Angelo
stares dumbly at his chest as he begins to fade
* Remy strikes again, wary of the claws
<Angelo> "Urk."
* Brianna darts backwards, using her sword as a barrier between her and Markova
<Storyteller> markova begins to change as several inky tentacles rise from his body,
he catches hold of both of you and draws you near. The tentacles begin to squeeze,
and you can feel yourselves begin to be absorbed by him. "Now I shall know, now
all of the reapers children shall be mine...he has failed."
* Remy hacks at the tenticles with his blade
<Storyteller> The tentacles are too strong, and you feel yourself weakening
* Brianna screams in rage and futility
* Brianna struggles, trying to hit him with her sword, and failing that, with her
fists
<Storyteller> Markova laughs as you begin to weaken even further
<Storyteller> "Your memories shall join mine, and I will know everything. Soon my army
will find him, and the knight, and they will die."
<Brianna> "You are wrong, Markova. You are the one who has failed. The prophecies are
being fulfilled, and there is nothing you can do against Fate."
<Storyteller> "We shall see, we shall see." and with that the tentacles squeeze even
harder, and you feel yourselves begin to fade.
<Remy> "See you 'round, Markova."
<Storyteller> As the last of your remnants enter Markova he turns upon William.
<Storyteller> Several tentacles grasp him up and fling him to the alter, hitting hard
upon it the tentacles lock him down
<Storyteller> "And for you, for awakening me, child, I have plans."
<Storyteller> William struggles as he watches Markova move behind him, something flies
over his head and looking down he sees Markova's leg and waist armor, there is a
sickening thud.
<Storyteller> "Oh my god.." William begins to scream...fortunatley the screams do not
last long.
<Storyteller> You awaken with a jolt
* Brianna shudders, then puts her hands over her eyes
* Remy shudders
<Remy> "What....why'd...why?"
<Angelo> "Well, that was good for a laugh."
* Ahuru stand looking at you, you find yourselves on beds of velvet
* Angelo looks mildly revolted.
* Ahuru puts a hand on Brianna's shoulder
* Brianna puts her hand over Ahuru's, trying to banish the visions from her mind
<Ahuru> "Do you understand? Do you understand why I have shown you this?"
<Remy> "I, uh...think so."
<Brianna> "We can't just run in and attack him.. there's something else we must do."
<Remy> "We can't beat Markova one on one, can we?"
<Ahuru> "Their failure destroyed an entire village, and killed everyone."
* Brianna feels sick imagining what Markova did to those people
<Ahuru> "You cannot face him with the weapons of men," he says holding up a gladius
<Angelo> "Well, what else have we got?"
<Remy> "Then what kind of weapons?"
<Ahuru> "You must beat him with your minds, will and hearts."
<Remy> "I don't suppose...uh...you can show us the *first* guys? The ones who won?"
<Ahuru> "You know what you must do, and when you reach the place of destiny it shall
be revealed."
<Ahuru> "I cannot tell you anymore, for each time it has been different, this time
will be the last. If I told you now, so too would your darkness know, and warn him."
<Ahuru> "There can be no failure."
* Remy nods.
<Remy> "I see."
* Brianna shivers
<Angelo> "That's comforting."
<Remy> "Then...we won't fail. I guess we just gotta get this expidition under way."
<Storyteller> William rises, "And if we fail?"
<Ahuru> "Then look to the future and weep, weep for us all."
<Ahuru> "You must go and prepare your ship, only you and those who travelled with you
before may go."
* Brianna stands, nervously figeting with her hair, wrapping it in a tight braid
around her head
* Angelo looks resigned, and a little pissed off.
<Brianna> "How far is it?
<Ahuru> "Not far," he turns to Angelo
<Ahuru> "You have a question?"
<Angelo> "Nope. Anything I'd like to know, I can't. Everything seems to be already
decided and in order, so don't mind me."
<Ahuru> "No, nothing is decided for you."
<Ahuru> "This time, there are two prophecies, and both are being fullfilled. Only one
shall come true."
<Ahuru> "Each of you are the only masters of your destinies, now."
<Ahuru> "This is perhaps my final lesson to you all, before you confront him."
<Ahuru> "I must prepare now, and so do you. I shall come to you, when it is time to
leave."
* Brianna "How long do we have until we leave?"
<Ahuru> "One week, and then you must go."
<Brianna> "What about Scar? Do you know if we will find him with Markova?"
<Ahuru> "......"
<Remy> "And what about Usher?"
<Ahuru> "You will know when the time comes, Brianna."
<Ahuru> "Usher has his own destiny."
* Ahuru walks back into the Egyptian exhibit
* Brianna watches Ahuru leave, a sad look on her face
<Angelo> "Well, that's that."
<Ahuru> "Brianna, come, I have much to teach you before you leave."
* Brianna 's face brightens and she follows Ahuru <Storyteller> to be continued
