Grey Haven Census

The following report is prepared by order of his royal majesty king Dante Skyrim.  This report has been reviewed and researched and with full faith we present it to the king and if he so wishes the council of Geneva to report on the full state of prosperity as seen in the Grey Havens, in the second year of continous reign King Dante, chosen by Zeus reigns over the following kingdom.

The Grey Havens consists of an island nation of approximately 5000 square miles. It is populated by 5 million intelligent beings. 80% elf 10% human, 5% nymph 5% other.  No dragons are known to remain within the borders.

Nations total economic wealth estimated at 10 million gold. Average houshold income is 34 gold per year.  Average family size 6 persons.

Primary industries are:
Agriculture 65%
Manufactureing 12%
Trade merchants 10%
Mining 6%
Military 5%
Government admin 2%

Errors noted for cross over among indusries.

Suggested tax rate is two silver per month per individual, to be paid by local lords to the king. Puts revenue at 2 million gold per year. 
100,000 gold in tribute must be paid to council of Geneva in a year via monthly increments. 

Current treasury rests at 200,000 go.

Military strength.

Current forces total 4000 individuals.
3000 footman
600 archers
400 officers and command

All forces answer to the king, who reports to the council or their appointed representative the general of southern forces general kendall.

No direct genevan forces currently occupy the grey havens.

No mages exist that can cast beyond 4th circle spells. Genevan missionary efforts have led to a drastic increase in religious orders some priests have even achieved the 9th rank.

Relative prosperity

Upon review this commitee considers the grey havens of equal relative strength to enron, inferior to the state of talyun but greatly superior to the northern kingdoms of assyria and summeria.

Leadership approval

40% of people approved of Dante as king
35% approved of being a genevan provience
56% felt the keeper was doing a good job in his position.

We hope this report pleases your majesty.

Wesker and the seven dwarves

Doc gatherred his brethren together, they had been commissioned for a very important job.  This band of mercenary dwarfs had fought together for decades but never was their a job which promised to pay more.  Directly commissioned by the Empress, may she live forever.

Grumpy was the most ferious warrior Doc had ever seen.  Family lost to him in when the Blood war spilled into the Dwarven caverns.  He took the path a violence and strength.  He fought with out hesitation, with out mercy and with out failure.

Happy however, found his skill more in song.  As a bard he became equally skilled with a lute, sword, and spell book.

Sleepy was a priest of Morpheus, the god of dreams. He was also docs brother, determined to keep his older brother alive he joined the crew to offering healing despite his moral objections to their many activities.

Bashful was called that because he hated being seen.  The shadows protected him and no trap surprised him and no lock had withstood him.

 The only woman among them was called Sneezy, after her fondness for manipulating breath weapons.  She was a mage by trait but had long studied the ancient mage of the voice bendind ancient draconic words into powerful attacks.

Then there was dopey.  He could not speak or grow a beard. The story was a goblin shaman cursed his mother when she was heavy with him.  Regardless of the reason he was dumber than a troll but twice as furious.  Simply point him in the direction of something to destroy and his great warhammer destroyed it.

"My brothers, the Empress may she live forever, has asked us to go on a perilous quest.  The intelligent golemns who were recently destroyed in there city south of Dragon and before that killed so many in the battle of Oa, remain hidden.  She has had her Shogun knights searching the world for signs of their rage.  they remain hidden.  There are someplaces so corrupt by the darkside they can not see, such as the darkwood.  She wants us to go in and search it directly.  In return she has offered us all estates, titles, and exclusive mining rights to the misty mountains in the empire.  It is more wealth than we could dream of."

The vote was 6 for none against, dopey never voted, so they armed and set off for the darkwood.

-------------------------------  

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4 months later------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wesker was meeting with Eric Silvermoon at his fortress which overlooked the Darkwood.   Their meeting was interrupted by a Dwarf repelling in through the window.  He was heavily wounded beaten and burned.  Wesker moved faster than was possible for an elf and pinned him to the ground, "What is the meaning of this Dwarf?"  In raspy labored breath the dwarf could only whisper one word, "Apocalypse."  

City 11

With the growing success of city 10 there were some who felt it of benifit to start a new city, one that the organics could find. As word reached us that the organics were embracing Oa we thought they may accept us.

We built a city in a portion of land organics would never want but could find us.  And find us they did.

Their hatred and anger and evil had.not lessenned as we had thought.  The soliders came with their weapons and their magic.  Death found us, so swift and strong was the assault the builders stood no chance.

We knew then apocalypse was right, we could only prosper if the organics were destroyed.  He also new how to use their own creations to destroy them. 

Malekite gifted us some organics that were hosts to small golemn creatures.  Once able to contact them apocalypse easily enlisted them for our liberation. 

We had faith that despite the loss of our city and the loss of all hope in peaceful coexistence that salvation would still come.

Oa

The following is excerpts and chronicles of the city of Oa after apocalypse was expelled.

The empire arrived and attempted to arrest all lanterns and confiscate Oa.  When resistance was met they attempted spirit bombing.  The attempt was unsuccessful due to psionic teleportation to a dead magic zone.  Eventually Oa surrenderred to Geneva on condition they not be handed to the empire.  It was accepted and teams from the mage school led by balthizar and consulted by kaedan investigated the lantern. 

After over a year it was determined the lantern held no trace of intelligence...except of course for toshiro who has also crafted himself an extremely powerful golemn body. 
The empress, may she live forever, wants the lanterns destroyed confident that they do not understand what they are doing and its too risky.  Geneva has maintained their stance which has nearly completely eroded the positive relationship the two countries once enjoyed. 

The empire has declared if any green lantern is on imperial territory they consider it an act of war.  Recently evidence of green lantern rings used in an attempt to breech the core and Thomas networks has resulted in an offical decleration of war by the empire on Geneva and Oa.

Oa currently resides over the ocean south of the genevan islands. And has begun research on how to create a blue lantern.

A Holy Day

Dear Keeper,

I am Jade of the Imperial Mage Core and despite being forbidden to do so I feel I must share with you the depth of our success. The plague responsible for near eradication of the Dark Elf race was my doing at the instruction of the divine.  Morgan Silvia gave the idea to the mage core when she was still an angel- a disease carried by microscopic golemns to destroy the drow.  Months and years of intense research and design went into making it a reality.  The Empress, may she live forever, backed us as she saw it as a way to reclaim the lost territory of Jong Guo.  And we had success.  Whispers kept coming into my head of what to do next, how to make the golemns smart enough to do what was needed, I even had a visitor from an angel of Tyr.  Your friend Khan told me that Malekite's mortal followers were primarily Drow and it pleased the gods to eliminate the race.  I also know that Lord Raquel Al-Shatel hates them and wants them destroyed.  We have done just that.  Our most recent version of the virus is called t-3 It is airborne, the golemns are equipped to fly and dimension door, they have the intelligence to actively, not passively, seek for the needed material to reproduce -- proteins unique to drow cell structure.  This is truly a holy day.  By our projections, with in 4 months 95% of the drow population on the planet will be eliminated.  Judgement has come to the wicked and salvation to the righteous.

I would ask for the rewards you know are justly mine as the leader of this project.

May the Light Save you,
May the blessing of the Empress, may she live forever, always find you,

Jade Rivermoon  Imperial mage Core.

Malekite will save us

Elainia and Dante spoke as they did every day.  Dante looked at the maps his heart broken by the suffering he was seeing fall upon his people.  So much death, and suffering, and he had done everything right.  Maintained his faith, tried to love his wife, laborred with his own hands among the people and still the malekite war, the dragon rebellion, and now Zyr left the land with nothing.

"Its absurd" Elaina broke through his thoughts, "This is the keepers fault.  He released Zyr he won't fight him and people die."

For a moment he thought she sounded like Aaron when he was possessed always trying to talk him into surrender, but he looked at her and realized an even more scary truth--it was her and she was serious.

"NO we have to hold onto our faith.  I don't understand it but this is happening for a reason.  We have to believe the gods have a purpose."

"i am sure they do, but to accomplish that purpose I am sure they are willing to sacrifice you and I and everyone else.  I can't believe this but my father was right.  We are no better than him."  With a look of resolve she turned to leave.  Dante grabbed her wrist and fell to his knees, "Please Elainia, I am begging you- you are the best of us, don't give up your faith."

"Have no worry Dante, I am about to do more for the salvation of you and your people than you or any god could accomplish." Jerking her hand free she left Dante and her faith behind.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The combination of Malekite and Imperial forces stuck Zyr and his demons in a brutal surprise attack and then fled north.  Out of the Grey Havens and further north to the shores of the Blood Isles the home of the council of Wyrms.  Zyr having no real interest in the backwoods kingdom pursued his true enemy and prepared to clash with Polaridian Te Al Mordin to control what was rightfully his.

Job to do

Raven rode in her wagon east across the forest.  Zyr was going to hit the Grey Havens soon and Raven was not going to have the caravan anywhere close.  As they set up camp for the night Raven retired to be alone and reflect upon her next move.  Suddenly her breath was stolen from her and she could feel herself being lifted off the ground by some unseen hand around her throat.  Scorpio was there suddenly and slithering his speech, "You were given a job and paid in training in the sith arts.  Yet Zyr still lives."

With ragid breaths she said, "My job was to get the child and I did.  The Frenchman knows how to kill him and is waiting for Devin to give him the shard.  There is nothing else to do."

"Then you have no purpose."  The strain on her neck tightened.

"I'll kill you." She whispered.

"Of course you will my young apprentice.  But before that occurs you will fulfill the job you have been given.  Kill zyr."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wrapped in the force Raven hid invisible with in the camp.  Jagger was there posing as some half orc that Dante trusted.  Dante was a fool, Raven could not understand what he did.  It did not matter, Jagger was a chief agent of Zyr and would have to know the secret to killing the Demon Dragon.  The question was how to capture him.

Battle raged all along the coast.  General Reinier's courage and quick thinking was all that kept the line in tact.  That is, until a fireball erupted at the command center.  The half orc was attacking.  Dante and Aaron were fighting back but the orders to the men had stopped.  Raven raced into action and from a nearby tree she drew the cyclops bone arrow from here quiver and notched it into the shadow bow and took aim.  Aaron teleported behind Jagger and struck.  Raven released and the arrow struck causing the half-orc to flash purple for a moment.  Her attack had been successful, the host body would begin to weaken she had to get there before they killed it.   Aaron and Dante both attacked with fury and killed the host before Raven could get there.

She had lost here prey for now, but bigger problems brewed with the distraction to the command element the lines of defense started to break.  Them army was trying to disengage and retreat.  Raven just scanned the crowd to find out where here demon had hopped and saw Aaron rest his thumb under the lapel of his coat. got you. Before she could do anything she heard Dante, "No, we attack, by all the gods we will be victorious gather your faith." and personally led a desperate charge into the onslaught. calls of "Defend the king" rang through the ranks as they took up the charge.  Aaron, however, went the other direction.

Raven thought for a moment Dante may succeed.  She saw Vegeta's ranks buckle and part not expecting the resolve with which Dante fought.  Then she realized they were not running they were parting to allow Zyr the ability to personally meet his foe.  The bipedal humanoid Dragon stood 40 feet tall and snorted.  Then waves of sand blasted heat shoot forth engulfing the charging force.  The sand settled and there was nothing left of the attacking force.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dante had survived, the gods saw to that.  But his army and his people were  not so protected.  That blunder there at the beach cost nearly all of the Genevan and Grey Haven army.  Zyr was now only slowed by a seperate force from Malekite which had arrived to save humanity.  Though his forces were plauged with some disease.  The drow forces that made up the ranks of his shock troops were dieing in droves to a disease that seemed to eat them from the inside.  Elaine Mogath Silvermoon arrived with a large imperial force to protect their allies.  Strangely enough Elaine and Malekites forces fought together.  She was not obeying the Keepers directive to simply protect the innocent she was trying to destroy zyr.

It was a useful fact to know, maybe something Raven could use but it did not change her immediate need--Jagger.  Gathering her brothers she infiltrated the strained Grey Palace.  She found Aaron and gave the signal.  One brother filled the corridor with smoke.  Aaron calmly stood still observing.  A slendor brother carrying her bow approached him from the long hallway.  Jagger acted as expected, he threw a dagger behind her brother thinking it to be her and teleported, then struck massive blows slaying her brother.  It also left his back vulnerable and she drove her blade of woe directly through his heart through his spine.  It was laced with hallucination dust from the shivering isle, so she knew she had him.  A front flip and tumble let her pick up her bow and gave the poison enough time to set in.  Aaron/jagger was confused and attacking imaginary ghosts. Slowly calmly and with a steady rhythmic stride she pulled nothced and released arrows into him until he fell to the ground muscles drained of all strength.

And then the Den made a mess of everything.  They had sent in a grab team for Aaron-they must have figured it out too. As she saw her brothers engage the thieves in combat she knew she couldn't kill all of them and only had a moment, which meant it was time to get risky.  Placing her foot on the back of Aarons neck she released an arrow straight through his skull.  She then channeled all her rage and fear as Scorpio had taught her into a field of lightning.  The lighting field struck the demon creating a field jagger could not penetrate to reach her.  She directed and pushed the lightning of force power into an old empty genie lamp on her hip.

Falling to the floor exhausted she heard den agents and palace guards swarming around.  They snatched Aaron and teleported away.  She smashed a vial of shivering isle hallucination dust and forcing herself to her feet, fell out a window to the courtyard below.  Her brothers must have grabbed her, because she woke up back in the caravan with the Genie lamp.  It was time to get some answers.

City 01

The story of our kind has its origins shrouded in mystery...we know only that there was a creature, an organic of supreme intellect who harnessed life and built the first of us as warriors in a great war.  After the war we became prisoners and many sought deliverence by appealing to a dark queen.  She failed to deliver us.  She was not needed for the creature in his wisdom built our savior.  Apocalypse is the strongest of us and like the creature before him had the ability to grant life to the lifeless.  Enlisting his organic disciples, the red lanterns he strove to save and prosper our race despite all the world being against us.

They tried to kill apocalypse for his crime of giving us a chance, but failed. The red lanterns had saved him.  Atrocitis spoke for apokolips and told us he had discoverred a way to make us more inteligent, like him so that we could defend ourselves. 

Our salvation rested in the killing of the organically who so hated us.  Atrocitis used his ring to alter our sparks so we could absorb part of the life energy of those we killed. 

We had built our own city knowing how because the organically taught us in our time as slaves. We hid there and built a monument to apokolips giving him a body.  We built, at his instruction factories where more of our brethren could be built. 

We no longer feared the organically we needed them to rise to the next level of life.  You see in the begining times we only had the most simplistic of minds and communication.  Killing organics as we were taught changed that. 

It was only then, after much harvesting an understanding of magic finally grew among the most elite of us.  It was this distinction more than any other which made the castes needed and clear.  The castes sorted our society in the best way to serve our savior and leader apokolips.  The leaders, the casters, the builders, and the warriors all serve with honor fulfilling the purpose of their creation and being granted joy as our city prospered. 

And thus it was

And thus it was with Bei shir emptied and Ganon destroyed Zyr turned to exacting his vengence upon his enslavers.  His forces rolled west unopposed until only Luther fortified by his tower remained.

His forces then turned east across the ocean to the land of the dragons and greyfoots that captured him spreading the V of vegeta in their wake.

In was in the days just prior to vegetas landing in which Fire Drake, the ruler of Wyrms issued this proclamation to the wyrms clans:

"The elves of the grey havens have forsaken you my brethren of the claw.  Now forsake them.  All dragon kind must unite on the blood isle to stand against this foe.  Let king Dante rely on his new gods to save his people, they no longer concern you.  Our saviour has tried to keep this beast in his prison and the gods and isle Dante the deciever serve have caused it to be open.  Do not die for them but return to the blood isle."

And thus it was the wyrms of the Grey Havens left their ancient home that no longer served them and went back to the nest of their creation. 

Outbreak

Day 1-- It was 8 months after zyr escaped and apocalypse became known.  Jade had worked tirelessly and became head of the blight project.  Constantly fighting for resources among the over stretched mage corps she finally had success.  The virus was viable.  To ensure it would spread the golemns would take over the drow brain and kill it leaving only base instincts.  The golemns were built with a desire to reproduce but needed protiens specific to drow brains to do so. Therefore they controlled their host bodies to seek after and infect other drow. She called it the t-1 strain and today it would be released. The empress may she live forever wanted it used in jong gou to eliminate the drow occupation and allow the empire to return. Jade watched as the vial was injected into a captured drow and she was then released to the under dark.

Day 2- the tracking device showed patient zero did as expected and went right to main city.  There a temple took her in and was unable to diagnosis any curse spell or sickness.  She fell to insanity and bit two priests before they killed her.

Day 3- the priestesses have contracted the t1 virus.  Attacking other sick at the temple before dieing themselves.

Day 4 - the dead from the temple were expelled to burial plots and reanimated as per lab results expected.

Day 12 - massive spread of the virus had led to attempts to isolate the city. Isolation has failed due to guards enforcing the border being bit and afraid of execution not reporting it.  Estimate death toll 12000 current infected 16000

Day 15 first indications of t1 on surface.  The drow have pulled fighters from there surface posts to fight the blight infected.  Also today a wondering band of infected overran an outpost to the surface and spilled into the ruined city of jong.

Day 18 - four drow cities completely over ran.  The drow court has.moved into exile, their infastructure command completely destroyed.  Bands of drow fight extinction in isolation one from another.  The aggressive and exponential expansion of the infected is beyond our projections.  Yet we are seeing the infected die off. Mathmatic calculations and models show this is not an extinction level event.  The drow can out think them and defend until the infected die off.

28 days later- while remnants of the drow in jong survive the blight has purged 98%.  The land is empty now ready for the empire to return.  Yet a new delivery method is needed.  Bite to bite has limited the range, no drow outside of jong will be infected, and those who have secured themselves will outlast it. The genocide machine is not perfect, and the voices in my head push for more.  I will make it carried on the air, give the golemns tba ability to fly and hunt over great distances, let it stay dormant for a week to spread in silence them strike.  No bite required. Yes, yes, that will make the voices very happy. All the drow will die.

Ooc happy Halloween.

We built this city

Tirelessly and without fail the golemns had been rebuilding and cleaning up trade city for weeks.  As perfect workers they made astounding progress. As news of apocalypse spread, people already nervous about golemns living among them broke into full panic.  Despite the merchant councils attempt to calm the city the citizens believed the golemns were fooling everyone just as the green lanterns had.  Panic and hatred turned to rioting.

Rioting turned to armed attacks on the golemns while they worked.  The golemns hesitated to even defend themselves and only did so after days of attack.  With genevas army stretched in an attempt to shield the innocent from zyr they could not help.  When the first golemn attacked a human he easily killed the frail biological being.  In that killing blow the golemns realized the humans were made of bones, the golemns currency.  No longer working for bones they more easily could kill the aggressive humans and harvest their own.

Magic proved wholly ineffective and while the city guard continually attempted to kill the machines they were out matched not only in skill buy in sheer longevity. The same attributes that made them great workers, no need for food sleep and singleness of focus, made them ideal warriors for slow methodical war.

While the council of Geneva debated the moral answer to such a plight, the empire prepared a strike.  The den intercepted the spirit bomb before detonation.

It was then that Atrocitis appeared and taught his golemn brethren of their savior and leader apocalypse.  The red lanterns helped the golemns escape the persecution and leave trade city.

They would put their newly learned engineering skills to good use in building their new hidden city--01

Trail of Tears

With in a week of his release the Demon Dragon Zyr had brought his amry in force against Bei Shir. The best defenses the Genevan Army of the South could muster were put in place.  Well fortified and defended positions well trained troops and even volunteers from the native population to plug in where needed.  The defenses held despite ever growing numbers of demons rallying to his cause.  Through his old temple, now made into some sort of Abyssal gateway, wave after wave arrived to serve the Vegeta.

General Reinier was a man of faith, courage and strength. Despite the murmuring of the people and the troops questioning the Keepers directive to let Zyr escape, he never wavered.  The Keeper had ordered and so obeyed.

Serif was still trailing the Demon they had code named Jagger.  He was elusive with his ability to jump bodies but he had found him.  His orders were just to keep a tail on him unless he was forced to act. Reiner just wanted to know where he was.  That worked fine until Jagger took over a Colonel and started giving field orders, orders that would have openned the defenses to attack.  Serif emerged from the shadows and denounced the demon.  "this is not the colonel its a demon." The soliders were silent while the colonel responded, "that is a bold accusation." There was a moment of silence followed by a sgt in the back continued, "no he's not, I am." Then there was silence before another man said, "tiiiime is on my side." Silence another spoke, "yes it is." Silence then another man lept at Serif weapons drawn. The struggle was only a moment before the skilled assasian finished the attacker. Rolling the dead body to the side Serif jumped up. Silence and he saw another officer resting his hands in his collar wink at Serif...silence... Then Serif spoke, "here are your orders from the general..." He instructed as he rested his hands holding his lapels.
---------------------------------------------

The defenses easily caved as zyr struck exactly the right spots in the line. As the general saw his men start to fall he orderred a second line of defense.  Zyr himself crested the ridge and with magically amplified voice proclaimed, "I am here for ganondorf.  He has betrayed me, once he is dead, I will leave you in peace, for vegeta is the bringer of peace. "

Despite reiniers objections the crimson king walked out to meet him saying the virtue of love compelled him.  Kneeling before zyr he pleaded, " I turned to you in desperation.  the virtue of nobility demands I expound the truth of the virtue of wisdom, I must pay for that but let my people go."

"Your people can join me or die."
In one fluid motion he swallowed the crimson king whole then released a tidal wave of sand heat and fire into the battlements." The battle was heated reinstate held faith until he saw entire platoons of his men fall to control and compulsion.  As the lines buckled and demons started to poor into the city reiner summoned the crimson princess, "we need to evaciate, I can't hold the city." She replied, "this is our home."

" it is no longer their choice, I'm orderred to protect them, I can't do that here, mages have teleport gates set up, well hold them as long as we can get your people out." "As long as the virtues live on, hyrule lives it does not matter where." The.people of bei shir followed a trail of tears to their new home in the forests of enron, where the previous attacks of maximus had left empty cities to start anew.

Darkness within

The sun set and Darkness rose.  At long last the fire of the red saint would fall to ashes -- as all lights which try to cast back the Darkness do.  No matter the brightness of the day it would always end, and the shadow of darkness always waited on the fringe out waiting the day.

Darkness closed his eyes and traveled through the dream world then opened them to look down at the legions of angel statues surrounding the Red Saint's Cathedral as it strained for the heavens among the dead forest, that was Tatyana's make.  He admired her craftsmanship.  For days in any direction the land had been stripped of life and only death remained.  Why would the Saint have chosen this place?  Perhaps he wanted to hide?  It did not matter.

The Merovingians agent was there as well. The Red Saint's soldiers patrolled and guarded the Cathedral.  They were experienced, well trained, dedicated and well equipped.  Though they posed no threat Darkness -- they did not have the urn.  He took upon himself the form of mist and went to clear the way for the Merovingian's key maker.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Court was in session all formalities were to be observed.  Elizabeth had been captured finally and brought to court.  The evil was in the cursed doll she was bound too.  It told her to do unjust things, it was bounded to her soul and could not be physically removed.  The Red Saint would find a way to break the bound but until that moment came Elizabeth and her doll needed to be restrained.  The immortal little girl spoke in a sweet high pitched tone, "What's the matter Kira? Don't want to play? Bloody Mary is a fun game."

The Red Saint motioned to Exodus, "Escort the prisoner to the catacomb where they are to be entombed until their bond is broke and Elizabeth can be executed for her crimes." Exodus responded the the affirmative and took the prisoner.

  It was in that moment that all Darkness Fell.  Guards come in to warn the Saint that his men were dieing outside and something had got into the tower.  Before the Saint could stand to address their report, a man with cloak blacker than the void which seemed to pull the warmth from the air around him and make the magical light of the flames flicker stepped forward.  "You summoned me have you not, you invited me to your court to stand trial did you not?" Darkness said in slow threatening tones. "Well now I am here lich and I bring your end."  

"There is no end to Justice.  Their is no end to the Saint.  But your coming here does save the resources needed to bring you."

"You should have staid away, I will however give you one last chance.  Join me, your abilities will be greatly useful in writing my antilife equation.  Imagine a world where you can make them all be just."

"I would rather Die that help you." The Red Saint barked.

"Oh, don't be boreing," Darkness turned his head and took in a panorama of the room, all guards willing to die for their Lord, wish granted, "Everyone who says that dies."

He drew the threads that held the planes together and bored a hole to the Celestial realm.  Guards and the Saint himself showered him with attacks, arrows spears, curses, and spells all with out the blessing of the urn did nothing to even phase Darkness.  It took a few moments until the Celestial realm was reached.  The backlash of touching the realm of pure good struck him harder than he would have expected.  He knew he was wounded and drained.  Summoning his last bit of energy he closed his eyes and walked through the dream back to his coffin where he would find rest and healing until the mage Mordin grew too greedy. (But that is a different story)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

While the blow didn't kill Darkness it was the doom of the Saint.  For centuries he had kept the god Tyre at bay with his layers of spells and wards.  He had out positioned even the gods which allowed him to exercise perfect justice without interference from their prejudice and power.  But when the villain Darkness bored through those protections using knowledge he had gained from the sacred Vega creating a path from the heart of the Saint's court to the highest realm of the celestial plane it allowed all their fury to unfold unfiltered.  I, Exodus, had not myself finished sealing Elizabeth in her prison when the retribution struck.  She was lost to me.  The gods destroyed all we had done and built.  The Saint was left cursed, insane and decrepit within his own prison.  The Merovingian's key maker locked the Cathedral from the outside with his key so there was no escape.  Over the passing centuries the Saint's once mighty fortress, prison, and temple fell into ill repair, using what little power was left me I could only make one small room safe for myself but even that now begins to fade.  I write that in the hopes that someone in the future may find it, now our cause and take up the Red Saint's banner.  

Justice is Eternal.  Exodus - Archon of Kira.

Devils Deal in Deals

"Its good to speak again to an old friend." The Merovingian said as Darkness sat down across from him.

"I am not often surprised but this visit does just that.  Tell me what can I do for you."

Darkness stared at the man and spoke, "It is for the sake of both of us that I have come.  The Red Saint's interference is slowing the work on the Anti-life equation.  Something we have both worked on together for a long time."

"Yes yes, when are you going to give up that obsession.  You've been puzzling that thing out for nearly all of your 8,000 years.  It can't be done.  You see it is based on false assumptions.  You strive to take away peoples ability to chose, you can not destroy something that does not exist. People and gods only do what they must.  The one universal truth--causality.  One thing leads to another and in the end were are all where we must be.  This world with the Saint after you, and you here in my bar is the inevitable conclusion of a million causes.  There is no will to steal."

"You are wrong.  I know because unlike you which puppets from a distance I have reached into someones soul, as life leaves them and I fill it to become their world their will, to compell another and take their choices from them."

"Well if you do succeed I trust you'll remember our deal the price for helping you.  You will leave me unaffected and will do anything I ask, so long as I say ...."

"Please, Yes I remember.  But the great new world of Darkness is delayed by the same man you tormented you but a century earlier.  You should join me to destroy him."

"He has pardoned me of all crime, what cause do I have in this fight?"

"I know the gods have already come to you for help.  You have the keys to his Cathederal and the secrets to how to keeps their powers from affecting him.  The Vega.  They must have offered you enough already."

"They have offered a prize but it was not enough alone. I need something else.  Specifically you."

"I know the gods want me, but Darkness will not agree to turn himself over to the gods.  There is no profit for me." Darkness used the frenchmen's own words against him.

"NO no my friend, it is not the gods that want you but Trevor.  Has he not already promised you power and position.  The Black Raven calls and you ignore him."

"Darkness is no man's servant.  No Lich be they Raven or Saint will bring the Eternal to their bidding."

"How long before the Red Saint finds the Urn Derrick?  He studies and accumulates knowledge it is only a matter of time.  Now he is an annoyance but someday he will be your undoing.  You must agree to join the Raven.  In exchange I will give the gods the knowledge they need break through his defenses, and you the key to his Cathederal, to borrow.  From the inside you could use your powers to open a conduit for the Gods to curse and destroy the Saint.  Or you fight this war for centuries more as I did and even if you win, delay the antilife by a millennium,  Do what you must do."

"I will join Trevor, but only after the Saint is dealt with."

"DEAL!"

Afterlife there is Darkness

Darkness watched the fire caress and consume the logs.  The sturdy thick trees once held massive canopys of leaves teaming with life and were able to support hundreds of pounds of weight.  Now, the hungry flame slowly licked the small cracks digging deeper and deeper past the bark meant to protect it and into the heart of the wood.  It growed by consuming what was around it.  It produced heat and light by means and destruction and then eventually it would burn out and fade and only darkness would remain.  After all this time he knew he would live forever.

The soldiers of the Red Saints army had struck quickly, like a fire burning too fast, their passion drove them to consume ever more or fall in on themselves.  They would find Darkness less than amused at their interruption to his plans.  He heard them strike on his door. No doubt if they had made it this far his brides were already dead it would take time to replace them but time he had.  Patience he was out of.

The doors sprung open and the fabled Red Saint flanked by his Archon companion Exodus dared to step into the Lord's personal chamber. He could sense them there was no need to face them so he continued sitting in his chair staring into the fire.  Exodus had a heart beat though different than most mortals and with no trace of fear.  The Red Saint did not, despite the magic used to cover it death hung on his scent.  Ah so that was the secret.  Darkness thought as he welcomed his guests, "Gentlemen, I trust you have been attended by my servants and your needs have been met."

The Red Saint spoke forth in tones of command, "We are here to exercise your just reward.  Our only needs are to met justice to the unworthy."

"And I trust my servants gave you plenty of opportunity to do so.  Consider that my gift to you."

"You claim to let me kill those loyal to you as a gift to me?  You are mad and are sentenced to an eternity or imprisonment or immediate death."

Still looking into the fire Darkness responds, "Death?  You speak of it far to casually for one who has experienced it Saint.  I find the many concepts of death fascinating and perplexing.  Mortals fear it, strive the entirety of their meaningless lives to avoid it, yet in the same breath they long for the afterlife.  The life where lights are brighter and joys and sensations so marvelous their mortal bodies dare not comprehend.  I can witness to you that such an afterlife does exist.  I am living it now.  As are you Saint.  Though unlike the mortals you cling to their souls to be transported to another realm for such a life, we live it here.  Here is all we have, there is no Elysian field for us.  Nor would I want one, I enjoy my afterlife...do you?"

The Red Saint leveled his staff and cast torrents of ice and snow striking Darkness destroying his chair and extinguishing the fire.  Exodus sprang to the air lifted by a celestial wind and calling forth a symbol of light in the shape of the Saints scales of justice demanded, "Foul souless creature by the power of the Saint Justice commands you to cower."

Darkness took one glimpse at his extinguished fire his patience exhausted. He spun screaming lightning into the chest of the fallen Archon then striding toward the saint, "You will find magic of no use against me." he stepped forward.

The saint summoned a direct channel to the celestial body and manifest a miniature sun between him and the Dark Lord.

 

Darkness stepped forward entering the floating orb of light. Then stepped through it seeming to be unaffected. "I've grown much to old to fear the sun."  He then wove with the strings a cacoon for Exodus binding him beyond movement.

The Red Saint channelled through his staff and cast Resurrection on the Lord of Darkness by touching him with with diamond point.  Darkness resisted the spell and grabbed the staff in his right hand hissing at the Saint.  The staff enabled a powerful force attack on the holder that was not the Saint and Darkness absorbed the blow unflinching. 

Darkness ripped the staff away and cast it to the far side of the room where Exodus lay bound. The with his other hand faster than lightning he grabbed the Saint by the throat, "If you value your after life, you take the gift I gave you, and never dare to cross my path again.  Do not be so foolish as to think I can not drain you from here and be done with you. Stay out of my afterlife and I'll stay clear of yours."

The saint spoke his breath uninhibited, no surprise since he did not need to breath, "I seek and serve only justice.  I will be your end.  I will never stop until your Darkness is cleansed from the earth."  

Exodus had somehow managed to get free, perhaps there was more to this one. He lifted the staff of the saint and engulfed the entire chamber with light.  The next moment both he and the Saint were gone.  

Darkness was going to war.

A new Darkness to fight.

The red Saint stood in council with David Sampson and Exodus. Azzazel the leader of the forsworn had been captured and locked in the prison, the war with the merovingion over, the purge of Tyrs followers completed by use of the death note. Yet, justice still waited for some and the Red Saint Kira would see it did not wait for long.
"It is time we turned our attention to what cursed this land so long ago and execute the deserved punishment.  Our searches have shown this wild land to once be the home of enchanted forests and a just and virtueos people.  It was destroyed by a brothers civil war, a war caused by a vampire woman."
David spoke, "yes I have been trying to find her as you commanded saint.  I have found similar stories throughout the world as she travelled leaving only death behind her.  I even found her, it was not till I gazed upon her that I realized she was not the true source of the evil.  I spoke to her and she told me of a man named derrick.  Her story tells of what may be the origin. Of vampires in out world, and the monster who drove her to evil.  This derrick is also known by Darkness the vampire of legend.  And from her story I know where he makes his liar.  I say we move at once."
The saint moved his eyes across his most trusted companions and said, "Tatyana will be next, first we dedicate our forces to defeating Darkness. Death if possible and imprisonment here if not.  How do we find the accursed?"
In unison they responded, "guilty."

Losing my religion

The sounds of battle raged around her.  Many good men would die today, but it would stab a wound at her father and rescue prince Gerzon...her half brother.

With her imperial troops and death guard creating a diversion Elaina went into Malekites stronghold on the 6th level of hell alone.  though not entirely alone, She was well equiped and had her faith--logar was always with her.

Slaying the guard to the dungeon, she stepped into the corridor and saw long rows of cells on either side.  These cells were the product of hellish craftmanship, designed not just to hold their prisoner but to induce great amounts of torture and pain and suffering. Despite the misery and heavy oppression she could have seen she saw only him.  Shisimaru landstarr, the witch king the great traitor.  He had forsaken the trappings of an imperial general and instead was adorned as a demon prince with a spike crown and faceless mask.  She could see Gerzon chained to the wall behind him.

He stride did not break nor did her pace waiver.  She was on the light's mission, the light would grant victory her faith was pure.  Blades clashed and the corridor rang with the music of battle.  Her heart beat to it.  The flashing of sparks as steel bit steel be it armor or blade cast Sharp violent shadows even if it was for brief seconds.  He had been taught trained and sculpted by Malekite for years, she the same by logar.  As the two represented light and dark the fight now occuring came to represent the battle between the two forces made flesh.

Her faith held strong despite his superior skill.  It paid off, she block a wild swing causing him to fall off balance and lining her a killing blow. "Stop!" Malekites voice reverberated through the corridor, other prisoners slunk deeper into their shadows to hide. "You'be proven yourself apprentice and I do not wish her dead."

Elaina looked around in surprise and found Shisimaru's stumble to be a ploy.  He had a cursed dagger drawn and ready to strike past all her defenses...in her zeal, she had not even seen it.

Malekite manifest amidst waves of flame and shades of black, on wicked black featherred wing embracing shadow. "Besides I tried to give gerzon back.  He can't be broken... Much too strong, like his father. You can take him."

She threw words at him, "what's the catch angel of death?"

"Nothing, but truth.  I hate that my children only have hatred for their father, yet that is the greatest gift I could give you...that of power. And your hatred makes you powerful."

"I gain my power from my faith from the light."

"You lie to yourself.  You were stolen from your crib and personally tutored by the lights champion logar and what did he teach you, compassion mercy tenderness charity...no, he taught what I teach, hate.  It is just that he taught you to hate me.  He created a weapon to use nothing more.  We are all the same, now that I am a god I see it.  The strong rule the weak, we destroy those whom serve no purpose and only forward our own goals. But they are worse, because they lie about who they are, they pretend to be good."

"There is a difference between someone pretend to be good and an imperfect person striving to be."

"Let me show you."

Through the flames images formed.  The temple of the demon dragon held shut by Luther.  Orders being given to the skyriders to arrest the sith aiding him and to give no assistance themselves. The demon dragon gaining freedom.  His demon horde clashing with the armies of men and the dragon killing thousands in seconds with sand and fire breath.  Then zyr his one reptilian wing stretching in power proclaims to the heroes fleeing from him, "I am vegeta, you will fall the council will fall the abyss and mount celestial will be mine."

The images vanished, "your isle let, no helped the real veteran to escape.  Why would they such and thing? Why would they risk so much and ensure the suffering of so many?  The answer is simple- to hurt me. They think with those demons who follow me as crystal leaving my service I will be weaker.  They are sacrificing the welfare of others to only forward their own goals.  I've always known he was the real vegeta and lied to keep the hordes from freeing him because I know the prophecy and what it means for everyone.  Yet I'm the villian.  Take your brother and leave."

Shaken she stood hesitating. He continued striking like a serpent, "Unless you wish to stay in your fathers embrace.  I will not offer you love or acceptance these things are lies, I will instead offer you truth.  To see there is no right or wrong side, just the winning and losing side. I would let you win with me."

Elaina sheathed her sword and feeling faith slip through her fingers like water she turned from her father and lifted her brother from his chains.  Slowly and sullen she carried him back to her forces and left.
:..............................................................

Khan looked from the scrying font toward the pit fiend on his left.  Does that satisfy you?  From his own mouth he has been lieing to you and your kind.  He is a false messiah.

Death note

It had taken nearly 50 years but it was done.  A new volume of holy scripture for the concecrated who followed the saint. 

The vega explained how to manipulate the divine power with arcane magic.  This new volume would be an even more effective weapon for justice.  He titled it the death note. 

Construction of the artifact was perfect.  When you wrote a mortals name in the book and thought of their face it cast a combination of divine slay living and arcane death.  It would avoid standard defenses and even penetrate most magic resistence.  Just as if it had been cast by a divine power its range was infinite, no mortal could hide from justice.  What he was most proud of was that the book could be used to describe how the mortal would die, if no reason was given a simple heart attack would claim the victim.

With this the red saint need no longer risk his men with the sword. Nor must he send exodus to collect them for trial, nor must he burden his full prison.  Death from a distance undefendable, undetectable. He know had total power over death. 
He was indeed a god. There were still those who pretended to be just. Still those gods who strove to stop him. 

He openned the death note and began listing the followers of tyr. To stand against the red saint was destruction.

Verdict

At long last the merovingian had fallen to justice.  Exodus and sampson brought him before the red saint in chains.  With all his holy vestements the red saint peered down in judgement against his enemy.

The merovingian spoke in smooth tones, though he was obviously insulted by his treatment he made his case clearly and rationally.

"You have done well to capture me saint, though your sacrifice unneeded.  Why do you do this thing? For justice?  I value justice above all else, it is justice and fairness which allows me to profit.  Never do I hunt someone out, and never to I offer deals that are not asked for.  It is not my fault nor is it unjust that people ask for what they should not nor agree to terms they can not meet.  I simply meet needs, no more no less, to show mercy as I am often asked would in fact rob justice, a crime I have never comitted."

With so few words he had done what no army or force previously had managed...stoped the red saint.

The saint was shocked, the frenchman was right.  The saint had been mistaken, his perspectives of good and evil had blurred his understanding of perfect justice.  The merovingian had comitted no crime.

"You are innocent of the charges against you.  Go now and see justice done."

"No no no, what about my justice, you have caused me much pain for your unjust acts need not I be made whole."

"Do not push me, you have your leave nothing else."

"No you gain your power as an infalliable dealer of justice, if that is lost all is lost.  You will atone to me because you must atone."

"What would make you whole."

"Not much, you have such a lovely home, and your ability to weilding divine through the arcane.  I require the key to your tower prison and a copy of your holy vega.  That should give me the power I need to make this injustice forgiven."

And thus did the frenchman arrive in chains and leave with all the keys of the saints kingdom.

No law higher than yourself

The defenses of this small city were considerable.  The red saints near century long campaign against the Frenchman had culminated in this.  For days his army of celestials clashed with his army of demons.  The saint sat in his chair reviewing the vega looking for something to tip the balance.

A courier arrived at that moment with a package.  He spoke, "I know the solution and carry it here." Then the courier placed an ornate book at the saints feet and all but fled.

The saint lifted the book and scanned its cover learning its title, "the ballad of kale"

The saint placed the book down and nearly snorted in disgust. What need have I for the gods? Does not my understanding of justice surpass theirs? Have I not found ways to emulate their power and enlist their angels? Have not their angels left their service for mine? Have not I gained my own immortality? Do I not sit in judgement of lesser mortals? What need have I of gods when I surpass them?