The Glitch IV - Inversion (Ch. 1)

[SirNitram]

Thog picked up and squeezes Leandra affectionately. "Thank you, pretty Le-Dra. Me save the smrt potions for when you need Thog to think real hard. 'Bout rocks and stuff." He grinned, tucking the potions away. "Thog ready to go. Le-Dra ready to go?"

"Yes... I think I'm ready. Will you please carry the rest of the pouches for me, Thog?" Leandra asked.

---
now that Thog was online, Leah sent him a whisper. "Something happened again last night... as if someone was in my room and grabbed me while I slept. When I woke, I heard a man laughing in my room ... and the HDD had turned itself on. Please... please tell me I'm not going insane."

"You're not crazy." Came the whispered reply. Albert was admittably not sure how any of it was happening, but... "I beleive you. I... Must admit it's all getting wierd. Very wierd. And I don't know why."

[Rukia]

[quote="Shark Bait"]Vadlenar waved in unison with his army of undead servants as Sivri trotted up to Ottoman’s house having arrived just shortly before her. “Helloâ€

[LadyTevar]

now that Thog was online, Leah sent him a whisper. "Something happened again last night... as if someone was in my room and grabbed me while I slept. When I woke, I heard a man laughing in my room ... and the HDD had turned itself on. Please... please tell me I'm not going insane."

"You're not crazy." Came the whispered reply. Albert was admittably not sure how any of it was happening, but... "I beleive you. I... Must admit it's all getting wierd. Very wierd. And I don't know why."

Leandra lost a lot of the tension in her body as Leah herself relaxed. She whispered to Thog "If I told you it was the Troll that had been eying me at the Keep, ... and that I think he was trying to rape the *real* me, not Leandra?"

Despite the whispered conversation, she and Thog were going outside, walking towards the stables where Thog kept his swamp dragon.

Presumably, Elwyn followed behind.

[SirNitram]

Leandra lost a lot of the tension in her body as Leah herself relaxed. She whispered to Thog "If I told you it was the Troll that had been eying me at the Keep, ... and that I think he was trying to rape the *real* me, not Leandra?"

"Then the situation is getting much more serious." Thog whispered softly. "You might want to unplug the HDD until we figure this out. When you're asleep, I mean."

[LadyTevar]

"Then the situation is getting much more serious." Thog whispered softly. "You might want to unplug the HDD until we figure this out. When you're asleep, I mean."

"Yes... I'll do that," she whispered back, staying close to the half-giant and hoping desperately she didn't cross paths with the Troll.

[Agent Fisher]

"'Lo." Siv responded. She was still a bit perturbed that the knight had left the group to fend for themselves. She stood next to Meeka stroking her mane, and watched as Val activated Decimus' soulstone.

"M'Lady, I apologize for my actions the previous day. I was simply doing my duty to uphold the law. Now that it seems we will be working together, so, lets clear the air and have a fresh start."

Decimus held out his hand, from his seat atop his horse.

"My name is Decimus Maximus, and I am pleased to meet you."

[Rukia]

Sivri raised an eyebrow and looked at Val. Looking back at the Knight she rolled her eyes...Just like a knight to 'be the good guy' she reached out her hand and took his.

"Sivri."

She thought better about making a comment on Decimus being high on his horse.

[Shark Bait]

Sivri raised an eyebrow and looked at Val. Looking back at the Knight she rolled her eyes...Just like a knight to 'be the good guy' she reached out her hand and took his.

"Sivri."

She thought better about making a comment on Decimus being high on his horse.

Vadlenar gently shrugged he had had his doubts about this new warrior and it seemed that he was not the only one, quickly looking for a change in topic he spoke. “Sivri my dear, how is the arm have you suffered any ill effects since your wounding in that most dreadful battle? Please tell me of any detail no matter how minor, I’m most curious about this new poison our assailants used and any data would be quite useful.â€

[Rukia]

"It seems a bit infected. Even with Le's healing. Still a bit black too." She walked over to Vadlenar showing him. "And I think the poison has tried to spread, I can feel the effects lower in my arm." She gestured to the lower part of her upper arm near her elbow.

[SirNitram]

"Then the situation is getting much more serious." Thog whispered softly. "You might want to unplug the HDD until we figure this out. When you're asleep, I mean."

"Yes... I'll do that," she whispered back, staying close to the half-giant and hoping desperately she didn't cross paths with the Troll.

Thog ambled in his usual way to where he had penned his mount. The swamp dragon was not a dragon in some senses.. It wasn't all that bright, it didn't horde treasure, and there was a decided lack of lethal breath, except after Thog had fed it something spicy.

Still, the beast of burden was smarter than it's rider and evilly tempered. This made it the idea mount for Thog, though no one had figured out why. But they got along, possibly because of Thog's tendency to let it eat anything he killed.

[Shark Bait]

"It seems a bit infected. Even with Le's healing. Still a bit black too." She walked over to Vadlenar showing him. "And I think the poison has tried to spread, I can feel the effects lower in my arm." She gestured to the lower part of her upper arm near her elbow.

Vadlinar looked a little worried when she showed him her arm. “Hereâ€

[Charon]

Ottoman saw that a few of the band had gathered. Well, time to collect them. Ottoman reached the gates a few moments later, his tan travelling cloak whipping about him in a sudden wind that had picked up. "Welcome to my home. Please, come in and take a load off. Your horses will be well treated while we discuss our objective." Ottoman looked at Vadlinar's steed. "Those steeds who require it that is." The gates openned wide as the two men standing guard pushed on them. Ottoman stood in the center of the path, looking as none here had seen him before, prepared for war.

[LadyTevar]

Leandra eyed the swamp dragon.

It eyed her back, evilly.

"I'll walk, thanks..." she stated flatly, remembering the last time she tried to ride double, Thog had been forced to knock the dragon around severely. The dragon remembered as well... and was very annoyed and blamed Leandra for it.

Leandra turned and started walking towards Ottoman's keep, her mind drifting slightly. Darek's dragon had no problem carrying double... she recalled fondly, then blinked. Somehow, Darek's contact stone was in her hand again, like a worry stone she couldn't stop rubbing. Why? she thought at it. Why are you always in my thoughts? Why do I keep dreaming about you? And what is sneaking into my room, trying to hurt me?

She forced herself to put the stone back in her pouch, continuing to walk to the meeting place. Hopefully Ottoman found a nice horse to ride.

[Shark Bait]

Ottoman saw that a few of the band had gathered. Well, time to collect them. Ottoman reached the gates a few moments later, his tan travelling cloak whipping about him in a sudden wind that had picked up. "Welcome to my home. Please, come in and take a load off. Your horses will be well treated while we discuss our objective." Ottoman looked at Vadlinar's steed. "Those steeds who require it that is." The gates openned wide as the two men standing guard pushed on them. Ottoman stood in the center of the path, looking as none here had seen him before, prepared for war.

Vadlenar smiled and patted his horse once more before handing the reins off to one of his summonings. “Thank you kindly for your hospitalityâ€

[Agent Fisher]

He handed the riens to a servant and followed Vadlenar.

[LadyTevar]

Leandra and Elwyn walked into the courtyard of the manor, followed by Thog on his ill-tempered swampdragon.

[Charon]

Ottoman bowed to Thog and Leandra as they entered, his eyes fell on the swamp dragon, that would have to go somewhere else. Ottoman quickly looked around his lands and found a nice, very out of the way spot. "Ah, Thog, I assume your dragon eats meat? If so we can have some brought out to it, as long as it doesn't eat my servants." Ottoman smiled and once the horses and dragon were taken care of he herded them inside. "You all have many questions about our mission, and I intend to tell you everything I can. If you will please follow me to my audience chambers I will be willing to share all." Ottoman pointed them towards the large oaken doors that were currently shut.

[LadyTevar]

"Thank you," Leandra answered. "I believe it's polite to offer the host a gift?" She gave him the pouch of potions, along with the pack of explosive pots. "There are potions of strength as well as healing and antidotes inside." she explained. "My only hope is that we don't run out before we reach our destination."

Then she allowed Ottoman to guide her and her companions into his audience chambers, and settled down to listen gravely to what he had to say.

Perhaps, if someone else had a similar episode to hers, she would speak of the attack on her while she was offline. But for now, it was enough that Thog knew.

[Agent Fisher]

Decimus seated himself inside the chamber.

[Rukia]

Sivri handed Meeka's reins over to one of Ottoman's men. She whispered softly to the mare before she was lead away. Sivri followed the others into the chamber and sat on a chair with one leg dangling over the arm.

[Comrade Tortoise]

Elwyn was silent. He was going over things in his head and nothing was making much sense. Something had been bothering Leandra and he dared not ask what it was. Still, they arrived at Ottoman's manor and he had extended to them his hospitality.

Still, there was something odd about him as well. It wasnt the sort of off that they had been discussing, but it was something out of place. His Helmet. It was black, most paladins were poofy little Lancelot wannabes, and wore plate mail of polished steel and accented with gold gildings and the like. His was black, and Elwyn was willing to bet that his armor was too.
He shook his head and chalked it up to odd fashion sense though. not like his character class really mattered right now anyway. Still, he could feel... what could only be described as tangible wickedness from the man.

"Thank you for your Hospitality Ottoman, it is much appreciated. Still, it would have been better if this land were left to grow wild" he had to say it. It was obligatory and he said it with a wry smile and a wink.

"Nice fortifications though" he said, gesturing to the keep's guards and defenses.

[Dark Silver]

He watched from the shadows as the group filtered slowly into Ottomon's home. 'Such a unlikely rabble', he mused to himself, settling his frame upon the branch.

Even with the movement, nothing stirred, not a leaf, not a twig. He was invisible to everything, to everyone. From his vantage point, he even saw into the meeting room, where they gathered to speak.

He settled in, it was a good thing he learned to lip read in his youth..

-----

Adam watched as his "mother" and "father" copulated on the kitchen table, the sneer on his face never leaving even as the man roared as if claiming the woman.

"Digusting..." he said softly, "that these....humans procreate in such a way."

He examined the woman's body for a few moments, bite and scratch marks covered her entire body, blood was drawn on her chest, seeping from teethmarks on her breasts.

"How can you tell when the female is forming new code?" he wondered as his vision lined up at the joined crotches of the two. "Desist....we'll again later..."

He twitched, and moved towards the living room door. Phase One would soon be over, for his mission at anyrate.

Procreate a child in the human world. He wasn't told he had to be the one who sired it, just to have it done.

He walked out the living room, and towards the door leading to the outside world. For now, it was time for him to leave this place, and see what his master desired with this world.

-------

"The group gathers to prepare for thier mission," the flat voice reported, even as he watched the form of his Mistress, Adena, rise from the cold stone floor, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, leaving the human in the chair, seemingly drained of energy and pale.

The Dark Elf smiled wickedly as the thin robe she wore was left open, the drops of white fluid lay in a stream across her chest, cheeks and chin. Slowly, she traced thier path with her finger, and slipped it in her mouth, as if savoring the taste.

"Excellent," she replied, her finger sliding from her mouth, tongue swirling around the tip lightly, "Make sure all is arranged along thier most likely paths...I don't want them to slip by us."

The man merely bowed his head, and prepared to leave, before Adena's wicked smile finally got through, "Strip my servant," she whispered, as the robe fell from those pale, perfect shoulders and puddled on the floor.

"As you wish Mistress" the man uttered, a slow smile coming across his lips as he shed his robe and armor....

[Charon]

Ottoman smiled as he had a servent take the potions and take them to the cart. "Thank you Leandra. If you have any things which you cannot carry you are free to have them placed on my cart, there is plenty of room."

As the last of the group filed into the chambers Ottoman shut the doors and closed the shutters, a few candles lit the room despite the darkness. Ottoman spoke the words of safety once more. "Kal Wis Sanct."

Ottoman turned to his audience. "The Baron has 'asked' of me, and of you. That we should go to the Charnel Mountains and collect an item of power from the Dwarves, through whatever means become necessary, even war." Ottoman moved over to one of the shutters, making certain it was secure. "There is something else. The Baron is a changed man since the attack, he is far darker, far colder. I fear he has fallen to the Dark Riders that attacked all of the Southern Kingdoms and joined them in whatever cause they fight for. Furthermore, my contacts in the various cities say that almost every single royalty member from common nobility was killed in the attack, and it is a fair assessment that many of them have also joined the Dark Riders." Ottoman stepped over to his own chair which sat towards the center of the room. Pushing his travelling cloak aside to reveal the dark armor underneath he sat down and looked at his fellow travellers. "In short, the Southern Kingdoms may very well already be lost, and we are being sent to our doom because we know something we should not." Ottoman watched the others, waiting for their response to this news.

[LadyTevar]

Leandra (and Leah) frowned deeply at Ottoman's news. "I'm not doubting your words, Ottoman... but are you sure everyone who was assassinated has returned acting like the Baron?"

She had a sudden thought of the troll at the gates. "What of the others killed that day... like those currently guarding the Baron? Are they too... replaced by whatever had |-|4><0r3d the system? How wide spread is this?"

---
Leah was beginning to wonder if hackers was the right term... if it was that widespread, over the entire Southern Continent, how many servers would have had to be attacked at once?

[SirNitram]

Thog moved from one foot to the next, the sign of Intense Thinking. He often needed a bit of momentum to get there.

"Den.. Den.. If we's knowing something dey not want us knowing, what is it? Cuz if we's knowing it, we's can use it, right?"