A hard-to-reach mountain cave

[vegetable_sorbet]

In the mountains, on a slope facing away from the town, an 8ft high, 6ft wide tunnel has been cut into the mountainside. about fifteen feet down this tunnel is a large, heavy steel door, with a round wooden knob, a keyhole, and a small skull-shaped knocker.

On knocking, a hoarse voice from the other side asks you to state your name and your business. This is the home of Zimbraw par Rallouq. If he approves of your reason, the door will swing open to reveal an imposing figure, 7ft 9ins tall, wearing a balaclava and a lizardskin cloak over a simple sand-coloured tunic and similar trousers.

You are quickly ushered inside, and find yourself in a large, natural cave. Stacked high around the edges of the cave are piles and piles of wooden boxes and crates of various sizes. In the very centre of the cave, an old oak desk sits, with a high-backed unupholstered wooden chair sat behind it. A single, plain-looking chair sits before the desk facing it.

Zimbraw moves to the chair behind the desk, and offers you the other.

Resting his arms of the desk, he leans forward, and asks you again what your business with him is.

If, however, he mistrusts you, the door will remain closed. Any attempt to teleport inside enter without prior permission will result in your being redirected to the desert.

Map:
http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q43/Seftsirag/GitP%20stuff/zimbrawscave.png

[hr][hr]
Zimbraw opens the door, and heads out onto the mountainside. He waves a hand, and a large ring of sparkling silver energy appears in front of him, showing the scene of a beach. He steps through it, and it closes behind him.
[hr][hr]
Later, Zimbraw returns, and lock himself away in the cave.

[Veg Sorbet]

Val walks in, and takes the seat that Zimbraw offers him.

[vegetable_sorbet]

So, you've come searching for the book you call the Lost Tome? Zimbraw asks. Something like that comes at an extremely high price.

[Veg Sorbet]

Val frowns. what sort of price? he asks warily.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Zimbraw eyes the gauntlets, which are still blazing furious white. I'm a trader. Something powerful for something of roughly the same power.

[Veg Sorbet]

Val frowns. If you're talking about the gauntlets, you can forget it! he says, sharply.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Zimbraw laughs again. Not the gauntlets themselves. The power inside them. I want you to make me an item, like that sword, made from the energy you absorbed during your first fight with the one known as The Masters.

[Veg Sorbet]

Val continues to frown. Alright, how do you know so much about me? He demands.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Zimbraw smiles an unseen smile. Just because I'm new to the town, doesn't mean I haven't been out here for a long time. And I've spent time in Kroizia before. You see, I trade across dimensions, worlds, planes. He pauses for a moment.
But that isn't important right now. Will you make me this object? He pulls out a sheet of paper, with a complex drawning on it, along with various notes, and places it in front of Val.

[Veg Sorbet]

Val avoids looking at the paper for as long as possible, considering things. Then he glances down, and starts looking at it.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Zimbraw stands suddenly, and grabs Val's wrist. wait! he snaps. this is for your eyes only. I've allowed her to see this far, but no further. He moves over to a corner of the room, and opens a small portal, and barks something into it in a horrible, screaching language. He then turns back to Val. that should keep her occupied... he says, as he sits back down.

[Veg Sorbet]

Val leaps up. what did you do? he demands angrily. Two small balls of green light appear in his hands.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Zimbraw laughs again. elax, Valthera, its just a Hoals. Thought one of Kroizia's finest monsters would be the perfect distraction. Its been ordered only to try to drive her away, not to kill. Now, that drawing. He waves a hand, and two small portals open and suck the lightballs into them.

[Veg Sorbet]

Val snarls at Zimbraw, almost shaking with rage, but soon calms himself.

That's hardly a good way of trying to persuade me to do your work! he says, bluntly, trying to stay as calm as possible.

[AmberVael]

Val can feel the link still being maintained, and a little amusement seeps through it.
Don't worry about me. Its gone already.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Zimbraw curses, as Elya manages to banish the Hoals. you can relax now - its gone. he says bitterly.
Now,do you want that book or not? its obvious that you need it, and that I can get it for you. That I have to be the one to get it for you.

Or are you just going to be stubborn, and spend the rest of your life here, with no way to get back home.

[Veg Sorbet]

Val frowns, weighing up his options. He knows that his first instinct, to kill Zimbraw where he stands, is probably not the best option. He glances down at the notes on the table.

who is this weapon for exactly? he asks, after a while.

[vegetable_sorbet]

I can show you, if you want. Zimbraw replies, calmly. would you prefer it if I brought him here? or you went to him?

[Veg Sorbet]

Val paces across the cave, thinking. you realise that I don't trust you at all, don't you? he snaps.

He continues pacing, until the gauntlets stop blazing white, and start flashing breifly through pretty much every shade of everycolour known to man. Val pauses, seemingly hypnotized. take us to him he says, though the voice isn't his own.

[AmberVael]

Elya tries to understand what just happened to Val, going a little deeper into his mind.

[vegetable_sorbet]

((Val was starting to consider remaining in the town permanantly. The gauntlets sensed this, and took over. They are basically doing everything they can to get back to their own world.))

Zimbraw smirks beneath the balaclava, and opens a portal into what looks like a peaceful meadow. Very well, after you.

Val nods, and steps through without any questions.

[AmberVael]

Earin and Elya appear inside and search around.
Elya manifests a trace teleport (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/traceTeleport.htm), while Earin searches for any signs of people still there.
((Assuming that Zimbraw left, that is))

[Veg Sorbet]

The cave is completely devoid of life.

However, soon after the two enter, something akin to one of Zimbraw's portals opens up, showing a scene of Val and Zimbraw chatting amicably with a group of freindly-looking villagers.

[AmberVael]

Earin and Elya watch the scene, and Elya readies a teleport.

[Veg Sorbet]

They appear to reach an agreement, as Val shakes hands with a fair-haired young man. They exchange a few words, and the man appears to talk loudly to the others, who hurry back to a safe distance.

Val raises his hands out to his sides, and slowly a large ball of white energy starts to form in front of him.

As the ball gets larger, the gauntlets return to their usual faint blue glow, and the large white mass begins to take the shape of an unusual shaped sword, something close to a scimitar.

[AmberVael]

((I am sure I responded to this. Huh))
The two continue to watch, Elya prepared to teleport at any time.

[vegetable_sorbet]

As it starts to take a more physical shape, the villagers' faces suddenly change, they look greedy.

As it finally takes a solid form, the leader lunges forwards, and grabs the weapon.

Zimbraw yells something to Val, and opens up two portals. Val turns and flees through one, and Zimbraw slips away through the other. The villagers look around, confused, and the portal fades out, and closes.

[AmberVael]

Earin and Elya look at each other, and Elya casts yet another Locate Creature, trying to find Val.

[Veg Sorbet]

A silver portal opens suddenly almost directly behind Earin. Val stumbles through, and almost collides with him. The portal closes. woah! sorry, Earin... Val says. Then he blinks. How did you two get in here? Zimbraw said that onle people he'd specifically invited in could get in.

[AmberVael]

Elya smiles a little tightly.
We have our ways. What happened to you Val?
Earin puts an arm around Elya and looks around warily.

[Veg Sorbet]

Val shakes his head. I'm not entirely sure. It sounds crazy, but I think the gauntlets actually took over. I was getting ready to give up and go back to town, after Zimbraw set the Hoals on you, and they obviously didn't like it. They seem to think that he was the only way hometowards getting me home.

Anyway, Next thing I knew, I was in a field, being introduced to a group of villagers.

[AmberVael]

Elya nods.
And then?
Earin listens and watches carefully.

[Veg Sorbet]

well, they seemed friendly enough, explained that they'd been having trouble with some bullying demigod, and needed a powerful weapon to go up against him. I agreed to use some energy the gauntlets had absorbed during a random explosion in Trog's to create it for them. Then they went crazy on us. I guess they must have wanted it for some other purpose. I dread to think what.

Zimbraw seemed just as surprised as I was, and sent me back here. He said he was going to get the book for me. I'm supposed to wait here for him.
((gotta go soon))

[AmberVael]

Earin glances at Elya.
"He may not take kindly to us being here then."
She nods.
I think we will go before he gets back. I would recreate my link with you, Val, but your gauntlets severed the old one, I doubt they would allow me to create another. We will try to find you later. Good luck.
They teleport away.

[Veg Sorbet]

Val nods to them politely, then takes a seat.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Much later, Val is asleep on the desk. A deep, natural sleep this time, rather than being magically enforced.

Suddenly, a silver-rimmed portal leading from a massive vault made almost entirely of silver opens, and a very bloody, badly beaten figure stumbles through, and collapses against the desk.

Val wakes with a start, noticing the man immediately, and recognises him as the leader of the band of villagers.

Zimbraw himself then steps through the portal, in a similar state to the other man. His now rather badly torn lizardskin cloak is drawn so far over his face that it hides everything.

He holds the silver scimitar in one hand, and a large wooden box in the other. As he stumbles forwards, the portal closes, and he drops both the box, and the weapon.

The bastard... followed me... entered a sacred place... drew first blood... Zimbraw mutters, as he falls to his knees. Most of what he says is almost drowned out by the clattering of the scimitar as it hits the floor.

[Veg Sorbet]

Val hesitates for a moment, before moving to check on the body of the other man, still not fully trusting Zimbraw.

he's dead. Val announces, bluntly.

good. Zimbraw croaks. he's twisted.. He shifts around, and moves over to lean againt one of his stacks of boxes.

And you're not? Val snaps back angrily.

I would never, ever desecrate a holy, sacred place! Zimbraw snarls. I may have certain tendancies towards evil, but I do have some morals. Now take your book, and destroy that scimitar, if you can...

As he speaks, his breathing faulters, and eventually, he loses consciousness.

Val stares at him, a look of pure loathing. He looks at the gauntlets, and holds them out over the sword, concentrating on trying to absorb the energy back into the gauntlets again.

Slowly, the sword unravels, and brilliant-white energy flows back into his hands. Then he pauses, looking down at Zimbraw.

He rases one gauntlet over Zimbraw's head, and siphons some of the energy from it into the man. He repeats the process again with the other gauntlet, then turns his attention to the wooden box.

((okay, if you've read Zimbraw's profile, I know it says chaotic evil, I'm still tweaking the character, and decided that chaotic neutral bordering chaotic evil, with occasional chaotic good tendancies was more interesting...))

[vegetable_sorbet]

As the energy from the gauntlets enters Zimbraw, he gasps. The energy ripples through his body, repairing his wounds, and at the same time, repairing the damage to his clothing, including replacing the balaclava he had lost during the fight.

Silently, he stands, ignoring Val completely. He goes over to the body of the dead man, and kneels next to it for a moment.

He then spits in his face, and opens a portal back to the man's world, and effortlessly throws the man through. He then retreats off to his private quarters.

[Veg Sorbet]

Val slowly opens the box, which is just over two feet long and one foot wide. Inside, a large, brown book, exactly 2ft long and 1ft wide, giving off a dark blue glow.

Val carefully pulls the book out, and opens the cover. He runs a finger down a long chaper list, noticing the name Valthera several times.

Eventually, he comes across a line, The return of Valthera, Guardian of the Cousins' Gauntlets, from another World, pages 2087-2100. Very carefully, he turns to the page,and begins to read, then remembers where he is.

He gets up, tucking the book under his arm, and heads towards the door, opens it, and heads out onto the mountains.

The heavy door swings closed behind him, and somehow manages to lock itself.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Zimbraw enters the central part of his cave from a secret tunel hidden behind a stack of boxes, and takes a seat at the desk. He puts his feet up on the desk, leans back in the char, and falls asleep, emitting a slow, gravelly snore.

[Veg Sorbet]

At the door to the cave, Anna raises a hand to the knocker, grips it, despite her incorporealness, and raps it once.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Zimbraw wakes with a start, and moves swiftly over to the door. Identify yourself, and state your business.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna speaks, in a deep voice that is definately not her own. We are the cousin's gauntlets. we seek your aid in locating certain objects from the west of Kroizia.

[vegetable_sorbet]

The door swings open immediately, and looks Anna over. Interesting move. I'd love to hear how this happened some time. He says, sounding somewhat amused. He leads Anna in and takes his seat.

Anna walks over to the chair, but doesn't sit. Zimbraw realises the problem, and opens a portal, this one with a lime green rim. an incorporeal chair drops out, and Anna catches it, places it gently on the floor, and finally sits.

Now, I have to admit to a slight, and rather embarrasing problem here. I have been banned from entering Kroizia ever again. Certain events took place in the distant past which led to my forceful removal from the world. There are, however, ways around this.

He gets to his feet, wanders over to a box, and begins rummaging around in it. There is a world I know of, where incorporeal beings dwell. I have a contact there who will be able to help you, if you so wish.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna now appears to be completely unconscious, her eyes are closed, her head has rolled backwards, and her mouth is open slightly. However, when Zimbraw has finished talking, her voice moves, as the guantlets reply. We accept this offer. What payment may you require for this?

[vegetable_sorbet]

Zimbraw begins searching in a different box. I do not believe it neccessary to name a price at this time. After the betrayal I suffered during our last contract together, I feel I owe you for leading Valthera into danger.

Zimbraw throws an empty crate across the room out of frustration his calm demeanor had managed to conceal until this point.

Anyway, before I can reach this world, I must also be incorporeal. Unfortunately, I seem to have misplaced my amulet of incorporeality

He says, the frustration coming through in his voice now.

[Veg Sorbet]

Your temporary incorporeality can be arranged. Anna, though still clearly unconscious, gets to her feet, and aims an arm at Zimbraw. A jet of lime-green energy propels itself towards Zimbraw, and envelops him.

As it fades out again, Zimbraw appears in an incorporeal state.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Zimbraw quickly opens up a lime-green rimmed portal, and steps through, motioning for Anna to follow.

[Veg Sorbet]

Anna steps through, and the portal closes behind her.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Zimbraw enters his cave through a green-rimmed portal, incorporeal once more. he curses under his breath. I need to find that damned Kroizian, get him to recorporealise me. This is getting highly frustrating... He opens up another portal, leading into the town, steps through, and closes it behind him.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Zimbraw steps back into his cave again, dragging an unconscious elephant-like creature after him.

As the portal closes behind the creature, Zimbraw collapses backwards onto one of his crates. If Ganata doesn't show up for this, i'm going to kill him. He thinks, sheding the cloak, and for the first time in several years, removing the balaclava, in order to wipe sweat from his face.

A short while later, he pulls the balaclava back on, refastens his cloak, and opens a portal to Hank's.

[Veg Sorbet]

Shortly after Zimbraw leaves, an identical portal opens, and Quollar steps through. He looks around, bracing himself for an attack.

He notices the unconscious creature, and goes over to it. Its feet are bound with tight rope, and it has a crude dart stuck in it's neck. Quollar frowns, and kneels beside it.

He pulls the dart out, and throws it aside with disgust. He pulls a knife from a pocket, and cuts the ropes binding it. right, lets see which world it is you came from. quollar mutters, stroking the creature's hairy head. He closes his eyes, and begins breathing deeply.

After a couple of minutes, he opens his eyes, opens a portal into a woodland world, and begins gently dragging the creature through. The portal closes behind them.

[vegetable_sorbet]

A portal opens, and Zimbraw and a rather pale young man with brown hair enter.


Zimbraw leads the youngster over to a chair, and he sits down, hilst Zimbraw goes off behind a stack of boxes. He returns with a glass jug of water. he hands this to the man, then freezes up, staring at the cut ropes and spent dart lying on the cave floor.

He roars with anger, making the boy jump slightly, and storms over to the ropes. He stops dead again, and snarls. Impossible! he spits I never made that portal! yet, it's quite clearly one of mine... or not... remember that idiot you met before, claiming to be you? The thought comes into his mind without him realising, and he smiles beneath the balaclava. Of course! he says aloud, causing the man, Berthen, to give him an odd look.

Zimbraw begins pacing up and down. so, that would be my mirror, then... but why is he here? I need to find out what he did with that creature...

He turns back to Berthen. Stay here for a while, okay. I'm afraid something's happened to the animal. someone's taken it somewhere, and I need to find out where... He trails off, and concentrates on reopening Quollar's portal. It soon opens, and he steps through. It starts to close.

Berthen watches with interest, then surprise when the portal reopens, and Zimbraw runs through, followed by the very much awake creature, which is chasing after him. Zimbraw closes the portal far too late.

Berthen jumps to his feet, dropping the jug, which smashes, and runs towards the creature, making unusual gulping and snorting noises.

The creature, which had been bearing down on Zimbraw, ready to impale him on its sharp tusks, turns towards Berthen, and seems to calm down somewhat. Berthen reaches out, and scratches its trunk, still gulping and snorting. He then reaches around, and presses the back of his hand against the side of the creature's neck. It promptly bends down, and then lies on the floor, completely tamed.

Berthen grins at Zimbraw. Thankyou, Zimbraw. I'll take her home now. Zimbraw nods, and opens up a portal for the youngster, who turns back to the creature. C'mon, lass, lets go. He says cheerfully. Thanks for saving my hide there, Berthen. Give your father my best. Zimbraw calls, as Berthen leads the creature through. Berthen waves back just before the portal closes.

Zimbraw then reopens Quollar's portal again, intending to track his mirror down.

[vegetable_sorbet]

A portal opens at the entrace to the cave, and Zimbraw and Quollar step through. Zimbraw opens the front door, and holds it, allowing Quollar to enter first. He dismisses the portal, and goes inside the cave, closing and locking the door behind him.

Inside, Quollar has already taken up the guest's chair. Zimbraw smiles beneath the balaclava, and goes to take his seat. So, what do you want from me? Quollar demands, coldly, before Zimbraw has managed to sit down.

I need your assistance, if you are willing to give it. Zimbraw responds, calmly. Quollar frowns, scowls, then sighs. What kind of assistance? I want you to take on some of my work. Quollar simply stares at his mirror, dumbfounded. What? I want you to take on some of my trading work. Zimbraw gets to his feet. There are worlds I visit which are becoming more and more dangerous, and thus require more of my time and attention. He strolls over to one of the boxes, and begins rummaging. Quollar's eyes follow his movements.

So, you want me to... what? come with you and hold your hand? Quollar responds, his voice bitter and sarcastic. Zimbraw sighs, and shakes his head. No, I want you to deal with the clients of mine who do not have such dangerous requests of me. He finally finds what he was looking for, and returns to the table, holding an old-looking scroll tied with a length of crimson ribbon.

You see, both the dangerous and less dangerous jobs are of equal importance to me, but the harder, more dangerous tasks take up a great deal of time, at a cost to the less dangerous ones. He sits down again, unties the ribbon, and spreads the scroll on the desk.

Quollar peers at it, and sees a long list of names, some of which are crossed through with lime green ink, others underlined or circled with red. There are far more circled and underlined than crossed through. This list contains all the jobs that I have agreed to since the start of the last year. The green are the ones I have completed, either successfully or unsuccessfully, the red are the ones I have yet to touch.

Quollar stares at the list, his expression unreadable. I still don't see why you require me. He says, bluntly. Who better to select to help me than me myself? Zimbraw replies simply. You have a natural ability to create portals to anywhere you need or wish, and of course are of a similar build to me, so that, if needs be, you can pretend to be me. Quollar scowls again.

Why would I ever have any need to dress as you do? He demands. Zimbraw's eyes fix on Quollar's, giving an impression of frustration. After a moment, Zimbraw sighs, shaking his head. some of my clientele are very fussy who they deal with. Some will refuse to see any but myself. If you were to have to deal with them, it would be better for you to don the cloak, and balaclava, and adopt a voice as close to my own as you can manage.

He gets up again, rolling up the scroll. And what do I get out of helping you with this? Quollar asks, his face stony. I will pay you if you so wish. Zimbraw replies, retying the ribbon around the scroll. Or I could help you remove your curse. He adds, walking back to place the scroll back into its box.

Quollar stares at him, a confused look on his face. Waht do you mean, "remove my curse"? I am not cursed. Zimbraw does not turn around. Oh really? tell me, have you ever met a man named Garrovaral Karell? Zimbraw opens a large crate, and takes something from it.

Quollar's eyes narrow, and he scowls again. Yes. He snarls, rather than says. Zimbraw laughs slightly. So, he's every bit as nasty as I imagined him to be, then. He says, as he returns, placing a small, ornate wooden box on the table. Quollar stares that this, not wanting to dwell on the foulest man he had ever met. I myself was slightly more fortunate with my encounter. The Karell of this world was slightly more pleasent, even when he found me stealing something valuable from his vault. He caresses the box subconsciously with his left hand. His curse changed me from the thief and murder you met, into the trader I am today. He slowly begins unlocking the box.

You, I am afraid to say, are less fortunate. Quollar continues to watch, in silence, whilst Zimbraw opens the box. The words eventually sink in, and he asks, in what way, exactly? Zimbraw removes the lid of the box, to reveal a layer of finely shreaded paper. He slowly begins to brush this aside.

If you are anything like I think you to be, in your youth, you were very sociable and friendly, perfectly at ease in public places. Am I correct? Zimbraw looks up from the box, where he is still brushing paper aside, and looks at Quollar, who nods slowly. But recently, that has changed, correct? Quollar nods again, though he continues to watch the box, somehow entranced.

Zimbraw finally brushes the last of the paper aside, only to reveal the bottom of the box, and a small, crudely constructed stone key. Your Karrell placed a curse upon you as you left, exagerated your inhibitions, made you uncomfortable in social circumstances, forced you into isolation in the woods. He laughs a little. Good thing you get on well with nature and natural things.

He takes the key, and turns the box upside-down. a small stone lock is set into the corner of the box. Zimbraw inserts the key, and twists. The entire box begins to glow.

[Veg Sorbet]

Quollar stares intently at the box, not entirely sure of why he finds it so fascinating. Slowly, The glowing box begins to change its shape, getting thinner, but slightly longer. Soon Zimbraw is holding a small mirror in an ornate wooden frame.

This is an item I managed to steal from my Karrell. Zimbraw says, as he places it on his desk, and indicates that Quollar is allowed to touch it. My Karrell knew of the mirror world, and used this mirror to spy on the Karrell you met. Quollar picks it up, and stares at it. His reflection stares back. Most of its power is long negated. However, I was investigating it when both Karrell's placed their curses, and immediately knew what had happened. Quollar places the miurror down again. Zimbraw picks it up.

I was furious, for a few minutes, before the curse took effect. He twists a small part of the decoration, and the mirror warps back into a box again. Purely out of interest, several years ago I began researching ways to remove the curse. Not that I would ever want that creature I once was released again, of course. I can give you instructions on how to remove yours, however. Zimbraw gets up, and replaces the box in storage.

Quollar sits, staring at the table, trying to take this new information in, and thinking. I will think on it. In two days time, I shall meet with you again, and let you know my decision. He replies, standing, and opening a portal back to his campsite. Very well. Two days time. Meet me in Hookah Hank's. Zimbraw replies, opening up his own portal, leading to a storm-washed coastal town.

Both nod to the other, and depart through the portals at the same time. A small puddle begins to form at the foot of Zimbraw's, as rain pours through it. Both portals close simultaneously.

[vegetable_sorbet]

A loud hammering sound echoes around the empty cave as, outside, Val knocks on the door.

Deep inside the cave complex, a long way from Zimbraw's main cave, a figure in a black cloak steps through a large, ornate mirror from what appears to be an identical chamber. The figure slowly makes its way through a network of confusing tunnels and caves.

As the knocking stops, a portal opens in the main chamber, and Zimbraw slowly steps out, soaking wet and weighed down with a very heavy burden, an unconscious middle-aged, clearly pregnant woman.

Zimbraw! if you're in there, open up! I need your help! Val's muffled voice comes through the door. Zimbraw ignores it, opening up a portal into a hospital ward instead, and taking the woman through.
[hr]
Some time later, Zimbraw enters through the front door. He goes to the desk, and begins to sketch something.
[hr]
In the maze of tunnels, the cloaked figure continues to move around, making no sound at all, and apparently knowing exactly where it is going, heading swiftly towards the main chamber.
[hr]
Zimbraw has completed sketching out two large crystals, and is now annotating the drawings. He finishes this, and gets up. He opens up a portal into Hookah Hank's, and steps through.

[Veg Sorbet]

The cloaked figure finally makes its way out into the main chamber, and looks around. Its identical... interesting. it thinks to itself.

[vegetable_sorbet]

The figure looks around a little more, then lowers the hood, revealing a middle-aged man with long, tangled, naturally light-green hair and tanned, scarred skin. He begins to open one of Zimbraw's crates, but jumps as a silver-rimmed portal opens suddenly. He pulls the hood back up, and creeps into the darkness, shimmering slightly as he becomes invisible.

Zimbraw and Quollar step out of the portal, from Hookah Hank's. Tell me, where did you get all that gold? Zimbraw asks Quollar, as the portal closes. From my parents. Our parents, I should say. Quollar replies, looking slightly puzzled. Surely yours comes from the same? Zimbraw shakes his head.

My family was not well off, and I was separated from my parents, and my home world, when I was just 13. Quollar nods. Interdimensional travelling experiment gone wrong. Zimbraw blinks. Our histories do not differ as much as I first thought. He muses.

They continue to compare their experiences for a while, still watched by the man.

So that was the turning point, then. Where your mentor kept his knowledge of your portal manipulation abilities a secret, my Master Olmenan was open and honest from the start. Quollar says, some time later, as they finally wind up their comparison. Zimbraw simply nods. Anyway, it is high time we got on with what we originally intended to do.

Zimbraw stands, and opens a portal onto a narrow mud trackway, surrounded by a high tangle of weeds and brambles. Everything we shall need is found through here. He says, stepping through, careful to keep the hem of his cloak out of the mud. Quollar gets up and follows. The portal closes.

[Veg Sorbet]

As soon as they are gone, the man steps back out, smirking evilly. That was educational. He mutters, walking into the room. He approaches the desk, and notices the drawing Zimbraw had sketched earlier. Kroizian battery crystals? He asks aloud.

Then he laughs. This couldn't be more perfect! I get sucked into that bizarre world, and find this cave, and suddenly I find myself gettling closer to my prey! You're in trouble now, Valthreborn.

He jumps suddenly, as a silver-rimmed portal opens directly beneath the drawing, and sucks it in, then closes again. What in Odugon's name was that! He declares. He shakes his head. Whatever. Right now, I have other things to get on with... He pulls a small glass jar out of his robes, and places it on the desk for a moment, staring at it fondly.

A swirling substance drifts randomly within the glass, giving off a faintly purple glow. The man looks around, and goes back over to the crate he opened before. He perrs inside, and finds it filled with other glass jars, though the rest are all empty. Perfect. Hopefully one of them will be curious enough to open it...

He takes the jar, and places it into the crate, and deliberately leaves the lid off. He then turns and slinks off back into the darkness, taking refuge in the dark tunnels. And if they don't, then I smash the jar, and go with plan B... He pulls out a dagger with a matt-black blade and a wooden handle carved with unusual skeletal patterns and unusual runes. He runs a finger along the edge of the blade, almost carressing it.

[vegetable_sorbet]

The stranger returns again to the empty main cave, and begins rooting around in the boxes. He has to keep food here somewhere... He trails off as a portal opens, and Quollar leaps into the cave, followed closely by a hulking figure wielding a bloodstained axe. The portal closes a few seconds too late.

Shock. not good! The stranger becomes invisible, and slinks away back into the tunnels, leaving a crate directly in Quollar's path.

Quollar runs into the crate, and trips.

[Veg Sorbet]

Val shimmers into existance just inside the entrance to the cave, randomly shifting between forms, and pulsing with rather unstable ethereal energy. He spots the figure looming down on Quollar, and throws a ball of ethereal energy at it.

The ball hits, and the figure flies backwards, disintegrating into a fine dust.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Another portal opens, and Zimbraw steps out, just in time to see a strange lycanthrope blasting an axeman. What in the known hells! He exclaims, steppng backwards slightly, and ending up back in the village he just left. The portal starts to close again.

Quollar gets back to his feet, and turns to stare at Val, who is now surrounded by so much energy, his body is impossible to make out.

Zimbraw thrusts a long, straight wooden staff through the portal, which closes around it, and then reopens, and he steps back through, leaning heavily on the staff. Who are you, and what's your business here? He demands of Val.

[Veg Sorbet]

It's me, Val takes a few steps forwards,leaving an ethereal imprint of himself behind. Val. He takes a few more steps, and the energy seems to remain behind entirely. Slowly, it takes the form of a ghostly wolf, and Val's human-shaped body keels over.

Quollar opens a portal under the body, transporting it directly onto his camp bed out in the woods.

Both Zimbraw and Quollar stare at the wolf. I'm in a lot of trouble. It says, with a voice close to, but not quite Val's.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Zimbraw stares it it. You don't Say. He turns breifly to Quollar. Get his body back here. Quollar nods, and departs.

The stranger in the shadows watches with interest.

What is going on, Valthreborn? Zimbraw asks, hobbling towards the desk, still leaning heavily on the staff.

[Veg Sorbet]

It is hard to describe. It will be easier to explain once Quollar retruns with the Lost Tome. and my body, of course. Val half-walks, half-drifts towards the desk, and looks concernedly at Zimbraw. Are you alright? what happened?

Zimbraw is about to reply, when Quollar returns, Val's body draped effortlessly over a shoulder, and the Lost Tome tucked carefully under one arm. You need to loose a bit of weight. Quollar remarks, dryly, as he puts Val's body down in front of the Wolf, who laughs, then attempts to nuzzle his body.

Almost immediately, the wolfish form is sucked into his body, and it transforms back into the wolfish form, surroundedby a very faint ethereal glow.

He gets to his feet, and takes the book back from Quollar, and thanking him briefly. He takes Elya's translations from inside the cover, and hands them to Zimbraw. That should answer your questions... oh crap! The ethereal energy one more surrounds his body.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Zimbraw takes the papers, and begins reading them, pausing slightly when the enrgy errupts. Quollar lets out an unrepeatable exclamation, and steps backwards, tripping over the box again.

Zimbraw shakes his head, and reads, his eyes widening under the balaclava the further through the text he gets. Quollar, once you've stopped fooling around, take Val to Lor'evous. I think He and Juriek should meet. He says, as he reaches the end of the text, and Quollar gets up and begins dusting himself down.

Handing the papers back to Val, Zimbraw then asks, Have you ever heard of Pelmurei Jureik, Valthreborn?[hr]
Val shakes his head. I can't say... wait, yes. He was one of the Kroizian Master Guard over three hundred years ago... He blinks. I know we have long lifespans, but he was ancient when he vanished - it can't be the same man, Zimbraw... can it? Zimbraw nods slowly.

He is my last link to all things Kroizian, and a very close friend of mine. I am the one responsible for his disappearance. He was suffering from the same affliction you now are, though it was in a much earlier stage than yours...

He pauses, as Val goes through a violent series of quickfire transformations that leave him kneeling, gasping for breath, in human form, with a very small ethereal glow, and his long hair hanging down over his face.

Zimbraw looks at him, highly concerned, then looks at Quollar. Take him now, and hurry. Take the book with you. He snaps. Quollar nods, and opens a portal into a thick overgrown forest. He grabs the book, and helps Val to his feet. C'mon, val, I'll explain on the way. Val offers no resistance, letting Quollar guide him to, and through, the portal. Good luck! Zimbraw calls after them, as the portal closes again.

Once they have gone, he rolls up his left trouser leg, and examines a very nasty wound to his leg. He opens a portal into a medical storeroom, and pulls out a box of bandages, and a glass bottle full of a pale orange substance, which he begins pouring liberally over the wound.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Deep inside the cave complex, a long way from Zimbraw's main cave, a figure in a black cloak steps through a large, ornate mirror from what appears to be an identical chamber. The figure slowly makes its way through a network of confusing tunnels and caves.


Deep in the labyrinth of twisting tunnels, a hooded figure steps through one of Zimbraw's portals, carelessly left open by the trader several years before, during the construction of the cave network.

He slowly makes his way back to the chamber with the ornate mirror, and steps through. for a couple of minutes afterwards, he can be seen on the other side, heading out into an identical network of caves.

[vegetable_sorbet]

A portal opens quite close to the ground, and Zimbraw falls through it, lying on his back, a foul creature on top of him, slashing away with claws, beak and horrible spikes on bracelets around its wrists and ankles.

Zimbraw attempts to get away from the thing, but as firmly held down by its weight.

[Veg Sorbet]

Quollar runs in from the depths of the tunnels, and sees the creature pretty much tearing his mirror apart. He dashes towards it, and strikes it with his machete. managing to hack off a wing.

The thing quickly turns, striking out at Quollar with the spikes on its wrist. one pierces his hand, and he drops the blade. The crature then opens its beak, and bites at Quollar's throat, pulling backwards slightly, so that its jagged fangs draw blood.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Zimbraw, blood dripping from very severe wounds, gets drunkenly to his feet, and staggers towards his desk, leaving a trail of blood behind.

However, long before he reaches it, he trips, and collides with several crates, which go flying. one, with its lid partially off, opens up as it hits the ground, and the sound of about fifty glass bottles breaking fills the room, joining the pained cries of Quollar.

Zimbraw struggles to get up from this mess, unaware of the purple cloud that is slowly emerging from the crate. It touches his ankle, and slowly snakes its way up his body, slowly seeping its way into his wounds.

[Veg Sorbet]

Quollar, choking, raises his hands to the beak of the creature, trying to prise them off of his neck. He feels light headed, and doesn't notice that the teeth on the beak are cutting his hands apart. He yells in pain as the creature closes its jaws more tightly onto his neck, and begins to black out.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Zimbraw's eyes open wide with shock as he feels a strange substance enter his body. He shudders slightly, as it has a familiar, rather unplesant feeling to it. However, he also feels a lot stronger than he did before. Slowly, he feels a strange power coursing through his body.

His wounds glow with purple energy, and seem to heal over, though they scar badly, and he finds himself able to think clearly, see properly, and breathe with ease. He spots the creature attacking Quollar, and leaps up racing towards it.

He dives forwards, and somehow tackles it easily. It lets go of Quollar in surprise, and he falls to the floor, unconscious.

The creature struggles for a few minutes, before suddenly spontaneously combusting. Zimbraw stares at the ashes where it used to be in disbelief, having seen nothing to this effect on the battlefield earlier.

A voice speaks to him from behind, strange, deific, and clearly evil. Welcome to my fold, Zimbraw par Rallouq. I am your Goddess, Odugon. Kneel before me, and the powers you have been given will be yours to keep forever. Zimbraw jumps up, and turns, to find nobody there.

Two voices speak in his head, one sounding like his usual hoarse voice, the other like Quollar's, as his own would have been had it not been for a particular incident during his days of evil before.
Do it! this is what you are meant to be - let the real you free again!
No! fight it! this power isn't right. You've worked too long and hard to change back into that monster again now. You enjoy helping people, you enjoy the life of the simple trader!
but you didn't always like it! you used to enjoy killing, torturing, thieving. you had power then, you were rich!
I am still rich now! and that life was put behind me long ago!
But not by your own decision! it was forced on you!
No! I made my choice! I had a chance to change back, and I chose this!

As the debate rages, Zimbraw drops back to his knees, the little skin that can be seen getting pler and paler, until he collapses altogether, lying comatose on the floor.

[Veg Sorbet]

Some time later, Quollar slowly creeps back into consciousness. realising the seriousness of his wounds, he opens up a portal to a hospital he knows well, and rolls into it.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Zimbraw sits up, muttering incoherantly. he opens several random portals, from which a variety of unusual objects fall, some breaking as they hit the ground, others sparking slightly. A large gelatinous blob splatters and oozes over the floor. Suddenly, the Lost Tome appears from one of the portals.

After about ten minutes of this, he slumps back down again.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Zimbraw continues to lie unconscious, as deep inside him, his body continues to resist the new, evil power that is slowly trying to corrupt him and restore his evil state.

In the chamber with the mirror, the cloaked figure, Xer Dzu, a bald, unshaven man wearing dark purple, black and gold armour and roughly fifty men wearing similar, plain purple armour slowly filter in, and with Dzu at their head, begin to make their way back through the cave.

[vegetable_sorbet]

The group makes its way through the cave, Dzu at the head, with the bald man following. How much further do we have to travel? I'm starting to think you don't know what you are doing after all. The bald man grumbles. Dzu rolls his eyes. Look, just trust me, wuld you. this is the mirror version of the caves - we're back in my world's version of the Town now. besides, I can make it worth your while.

The bald man laughs slightly, clearly unconvinced. What can you offer me? Only your birthright, and the added bonus of the Lost Tome Dzu replies, smirking. the man stops dead, one of his soldiers bumps into him.

You can get me the Cousins' Gauntlets? how? and what is this lost tome? you speak of? Dzu grins. Your mirror self has them. destroy him, and you can claim them for yourself... and the lost tome is the name given to a volume of the Efris-T'en Chronicles which disappeared some years ago. mVal stares at Dzu. How do you expect me to take on someone wielding the cousins' gauntlets against me? his voice is slightly sarcastic.

We use the element of surprise. I have an ability, given me to my world's Odugon (whose objectives are much the same as your army) that allows me to switch other peoples' bodies and minds around. A friend of your mirror's is currently lying in a coma in the main chamber of this cave, mentally resisting Odugon's corruptive powers.

If you agree to letting me put his mind into your body, and yours into his, you could get close enough to him, and lure him into a trap, then take the gauntlets from him. that way, i get to bring his battered body back to my masters, and you reclaim your birthright. what say you?

mVal considers this for a while, clearly unsuare of what he wants to do. Eventually, he nods, slowly. I agree, though I warn you that any tricks, and you will pay dearly. I swear, on the name of Odugon herself, that I am not decieving you in any way. mVal scowls. swearing by odugon means nothing to one of here enemies. Dzu rolls his eyes again.

Look, your Odugon may be a goddess of purity and forgiveness, but my Odugon is a mistress of darkness, destruction, seduction and corruption, everything your army stands for. mVal growls slightly. Very well, lets do this.

They march on in silence, towards the main cave.

[vegetable_sorbet]

The group emerges into the cave, to find Zimbraw still lying there, twitching slightly, as sweat pours down his deathly pale face. mVal looks down at him in disgust. He looks sick, not enfused with power. He prods at Zimbraw with a toe, and Zimbraw jerks bolt upright, babbling in jibberish. mVal steps back in surprise. Dzu laughs.

He's still fighting against the evil. Despite the fact he once chose a path of destruction of his own free will, he later repented, and his desire never to return to that way of life is very strong. Once your mind is in the body, you can accept the power freely, and will recover. His mind, in your body, will continue to fight against the inherantly evil nature of your powers, and remain incapacitated. He slowly raises a hand, palm outstreched towards Zimbraw and mVal.

mVal is about to respond to this, when a jet of light leaps from the hand towards the two figures. mVal suddenly finds himself being jerked downwards, towards Zimbraw. As he 'falls', he sees an ethereal Zimbraw, with a startled expression on his face, swooping towards him.

The next thing he is properly aware of is lying on the ground, in a body that feels very different to his own. His native Kroizian powers are gone, replaced with strange alien powers that doesn't understand at all, as well as a faint trace of another sentience.

He feels Odugon caling to him, and before he realises it, is lying face down in the dust and muck covering the cave floor, swearing unending loyalty to the dark goddess.

As he looks up, he notices his body lying inches from his feet, pale as a sheet and sweating terribly, but clearly unconscious. Dzu walks over, and offers him a hand up. Welcome to the fold, brother. We have much to discuss and prepare.
[hr][hr]
[the bit in between this post and Val & Jureik arriving]
As mVal became aware of his new powers, he was knocked almost unconscious by the disorientating things the greeted him as he opened his eyes.

Everywhere he looked, swirling, shimmering, barely see-through walls appeared, showing distorted images of different landscapes - sprawling deserts of endless sand, bustling cities, wide, rolling oceans, scenic, breathtaking countryside, crumbling mountains and anything else possible appeared.

Gradually, he got used to these, and became aware that he was lying on his back, being carried somewhere by two pairs of strong arms. suddenly, he gasped, as he noticed a familiar scene, the large, ancient stone castle used as a base by his enemies in Mirror Kroizia, only much darker-looking. The barrier to this world seemed stronger, thicker, and of a much darker colour to any of the others. without realising what he was doing, he reached out towards it, and found himself violently repelled, as dark green lightning shot towards his arm.

[Veg Sorbet]

Val and Jureik appear in the entrace to the cave. Val knocks on the door.

After ten minutes of silence, Val knocks again.

Zimbraw! its me, and Master Jureik is here also. We need to talk. Val calls. The two wait.

[vegetable_sorbet]

The group of Kroizian villans moved off into a small cave further inside the complex, carrying the sick and disorientated mVal-in-Zimbraw's-body and unconscious Zimbraw-in-mVal's-body.

Slowly, mVal began to recover, and was able to ignore the barriers-between-worlds somewhat, which allowed him to look around at his actual surroundings again.

He and Dzu discussed their plans further. for ages, their main idea involved a further switching of minds, moving mVal into Val's body, and Val into Zimbraw's, believing that the good-mind-versus-evil-powers element would take Val out of the picture. However, this was eventually rejected as they relaised that the gauntlets would probably protect against this.

As the knocking and Val's words echoed around the outer cave, the small army were in training. Dzu was briefing mVal on how Zimbraw behaved usually, based on his observations, whilst mVal was practising with his new powers.

The regular soliders, now utterly restless, began sparring and training each other.

Eventually, one heard the noise within the main chamber, and went to investigate.
He returned later, and apporached mVal. "Captain Valthera, sir. There's someone trying to enter the cave." what? who? "it sounded like you, sir. your mirror, I would presume. he mentioned something about someone named Jureik." Dzu cursed, mVal raised one of Zimbraw's eyebrows. Jureik, as in the pathetic pirate Pelmurei Jureik? he asked with a sneer. he was slaughtered years ago by his own men!

In our world, he was a great hero, and leader of our people. Dzu replied. Zimbraw met him years ago, and took him off into some other dimension when he accidentally tapped into some kind of powerful, uncontrollable energy, to learn how to control it without endangering his freinds and companions. apparently, this power, combined with something in the air of the world he used, extended his lifespan by an incredible amount.

mVal remains silent as he takes this information in. Eventually, he scowls. we can't risk those two finding our plans out yet - if your Jureik knows Zimbraw as well as he believes, he would know instantly that I am not he - not to mention the fact that Kroizians can detect Odugon's influence. We need a diversion. Dzu nods, also scowling. you are correct, of course. and our diversion, at this stage, cannot involve the troops. however, if you feel up to it, we can fake the uninvited guest defences - portal them both into the desert. then maybe on into a few other worlds, if you think you can manage it, of course. mVal thinks for a few minutes, looking around at some of the worlds open to him. he smirks. I know exactly where to send them.

He reaches out, and touches the barrier of a barren, desert world occupied by nothing by vicious-looking spiked plants. Dzu looks at it. That looks nasty, but survivable. watch this. mVal picks up a rock, and throws it through. almost immediately, one of the plants seems to leap into life, lunging forwards, as a huge, gaping mouth full of greenish razor-sharp teeth opens, and crunches the rock into dust.


Dzu simply nods. I stand corrected. And if that doesn't do enough, I have a few more worlds lined up that will keep them occupied. Do it. with pleasure.

mVal moes the portal as well as he can, sending it flying towards the main cave. it travels through the door, and swings underneath the two Kroizians waiting outside.

[Veg Sorbet]

Val and Jureik, not expecting this, fall down through the portal, landing in the desert sand. as the portal closes, several of the plant-creature-things can be seen leaping towards the two men.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Dzu and mVal smirk, satisfied that they have managed to successfully dispose of their problems for the moment. Now we have to make our preparations - you'll need to be ready to enter the town soon. Dzu says, fingering the Lost tome, which he has taken to carrying under one arm.

mVal raises one of Zimbraw's hidden eyebrows. you expect me to continue this? he demands indeed. Dzu nods. to what end? to obtain more allies. use Zimbraw's contacts to build up an army of people with enough power to defeat Valthera and Jureik. you don't believe that the worlds will finish them off, then? I would hope it they wouldn't. I for one don't want to have to fight those plant creatures just to retrieve the gauntlets. you have a point.

Dzu grins. Good. you'll need to read these. He puts down the lost Tome, and pulls two large, very thick black leather-bound books from a crate at the back of the room. what are these? mVal demands, clearly not impressed. records of every single transaction Zimbraw ever made. mVal grunts, both disinterested and disgusted. he goes into a lot of detail - it will help you to adopt his persona more effectively. mVal scowls, unseen beneath Zimbraw's balaclava, but takes and opens one of the large volumes anyway.
[hr][hr]
((because I've been trying to get this done for three days now - I hate having to share a computer!)) Three days pass, and mVal wearily gets to Zimbraw's feet. I am done reading. I'm heading into the town. he says abruptly.

he storms through the cave network, heads outside, and opens a portal into the streets from the entranceway, steps through, and slows te portal to close behind him.

Dzu frowns, and calls two of the soldiers over. follow him, make sure he doesn't get into trouble. he orders. they nod, and bring their right fists up to their left shoulders in a salute. they vanish in a flash of purple light.
[hr][hr]
a while later, the two soldiers reappear, looking angry. "he took another portal into a strange structure floating above a small tavern." one spits, before Dzu can speak. Dzu curses in Kroizian, and vanishes himself.

[Veg Sorbet]

A silver-rimmed portal opens in the main chamber, and Quollar emerges, looking much better than when he was last there. He looks around the main cave, still littered with wreckage from the fights and skirmishes that took place when he was last there.

As he takes in the sight of the smashed crates, the random objects that litter the floor, and the large amounts of congealed blood, his smiling, jovial face darkens, and he curses in elvish. before he realises what is going on, a harsh voice mutters something, and he finds himself wrapped in solid energy, rising rapdily off the ground.

He is soon pinned to the ceiling, staring down at the ground. a figure in purple full-plate walks in, and stares up at you. "you're like Zimbraw." the figure, a young man with wild red hair and a forked, plaited beard, states with a cold, harsh voice.

Technically, he and I are one and the same. Quollar replies, choking as the energy around him tightens around his throat. "that doesn't matter to me." the man replies. "this place now belongs to Xer Dzu and the Imperial Krozian Army." what? Quollar demands, horrified. but... that can't be - this means you're from my world's Kroizia! how did you get here? he says, panic setting in.

The man shakes his head. "does it look like you are in a position to be asking questions or giving orders?" he sneers. "enjoy the view!" he adds, as he walks off back into the network of tunnels.

shortly afterwards, he and another man return, carrying Zimbraw's unconscious body, which they place directly underneath Quollar.
they retreat into the cave again, the red-haired man stopping to loosen Quollar's bonds a little, having realised that he was having trouble breathing.

[vegetable_sorbet]

In the absence of their leaders, the Kroizian soldiers amuse themselves in their own way, the more disciplined of them continuing to train, others taking time to explore the cave complex. the remainder, about ten or so, decide to raid the main cave, breaking into Zimbraw's crates and boxes.

They grredily pocket handfuls of elaborate jewelry, help themselves to bottles of anything alcoholic they find, and ignore most of the rest. This ends when three suddenly find themselves polymorphed into pigs, and another sets off a brutal trap, which results in an agonising death.

After this, they amuse themselves by getting drunk, taunting their polymorphed colleagues, and throwing insults, and items, at the incapacitated Quollar.

[Veg Sorbet]

Quollar patiently waits, ignoring the taunts, trying to think of a way out. He enters a meditative state.

A vision swims before his eyes. He finds himself standing in a large, circular room with wooden panneling on the walls, polished wood flooring, and an elegantly moulded ceiling, complete with chandelier. in the centre of the room Pelmurei Jureik, in his werelion-esque form, is standing over a low table, on which Val is lying, wreathed in ghostly green energy.

He starts slightly when he sees himself standing back out of the way, then recalls witnessing this before. He counts backwards from ten, smiling slightly, and exactly on one, Anna shimmers into existance, just as a large burst of ghostly green energy fills the room. He sees Anna glow brightly, transform briefly into a large, ghostly fox, then into a werefox-esque form.
His eyes turn to the Quollar standing off to one side, looking slightly startled, and also wreathed in the same energy as the others.

He opens his eyes, finding himself back in the cave again. deep down inside him, he feels something waking up, and coming to the surface. The drunken group below him gasp, as his body is surrounded with the ghoistly green energy, then slowly pours outwards, onto the floor, taking the form of a large reptile, similar to a crocodile with six legs. It rises up again, into his body, and Quollar's face slowly begins to elongate and become scaley.

[vegetable_sorbet]

The six drunken soldiers panic. Two attempt to flee, but crash into each other and manage to knock each other out.

Another begins throwing misshapen lightballs at Quollar. the final three stager backwards, against the wall, looking on in horror, as though they had never seen anything quite as horrible before.

[Veg Sorbet]

a portal with a ghostly green rim opens beneath the soldier firing the lightballs, and he falls through it, and keeps falling and falling into a dark, endless void. The energy field holding him in place shatters as Quollar appears to explode into a giant ball of ethereal energy.

The entire cave complex shudders, and large cracks form in the ceiling. Zimbraw's pile of creatures tumples and smashes, the contents spilling out everywhere. large chunks of rock fall from the ceiling in places where the cave's construction wasn't quite as good as it could have been.

[vegetable_sorbet]

the pigs squeal in fright, and tear off in random directions. one is killed by falling rock, another is trapped under a falling crate. the final one dashes off down the passageway.

The three soldiers look at each other, terrified, and promptly vanish in a flash of purple light.

Amid this chaos, Dzu and mVal return. what in Odugon's name is going on here? Dzu declares, alarmed. Forget that! mVal responds get me back into my body immediately! Dzu stares at him, scowling disaprovingly.

[Veg Sorbet]

The trembling stops almost as soon as it started, though parts of the cave roof continue to break free and crash into the floor. a particularly large lump smashes down on Zimbraw's desk.

Quollar hangs in mid-air, surrounded by danging flames of ghostly green energy. this power...he gasps. I... I've never felt anything like it! he spots Dzu and mVal. he lands inches from them, snarling. you don't belong here! he growls.he turns to mVal Get out of zimbraw's body immediately! He breathes, his snout only an inch from mVal's nose. Then he turns to Dzu. As for you... He reaches out, and grabs Dzu by the throat.

[vegetable_sorbet]

The other soldiers feel the quake, and, alarmed, stop what they are doing. those nearest the main cave immediately head in the direction, having reasoned that this was the direction from which this disturbance came.

The leader, mVal's second in command, starts slightly as she turns a corner to find a terrified pig suddenly bears down on her. As it gets closer, she raises a hand, and mutters "yahziash!" her hand glows purple for a few seconds, then purple lightning leaps from her fingers, and strikes the pig, which flies backwards, crashes into the cave wall, and falls limply to the ground, dead.

Immediately afterwards, the group of soldiers runs passed it, and on into the main chamber. Seeing Quollar strangling Dzu, they immediately begin chucking lightballs at him.

mVal stares into Quollar's eyes, stiff and unmoving. As soon as Quollar turns on Dzu, mVal conjours a lightball, and throws it at Quollar's reptilian head.

For a couple of minutes, Dzu struggles in the grip, trying to get free, then just stops, hangs limply, and smirks slightly at Quollar, as a second version of himself walks out of the tunnel, beside the Kroizian 2i/c. Keep firing, lieutenant! he snaps, as the lieutenant stops firing, and looks blankly at him.

[Veg Sorbet]

The lightballs seem to have no effect on Quollar whatsoever. they just impact against the ghostly green flames. Snarling, he throws the strangled body aside, and swings a clawed hand at mVal.

[vegetable_sorbet]

mVal ducks the blow, and dives to the floor. Dzu! black blade! in my belt! he calls. Dzu nods, and calls a halt to the ineffective lightball throwing. he orders the lieutenant forward to search mVal's body for the knife, and orders the others to retreat into the tunnels.

[Veg Sorbet]

Quollar hears this, and turns to face the lieutenant oh no you don't! he snarls, leaping towards her, attempting to tackle her to the ground.

[vegetable_sorbet]

The lieutenant manages to get hold of the small knife, just before Quollar tackles her. As they go flying, she reaches up, and jabs at him. Dzu stops in the doorway, watching the goings on with an amused smirk.

[Veg Sorbet]

Quollar gasps slightly as the blade punctures his skin. however, it hurts a lot less than he was presuming it would, though he feels his strength rapidly draining away. The lieutenant knees him in the chest, and he rolls onto his side, winded.

As the knife works its magic, all of this newly acquired power is lost, and he reverts to his natural form.

[vegetable_sorbet]

The lieutenant ((who will remain unnamed until i manage to find my notes)) smirks as she bends down and pulls the blafde back out again. despite having rammed it in right up to the hilt, the wound hasn't bled, and heals completely as the tip of the blade is removed from his skin.

Dzu steps forwards, a satisfied grin on his face. Very nice... he says, taking the blade from the lieutenant, and returning it to the sheath in mVal's belt. He turns to quollar briefly, points a finger at him, and says orvarik...

A jet of silver light leaps from his finger, towards Quollar, who promptly falls into a very deep sleep. We have about three days before he'll wake up now. time to get everyone organised, and start preparing for the next phase. help the good captain up at your leisure, lieutenant. Dzu says, before stalking off into the tunnel complex.

The lieutenant helps mVal to his feet, and they follow Dzu into the tunnels.

[Veg Sorbet]

Quollar finally stirs, and tries to get to his feet, but finds himself dizzy. He soon realises why - all the new strength he had felt before was gone, and he was weaker than he had ever been.

He steadies himself, and begins trying to work out what to do next. however, before he can make up his mind, something in another world grabs his attention.

A vast watery world, which he knew was supposed to be void of any life-form except fish. However, there was a small speck of familiar-looking ghostly green against the deep blue.

Reaching for the barrier separating that world from the Town, he opens a portal, then moves it closer to the two figures. He smiles at the sight before him; Val and Jureik are sitting casually on a large flat block of sold green energy, hovering about a foot above the water, both holding crude fishing rods made of the same solid energy.

[vegetable_sorbet]

The lieutenant, Ly Krytvykn, emerges silently from the tunnels and creeps up behind Quollar, moving in almost complete silence, having replaced her heavy military gear and armour with simple robes. She gets within inches of him, and suddenly grabs him by the throat, pulling him into a headlock. "Hello again. i'm going to have to ask you to close that." She says, her voice devoid of any kind of emotion, as she places the curved blade of a knife against his neck.

[Veg Sorbet]

Quollar is so taken by surprise that he doesn't fight back. he breaks into a cold sweat as he feels the sharp blade against his skin, eventually giving a strangled groan. He looks down at Val and Jureik. Look up. please look up! he begs them mentally.

However, they don't, as at that moment, two particularly dense fish choose to grab hold of their lines, preoccupying them.

[vegetable_sorbet]

The portal closes abruptly, as mVal enters. Lieutenant Krytvykn drags Quollar backwards, her usually expressionless face breaking into a slight, uncharacteristic smirk. "what do you have planned for him, sir?" she asks. Nothing right now. In fact, I have other duties to attend to. He walks over the Zimbraw's destroyed desk, searching for something. Eventually, he pulls a battered book out.

Lieutenant Krytvykn. Dzu and I are going to be absent for up to three days. you are in charge until our return. Keep the men occupied somehow - we do not wish for a repeat of the other day. He says, opening a portal. As he steps through, he pauses. Oh, and lieutenant - I have my own plans for par Rallouq's mirror. Don't kill him just yet. Krytvykn scowls slightly non-fatal injuries are perfectly fine, however. Krytvykn smirks briefly. The portal closes.

"well now. what to do with you..." Krytvykn smiles, briefly relasing the pressure from the blade.

[Veg Sorbet]

Quollar remains still. Quite why the idea of meditating came to him at this particular moment in time, he doesn't know, but meditate he does. He tries to concentrate on an ability his mentor had once described involving creating a portal inside him. He had used it only once, in a training scenario, and had ended up requiring drastic surgery afterwards. He quickly dismisses the thought, instead remaining in meditation.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Krytvykn continues to toy with Quollar for a while, though she tires of him when he gives no response. After a while, she traps him in a field of solid, body-tight orange energy, and vanishes into the tunnels.

When she emerges again, the troops are with her. On her orders, they line up. "Listen in." she calls, loudly, moving from one end of the line to the other.

"It has been decided that you need to keep in the game. As Dzu wants us to remain inconspicuous for the moment, we are going to train in the mountains. I'm going to let this one go. You have to recapture him before he makes it out of the range, or else heads will, quite literally, roll." She says, bluntly.

"Now, as this..." she passes Quollar and aims a kick at his head. "has the same abilities as the body Captain Valthera is currently inhabiting, we are going to be employing one of Dr. Taris' gadgets." She nods to one of the men, who has off-white markings on his epaulettes, depicting a field engineer.

The engineer comes forwards, and Krytvykn releases one of Quollar's hands. The engineer grabs the writ, and applies a thin bracelet lined with tiny spikes on the inside. As its closes, the spikes dig into Quollar's skin, and he gasps, coming out of his trance. It begins to glow a dark purple, and Quollar's powers are immediately cut off.

[Veg Sorbet]

Quollar sits up, outwardly appearing to remain calm, but feeling very ill as he watches the various worlds he has known since he was born vanish into nothingness. He shivers slightly as he looks at the completely clear room, seeing everything unhindered for the first time in his considerably long life.

Eventually, he looks up at Krytvykn. I refuse to willingly participte in this - training exercise, or whatever it is. He states, calmly.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Krytvykn scowls slighty, then smirks. "You don't have much of a choice." she points out. "you have no means of escape available to you now, unless you choose the front door, and right now, I am offering you a chance to escape through it."

[Veg Sorbet]

Quollar shakes his head. I already know the outcome of that. Either dying in the mountains, or being beaten to a bloody pulp and dragged back here, to presumably eventually die at Dzu's hands.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Krytvykn scowls again. "I don't want to have to resort to dirty tactics." she says, through gritted teeth. "however, I have methods that will force your participation, and I can guarantee unplesant side effects afterwards."

[Veg Sorbet]

Quollar remains unmoved. Just out of curiosity - why am I being kept alive, anyway? If I were Dzu, i'd have had myself executed by now, after all, I pose a very big threat, don't I? He smiles pleasantly up at Krytvykn.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Quollar finds a knife dangling in front of his left eye as Krytvykn finally snaps. The engineer, who had been standing silently next to Krytvykn laughs. you got a death wish or something? Lieutenant Krytvykn's famous for her violent temper.

[Veg Sorbet]

I've heard that the afterlife of this world isn't too bad. I'd rather be there, with a vague possibility of getting resurrected at some point than remain trapped here, or hunted for days on end. Quollar replies cheerfully, not at all bothered by the knife. besides. he adds I'm not meant to be killed yet.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Krytvykn roars with rage, and fings the knife across the room. "Gravesend! apply the other device Taris gave you!" she snaps, storming off towards the other end of the cave to take her anger out on a box.

Gravesend the engineer looks a little grim, but pulls another bracelet out of a pocket. He aproaches Quollar, and surprisingly politely says I'll need your wrist again.

[Veg Sorbet]

Quollar offers his wrist without complaint, though he starts feeling a little nervous, wondering what was so horrible about this device that it would make someone who had been tormenting him a second ago suddenly become polite.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Gravesend seems momentarily stunned by this. he bites his lip as he applies the bracelet, which again is lined with hundreds of tiny spikes. As hecloses it, the engineer whispers, i'm truely sorry about this, sir. nobody should ever have to experience this. He closes the bracelet, wincing slightly as he does so.

At the other end of the room, several crates are reduced to smoking piles of ash by Krytvykn.

[Veg Sorbet]

As soon as the bracelet is closed, it lights up in the exact same way as the other, and crippling pain passes through Quollar's body, causing him to huddle on the floor, convulsing.

This stops only seconds later, though it seems like an eternity to Quollar. He slowly sits up. Slowly, the idea that he should run as far away from here as he possibly can enters his head. At first, he fights it, but it gradually gets stronger and stronger.

Terrifying, indescribable images float before him, and he retreats into a corner, trembling and sweating with fear as the device's effect takes hold.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Krytvykn turns just in time to see him retreating, and smirks again. Gravesend scowls slightly. I'm going to get my gear. he grunts, before marching off into the tunnels. once out of sight and earshot, he vomits violently. nobody deserves that device... he keeps repeating in his mind;

A life of constant fear, spasms of unbearable agony. the device was long gone from his own wrist, which he had cut off himself in order to end the torment, but the memories of it lived on. It was only his duty to mVal that had led to him applying it. He grabs at a bottle of alcohol he had smuggled out earlier, and begins to drown his sorrows.

In the main cave, Krytvykn watches Quollar with a smirk on her face.

[Veg Sorbet]

Quollar yells out in horror, jumps to his feet, and dashes out of the door, utterly terrified by the hallucinations.

[vegetable_sorbet]

The troops prepare to follow, but Krytvykn stops them. "not yet. be a little sporting." she snaps. they stop dead. She smirks a little, amused by the power she has over them.

After ten minutes, she finally nods. "get after him." They salute and depart.

She smirks broadly as she closes the door, then pulls out the black blade containing Quollar's 'spirit-morphing'* ability. She obtains a small glass jar, and unscrews the end of the blade's hilt. A viscous liquid, glowing a ghostly green, pours out into the jar. she tosses the knife aside, and very quickly clamps the lid on the jar.

She watches as the liquid slowly becomes a semi-viscous mass of swirling green and white energy.


*Yes, I'm fully aware that this is a terrible name. I'll think of something better eventually... I hope.

[Veg Sorbet]

As the energy in the jar settles down, Krytvykn stands, and drops the jar at her feet. It shatters, and the energy swirls out, and slowly envelops her, slowly seeping into her skin.

She lets out a quick gasp as she appears to erupt in green flames, then falls backwards as a ghostly green form steps out of her body.

[vegetable_sorbet]

At this moment, Groil Narwenrober and his angry companion appear in the cave in a flash of purple light, and stop dead when they see a large, ghostly winged, fully-feathered gorrilla-like creature standing over their commanding officer's body.

It stares at them for a few moments, then dives into the body. The two soldiers conjour lightballs, but stop as it vanishes, leaving a ghostly green aura around her, as her body begins to slowly transform, into a bizarre-looking hybrid form. She jumps up, and turns to the two, snarling.

Cararanaro. Narwenrober. You two were absent without leave, therefore, I am under authority to arrest... she breaks off as a silver-rimmed portal opens, and Dzu and mVal step out, followed by another figure.

[Trydydd]

A towering giant of a man steps out of the portal, and looks around.
Pretty much a walking wall of muscle, he is dressed in khaki-coloured full plate armour, and carries a huge camoflauge backpack on his broad shoulders. Roughly twenty different holsters and scabbards of varying sizes hang from his belt and bandoleers across his chest, all holding various kinds of small to medium sized weapons. A gigantic scimitar rests in a sheath between his back and the backpack.

He easily reaches 10ft tall, heightwise. that the one? he asks, pointing to Krytvykn, whilst reaching for something in the backpack with his right hand.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Krytvykn takes a step backwards, as do Narwenrober and Cararanaro, looks of horror on their faces.

hold hard, Barlow! she's one of ours. mVal addresses the newcomer, and closes the portal, whilst Dzu looks at the three soldiers. His eyes widen as he sees the lieutenant. Krytvykn? what in Odugon's name happened to you? his expression changes to a scowl almost immediately, and he swears in Kroizian. How dare you! he snarls. I don't recall giving you permission to take that power for yourself.

The lieutenant returns the ugly look. you didn't specifically tell me not to, either. she spits back. Narwenrober and Cararanaro look at her in surprise. Dzu scowls and snarls.

Lieutenant Ly Krytvykn, I hereby relieve you of duty and rank. Private Narwenrober, Private Cararanaro, take her away and lock her up. He snaps. The two soldiers, mVal and Krytvykn herself all stare at Dzu in disbelief. You've gone too fare this time, Dzu! mVal snaps angrily, but abruptly backs down, staring strangely at Dzu.

This is outrageous! Krytvykn protests. You have no right to do that! Captain Valthera is my commanding officer, not you! she snarls, bringing her strange, feathered face close to Dzu's.

Dzu blinks, now oddly calm. Back down, Lieutenant. mVal says, calmly, as he steps forwards. Cararanaro, Narwenrober, your records are relatively clean, apart from this AWOL issue. You will take join command of the army until further notice - we will discuss rank and duty issues shortly. Lieutenant, come with me. He walks off into the tunnels. The three soldiers stare after him, temporarily stunned.

Krytvykn gives Dzu one last dirty look, then follows after mVal.

[Trydydd]

What was that all about? The man demands, taking a seat on a semi-destroyed crate.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Dzu scowls. Discipline issues. he replies. Unfortunately, we now need to wait for Valthera to return before we can go ahead with things.

As he says this, a silver-rimmed portal opens, and mVal emerges. Everything is set. he states. Good. continue the brief, I'll talk to our new NCO's. Dzu replies, going over to talk to Narwenrober and Cararanaro.

I'll be as brief as I can with this, Barlow. mVal says to the man. As you already know who the targets are, I'll give you a brief introduction. He opens a small portal to the ocean world Val and Jureik are currently inhabiting.

The portal shows the two fast asleep on their energy raft. The one with the brown hair is the main target, the other is nothing more than an annoyance and can be disposed of. My mirror, on the other hand, must be brought back alive. You can, and probably will have to, do anything you can to capture him, so long as he is alive. Any questions?

[Trydydd]

Barlow stares down at the sleeping figures.that is your target? he asks incredulously. he looks weak to me.

[vegetable_sorbet]

mVal snarls, vocalising his irritation. don't underestimate him. the gauntlets he wears were forged specifically to destroy a deity! he hisses. Although the reason we chose you for this is because we are hoping you are stronger than he. He grudgingly admits.

[Trydydd]

Barlow frowns. You think I can survive against a weapon designed to kill gods? you're deluded!
[hr]
Deep inside the cave, the engineering officer, Gravesend, packs up some of his things, removes his armour, and sneaks away through a long forgotten portal, out onto the mountainside.

[vegetable_sorbet]

mVal snarls again. So now you say you can't beat him? he closes the portal and opens another, leading to a rather run-down, ramshackle building. If you can't do it, you may as well return home.

[Trydydd]

Barlow gives him a cold look, then stares down at where the portal used to be. I'll require more information on the device.

[vegetable_sorbet]

mVal dismisses the second portal. very well. he holds out his hands, and opens a portal above them. The Lost Tome falls into his hands, and he flicks through, finds the section he was looking for, and hands it to Barlow. Enjoy your reading, and let me know when you're good to go. I'll be in there somewhere. He indicates the tunnel entrance, then walks off into it.

[Trydydd]

Barlow eyes the book with greedy eyes, and takes it. He watches mVal leave, then turns to it, and finds himself unable to decipher the runes. Oi! I can't read this! he calls.

[vegetable_sorbet]

A small portal opens above Barlow's head. A Kroizian/Common dictionary falls out, and it closes.

[Trydydd]

Barlow begins the long process of trying to translate the text, muttering bitterly under his breath.

[vegetable_sorbet]

A loud knock at the front door announces the return of the first of the troops sent out hunting for Quollar. Narwenrober goes and opens the door.

His face becomes grim as they make their reports. He then goes over and makes the report to Dzu, who roars with anger, and throws a slightly unstable lightball across the cave. It explodes, causing a small cave-in at the far end.

[Trydydd]

Barlow has finished reading. He closes the Lost Tome, brushes the dictionary aside, and dumps a pile of scribbled translations down. He stands and approaches Dzu. I'm set now. get your friend.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Dzu, still seething with rage, glares almost hatefully at Barlow, then nods, and departs without a word.

mVal steps through a portal a few minutes later, and opens up a portal into the oceanic world.

[Trydydd]

Barlow stares into the world again, shifting his heavy backpack slightly. I can't fight 'em there. I'll need something with a little more land.

[vegetable_sorbet]

mVal nods calmly, waves a hand, and the two Kroizians find themselves suddenly falling through a portal, down into what appears to be a forest.

mVal colses the two portals, and opens an observational portal directly into the forest. when you're ready, say the word.

[Trydydd]

I'm good to go. he adjusts his backpack one last time, then fishes a small metallic orb from a pocket.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Good. mVal opens a portal about ten minutes' walk behind the two Kroizians, well out of sight. and good luck.

[Trydydd]

I need no luck. see you shortly. He steps through.

[vegetable_sorbet]

mVal closes the portal, and goes to watch what happens through the observation portal. Narwenrober, Dzu and Cararanaro join him.

[vegetable_sorbet]

mVal continues to watch a very fierce fight through the observation portal. ((no, I'm not going to describe it! :p)).

Meanwhile, Dzu and the two corporals are discussing something. After a while, the two corporals go off, and return shortly with all the troops. Dzu turns to them.I have another job for you - don't mess up like the last time. He says, icily. We cannot be certain that Quollar de Warbmiz is dead. some of the men shift uncomfortably. Therefore, we need to increase our number. As you well know, your superiors will not allow any more of your kind through until we have the gauntlets in our hands. He pauses, and strolls over to the observation portal, peers in for a few seconds, then returns. Several of you have reported sightings of Hoals here, very different from your angelic demigods, they are dangerous, vicious. imbecilic, admittedly. However, I want you to go out and capture them. He turns to Narwenrober. Get the box i showed you earlier. Narwenrober salutes and departs.

They are well spread out around the surrounding areas. You may decide amongst yourselves which area you wish to tackle. Narwenrober returns with a large crate, and drops it at Dzu's feet, panting slightly. He removes the lid, and pulls out a small device, very similar to a PDA.

The two corporals begin distributing these out to each of the soldiers. These devices can locate the Hoals' unique energy signatures. they should be self-intuitive. However, they also have a feature that will incapacitate and capture the creatures. he pauses for a second, smirking lsightly. Narwenrober, demostrate the capture device - on Cararanaro. Both corporals look at him in shock, though Narwenrober raises his device, points at at Cararanaro and presses a button.

A jet of light leaps from the device, and hits Cararanaro, who finds himself locked tightly inside a tight, body-formed mesh of solid white energy. He then vanishes and reappears on the other side of the chamber, now sitting in a large, five-foot cage. Dzu smirks again, and presses a button on his own device, which is large and wrist-mounted. The cage fades away, and Cararanaro rejoins them, scowling and muttering under his breath.

As soon as one of the creatures is successfully captured, it will be teleported to a location of my choice. I have specific areas set out for where I'd like to keep them. Anyway, you have your orders - get to it! The men stare blankly at him for a couple of minutes, then nod, pull toattention, salute, check their devices, and vanish as one, in a dazzling flash of purple light.
[hr][hr]Slowly, the creatures the troops were sent to hunt appear, and Dzu disappears in the cave to reorganise them. the troops return, and disappear into the tunnel network[hr][hr]mVal suddenly closes his observation portal, and opens another.

[Trydydd]

Barlow steps through the newly opened portal, looking slightly the worse for wear. He pulls a makeshift stretcher behind him, carrying the even more beaten and battered forms of Val and Jureik, who are also bound and gagged.

He grins. Thankyou. that was the most fun I've had in years.

[vegetable_sorbet]

mVal closes the portal, and opens a very miniscule one close to his mouth. Dzu, Barlow's back. He says, a delighted tone to his voice.

Dzu promptly appears in the usual flash of purple light, stares down at the two bodies, and smirks. Get me a black blade immediately. He snaps at Narwenrober, who had appeared shortly after Dzu himself.

hold it! mVal calls. that was not a part of our plan.

[Trydydd]

Barlow frowns. oi! he snaps. I've played my part now - hand over what you owe me! he demands, angry that he has been overlooked.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Dzu, mVal and Narwenrober all turn to scowl at Barlow. Dzu lazily pointa a finger at him, and mutters orvarik

[Trydydd]

Barlow promptly keels over, lost in a deep sleep.

[vegetable_sorbet]

mVal waves a hand, and a portal opens beneath Barlow. He falls through into a small room with no light. The portal closes.

Dzu smirks. nice choice. He'll be useful later. I try my best. now, get me out of this infernal body, and back where I'm supposed to be! Dzu rolls his eyes, then waves a hand dismissively. seconds later, Zimbraw's body collapses.

Narwenrober blinks. "uh, Mr. Dzu, sir?" He'll be fine, Corporal. He's back in his body... in a manner of speaking... He turns and looks at the two fallen Kroizians. take these two and get their wounds patched up. I'll take care of Zimbraw here...

Narwenrober salutes, bends down, and vanishes in a flash of purple light. Val and Jureik vanish with him.

Dzu smirks as he picks up Zimbraw's body, and teleports with it to where mVal's body is being stored, and switches the two minds around, Zimbraw back into his own body, and Val into mVal's.

[Veg Sorbet]

After a couple of weeks, mVal has awoken, and gotten used to being in his mirror's body. He paces the main cave, impatient. When are we actually going to achieve anything? or are we just going to stay holed up in here for therest of our lives? He demands of Dzu, who is resting against the front door.

[vegetable_sorbet]

Dzu sighs. we've been over this already, Valthera. We have to make certain that the gauntlets won't reject you. I've seen evil people crumble to dust after picking one up, let alone putting both on. I'd rather not lose you just yet.

[Veg Sorbet]

mVal scowls. That's all very well, but I'm fed up of this body - it seems to ache permanently, I feel underprotected in these robes, and this haircut is just plain ridiculous!

[vegetable_sorbet]

Dzu rolls his eyes. you don't have to remain in that garb, you know. he's not in any position to complain about it.

[Veg Sorbet]

Believe me, I've tried. the damn gauntlets change my appearance back - I have no idea how or why it happens... he continues bitterly, and continues to pace.

[vegetable_sorbet]

That has to be one of the most stupid complaints you've come up with yet. and for Odugon's sake - stop that pacing!

[Veg Sorbet]

mVal stops pacing, scowls at Dzu. I have to get out of this cave at least, I'm going crazy in here. He promptly vanishes in a flash of green light.