"Damnit! I must learn to concentrate if I ever wish to survive around here."

No, it is not what must be learned. I will help you control the families power for now, but it must come as second nature. I thought that you were ready, but we must learn to walk before we can fly...

"I see..."

*As the pillar begins to crumble and fall Halcon tries to command the aura to surround him once again. But nothing happens. A split second before it hits him the aura flares into life and the stone falls around the blue barrier. Halcon opens his eyes and breaths a sigh of relief. He stands up and looks around. Sabre Soldier is dead, which brings Halcon some relief. Seeing that he would not have to fight him. Tamrissa is crying. Odd, he thought. She seemed like a stronger person than that. Sabre must have been important to her. Halcon looks through a hole in the arena and sees Jihon. He is shouitng something about everone leaving. Halcon then realised that he did not know where he was or how to leave the place. With his aura still flaring about him, Halcon rushes over to Tamrissa. The aura fades as he reaches her.*

"Excuse me, sorry to interrupt your mourning, but do you know where we are? And what has happened?"

*Halcon waits for an answer with a compassionate look on his face for the crying Tamrissa.*

Poor woman, I should have waited to prod her for answers. But whats done is done... Halcon thought to himself.

“You will not kill the others over me…let them leave…I am staying!” her voice quavers, her hands still clutching at one of the cool hands of the corpse. “I have put my whole life into this Umbra, trying to make something of myself and look at where it has gotten me! The only honor I have ever known lies in you and…him!”

She glances down at Sabre, then back up.

“Aiding in you and your friends’ quest was the first worthwhile act I have ever done! I will not leave you now…if you die, I die!”

Brigid’s hands on her shoulders make her jump and she tilts her head back to look up. She pulls away from her as she speaks those gentle words like she was talking to a child.

“NO! I am not…”

Her words end abruptly as Brigid uses the butt of a laser she must have picked up somewhere along the way to knock her unconscious. Tamrissa crumples and Brigid transforms into the pony-sized panther from before. Thisias helps her lay the petite body across her back, hands dangling on either side of the big cat’s back. He covers Tamma with a bloody cloak from one of the bodies strewn on the arena floor.

Brigid watches Jihon struggle for control for a moment, her green-veined golden orbs flashing briefly. She makes a low rumble in her throat, lifting her lips in a slight snarl, then trots away. Thisias soon follows, helpless because he cannot go to Jihon and knowing that he must leave.

“Let’s go, everyone!!” she lets out a panther’s scream-like roar and follows the running forms of those left alive.

"SOUL OPEN A RIFT AND GET THESE GUYS OUT OF HERE! I AM LETTING GO!!! NOW!!!"

*With that Jihons aura shoots out in all directions. Moving at an unfathomable speed it absorbes more corpses and demons as well as several Umbra soldiers. Masiive cracks appear on the floor of the arena as the others run away from the massive aura. One of them trips Thisias and he drops the unconcious Tamrissa. he picks her up with one mighty swoop and continues running. He contacts Tamrissa as she sleeps...*

Tamrissa your freindship has meant more to me than you will ever know. Sabre will return someday as he has before. Let his death be a new beggining for you. I lied to you... I may not live. I do not know what will happen to me when the blast finally goes off the whole way. Your battle starts here... Mine ends. I am finally free from the mask of shame. It is all I have wanted for... That and freindship. You have given me that. I am compleate... If there is a way to cheat death.... I will find it! Death is a fool for thinking he can take me without a fight. Goodbye Tamrissa my Buddha be with you....

*A lazer beam shoots directly through Jihons head. His body falls lifeless to the ground and the aura stops suddenly and burns with much intencity in one spot. It grows brighter and brighter. Untill finally it glows blindingly. The fleeing warriors sheild their eyes all but Thisias. Thisias speaks*

"HERE IT GOES HURRY SOUL OPEN THHE PORTAL!!!! NOW!!!"

Soul Reaver turns to face his companions.

"No time to lose, my friends... Kalana, there is nothing you can do. Jihon does not wish to be saved, he wants this to happen. Let him go."

Soul Reaver gestures and speaks arcane words. Brigit, who is running from Jihon's expanding aura, sees space in front of her distend... and collapse... the arena floor dissolves beneath her feet...

One by one, the warriors are swallowed up by an array of Warp Gates. All except Soul Reaver. He runs towards Sabre Soldier's body, and picks it up, slinging it unceremoniously over his shoulder. A Warp Gate opens, but he hesitates at the threshold... turning back to Jihon.

"Farewell, Jihon. Thank you for the time you chose to share with us. May you return to us in time..."

Soul Reaver reaches into the pouch at his side, and draws out a single tiny sphere. Though it appears black, it swirls with infinite colour.

"A Star Sphere, Jihon. A symbol of life... and my parting gift."

With that, Soul Reaver hurls the sphere into the air above the Colloseum, just as Jihon's aura blasts outward. Soul Reaver dives through the Warp Gate, at the same time as the Star Sphere glows a brilliant white, and the Upper Umbria collapses...

Meanwhile, the others find themselves apparently stranded on a black island in the middle of nothing. After a frightening, though short journey through the Warp, they are now on what appears to be a floating island of obsidian, suspended in a colourless, swirling limbo. They are still looking about in confusion when a Warp Gate opens, and Soul Reaver runs out from its depths.

Brigit is the first to speak.
"Soul Reaver! What is this place?"

Soul Reaver carefully places Sabre Soldier's body on to the ground before replying.

"This is one of my sanctuaries... a place between worlds. We will spend a few moments here to recover before we continue our journey. You are safe here."

Soul Reaver walks over to Tamrissa's inert frame.

"She has the right to a true, quiet farewell to her friend beyond the clash of battle. I will wake her."

Soul Reaver places his cold gauntlet just above Tamrissa's brow. A soft blue glow flows from his hand into Tamrissa... her tear-streaked eyes twitch, then open.

"Sabre!" she cries.

Soul Reaver looks down at her, with something that may be sympathy etched on his face.

"His body lies there, Tamrissa -" he points behind him.

"I know his loss weighs heavily upon you. Say your farewells, before we all pay him the respects a warrior such as he deserves."

I am not ready for this! The only things Uncle ever taught me were prayers and the lessons of our people, nothing about fighting. Halcon thought to himself during his dream.

Ah yes, but now is when his teachings are put to use. Those prayers are spells, and those lessons are deadly procedures for battle. You just have to see with your true eye to percieve any of it. I shall teach you these things. And soon you shall be a great warrior such as myself. His ancesteor's voice warms Halcon's soul.

*During his dream Halcon sees his ancestor. The two of them are at his Uncle's shrine back home. They walk into the main hall. His ancestor shifts into a fighting stance and Halcon realises that he is getting his first combat lesson. The dream seems to take weeks to finish, and Halcon's body is covered in sweat. During one of their sparring sessions Halcon obviously had the upper hand. Fighting had indeed come as a second nature to him. He could control his powers as well as his ancestor could. Halcon shot a blast of energy at his ancestor and caught him off guard. The blue beam hit, sending him sprawling.*

Amazing, it took me years to perfect that move. And you have mastered it in a matter of days. You are quite ready now. It is up to you to carry on the tradition of excellence that our family has upheld for so many years. Do not dissapoint us.

*After saying that his ancestor faded away. The shrine also faded away and Halcon was left in a black space. He woke up with a twitch and the others looked at him with concerned faces.*

"What shall we do about you young one?" Someone inquired. "The weak should not interfere with the workings of demi-gods."

"I am stronger now, you shall see. Do not worry about me."

*Everyone glanced back at Halcon again. Apparently no one had said anything to him. Halcon's face went red as he looked away in embarrassment.*

Did I hear that or not...

*Halcon grinned and nodded, as if remembering something.*

Or are my ancestors playing a trick on me.

*Halcon then laughs out loud but then remembers about Sabre's death and tries to muffle it he best he can. This is greeted with a scowl from Tamrissa and another reddening of the cheeks of Halcon.*

"You missed one, Master Reaver. Kelvack has passed. He refused to enter the rift and was consumed by the explosion. He is no more....."

Kalana drops her head, mourning for the warrior she knew for such a short time.

"Jihon was a good man... And so was Kelvack. It is a damn shame for them to go in such a manner... The council got what they wanted after all. Jihon will return to us somehow... I can feel his presence in my bones."

*Thisias puts a hand to his forehead and his hat falls to the ground revealing the demon skin beneith. He has hidden this like a lepper for his entire life. Thisias peers into the umbra using his mind.*

"All is gone in the umbra... Nothing is left but a vaccume of emptyness... I fear for the worst."

“Sabre!” she gazes up at him, pale face drawn into an expression of frantic hope.

She looks to where he points and her chin trembles with unheard sobs and her eyes sparkle with unshed tears.

“I can’t feel him anymore, he is gone,” she hugs her knees to her chest, watching the corpse. “That is not him…he is gone.”

Her eye close as Brigid, now back in her human form and holding a borrowed cloak around her nudeness, sits down beside her and places an arm around her.

“Brigid, it hurts worse than any flesh wound could. I feel like a part of my soul has been literally ripped from me,” she whispers. “It is nothing like losing a loved one, though he was a friend. It is like…like I cannot live without his presence…it hurts to think about continuing on after this.”

She opens her eyes and stares at the obsidian ground they sit on.

“Jihon is gone, then?” she asks quietly, already knowing the answer. “You should have left me there…I’d have been of more use dead.”

Her eyes lift to look at Kalana.

“Kelvack, too?” she wrinkles her brow, her chin starting to tremble again. “All three of them gone…and the Umbra…”

She holds back a sob, biting her lip and lowering her eyes once more, blinking back tears.

“Let us give them all proper farewells,” she removes her arm from around Tamrissa and stands, pulling the cloak closer to her shapely frame. “And let us do it now, then we may be done with our mourning until we find out where we must go next.”

*She glances down at Tamrissa and then to a few of the other wounded.*

“We will need to rest before we can leave here, as you say, Soul Reaver. The wounds are numerous…both emotionally and physically,” she speaks wearily.

What good is paradise when you have nobody to share it with? It's been such a long time since I've seen you and the others. I had to come back.

Soul Reaver raises an eyebrow, but smiles slightly nonetheless.

"Fei... I'm glad to see you're back... in some form at least. I suppose it was lucky for you that I intended to give you a warrior's funeral, and so did not leave your body behind in the Upper Umbra. But I also sense a heartbeat in that body of yours... how did you return, and what has happened to you?"

He pauses, and his expression becomes impassive again.

"But those answers can wait. I have something I must attend to."

Soul Reaver turns his back to his companions, and walks some distance away from them. He eventually stops, and holds his hands if front of him, palms parallel to the ground.

A rumbling shakes the obsidian island as two black stones rise from the ground. Both black stones bear a simple runic inscription.

"Jihon"
and
"Kelvack"

Soul Reaver stands in front of the two monuments. His face is impassive as always, but tears course down his face... something the others cannot see, as he still has his back to them. He makes no move to wipe the tears from his face.

"Farewell, my friends. Rest now. Great souls never die... so perhaps we will meet again..."

--To fight is to live... and my battle is eternal--

I'm very sorry for that. I'm also very sorry for the pain I've put you through. I had to come back Tamrissa. I couldn't leave you like what happened back at the colleseum. I'm back now though. I left a way for Jihon to follow me behind. I've seen both him and Kelvack in the afterlife. They are doing well. I chose to come back. A part of my soul was missing. My paradise was empty. I hope that Kelvack and Jihon follow the same path I have, and come back.

*Sabre Soldier opens his eyes, and gazes into Tamrissa's. A small smile forms across his face, along with another blood red tear.*

“Don’t you ever do that again!” she crabwalks backward and plops down unceremoniously. “I am not your Lilith…or whatever her name was…and I am not yours to toy with!”

She pulls her legs up and wraps her arms around them, shaking her head faintly at first and then tossing her hair.

“Just stay away from me…I thought you were gone, I thought that my soul had been ripped apart and I have never felt so weak,” she narrows her eyes at him, speaking in a low, whispered tone. “You have made me weak…when you hunger, I feel it…when you have pain, I know it…when you die, I feel like I should have died with you! So, just stay away from me, Sabre Soldier! I am eternally in your debt for saving my life, but I refuse to be made helpless by this…link between us!”

Her eyes lower and she holds back more tears, her petite figure very tense and still shaking. She is pale and her wounds have only now stopped bleeding. Huffing out a breath, she drops her forehead to her knees, closing her eyes and blocking out those around her.

“Might I take refuge with you?” she tilts her head forward, leaning to look at his face, as he stands turned away from the group. “I am not in the mood to watch Tamrissa tear the heart from that poor man, no matter if he was Council or not.”

*She wraps her arms around her waist and looks to the monuments constructed for his lost friends.*

“They were both brave men, or from what I saw of them during the battle. I believe that they will find their ways back to the land of the living some day…unfinished business will often pull spirits back.”

*Her eyes go to the nothingness around them, green-veined golden cat eyes seeing something only they can see.*

“There are other dimensions that are in need of a band of warriors such as yourselves. Many more “Councils” reign in them, many more monsters that oppress the innocent…I hope that you and your friends will not stop your quests to aid them.”

*She reaches out a hand and touches each monument one after the other, pausing on each with her head bowed and her lips moving in a whispered blessing of a strange tongue. When finished, she smiles and inclines her head to Soul and then walks back towards the others.*

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