"This is my fight now... I caused this... All of this. The part of me who is Thisias wants to help as well. If you want to help me you can... Just allow me the glory of settling this."

*Thisahons hands fall to his sides as his wings swing behind him. A stange electricity begins to jump from his arms. Glowing balls form in both hands. The balls practically bend the light that passes through them. Thisahons aura begins to flare with a violent blast of heat. The wind, created by his aura, rips at his clothing sending slowly turning it about. The balls of energy swell and pulsate with an unimaginable heat. He is saddened once again. Free from his own shame for a little while it has once again returned. The shame that binded him for so long has once again taken the form of a mask. Bonded with his adopted son.... He is Thisahon.....*

Tamma, go through the portal! Brigid’s hissing voice cuts through her mind.

YOU go through the portal, furball! I am waiting for the rest of them…I will not let them die!

We’re following, just go!

She waves a hand dismissively, wide eyes darting to the portal. The edges are slowly moving inward, slowly pulling their only way to safety shut. She brings up a hand, sending everything she has into holding the glowing gate open. Wiping at the blood that is running into her eyes, she tries to keep a grip on consciousness.

“Stubborn cow!” a gutteral growl sounds from behind her right before she is hit and knocked into the portal.

Her world goes dark for a few seconds, a shiver of cold creeping up her spine before she opens her eyes and sits up to find herself staring at Clutchfiend, Brigid’s cat form and Halcon.

“Before you even start, Tamrissa, let me explain,” the black panther whips her tail and stalks forward. “You do not have the strength to fight shades and concentrate on your magick. The portal is closing and you need to hold it open, but only long enough for everyone to get through…once everyone is safe you need to close the portal before those life-sucking creatures get through.”

*She lets out a low growl as Tamrissa begins to speak again, then sits back on her haunches in satisfaction as the loud-mouthed woman scowls and resigns herself to working on keeping the portal open.*

"I'm sorry that I can't help you. I would gladly hold the portal open myself and let you go help Soul and Sabre, but my energy......"

cLuTcHFieND trails off, a look of frustration on his face.

Clutch... I have something to give you...

*Clutchfeind looks at Gabriel. Gabriel stands looking at Him. The tiger like cat walks to Clutch and places a paw on his chest. Gabriel suddeenly shrinks as the power from the armor given by "The holy monkey" is transferred to Clutch...*

Will that do? It should give you a little power...

*Gabriel, Now in his original form, is a chubby white longhaied cat.*

Soul Reaver begins to fight his way towards the portal, but the press of Shades is overwhelming - it seems that the entire Upper Umbra is rising to slake its thirst for life.

Soul Reaver continues onwards with agonizing slowness, every inch of ground the prize of a vicious battle. Shades fall all around him, but more continue to take their place. They fall over him, scrabbling at his arms and legs, completely surrounding him. In anger and frustration, Soul Reaver turns around and balls his fist left fist... and amazingly, a nimbus of energy begins to flicker around his gauntlet.

He draws his arm back, and then, roaring loudly, hurls a blast of incandesent energy at the Star Sphere!

The bolt of power streaks out of the planet's atmosphere, and strikes the star. Ripples of fire blaze outwards from the point of impact...

Back on the ground, the world is bathed in light as the star bursts into renewed life. A shockwave of white fire flies from the new-born sun, and the remaining warriors avert their eyes as the light stabs downwards with barbed points.

The Shades shrink back and weaken as the light blazes over their ruined world, their bodies seeming to grow more insubstantial and shadowy than before.

Soul Reaver seizes his chance and runs headlong towards the portal, leaping through it into his Sanctuary. He lands roughly on the obsidian ground.

His skin is charred from the icy cold of the Shades, and his entire body is soaked in blood... it runs in rivulets along the smooth volcanic glass of the Sanctuary.

He lies upon the ground, only a small laugh of victory and his exhausted breathing indicating that he is still alive.

cLuTcHFieND feels new power flowing trough his body. Revived, he draws his sword and blasts back through the portal, passing Soul Reaver, who is headed the other direction. cLuTcHFieND lands beside Thisahon and slices through a shade who was getting ready to strike. He squints through the brightness caused by the new star, and an idea suddenly occurs to him.

"Thisahon! Sabre! Cover your eyes and go for the portal! I'm right behind you!"

cLuTcHFieND positions himself between the new star and the portal and puts both hands on his forhead.

"SOLAR FLARE!"

There is a flash, and the light of the star is multiplied by at least 50 times. The strange, haunting sound of all the Shades howling at once wafts through the still open portal. The people on the other side can no longer see what is happening through the bright glare.

“I…can’t…hold it!” she arches her back, throwing back her head.

The edges of the portal begin to waver, fighting against her magick.

“Tamrissa, don’t let it close! They are still on the other side!” Brigid’s voice breaks through the chaos of the moment.

“I can’t!” a strangled voice that she recognizes as her own whispers.

She whimpers, her fingers outspread, still reaching towards the portal. Olive eyes fly open to stare at the bright light that pours from the gate.

“Hurry.”

Still in a horrific state, Soul Reaver, clutching a bleeding wound on one side, and averting his eyes from the brightness pouring through the portal, slowly steps closer to the Warp Gate. He extends his other hand, spreading his fingers, sending tendrils of power towards the Warp Gate. They lick around the edges of the Gate, reinforcing the enchantements and drawing it open once again.

Sabre Soldier, Thisahon and Clutchfiend hear Soul Reaver's voice rasping in their minds.

Get out of there, NOW! There is no more reason to fight! We have what we came for, and now we must make our escape. There is nothing to be gained by killing these tortured souls!

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

I do not trust the ones that I don't know. What is your purpose in the Umbra? As for these pests...

*Sabre Soldier holds out his hand. The dragon on his body, wraps around his right arm. A black matter appears in his hand. He throws it up into the air, where it expands, and black chords of lightning hurtle themselves down down on the battlefield. On contact, the shades get ripped apart like paper, then spreading the chain lighting throughout the arena. Soon, the battlefield is empty, exept for the warriors on one side, and Sabre Soldier standing 20' away from them. Sabre Soldier then shouts over to the group of warriors.*

We do not have much time. Who are all of you, and what is your business here? Answer these questions, and I will let you live. More spawns of corruption will be coming soon, so answer quickly.

The blood-covered Soul Reaver looks at Sabre Soldier with narrowed eyes, his hand still extended to keep the portal open.

"So, you really don't remember us. A shame - the Fei that I knew was a man of great honour, and I do not like to see him leave. In answer to your questions, I am Soul Reaver, and I am aiding my companions in bringing about the destruction of the antedeluvians."

He scowls as another drop of blood runs down the side of his head.

"Also, know that I will not allow you to threaten me or my companions. Should you seek to harm even a single one of them, I will ensure that you pay most dearly for your crimes."

Though Soul Reaver's body is obviously heavily injured, and he can barely stand, the warriors nearby can still feel massive power radiating from within the warrior. They don't doubt that he means what he says.

Clutchfiend and Thisahon once more hear Soul Reaver's voice.

I suggest you return to this side of the Warp Gate, for we cannot maintain it indefinitely. Also, this is not the Sabre Soldier we once knew, and should we be forced to retreat, I do not want to leave you behind...

*Sabre Soldier stands infront of the group. His hand extended with the same kind of black energy he used on the Shades.*

Hmm...Soul Reaver...the name rings a bell..somewhere. It's been such a long time since I've been here. Please enlighten me on what has been going on. I haven't been to the Umbra in a very many millenia. We will talk on the way, follow me. We need to get out of this place.

*Sabre Soldier turns around, stoping the ball of energy, and begins to walk towards the gate. The dragon on his body slides around to his back, where it observes the other warriors.*

"Damm! I forgot about the portal!"

cLuTcHFieND rushes forward and passes through the portal just as the false sun fades away into darkness. He jumps through and lands next to the struggling Tammrissa. He reaches out to her, and the power from the holy monkey's armour is passed from cLuTcHFieND to her. Once again powerless, cLuTcHFieND drops to one knee.

"There. That should keep you going long enough for the others to get through."

"When will this ever end... The pain... The suffering... The loss. I knew the day would come when I would lose my freinds... and the rest of you will slowly die also... I want to stay dead... Just once... Eternal rest... The sound so sweet. I want to be where I was 1,000,000 years ago... With my family... Even my grandfather. I wished he would have killed me as well... The only thing I have left in this world is... Gabriel..."

*Gabriel stands from licking himself and walks up to Thisahon. Gabriel curls on his lap and purrs.*

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