(ooc: Fei, it wasn't me that chose to have Tamrissa miss a pivotal moment in the plot which is integral for her to understand Stavarus' motivations and thus some later events. Of course, I could have chosen not to do anything, which would have meant that Tamrissa would have been left sitting around going "What the heck is going on??" However, I'd prefer if Tamrissa's character was fully aware of this... and I'm sure Soul Reaver would as well. As for not moving on immediately in that post - I wanted to leave an opportunty for Tam to react before we left. Unfortunately, she didn't. Thank you and good night.)

Soul Reaver sighs.

"Well, regardless, we had best be moving on."

He glances over at Stavarus. The Daemon-Hunter seems to have recovered from his ordeal enough to be useful to the party once more - he is currently strapping his crossbow to his back.

Soul Reaver reaches back into his Infinity Pouch and pulls forth the enchanted lens. He hold it up to his eye, trying to find the next location they need to go to.

Fortunately, since the lens has been here for some time, it soons begins to create an image. Soul Reaver patiently watches the swirling mists inside the lens coalesce into a silhouetted figure... an old, robed man, by the looks of it. Soul Reaver's eyes widen slightly - he recongnises this man.

Soul Reaver sees back through the centuries into the then-active Cathedral. Locked carefully into an altar is the staff... as if to hide it away. But the robed man shatters the altar with a word, seizing the staff and disappearing...

The image in the lens whooshes to a new location, showing the old man emerging from a Warp Gate into some sort of castle. Soul Reaver feels the knowledge of this location enter his mind, just as the image fades for good.

Soul Reaver breathes deeply, giving a small smile.

"Ah... I should have guessed."

He turns to his companions.

"The Staff of Ashara is now in the hands of Demitrius - or 'The Collector', as he is known. He is an enigmatic immortal who travels the Multiverse searching for magical items he considers dangerous, in order to lock them away in his extra-planar fortress.

Whether he does this to keep them out of evil hands or to use them himself is not known.

He hides his fortress well - but thanks to the lens, I now know how to reach it. If The Collector has the staff, then there is little chance of Khora getting his claws on it... although it also means we will be faced with the unenviable task of trying to convince Demitirus part him with it."

Soul Reaver quickly runs over to Stavarus.

"Stavarus, are you ready to move on?"

Stavarus flashes him a look that still shows a desperate anger deep within his soul. It looks that he will let nothing stand in the way of his final vengeance. Adjusting the collar of his re-formed coat, he answers,

"Yes, I am."

Soul Reaver nods and heads towards his companions.

"I will need to penetrate the Planar Shield surrounding Demitrius' fortress, but the lens has given me the necessary knowledge that will allow us to slip past with little effort.

Now let us go."

Soul Reaver draws Blooddrinker and carves a slice out of reality, opening a Warp Gate for himself and his companions.

Stepping through, Soul Reaver enters into the raging, broiling Warp. It has become so violent that he almost has the breath knocked from his lungs by the initual wave of raw Warp-energy striking his Warp Shields. However, he regains his balance and laborously pushes onward.

He eventually stops and draws Blooddrinker. Closing his eyes and chanting quietly, he draws the blade downwards as gently as he can amongst the Warp storms around him. Small blue sparks flicker around Blooddrinker's edge as it open a Warp Gate through The Collectors' Planar Shield and into his fortress. The Gate seems to stutter a bit, but it does finally open. Soul Reaver steps through.

He emerges in the midst of a grey-stoned, high-ceilinged chamber. A mosaic portraying a huge, dull orange star is inlaid in the ground beneath his feet. However, as of yet, noone is in sight.

I certainly hope Demitrius is in a generous mood...

(ooc: Asaki, I sent you an e-mail. Please read it.)