A Powerful Influence

[Sage]

-Apryl-

Restlessness.

That was the only emotion that possessed Vylrath Xanathi. His death hadn't been a grandious venture, in fact, it had been a mild exit. But something stirred in him, almost like a second otherworldly voice who beckoned.

Power.

That emotion was not a stranger to him, but he had never actually fully grasped it. He could feel the pull of something great- something that turned his thoughts borderlin obsessive. He continued to let his thoughts drift, which soon turned into a physical demand. He wanted this power, this tempting source. It didn't feel human, but something that had been created eons ago.

If he could delve into that power, there would be no stopping him this time. He smiled inwardly, feeling alive and conscious for the first time since his death.

He knew that he could leave this place and forget about Armand, or their strange pact. The pact had been used to create fear in him, not to create a true partnership between them. He snarled, feeling his familiar fangs. If Armand could control the outside, then why couldn't he? If they were both in this place, why didn't he have the same spectrum of power?

He let himself become engulfed in the curious emotion surrounding his new host. It was Vylrath's way of pulling himself out of this mundane existence. The power wasn't a portal, but a mere essence of breaking the barrier between the living and the dead. He had used brute force, using all of his strength to leave. The venture would be exhausting, costing all of his energy for a single chance of escape.

If he continued to concentrate on the absolute form giving off this emotion, then he could direct his energy into the creature. He didn't care what it was at this point- he just wanted out of this Hellhole. He could feel the sensation of being created inside the being.

He had thought the process would have been much more complicated. This being, had more power then even he, but he let that thought dwindle. Vylrath didn't need to be depressed, when he was reentering a world that should have been his to begin with.

The memories flooded him, creating a shock that he wasn't expecting. These were all tangible thoughts, stored away in this seemingly ancient being. His body felt the pain, humiliation, betrayal all in one force.

He knew that he would have to gain this being's trust, if he was going to succeed with his plan.



"Sieg..."

It startled him to hear his voice, but he continued to let the being know he was possessing him. He let his own memories flood him: betrayal, death, revenge, and a mere hint of hope...

Vyrlath Xanathi was back.

He wanted this person to understand, that he would gain his strength and other attributes. They could become something great, if this person accepted him.

How much of the world had changed since his passing? Would old faces be there to welcome him, or had they all died in vain? It wasn't as if they could recognize him in this body, but that didn't stop him from releasing his essence...

...it shattered the peace of the world.

[Sage]

Sieg could be found amidst his tinkering. He had the knowledge, and inspiration flowed from him in every way. The things and magics he thought up now were hard to describe, and even harder to write down, but he knew what he had to do to release these things and ideas into reality. Page upon page poured from his desk as he scrawled his thoughts. And then, there was a rustling in his psyche. He could feel the invading presence, but where it should have repulsed him, it energized him. He could feel the great essence of this foreign entity, and he fought with his own conscious mind on whether or not to accept it.

On the one hand, Sieg was not one to be inhabited, or controlled in any way, and he could tell this thing was not either. On the other hand, even with the Ak'Vahrs at his disposal, his thirst for power had never been quenched to this day. They joined, roughly, and the feeling was much like a grinding friction than a smooth transition. Two beings of such high caliber were not meant to share a body, and with that, Sieg had a realization. It was not things, or powers that Sieg had craved all this time.

He had lost something profound when the possession of Fortinbras had been transferred to Syrus. He had lost his shot at godhood. But with this new knowledge, he knew that he could pursue that ambition. It was not completely out of his grasp to become as his creators were. Sieg laughed out loud, a cold cackle that rang out from the top of the empire he had created for himself.

Nothing would ever be the same again.

" Welcome home, Vylrath. "

[Vylrath]

Welcome home indeed.

Vylrath was not to be in Sieg's body, this much was true. He wondered at their possibilities. His thoughts churned with a dangerous realization: he was finally in control. It was easy to sift through this man's though process. He wanted power and absolute control. The two were practically identical. They were a perfect match.

With Sieg as a host, his new power flooded back into his leftover soul. This soul was his true demonic self, not the Vuri soul that had been killed. Kahlan had managed to extract the demonic soul, before his Vuri body died. It was confusing, but complex situations kept him going.

He made a private pact with Sieg- one that Sieg would find tempting, even if it meant that it could change the course.
"You have been betrayed, almost destroyed, but you are still rising above the others! You will build your empire now- with me as your power! Take my demonic essence as your own force...wield it, so that you are the master!"

To make his speech more effective, Vylrath produced a makeshift image of a grandeur sword. It levitated inches away from Sieg and then morphed into a crown. All of these images, were brought forth by Sieg's subconscious desires.

"These are not tangible, but they will be. I know your power and I know your truth." He paused, letting the information sink into Sieg. If they joined as one force, they would be nearly unstoppable. Sieg would have complete control of his pure demonic essence.

Vylrath forced Sieg to feel his power. It would be a shock, perhaps, but something only grasped by an ageless demon. Sieg would be the first to feel a demon's wrath under such control. He would be the first to feel its potential and understand its nature.

Strength, agility, all came into play when they combined. Sieg would now double, even triple in strength and agility. He would become unnaturally lithe and deadly.

He could feel them joining. The essence was slowly being controlled by Sieg. It was just as well, since Vylrath had never been good with politics. His thoughts went to his family, knowing that his emotions would be shared with Sieg.

"Bathe this world in blood..."

[Sage]

Clarity.

It was the only way to explain all that he felt now. It was as if some long-forgotten piece of a child's puzzle had been found and snapped into place. He had been so short-sighted in the past. Only caring for trivial things. He had sought out an amazing power, and for what? To undo Syrus, perhaps rule Algeroth until his death? Such thoughts were the furthest from his mind now, aside from the fact that Algeroth might serve as a nice throne for what would eventually be a grand empire that spanned the face of this universe. Sieg had always had the keys, he realized this now, applying Vylrath's mindset to Solaris' thought process in creating them. His own swords, Comedy...Tragedy. Adriel's Fang. They had been designed to serve a purpose. They were literally keys, not so much the metaphors Solaris had imagined them as so long ago.

Sieg had forgotten that some of the Sages had gone on to do more after writing their Ak'Vahrs and sealing them. Because of this, Sieg had the literal keys to Heaven, Hell, and Oblivion. And soon; soon he would have the remaining power needed to use them. Sieg's mind wandered to Cambria, whom he'd been saving up until now. His body responded by moving itself to the window with the best view of Cambria's path. He glided more than walked, every day motions seeming like a long-forgotten dream. He was fluid, strong, no effort wasted in his actions.

Visions of individuals fell before him, wavering in their illusory forms. It was a chain of people, increasingly powerful, more and more useful were there powers. It started with Cambria, who along the line would eventually help Sieg to be able to absorb the power of creations such as Sages, ancient demons, Guardians, and demigods. And eventually, eventually he would take Kaos and Naos into his body, the two who had seen fit to limit him for so long. Sieg's mind went farther back into that world he had left behind. A time when he had felt a power similar to this.

Back when he was to be the successor as King, and had the Guardian of a god sealed within him as proof. The feeling had been milder, mediated....filtered by the Sage's spells. Another realization came to him, all at once, the ritual the Sages had performed, briefly described from the point of view of each of the nine who had performed it. It was a lesser version of something they had seen before, something Sieg had brushed aside. Sages only had the ability to trap beings by binding their soul to that of another. But gods. Gods had once seen fit to bind unruly entities to simple objects, those of no significance at all.

He smiled knowingly. Gaiasouls, they had been called, that was what the stranger had been after. But the Warheight prince did not have the time to deal with such objects, after having obtained the Ak'Vahrs, and the Fang. He had enough shiny objects. What he needed now were souls, powerful ones. He reached out through his bond with Cambria, and realized there was nothing there, the channel between them hazy, like static. It had been lost, most likely an aftershock of compounding with the Demon. But his minions were all still attuned to his thoughts, and immediately began carrying out his orders. A frightening rumble would ignite through Sieg's stronghold as a massive force of golems made their way underground, after Cambria. In their place sprung new, smarter, better creations. Creations capable of their own thought and speech. They would be able to take on building his inventions, to be at his disposal as he sought his new prey.

" May the Divine have pity on their souls, while they still walk this wretched plane. For when I join the Pantheon, there will be no mercy. "

[Jen]

"Pity has nothing to do with anything. Where is he?" A voice behind Sieg spoke. It was fearless and yet seductive. It sounded tired and yet...timeless.

Isabella Aedren Rivenfelde-Xanathi crossed her arms and stared at Sieg with startling turquoise eyes, the iris rimmed with onyx. She was one of the most notorious figures in Xexorian history, and one thought long dead by their accounts. Her slender well muscled body was anything but a mirage brought on by the Demon's desires. Isabella was in no way appearing to be in a good mood.

"Where is the bastard?" She lifted her chin, so delicate when compared to Sieg. She was no taller than five foot nine inches, and yet here she was standing up to one incredibly powerful man. She took a few stops forward, her attire not unlike that of a Queen. "Well? Where is Vylrath Xanathi? He has some answers I need."

She might seem unhinged, but the Demon inside Sieg's head was none other than Vylrath Xanathi. The demon would recognize the woman that had been his soul mate -- who was probably still his soul mate if she could still find him...

"Who are you? Why has he chosen you?" Isabella tilted her head slightly, not unlike a curious bird of prey -- as she openly assessed Sieg. The woman was...complicated at best. This woman had been through hell and death and back again for Vylrath. She wasn't about to let him start screwing with things -- at least not without her.

[Sage]

Sieg turned, enjoying the power that the knowledge of the Sages coupled with his and Vylrath's memories brought him. He was more in the know now about his surroundings and the people that populated it than any mortal had been in a long time. Of course, with Vylrath's memories, he would recognize the woman before him. The knowledge of the Sages was even tapped to discover that one of the many royal family lines that had ruled over Xexoria descended from none other than a Sage. And finally, Sieg's own experiences gave him some small insight into the woman's identity. He had been to visit his very sandy neighboring nation on three separate occasions.

Had she approached him just minutes earlier, he might have been intimidated. Used his charm and way with diplomacy to talk her down. Figures like this, he had found, who were well-known for their exploits and had lived as long as she, or even Sieg himself, often had good reason for being known and alive after so long. They were good at survival, and more often than not, good at killing. Popularity meant enemies, longevity and popularity meant victory in combat. He smiled his familiar smile, one that was meant to be disarming and distracting. But there was a new ferocity in his eyes. It would be some time yet before he need worry about hiding his intentions from the beings that found their way to him.

" That bastard is me, in a way, and you'll be gaining no ground or answers by speaking to me like a child who has done wrong in my own home. "

Sieg swung his hand before him in a sweeping motion, then raised it casually as the aura surrounding him began to swirl and increase in size. Suddenly the temperature in the room would begin to drop violently, and ten books from around the room, carefully placed on stands of obsidian would come to him and gravitate around him as he flexed his new 'muscles.' Three walls of darkness would open to a vacuous expanse behind him on either side, and directly in front of him. From within them, three unusual-looking weapons floated into the room, causing the portals to collapse as they did so. She might recognize one of them. The Fang of Adriel which had been crafted for the son of the slain Sage Warheight, and destroyed, scattered into tiny fragments after Adriel's death. Centuries later, the Fang had been reforged, and found it's way into the hands of Trydian Xanathi for a brief time.

One of the longswords behind him had belonged to Sieg's father, and the second sword had been crafted for Sieg himself. Comedy, Tragedy, and the Fang; as well as the ten Ak'Vahrs. It was a strong representation of Vylrath's new power, though it was Sieg who directed the destruction now. The tomes fluttered around him, flapping open and revealing walls of text, images forbidden to mortals, and glyphs which glowed and spit magical energies from them. She might even recognize Sage Benglasse's tome from some of the more ancient Xexorian lore. It was from Isabella's homeland that he had traveled to fetch it, after all, and it was where it was written.

" This...is why I have been chosen. This is why I have been rejected. All my life people have recognized what it is that is inside me. My family branded me as evil, and cast me out. And that started a distraction in my life that has lasted for far...far too long. But Vylrath. He is quite a different story. He neither seeks to condemn me for my talents and mindset nor blindly follow me for fear or admiration. He sees me as his ticket to Armageddon, I believe. And he has shown me the light, so that I may be distracted no longer. "

Sieg crowed with laughter as he surveyed Isabella's expression, but he meant what he said; no more distractions. He needed Cambria as his first stepping stone to Godhood, and no lover's quarrel involving the new addition to his own mind would hold his attention for long when there was power to be obtained. Sieg had never been much of a fan of armor, or having weapons clumsily attached to him; but now he drew a leather harness to him, which fell over his shoulders, and attached around his waist. The weapons that magically levitated around him found their respective places, the swords crossed behind his back, carefully sheathed, and the Fang with it's own place at his waist. The books began to gradually shrink and meld into his body, as much a part of him as his skin or snowy white hair.

" If you'll excuse me, good woman. Places to go, souls to acquire. "

[Jen]

"You think your display of power will intimidate me?" Isabella stood with her arms crossed, her eyes narrowed as she looked at Sieg. "Perhaps I was right to chastise you like a child in your own home. I don't care who you think you are. I need Vylrath's knowledge of a sword. You just happen to be the pretty face he picked to harbor all of his thoughts."

Isabella took a step toward Sieg in a bold move. Her body was covered in leather armor with some unknown insignia on her left hip. She had a knife in one boot and a sword strapped across her back. Her long chesnut brown hair fell in waves around her shoulders. Gorgeous? Yes. Deadly? Even more so. This would appear to almost be a vision for Vylrath -- the woman he had married so many years ago. She was still full of spitfire and determination -- only now she was immortal. Only now, she was Vuri.

"Gods are tiresome beasts that seek pleasure in the destruction or elation of human kind. Vylrath Xanathi is a no good lying son of a bitch with nothing better to do than fuel long dead God Play. There are no gods for him to answer to, so he has to create a new one. He's always been one to follow in the skirts of others. Although, he usually chooses women."

Gods but she was an infurating woman. There was a strength in her soul and her body that belied years of training and experience in battle. She had lived through wars and the only thing that brought her human shell to its knees was childbirth. A smile quirked at the edges of her lips as she looked at Sieg.

"I am not surprised that he chose you, though. You are appealing to the senses and dangerous enough in your own right. Your manners leave something to be desired, but then that is true with most men." Isabella smirked and cast a look into Sieg's eyes. Her own were fierce with determination. "Where's the Chaos Sword, Vylrath?"

[Sage]

" Power? "

Sieg stopped in his tracks as he made his way past Isabella to leave. He had not been displaying his power so much as he had been preparing for his journey, equipping himself to track down his prey.

" And so what if Vylrath bores of the harping of the Xanathi women in his ear, crushing his soul as they nag him to within an inch of his life. "

With that, the outline of Sieg shimmered, and an out-of-place animal noise erupted from his chest. He shook briefly before he exploded into the body of an entirely different creature. Long, white fur covered his body, and many of his joints snapped as they grew in reverse. His muscles swelled and he grew nearly two feet as he made another half-turn to face Isabella directly. The Tiger-kin were not a well-known race, even in Algeroth, their home. They were more like a myth, a lost part of lore that were to be feared by children alone in the woods at night. He stalked the Xexorian in a semi-circle as he continued, his form already beginning to shimmer again before he passed her line of sight once.

" I have already told you, Vylrath is with me now. I happen to be speaking for the pair of us, and I've already said I won't be telling you anything you want to know while you carry on with your arrogant-bitch swagger, while you are truly nothing more than an intruder. And what happens if I don't tell you what Vylrath knows? My swords can reap plenty of chaos, and they are right here for your pleasure. "

Sieg's lines became human again, somewhat, and he took on the gruff appearance of none other than Vylrath Xanathi. He withdrew his unusual swords, Comedy and Tragedy, from their leather sheaths and brandished them dangerously.

" Oh...flattery, however, will get you everywhere. Perhaps you'd like to join this body as well via a more permanent means. "

Sieg had no way of knowing whether Isabella knew of his ability to absorb defeated souls into his body to amplify and add to his powers, but if her rapier wit held true, she might soon discover the stories about the mad older brother of King Syrus were nothing if not true.

A crackling filled the air as a stream of water began pour in through an open window, harnessed from the many snowdrifts that piled against Sieg's mountain home. Following suit, a second stream would begin to snake through the air from the skylight, before a third. The streams seemed to be alive, and somewhere between being frozen but malleable at the same time. The watery serpents cracked and snapped as the ice shifted while they bent and swayed, encircling Sieg and his guest. He had never felt in such control of his own magic, he did not even feel the least bit tired from his abuse of his shapeshifting, nor from further lowering the temperature in his stronghold to dangerously cold levels.

[Vylrath]

The bitch had guts, and she was back with a vengeance...

But that had to leave his worries, for now. Vylrath scoffed inwardly. He heard her question his sanity and even ask for directions to the Chaos Sword. He remembered when the cursed weapon had been forged. He had tricked a Goddess into creating the weapon- but he wouldn't let his mind dwell on that subject. He wondered why he hadn't been killed from heart trouble- all of these women had been nothing but trouble.

Now that Sieg had conformed to his demonic powers, he could easily manipulate his body. He let his twisted form misshapen Sieg's facial features. Isabella would see the image of her husband, instead of the handsome features of Sieg. Vylrath spoke through Sieg's mouth and let his demonic eyes pierce her with a sudden rage:

"Do you think I will tell you where that sword is? You are a fool! I have not forgotten how you have always berated me, Isabella Rivenfelde. Even when I had to fight for my life in the arena, you still scoffed at me for my feats of strength!" He paused, not intimidated by her for the first time in a decade. "You gave birth to our son and you lived passed a Hellish war, but you have not lived centuries and witnessed death over and over! You are a mere human, who will have the ability to die. Try wandering the Earth for eons, wishing that your soul can rest and your painful memories be forgotten!" A thousand thoughts rolled through his mind like a torrent threatening to break his sanity. Sieg would feel the sudden change and witness the rage this woman could produce in him. She would be wise to leave, or he would allow Sieg to control him with all of their might.

"You have never wanted to be my wife, Isabella. I have always been a tool. Now I can be free to make my own destiny, with a being who understands what Hell is!"

He stopped his words, his pain obvious. But Vylrath couldn't let her presence upset the balance between him and Sieg. He let himself dissolve into the soul of Sieg. His features turned into Sieg once more- he no longer wanted to relive his Hell with her.

Vylrath spoke words Sieg. He hoped his wisdom would be welcomed.

She is a troublesome creature and has had her way with Gods. Be wary of her and make sure that our path is always covered...

[Jen]

Isabella's expression was fierce at best, but she took a step back and composed herself, her glance cast to the floor in an effort to control the rage in her body.

"You let me die. You stood over my bleeding body as I bore our daughter and you let me die. I trusted everything you were Vylrath, even after I died. You kept me out of a web of lies and hatred. You kept me out of the intrigue and you protected me. It was only when Death showed me what you had done to our daughter, how your soul had twisted in on itself that I began to berate you." Without looking at Sieg, Isabella pointed at him. "I am not a mortal Vylrath. I haven't been for two decades. I am a Vuri thanks to your hatred and your inability to cope with what you have done to me. How could you have given sons to our daughter and tell me that I have berated you with no cause? That I have hated you with no cause?"

Finally Isabella looked at Sieg -- knowing full well that Vylrath was in there listening to her. What Sieg heard, so would Vylrath. Strangely Isabella's eyes were almost black, the turqoise almost overcome by the onyx. She was fighting something chaotic inside her body and she took a deep even breath to relax herself. In the process whatever it was, released most of its hold on her and her eyes began to regain their normal color.

"You are the reason for any berating you recieved." Bella watched Sieg curiously with his showy tentacles and his fierce look and she laughed. Her eyes twinkled with amusement. "You picked the right person for your cause, at least. Should I do what you did for Caela? Should I let him devour me and become Vuri? Should I let him chase the demon souls away and lose everything that he has gained thus far? Did he tell you that Sieg?"

Bella smiled as she backed up to a window and crossed her arms under her breasts. "Did that demon inside you tell you that my race is the key to your undoing? That it cleanses and eradicates like a virus? No? Hmm, then he must forget what it means to be a Vuri. Perhaps you should taste me then."

[Sage]

Sieg stifled outright laughter as he listened to the Xanathi's woes. He tapped into the relevant memories of Vylrath's as he did so, all bearing a grin and pure evil in his eyes. There were blank spaces, for whatever reason, Sieg could not explain fully. Vylrath seemed to be incomplete, but Sieg had all of him he needed to do what he had to.

" Whatever the cause, he's with me now, and I've done nothing to you. So you will leave this place, having learned nothing. "

Sieg's hand delicately reached out to touch the Fang of Adriel, and his body shrank, features changed dramatically once more. He was Trydian, eyes cold and full of malice for Isabella. He continued his circling, and the living streams of ice reached out, caressing her with their icy chill.

" Demons, I have dealt with before. But let me tell you another story. Of the Sages, whose power was created accidentally by Death. Between them they had the power to create a vacuum, drawing the strength of others, of GODS to themselves. And it stuck. But before they could learn how to harness this gift, to increase their own power exponentially, one of them died.

It was thought that the mistake had been fixed, the Sages could never again perform the feat they had before. Even when it was found that the deceased Sage had a child, he could not take the place of his father in this. But a man came to me, he told of how he changed himself, found another world where he could emulate this power. And he told me what I was, what I am, what I was meant for.

I am Siegfried Warheight, each of the Sages' legacy lives on in my blood, and with the Ak'Vahrs I share what they have already gained as well. You cannot simply disperse what I have gained now. You can attempt to destroy me, or watch me become a God. But I can use what I have been given. "

Sieg's body produced one of the Ak'Vahrs, the tome fluttering and glowing with the strain of it's own magical energy. It opened to a glyph, which turned on Sieg, causing him to split into several versions of himself. Sieg, Vylrath, Trydian, they all stood before Isabella, encircling her with each of the living pillars of ice working above them, ready to strike.

" We shall see what happens when the power of the Sages, Demons, and of humans tests your Vuri, if you do not leave this place. "

[Vylrath]

The blank spaces should have been full of dark memories. However, they were just as empty as his dark heart. He couldn't help his situation, but he could abuse it. Maybe this Sieg fellow hadn't pissed-off Isabella yet..maybe he could still use her as well. Strange thoughts played in his mind- he was feeling like his old self. Using people had been his greatest skill, but he always failed to deal with the consequences later.

Stop, Sieg! Maybe we can use her, after all. I want to know about these powers. Maybe we can use them to our advantage.

The Vuri memory would be a blank slate for him. Unless Isabella could explain them, he was at a loss for words at the very existence for a Vuri. Why was she making them sound so threatening? Should he be rethinking his steps? She made it sound as if the Vuri could be their undoing- he couldn't allow that to happen.

Instead of letting Sieg do the negotiation, he decided to talk through him. Watching Sieg's body split into different versions, he forced them to more into the Vylrath that he had produced. "Isabella..." His essence would wrap around her and force her to understand his emotions. They were not easy to decipher- he had always been a complex demon- but there was some essence of caring for her. Her new presence scarred him emotionally and drained him physically. He couldn't stand to see her the way she was- he had fallen in love with the delicate Isabella Rivenfelde- not this new dark creation before him and Sieg.

"I can feel your soul ache...it seeks its home. I have failed you in the past, but I can make it right again. Feel this power and my devotion! We cannot fail...tell us about the Vuri and why you are here." He paused, remembering her question about the Chaos sword. He didn't even know where the damned thing lay. "I do not know where the sword rests, but I know the person who might be able to aid us." His thoughts quickly went to Kahlan, and he suddenly remembered their time together, although it had been brief.

"Trust this man, Isabella. Sieg has seen a harsher world then either of us will endure. Trust my power with him and lend us your aid." Vylrath was careful and thoughtful for a moment. He knew that she could easily lose her temper. They would lose a potential ally if this happened. "We could be together again, just like we were in the past before Hell took over our hearts."

He could feel her new and strange soul and almost resented it. But her new soul had a lingering effect on him that he couldn't distinguish from any other power. It was frightening, but also intoxicating. She was a great distraction to him and maybe Sieg could see through that.

Isabella Rivenfelde-Xanathi could easily be their ruin, if they were not careful with her mood.

[Jen]

Isabella radiated with curiosity as she watched Sieg. She was not afraid of him and she wasn't in a position to which she could survive if he exploded on her. However, through it all, Isabella simply smiled.

"The Vuri are a race created by you, Vylrath. There are..." She paused as she thought to herself for a moment, closing her tormented eyes for a brief second. "There are three of us, though I understand your pure Vuri son is trying to make more."

Bella ran her fingers through her hair and looked at Sieg as she shook some of the leaves from another plane of existence on his floor. Her hair was long, almost to her waist. She looked almost exactly like she had before in Xexoria when she found Vylrath broken and bleeding on her altar. He had called her a goddess then -- now she wasn't far away. She was a darker soul now, tainted by the Vuri essence and death. She was on a cusp, so tightly bound that it would take but a push in either direction to make her fall into good or evil.

"I didn't think you would know. I couldn't resist the urge to ask you. I'm still drawn to you, though I do not know why." Isabella glanced at Sieg as his features turned back into his own. "I don't think you know the demon within you well enough to understand the binding power we have. He doesn't care half the time, but he'll always feel the pull of my soul no matter how dark and resentful it is. We are bound to one another through hell, famine, death, and war. There are things about his soul that you know nothing about."

Bella pressed her fingers to her forehead as she studied the floor for a minute. Before long she spoke, but her voice had lost all of its edge and all of its strength. "Vylrath Xanathi. Just what are we going to do?" Sieg was a handsome man, no doubt. However being with the soul of Vylrath Xanathi had its pull. Could she trust this...Sieg? Would he kill her now and be done with it? Should she just go find her daughter and warn her that her father was back?

"Do you know where Calea Xanathi is, Vylrath?"

[Sage]

" Good question. "

Sieg was glad to have a distraction from this madness. He had souls to obtain, and Isabella was beginning to waste his time. From his belt he drew the Fang of Adriel and thrust it into the air before her. It seemed to pierce reality itself, and begin to tear at it, revealing first a wall of blackness before a plane of desert outside what appeared to be some sort of construction effort.

" Not far from here is the person you seek, if you have other business, deal with it. We can speak after. "

The portal danced tantalizingly before them, and Sieg begin to turn to leave once more, parting his arms of ice before he felt a disturbance around him. He sensed a familiar presence, a spirit he thought he had squelched long ago. Through gritted teeth he growled, before spinning on his heels and slinging one of the lithe piercing serpents at a figure shrouded in darkness and perched in the frame of the skylight, hidden in the blistering cold air of a New Eden night.

" This is a prime example of why this world needs to be reshaped. The living are bothersome and rife with annoying emotions, and those lives you extinguish simply will not stay dead! Isn't that right, Alistair? "

Swift, skilled, dressed in all black. The moves of this man clearly gave him away as an assassin, but there was something more to him. An obsidian mask was pulled up around his mouth, but white hair spilled out of his hood and around his intensely, otherworldly bright eyes made up of several changing colors. He was able to dodge with inhuman speed, bolting just over the top of the attack toward Sieg, going straight for his neck with a thin curved blade. It found Sieg's swords, drawn with equal mercurial haste and crossed in time to save him from a lethal blow.

The voice that came from behind the mysterious mask was monotone, emotionless as he broke the weapon lock between himself and Sieg, dancing back and exchanging the blade with a chained weapon made up of one long staff and two curved scythe-like blades.

" Never were good with faces, or originality. Seen those before. "

The assassin reached out toward a pool of water spilled from Sieg's attack and created an equally lifelike serpent, smaller in size, but equally deadly as it lashed out at the man, gliding around the edges of the portal to Xexoria which made a hungry hissing noise as the freezing air in the room rushed into it. Sieg's jaw fell slack as he identified those eyes and the power they held nearly one second too late. His own hand slammed into the attack, causing it to freeze in place, then fall to the floor as lukewarm water a second later.

" KAI MAO BAPTISTE! "

His lust for the boy's power was palpable, he had long been after those eyes of Kai's, which could copy and reciprocate the powers it had beheld. He knew Kai was not especially strong with magic, but having such a wide variety of abilities to choose from had made him a prime candidate for a guild of assassins which had dominated the Middle Seas for nearly a decade, and Kai had been the reason why.

Sieg's body rippled with dark blue aura as he forced energy to the surface of his skin, funneling it through his longswords like the catalysts they were. He had a refreshing surge of magic envelop him as he tapped into his new pools of strength belonging to Vylrath. And Sieg created water. It flowed from the tips of his swords and began to solidify, freezing into frightening daggers as they were flung full force at Alistair's younger brother.

Kai cocked his head as he witnessed Sieg's new trick, and took a single step backward, disappearing through a wall of dark which had sprung up and faded away as soon as he had touched it, enveloping him. Kai appeared behind Sieg, the chains of his weapon slung out, and managed to wrap them around the form of the Mad Sorcerer. He called upon all his strength as he continued his assault, and tackled the temporarily bound Sieg into his own portal.

Kai Mao careened through it with him, and he found himself hurtling toward the Xexorian sand dangerously close, and threw up a thin wall of milky white with which he was able to catch himself. It was the signature of the Baptistes, the ability to create and solidify aura as objects and shields. He had not inherited it as his brother had, but he had been able to copy it to a lesser extent with his magical eyes.

Sieg, however, roared as he fought with the chains which kept him from righting himself before cratering into the gritty sands, sending up a cloud of it in every direction. He would be hurt, but not injured. He had only begun Kai's nightmare.

[Vylrath]

He wouldn't be able to answer Isabella's question. It would remain pending, just like his feelings for her. He felt the assault and immediately released his powers unto Sieg. Everything he had in his body, was now one with Sieg. He would be as lithe and be able to take on more damage. He would not be flung so easily, so Kai might have found himself a little challenge.

Everything had happened in a blur and Isabella had been a nasty distraction. He was comfortable with wars, bloodshed and an occasional battle. This was not something that was new, but the powers were captivating to say the least.

Vylrath could feel the surge brought by Kai. He wanted those powers, more then he wanted life itself. He encouraged Sieg and became his personal shield and healer in one. The hits that Sieg would take, would also be felt by Vylrath. They were both battle-worn individuals, so it would easily wear off with their stamina. The chains were interesting, but not something they couldn't overcome. The swords display impressed Vylrath and he knew he had chosen the right man for his powers.

Powers...they were something he would have to introduce quickly. Sieg would have the ability to call upon the darkness. Using darkness against Sieg would be pointless now. He could easily gain aid from other demons, or creatures of the night. Vylrath remembered when he had used his shadow army- he wondered if Sieg would have that memory and use it well.

He concentrated and willingly healed Sieg. Demons were able to heal themselves. (This might be why Vylrath had lived as long as he did. He always had a few new tricks to spare.) They were given enough time, for Vylrath to mend whatever wounds Sieg had acquired.

Vylrath spoke to Isabella through telepathy- something he hadn't done in quite some time. If you are here to help us, then help, but don't get in our way. I don't know where our daughter rests. I haven't spoken to her since my last parting.

He thought quietly, noting the danger that both he and Sieg were in. The sword that Isabella had reminded him of, might just help them in the long run. Their powers could be ten fold.

As for the sword...if it's still in existence, I will be the one to track it down. Sieg has all of my memories.

He smirked.

You should have stayed on my good side...