Trials of the Pure - Search for the Shadow Dragon

[Musashi]

Alright everyone, Aiman and I have a (hopefully) pretty cool idea for a roleplay for you guys. I envision this working in a similar manner to Journeys of a Samurai, the difference being that Aiman and myself will be co-hosting this roleplay. In order to keep the story manageable (especially since this is the first time Aiman and I have ever DM'ed a roleplay), we want to keep the number of people involved fairly small. For important plot reasons, some people have already expressed an interest in joining this roleplay. You know who you are, if you have already talked to us about this, please go ahead and post asap so Aiman and I know how many people we have and how many more openings there will be. Just in case, I'm going to send a PM to everyone that told me they really wanted to be in this. If anyone else wants to join, please hold off on posting until I post in this thread stating how many people we still need. This story will be run, almost like two separate stories with Musashi leading one group and Aiman leading the other. More "good" aligned people should join with Musashi while "evil" aligned people should join with Aiman. Anyway, wish us luck, and on with the roleplay...

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OOC: Much like Bryan, all my narration will be posted in purple without my sig.

BIC: A man dressed in a black cloak and hood stole along the ground hidden in the darkness of the night nearing the ancient city. As he drew close, he examined the entrances and drew a stone-like sphere from beneath his cloak. The stone glowed with an unearthly white aura and was engraved with the eye of a dragon. Pressing the sphere into a recess in one wall, lights flickered in ancient grooves and the wall slid away, revealing a dark forgotten passage leading into the White Spire. Removing the sphere, he dashed unseen into the ruins, the door sealing behind him without a trace.

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A few days later....

Musashi stands in the morning sun with his white cape flapping to one side by a light breeze coming off the sea. Amazed by what he saw, Musashi stood admiring the towering White City, or rather, White Ruins that awaited him. Behind the ruins, he could barely make out the churning blue of the ocean and the seagulls that flew in the sky above it. He turns to his partner still amazed by what lies before them.

"This Shino, is the ancient Holy City of the Dragons. A great battle was fought hear long ago between the Shoguns and the Dragon Priests. But the dragons did not prevail. Many dragons and priests alike were slaughtered. The shoguns took the the temple, desecrating it, and within it sealed the one dragon who's power waned in this place....Sekundes, the Dragon Esper of Shadow."

Musashi takes in the spectacular view. Before him, the crumbling ruins exhibit an old and forgotten sense of majesty. The bright sunrise causes the ruins to gleam and sparkle with a spectacular aura of awe-inspiring beauty. Even in its ruined state, the Holy City was still a breathtaking sight to behold

"The architects of old were certainly great artisans. To think something this majestic could be carved out of the living stone."

Ancient runes are engraved in the blocks now covered in moss that once made up the city's foundations. Encircling white walls surround a glowing white tower encased in a white energy barrier. The spire itself, the greatest symbol of goodness in the Land of Miniopia, reached almost to the clouds, it's crest barely visible from the ground. The ruins around the tower looked more like a vast and complex series of mazes rather than a crumbling city.

"The areas around the tower were the trials. Not just anyone was allowed access to the White Spire. Difficult trials would test those who wished to lay eyes upon Rislem in his ancient resting place before he was sealed within the Pocket Chaos Realm. Many entered and many would leave unsuccessful. Beneath the ruins lies the catacombs, the holding place for heretics and blasphemers of the holy ways. There was once a road that would lead directly into the heart of the Spire, made only for the Priests' use. However, this road was sealed ages ago, and can only be opened by the Dragon's Eye: A mystical white stone, essentially the key to the temple. Unfortunately, that key was forgotten long ago, likely destroyed in the War of the Temple. I fear to enter this place we will be forced to endure the trials of old."

Hearing something in the bushes behind him, Musashi thrust Luminaire into the underbrush and the noise was silenced. The dragoon drew his blade from with the bushes and upon it was impaled a small dark creature with powerful fangs.

"As you can see, with Sekundes trapped here, the temple's power too waned. The loss of holy energy has drawn many evil creatures to this place. We must be cautious."

Musashi began searching the stones, reading the runes written in the ancient language of the dragons, attempting to find the entrance to the Passage of Trials.

[Shino]

Shino looks at the creature then senses something. He draws his blade, takes a quick slash directly over Musashi's head, then shethes it again. Half of the same species creature falls at either side of Musashi's feet. It had dropped down from one of the trees above the duo.

"I see what you mean. You almost got a pair of fangs right in your head." Shino looks around and stays on guard while Musashi reads the Runes on the stones. "What was involved in these trials? Any challenge peaks my interest."

[Reverend]

Airius watched with awe as the crumbling ruins stretched on beneath him. He was more than anxious to get down into the city and find Musashi and Shino. He had recieved word from them that he should meet the two in these ruins. A simple message to Father Ardonais had provided the location, and now Airius was interested in finding out whatever he could about the lost civilzation of Dragoons.

Truth be told, he also wanted to get off the Black flying Unicorn. Not that he minded being close to the owner and rider, Nacht, but he had never liked riding on horses, and he hated flying. It was only under duress and the importance of timing that he agreed.

Turning towards Aiman, who's jet boosters were having no trouble keeping pace with Arsilen, Airius signaled that they had reached their destination and should land.

[Aiman]

Aiman lands in from of the entrance before Arislem. He sees the blood and body of 2 creatures. As he looks further ahead, he sees footprints leading inside to the city's stone floor. "Well, it looks like someone is already here." Aiman thinks. Arislem lands behind Aiman. He helps Nacht to get of the unicorn. As she lands on the floor, Aiman says to her, "Nice place for our 1st date, eh." and smiles.

Aiman looks at Airius, "Any word from your friends? Footprints lead inside the city, so someone is already here, but we dont know who, so we must be on our guard. There are fouler things than those dead creatures in the deep places of this land. Trust me." Aiman tells Airius.

Aiman turns his head back to the city and thinks, "Wow, 5000 years in the future and looks exactly the same. It has to be the power of a high class of 'Forbbiden Art' that is at work here. But I wonder why I still get this bad feeling...? Cant worry about that now."

Aiman draws his sword and walks inside the city. He then turns and says, "Well, what are you guys waitting for ?? You comming or not ?"

[Minosheep]

Having tracked the party this far, he finally realizes where they were going; this of all places... He curses, not wanting, really, to go in there. But this might give him the chance he's been wanting to kill his sister.

But then, in here, the creating place of his swords... they might rebel... maybe even use their amazing powers against their owner...

"But it's a risk I'm willing to take." He doesn't even notice that he's speaking aloud. "I must bring her down... she has insulted my honor enough... and now it ends."

His feet slip; he ends up rolling down the hill and crashing into Nacht.

"Whoops... crap."

[Azurel]

A portal opens up near Aiman. Slowly and cautiously, Rayne walks out of the portal. He closes the portal behind him and looks at Aiman, Nacht, and Reverend, then back to Aiman.

"I sensed a gathering of energies, what's going on?"

[Aiman]

OOC: This post begins before Azurel appears and finishes after he does.

BIC: Aiman and his party entered the gate to the Holy City. He heard a raised voice and then a loud thomp near Nacht. He turns around and points his sword to the red haired guy's neck. "Ohh, Its you. I saw you following us, but I thought you wouldnt dare enter this place... Who are you and why are you following us?" Aiman said.

Demonic introduced himself and told Aiman his intentions to kill Nacht. "Well, at the moment I cant let you do that. I have to protect her, and I dont have time to deal with you. Even though she IS your sister." Aiman tells Demonic and helps him get up. "Look, right now we are in a very dangerous place. Let's all work together. After this, we'll deal with your killing Nacht desire. For the moment, we need to stay alive."

Airius nods and agrees with Aiman.

The party walks 3 more paces as a portal opens up and a man with black clothes appears from inside. He asks Aiman what's happening. He replies, "So I guess you're here to helps us, as you also felt the disturbance. My readings on shadow energy are going off the charts." Aiman looks at everybody and says, "Ok so I guess its time to tell you about my mission and why Im in such a hurry. Im a Knight from the Future. I was sent here to arrest a mad man. He was a scientist in my goverments science and weapon development depts. He found in some old ruins near this place in the future, a crystal, very power, very magical. Analisys showed it was what in this era is called a 'Dragon's Eye'. He then disappeared to this time to release the power of the Shadow Esper. He blabbed about what a great idea would be to experiment on a real Esper. The president denied, as 'Forbidden Arts and artifacts' are against the law in my time. So the assumption is that he came here to take control of the Esper and Im here to stop him." Aiman said as he looks at Airius. "That is why we must hurry, your friends are in big danger. If that thing gets released under his control, its gonna be chaos." Aiman said.

Aiman looked at the man in black clothes and asked, "What is your name?"

[Azurel]

Rayne hears Aiman's story and nods at the intentions.

"I am Dantrel Rayne, call me Rayne."

[Musashi]

Musashi continues translating the runes, not hearing his partner's question at first, fixated on the task at hand.

"History....trials....priests....*mumble mumble* ...dragons....Hmmm, where is the entrance to this place."

Finally, his brain catches up to Shino's request.

"Oh!! The trials! Well, to be quite honest, I don't know. It was forbidden for anyone to know of the trials beforehand, so they were never written in any of the ancient texts of the Dragon Lore. I do know that some of the trials were rumored to change depending on the individual, so it's possible that even if they were written somewhere, it would not matter in the least. Those who failed the trials were usually just dismissed from the Holy Temple, but any evil that tried to enter the temple would be banished to the catacombs for eternity. This punishments were quite severe and very well documented to deter umm...unwanted guests so to speak."

In the corner of his mind, Musashi senses Reverend's energy signature approaching him, along with 3 unknown energies.

"Ahh, Airius has arrived, come on, he should be at the gate. I wonder who's traveling with him though."

Musashi and Shino walk off towards the gate to meet their comrade.

[Reverend]

"Rayne? As in 'I'm in a constant struggle to kill Lews Therin and Damion' Rayne?" Airius can do little but just throw up his hands in resignation. "Well, it appears that Mod feels that I am needed here at this moment. And what you said about this Shadow Esper, was it related at all to the Holy Esper Rislem at all?"

Airius turns to face Demonic, with what for the priest would be a maniacal glint shining in his eye. "Demonic, so wonderful to see you once again."