Walls do not a prison make, nor do they make a home (Bippy,Emanee etc)

((Emanee))

Emanee wrinkled her nose. "Where next?" she asked sidestepping away from the orc corpse.

Carefully wrapping the half circle item in a clean piece of runecloth, it seemed to resonate as she placed it next to the first item in her rucksack. Shivers ran down her spine as she placed the pack on her back once more. "I think we should make haste" Emanee concluded.

"Whatever this thing is, I think its itching to be complete" She had just finished her last word when her mind became a fuzzy haze.

~*~*~*

"Emanee... Emanee?" She awoke to Quelor shaking her gently.

"....whaa?" she asked as she slowly sat up. Looking around her she realised that they were far from where she had lost conciousness... in Stranglethorn Vale? She recognised the leafy green haven for horde almost immediately. Looking down at her now badly torn shirt and trousers she tried to get what had happened between Hillsbrad and here into her mind... vauge memories of travelling at highspeed came back to her... and she realised she was gripping onto something very very tightly.

Opening her bleeding palm she saw another half of the circle, the runes on this piece did not seem to glow as brightly as the others, infact the piece seemed nearly as black as night.

Quelor gently took the item from her hand.

"Perhaps I should carry this one" He concluded "Do you think you can stand?" he asked.

Emanee shakily got to her feet... "Any idea what is missing from this strange item for it to be complete?" She asked

((Quelor))

Quelor shook his head as he took the third item from Emanee and wrapped it in a piece of runecloth.

::Dear, gentle Emanee... rushing into the ruins of the House of Ri'azuma's hunting lodge in Stranglethorne Vale, her mace raised above her head and screaming like...:: Quelor thought to himself and chuckled::...well, like a druid possesed.::

She had attacked the raptor that was standing on top of the mosaic in the middle of the ruine with a swiftness and brutality Quelor had not expected of the softspoken young woman. The battle was short and bloody, and as the raptor had uttered his last death-rattle Emanee had brought her mace down in the middle of the floor and shattered it to reveal their last find.

Quelor could feel the power contained in the stone tremble for release. He shook his head and packed it deep in his backpack, then turned to the gently swaying Emanee.

"We need to go, get the last piece." Quelor said. "And I know where it is." he added.

Emanee looked at him and nodded. "I know it too." she said as she idly wiped her hand on the tattered remains of her shirt. Quelor cocked his head to one side and peered at Emanee searchingly. "You do?"

"Yes, Stormwind Keep library. I've seen those kinds of runes before." Emanee said as she pulled her mantle close around her.

"Then back to Stormwind we go." Quelor said; "and finish up this myth."

((Emanee))

Mounting up and stroking Aelia gently she nodded at Quelor and began riding towards Stormwind with renewed vigour. She decided she would ask him about her escapades another day. She darted behind a tree, dismounted and changed into her only spare piece of clothing - a purple dress which revealed way more than she was really comfortable with- but the only non-bloodied or destroyed item in her bags. Wrapping her cloak firmly around her top half, she re-mounted Aelia and vowed to run to the bank quickly to get a spare shirt from her deposit box.

Catching up with Quelor they rode past Sentinel Hill at lightning speed, throught Elwynn Forest in a blink of an eye, and across the Valley of Heros into Stormwind itself. Running into the bank Emanee quickly grabbed her shirt and changed in the Guilded Rose. Tossing a gold coin to the landlady she swiftly ran towards the library where Quelor was awaiting her.

He looked confussed at her change of clothes... she shrugged at him.

"I'm sure it was just here" She said descisively, pulling out one of the old dusty books and peering into the blackness behind it...

((Quelor))

Emanee dropped the book she had removed, and Quelor had to be quick to be just in time to catch it.

"Oh, leave it..." Emanee said without looking at Quelor; "It's just 'The Rise And Fall Of Leroy Jenkins.' The perfect book to hide something behind."

Quelor looked at the book, then dropped it as Emanee reached between the books with her hand. Quelor stared in disbelief as the gap between the two books seemed to swallow her whole arm. The space behind the books was much deeper then the bookcase should have allowed. Emanee grunted and twisted her face in a look of deep concentration as she stood on her toes to probe deeper into the hole.

"Almost got it..." she said, then added with a final grunt of satisfaction; "Got it!" and withdrew her arm.

The last part was thin, almost square with a hole that seemed just the right shape to accept the other three pieces. It shimmered with a red glow and occasionaly corruscating veins of energy played across the surface. Emanee walked over to one of the tables and gingerly placed the part on a piece of runecloth.

"Give me the other pieces." Quelor said as he rummaged in his backpack to get the part from Stranglethorn Vale. With slightly trembling hands he accepted the pieces from Emanee and unwrapped them. This close together on the tabled they seemed to vibrate slightly.

"Well, here goes nothing..." Quelor said as he picked up the two semi-circular pieces and brought them to the square flat piece to insert in the hole. Suddenly sparks flew between the pieces and all the hairs on Quelor's arms stood on end. At the same time Emanee grabbed his wrist. Quelor looked at Emanee, who just slowly shook her head.

Quelor stood up straight and stepped away from the table, still holding the two pieces away from each other. "You're right... This is beyond our combined knowledge." Quelor said as he shook his head. "What were we thinking?" he asked more or less himself.

"I'm not sure 'we' were thinking at all..." Emanee said as she started to wrap up the other two pieces in pieces of mageweave she produced from her bulging backpack. "I think this... thing did the thinking for both of us for a good deal of the time..."

"I thnk you may be right. and I think we should take it to the one man I trust with it. Arch Druid Hiddenshadow." Quelor said as he hastily packed the remaining two pieces

((Quelor))

((ooc: This is Quelor's view on last night's RP in /g))

Quelor fidgeted with his uniform, which looked a little tattered after the day's events as he sat in the relative anonimity of The Salty Sailor Tavern in Booty Bay. His backpack was stuffed underneat the table while he nursed a large mug of herbal tea and replayed some of the things that had happened before his mind's eye. After a while he noticed that the soft murmur of voices around him had dropped to almost nothing and looked up.

The assorted Horde, Goblins and other shady characters that could only be politely described as the Sailor's "regular unregulars" were all staring at Quelor. Quelor
swallowed and tried to look around in a nonchalant way, as if to say '...no trouble here, just a druid with a cup of tea...'. Then he noticed that were not exactly looking at him, but slightly to his left and below. As casually as possible Quelor took another sip of his tea and shifted his eyes to see what the crowd was staring at. When he finally caught sight of the object of everybody's fascination he almost choked on his tea, spraying most of it over the table.

With a quick grab he snatched up the backpack, tossed a gold piece at the inn-keeper and hurried out of the tavern. He made his way to a quiet corner on the docks all the time making sure he wasn't followed. In the waning light of the falling dusk he saw what had not been obvious in the bright daylight; his backpack glowed. Quelor quickly took a spare bag, emptied his backpack of everything but the four items, wrapped the whole backpack in a piece of Mageweave and stuffed the whole kit and caboodle into another sack. This seemed to dampen the glow, but still the eerie glow seemed to seep out like a living thing. Quelor sighed and reached out with his mind to the Arch Druid.

"Maester Hiddenshadow? Are you free?" he pleaded over the mindlink; "I know you are a busy man, but this can't wait any longer..."

"I am half free..." Hiddenshadow answered tersely over the mindlink.

"Good, at the moment I'll take half free over nothing. This has become... urgent." Quelor ansnwered, followed by a burst of mental images to illustrate the days events. He could feel the mental sigh coming form the other end, followed by some instructions. Within seconds, Quelor was on a hypogryph to Ratchet, then his Nightsaber to make his way to Exiles Island, the Guild's base.

o===[========> Exiles Island <=========]===o

Once at the island Quelor made his way to the small room Hiddenshadow used as his office and sometimes lab. He knocked on the door to announce himself, only to have the door opened by a smiling Cauluintûr even before a second knock could land.

"Ah, Quelor. Hiddenshadow and me were just going over some... tactics.." she said with a small cough "...when your call came."

Quelor blushed. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important." he stammered.

Cauluintûr smiled again; "Nothing that can't wait..." she said with a wink at Hiddenshadow. The Arch Druid smiled the tiniest of smiles then motioned Quelor to enter.

Quelor stepped in briskly, halted in front of the cluttered desk an placed the softly glowing bundle on top of it. He came to attention and stared at the wall above Hiddenshadow's head as he made his report. Old warrior habits took over, and in clipped words and with military precision he reported on the days events and the objects he and Emanee had found. He could feel the blood rush into his face as he explained the original reason for their expedition; an effort to find new accomodations for the Exiles. From the shadow of a frown that played on
Hiddenshadows face he could see the Guild Maester did not approve. But the frown was was brief, and replaced by an intense look of curiosity at the unfolding tale. While Quelor finshed the tale, Cauluintûr unwrapped the bundle and placed the four objects on the desk, a carefully measured distance from each other.

At the end of Quelor's report Hiddenshadow and Cauluintûr went into a brief yet enthusiastic explanation and discussion, most of which Quelor missed due to pure
nervous tension. He was half aware of term like "...Emerald Dream...", "...mindlink..." and "...hyperdimensional..." in passing, but when Hiddenshadow
mentioned "...the heart of a Great Dreamer..." Quelor looked up with a startled look on his face.

"The Great Dreamer? You mean a dragon? Oh dear..." Quelor said as the blood drained from his face.

"Got any Dreamer in mind, Sir?" Cauluintûr asked casually as she winked at Quelor.

Hiddenshadow ignored the wink and steepled his hands before his face in a gesture of thoughtfullnes and then looked at Quelor. "Perhaps Quelor can make haste to the Twilight Grove in Duskwood and tell us what it is he sees there..."

Quelor made a rather hesitant salute and nodded; "Uhm... yes. On my way, Sir. Hesitantly, I assure you."

Hiddenshadow nodded; "I'm sure. I would not send one so inexperienced, but you are by far the closest. Be careful."

Quelor bowed "Yes, alas... I hope my powers of stealth don't fail me too badly."

Hiddenshadow smiled. "Just make sure to keep a safe distance. It's the portal the Dreamer cares about."

And with that last advice under his belt Quelor made his way to The Twilight Grove...

((Caulintur))

In the meantime back at Exiles Island...

<CaulUinTûr closes the door behind Quelor and rejoins Hidden at the table>

"I think this matter urgently requires our attention Sir" she said.
Hiddenshadow nodded and replied: "Indeed. We will have to keep an eye on the portal in Duskwood. If the Great Dreamer there returns we will need to obtain it's heart to repair the blackened stone".

He notices a smirk on CaulUinTûr's face as she interrupts him: "And I doubt any Great Dreamer will willingly 'lend' us it's heart."
Hiddenshadow raises an eyebrow and chuckles as he replies: "Correct. The Great Dreamers are not known to willingly commit to such acts of martyrdom."

<Both looked at eachother as if the movement of their eyelids were words themselves>

CaulUinTûr drifted away in thought... "Who could ever expect such a turn of events? One minute you're stepping through a phasing time line and you're expected to rescue Thrall from Durnholde Keep for the seventh time this week....CaulUinTûr?".
Hearing her name she realised she was drifting on and Hiddenshadow continued: "This is no time for daydreams. Are you familiar with 'The Gate of Ri'Azuma'?" he asked.

CaulUinTûr barely noticed in time she was about to reach for her forehead as a reflex, realising it would look completely ignorant, and instead answered:
"Only what we have discussed this far Sir. What are you aiming for?".
Hiddenshadow replied: "The Gate of Ri'Azuma once completed has the ability to record messages intended for specific viewers. As you can clearly see the words in these stones flow in such ways they are unreadable to our eyes".

CaulUinTûr gasped and enthusiastically replied: "If we can restore this artifact it could prove an invaluable asset to our current plans for the guild. I have already been training the Exiles as you instructed. This afternoon I had them fight each other in one on one combat and in teams. I rewarded the winners with items I have been collecting in the Outlands and Auction Hall to encourage their enthusiasm for training as a guild event."

Hiddenshadow smiled and asked: "any promising developments? What skilled exiles did you reward?". "Nomirou dominated the one on one fights with Mixxy coming in as a close second. Naturally Déadben couldn't stay behind by winning the most battles in grouped combat. The 12-man free for all wave had very interesting results, with Asher beating Emanee within an inch of his life in the end" CaulUinTûr proudly announced.

"Excellent. It is a comforting thought we still have members who make time to enjoy eachother's company in good fun and at the same time invest time and energy in the development of their skills. In these dark times the bonds between us mortals are to often broken. We need to be a loving family and an organised fighting unit at the same time. If we are ever to achieve our ultimate goals in the Outlands there is still much work to be done...." Hiddenshadow said, as he walked around the room as if he were at the same time in deep thought intensly focused.

CaulUinTûr walked over to Hiddenshadow, stood before him in attention and said hesitantly: "Sir....How do we use this artifact once it is completed? When do you expect the dragon to show up in Duskwood? Don't we need to inform the guild to gather and fight?". "Relax old friend. We will tackle everything one step at a time, just as we always do. For now there is research to be done, and in the meantime we will keep our eyes open and be alert for the return of the Great Dreamer in Duskwood or other scouting reports of a Great Dreamer."

CaulUinTûr nodded, smiled, and added: "Indeed we shall. If you will excuse me now I will take my rest. Our expedition to Old Hillsbrad with Kafira, Highbi and Wynn has left me exhausted. If there is nothing more......may the balance of shadow and light guide your path in these times of darkness and turmoil as it has mine Maester".

Hiddenshadow smiled and replied: "Ishnu'Alah old friend. Elune watch over all of us."

<<CaulUinTûr bows and uses her hearthstone to teleport herself back to Aldor Rise>>

((Yoshi))

<A weak, fainting voice from nowhere sounded in Quelor's mind.>
What do you think you will find there?
<Not giving Quelor any chance to ask what is going on and who is talking to him, weak reply came into mind.>
Don't worry, Quelor, I am your friend ... don't be afraid, I am here to help you ... if I can ... somehow.
<Waiting for Quelor to calm abit.>
What do you want? <Asked Quelor still shocked by intrusion.>
<The voice delayed abit.>
When you arrive in Duskwood, there are a small black roses growing in Stalvan's Garden. Take .... take one. If you find the dragon ... and if he sees you ... breathe the flower's scent. It ... will clear your mind ... and you will not fall asleep ...
<Voice fades. Quelor waits for a while, expecting the voice to continue, but the link was broken for good. Realizing, that he will get no more hint from this strange voice, he continues in his mission.>

((Quelor))

Quelor shook his head and blinked hard. The voice had sounded familiar somehow. And yet... Quelor turned of the path and made a quick detour through the Stalvan estate and had no trouble finding the flower. He quickly grabbed one and made his way to the Twilight Grove. A quick prayer to Elune was all the time he allowed himself as he entered the grove.

Relying on his Cat Form and it's natural stealth Quelor carefully followed the path into the grove. Clinging whisps of fog curled around his stealthed form, and for a moment Quelor was afraid the stirring veil would give him away too.... whatever he would find. But to his great disappointment he found the Grove peacefully empty. Quelor sighed with relief and opened the mindlink to Hiddenshadow.

After a silent cheer Quelor made his report; "Alas, no Dreamer at Twilight Grove..."

Hiddenshadow replied, sounding irritated; "Damn, we did it to much damage. I'll have to think on this..."

((Emanee))

Emanee had overheard the conversation between Quelor and Hiddenshadow, smiling slightly that the object they had found seemed to have piqued the masters interest, she was currently in Upper Blackrock Spire helping out Rammy in her quest to recieve the Drakefire Amulet, and learning some more of the art of fighting from the wonderful pirate Triksy, a woman who was swiftly becoming more like a mother and friend to Emanee.

The eavesdropping on the conversation made Emanee distracted on a number of occasions- and she hoped that Triksy wouldnt scald her for some of the things she did. Finally Drakkisath (sp) was slain, and she heard over the mind link that a dreamer had been located in Ashazara, and those willing and able to help retrive the heart should make their way there.

Swiftly saying her goodbyes to the group Emanee rushed to Moonglade and took a Gryphon to Ashzara, making her way to the place on the map that Hiddenshadow had asked them to congregate in.

Arriving at the specified location she caught sight of the dragon... "my".. she said quietly "thats a big one!"

Noticing Kafira skulking in the shadows behind a rock she waved at her, the group begining to assemble on a small rock outcrop near to where the dragon paced. A YARRR! in the air signified the arrival of Greb the Pirate Captain, and the warlocks who made their way to the outcrop began to summon those still in far away lands

((Kafira))

*mutters to herself while scratching Mika absently behind the ear* Never a dull moment round here, never! What id give for just one dull moment... just one. And perhaps the chance to wear something a little less.... heavy!

*Mika purrs and moves her head more into Kafiras hand* Yes I know you like this life, you like the excitment and the thrill of a kill and belive me mika I do too

*Mika grows slightly* but sometimes I wish to just have a rest in a bed! Your not likely to understand kitty but as much as I love the outside, sleeping under the stars smelling the early morning air and being with nature. Sometimes a comfortable bed and a proper rest is sooo appealing.

*The others start to discuss the best tactics for killing the beast and Mika starts to get impatient ready for the fight, for the blood and fresh meat. Getting up from the floor Kafira checks her bows straight, her arrows quick and her axe sharp as a slow smile speads on her face*

But these are the moments I live for Mika, these not so dull moments! *As the others run into the fray she stands back itching with anticipation, waiting for Déadben to get the Dragons attention before fireing off a volly of arrows and watching Mika start to dart between legs clawing and biting before finally disappearing out of Kafiras site

Allowing for a small pang of grief and love for the her only companion and the prospect she might not come back, before straightening up and making a low gutteral sound as she starts the bombardment of arrows again*

((Reserved to read through and properly conclude))