Chapter 1: New Arrival

Kragel sat at the base of a tree taking a nap. Its not often that he got to pull off jobs for the divine empire, and he was resting after his venture...and his payment. Suddenly the sounds of loud sirens awoke him. "What the..." Kragel thought to himself. He knew research lab was at least 70 feet above him...but the loud sounds of thrashing were still heard. He got up and walked out from under the tree so he could get a better view of what was happening, just as he saw a slight glimmer as he saw a hole tear in the side of a building and a humanoid figure jump from it. "There's no way..." he said aloud as he watched the boy fall. Suddenly the boy hit the tree Kragel had been underneath just a few seconds ago. He watched the boy run from the building and into the forest of trials. "How in the hell did he survive that..." Kragel said as he began to run in the direction of the boy. He wanted to know just a bit more about the situation.

Lilea felt she was close to the water source she had sensed for three days now. Still she was very weak and had the strange feeling she did not belong in this forest which she had wandered into this fueled her desire to give up. Also this was not a significant water source it would provide her strength but just barely. Still she pushed further. Then, finally she saw it and not to her surprise there ran a small stream. Relieved she dropped to her scuffed knees, dipped her hands in the water and ran her hands across her filthy face and then fainted into a deep somber at the streams edge.

Kragel stood in awe as he listened to the gods speak. This was the first time he had ever heard them...because of this he guessed he was in the forest of trials, a place he definitely should not be. "Oh well, I guess I'll head back," he said to himself. As he turned to leave a voice shouted in his head "And who are you to enter the forest of trials!" it yelled into this head. "Kragel Blackwell of Zuzeki City, I came here following the boy, not knowing where I was headed. I only wish to return the way I came." "If you are with this boy, then you must be his companion...after all who would enter this forest by himself willingly, prepare yourself." The voice chuckled to itself, fading out as an avion creature similar to the one attacking Ghost came crashing towards him. "Crap..." Kragel said to himself, right before the beast slammed its shoulder into him, throwing him about four feet from Ghost.

"Awaken!" A powerful voice bellowed from an unknown source.
"Hello?" Quivered an alert and terrified voice.
"Are you aware, naiad, that your presence is unwelcome here?" Questioned the voice.
"Well no but...where is here?" Lilea regretfully asked.
"You have trespassed in the forest of trials." The voice answered. "Normally this sort of action would be intolerable and would result in immediate punishment, however you are needed for a greater purpose. There are others within the forest now heading towards an important journey and you, young naiad, are to act as a distraction. But you mustn't speak of this conversation while you are in the forest. Are you familiar with the punishments given to those who disobey the Gods?"
"Your a...a...God?" Lilea was shocked for she had never been visted by a God and also ashamed that she had trespassed onto holy grounds.
"Yes!" answered the now annoyed God. "Now are you familiar or not?"
"Yes i am" Replied Lilea. She was worried as to what the outcome of the new path chosen for her would be.
"You may return to your rest now" Said a fading voice. But how could Lilea sleep? Her whole purpose of returning to her home and to her love was now gone. Then she slowly submitted to her exhausted body and let the lullaby of the flowing water calm her into; yet again a deep sleep

"You've got to be kidding me!" Kragel yelled as more of the birds began to run towards them "Well fine I guess we'll just get to have some more fun." With the last spoken words Kragel thrust his hand into his own shadow, in doing so creating tendrils of the dark substance to become physical and rise. "I've had enough of this nonsense." He forced the tendrils forwards to grab two of the birds by the throat after which he did he slammed the two birds together. The obvious cracking sound indicated that their necks were broken from the impact. "That's more like IT" Kragel yelled as the adrenaline started flowing through his veins. As Kragel lashed out to take more of the animals out, yet another came behind him and attacked, ripping a spot in his shoulder. The blood instantly started flowing from the deep would. "I don't think so you overgrown chicken." Kragel melded with the bird's shadow, taking control of its bodily functions. "Let's see how you like fighting for me now" he thought to himself.

Kragel took full control of the beast he had possessed. He quickly made it attack another bird, who was quite confused at what had happened. The other bird was faster than Kragel's was and it bit at its neck, ripping it open and causing blood to spurt from its jugular veins. Kragel instantly abandoned the dying bird, and launched himself from the shadow into the air. He grabbed two of the darts on his left arm and threw them towards the birds eyes. He easily landed his mark on the shocked bird, blinding it. With a speed so fast that normal mortals cannot see, he drew his daggers and sliced at the birds throat, cutting the veins and windpipe. The bird began trying to breath, making blood fill its lungs and and blowing it on the ground. The final bird rushed and leaped into the air, trying to pounce on the vampire. Kragel, however was faster. He spun and kicked at the bird, his heel smashing into the side of the bird's head, crushing it. The bird fell in front of Kragel and he turned towards the boy. "Ghost huh?"

Lilea awoke rejuvenated, though, uneasy due to the events of the previous night. She wondered why and even how she could be a distraction to the travelers.She wanted to run to escape this fate, but that would not be possible for if the Gods wanted to use her then she could run forever and still remain in this very spot. She looked around her, it was a simple enough area as far as forests go. There were several trees varying in size and species most she recognized some she did not. The grass was tall and vividly colored in several shades of green and in sections almost blue. The water was clear, so clear in fact she could almost see count the grains of sand at the bottom, and not densely populated save for a few minnows and water bugs and possibly downstream a few larger fish. Satisfied with her surroundings Lilea decided to bathe after all she was filthy and it seemed to her that she would soon have company. Even if she was a tool of deception she certainly didn't want to make a bad impression on the travelers. So Lilea stripped herself of her simple, tattered clothing and slowly stepped down into the stream which was surprisingly a good four feet deep. her whole body tingled in appreciation and felt as if it was melting into the heavenly water though she was still fully intact. Then she dove so gracefully it was almost magical into the stream not to emerge for at least twenty minutes...

Kragel followed the unusual boy...not really sure what to make of him at the present moment.
"My name's Kragel...Kragel Blackwell, at your service. I guess I'll be coming along...after all it seems the gods will it."
Kragel, like Ghost, felt slightly peaceful in the beautiful forest. However, Krael had heard stories of the forest before, and knew to keep on his guard. Though beautiful, the forest held many "unnatural" creatures. Still, it was beautiful. As they reached the stream, Kragel decided to survey the area as Ghost drank, not needing water himself. He noticed a small rabbit that was unaware of his presence. Kragel sent a tendril of shadow to grab the rabbit, and silence it. As Kragel retrieved the rabbit from the tendril, his sank his fangs into the rabbit's jugular vein, and drank until the rabbit was near death, then threw it away. "I suppose that will have to hold me over for a while" he thought to himself.
Kragel went back to the boy, he had drawn his head from the stream and was now looking a little farther upstream. Kragel then saw the cloth that the boy was looking at.
"It seems we're not alone, my friend"

Lilea, still under water, heard the voice of a man and then she knew he was one that she would be a distraction to however the God said travelers so she was curious to know who else was with the man. Her curiosity however was not quite strong enough to make her surface. She wanted friends not to be a distraction not to stand in the way. After all it had been several months since she had a companion. Maybe they would accept her into their group and allow her to join them on their journey. With this thought strong in her mind she slowly surfaced her head and saw the two humanoid figures, so there was another one. Their attention seemed to be focused upstream. What were they looking for Lilea wondered. Then shamefully she remembered that her clothes were still at the streams edge. "If you don't mind Could one of you hand me my garments?" She asked embarrassed and humbled.

Hearing the voice to his left, Ghost turned to see a head bobbing just above the water. A female head, a naiads. The crystal clear water was not hiding the rest of her features by any means at all. His gaze lingered for a moment then he recalled the girl had asked for her clothes which, Ghost presumed to be the tattered green garments lying on the ground near him.

He flicked his hand towards himself and the garments instantly came to his waiting palm. The clothes were so tattered and torn. Ghost walked over to where the girl was floating and looked her in the eyes. Something was off, he just couldn't figure out what, but those eyes.... Ghost removed his gray cloak and held it out to the girl along with her own clothes.

"Wear this along with your own garments for they are not in any state to provide protection from wandering eyes." Ghost said, his seemingly disembodied and mysteriously toned voice coming from all around. With this he turned away to let the girl dress in modesty.[img][/img]

Kragel, also seeing the niad girl, averted his eyes. "Hard to believe we missed her" he thought to himself. Of course he noted the boy handing her his cloak...kind hearted, though a tad gruff. Might make nice company later on, if he didn't mind the way he "made" his money.

Kragel turned away, so the girl would feel less embarrassed by his eyes. After all, women was something he wasn't really into anyway...

"Thank you...uh...what, may i ask is your name, and you over there are you his companion." Lilea was surprised at her new found confidence while she dressed herself usually she would remain silent until addressed by another. "i am Lilea." She studied the two men noticing that the one furthest from her almost blatantly refused her gaze. The one in front of her spoke without moving his lips, this made her curious. Lilea stepped completely out of the water now fully clothed and began to comb through her long red hair with her fingers also sweeping away the water completely drying her hair with in seconds. Satisfied she offered her hand to the man closest to her to greet him.

Kragel turned, hoping the girl was now clothed. Thankfully, she was, and now appeared to be in a conversation with Ghost. Finding it terribly rude to interrupt, he said nothing, but waited for them. He was thinking more on this journey he was forced to attend. All of the grueling tasks to come, and for what? To follow some boy into some ruins that some god wants them to go to for no reason that they know? Oh well...it seems like fun at least. And from what he heard, most that make it out of the forest alive (though not that many) become demigods...and that kind of power would be nice to have to someone such as a thief. "Who knows, maybe this will turn out well for me in the end afterall..." Kragel thought to himself as he walked up the the conversing couple.

Lilea found Ghost to be at slight unease, however she was happy he did not refuse her greeting.But she also wondered why the other man, well now that he looked at her she noticed he looked to be a vampire which would explain the now deceased rabbit with two abrasions on its neck that lay off to the side, still refused to speak to her. "Yes sir i am able to travel by foot, thank you." She said warmly as she shook lightly and released his hand. "And, if i may ask, where is it that you two are going?" She questioned being sure to glance upon the vampire a moment too long as to let him know she knew he was there and then she let her gaze fall back on to Ghost. Then she fell in a step or two behind so she could follow though still converse with Ghost.

"Well i am here mostly because i simply wandered in searching for refuge, and also for reasons i can not say, i hope you two can understand that." Lilea then felt a shiver crawl down her spine because even as the words left her lips she hoped the Gods would not be upset over her letting that information slip. She just wanted Ghost and the other man to trust her therefor she wanted them to know as much as possible. However it was unclear to her as to why she longed so desperately for companions. They walked swiftly through the forest, Lilea wondered if Ghost knew where he was going or even where they were. The stream was no longer in sight but the air was muggy and the clouds were heavy; it would rain soon. She hoped this would not get in the way of the journey, though it seemed to her that for Ghost nothing would get in the way.

"Why am I here...That's an interesting question" Kragel answered, after Lilea, laughing a bit. "Well, I saw you jump out of a hole in a building, and I wanted to know what in the hell was going on. I followed you, not knowing where you were headed. I realized my mistake after I was yelled at by the gods. So now you're stuck with me because they think I'm your companion...but that doesn't seem too awful bad, you seem like fun." Kragel had a strange feeling about the girl's words..."Oh well, if she gives us any reason to not trust her I'll alert Ghost" he thought to himself.

As Lilea listened to the two men and realized how important this journey was to Ghost she wanted to run, she didn't want this to end up bad. Lilea hated what she had become, or what the God was using her as. However she realized that she could not survive this forest alone. They came upon an old ruin and Ghost explained that it mush be the Angelic Ruin. She wondered what significance this held. She could tell it was important because Ghost was very hastily approaching the entrance as the rain she knew would fall poured from the sky giving her strength and confidence as her body absorbed the drops that fell upon her. When she and the man which was not Ghost reached the entrance Lilea looked over at Ghost and then asked, "What now?"