A Test

[ThePaganKing]

Elric did not know what prompted him to go to the Exigo Trading Grounds. He knew that he would encounter some of his old "friends" and it would be a tense and possibly deadly encounter, yet, something prodded him forward. Some unseen hand was moving him, like a chess piece across the marble board.

Of course, they were there; Sehron, Yashia, Nulinus, and a couple he had not seen before. And of course, they derided him, scoffed, called him names, but that did not phase him. He was drawn to this place for a purpose, a purpose yet to unfold.

And, it all seemed to click into place when Tamryn showed up. With what Elric thought was an audible "pop," it all fell into place and he knew why he was here, he was here to die, but not a permanent death. He was meant to test his resolve in Bane's presence, meant to face him and gain his blessing first hand.

That is why he accepted the challenge. Why he fought with but half a heart...he knew he would die this day. He thought to himself as he swung his sword, "Tamryn can fight like no other, she is a worthy adversary and she will probably win....it is fated."

Elric felt the slash that brought him down, but it didn't kill him, it merely dazed him. He was on one knee when all hell broke loose and a spell was unleashed. Elric was too dazed to recognize the spell, but he was suddenly laying in a pool of his own blood, looking into the eye of Bane.

Ahh, finally, my trial has begun. Elric smiled as he whispered, "let the pain begin."

[Lollercide]

The Knight caught wind of his defeat from Nulinus and Yashia.. His initial reaction was more than welcoming the thought, but as the thought dwelled in his mind so did the truth. The truth ate away at him until he couldn't bear to stand before Nulinus and Yashia.

Walking from the Post he looks to the skies that are unusually clear and sunny and sighs to himself. "No matter, then. I can at least understand what I must do now. I only pray that everything will be alright."

[wangxiuming]

"Traitor ... Brother ... why did you do this? What secrets does the Lord of Darkness spill into your ear ... ?"

[Kangleton]

As the fiery rocks fell from the sky, one after the other, gliding towards the ground and colliding with everything in their path, a single bird was seen flying across the horizon.

One by one, the summoned meteors struck each present individual, and finally, the last to have plumetted from above struck and exploded in a brilliant flash, engulfing what was left of Elric's life in one devestating crash.

"Now you die as a martyr, rather than live as a prisoner, old friend."

[Gamling]

Nulinus could not help but feel pain, for the second day he had returned, blood would be spilled, in a hasty manner. The eagerness of the Tameyn willing to kill Elric upset Nulinus, though he knew she only meant to save Sundren from yet another evil.

He looked mournfully at tamyrn as they both lifted Elric's corpse from the ground and went off to the temple of Helm.

[cmosier]

*Sehron spits on the corpse after kicking it several times*

I'm glad your dead and hope you burn in Hell.

[Dark presence]

Serena can be seen rolling her eyes and heard to mumble something about extremists always trying to kill each other, upon hearing the news.

[ThePaganKing]

The pain was ecstasy, blinding, pain but more than pain, it was.......

Elric awakes, sweat covering his entire body. He is naked on a bed of nails and the nails are slowly sinking into his flesh. Blood flows in a quickening pace down the spikes, drenching the white alabaster floor. Where the hell was he?

Elric awakes again, lying on a bed of soft silk, draped in red silk, a beautiful blonde elf leaning over him, sweetly talking of the many things she would do to Elric, the many pleasures they would share. Elric looks at her puzzled, then looks into her eyes and falls.....

All is ashy, dark, smoky, he can barely breath. A man stands on the horizon, dressed all in black. He moves with erratic steps, here, then there, jerking forward then back, moving ever so closer to Elric, but then retreating. Suddenly, the man stands before Elric and all Elric can do is sink to his knees, shivering in awe and fear........for he looked into the mans eyes and saw........

Elric lies on a marble slab, his eyes ripped away, his body bleeding from many, many small cuts. The slab is slick with his blood, his sweat, his fear. He hears a whisper from his left and feels the breath of someone on his right side, whispering in his right ear. "Let me tell you of Bane, let the truth ring true in you," he says, as Elric begins to scream.

*The temple guards run to find Hano as Elric's body begins to twitch, red sulfurous fumes emanating from his eyes. Elric's mouth opens and a single, long, high pitched scream pulls forth.*

[Lollercide]

(( OOC: Edited the story due to Rashka's information ))

The wide-eyed Paladin burst through the door to their temple letting the rain and storm blow into the entry-way. Stumbling through the hallways he notices Hano sitting in the distance, writing on a piece of parchment in his open bedding room. He hesitates to gather himself, then cries the Paladin's name, "Hano! It's.. He! Come quick!" Hano stood to his feet without a moment of hesitation, marching over to the corner of the room to lift his sheathed blade from its position.

Without a missing a beat he continues to march through the hallway as he slides the sheath around his head and shoulder, concealing all but its hilt behind his white cloak bearing Torm's mighty symbol. Instinctively he calls out to his superiors, "Balthasar! Tamryn!", but does not halt his movement sure that they, if not already, were on their way. He had no idea what he was about to step into, but without a doubt, he would face it and handle it promptly as he leaves his temple pushing through the storm's wind and rain.

[Raksha]

// Quick OOC note: The body was taken to the Temple of Helm, deliberately, by Tamryn, specifically to avoid more people whining about the Triumvirate messing up things.

[ThePaganKing]

It is dark now. Elric can see, but he sees with a different sight. He sees things in shades of black and white, it is very difficult to get used to at first, but then he adjusts. He is strapped down on a table and cannot move anything but his head. He tries to move his head to take in everything around him and all he sees is the black marble slab he is strapped to and the bare, dark, marble walls around him. There is nothing else but a cold wind that blows continually through the room.

A tall dark man comes up to the table. Elric cannot see his face for it is shrouded in mist, but, Elric feels he has met this person before. The figures arm reaches forward, over Elric's heart and says, "My dear pet, it is time for you to learn more." With that, the figure's hand reaches down and the pain begins.....

*Elric's body begins to twitch, then rise and starts to swirl, faster and faster. Elric's mouth is agap and his keening can be heard throughout the temple.*

[ThePaganKing]

Elric awoke not at the temple, but at the citadel, clothed in silk and laying on a large bed in one of the upper rooms. He sat up and ran his fingers through his long blonde hair. "What the hell was happening to me?" he thought as he rolled out of the bed and looked for his gear. He saw that a new set of armor was resting on a stand at the foot of the bed and his other gear was laying nearby.

He also saw that there was a small note tacked to the door of the room. "Elric, see me when you awake, Ditus."

"This should be very interesting. I guess my attempt at suicide the other day with Tamryn was rejected by our master, Bane."

With a wry smile on his face, Elric begins to don his gear, all the while thinking on the past couple days and the greeting he would receive from Ditus.