Time stamp: Tessera 31st 81379, Evening Character: Medivh Wearing: Belted pants and tailored straight jacket RATING: 14A - cursing, violence, possible gore Notes: Private for lord Ahceron <div align="center"><table><tr><td width=400><div align="justify"> The night was heavy with the stench of mud and wet fur. Aside from the pounding rain and the occasional crack of thunder the night was dead, as nothing with a brain worth having would get within ten feet of him. This night had been close to the worst thing he had ever experienced; between getting lost and the horrible weather, his father in his decrepit age would murder him for being late when he arrived home. A fury burrowed deep in him was burning strong and he refused to let himself take rest in this god forsaken place. He pushed with all he had to go forward even though the weather seemed to fight him with all its might, and slowly he moved. He found a gnarled dead tree and leaned against it. The minor shelter from the elements proved to be more than a relief as he knelt to gather himself. Just then he heard a crack and he leapt into the branches of the trees like a streak of lightning. someone was coming. Someone here this late - in this weather? Either they had a place to go, or they where lost like he was. and in this weather, he'd have no problem stripping the arden of his accessories. He watched the dark outline of the person with keen intent. He dropped down just behind the arden with a solid thunk. no reaction. Curious he observed the being, was it truly alive even? it wasn't equipped with anything useful, and it didn't even seem to notice his existance. Medivh dropped back a couple of feet. This one had somewhere to go. He followed it cautiously, checking and searching for any trap that may befall him. nothing. But then the thing stopped. It looked over its shoulder once and then hit a switch on a large rock. A portion of it moved away and the arden entered. Right now Medivh didn't care what he may have to do once he got out of the rain, he just wanted out. He moved to the switch and began to fiddle with it until he got a reaction and the rock once again, moved away. There where the rock had once been was a ladder descending down into the dark. If this was the only out then he'd take it. There was nothing that hid in the dark that scared him. </div></td></tr></table></div>
<div align="center"><table><tr><td width=400></td></tr><tr><td width=400><div align="justify"><span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'> <span style='color:red'> "Now, would you be so kind as to describe this to me." </span> As Xavius said this he drove a thick barbed spike under the kneecap of a thill clamped to a metal table. He then twisted it sharply effectively snapping the cap in half and driving the tool deeper into the women's leg. She screamed and behind his mask Xavius smiled. Blood was pouring forth from more then one place on the victims body. <span style='color:red'> "Thank you." </span> He said pleasantly. He was finished with this one, a shame really for he was in good torturing mood. The woman was still screaming and sobbing. Xavius turned away and started to wash the tools he had used tonight and began to hum. Afterwards he turned back to the pained thill and took one last look at his work. There were many horrible burns, deep lacerations and other extreme disfigurements covering the once beautiful women. As he left her to die in the dark he said <span style='color:red'> "Life is short my sweet." </span> And with that he closed the metal door, which shut with a clang. Xavius walked the dark halls of his home, slowly making his way to the library. He passe many of his maimed soldiers along the way, each with their own unique and horrid mark on their skin. As he opened the double doors to his library he heard the warning bell nearby jingle. It meant that the entrance to his lair had been used. However he though nothing of as he had given one of the maimed permission to leave this night. As he selected a black covered book and sat down to open it the bell rang once more. This caught his attention immediately and sprang to his feet. Pulling the sword from his cane he closed his eyes. He was not sure where the presumed intruder was but in his domain he certainly was not safe. Raising one hand he darkened the halls of his house and projecting sounds throughout his lair. If they were weak willed they would give out to the no doubt many haunting voices they heard. Even if they weren't the sounds would surly put them on edge in the least. It wouldn't be long before the dark revealed to him were this person was. </span></div></td></tr></table></div>
<div align="center"><table><tr><td width=400><div align="justify"> He didn't know which he preffered, the rain or the screams. Mind you he'd heard many, many screams in his past, but something about these where different. He prepared himself for whatever may be awaiting him on the other side by drawing up a defensive spell. He could feel himself begin to seep and blend, become one with the darkness, become almost a shadow to the eyes of 'dragons. He hated to be caught unprepared. He looked at his surroundings, not at all cave like, these walls had been worked to the level of skilled masonry. up ahead he could see light, though he wasn't sure of how it was generated. Slowly he creeped out of the darkness and into the light, but the only thing the light saw was a shadow on the floor. He saw a door, chose to ignore it. Then another; ignored that one too. Doors upon doors he passed, screams from some, odd noises for others, but something told him these where not the rooms he wanted. He followed the hallway until at last, Two massive doors rose above him. These where the doors he was looking for. he let the enchantment slip and faded back from the darkness. He knocked the door... an echoing noise chimed it seemed throughout the whole of the cavern. no answer. He pushed the huge door open, what he saw rendered him speechless. Massive. absolutely massive, Pipes upon pipes upon pipes came from the walls of the great room, Pipes so big that he could fit inside them. and if he looked way back he could see what looked to be an organ. incredible. he'd never seen an instrument that large. who in their right minds would play it? It was also very dark in the room. not black, but dark enough that the lighting on the walls provided little assistance in seeing. Where in the name of the black gods was he? </div></td></tr></table></div>
<div align="center"><table><tr><td width=400></td></tr><tr><td width=400><div align="justify"><span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'> Xavius searched his personal underworld. But he didn't find anything. There was a shift in the darkness that he detected momentarily, however slight he felt it. But then all was still. Growling left the library in search of this unknown and uninvited thing. He did not take kindly to strangers barging in with no invite. He began to order the maimed to search the area. Whenever he did so they would give a nod and hurry off weapons drawn. His own weapon in front of him he continued. The search with his mind was turning up as much as his physical search was. Nothing. And then a shift in the dark once more, this time he felt it near the organ room. With a smile he whirled around a practically glided towards the new destination, as he did so he willed the noises to stop. And so they did. </span></div></td></tr></table></div>
<div align="center"><table><tr><td width=400><div align="justify"> He continued to look at the gigantic organ. what in the blazes was someone doing down here with an organ like that? It irked him. and not many things did that. He cautiously strode towards the organ, the pipes growing even more massive with his approach, they soared higher and higher to a ceiling he could almost not see. The stonework around the pipes and organ was amazingly gothic stone masonry, but also very dark. Something in this place was dark, perhaps even darker than he. </div></td></tr></table></div>
<div align="center"><table><tr><td width=400></td></tr><tr><td width=400><div align="justify"><span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'> The double doors stood before him, the doors he had used so many times before. But now someone other then him had used them. That was a first really. Not even his maimed soldiers were alowed to use them. If an encounter was to take place in this room he would have to be careful not to harm the pipes, although if they were damaged they could be fixed easy enough. He put his sword back in the cane anyway, he relied more on magic then a blade after all. He opened the doors and closed them behind him immediately. At the other end of the colossal room stood a arden with an interesting yet admirable outfit. Black belted pants and what Xavius assumed was a tailored straight jacket. <span style='color:red'> "Were you not even going to greet the master of the house?" </span> He said darkly, voice echoing through the room.</span></div></td></tr></table></div>
<div align="center"><table><tr><td width=400><div align="justify"> He spun around in flash and in the distance could see the silouhette of a 'dragon. His dark voice continued to echo throughout the massive room, and again a chill ran down his spine. He opted not to move, he didn't want to agrivate the arden. or did he? <span style='color:green'>"Perhaps, were you going to leave the gentleman out in the storm to possibly die instead of graciously letting him rest in your abode?</span> He chanced coming closer, what he saw was an odd sight. The 'dragons face was entirely covered in what looked to be some kind of white skeletal mask. <span style='color:green'>"I came across here by chance, but you can't deny that there is something odd about an underground lair in the middle of a swamplands. What is your business here?"</span> Something about this arden was deeply disturbing, yet somehow familiar. But chances where that braving the night with this odd fellow would be easier than enduring the weather outside. </div></td></tr></table></div>
<div align="center"><table><tr><td width=400></td></tr><tr><td width=400><div align="justify"><span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'> This young arden was bold, that was for sure. Xavius was getting more and more annoyed by this intrusion. Xavius too walked closer, the shadows behind him moving over the door. The door was no longer visible. Xavius laughed a harrowing laugh, which seemed to reverberate through the many pipes. <span style='color:red'> "You will find I am not gracious host boy, and I have done things far worse then let the weather take an unfortunate soul outside." </span> Xavius walked by the other arden as he said this. He was undoubtedly dark. Very dark. And Xavius could smell the power he might posses. This caused him to chuckle. When he was at the organ itself he turned to face the other again. <span style='color:red'> "My business is my own. The purpose of an underground lair is privacy. Which it would seem is now a void purpose. How did you get in here?" </span> </span></div></td></tr></table></div>
A chill ran up his spine as the arden reappeared behind him in front of the organ. Another dealer in the black arts. This was indeed rare, but it made clear as why indeed he may live in privacy. But it would take much more than a simple shadow spell to respect this man.<span style='color:green'>"not all that hard, when you've got lumbering idiots for servants now is it?"</span> he mocked, slinking into the shadow of this room and appearing on the high roof, using the shadows as a glue to hold his feet down. He walked across it and began speaking again. <span style='color:green'>see? i can do parlor tricks too sir. Much more on top of that in fact. Why don't we discuss it over a hot cup of tea, then we can play cards and eat crumpet while you let me wait out the storm?"</span> He slid once again into the shadows and this time reappeared with his knife drawn and pointing at the hooded figures back. <span style='color:green'>"or we can do things the hard way, and you can spend an evening screaming like your patients."</span> This time his voice was not mockery but sheer threat. he would not go back out in that weather, it was more than likely he would die if he did. He wasn't asking for much, but if this 'dragon refused he'd have to silence him for a while.
<div align="center"><table><tr><td width=400></td></tr><tr><td width=400><div align="justify"><span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'> When the arden began using the arts Xavius shook his head. He found it rather rude to walk in on ones humble abode muck things up with filth. Especially on the nice clean ceiling. However when the intruder reappeared in front of him and made an armed threat Xavius laughed. He laughed a long and loud laugh that would make one think him to be mad. <span style='color:red'> "Parlor tricks? Hardly sir! You will find I use the dark arts simply because it is in my nature to do so. I do it because it is who I am, not because I need to impress a stranger with a simple act. As to my servants, they are loyal and usually efficient if nothing else. Granted they are stupid, but they will do my bidding unquestioningly. But I can see you are an impatient "guest" who is unwilling to leave. Since I am not fond of company so be it. Lets bring down the house shall we?" </span> That said Xavius raised and slammed the bottom of his cane into the ground. The results were swift. First the organ began to blare out a single chord shaking the massive chamber. As it did so darkness shot out of the pipes and tossed the room into a darkness within a second. Just as quickly as the dark appeared it disappeared revealing another room. The organ was gone. The room was empty and cold, this was were his minions usually came to practice combat as there was nothing here worth destroying. If they needed equipment they would get it themselves. Xavius really didn't care how. The were none here at the moment however as the were searching the uninvited visitor. Xavius, who appeared behind the arden immediately sent bolt of black energy across the room towards his opponent. Hand burning from the spell and sword redrawn he was ready for a bit of fun.</span></div></td></tr></table></div>
The room shifted in blackness and they where taken somewhere utterly different. this place was empty. The arden drew his sword and a bead of sweat dropped down the side of medivhs face. he was currently only armed with his knife. no matter though, he'd still come out on top. games where done now and the air of the room had changed from wordplay to kife play. They darted at each other parrying each others blades, while the clang of steel began to ring throughout the room. under, over, side, under, slash, his body reacted naturally to the swings of their blades. But then the arden shifted somehow and the blade tore across his chest in swift blow. Blood began to ooze from the wound and medivh almost lost balance from shock. <span style='color:green'>"pardon my lack of social mannerisms, but , fuck that hurt!!"</span> he groaned, darting back while somehow still able to produce wit and sarcasm. The knife wasn't made for combat. he couldn't hold out long like this. He sheathed his blade and opted for a real weapon. He whipped out his lighter quick as a flash, and in the same second had it lit. All the while his shadow had been extending into the strangers. as the arden thrust towards him medivh dodged, almost stumbling with the pain of his exposed wound. but before the stranger had finished his strike, medivh let the lighter connect with the shadows. it was a sudden flash of white hot heat as fire burst forth from the shadows and quickly shot forth through the ardens shadow towards his opponent.
<div align="center"><table><tr><td width=400></td></tr><tr><td width=400><div align="justify"><span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'> The other arden moved quick, quicker then Xavius expected. The intruder moved out of the blast of energies path that he had sent hurling towards him. Weapons drawn, they glared, charged and clashed. The cold metal clanged repeatedly, each strike giving a satisfying sound. As they dueled across the room a few guards came spilling in, apparently hearing the fight. Both confused and awed at the sight of their master battling. It was something they didn't see often, for Xavius preferred to fight outside of his home. As the maimed imbeciles entered twirled his sword clockwise whilst against the intruders blade causing it to be pushed back and brought his own blade down in a forward sweep slicing the flesh on his opponents chest. Xavius laughed a shadowed and harsh laugh that echoed loudly. The maimed murmured in approval, but both dark ardens ignored them. As the other pulled out a lighter Xavius lunged forward with the intent to plunge his sword into his oppositions heart. But less then a second later Xavius found a burst of white hot flames heading towards him via his shadow as though it were a gasoline soaked wick. With a grunt of outrage Xavius called upon the black arts as protection focused it upon his cape and brought it up in front of him as a shield catching the flames upon it. Glaring at his uninvited mystery he flipped his cape sending the flames to the other arden. Unfortunatley he caught the fire as well, with his hands. Xavius one eyebrow at this, he would have to study this one after. The other sent the flames flying back at Xavius. With another outraged growl he made a motion with his hand as though to backhand the flames, but before the flames hit him black energy shot out of his moving arm and swatted the fiery ball to the stone wall. The maimed made noises of excitement. <span style='color:red'> "I never was one for catch." </span> Xavius said to himself but loud enough for others to hear. Xavius made another motion as though throwing something through the air with his left arm. Immediately several tendrils made of black energy burst forth from the ground. Shooting towards their prey in an arcing motion they intended to skewer the intruder. If this arden could perhaps prove himself, he might consider him for other purposes. If he survived long enough to do so.</span></div></td></tr></table></div>
he hadn't expected the game of ball. This was in truth the first time anyone had managed to figure out how the lighter worked. as the unwilling host reflected the fire back, Medivh activated his tatoos with a clapand his hands caught the ball of fire as a black void on negative energy. He thrust it back and the arden backhanded it into the wall. Suddenly black tendrils shot towards him from all around, the ends sharp and ready to kill. <span style='color:green'>If i wasn't me i'd scared shitless right about now"</span> he said, mocking the advancing blow. letting go of his wound he let his hands circle in a giant arch. There was a loud crack and then a circular void of black appeared in the room directly in the path of the tentacles target. the speeding tendrils of enery hurled forward on their paths and where instantly absorbed into the nothingness. meanwhile medivh took the opportunity to jump into the void with the tentacles. the hole closed in on itself and for a second the room was silent. Then there was a loud crack as the hole re opened behind the stranger and out came Medivh riding the tentacles like a surfboard, knife drawn towards the arden. the day would be his yet!
<div align="center"><table><tr><td width=400></td></tr><tr><td width=400><div align="justify"><span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>Xavius had expected some sort of dodgeing manuever. But most certainly not this. As the dark arden disapeared into a void along with the tendrils of energy Xavius took a step back, sword at the ready. There was nothing for a moment. No sound, not even from the bumbling fools watching. The room was still. That, however, ended shortly as a loud crack sounded from behind him. He turned around to see his own spell head towards him and riding upon the tendrils was his avessary. Again Xavius resorted to his cape, grabing the edge and twirling it around himself. His figure dispeared, litterally apearing to sink into the floor until nothing was there. Xavius imiedatly appeared on the tendrils behind the intruder. The tendrils solidified and hovered like a platform of black thick webbing. The platform spread out until it was large enough to battle upon. <span style='color:red'> "You are indeed skilled in the dark magics, sir. Tell me your name and I shall honor you with mine." </span> Xavius swung his rapier like sword at the others back.</span></div></td></tr></table></div>
Medivh ducked just fast enough that the sword missed by a fraction of a hair. he back flipped off the platform and opened his back pocket. out came a pack of playing cards. he drew one between each of his fingers and charged them with negative energy. Then in an instant he began tossing them like throwing stars in the ardens direction. The arden deflected one only to find that they where explosive and was knocked back, but obviously uninjured. <span style='color:green'>Who is this guy?</span> Medivh wondered, staring up at the ominously cloaked figure. That skeletal mask irked him, it never changed, naturally of course because it was a mask, but knowing that something more powerful than he lay beyond it disturbed him greatly. He opted for a draw. he sheathed his cards and looked up at the monster. <span style='color:green'>"My name is Medivh, practitioner of the black arts, summoner of nightmares, and a profit of sorts. as for a last name, I'm afraid that i myself through a chain of events, don't know it. and who sir are you, who posses knowledge of the dark that surpasses my own?</span> With the heat of battle, both had bluntly let their auras pour out. Medivh could now clearly see that this strangers connection to the dark was far greater than his own...for now anyways.
Xavius deflected one of the cards that hurled towards him, unfortunately it exploded on impact and knocked him across the platform a bit. <span style='color:red'> Touche </span> He thought grudgingly to himself. The arden, whose name was Medihv, below gave a short introductory speech in which gave one insight to his arrogant personality. Then again whose to say Xavius himself wasn't arrogant. The platform on which he stood began to shift again, this time more or less attaching itself to the back of Xavius and morphing until it was like several long arachnid like legs sprouted from him. The legs suspended him in the air and gradually began to crawl down the wall, one at a time in an almost machine like fashion. As this happened Xavius Introduced himself. <span style='color:red'> "I am the darkness in the world and lover of The Nothing. Where ever the dark is I am there, where there is death I flourish. I am master of my trade and yet still learning, ever growing. I am the master of all you will find in this unholy haven, both inanimate, dead and living. I am Xavius Acheron." </span> His boots finally reached the ground with barley and audible sound. The legs faded to nothing. <span style='color:red'> "But you may call me Acheron." </span>
Medivh was taken back by the fact that his introduction had been outdone by someone slightly more arrogant. He opted to challenge Xavius in wit to see just how well spoken this arden really was. <span style='color:green'>Lover of nothing indeed. or was it that you love nothing. but if you love nothing then you would admit to not loving your proffesion. But gathering the display of skills you've shown i can gather that indeed you do love your craft so there for you love nothing, as that is what the darkness is. There for you are not the lover of "nothing" so much as a lover of Darkness. </span> It was a bit of a taunt, but he doubted that the arden would take to much offense by it. He moved his hand out to the side and focused his energies into his open palm. Black fire sprouted forth from his hand and began spewing sparks of darkness. A long slender object burst forth from his one hand and he gripped it in the other. The blackness wore off and the weapon could now clearly be appraised. It was a sythe with a black blade, as dark as the night itself and it glimmered with cold ferocity. The spine of the thing was just that, bone, Obviously old but kept well since it still maintained its white nature. What perhaps defined it most though was the skull that sat on the back end of the blade. It was larger than a normal skull and highly draconic, and despite the empty eye sockets, one could almost swear that it was looking right at you. This was the family weapon passed down through generations along with many other dark treasures that lay in his families vault. It was as fine a blade as any if not better, and possesed many dark abilities. <span style='color:green'>"precautionary measure,"</span> he said, grinning wickedly.
Xavius watched as the wicked, but magnificent, looking weapon appeared in Medivhs hand. He nodded and accepted it as a precaution walking around Medivh until his back was to his own minions. A sign for them to stand their ground. He flourished a salute with his own blade. <span style='color:red'> "You misunderstand sir, I am not a lover of nothing but of a lover of THE Nothing. By that I mean I am quite fond of Kytlekh. You've heard of that celestial being, yes? My powers do call upon The Nothing quite a bit. But that is not the only thing I love, for yes I do love the dark and I do love what I do." </span> Xavius had no doubt in his mind Medihv knew about Kytlekh. For this arden to had power in the dark. Xavius chuckled. <span style='color:red'> "I suppose though by being the lover of The Nothing does indeed make me a lover of something... and yet nothing again doesn't it?"</span> Xavius laughed once more.
<span style='color:green'>"You're tongue is as sharp as your sword,"</span> Medihv said, Twirling the sythe like a deadly baton. <span style='color:green'>"So sudden lack of combat, does this mean we have a cease fire?"</span> This man outdid even his father, and his father had once been a hunter of Vampires. He now had respect for the arden. He looked at the two bumbling oaths in the doorway. <span style='color:green'>"My family has practiced this trade for many a century, overtime we have manufactured some of the blackest objects known to 'dragons."</span> He pointed the blade at one of the unfortunate idiots, the uglier one if that was possible and tapped into the blades dark magic. for an instant the black blade glowed green and then he swung the blade swift as sound. a green beam of light spewed forth into the unsuspecting wretch and soon his entire body glowed the same green. there was a sucking noise as a sort of ghostly white vapor seeped out of the body and into the eye sockets of the skull. the glowing faded but the body remained standing, although now it was seemingly empty, and mindless. Medihv flicked his finger up, and the arden looked up. He motioned it left and it walked left. He closed his fist and the body instantly dropped to the floor like a ragdoll. Medihv turned and faced archeron and bowed a little. <span style='color:green'>" a demonstration. i hope you enjoyed."</span>
Xavius nodded, this show of black magic had earned this arden the right to stay within his unhumble abode. Xavius was impressed with the weapon and its most tastefull abilities. However now he had a mess upon his floor. Without saying a word he made a sharp gesture in the direction of the body. The shadow thickened there to such an intense dark that it practicly burned the eyes to look at it. When the shadow returned to normal the body was gone. Xavius turned back towards Medihv and saluted with his sword once more, as it did the cane hilt reapeared upon it. <span style='color:red'> "Very good. Such items are things to be treasured. Krugg!" </span> As Xavius called out the name of one of his most loyal but unfortunatley inefficient henchman a ruckus could be heard amonst the maimed. Out from the crowd stepped a rather large yet stupid looking arden. As Krugg stepped out from the crowd, rather clumsily at that, he grunted an acknowledgment towards Xavius. <span style='color:red'> "Have the chef prepare a dinner for two, we shall be entertaining company tonight." </span> Krugg nodded over enthusiasticly and began to leave. <span style='color:red'> "Try not to walk into anything on your way out." </span> Xavius said this with the utmost seriousness, he was not mocking or teasing Krugg in anyway. Krugg grunted again and disapeared. Only a few moments later could a loud crash be heard in the hallway. Xavius shook his head, placed his thumb and pointer finger on the brow of the mask and sighed. <span style='color:red'> "And anything outside the room as well. </span> Xavius looked back at Medihv, and gestured to the door. <span style='color:red'> "This way sir, we shall wait for dinner in my study." </span>
