The New Threat to Yliakum

[Suno_Regin]

Yliakum was thrown into a great suffering time. Many had died, others were injured badly, and some simply moved away...individual lives did not matter in this time, it was only a time for survival. If someone could not move, they would be left to die. Religion played a major role in this time, as the people did not know who to follow. Laanx, a God of great beauty, until a fatal accident, controled the violent powers of the Azure Sun. Talad, was a humble God, who created the Kran with the same power that disfigured Laanx, and also he created the Glyphs.

Many generations passed, and life began to settle down. One individual, though, tossed Yliakum back into its previous state of suffering. Xidus Unazi, a Ynnwn of great strength, slaughtered everyone he saw. Some who managed to escape, remember hearing these words from him,

\"The blood of those I\'ve slain has stained my blade...those foolish enough to look at me, speak to me, or attack me, all recieve the same punishment...death.\"

and hence the people began to run away, away to Kadaikos, where they would seek help. Armies gathered, and marched back to the ruins of the upper-level\'s eastern area. Xidus knew that the army would be no match for his power, and charged at the army with full force. He did not count on one thing, though...Laanx had come with them. He banished Xidus to the Death Realm, where he would live the rest of his life being tormented by the souls of those he had slain. Xidus screamed in pain, as the shadows reached out and fiercely dragged him in. Tales of Xidus passed throughout Yliakum, being exaggerated by each person it was passed to. Soon, the legend was so unbelievable, that it was forgotten.

Years later...

\"These fools think they have gotten rid of me...they are wrong. I will return...just as soon as I find the book holding the secrets to my escape.\"

These words echoed in the darkness, even though no one could hear them. Xidus was finally able to move, he was free from Laanx\'s hold on his body, but he still had to escape from the Death Realm. Being banished there, he could not use the portal\'s power to return to the world of the living. He needed more knowledge of magic, so that he may alter its form that it will accept him back into Yliakum.

Xidus walked down the path, looking for the library. Soon, he had found it, and searched the shelves for the book holding the secrets to his escape. He looked very interested in one book, the Book of Runes. It taught him everything he needed to know about magic. Using a strange substance, he drew all of the runes on to his flesh, that looked like normal tattoos. He had even drawn them on his armor, so as to enhance the metal\'s strength. Then, he found a robe hanging on the wall, so he took it down and put it on, as to cover himself up once he reached the outside world. He was done with the book, so he tossed it to the ground.

Shaba Acidheart, the person acting as a librarian there, called him over to tell him something. She had said that the last person who mistreated the books was killed. Xidus claimed that he was immortal in the Death Realm, and anything she did to him would only encourage him to slay her. He left the library in a rage, and returned once Shaba had left. He searched the shelves, still trying to find the book he was looking for.

There was a staircase, where he walked up and was able to reach the books on the top of the shelf. He jumped on to one of the book shelves, and found Ciceri and Rioth talking there. Xidus angrily told them to leave and return to their own world, but they refused. They told him that he should leave, since he did not explain his reasons to them for being in the Death Realm, either. He soon told them the story, but broke it up into pieces.

Rioth asked him who he was killing, while he was in the middle of telling the story. Xidus simply replied,

\"Every damned fool who dared to speak to me.\"

and with that, Rioth began to watch his actions. Xidus finally found the book he was looking for, and began to read the words out loud. Just as he did, though, Rioth casted a fireball at him. Xidus quickly extended his arm towards the fireball, and the runes in his arm absorbed the energy. Then, Rioth pulled out some switchblades, and casted another fireball towards Xidus. This time, Xidus spun around, so that the fireball hit his back, and the runes drawn there once again absorbed the spell, but in turn burned a hole in the robes.

Xidus continued to read, beginning to become angered. Rioth charged at Xidus with his switchblades, and slashed at him with his left blade. Xidus quickly spun around and hit Rioth\'s arm off target, making him stumble off balance. The words did not stop coming from his mouth, though. Xidus was on the last line in the book, and the runes on his body began to change shape to adjust to the new spell Xidus had learned, Portal.

Xidus teleported to the pathway, and Rioth, along with Ciceri, had jumped off the bookshelf, and ran for the portal while Xidus was walking down the path. Once he reached the snake head, Rioth, Ciceri, and Tarel had blocked his path. Rioth pulled out his sword, ready for a fight. Xidus told them that he was below fighting them, and he teleported behind Ciceri, but Tarel still stood. Xidus casted a different spell, and his body suddenly became transparent. He walked right through Tarel, as if he were a ghost. Tarel quickly extended an arm towards Xidus, and pulled him back.

Xidus was now caught between Tarel, Rioth, and Ciceri, where he was at a disadvantage. The reason why he did not fight, was because the long time being trapped in the Death Realm, made him forget how to wield a blade. Thus, magic was his only option. He teleported to the ledge of a rock being held in place by chains, and the Dragon Council members could not reach him. They could, though, use magic.

Rioth somehow managed to combine magic into his weapon, and slashed at Xidus, releasing a force from his blade so powerful that Xidus had to teleport out of the way, and back in front of Tarel. Tarel casted Weakness on Xidus, but the runes on his body simply absorbed the spell. Once again, Xidus turned transparent, and walked through Tarel, this time remembering to cast the spell in a stronger form, so it wouldn\'t disperse so quickly.

Xidus ran up the stairway, and once he reached the portal, he began to cast the spell. Rioth and the others ran after him, and began to attack him while he was charging the spell. The runes on his body absorbed most of the attacks, but then began to fade from his body. The spell was then done charging, and Xidus casted it on the portal, making it able to accept him back into the world of the living. He ran through the portal before the attacks wore down the power of the runes, and hit his body.

Xidus was now free...

[Suno_Regin]

Xidus managed to summon the runes to his body after he was back in the world of the living. But, when he looked around, things were not as he remembered them. Xidus walked on the roads in town, until he realized that he was in Ojaveda after looking at the hills upon leaving. He began to walk down the dirt path, and it took hours before he reached a forest, where a Ynnwn was killing Rogues to clear the way for adventurers.

Xidus watched the Ynnwn\'s movements, and decided to go speak to him. Along the way, he slayed Rogues who jumped out in front of him attempting to steal his possessions. The Ynnwn saw Xidus, and walked over to him. He looked at the runes on his body, but said nothing about them. A conversation began, and at the same time they were killing Rogues that thought they could steal something while they were distracted. The Ynnwn, who Xidus now knew as Degomon, began to ask about the way Xidus fought.

Xidus told Degomon that he killed because it amused him, but there was another reason that arised later in the conversation...Xidus said that he was chosen by Vod?l to rid the world of those born of the Azure Sun, those born of Laanx, because Vod?l regretted teaching Laanx how to create life. Laanx only wanted followers, and created life that was worshipping him for false reasons. Xidus was to kill all, other than Ynnwn, Diaboli, and Kran, so that the land would undergo rebirth.

He said that he did not see Vod?l, but he did hear his voice. Degomon looked scared, and breathless.

\"I\'m talking to Vod?l\'s tool of destruction!?\" Degomon asked, a bit panicked.

\"Yes...destruction is the beginning of rebirth, Vod?l may be a God, but he can only look into the future. He needs someone to use the Crystal\'s power for him...\" Xidus replied.

Another Ynnwn had found them, and had apperantly been hiding in the trees, listening to them.

\"Laanx is but an arrogant creature who deserves death.\" The Ynnwn said.

\"It appears that yet another shares my vision...\" Xidus said to the Ynnwn.

The conversation continued between the three, and as they talked, Xidus slowly convinced them to join him in ridding the world of the ones he called, \"Crystal-Borns\" and Ynnwn ruling over Yliakum. Isra, the Ynnwn that had been hiding, looked at the runes on his body, and drew his swords.

\"I\'ve seen those things before...\" Isra had said.

\"There is no need for us to fight amongst ourselves.\" Xidus said to Isra, grabbing Isra\'s blade and lowering it to the ground slowly.

Then, Isra had stowed his blades.

\"Very well,\" Isra said after his blades were sheathed. \" but know this...I can slay both of you in a second with no need of my blades.\"

\"Do not be so certain...\" Degomon finally said, trying to recover from finding out what Xidus was doing.

They all walked to the hills, where they began to talk in a more private place, away from the Rogues that tried to mug them. Xidus said that he could offer them both salvation...freedom from their Elven side, but not be Diaboli, either. He said that he could purify them, and give them relief. Xidus extended his arm to Degomon, and Degomon slowly extended his hand to grab the other. Xidus took Degomon\'s hand, and as the runes on Xidus\' body began to glow, a light flashed from Degomon as well.

Runes began to appear on Degomon\'s flesh, and he screamed as he began to grow a tail, and horns, and lost all of his Elven traits. His skin remained red, though, and thus he was not Diaboli, nor Elf, he was a purified Ynnwn, but he did not have the sinful Elf blood in his veins anymore...he was free, and that was all that he needed to know. He no longer acted like a coward, he no longer feared, he was hardened from the purification, and he vowed to serve Xidus with full respect.

Xidus had said earlier that Diaboli were perfect in many ways. They did not worship the Gods, but there was a fatal mistake that they made...they had reproduced with the Elves, thus creating a mixed breed: the Ynnwn. Degomon\'s purification had removed the Elven side of his race, but for a strange reason, he was not made Diaboli, and neither was Xidus when he bestowed the runes upon himself. Their red skin, and Ynnwn blood crossed with Diaboli, made a new race, but they still called themselves Ynnwn, for it represented the perfect being, not clouded by the Diaboli\'s thought of loving life, and not trapped in the knowing of many sins the Elves had made.

Xidus extended his arm to Isra next, waiting for him to take it. Isra did. Isra grabbed Xidus\' arm, and the same thing happened to him, that happened to Degomon. His Elven traits disappeared, but he remained Ynnwn. He loved the feeling. He felt stronger, faster, more intelligent, and purified...he laughed hysterically, but could not control his new-found power. He wildly stabbed himself with his blade, thus ending his life temporarily. Since he was not banished to the Death Realm like Xidus was, he only appeared there, to find his way out and return to the world of the living.

Xidus then thought of freeing all of the Ynnwn\'s, and destroying the Crystal-Borns as One.

Isra began to lose his mind, though, like he was being controlled. He screamed,

\"Xidus...Xidus...Xidus!\"

and thus, the Ritual of Ynnwn Purification began...

[Suno_Regin]

Xidus continued walking in the woods, looking for others who may wish to join him in his cause. Along the way, he found Setill, who already looked mostly like a Diaboli, but still was not pure. The two started a conversation, and Xidus explained to him what he was doing, and why...their intentions seemed to be the same. Setill told Xidus that he and Narita were planning to use the Dark Crystal, because they heard from Vod?l in a dream. They were going to destroy Yliakum, which to Xidus meant that the Dark Crystal was just a faster way of doing what he was already thinking of.

The conversation continued, and eventually, Xidus convinced Setill of becomming purified, so that he may be free of his Elven half. Setill took Xidus\'s hand, and the purification began. Setill\'s body began to glow, as the runes appeared on his body, and soon...he became just like Xidus, Isra, and Degomon; Pure Ynnwn...Narita walked by a few minutes later, and looked at Setill, wondering why he looked like he did. Setill told Narita that Xidus had purified him, and made him into a Pure Ynnwn. He said it felt really good, that he felt stronger.

Narita too, wished to become pure. Xidus took Narita\'s hand, and her body begin to do what Setill\'s body had done when Xidus had purified him. Her body began to glow, runes appeared on her flesh, and a tail grew. She had also become a Pure Ynnwn. The three went somewhere alone, and they began to talk of their plans. They differed on a few subjects, such as killing everyone, or just destroying Yliakum. It took much thought, but Xidus decided to subject to what Setill and Narita were already planning. Either way, Xidus knew that he would get much fun out of it, and he would be doing what Vod?l wanted him to do.

Isra had finally escaped the Death Realm, and found a Kran named Makita. At first, Makita and Xidus did not get off at friendly terms, once Isra introduced the two. After a while, Xidus decided to purify Makita, as well. Purification for Krans, meant that their Silicon bodies would grow in power, and it would not be as weak against weapons that are blunt. Makita agreed, and as the Kran\'s body began to glow, runes appears on its body, and its color changed to deep blue.

Days later...

Xidus had met Satayne and Zorbels in the Ojaveda Hills, and since Xidus and Satayne had already hated eachother, it was apperant that Zorbels would side with Satayne. Setill and Narita met them there while they were arguing, and after that, they began to talk about their intentions to the two Enkidukai, just to frighten them. It did, Vod?l\'s name struck fear into Satayne, and Zorbels got mad over a comment saying that Laanx\'s beauty being taken away by Talad was a little \'accident.\'

They argued on, but a few times, Satayne and Zorbels simply laughed, because they bloated that they had crawled out of worse hells than what the Ynnwn were telling them.

But, they did not know that the Ynnwn were not bluffing...