Andy merely laughed, and dodged nimbly, his broadswords flashing as he danced them around once more. "You wont really beat an assassin at swordplay, you know. Too nimble."

Andy reached into a pocket and produced a small grey ball. "Sulfur and gunpowder with sugar. Observe." He threw it at the feet of the priest, and a loud crack, followed by a thick white cloud of smoke, was heard. When it cleared, Andy was nowhere to be seen.

He was, in truth, back over the 8 foot high wall and running back to the entrance. This time he didnt even care if anyone was in the foyer. He ran up the broken stairs, and into a side room. He calmed himself down a bit, then searched for any indication as to the type of room he was actually in. It was a sort of storage room. Bits and pieces of food adorned the walls, crates and barrels lining the floors. Rugs and other junk was scattered about in small piles. After rifling around a bit, the young thief sat down on a barrel and pulled his paper out. He was writing once more.

Relice was a little starteled. Then she realised how dumb that was and walked to the wall. She pushed the sword into the ground. Reached up and caucht the rimm of the wall. She then pulled up the sword and pushed it into the ground on the opposite side of the wall. She climbed down the wall, pulled the sword from the ground. Śhe closed her eyes and when she opened them the sword was gone. She then walked into the tempel. The old doors quietly opened at her touch. She walked through the empty corridor, her footsteps echoing at every step. She took a glance at the walls. They were ornate, with textures reffering to the phoenix.

She herself had been given the order to stop the summoning, for the Third Theocracy needed to summon a myth themselves. They were the summoners of the Mother Grendel, the saviour of their nation, that would bring forth a age of art and technology throughtout the whole world. They had been summoning it for 100 years now, 1 hour per day. Lately the magicenergy had been draining away from the world, so they had sent her, Relice, to stop all summonings in the world. By now she had travelled for a year and had stopped one. She felt great energy drewn here so she followed it and arrived at a temple.

As she paced throught the corridor, she suddenly heared other loud walking noises. She followed them. Suddenly she noticed a great red glow. She went near and found a door. It had an evil aura around it. She sttod still at the door and waited.

Sacrifice...

"No, Lady.." Saylen half-whispered, half pleaded. "The phoenix is a merciful, bountiful creature...it would not ask for the life of anyone...it comes to restore life, not take it away.."

He lowered his head, eyes closed. The image of Yuu shimmered behind his eyelids for a moment before being replaced by darkness, smooth and comfortably familiar. The words continued to fall from his lips. "Neus might have asked..for Neus brings death to those whom do not worship him...but the phoenix? Never in all my years..."

He certainly hoped things hadn't changed. Was it the fact that it was blood? Or that it was her blood? Or was it an eerie coincidence...

Rubbing her palm, Yuu shook her head and sighed. This trying time wasn't clearing her mind at all and her burdened heart was just another thing adding to the phoenix being unable to rise.

"What else am I to do, Guardian? These people trust in the powers. These people had faith within these rituals and within the phoenix...within me. But their minds are searching for answers. And their hearts are giving up their faith. If this continues and I am unable to give rise to the phoenix, we'll have to deal with the riots becoming larger and more fierce. I fear for the temple and the people sworn to protect me. I fear for you, Saylen...and Atcanus, too."

She walked back to her bed, laying down upon the thick fur blanket and gazing at the large fire-altars at the side of her bedhead. Hugging a pillow close to her stomach, she closed her eyes.

"Keep my tea warm, Saylen, I just need to close my eyes for a while..."

Turning from the Inner Chamber, Atcanus gestured and the doors to the Enclave of the Phoenix shut before them.
You will follow me Knight, your weapon will remain sheathed unless it is in defence of our cause. Bring the "Rabbit" and we will sort all of these grey secrets together.

He led the way from the crumbling temple, bringing to life the burning red wards of defence as he passed. Stepping out to the cobblestone walkway that led to the ancient place of Summoning he gave it one last look. Something told him he would never see it again. The Sky was a rolling black and a mist of light rain had started to veil around them.

Let us make haste.

<Hm, the glow is finaly disaparing, Ill go in> Thought Relice. She went to the door and pushed it open. It flung at such hast, that it starteled Relice enough to make her step backward. After one quiet minute she stepped into the room, It was a big room with an altar. <I must make haste> she thought and started looking for something. Then she tugged into her robe and pulled out a weird pair of glasses. Those were magicall glasses. She put the on and soon she noticed a hidden passage.She went through.

Saylen set the tea upon one of the undying flames in Yuu's room and then drew up a chair beside the bed and sat upon it, cross-legged, facing the Lady.

"Rest, Summoner," he whispered gently, as he had many times before. "Rest that we may try again when yo uawaken.."

He lowered his head and dragged the back of his hand across Yuu's forehead, whispering a chant of protection, and then set it limply in his lap. You deserve to rest, he thought. You have done so much for so many and yet so few support or praise your efforts..

A sigh. And there is the matter of the intruders...

Walking limply through the corridor, Relice suddenly nticed three figures walking a head of her. "My, how many people," she thought to herself and then she started quikly chanting the spell of invisibility. In a matter of seconds, she was in visible and unhearable.

Yuu did rest. Her long red hair tumbling about the mass of pillows, little lips quivering as her warm breath escaped her lips and lingered in the cold air. Her arms wrapped about herself, she huddled herself into the thick fur blanket and whimpered lightly. It was cold.

Not even a dream would save her from the bitterness of the night, so Yuu's eyes flickered open and she looked about the room.

"Saylen...What time is it...?" her meek voice whispered, as she sat up in bed, pulling the blanket up over her shoulders as she shivered lightly.

Saylen's eyes opened. He had been resting, though not asleep...his lifestyle did not allow for sleep. His training had taught him other ways of rejuvenating his energies, and as such he was always ready to tend to the Summoner were She to need his assistance.

His dark-accustomed eyed slid to the window which revealed nothing but darkness. "Late is the hour," he said monotonously, "I would estimate the night is but half over. I have kept your tea warm Lady, if you desire it..or if you wish to speak, I am always here to listen."