Elemental Gods (free to join!)

"Why you need rocks when you have a fire elemental here?" said Anders and he threw a blaze of fire at both Ents, that quickly fell on the ground.
"Fire...? That means... You're Mohoku's worshipper!" said Jamie, looking at the red wolf.
"Ehem... I was. When he turned crazy and started killing everyone, I gave up. I actually bow to no one, not even your Nagoku." he replied.

"I'm glad that you're on our team, then.", Kumo smiled.

"I'm glad to be on your team" said Anders, smilling.

"Mighty time arrive, my friend" a voice came from behind Kumo. When he looked, he saw the two badgers standing there "I'm much obliged!" said the bigger badger that was the size of Kumo's leg. "Name's Gordon Freddik. Merchant and entrepreneur, at your service. This here is my son, Imrik" he pointed at the smaller badger, that was only three centimetres smaller then his father "Say hello, my boy"
"Hello" Imrik said smilling.

"Nice to meet you two.", Kumo smiled, "Were you guys hurt or anything?"

"Nay, we may be small, but we can stay surrounded by five Ents without them touching us." said Gordon "So, where you and your friends are going? Maybe we are going to the same way"

"I see... well, were headed toward Nagoku's crystal and protect it...or kill the ones who destroyed it.", Kumo barked.

"Hmm... Is that so? My, don't tell me you're a Gargoyle" said Gordon "Word travels fast that two Gargoyles managed to survive the battle on the south. No offense, but there is probably more excitement on your path than my boy and I are up for."
"Goodbye" said Imrik.
"Now then! Let's clean this mess up, shall we?" Gordon said and the pair of badgers started cleaning the mess that the Ents did.

"We should proceed" said Jamie, behind Kumo.

"Yes, tally ho!", Kumo padded forward, noticing that the orange glow in the distance was getting brighter.

The party went towards the north, to the temple. When it was getting dark, they decided to camp for the night. They felt like they hadn't sleep for years.

--

Kumo again had the nightmare, but this time, it was shawing the dark wolf growling and howling in front of an army of other black wolves. The large black wolf stared at Kumo and said another thing in the strange language, but Kumo was able to understand one word: 'we'.

--

Kumo woke up startled because of the strange and constant dreams. He was sleeping in front of the warm bonfire and Jamie was sitting on the other side.
"Bad dreams, huh?" she asked, noticing the change of expression on Kumo's face.

"Yeah...", Kumo slowly nodded, "I keep having this one nightmare, with this black wolf with red eyes, but I couldn't understand what he was saying...and this time he had a army looking just like him..."

Jamie nodded "This is a part of being a Gargoyle. After you drink the blood, you start having constant nightmares with this figure. Some of the old Gargoyles can understand him, but I sure can't." she said, lying down and staring at the fire "No one knows what that wolf is. We believe it's the black spirit that inhabit your body, talking with you. When you are older and start understand the spirit, the nightmares are so constant that almost drives you crazy." she sighed and looked at her paws "Caill once told me, a few days ago, that he was having the nightmares again... He said it wouldn't be too long until he would lose himself in the middle of the Korkari Wilds for one last glorious battle"

"So... our nightmare wolf knows the future?", Kumo tilted his head slightly to the left, "....That's weird..."

"The future?" Jamie asked and she chuckled "No, silly... A Gargoyle can live for 30 years, and no more. The taint of the blood will kill you or transform you into a husk and disappear underground. It's something we call 'the calling'. When you have the calling, the wolf starts talking with you normal, not on your dreams any longer." she shrugged "So imagine you going to the market and the spirit talking with you. They... They say the spirit can see the weakness on the gargoyle and he is the one that gives you the nightmares, showing things you fear. After some time, the spirit starts telling you to do horrible things. Some gargoyles do these things, but the wise ones no. So they go to the Korkari Wilds and kill themselves by fighting with the elemental creatures"

"Wow....", Kumo gulped, "I didn't know that I had a specific date for when I was to die.... how old are you, Jamie?"

"I'm 13" she replied "We are both adults since wolves and dogs survive for 60 years. As a gargoyle, we'll have 30 years to jump around"

(( 13 years here is like 19~20 human years ))

"Anyhow... When I heard you trashing in your sleep, I thought I should tell you... Well, you're awake" she said standing up "We better move on"

You are at the camp. Here, it's the best time to talk to your comrades and get to know them better. You can see Anders, Jamie, Reccarn and Morrigan, but you can also see a pair of badgers on the other side of the camp, with a wagon. They were the pair of badgers you saved, maybe you should talk to them and find out why they decided to follow you, or you can move on with your quest.

"Thanks.", Kumo nodded, standing up and padding over to the badgers. "So, you've decided to follows us, it seems." He chuckled.

"Ahhh, yes! My timely recuer! If you don't mind, of course!" said Gordon "Me and my boy here also collects items, so you and your friends can buy whatever you want from our wagon and I'll give you a discount."

"Hello" said Imrik.
"The boy is a bit simple" said Gordon "But he knows a lot of enchantments. One of those mage fellows call him... What was it now..? A savant! I didn't know such a thing existed! If you have some kind of rune, you can bring to my boy here and he'll craft into your armor or weapons. Isn't that right, boy?"
"Enchantment!" Imrik said, happily and clapping his tiny claws.
"And there you have it" Gordon chuckled.

"Glad you've joined. We need as much help as we can get.", Kumo smiled, "Now I must speak with the others."

"Of course! If there's anything I can do for you, just tell me!" said Gordon.
"Goodbye" Imrik said.

Kumo looked at the camp and it was still night. He looked at Jamie, that was yawning and warming herself next to the bonfire and he decided to go talk to her.

"Hey there" Jamie said, smiling when she looked at Kumo.

Terra sighed, rolling her eyes. "Morte, if you weren't feeling well, you'd be moaning. And if I were to offer you food you'd say 'NOOO! IMMA NOT HUNGARY! MY TUMMY HURRRRRTSSAH!'"

Tempo smirked. "Ah, yes, I almost forgot. I cannot wait, Laiko."

Terra: -

"Mum is doing those strange noises again..." whispered Rovina.

The door of Terra's room opened and one of the bishops appeared "Terra!" said the she-wolf "There's someone here that I think you'd like to meet"

Tempo: -

"I'm not joking, Tempo" said Laiko, coldly "You better watch yourself... These troubled times are only getting worse each passing day and lord Tendoku is not pleased"

The gargoyles placed Tempo on the floor and there was a pot full of blue liquid in the middle of the room. "What you need to do if survive... If the demon possess you, the gargoyles will kill you" Laiko said, still not removing his eyes from the book "Touch the glass" when he said that, the hourglass next to him suddenly started counting time.

"Pumkins, Mommy has to go for a minute, okay?" She barked, then turned to her visitors, wondering who the other wolf was. "Alright." Terra stepped out into the outdoors. "It's colder out here than I remembered."

Tempo nodded understandingly. "But of course, Laiko. I said only as I meant. Wait, you mean touch the hourglass, or the blue stuff in a pot?" He said. You could tell he was trying not to joke around, although his words sounded funny.

Terra: -

"Follow me" said the bishop and she guided Terra through the temple of Woods. It was very beautiful, full of flowers on the white marble walls and statues of Hanagami playing with small pups and other animals. When they got into the main hall, Terra saw a strange wolf talking with other bishops "Ahh, Terra!" said the wolf "How you grew up... You may not recognize me, but I'm Petterusco, your father's friend." he said "I don't talk with him for years and I hoped if I could find him here"

Tempo: -

"The 'blue stuff in a pot'... It's called lyrium and if you touch the raw material, it will kill you. I meant the glass." said Laiko, impacient.

Lyirum is a valuable mineral, but also very dangerous when it's raw, able to cause mental injuries and even make you lost vision and, or memories. It's used to enchant weapons and armor and also to control the mage hunters, that makes their powers more powerful while battling magic and element. It's also used on rituals and to enter in other worlds.

Terra gulped, nearly crying. "Ah, um, hi, Petterusco. Father died nine years ago."

"... Oh. Alrighty then." Tempo grinned nervously, and touched the hourglass with his paw.

Terra: -

Petterusco looked at Terra "Really?! Oh... I'm... I'm really sorry, girl... I haven't talked with him for nearly eleven years since the Great War started and when I got here to Foxxa Plains, I thought he would be... I'm very sorry..."

"It's good to see you again, Petterusco" said another voice.
"Ahh, Lady Pyll" he replied, bowing his head before the Archbishop.
Pyll nodded and looked at Terra "Since our forces are patrolling the Brecilian Forest, Petterusco's army will guard the temple this night. He was your father's friend and he is also my friend, so please, make him confortable" she said and the other bishops nodded.

Tempo: -

Laiko sighed "Touch the glass with the lyrium inside, Tempo... Not the hourglass...." he said shaking his head "Touch the glass, but not the lyrium!" he pointed at the pot in the middle of the room with the shiny blue liquid inside.