In the cave the Felix was bound to, he kneels in front of a podium he made from a black wood and having the engraving of a dark ritualistic symbol upon it he closes his eyes to meditate. About to start Felix is rudely intruded by the phasing entry of the Matriarch inquiring on the progress to his work,

“Slow” Felix replies “this creatures mind is very strong and well-defended when he sleeps”

“That is way I chose him for he is the strongest and will be the hardest to break from when hold him to your control” Sophie smiled

“And any of his companions will be powerless to help for the anger he possesses is a great one” Felix concludes and Sophie then nods

“Just notify me when the first stage of the task is complete and complying with a gesture of his hands she leaves.

That night Namor asleep in his room awakens suddenly from a cold touch to his left cheek, he looks to the cause and is started beyond speech at a dark cloaked figure with a sword to his throat, wearing black leather gloves covering his exposed hands.

“W-w-what do you want” Namor cracked out of his mouth and coming closer to Namor the figure leans over and says in a dark sinister voice

“Backlash!” with a hurling fist from the figures left side, it impacted Namor’s face and to Namor’s sight; all goes black.

With his eyes slowly focusing from the blurry state they hold, Namor arrives again to the realm of the conscious with a headache ever growing in pain. He wakes up in a small burrow from a large cave and having no bars to his hollowed cell he attempts to leave when he is startled by two giant figures acting as guards. They stand about eight feet tall and look like giant ants but with big crab like front claws for arms and keeps Namor in his area.

“What is this, where am I, who are you” pointing to Felix

“My humble abode, and to be a proper host I bid you welcome” Felix states and Namor then looked to the cloaked figure who is still cover too much to identify, seeing however a cloud of dark mist coming from its face it is told by Felix to leave and giving him a letter that is to be placed where Namor was, in a flash of light the creature was gone.

“And to answer you good sir, the purpose to your abduction is to force a certain Drow leader Cynn to surrender her tribe to the Matriarch Sophie, and if not watch the desecrating destruction of the city of Silverspire due to her patriotism, for if you die the reinforcements that are promised to them will be disbanded and the city will fall at the mercy of Colossus” Felix explains and with a nod of Felix’s head the guard punches Namor’s already bruised face knocking him out again.

“Humans, their curiosity will be the death of them” Felix sighs and continues his work.

Tristan goes to Namor’s room in the morning to find no sign of him and just a note left on the bed where he slept. Quickly running to Cloud and explaining what has happened, Cloud then sends out search parties to look for Namor while he tells Alisianna, Dawn and Elanee of the situation, stunned and concerned for his well-being due to the good he has recently done they help search.

Checking the Guardhouse Cloud busts in and awakes a sleeping Rain passed out in the chair he was in last night.

“Rain get up Namor’s missing” Cloud barks and Rain yawning a little raises to the day, “Maybe he’s just out for a morning run and good lost in the woods, you know how it is to keep his awesome figure in shape” Rain finished by getting up, coming up to his side Cloud jerks him awake more and explains to him the note of his abduction.  

“I hope you don’t think remotely that I had a hand in this cause I assure you I didn’t” defended Rain

“Judging by how you slept last night, you would have had a war pass you by without knowing, so yes I don’t think it was you” said Cloud looking through the house as Rain followed and lending a hand.

They all searched all day and with no success of anything to show, they all reconvened at the guardhouse for new action, talking amongst themselves they decided to all get a good night sleep and start on a plan to get into the Drow city to get Namor out. About to leave Cloud stops Tristan only and keeping him held back from the others.

“Something wrong Cloud” he asked

“This maybe an attempt to divide us for when Colossus attacks and holding Namor well insure us of getting no reinforcements” Cloud said worried, putting his hand on his shoulder Tristan smiles

“It won’t come to that Cloud I assure you that you will have the forces you need trust me” he states, sensing that Tristan has a message in that statement hidden but too tired to figure it out he ignores the matter for now, and tells Tristan of a hidden plan regarding the king’s safety for he might be in danger in this ploy.

Later that night Rain has yet another dream, and during the night during the king’s sleep with two guards posted at his bedside the dark cloaked figure appears in his room. Seeing the twin guards he pulls the dagger from his sheath and creeps up to the first guard, not making a sound he goes to stab the guard and is shocked to find he is awake and dodging the attack to his chest counters with and sword attack of his own. The second guard joins the attack and appearing a blade in the cloaked figures hands he battles both guards awaking the king in a frantic state. The figure shows great challenge in blocking and avoiding being hit but is finally struck with a tackling from the one guard and is pinned to the floor. The guard stays on top of the figure while the other unhoods him, shocking to see Rain’s face with his eyes bellowing with a shroud of black smoke giving off a zombie like state of expression. Pulling their helmets off Cloud and Tristan both hold looks of shock and confusion.

Felix in his cave breaks the mental link with Rain’s mind and shakes his head in frustration

“DAMN!!!” he cries

“Something wrong” Namor says

“Yes but it’s nothing a short trip won’t cover” and Felix then calls in his mind for Sophie to his lair, arriving she asks.

“Have you acquired what I asked from you?”

“Not yet, there was a complication involving the agent you told me to dominate” Felix explains

“Such as” Sophie questions

“Apparently he lacked the ability to duel with a sword as well as the Captain of Silverspire and got himself caught, if you still want this to work I need him back” he stated

“I see and you probably need to leave your hovel to do this?” she asked

“Well it does help” and walking up to him close, her snake then slithers around off her neck moving toward and onto his. “I guess I could let you go out on a day pass”

“And as my word as my bond I will not betray you by running” Felix adds

“Oh don’t worry about that I know you won’t run, after all you don’t become the Matriarch of Shadowell without having everything in your favor” and finishing up her quote the snake then bares its long fangs into Felix’s neck side, hitting the snake off quickly rubbing his neck he feels a strange sensation running through his body, then with an inquiring look stares at Sophie, and smiling she explains.

“My baby’s venom is magically induced with an anesthetic that is harmless to only one end, it gives off a locator of where you are and can only be traced by my mind, I then know where you are at all times and on any plane so don’t even try it”

“You diabolical ….B-“

“uh ah carefully listen before you accuse, for when you complete what you have started in motion I will remove the serum from you body” and disappearing in a flash she then blows him a kiss laughing as her ghostly form disappears.  

Rain having the link broken now stares at his brother pinning him to the ground and shakes his head.

“What happened, (looking at his position) where am I…what the hell!!? Is going on here, get off of me Cloud” he shouted to him and looking around he then realized he was in the King’s Chamber. Extra guards being called in the room gathering around them,

“Rain, is that you”

“Of course it’s me you idiot, who else would it be” he snaps at Tristan

“Your eyes, it was like you were possessed or something” Tristan explained and tossing his brother off of himself Rain gets to his feet, and still holding the dagger in his hands he drops it wondering why he had it in the first place.

“What is going on here…Cloud…Tristan” Rain said slowly

“You tried to assassinate the king tonight Rain” Cloud said to him when they heard some light footprints pacing down the hallway to the room, and in arrived Elanee.

“I heard the king was attacked, who was the…..Rain!??” she boasted

“Apparently” Rain said “We should figure this out and now” Rain said and going to the door Cloud nodded for the guards not to let him pass.

“I agree Rain but this task will need to be done without you, guards seize him” Cloud commands not looking at his brother.

“What the HELL ARE YOU DOING? GET OFF OF ME!” Rain shouts to the guards and holding a flame in his hands to get the men to back off Tristan and Cloud aim their weapons

“RAIN DON”T, you were under some influence while you were in here and as clear to me as it is that your back to normal right now, there is no telling when the change will occur again. I’m sorry brother but you are as of this moment under arrest for treason against the king, and quite possibly the kidnapping of Namor….take him to the Arcane hold and bind his wrists with spell chains” Cloud commands bowing his head in shame.

Watching him be drug off Tristan comes to Cloud’s side and grabs his shoulder “It was the right call Cloud and you know it”

“Doesn’t mean it makes it any easier” says Cloud defeated and turns to Elanee “Please wake my sister and tell her of what has happened” then meet us in the courtyard” staying quiet she nods her head and slowly walks out.

Cloud wakes Alisianna and they all meet up.

While discussing matters involving Rain inside the house, on the outside and going around inside the castle walls to get Rain out is Felix. Sneaking around and manipulating all minds that he comes across, creating a mental image in each of their heads of him looking and talking like a Silverspire guardsmen, Felix works his way into the prison area getting just outside the door where Rain is being held by Artanis. Being hired quietly by Cloud to guard the door as an act of higher priority, Felix transforms his body into that of the king he saw in Rain’s mind. Getting close to Artanis he asked him to release the prisoner and that he will take him from here on in.

“What’s the password my Lord” says Artanis

“Password …uh there is none” Felix said to him

“Wrong my liege for if you remember its traitor” said Artanis shaking his head for a second “And you wouldn’t be this calm seeing me here if you were the actual King, because I was kicked from the city you imposter” and moving to his sword Felix then throws a minds blast to Artanis’s head in an attempt to dominate his mind. Fighting it with his will Artanis tries to attack Felix but missing him a couple of times, Felix quickly gets the upper hand. Concentrating harder on him Felix then subdues Artanis into submission and forces him to release Rain chains and restore his powers. With him now under his total control Felix then tells Artanis to chain himself up and toss the key to Rain. In so doing Rain with just a word from Felix’s mouth is back under his control and both teleport away.

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A while passes before the guards to the entrance of the prison tower see Captain Cloud approaching them, he asks how it’s going and if there has been any unusual activity happening, the guards say no and just as Cloud was about to leave one guard perks up and asked about the third guard’s reason for being here.

“There was no third guard just you two that I assigned” Cloud responded

“Oh ok then, maybe we were seeing things Captain sorry about that” the guard said, and nodding his head Cloud turns to leave when it dawns on him,” seeing things” he said to himself

“I’m sorry Captain” said the guard asking him to explain

“No time follow me” Cloud commanded and following Cloud down into the prison block they reach Rain’s cell to see the door opened, upon entering they see Artanis chained up instead of Rain and commanding his men to skewer the city for Rain’s presence, Cloud returns to the guardhouse to inform the rest of what has happened.

The group and Tristan go to Artanis and attempt to release him, Elanee then goes into Artanis’s head to restore his sanity and bring him back to the real world. Digging the knowledge, she tries to pick the lock but doesn’t have the skills to do it herself.

“I can’t get it unlocked, and Rain has the key” Elanee says from looking into Artanis’s mind

“Then we’ll have to find out where they’re going” Tristan said

“How, they could be anywhere” added Dawn “How are we supposed to narrow it down?” she continued and smiling to them all Cloud laughed to himself and shook his head in disbelief

“Elanee a mind link, could it take a while to establish” asked Cloud

“Yea”

“Like maybe a couple of weeks?” Cloud inquired

“If the mind was very strong” Elanee added

“Like my brother’s” and hitting the wall of the cell he unearths a quick cry of anger.

“Cloud what’s wrong do you know something” Alisianna asked in worry

“Dreams, son of a bitch, Rain has been having dreams for like two weeks and I didn’t even see the connection, that was the creature trying to connect to his mind and now he’s got it, using Rain as a puppet” and suddenly smiling he continues “But I think we know where to look, Alisianna is there swamp lands somewhere in this area, a deep one?”

“Yes but it’s filled with mist and has been abandoned due to it being haunted”

“I don’t think it’s haunted, that’s where the creature is hiding or living” Cloud rambles out.

“What are you talking about Cloud” Tristan asked

“In Rain’s dreams he sees a cave in a swamp it must be him going to his lair” explains Cloud

“Ok and how is he getting there so quickly we have skewered the land for miles around and there is no sign of swamp lands anywhere” questions Dawn

“Teleporting” Alisianna blurts out “Right, Rain said that he sees a bright light first, which must be himself teleporting there”

“Alisianna can you get us to those swamps by tree jumping” Cloud asks

“I’ll need an elders help to do a mass group but yes”

“Then go and see to it while the rest of us prepare to get back my brother” Cloud tells her and she runs off to see it done. Tristan goes to gather extra weapons to his side for the fight, Dawn goes for protective amulets and turning to Artanis Cloud looks to him hold a hidden grin.

“Guess I’ll just hang around here till you get back” chuckles Artanis, “I’ll get you free from here Artanis” ads Cloud.

“Good thing, not that I’m a worry wart or something but if the King sees me in here, I’m sure he’ll have no trouble signing it off to me as a permanent residence” with Artanis holding some concern.

“It won’t come to that pal, I have you gone from here before then” ends Cloud with the group exiting the chamber leaving Artanis to himself, “Could I get a scroll or something till you get back” and laughing not looking back Clouds heads for the armory.

Elanee follows Cloud to get a sword for the fight and asks Cloud a question lingering in her mind.

“Cloud” Elanee perks with Cloud addressing her call at attention.

 “What if Rain’s…you know...gone for good” she asks “And he won’t see reason”

“Then we do what must be done” Cloud says quietly

“But kill him; I don’t think I could if I get the chance” Elanee says

“None of us know what we are capable of until the opportunity arises to challenge that fate” Cloud says looking to her face “That is when our very morality is put to the test and we see truly who we are on the inside, I trust you’ll make the best call you can at the time” and smiling to him she nods.

They meet up outside the city gates by the nearest big tree and with an elder helping them Alisianna and he open the rift to the swamp land, passing one by one through the big oak, they meet up on the other side at the edge of the swamp lands and begin looking for the cave.

In the cave already Felix and Rain together begin to brew a potion for Felix to get rid of the venom inside of himself.

“Rain what is wrong with you snap out of it” said Namor trying to see what they are doing “The rest of his group will know about you now Felix, they are probably on their way here right now”

“Then know that since certain events have happened, there really isn’t any reason to keep you alive now is there, Rain! Kill him!” and raising a lightning bolt to his hands and with his eyes bellowing with black smoke Rain throws the bolt of lightning at Namor. Hearing the spinning of some object in the air Rain sees the bolt being ricocheted off an incoming shield and is driven into the cave wall blowing some rock into the air.

“Rain stop DON’T” Cloud yells from the cave entrance. Felix looks to see the shield thrown by Tristan and commands the guards to attack the intruders.

“Finish him later Rain, first deal with these intruders” Rain then casts a sleep spell hitting Namor knocking him over. Then turning to Cloud’s group Rain grows angry with hatred “That’s right Rain feel the hate growing inside of you towards them, now release it” manipulates Felix and Rain starts hurling bolts of lightning and fire toward them, ducking and dodging the attacks from his brother Cloud tells Tristan and Alisianna to deal with the guards, Dawn is told to hold back in case she is needed for injuries and Elanee is gone to get Namor body out of harm’s way.

Cloud slowly walks up to Rain and tries to talk.

“Rain it’s me, your brother come back with us, come back to us, don’t give in to this he’s using your feelings against you Rain FIGHT IT!” he shouts and summoning his blade Rain then yells to him and clanging his sword with Cloud’s they fight.

“Rain this isn’t you, we’re your friends, your family don’t do this” Cloud reasons trying to get through to him and breaking the fight for a second Rain looks

“Cloud” questions Rain

“No!!” Felix says recharging the domination of Rain’s mind and yet even more black swirling eye shroud smolders to Rain’s sockets, Cloud looks to Tristan who drops the guard he was fighting and tells him to take out the squid thingy, unsheathing a dagger Tristan throws it at Felix’s head but Rain stops it with a deflection spell. Angered a bit more Rain throws a bolt of energy at Tristan hitting his chest center blowing him off his feet into the wall. Dawn sprints to his side with glowing hands to heal his injuries. Rain then adding spell energy to his next attack with his blade hits Cloud’s blade and knocks him back a bit, then dismissing his blade Rain hurls a stream of energy towards Cloud. Gripping his sword tightly Cloud use a spell dissipating ability he learned to stop the spell, making his sword act as a shield having the spells energy bombarded away like rushing water.

“RAIN STOP PLEASE I DON’T WANT TO KILL YOU” Cloud cries as he holds the spell stream at bay ”RAIN THIS ISN’T YOU, FIGHT THIS!” Cloud shouts to him, Rain then increasing the power starts to make Clouds feet slide backwards on the dirt digging him a trail of boot grip.

“FIGHT IT RAIN!!” Cloud yells again as blood runs down his hands from the blades back lashing force was cutting through his chain gloves into his skin.

Elanee seeing everything runs up to Rain’s blind side in an attempt to touch him, moving fast quiet Elanee stealth’s her way closing in on Rain’s location. A final move is all that is left an extending her focusing her sight, readying her mind for the quick link Elanee doesn’t notice Rain’s other hand nor hears the echo that Rain’s has in his mind from Felix warning him of the creeping attack. Snap gripping a tight hold to Elanee neck line she gasps at the sudden loss of air and with a grunt from Rain voice Elanee is hoisted off the ground.

Cloud feeling the power starting to lessen to a manageable hold tells Dawn to attack Felix; and keep him busy. Dawn’s hand fade from the last heal made to Tristan but even with the wounds sealed did the head impact leave the ranger weak and ill for battle use.

Focused now on ridding himself of the continuing threat, Felix draws from his black heavy robes a short bladed sword and advances on Cloud. Only step were taken from his feet when they were again halted by the sight of Dawn to intervene. “You arrogant troglodyte, the sheer thought of you thinking you could defeat me is disgusting” Felix lays out with a judgmental tone, Dawn gazed for a moment upon Felix’s slimy appearance and grew an unsettling face that turned quickly aggressive.

“You’ll pay for what you did to my brother… (Looks to his bladed weapon) I’m going to make you eat that thing” Dawn ended gripping tight to her staff battle ready. Hearing a sound to her left Dawn moves only her eyes to notice nothing around, but seeing the eye shift Felix lunges with a striking swing that Dawn dodges. Following through with another swing Dawn puts her staff to block and locking their weapons Felix puts to his fishy complexion a growing grin, “What’s wrong, hear something” laughed Felix “let’s see how loyal your mind is under the strain of battle” Felix added swinging again and again while filling Dawn’s skull with haunting distractions.

“Rain stop it your killing her!!” Alisianna yells dropping the beast to the ground with her blade still in his head. At the sight of Elanee’s lifeline fading fast Cloud catches on to the emotional way of attack Felix is using and in a final verbal lash tries one of his own,

“You’re going to kill the woman that you care for, that has bled to keep you alive, that has sacrificed everything just to get a single smile on your face; she has saved your life; you repay her now by taking hers, IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT!!” Cloud shouts to him seeing Rain drain the very life from Elanee’s throat.

“Feel the pain she has cause you Rain” said Felix smiling while fighting “The pain from your mothers greedy selfish death” Felix says and puts a vision into his mind.

Looking to Elanee Rain get a flash picture of his mother and being twisted with anger he shouts to her “This is your entire fault mother, if you didn’t die I wouldn’t be in this mess, why did you die, you should’ve been stronger, more powerful, THIS IS YOUR ENTIRE FAULT!!!” Rain screams to her with tears running down his face and holding Elanee up in the air she grips his arms in an attempt to loosen the grip and catch a breath.

“Rain, please I can’t breathe” Elanee whispers to him “I only want to help you Rain, please let go….please”

“This is your punishment for dying mother” Rain says again and almost losing consciousness Elanee closes her eyes and draws some of Rain’s power. Remembering he told her that with being a Sorcerer his spells weaken him she begins to rapidly cast fireballs and lightning bolts into the wall. Rain’s power stream begins to fade softer and softer and realizing what is happening Rain compensates for it increasing it again. Cloud now bearing gloves covered by blood is starting to lose strength to hold the block.

“It’s working Elanee but you need to work faster” Alisianna sparks while guarding Tristan’s body.

Casting a stone skin spell to herself to halt the choking from killing her Elanee keeps up with the spells, throwing lightning bolts and fireballs into the cavern walls. Elanee gazes to Rain’s face to see such a blinded anger housing such an overbearing command on his mind, and her heart suddenly bleeds a sad sympathy of sorrow to him. But seeing Cloud nearing exhaustion she closes her eyes one last time having her and Rain both disappear.

Dawn continuing to fight Felix gets her staff disarmed and is slammed up hard, pinned to the wall with Felix’s tentacles,

“Time for you to feel some pain my dear soft skinned beauty” Felix renounces to her as he throws into her mind thoughts of death and agony from his passed kills, screams unleash from Dawn’s lungs from the rapid flashing sight of terrorizing death visions and hoping that it will cause a brain aneurism Felix pours on the pain.

Blood leaks from Dawn’s ears at the pain but the visions end quickly from a sharp stab in the head to Felix from Alisianna’s blade. Felix then falls lifeless to the floor and Alisianna pulling her sword from his brain catches Dawn and carries her to the pile of broken hero’s, Tristan goes up to Cloud and seeing the blade all most half way into his hands pry’s the blade out swiftly, picking Cloud up back to his feet he goes to grip Namor and carry him back. Waiting for Dawn to recover and bring healing to Cloud’s hands they move to the edge of the swamp and with again the elder’s aid are taken back to the forest outside Silverspire city.

Having not heard back from Felix in sometime, and knowing that he was in his cave Sophie goes to visit him.

“Felix” she says with a gentle greeting tone and walking into the cave “Just thought I’d get a progress report for y-”and interrupting herself she stares at the Kopesh lying in a pool of his own blood, she sigh’s a disappointing sigh and shakes her head “Damn you Felix what did you bring down upon yourself” and leaning close to his head she smiles “Hmmm, let’s find out shall we” and touching his cold lifeless body, getting some coagulated blood on her hands she gets some images of the final moments he had left as well as his own demise, letting his skull go she wipes her hand off and stands up.

“Well I got to admit they’re a resourceful bunch, Cynn and Straud have taught them well, and these extra’s I’ve seen now show to be formidable allies on their side, but no matter most of the thrill in the kill lies in the hunt” she thinks to herself and then disappears again.

Reaching the city gates the battered and bruised group return. Cloud asks the guard at the gate where Elanee and Rain are situated and need to be informed that they are back. But shocked to hear that they have not yet returned, wondering and worried about where they might have teleported to, Cloud then goes with Alisianna to tell Artanis some disturbing and bad news.

“Hey Artanis how’s it going in here, comfy?” Cloud says cheerfully and the emotionless stare from Artanis’s face tells his answer.

“Ok your mad I can see that, but we have hit a little bit of a snag in the rescue mission” explaining to him the battle and the outcome Artanis gets a droopy look to his face and stares at the floor. “When he gets back here, first I’m going to thank him for freeing me; then I’m going to kill him”

“Better stand in line” says a voice from behind them all coming from the door way and all look to see a very pissed off Ambassador.

“You’re up quickly I see, so how’s the nap?” Artanis says to him and ignoring his comment Namor turns to Cloud.

“Where is my Elanee” he demanded

“Your Elanee” sternly said by Alisianna folding her arms

“She teleported with Rain when it happened and they aren’t here, we don’t know where they are” Cloud explained

“She went with him” Namor grew louder in his angry tone,

“In order to attempt to save his life” Alisianna added abruptly, and standing furious with an empty glare to the two of them Namor storms out and down the hall.

“We’ll have to deal with him later, we need to find out where them two might have gone, they could be lost or worst” Cloud concluded and telling them that he will go to the enclave and see if Lalandra can find them faster, Alisianna adds that she will go to the elders to see if he is deep in some woods afar. They break off and follow Namor’s direction down the hall.

“Good work guys, I’ll stay here and pledge my many thoughts” Artanis says with a sigh and hanging there goes limp and starts to sway.