adventures in Time And Relavent Dimensions In Space (Closed)

[Warhaven]

Walking through the door, was like walking into a world. The sky rolled overhead at a greatly accelerated pace. The plane itself was verdant, plentiful, full of rich bold vibrant colors. It was as if none had ever seen color before, and were only now seeing it for the first time, such as the profound beauty of Sarah Angel's mansion.

The landscape itself was as varied as any planet, save for the massive green pool in the center of the world that touched on all landscapes, this was Sarah Angel's bed. This she was laid in, and she disappeared beneath its surface. The air, it was sweet, fragrant with the scent of millions of flowers, with the lushest jungles, the salty ocean, and more. It could only be described as the scent of Life.

"Wow Sis, your garden, is beyond what I could ever imagine." Sam breathed.

"This is the center of all that she is, were this place to be destroyed, so too would she be undone." a wise old owl said as it passed by.

[The Floor Kippers]

"The very heart of mother nature," Gryphox said, astounded, "In all it's glory, it's more beautiful than I imagined."

[Warhaven]

A gryphon claw rose out of the green lake, then another, then Sarah Angel surfaced in its center, her wings fully erect. She walked upon its surface as if it were dry land.

"I felt my garden move you. Let's just keep this place between us." Sarah Angel asked.

[The Floor Kippers]

"You can be assured the secrecy of the guardians and myself," Gryphox said, the guardians nodding in agreement.

[Warhaven]

Sarah Angel raised her hand, and the green energy rose up and swallowed them all. It faded like light, leaving each in the place they called home, Eris and Pachuco with Nigel to retrieve their daughters.

Sarah Angel appeared with the gauntlets and Greaves of Callistra. She handed them over to Sam.

"GRR! IMBECILE IMBECILE IMBECILE!" Niel Ra could be heard shouting.

"BRING ME ANOTHER WHO DARES CLAIM THE TITLE OF CALLISTRA. I HAVE THE HELM READY." Niel Ra could be head shouting.

"Oh great, another damn 6 month tournament." She could barely be heard grumbling.

[The Floor Kippers]

Eris wasn't sure how he had done it, but Nigel had gotten through looking after Tew and Lilly unscathed, the twins having reached an Equilibrium under his care.

[Warhaven]

"Looks like we left them in good hands. This Equilibrium thing seems a good idea. I still think Uncle Ordinatio is the only suitable teacher for Lily though. Heck, maybe in a chaotic twist, as she grows, he'll fall for her." Pachuco said, grinning.

[The Floor Kippers]

"Maybe," Eris said with a grin as she picked up the twins, "That would be delightfully chaotic. More so if he fell for Tew."

[Warhaven]

"HAH! He marries them both." Pachuco laughed.

Meanwhile, Calbrena was busy preparing for William's arrival.

"Brax, William's coming to ask permission to marry Karesh, he feels the need to follow honor and tradition, so we'll employ a millions year old underworld tradtion, by tormenting, torturing, and teasing him at every turn. If he can make it through 8 rooms of trials, we'll give our consent. To that end, I'll question William, you challenge him on a physical level, the rest of the family will simply torture him. Deal?" Calbrena asked Braxiatel.

[The Floor Kippers]

"I could actually see that," Eris laughed.
....
"Deal," Braxiatel said, "How far am I allowed to go?"

[Warhaven]

"Don't actually kill the lad. I know 300 Million years ago on Earth he was one of those that had a hand in your imprisonment, but so did Karesh. Anything else, go ahead. Limbs can be regrown, wounds healed, other injuries treated and restored. I'd suggest scaling the difficult from easy for the first few rooms, to difficult for the last few, and giving him all you've got for the last. I want him to get through of course, but if he wants to uphold tradition so badly, then he'll experience tradition." Calbrena said.

[The Floor Kippers]

Braxiatel rubbed his hands gleefully.
"Then I shall treat him to tradition," He said.

[Warhaven]

"Like I said, don't actually kill him. Thankfully your sword isn't the same from before." Calbrena said.

....

She was prepared, and so sent a message via Pondera that it was so.

"Go to her mansion, it will be unlocked, enter the Hellmouth in the back room, and it will take you to where you need to start. William, I personally advise you go in fully armed, and armored." Pondera said.

[The Floor Kippers]

William was ahead of him and was already putting on armour and selecting a sword, made by Victoria.

[Warhaven]

"Excellent, but don't forget your hammer either, for it was made by Ray, and steeped in Holy Energies over the course of Eons. It will be invaluable." Pondera said.

[The Floor Kippers]

William picked up his hammer.
"Anything I missed?" William asked.

[Warhaven]

"This." Karesh said, then kissed him soundly.

"Good luck! Your car can't make it to Calbrena's mansion, but you can teleport to the front door." Pondera said.

[The Floor Kippers]

William set off for Calbrena's Mansion, apprehensive of what was to come.

[Warhaven]

The Hellmouth would take him to a room adorned with mirrors, a hazy smoke filled the air, giving it a putrid scent.

Braxiatel was hidden behind one mirror, Calbrena would release him at the proper moment.

Karesh's kiss was a secret enchantment, keeping the evil of Hell at bay, so he could remain comfortable without feeling like he was getting pinched.

Mocking laughter of many demons filled his ears.

"I know why you have come. You seek to steal my daughter from me in marriage. But really, have you no pride in yourself? Have you no sense of Value, or integrity? A demoness, is a demoness, even if she is Holy, and Karesh is, and shall always be, a demoness. Your father never told you, did he? The affect Demons have on Divine powers. The way Divine power becomes weakened, sapped, lessened, until it is no more. Doesn't it seem unusual to you, that your dearest sister, and your lovely aunt, should both be steadily getting stronger, yet you remain the same?" Calbrena asked.

But, was this true? Maybe, in one fashion, but strength was measured in many ways, not just in flashy powers and abilities. Truth was, Karesh had done nothing to William's powers.

[The Floor Kippers]

"Surely, I do still grow stronger, not only while I train my mind but also with the love of Karesh strengthening my heart, giving me the resolve to drive on forwards and improve for her," William countered.

[Warhaven]

"And yet, you also grow corrupt. My opinion? Fact? It doesn't matter. There are those who will never trust a demoness, or those who associate freely with one. Do you want to put her through that? It is easy to say, you would protect her, keep her safe, but then your just fueling the fire. A few angry voices, talking to easily swayed minds in the dark, turns into a small mob. A small mob taking action to make their voice heard, becomes a social movement. Social movements can, and have, changed governments, shaped worlds, altered destinies, and even brought down Gods before. With the people demanding it, the nations of Earth and Warhaven would have no choice but to turn against you, and burn you at the stake. All because a few people will never trust a demoness, will not trust you for associating with one, no matter how pure she is, will not believe your justice remains pure. Do you really want to put Karesh through that, just so you can marry her?" Calbrena asked.

The mirrors began to glow.

[The Floor Kippers]

"It's not a question of putting her through that," William said, looking at the mirrors, "It's a question of If I am willing to deal with the consequences of my actions, and yes, for her I would deal with anything."

Behind his mirror, Braxiatel readied himself.

[Warhaven]

"Behold, the future!" Pride's voice said.

The mirrors showed the future, his children he would have with Karesh, half-Demon, half Gryphus Sapien, and they were each criminal legends. Hence Pride's torment, the suggestion that his children would become so notoriously evil, that he'd have to hunt down and kill his own children in the name of Justice, or give up such a big important part of himself in the name of his children, and allow innocents to continue being harmed by his children.

That was the nature of Pride's torment, a dark prediction of the future. The glow faded, and the mirrors were gone, leaving William alone with Braxiatel. An iron gate to the next room behind Braxiatel. Brax had the key. That had been a last minute idea by Calbrena, to let Brax hold the key to each successive room.

[The Floor Kippers]

"No," William said, looking horrified at the imaged, "It can't happen like that."

"I wouldn't be so quick to doubt," Braxiatel said.

"No, Karesh and I are better than that," William said, "We wouldn't let our kids end up like that."

"So you say," Braxiatel said.

"Let me through," William said, regaining some resolve.

"ummm, No," Braxiatel said, "But if you beat me, I'll let you have the key. A simple fist fight. If you can get me on the ground, I'll give you the key"

"Very well," William said squaring up to Braxiatel who swung at him straight away, William dodged and grabbed onto Braxiatel's arm and pulled it down, pulling the demon down to the ground. Braxiatel, true to his word, relinquished the key.

William took it and hurried to the next room.

[Warhaven]

The room of Envy.

"Then it is, that you desire our power, for your own. To be the Mad God that rules both Good and Evil, because you Envy your father who sits between all things in balance." Calbrena said.