May 4, 2012 Issue

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                             TABLE OF CONTENTS

                           A Note from the Editor
                         1v1 & 2v2 PKill Tournament
                               Rent Exemption

                               PLAYER NEWS
                             XP Achievements
                             The Pkill Front
                                Clan News

                            PLAYER SUBMISSIONS
                              Revenge by Sel
                           Seating Arrangements
                               Wedding Vows
                                A Good Day
                             Unworthy  Mother

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

                           A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Sorry about the huge delay, folks! First there weren't any submissions, then I
was moving across town, but here it is! It's full of PK news, clan news, and
RP goodies. If you want more information about the PK happenings, feel free to
shoot me a mudmail with your questions.

Also, be sure to say 'hi' to Cheese (yay, he's back!) and 'hello' to our new
baby coder Hal!

-Lamia

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

                         CHEESE'S PKILL TOURNAMENT

Hey folks,
I've heard some people talking lately about how they miss the good days of PK
tournaments, so I decided to go ahead and organize one.  I'm looking at 
holding it on Sunday the 20th at 2PM system.  The way I want to do this is to
actually have two different tournies, a 1v1 and a 2v2.  In the 1v1 tourny, 
there will be a prize for every victory, as well as a grand prize for the 
winner and something for the runner up.  In the 2v2 tourney, there will only 
be prizes for the winners and the runner up team.

It'll be held on my testMUD, but prizes will be handed out on Legend. There's 
a potential to win a good amount of loot, so I hope to see a lot of people 
come out for it! Anyone is welcome, pke or not.

If you do want to enter, mudmail me and tell me which character you want to 
bring and if you'll be entering 1v1, 2v2, or both.  If you want to enter 2v2, 
you'll have to mudmail me with your partner's name as well, and they'll have 
to do the same for you, just to spare me confusion.

The deadline for entries will be 8 00 PM on Friday the 18th.  I hope to see 
you guys out there!

+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
                              RENT EXEMPTIONS

Rent exemption was put in to ease the transition as certain items went from 
lower to higher rent, potentially placing long-dormant characters over rent at
time of login.  It's come to my attention that some players are manipulating 
this to carry extra rent beyond what they're allowed by level and era 
abilities.  This is contrary to the spirit of the exemption.  I think that's 
fairly self-evident, but in case it's not

Henceforth manipulation of rent exemption will be considered bug exploitation 
and will, consequently, be warnable.  If you have specific thoughts on how we 
can continue offering rent exemption without opening this loophole, please let
us know.  Otherwise rent exemption itself will have to be considered a bug, 
and be slated for removal.

Thanks for your attention.

-Lorenzo

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___                                                                      ___
\  |--------------------------------------------------------------------|  /
/__|                            Player News                             |__\
   '--------------------------------------------------------------------'

                              XP ACHIEVEMENTS

Kavyne has reached 100 million experience!
Luffy has reached 200 million experience!
Phoenix has reached 400 million experience!
Xuvenia has reached 400 million experience!
Nadia has reached 600 million experience!

+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+

                              THE PKILL FRONT

Oooohhhhhhhh my gosh, guys. Way to be super active. =P I'm not going to list 
every single ratio (if you want to see that info, feel free to shoot me a 
mudmail and I'll see what I can do), but I will tell you just how active every
pkiller has been... by listing the 10 pkillers with the most wins between 
March 1, 2012 and April 30, 2012.

Kavyne takes the lead with 55 wins.
Shemiah follows with 37 wins.
Snookie had 36 wins.
Maile had 35 wins.
Lumpy had 32 wins.
Mana had 27 wins. (Note: this number may be higher as my script doesn't count
charmie kills because it's a lazy thing that I love and am glad to have. <3)
Alias had 15 wins.
Reaver had 14 wins.
Erebus had 13 wins.
Chana had 11 wins.

The remaining wins ranged from 1 win to 10 wins. 

If you do request more information concerning these wins, be sure to be 
patient with me. I'll be working all weekend and am still unpacking from the
move. However!, be sure to keep PKing. I want to see more deaths. More, I say!

-Lamia 

+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+

                                 CLAN NEWS

Agrabah Mafia clan was disbanded for low membership.
The Third Circle clan was formed by Reaver.
{RPKers Anonymous} was formed by some anonymous person.
Elitist Jerks was formed by Rav.
Grendels was formed. Again.
The Guardians of Destiny clan was formed by Azim, then it was disbanded for
low membership.
The New Order of Knights was formed by Deea
Inn Rotters clan was formed by a notorious inn rotter.
Totally Insaney, Animaniacs! was formed by Pinky.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

               ______________________
             /                       \
         o O | Wonder what folks are  |
   `\|||/    |doing over at LegendMUD?|
   (o o)     \_______________________/
ooO_(_)_Ooo________________________________________________________________
_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|___
__|_____|_____|_____|_____|__PLAYER SUBMISSIONS___|_____|_____|_____|_____|


Revenge by Sel

I returned home from my ventures to find my wife dead. Hanging from a rafter 
was her lifeless body.

Under it a pool of blood, jade-handled dagger protruding through her checks 
with a note.

After a letting her body down and pulling the dagger from her I pulled the 
note off the dagger. The note read: In the shadows we lurk. We will find you,
Sel.

At the bottom was the mark of whom I hoped it wasn't. 
The Grand Master Assassin...

That night I left for Mosul.

I had heard rumors of a man their that might help guide me to the murderer of
my wife. Upon reaching Mosul, I stopped at The Sultan's Dais. I talked with a
cross-eyed fellow who ran the place. He proved very little help. As I set to 
the streets I ran into a spice vendor. I asked if she knew of anyone whom 
might beable to help me locate the man or men whom assassinated my wife. She 
told me to go talk to the sufi to the east.

I soon set out.

I reached the sufi the next morning. After talking with the sufi he agreed to
help and told me where I could find the assassins strong hold. I thanked the 
sufi and gave him a small pouch of gold for his help. Now knowing the location
of the assassins I was ready to make my move.

I ventured back west of mosul and hired a few mercenaries to help me for I 
knew this was a task I could not tackle alone. We set out to the tower of 
which the sufi had told me. Once we arrived we scaled the mountain and made 
our way to a door. The sun was slowly setting as we entered the tower.

All of us knew this could very well end up being a suicide mission. Room by 
room we swept threw the tower, slaughtering everyone we came in contact with.
We left none alive. At last we came to a door with a skull knocker on it. As 
we entered we knew this was the chamber of the one and only... The Grand 
Master of Assassins.

My eyes grew sharp. 

My blood started to boil.

I said to him, "Today I will have my vengeance!"

After a short battle his wounds where great. As I approached him he looked at
me and smiled. Slowly he said, "In the end I still win, I have stolen from you
a treasure you can never recover."

I threw down my weapon and started hitting him over and over in the face. Soon
I was not hitting a face, but just grinding brains and bone into the floor.

My wife's death was avenged.

Her murder was dead, hopefully burning in the unfathomable pits of hell.

+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Seating Arrangements

Albina had decorated the courtyard beautifully. Four white benches spanned the
center of the courtyard, two on the right side of a cedar-lined path, two on 
the left. The stone walls were lined with a unique type of ivy, the flowers 
reminiscent of white orchids. Jaina had wanted red flowers – had insisted they
match her gown – but the Goddess had refused, stating cryptically that there 
was to be too much red soon. Jaina had sighed, huffed, puffed, but finally 
gave up her quest for crimson flowers dotting the walls.

Red colored her wedding dress, however. It was a white beauty, the court train
a deep burgundy color that trailed up the back of the gown in a triangle. 
White ivy decorated the burgundy satin and white lace accented the burgundy 
silk that covered the chest of the dress. Albina had seemed less than 
pleased – the future was fuzzy when it concerned Caden, but she could still 
see glimpses of red in Jaina's future –  but Nadia, the mother of the bride, 
thought the dress lovely and perfect. So lovely and perfect that her own dress
for the wedding was a matching burgundy, though it lacked the elegance and 
sophistication. It was a simple sleeve of a gown, the skirt hugging her hips 
closely and the body of the dress decorated with diamonds, the small gems 
leading one's gaze to rest on her bosoms.

Lady Valentine had the most wonderful breasts.

The guests had shown up well before the wedding was to start, most friends of 
the mother of the bride, rather than friends of the bride and groom 
themselves. Moris Ravenswick had arrived with the lovely Courtessa Rayne on 
his arm, her friend and boon companion Vidar following, though seeming a bit 
uncomfortable. Nadia had directed the trio the rear-right bench, this one 
shorter, with a large birch stump at the furthest end. It had been carved and 
resembled a chair fit for a large man... a man who just so happened to be 
Vidar-sized. They settled in, Courtessa linking the fingers of her left hand 
with Moris' right while her right hand rested on Vidar's knee, Setheus 
arrived, a loud red-headed six year old pulling him down the path by a wing.

"Nadie, Nadie!" Alessa cried, letting go of Seth's right wing, though not 
without removing a few feathers in the process. The witch laughed as the 
little girl rushed over and clung to her dress-clad leg. "Seth said I get to 
throw the flowers because Jaina's becoming a princess!"

Nadia glanced at Setheus, a perfectly shaped eyebrow raised. "You get to leave
a trail of flower petals for Jaina because she's getting married," Nadia said
softly, absently fixing Alessa's messy hair. "Not throw them. If you throw 
them, I'll let Razael beat up Setheus. Again." All this did was earn a giggle
from the girl who nodded and scampered back over to the fallen angel. "Caden's
mother should be inside. She can help Alessa get ready," she said as the 
blue-eyed man walked closer. "Raz may be somewhere inside, possibly keeping 
Jaina calm or something." Though he opened his mouth to reply, Alessa had 
bigger plans and was once again dragging Setheus by his wing, this time into 
the house.

"Really, Nadia?" Moris drawled. "Of all the people, you invite Setheus?" Nadia
merely stuck her tongue out at the man while Tessa lightly smacked Moris' arm.

"Lovers quarrel?" an airy voice sounded from the gateway. "And with so many 
witnesses..."

Nadia rolled her eyes, gave Moris an 'I'm not responsible if I kill this 
woman' look, and turned to face Aithne Flynn. She was accompanied by Geraden 
Kellor, the pair still seemingly engaged. "Why, Miss Flynn, you'd know all 
about those wouldn't you? How many have you caus--" A soft cough behind her 
stopped Nadia's rant.

"Save your battles, Nadia," Razael said softly, stepping up to his wife and 
taking her hand in his. "Aithne, Mister Kellor, your seats are those in front 
of Lady Tessa and Vidar." Both women glared at each other for a moment longer,
the men sharing apologetic glances as Nadia and Aithne silently sized the 
other up and ripped the other to shreds in her mind.

"Thanks, doc, should be grand," Aithne said, tugging Geraden along. "Nothing 
like front row seats."

Grumbling softly, Nadia turned to glare at Aithne as the druid sauntered off 
before looking to her husband. "I could take her."

"It'd be a pretty even match, Nadia." Moris groaned loudly at this.

"Excu--?" Nadia started before noting Raz's expression. "Fine. Another day. 
Not today."

Several moments passed before the next guests arrived, so Nadia used the time 
to visit Jaina, making sure everything was ready. "Yes, mom," Jaina laughed 
softly, trying to push Nadia out of the room. "Albina and I have this. Go play
hostess, we know how much you like to!" Nadia pouted at her daughter.

"I can help you, too!"

Jaina laughed again. "Caden and I are going to have half a dozen babies. You 
can dote on your granddaughters on their wedding day. Albina laced me up so I 
can handle the rest. Go, now, and tell dad to get in here. We've to practice 
the walking thing or something."

So she left to hunt Razael down and relay the message. Ransom Kirvel and his 
wife, Kezia, were the next to arrive, stepping into the courtyard just as Raz
slipped inside. With a smile, Nadia swiftly moved to the couple, giving both
a quick hug. "I must say, Ransom, you know how to pick them."

Kezia blushed, taking a step closer to Ransom. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. 
Valentine." This earned a laugh from the witch.

"Call me Nadia."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Nadia showed the Kirvels to their 
seats. They were on the bench to the left of the path. Ransom was seated near
the end, leaving room for one person to his left, while Kezia was directed to
sit to his right. It was then that Setheus showed up, seemingly happy to be 
rid of Alessa for the time being. After yelling out at him to get his 
attention, Nadia pointed to Ransom's left, telling him to "sit there and 
behave."

Judah Eliezer, Titania de'Dannan, and Asher McCabe arrived after a couple more
moments, though none were together – it was just getting close to the 
designated starting time. With a few sly glances at Asher – as well as a 
couple knowing chuckles – each was directed to his or her seat. Asher and 
Titania were sent to left front bench, Titania sitting in front of Setheus and
Asher to her right, while Judah was to sit to Ransom's right. Moiranne 
scampered in just as the good doctor and Titania were settling in, and Nadia 
sent her to Moris' left, across the aisle from Judah.

"Who do we get to sit with, Ravens-- Valentine?" Aithne called out, sly smirk 
gracing her lips. Nadia turned to the Celt, staring at her for a moment, 
silently begging the gossip to open her mouth again. After about thirty 
seconds of glaring where the entire party sat with baited breath, Nadia 
replied, "Mother of the groom and the flower girl. I hope you enjoy children,
Miss Flynn. Alessa Wylder is quite excitable." Seth and Titania's laughter 
filled the courtyard, as well as a few chuckles from Tessa and Ransom.

"What're you lot laughin' about?" a gruff voice asked as its owner walked up 
the cedar path. A few citizens of Klein made their way into the small 
courtyard, as Rowane had left the gate open.

Nadia smiled at Rowane. "I believe we were laughing at Aithne Flynn's expense.
She gets to sit next to Alessa. Surely you remember her?" Rowane stared at 
Nadia blankly as the few merchants and nobles of the city situated themselves
behind the white benches. "C'mon, she held you hostage. After all, you are 
Santa's brother." The old man grunted softly and moved to the small dais in 
front of the benches

"Ain't no time to talk about that," he mumbled, shrugging off his tuxedo 
jacket and unbuttoning the cuffs of his sleeves. "Now, we got 'bout five 
minutes before this shindig starts, what exactly am I...." He trailed off, his
gaze having landed on Titania. She was wearing a peculiar sort of dress, 
leopard print and gold clinging to her torso while it flared out at her hips 
and opened with a v-cut at her knees. This flowed past her feet in ruffled 
glory. "Titania," Rowane started, "Dear sis, how many North Hollywood pimps 
did you have to skin to make that dress?"

She shrugged, nonplussed. "Don't matter," she said, ignoring Seth and Moris' 
laughter. Titania glanced at Asher, who was looking at her with an odd 
expression. She winked at him. "Yer a doctor, right?" He nodded, slightly 
wary. "Well, I got some sorta fever, I think. Lotsa the men in Frisco used'ta
mention it, the ones right off the rails from out east. Somethin' 'bout the 
jungle. Maybe ya can help me cure it?"

Rowane coughed loudly before Asher could offer Titania any sort of medical 
advice. "Anyway, who else do we have here... Moris! How nice of ya to show up.
Who's this with ya?" Courtessa gave Rowane a small wave while Vidar just 
glared with his one good eye. "Ah, ya got Vidar with ya. She must be a nice 
lady, then. Very nice indeed." Loosening his bow-tie a bit, Row settled on 
Nadia next. "It's weird, this not bein' one of yer weddings, Nadia."

"Don't you dare-"

"No, really, you've had what, seven weddings?" 

Nadia bit her lip and took a seat to Asher's right. "Three, Rowane." The old 
man laughed as he rolled up his sleeves past his elbows.

"Tha's right. Ya married the river water, then Moris over there, an' now yer 
doctor. Let's hope Jaina's apple fell a ways from the tree."

"That was quite cruel, Rowane de'Dannan," an airy voice said from the doorway.
Albina stood at Caden's side, her arm around his. She looked very much the 
goddess role today; her gown was a pale blue, the edges trimmed in gold. Her 
dark hair was pinned up, and with each step the pair took towards the dais, 
her gown flowed like water over her skin. Caden had cleaned up quite well for 
his wedding, all things considered. It wasn't a fortnight ago that he was 
wandering through the depths of hell, yet here he was, walking with his mother
to the dais where he'd be ready to start the next chapter of his life.

Albina left Caden's side once they'd reached Rowane, placing a gentle kiss on 
her son's cheek. He merely smiled as his mother took her seat, leaving an 
empty space between herself and Aithne Flynn. Next Alessa came trotting down 
the path, her dress poofy and white with a big red bow. She tossed the petals 
onto the path, humming as she skipped towards the dais. Once reaching the end 
of the path, she giggled, handed the basket to Albina then crawled onto the 
bench next to the woman. The goddess smiled at the little redhead and ruffled 
her hair.

Next would be Jaina and Razael, the pair starting towards the dais just as 
Alessa sat down. The bride seemed nervous, absently brushing a stray curl from
her face, though she couldn't help but smile. The guests stood as the pair 
made their way past, only sitting again once Razael had released Jaina to 
Caden and taken his place at Nadia's right. The witch had never looked happier
in all her life as she watched Jaina gaze upon Caden with such loving eyes.

+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Wedding Vows

Outside a courtyard of modest means, uninvited guests begin to fill in the 
spaces of an ivy covered stone wall that nearly obstructed the wedding within.
Most had come from the surrounding community of Klein, farmers, merchants, the
occasional ritter in polished armor, even the lord pressed shoulder to 
shoulder, and sometimes on top of each other’s shoulders, against cold stone 
to catch a glimpse of the actual guests and the wedding ceremony that was just
beginning.  The spectacle within was the wedding of Caden Aurion and 
Jaina Valentine.

The young couple had descended on the town only a month before from 
whereabouts unknown.  It was rumored by some that they had come from across 
the sea.  The more suspicious suspected some connection to the dark arts, and 
to see the select guests within, no doubt these suspicions were confirmed.  
The invited guests were strange looking folk indeed, clad in all sorts of 
unusual garb from across the globe. The townsfolk marveled and pointed at the 
finely garbed lord with silver hair and pale skin, a beautiful and seductive 
woman, a black-winged angel, a massive bald headed, one-eyed barbarian, and a 
woman who could very well have been a goddess. There were other interesting 
guests to see but just now the ceremony was beginning and the focus of the 
crowd was drawn towards as a wizened old man, clad awkwardly in black and 
white who stood in front of Caden and Jaina.

"Dearly beloved," he began, "and Setheus...we're gathered here today to see 
Caden Aurion and Jaina Valentine joined in wedded bliss.  Now why you would 
want to get married in this day in age is really, just beyond me."

Without a beat, the crowd within the courtyard groaned as one.

"What?!" he continued, "You know it to be true!  Jaina-," he said, putting a 
hand on her shoulder.

"-Do you really want to be with this man for the rest of yerlife?  Imagine 
when he starts losing his hair, and growin' fat, waking up next to something 
that looks like that?"  The old man pointed to the rear courtyard wall where 
a paunchy middle aged onlooker was trying to make himself invisible.

"Or Caden, imagine Jaina in thirty years with those spectacular..." the old 
man’s eyes seem to grow distant, "just amazingly lovely breasts start to sag 
and hang around her knees, looking like overstretched taffy that’s been left 
out in the sun for a month?  Hell, you want to wake up next to a woman who 
might start to look like that?" he said, this time pointing to a blond with 
wavy hair sitting in the front row.

"I’ll kill you, Rowane, you mother--," the woman screeched, lunging for the 
dais before only just being subdued by the charming Asher McCabe.

"My sister, everyone," Rowane said smiling uneasily as the woman clawed, and
swore, and fought to free herself from her captor’s iron-like grip.

The bride and the groom stood with their mouths agape, unsure of how to react,
and simply nodded.

"Really?" Rowane said, looking surprised.  "Well then, reckon there’s anyone 
here that objects to this marriage?"

Just then, a ruddy faced boy, the jeweler’s apprentice sitting atop the 
shoulders of a farmer just outside the courtyard, raised his hand and catching
Rowane’s eye.  "ANYONE at all?"  Rowane repeated, while staring directly at 
the boy and then to a group of several extremely small men, only 5 hands high,
who seemed to appear from nowhere.  The boy by now had managed to produce a 
sign that said "Willst du mich heiraten?" in bright red letters and was waving
it back and forth.  As if on some silent command, the tiny men 
"hut-hut-hut"-ed past the courtyard guests, outside the walls, and soon the 
jeweler’s apprentice and his sign were no longer see with only the sound of an
ever receding "Nein!" fading into the distance.

"In that case," Rowane said, smiling brightly, "By the power invested in me as
the Guildmaster of the once great, ever forgetful, Hermetic Order, I pronounce
you man and wife.  You may kiss the bride."

Guests, uninvited and invited alike, looked on as groom gently lifted the 
bride’s face and kissed her sweetly before erupting in loud cheers.

+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+

A Good Day

Razael Valentine walked through the streets of Lima, savoring the smell of the
fresh wind off of the sea.  He loved that smell.  He had moved to Lima for 
that smell, for the flowers that grew along the road and the wonderful chatter
of Spanish carried by the breeze.  This city had always held a special place 
in his heart, and it was fitting that he had found peace and rest within it. 
He had walked every inch of the earth, and Lima was by far his favorite.

He smiled at a passing family as he headed home. The locals all knew him, 
now; his clinic was praised by everyone, and the lives he had saved and the 
miracles he had wrought were sung about in taverns and spoken of by traveling 
storytellers all over Peru.  He had never expected or desired praise for his 
work, but as he got older and wiser, he began to appreciate it, and the 
benefits it had brought to his family and his practice. People who appreciated
his work had spread the word.

The sun was shining down on him as he drew nearer to his home on the outskirts
of town.  The temperature was perfect, the sun was bright, and the birds were
singing happily.  Lima had recovered quickly after the attack, and now, one 
wouldn't even know it had nearly burned down all those months ago.  The city 
was beautiful once again.

It was a good day to die.

He rounded the corner toward the gates, smiling pleasantly at the road ahead
of him.  As he came around the bend, he caught the characteristic smell of 
sulfur on the air as the horizon ahead of him lit up with an orange glow.  He 
could see other things, too; things no other human can see, the threads that 
wove everything in the world together.  He could feel the fingers of Hell 
itself reaching up into this plane, to place its most powerful Avatar on the 
path in front of him.

He walked boldly and without fear down the street, toward the shadowy figure 
that waited for him a few hundred feet to the South.  The Beast, they had been
calling him, although Razael Valentine knew otherwise.  He knew a lot of 
things, most of which he kept to himself.  The Beast's identity was one such 
thing – if his family had learned it at the wrong time, it would have 
destroyed them.  He wanted to tell them, wanted to protect them from him, but
it would have done no good.  They needed to learn to see things on their own,
not with him guiding them.

He stopped about fifteen feet in front of the figure, nodding in greeting. 
Blackened, spiked armor covered it from head to toe, and it had a tattered 
black cowl that billowed out behind it in the wind.  Normally, it was limned 
in fire, but it appeared a bit more subdued, now.  The only source of fire was
from behind the eyes of its cold iron mask.

"Hello, Lethe," said Razael softly, smiling up at the beast in defiance.

The helmet glowed with flame and disappeared, revealing a face that Razael had
not seen in months.  The face of Lethe Aurion, a hero, a villain, and 
everything in between, stared back at him.  But this was not the face of the 
good man that Lethe had finally become; this face was twisted, warped, and 
scarred.  One eye had been plucked, replaced with a pit of glowing fire.

"Waiting for me, doctor?" said Lethe, although his voice was tainted by the 
voice of the Beast inside of him.  This thing was Lethe, but it also wasn't, 
and Razael knew that.  He hoped that when Lethe's identity was revealed, 
Caden, Nadia, and Jaina would know it too.  Lethe had been good, and this 
thing was merely using his power and his knowledge for its own reasons.

"You've come at last, after a period of silence," replied Razael coolly, 
standing his ground under Lethe's withering gaze.  He would not give the Beast
any satisfaction this day.  "What's wrong, Lethe?  Are you scared of the man 
that your son has become?"

Lethe laughed, a bone-chilling sound that made Razael want to shrink away. 
"Caden certainly has grown," mused Lethe with a smirk.  "Although he's still 
not ready for me.  You know that as well as I, doctor.  Others stand a better
chance against me right now than he does.  The Greek, or maybe even my wife. 
But certainly not Caden.  He's still a boy, trying to fill his father's 
enormous shoes."

Razael had to agree with that.  Caden was close, but he was still missing 
something in his maturation that was preventing him from being the man that he
needed to be.  Lethe was impossibly strong and even worse, more clever than 
any man Razael had ever known.  Stripped of his conscience as he was, Razael 
knew that he would do anything and everything in order to gain leverage over 
his enemies.  He would kill whoever he had to in order to make them hurt.

"You know why I'm here, of course," continued Lethe, still smiling down at 
him.

Raz raised his arms up, string a Christlike pose in defiance of the Beast. "Do
your worst, demon.  But think about it, before you do.  It might come back to
bite you."

Lethe laughed yet again, the cruel and soulless sound echoing off of the 
surrounding buildings and ringing sharply in Razael's ears.  "Beg for me not 
to, doctor.  Beg for me to let you see your wife again, MY Nadia.  Beg, Razael
Valentine, and I might let you live."

Razael looked up, into the hellish eyes of his executioner.  "No," he said 
simply, an honest, pure smile appearing on his face.  He wasn't seeing Lethe's
eyes, anymore.  He saw light, pure and warm, shining down on him.  He saw the
next step, and he knew that everything was going to be alright.

Lethe cast a clawed hand out, creating a flaming iron spike that slammed into 
Razael with the force of a meteor.  The air was driven from the doctor's 
lungs as he fell backward, but the spike had already driven into the ground, 
impaling Razael and leaving him to hang there, locked in that falling-backward
position.  His arms fell to his sides and his head lolled back.

He saw them coming, then.  Nadia, Jaina, and Caden, running as fast as they 
could to reach him.  He had gone on ahead of them after the wedding, in order
to prepare the house.  But they were too late to save him.

Nadia, Caden, and Jaina came to a halt in front of them, their faces frozen in
horror.  Lethe smiled at the three of them, looking into his son's eyes before
disappearing in a plume of fire.

Razael smiled at them as the life left him, the last image he would see in 
life one of the family which he loved so much.

+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Unworthy Mother

The only reason Sansa knew where Setheus lived was because of Vittorio. She 
knew so much because of Vittorio, and though it was proving helpful now, she 
still hated the man for everything he'd put her through. But here she was, in
Rome outside a nice looking villa, waiting to see her children for the first
time in years.

She knocked twice and when there was no answer after a few moments, she 
knocked again, louder this time. Finally the door opened. Sansa smiled at 
Setheus and he merely stared at her before shutting the door. "Go away, 
ghost," he called through the door.

Sansa stared at the door, eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "Don't be silly. 
If I were a ghost I wouldn't have knocked." She crossed her arms just under 
her chest, pushing up her bosoms just so. "Really, Setheus. Let me in. This 
isn't a trick."

After what felt like an age, the door opened and Sansa slipped inside before 
the fallen angel had a chance to change his mind. "Before you ask," the 
redhaired woman said, holding up a hand to shush Setheus, "She was a fake. 
Obviously. Red hair, pale skin, blue eyes. There are many of us if you know 
where to look."

Setheus eyed her warily, though he nodded. It would make sense, though he 
certainly wouldn't have put killing Sansa past the dubious duo all those years
ago. "Where?" It's all he could say. He was shaking from fear, from all those 
memories pushing to the surface of his mind. With a rough shake of his head, 
Setheus sighed and sank into the nearest chair.

"Vittorio," she said, sitting on the couch across from him. "But I'm not here 
for chit-chat, Setheus." He nodded, his right wing twitching more than normal.
"Where are Alessa and Eilian?"

"Alessa is in the side bedroom," Setheus answered slowly. "Eilian is with his
father, wherever that may be."

Sansa quickly got to her feet. "You mean you don't have bo--"

"Don't you say a word about where your children are," Setheus hissed, standing
up just as fast. "You left them with knights while you did God knows what."

"I don't have to defend myself to you!" she cried at Setheus, trying to move 
past him. She needed to see Alessa.

He grabbed her arm, hauling Sansa against him. "Actually," he said quietly, 
"You do. She's just as much my daughter as she is yours, nevermind that she 
thinks her mum is dead." Sansa pulled her arm out of Seth's grasp.

"Fine," she grumbled. "Let me see her, we don't even have to wake her." 
Setheus shook his head. "Why not? She's all I have and you won't even... you 
don't even know what I!..." She looked up at Seth, her gaze pleading. "Two 
years, Setheus. Two years with just him."

The angel shook his head again. "Give me a few days to ease her into the idea
of seeing you again. She's already had to accept your death; I'm not going to
shove this onto her so roughly." He stepped over to the door and opened it. 
"Come back in a week, Ghost."

"I'm not leaving this spot until I see her."

Setheus closed his eyes for a moment before looking at Sansa. "Actually, my 
dear," he said, walking to her and grabbing her arm yet again. "You are 
leaving." With that Setheus dragged Sansa to the door and pushed her out onto
the street, closing and locking the door behind her, not caring that she'd 
stumbled to the ground.

"A week," Sansa muttered to herself, staying on the ground. "What am I to do 
for a week?"

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