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OOC:: WTF! ::sigh:: Well, I tried to humor them, but now its time for the barbarian to 'play'. Just remember, you called the thunder, now reap the whirlwind.

Imoak sizes up the cat, and the structure, and grins wildly. In his mind the words 'game', and 'play' could only mean one thing. In an instant the handle of his sword was in his hand, and the blade formed. It arched in a great swing through the air, hammering into the structure upon, which the cat is standing. Fueled by his strength, and the magic of his weapon, the sword hit home.

The goliath let out a great cry, and grinned maniacally. He was having fun. The stone building collapsed with the hit (I am assuming, unless it is stone w/ special properties), and the cat was forced to move. Imoak then dove into the collapsing pile of rubble after the (hopefully) startled feline, catching it unawares. He grappled the cat in an attempt to grab its scruff, and hold the creature before him.

::Imoak, to his great alarm, finds that his strike cuts clean through the stone, which rapidly reforms, leaving the structure intact.::

"C'mon! Catch me!"

::Flare leaps to the next platform and turns again, hoping the Goliath will want to play with him.::

Not so much alarmed, as annoyed at the magic rocks Imoak simply looked at the feline. "Is there a point to this?", he asked. "I can't spend my time playing childish games, when a life with meaning waits for me elsewhere. That creature back at the hut said you wanted to talk, so lets talk."

::Flare is immediately downcast by this remark, as though great stone blocks held up by nothing but hope had fallen to earth and smashed his tiny heart.::

"Is....is there....is there someone you would rather play with? Don't you like me? I like you! Why won't you play with me? Don't be dumb, c'mon! Let's have some fun and then we can talk! Please!?! Just for a little while, it'll be fun!"

Imoak stared at the cat, unaffected by its obvious distress, such emotions were useless to him. "Fun, play... you and I have very different notions about these concepts. My kind of fun, was not meant for you. Fun can only be found in danger, battle, and women. In the midst of war, or gripped by passion that is joy. Did you really expect any different?"

Imoak stopped considering the cat, and the circumstances, "Do your kind think this is some kind of joke? Do I really strike you as the sort of creature that frolics? What part of any of my actions, or words have you ever witnessed that would lead you to assume as much. I am a proud warrior. I once played games as you ask of me now, but that was as a child. I am no longer a child. The only game I play now is one of conflict and passion. Only through conflict can one get stronger. Strength is my goal, nothing more. I know of few ways to achieve this, and chasing fey cats over rocks is not one of them.

You seem to be under the impression that I am different than I am. Why is this? Am I not straight forward with what I am, and what I seek? Do you think my actions, and words are a mask of some sort? Who or what is it, that you think I am? What have I done that lead you to believe other wise?"

Imoak shook his head, "You and your kind have poorly judged if you think I am like you, or have any inclination to be so. You have your role to play, and I mine. The two are not the same. Now, I am growing impatient. Either you have something of use to me, or you don't, which is it? What is it you have to offer?"

::The cat, Flare, who had allowed his mortal body to be consumed, just for one chance to play with Imoak, weeps.::

Imoak watches the feline cry. Unable to understand its sudden break down, he begins to feel uneasy. He steels himself to wait a bit longer, and see if the creature reveals anything useful to him. However, his chaotic mind does not let him hold focus for long, and he quickly finds himself growing more impatient.

::Picking up on Imoak's impatience, Flare runs away in the fields, crying loudly.::

Imoak shakes his head at the childish behavior, and moves on. Now, where did that girl creature tell him to meet her? He wondered. Oh, yes the portal. That was convenient. She could either tell him what was going on or let him out. Gods help her if she tried to get in his way.

Imoak turned in the direction he remembered the portal to be in, and began his walk. Sill shaking his head in awe, and disbelief at what he had just witnessed.

::Imoak finds his way back to the archway where the portal had manifested, though no portal appears there now. The nymph sits nearby, weaving a wreath out of wild flowers. She has a basket of various fruits, the Urn from the hut, and a vase of fresh water from one of the many springs found throughout the plane. The rose-white orb overhead begins to dim, and by the time Imoak is before her, the sky is dark, and the many zodiac creatures dance and play. Luminous night creatures move among the fields, and tiny globes of light lazily wander the air, lending a truly surreal atmosphere to the already fantastic landscape. The nymph raises an eyebrow at Imoak as he approaches, seemingly already aware of what transpired between him and Flare.::

Imoak walks up to the nymph, and stands before the creature. "By the blasted sands of the waste, what is going on here?", his exasperation at this whole experience bubbles out as he speaks.

"You sent me to talk with a creature that is clearly out of its mind. What exactly was I suppose to take from that... display anyway?"

"That was chance, Storm, perhaps one of your last, to deviate from the same path your enemies have followed. Tell me, barbarian, why did you hate Radius so much?"

"Are you speaking in riddles? What path do you speak of? What do you actually think you know about the path I have chosen? You seem to be working from the assumption that you understand me. I really don't think you do. However, I will answer your question plainly. I disliked Radius, because he used his power poorly. He was a like a child given a sword. That is why I opposed him."

"But I am not like him. I don't seek power for the sake of only having it. I seek strength to over come the obstacles I see before me. I seek contests of power so that I may grow stronger. I seek conflict, because in conflict I see purpose, and I feel alive. What else does one need but purpose?"

"The gods sought something out of avarice. They found purpose in the having. I don't think they took their responsibilities seriously. They are petty, and jealous. I say they do not deserve what they have. Thus it is up to those of us that can cause change to do so."

Liquidprism wrote:"Are you speaking in riddles? What path do you speak of? What do you actually think you know about the path I have chosen? You seem to be working from the assumption that you understand me. I really don't think you do. However, I will answer your question plainly. I disliked Radius, because he used his power poorly. He was a like a child given a sword. That is why I opposed him."

"But I am not like him. I don't seek power for the sake of only having it. I seek strength to over come the obstacles I see before me. I seek contests of power so that I may grow stronger. I seek conflict, because in conflict I see purpose, and I feel alive. What else does one need but purpose?"

"The gods sought something out of avarice. They found purpose in the having. I don't think they took their responsibilities seriously. They are petty, and jealous. I say they do not deserve what they have. Thus it is up to those of us that can cause change to do so."

"I see. So, when you slaughtered a crowd of innocent citizens of Aturia, who were under the influence of some other individual, this was in some way different than when Radius slaughtered innocent citizens of Aturia, due to someone else's actions? And Flare, whose care you accepted from Rrerrin, who merely wanted a moment of your attention, your treatment of him in some way differs from the way Radius so cavalierly ignored the pleas of deliverance from Aturians suffering under his punishment? Your slaughter of those people, which may cause tremendous harm to the designs of your comrades to bring peace to that city, this is in some way different than the way Radius ignored the goals of his brethren?"

"No, you are the same as he in many ways. Your quest for power, however you justify it, seems to result in the same ends as Radius. And who are you to decide that the gods are in need of deposing? I have no love for religion or formal deities, but after what I've seen today, why should I believe that you would be any different?"

"You reject the soft out of a misguided understanding of strength, and I fear that releasing you from this place puts the entire world at risk. Should I leave the portal closed, and seal you here for all eternity? Perhaps each day you spend here is one more day some innocent person will have with his family. Perhaps unleashing you back into the world is a greater evil unto itself than any my kind have ever committed."

"Storm, you place me in a dangerous position. You came here in good faith, and to trap you here unawares is not my practice. We thought that perhaps, given the opportunity, you would seek out new knowledge, the key to which you so casually discard, which would make you not only a stronger warrior, but a more just one. Why is it that you refuse so adamantly to care for one such as Flare, even for a few minutes, as a father would to a child? Don't you see that this is the same disregard that Radius so recently showed to the people of that city?"

"Tell me plainly, oh Drinker of Storms, why I should open this portal and let you return? And a word to the wise, knowing that the door MUST be opened by me or one whom I choose, one might choose one's words carefully."

::She gestures for you to sit, drink, and eat, and though clearly concerned, she shows you hospitality nonetheless.::

Imoak laughed out loud at the nymph. As his laughter died he spoke, a dangerous look in his eyes, “You threaten, and chide me, while offering me food and drink? I don’t know what game you play at creature, but it is a dangerous one.”

The goliath continued to stand, ignoring the meal, “I don’t require your permission to be what I am. I make my way by MY merit alone. As we walk our paths we sometimes encounter others who may wish to change our course, or whose path is irreconcilable with our own. When this happens conflict is inevitable. Strength is the only way to decide which path shall pave the way. My actions were taken, because I saw they were necessary. I don’t need to justify my decisions, or actions to you.

However, I will tell you, none-the-less, why I did as I did. That rabble that attacked me in the market made a choice. They saw their opponent, and knew he was mighty, yet they choose to attack. Their resolve was such that they were willingly to meet my blade for their beliefs. How could I have done any different than honor their decision to do so, and meet them with in battle? In battle there is a purity of intention. In fighting we are able to meet our true selves, and the truth of inevitability. Live, or die, win or lose battle is truth, IF we give ourselves to it.

Oh, and I can tell you now that the rabble, we speak of was not ‘innocent’. If such violence was in their hearts then they were worthy of their fate. That city was ruled by anarchy, and so conflict was inevitable. In all my time there, I saw the citizenry continuously commit willful acts of sin. They also refused to demonstrate any common sense. No, by no stretching of the tale were they innocent, manipulated or not.

Now the god Radius’ actions were wholly different in nature. He decided to take out his frustration, and anger, at the actions of me and mine, upon a city because he felt impotent to turn on us. He did this because his intentions were impure. Had his resolve to combat those who drew his wraith been true he would never have done such a thing. In doing this he demonstrated himself unworthy of the title, and responsibilities of the godhood he stole. Thus it can be seen through intent, we are very different.”

“As far as hurting the cause of my comrades…” Imoak laughed again, “…have you seen what they are capable of. They have abilities and skill more than adequate to deal with any problems, which may arise from my actions in the market. Besides they themselves are not above reproach, as I have bore witness to several instances in which they acted in a similar manner.

So far I have met all your questions without bold truth, because I have nothing to hide or be ashamed of. You veil your nature as I reveal mine, so what, oh creature does that tell us?

Now, as to the cat Flare, he made a choice, and faltered in his resolve of that choice. He gave up his mortal life to lead me here. He seemed to hope I would somehow change who I was for him, and in so doing fill a role, which he believed I should fill. Yet, never have I demonstrated, before him or the other cats, any behavior that should have led him to believe this would happen as he wished. His actions were taken on faith alone. This was foolish. I am in no way responsible for his current predicament. My pledge to Rrerrin did not ingratiate me to follow foolish whims. It was a simple request to look after those creatures. I saved them in the city, and if I choose I could interpret that to be the end of the bargain, as the specifics were rather vague to say the least.

I do not care for Flare because it is not my place to do so. If you truly do not understand why my actions are dissimilar from Radius’ in this, then you are not nearly as wise as you seem to think you are.

I am different from the creatures in this place. You live veiled, and inconstant. Your truth is also a form of deception, deception of perception, and intent. This I have witnessed here. I stand before you as true as I can be, a weapon with intent. So I can only take from this that we are a fundamentally different nature.

You believe that I have rejected certain lessons out of a misguided belief. I disagree. I reject what I reject, because I have no need of it. I am a warrior, and I embrace what it means to be so. I have devoted myself to this pursuit because I feel I must. It alone gives me purpose. I am not evil. I am not misguided, and I am not uniformed. I have simply made a decision, to embraced my nature as a force of change, and battle. I will depose the gods because I can, and because few others are able to say the same. That is my right. If you feel differently then our paths become irreconcilable, and conflict becomes inevitable, as nature intended.

Now, you keep talking about something you have that I may want. I have asked you about it, and you refuse to tell me what it is. I don’t play those sorts of games. If you think there is a lesson to be learned there, then once again we disagree. As I see it, you just want to change me, into your idea of what I should be. Much like Flare. Why is your way the correct way? I haven’t seen a shred of evidence in this place to take it on faith that you have anything to teach me.”

Imoak stopped to breath, and ponder this conversation, before continuing. Several striking details of what this creature had said, were beginning to anger him. Everyone kept trying to tell him he was wrong. Everyone was so convinced that his path was incorrect, and yet one could show him why, or prove him wrong. The world showed him different. Life alone justified his course. He had changed himself, and acted with resolve. The world had no need of weakness in this age of angry gods. If he was going to win this fight, he knew he would have to be the warrior his experiences had shown him he needed to be.

He had seen one god kill another, with a blade. The only perceptible difference between the killer, and himself was strength, and prowess. So he knew if he could gain these things then he could fight the fight he was meant too.

“So we come back to this moment. I will not submit to your threats. I flatly refuse to tell you why you should free me. Do as you will, but have the resolve to see the consequences of your actions. I don’t believe you are the sole way out, and in fact I have an idea as to how I can leave of my own volition. Also, I will stay my course, unless you can provide me with an actual reason to do otherwise. I will not, however, let you chide me any more, or question my actions of which you had no part. You have not demonstrated any authority by which to do so, and thus it is meaningless to me.”

Imoak looked the nymph straight in the eyes, and finished, “Now, do you have something to show me or not? If not, then I tell you to stop wasting both our times, and open the gate so I may be on my way.”