Jakx sat on the edge of his bed after sleeping for several hours, or was it days? After the events that occurred while Trying to learn about the magic that appeared randomly around him. Jakx was worn out and he could barely remember all that happened…

Dria had been bombarded with several attacks, mostly the silver fire from Jakx’s Cursed Gauntlet and his Blessed Blade’s white fire. When Drai crashed to the ground a black mist formed that covered the area and when his body connected the world under Jakx’s feet shook. Jakx’s eyes were barely half focused on what was going on. He felt the warm rain beating against his skin only to create steam on contact. He heard several sounds that slowly began to be muffled. His vision became narrower with each passing second. His strength was well past his liming, drained by the battle and the use of all his magic. In the faded sigh he had left Jakx was able to make out the silver color of his gauntlet’s neutral state, and the white flames of his Blessed Blade dying down. The blade slipped from his finger before stabbing the ground and remaining. Jakx had no energy left to grip it; his body was beaten, broken and bloody. His clothes were tattered and burned with little to nothing remaining; he was a true walking shamble of himself. He did the only thing that came to thing, the only thing he could do, he raised his head to the crying sky and laughed. He laughed his heart out with what small energy remained in his body. After the final echoes left his lungs and reached the highest points in the sky his body began to sink low till he fell with a solid crash against his chest against the watered ground.

He wasn’t sure who to thank for taking him to his bed or healing his wounds. How long had he been out? From the edge of the bed Jakx could still see his Blessed Blade stabbed into the very ground as it was before he lost consciousness. The one thing that made him nervous now was the heat that he now felt in his body. Jakx didn’t know where exactly it was or what caused it but he knew what it was. Magic, the very cursed thing he tried avoid all his life now rests within his own body. He felt it there like one would feel the hair on their skin, if the hair was on fire. The very thing which first made itself known to Jakx by cursing his left arm, and then with an ironic twist blessed him with a new powerful sword, now coursed throughout his entire body.

“God…” Jakx’s words came out slow and steady, and sounded deeper than normal, “You’re one cruel Bastard."

Her heart grips with fear of Jakx getting too hurt himself. She turns encircling to walk nearby in the courtyard sees the bench and walks over to sit. She is looking up the sky sees the stars. Feeling the wind send chills down her spine. She wraps her hood Cape around her. " I pray that Jakx gets healed soon..." Got up walking around. It decided to go over the bar place getting herself a drink. It goes to the corner thinking all this happened in place to push aside about Jakx health.

From the darkness a voice is heard as there is a smirk of white fang a bit that can bee seen under the shadow of the heavy hood  as well a glow of a silver in color eye .. but only one.” well hello there I heard something happen to you and I came to see for myself” from the darkness a figure slowly steps out with a odd ghostly undead cat on his shoulder. The figure is wrapped in a hood and cloak as the shoulder are red as well as the hood and then it turns to black where the shoulder end.” Care to tell your story?” he moves his hand as the Frankenstein looking patchwork cat jumps down and walks over to some of the items and studies them” Jakx is your name right?” the cloak keeps closed as he walks more in to the light as a marken on the shoulder is a cloak marks him as a thief of LockHolem.

>Kego the undead cat< " not bad items.. Rare.. items but not bad..

Jakx tilts a brow looking over at the new voice that walked in. His bare, scarred, back was to the man as he walked around. The man asked for Jakx's story and the cat commented on his items being rare. Neither of the two had any ideas on how right they both were and how wrong they were at the same time. Jakx looked over the patch of a fellow thief, though Jakx never did like staying with any "guild." "Jakx chuckled softly to himself, "Do I have a story?" Jakx thought about how to answer the question before lifting his right hand.

He remembered the events that happened and how everyone was screaming at him about how magic works. The screams, cries, and yells rang clearly in his memory as if they had yelled at him right that moment. The emotions that flooded through him at the time was easy enough to remember to, not that hard to remember the emotions you had during a fight. The most important thing he remembered was what came from the emotions during the fight.

As Jakx raised his right hand the room started to get hotter, like a slow broiling oven. Finally the heat stilled, but only in the room itself. Jakx right hand still grew hotter and more furious till suddenly his entire forearm, from his elbow to his fingers, were engulfed in flames. Jakx just stared at them for a moment, mesmerized by the strangeness of it as well. He stared at the flames while his voice rang with a slight humor to it, "I guess you could say I have a tale or two to tell."

- He blinks a few times under the hood and he thinks a bit as he watches the fire. The faint glow grows bigger and bigger as the heat starts to rise in the room” I see... You must have a story.. to be able to do that” he looks to kego and tabs his leg as the undead cat runs be hide him to get away from the heat .” so.. I see that skill over a few times in my life “a metal hand slowly comes out and opens the cloak as it is pushed around and it moves up to push the hood back. With in the glow of the Fire a tainted Metal arm can be seen as the Whole arm is made of High Elf Steel and go up to his shoulder. This shines the most about him the metal is so fine and Well build it can only be a Mix of a Few Master Craftsman in the world . soon the figure speaks out” My name is West you may seen my shop in town” the hood falls back as a one eye White hair Fox human stands there and he unclips the cloak and wraps it up and sets it down as he seem not worry about the show of the Raw Fire power of this person in front of him. The fox is Wearing Brown Sleeveless armor tunic, Black Cotton Pants with boots and a very odd Belt that seem to have a lot of pouches with nick nacks a thief would want, in the a Few Daggers hung and a book that hangs from a Few Leather Straps. On the front of the book there is a Cross and on the other side there is a Pentagram with a Stone eye layer in to the leather in the middle of it.

-

- “   Well by the way you’re looking at that.. it must be a new skill..” he snaps his finger trying to get Jakx out of this trance like state with him staring at the fire.

In the Tavern place, she drinks a sip of coke and thought to herself thinking about going to visit Jakx. She felt a shiver run down to her spine thinking of events heard of screaming sound heard and Jakx health. She shakes her head out of the events occur before. I decided to get up and walking out of Tavern walking down the streets. There is different shop display in the window. She is walking going straight to the place where Jakx stayed. She feels the wind chill down her spine pull her Cape hood cover her shoulder kept herself warm as she is walking toward Jakx place.

I arrived at his place sees Jakx lay on his bed and notice Jakx mesmerize at the fire. "While West the fox snaps his finger." -turns to look at West- "I do remember your bookstore great place to shop there my friend West the fox am I correct?" -extend her hand to shake his hand - " It is good to see you." - turn to look at Jakx to see if he is awake or still in a trance-like state- "Hello there maybe you remember me or not I am Kayla."

Magic. New Magic. Flame Magic.

Baynes senses had been giving him little rest after he had arrived in this valley Raven called home, and now one of the reasons had made itself clear. New Magic was about, or at the least, a new user of Magic, which meant there was now something of interest for the Rogue to investigate. Dressed in what rags he had arrived in, which consisted of tatty linen trousers, a once-fashionable and now rather raggetty black satin shirt, and the remains of some well-used {and definitely the seer of better days } leather cuirass and spaulders, the living undead hybrid made his way through the shadows towards this new source of possible entertainment, or loot. Depends on how things played out.

Quite literally stepping out of a shadow a little way off from the gathering around the flame-armed gent, Bayne rubbed his freshly shaven cheek with a thumb, his 5'11 lean frame looking almost anorexic in his attire as he studied the group.

"Nice glow you got going on there, could feel it all the way from Ravens quarters."

He made no introduction, and even with the charming, melodious voice he possessed, his laid-back, almost insolent tone sounded as tired as the gent on fire looked. At least to his eyes.

- he blinks and watches the people pile in to the room and he steps back a bit as the cat dart behide his back." woah.. oh and Well yes i am  Kayla how are you doing.. i seem there is a gang showing up here." he ears twick as the new person shows up and something don't feel rigth and he moves a hand over the handle of one of his daggers as he watchs as the handle of his dagger is at his side that is faceing away from the new person so he is able to hide what he is doing. he looks over kayla  to the new person " umm im sorry to interrupt.. this  but Who are you now? " the fox seem to be gathering infomation all the time.

Baynes gaze shifted from the flaming arm to the speaker, a dark brow lifting in mild curiousity, or possible disdain as his sensitive nostrils took in the scents of the rooms occupants with a slow inhale of breath.

"Sorry to interrupt; but I was not talking to you, I was talking to the Magic user I believe. If they wish to know who I am, they are welcome to ask, I am under no obligation to tell my name to just anyone, however."

While otherwise polite, there was no hiding the arrogance Bayne spoke with, not superior so much as an implied statement of 'You have no authority over me, period'. He hadn't meant to be rude but it had been some time since he had been around other people that some courtesies would probably take a while to be remembered, if he bothered at all. Falling silent, he lifted his left arm out from his side, the palm of his open hand facing the trio before him. From his shoulder sprung a gout of violet flame, wreathing around his arm and balling up in front of his palm, only to fall softly towards the floor as he turned his hand over, palm down. When the ball of violet flame touched down, it exploded into a silent blaze as tall if not taller than Bayne himself, no heat coming from the plume as it seemed to swell in intensity at his side. From within the plume a shape took hold, the plume soon dying down to reveal a feminine frame, hugging a feathered cape tight to her bared shoulders. Slender and slight, with hair and eyes as bright and vibrant a shade of violet as the feathered cape draped about her, the feminine entity lifted an eerily beautiful face to the room, revealing skin as black as night in stark contrast, or perhaps in harmony, with the dark shade of hair and feathery flames she had come from. Where her feet should have been, nothing remained, she was a true being of flame and from mid-shins down there was nothing but the base of flame, like you would see in a camp fire or from a candlewick.

"You summoned me, Master?" The feminine entity's voice was docile, subservient, or so she passed herself off as.

"I did. If that beast-man speaks out of turn again without introducing himself first, incinerate him."

"As you wish, my Master." The feminine beings tone changed, growing in intensity before she finished speaking, her hair, eyes and cape starting to glow more intently in preparation of fulfilling her masters wishes. Even the expression on her midnight features gave away her desire to please Bayne, or possibly to burn something to ash.

Glancing around, Bayne just grinned a little ruthlessly, giving a cant of his head towards his summon.

"My Phoenix, only ever truly obedient when I have need of her powers. It took centuries to learn to reveal her personified form, but I consider it a success. Now, to answer your question, beastling, I am Bayne BlackRose, former Commander of the BlackRose Coven Honorguard, former Master Rogue of the Syndicate of Shadow, and formerly of the Blood Demon rac- There is no need for a long introduction Master- Oh shut up! I haven't been around people in a while, it's alright to show off. Sheesh!"

Rolling his eyes and folding his arms across his chest Bayne took a casual stance and groaned a little.

"She always does that. Fine. I'm Bayne, coven-brother to Raven BlackRose, Mistress of the manor. Nice to meet you all."

Jakx merely continued to stare at the flame for a brief moment with a smirk on his face. he found the whole thing ironic to an extent he couldn't explain. Running from magic all his life and now here it was in his hand, just as the gauntlet was on his left. He gave the Fox a strange side glance as he snapped his fingers in front of Jakx's face. This Fox seemed interesting and the fact that the fox was a thief made it more fun.

Jakx was about to speak up when the room suddenly started to fill up rather quickly. First it was Kayla, the girl he had a brief encounter with when he first tried to learn how to use magic (very unsuccessful at that). He was about to speak once more before he was interrupted by the appearance of a third guest in his room. This man he had no clue who he was but the grand entrance was on that was interesting. Though even Jakx had to admit the personality quirk of this guy was little to be desired. His eyes locked onto the strange man though when he called on purple flames that brought forth the "phoenix" that made raise a brow of interest.

After all the introductions were made, in an odd fashion between the group, silence grew over the room. Jakx did the only thing that felt natural, he laughed. His laughter was full and it rang against the solid stone walls with an echo that carried itself through the manor. Finally Jakx stopped laughing long enough to pull himself back to the room. With one look at the flames on his right arm he made them vanish just as quickly as they came. With a sudden lurch of his buddy Jakx was on his feet wearing the tattered, next to nothing, remains of his clothes. In fact when he turned to the group he was only wearing burned worn pants and boots. The only distinguishing item Jakx wore was the cursed silver gauntlet with clawed fingers on his left hand.

His tattooed green piercing eyes swept over the group and when he spoke his voice rang of pure arrogance but a slight gruffness to it as well, "The last time my bedroom was this crowded I was drunk, it was my birthday, and the ladies were more plenty. Though I can't complain about the present company in mind." Jakx gave a playful wink to both Kayla and the "phoenix" before leaning against the cold stone of the balcony's archway. "So may I ask what brought so many honored guests to my room?" Jakx's arms folded over his scarred chest while the silver claws began to drum on his bicep with a small chime of the silver metal. "All I know is that Foxy Boy over there was curious about me and my...recent accommodation. But about you three...that’s a story I have to hear." Jakx wore a broad smirk on his face while his eyes shifted from each individual group to the Blessed Blade which was rammed into the ground outside. It twas easy to spot off the balcony and an easy feat to be able to go get if he wanted to. The current situation however...was more than interesting.

"Oh well I-" "Shut up Master." "But-" "NO Master. You should let the others go first." "Fine. you know, you were nicer when I was the only one that could hear you." "No I wasn't Master." "Good point. You are such a bi-" "Forgive my Master, he doesn't know when to hold his tongue." "Leggo muh ptung 'hoenix!" "Not until the others have spoken first Master, wait your turn." "Thine."

The Phoenix flashed a quick wink and cheeky smile at Jakx, before bowing her head in submission, all the while keeping a firm grip on Baynes tongue with her taloned fingertips.

- West looks at the Bayne  person and stands there and only stares with his one eye .  he moves his hand to his side and tabs the side of his dagger  it a bit . this bring the undead  closer to his side and they both stands there with out staying a word.  but is looks could kill. the fox watches the two interact a bit and he moves his metal arm a bit  up to fix the eye patch on his head as the leather straps like to move a bit when he doing things.

as West stands there he is thinking about the stories  he heard about Raven and this person that now stands in in the Same room as him and the others. he  then looks to jahx with a smrik  and there is a bit of a chuckle as he hears Byane underling giving him lip.

Kayla walks around to stand by West the fox. Kayla's hair back of her neck stands up it gives her a chill down to her spine. Watching Bayne with new interested about their information increase her curiosity about this newcomer. -looking at Jakx smile at him as he winks at her and turns her head listen to Phonenix speaking - Kayla chuckles as she hears the Phonenix try to cover Bayne's lip. -turning to look at West the fox -" This is going to be very interesting."

Jakx watched the seen between the "phoenix" and Bayne unfold and he was trying so hard not to let the laughter flood out of his lungs. The entire scene was more comical than he could describe in words. He actually held his breath to contain his laughter but partial ones slipped through with his breathing. After a moment of taking a deep breath Jakx focused his attention on the "phoenix" wearing his usually devilishly arrogant rogue smile, "You might wanna be careful there Feathers or I might start falling in love here." He gave the "phoenix" another playful wink with a soft chuckle.

Suddenly he stopped dead in his track of smile when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. His head darted to the man that just appeared in his room and Jakx eyed him strangely with a raised brow. His voice still held the gruff arrogance but the with a large addition of sarcasm, "Okay seriously was there a party in my room and I didn't get the invite? How many random people are gonna pop in here anyways?" Jakx's tattooed green piercing eyes scanned the room, moving from each person. The hair rising on the back of his neck twinged more as the air in the room gradually grew warmer.

The Phoenix merely smiled demurely at all the attention she was getting, her head still bowed but her hair and cloak flaring a little brighter in response. Releasing Baynes tongue she curtsied a little towards the other rogue, offering him a vibrant smile as she straightened up and lifted her face once more.

"If Master wasn't my master, maybe you would have a chance." She winked again, playing along with the jests as smoothly as anyone else would, only to stare at the balcony intently when the newest 'guest' arrived, her expression becoming suddenly serious.

"Master-"

"I felt it. Be ready Phoenix, I'm not sure how many could take what might happen next." Baynes tone had become momentarily serious as well, having picked up the nearly subtle change in the rooms temperature just as soon as Phoenix had.

Spreading his arms in a friendly gesture, the Rogue adopted a charming yet sly smile, looking around at all present, newcomer included.

"Weren't we supposed to be telling stories just now? I'm sure Tin-Fist over there-" A hand gestured towards Jakx; "-Would like to know why each of us have appeared here in his room so suddenly. Except the beastling, seems they have met previously."

A pause to gauge the effect of his words, then Bayne continued with his diversion, all the while keeping his senses sharp and ready in case any more surprises turned up. Stopping just short of the others, he offered a fluid bow to Kayla, then straightened and began his tale.

"If you would permit me to go first, my particular tale won't take too long, I promise. I am a BlackRose, same bloodline as the Lady Raven, I served under her sire as his personal bodyguard and commander of the coven guard in total. When the coven was still together, I went off on a training exercise to discover what potential some dormant powers of mine possessed, and have only recently returned to the realms after gods know how long. In my absence the coven had collapsed and gone its own ways, with Raven being the only member I could track down, arriving here in her lands just a number of days ago."

Another pause to let it sink in, Baynes hands falling to his sides as he gave an almost idle shrug.

"I had been resting in Ravens quarters when I felt the presence of new Magic, thanks to Phoenix lending me her affinity to Magics of the elemental and summoning varieties which boosts my own latent ability to feel Magic around me, and came to investigate. I guess it's a Rogue thing, we can't help sticking our noses where they don't belong and never with permission, our curiosity tends to know no bounds. But there you have it, that is my story."

He stepped back, returning to the side of Phoenix, giving the others their space and opening the stage for whoever was going to explain themselves next. Taking a casual lean on thin air, he made himself comfortable, crossing his arms and legs and reclining back a little, watching the others with a casual, trained gaze, ready to read their reactions and act as he feels necessary, if he felt the need to act at all.

- Watches the new person come in to the room and then looks to jakx  and the others " well it seem this place seem to the happening place if I would say." he  blinks and see the young dark skin women by the name of Kayla get close to him and he moves his hand a bit  to her " Ya I would say so..umm if anything happens " he takes his cloak and gives it to  the young women " take this  and hide okay.?" he grins to the lady  he give the cloak .the cloak is a Black and Red Cloak that is armored  on the inside sown in to the Cloth it self and Very good protections from many types of weapons..

the fox  Snow White  tail slowly move side to side as he watches the people some more trying to figure out more what is going on as the name of the Firebird is being thrown around a lot.. the fox moves his hand down and grabs the old tomb that hang from his belt and starts to thumb in the pages looking for something as they all talk.".. hmm ah.." he shuts the leather bond book and clips it back on to his belt as he moves a bit slowly as the fox still have not given his name out but by Kayla saying it out loud anyone who was Liston to the women would know it by now.

The Newcomer walks in Kayla's hair back of her neck stands up gives her a chilling down to her spine it like something strange going to happen. She kept her eyes on the new comer same time. Kayla -head bows in deep respect to Bayne and Phoneix as The Bloodline of Blackrose- As she stands up West the fox hand over his Black and Red cloak. " Sure, I tell you, I would be happy to take care of it West. " She walks back to lean against the wall. People in the room are full of gathering around Jakx.

" I believe something will turn up, and I might learn something about this magic flame surrounding around Jakx..." - Walking toward close to baloney looking out the window admired the view the outside of the manor turn around watching after that. She is walking along the wall and stands there- "I believe these stories is going to be fantastic don't you think, mm"

Another fire user? Baynes attention was piqued at this. studying the one called Strife with that causal gaze of his. Watching the black fireball, he listened, standing upright when the fire user said they would leave.

"Hold fast there a moment. I don't think there's any need to leave. If you are worried about the precautions, it is indeed to do with fire. The rooms temperature has changed, subtly as it may be. I merely ensured that my Phoenix summon here-" Bayne jerked a thumb in the direction of his companion, "-was ready to shield those that couldn't shield themselves if a fiery outburst should occur. Meant no alarm, I just know how difficult learning a new ability can be."

A wry smile curled Baynes lips as he finished, the Phoenix chuckling to herself at the inside joke between them both. Returning to his near-lazy recline, Bayne went back to watching and waiting, wanting no more than to sate his curiosity. If it turned out he was causing fuss he would just watch from a distance, he didn't mind either way.

The air in the room grew silent with each odd introduction. Fox's curious reactions didn't settle right with Jakx but he couldn't say he didn't like the guy. The Fox's very air seemed to hint to him doing something, even if it was a roes, but Jakx didn't seem to mind at all. He was use to the causal methods of a thief, though he though the Fox's actions were rather...lacking but he liked the guy for the small kindness he gave Kayla, by giving her his coat. The undead cat was an odd thing that drew Jakx's eye every now and then, especially since Jakx had dealt with his fair share of undead things and most of which weren't friendly.

Kayla continued her odd silence with the occasional comment. Jakx didn't know if he liked her or should be weary of her. He remembered the colorful magic she had used when he first tried to understand magic, now that he though on it he began to see familiar random spots for a brief moment. Her demeanor was a shy one yet it was subtle. Jakx even quirked a smile when she suggested that the "stories" would be a "fantastic" thing. It was a very curious choice of words.

Then there was Strife, the newcomer that made the hair on the back of Jakx's neck stand at attention. He always received that same kind of rising hair when something bad was going to happen. When the man produced a black flame it caused Jakx's eyebrow to rise on his forehead. That and the fact the "he guessed" it had something to do with fire. Jakx had to force himself not to scoff at that one, and even more so at the kingdom in heavens. "If there is a kingdom in the heavens than I'll kiss a demon." Jakx just smirked at that thought, but he didn't let it slip out loud, cause chances were he would, or had, kiss a demon.

Bayne was the oddest in the room. Jakx could literally feel the intensity from the guy, as well as the "phoenix." though he played the role of the charmer and kept his smile, his insider and instincts were screaming for him to move away from him. the fact that Bayne was a Blackrose seemed to intensify the idea and forethought. Jakx was "fang-free" and he meant to keep it that way. Yet, the power from both Bayne and his "phoenix" was something that Jakx couldn't afford to ignore, he needed to learn...magic. The word still felt sore to even think about as a tool yet there it was and Bayne seemed as likely of a teacher as any, especially since Jakx had found a way to chase off, or upset, the few that may have taught him.

Jakx began to rub the back of his neck furiously with his right hand, while his claws drummed on his bicep consistently. The air in the room was heated and Jakx tried to calm down but everything in the room seemed to set him on edge, hell his own thoughts did that. Yet the people in the room itself...Jakx felt naked, though he practically was since he wore charred/ruined pants and boots only. Jakx itched for a sword that wasn't on his hip. He took a long deep breath gripping some strand of his hair before letting out a breath, "Well I don't mind the party being in my room but it's a lil to small and crowded for my taste so I'm gonna grab some air."

Without another word Jakx leapt from the balcony, whizzing past Kayla, as he dove from the edge. The air slammed against his own body with a familiar embrace that felt welcoming. Gravity took its course as it pulled Jakx down towards the ground from his room high up in the manor. Jakx's moves were subtle, precise, and elegant in the same motion as he moved about the wall kicking off small stones to get the small distance to avoid a balcony and maneuver around another. As Jakx grew one fourth away from the ground his gauntlet gripped the wall with a grinding hiss that rang in the air. Jakx scaled down the wall before landing with a solid thud of his body rolling against the ground before coming to his feet.

Jakx took a brief moment to look back at the balcony as a wide smirk formed on his face, admiring his handy work. With a solid stride Jakx moved forward towards the familiar mound. The ground itself was still littered with the scars, of craters and burns, of the night were Jakx tried to learn about his powers. But the ground never caught his eye, it was what was driven into it. Jakx smiled as his right hand reached out gripping the crystal handle of his Blessed Blade. As his fingers rapped around the handle he felt a warmth great him like a friend. The blade itself began to react to Jakx's touch, for when he gripped the handle the blade was suddenly incased with pure white flame. With one simple motion Jakx withdrew the blade from the mound and swiped the blade, kicking the dirt of, as white flame erupted into the air. The whole time Jakx wore a wide smile, for he no longer felt naked.

Watching Jakx just launch himself off the balcony with the reason of needing air, Bayne and his Phoenix sauntered over and looked down to where the man had landed, watching him in silence for a few seconds as Jakx got reunited with his sword.

"He is a lot like you used to be, Master." The statement came so calmly from the summoned being, her gaze following Jakx as intently as Baynes was.

"He is a great deal like I used to be. It's almost like watching a younger version of myself before I got sired. Interesting."

The Phoenix cast a glance towards Bayne out of the corner of her eye, and caught the devious expression on Baynes face. Smiling to herself at what she knew had to be going through her masters mind, she looked back towards Jakx for a moment, then turned and looked back at those standing in the room still.

"Should we join him or remain here Master?"

Breaking his gaze away, Bayne turned, giving a shrug to the question and looking at the other guests in the mans room.

"Well he said he needed air. Would be somewhat rude to just go down and crowd him all over again. I'm going to stay up here, what of you all?"

He posed the question to West, Kayla and Strife, a dark brow arched up in curiosity as he waited on their answer. Not that he had any say over the actions of others, but he was just curious to see if any would follow after Jakx or if they would remain. Perhaps he could learn more about why they had all been drawn to this one person in such a seemingly sudden and random fashion.

Kayla  looks to everyone, I would stay here give him some room  to breath, and  i think we ought to explaination to each other of  what draws us to him  about his flame the fire or other reason.   Dont you think we should hear it !!!

the fox looks to the the honor guard and smriks " well im going back to the shop ,I’m working on some item Recovery up on the mountain.. so.i would say that would be my plan” he looks to the others and pats Kayla on the head” you can keep that cloak.. think of it as a gift of a friend” the Beast Human makes his way to the door with kego the undead cat on his shoulder . west looks back to the others and bows his head” ill see you all around.. don’t be scared to look me up” he opens the door and disappears once out in the hallway as if a ghost.

>Exit<

As Jakx held his blade in his hand he felt the familiar crystal grip in his palm as well as the weightlessness that came with the blade itself. Jakx even had to control himself from swinging the blade about to make sure it was the same sword. He took a deep breath to calm his ever race energetic thoughts. He rested the flat of the blade on his shoulder and felt the heat of the white fire brush against his skin without even touching it. Magic was once again filling his thoughts as well as the need to understand it. As Jakx's thoughts grew darker about the subject of magic, as well as his hate for it, the air about him began to grow hotter as if it was the middle of summer.

With a growl in his throat Jakx swiped his blade in the motions of the Charging Tiger, and with the motion of his sword the pure white flame slashed against the ground. Jakx fallowed the motion with the Whirling Winds, with each motion of his sword Jakx's left hand fallowed with claws extended to slash. The heat in the air grew hotter and more focused around Jakx as he focused his energy into his sword and his gauntlet with each strike. Jakx's motions fallowed each one in a perfect pattern: Hidden Serpent, Crescent Moon, Raging Storm, Falling Tree, and etc.

Jakx's growls slowly turned to screams that vented through the air. With each movement Jakx felt the same thing as before, he focused it on his left hand; all his rage, discontent, and doubt was poured into his left hand. Within the motion of the Crouched Wolf his silver gauntlet burst into flame. At first Jakx was worried that the curse was going off, but a second look showed that it was the natural red color of fire. Jakx didn't give himself time to focus much on the flame itself as he let out a cry that split the air with the finishing movement of the Shattering Waves. As both his sword and claw slashed on opposite side of Jakx the earth erupted in both pure white fire and natural red fire.

Jakx held that stance for another few moments, breathing heavily as sweet dripped down his back. The very ground around Jakx grew new scars and had smoke rolling from it's very hills. Jakx's hair acted like a curtain hiding his face from the world as the thoughts churned and mixed within his mind. It took another few more moments before Jakx finally came to a decision. With a solid breath back in his lungs Jakx charged back for the manor. With a solid leap into the air, launching him one fourth the way up the manor, Jakx gripped the nearby ledge of the nearest window and hauled himself up further. He leapt up from balconies and used his gauntlet to launch himself further up. With a sudden thud he was crouched on the rail of his own balcony with a wide devilishly coy smirk on his face, "I feel better, so what I miss?"

The moment Jakx started in on his routine, Baynes attention was riveted entirely on what the younger rogue did. Equally focused was Phoenix, staring intently, almost frowning, at the white flames coming from the sword.

"Master, I-" "Shush, i'm watching this." Bayne waved Phoenix away, resting his forearms on the balcony rail, so oblivious to the goings on around him he didn't even notice the beastlings exit from the room. Phoenix in the mean time, while obeying Bayne and stepping back a little, still showed signs of worry, and the more enthralled Bayne became over Jakxs motions the greater her concern became apparent.

When Jakx finally returned, she spoke before Bayne, holding an arm before her master defensively, studying Jakx and his sword with a narrowed stare.

"The Fox Man has left, he said we could come by his shop if we wished. I have something I want to ask." Her tone was completely serious and she even pointed to the weapon in question, her behavior markedly different from moments before.

"That sword. What is that white flame it brings forth?"

Bayne, during all this, just kind of stared at the back of Phoenix's head in mild confusion.

"Uh Phoenix, what's wrong? It's just a white flame isn't it? Nothing special about that. Your flames are shades of black and purple aft-"

"No Master. That sword is dangerous. I want to know why."

Jakx looked at the accusing "phoenix" with an arched brow that seemed to crawl up his head. Why was she so concerned about his sword, or more specifically the white fire that came from it? The seriousness in her eyes was definitely different from earlier when he was his casual self, even flirting with her. Jakx simply looked between the two, the "phoenix" and Bayne, with a questionable gaze before looking at the blade which laid flat on his shoulder. In truth he knew a good portion about the sword itself by his experience but it was experience alone, if the sword had any hidden secrets then he was in for a surprise later.

His gaze finally went back to the "phoenix" in question as he gave a casual shrug. His voice didn't change; it was still the arrogant gruff voice which he started off with, "As far as I know the white fire burns evil, at least that’s the best way to sum it up. The more evil something is the more it burns from what I've seen. Hell because of this sword I've been able to take jobs of an exorcist killing phantoms and specters. The priests can eat their hearts out at that!" Jakx gave a soft chuckle at his own joke. Not once had he moved from the crouched position on the railing of the balcony. He kneeled there like it was a natural position for him as he wore his devilishly coy smile.

The "Oh." look of realization on Baynes face had to be priceless, enough so that the Phoenix stepped back, resuming her more subdued attitude from earlier, a knowing smile on her lips as she bowed to Jakx in thanks for answering her.

"You are a ******** idiot." A new voice joined the party, this one less than amused, by the sound of it. Rising from the shadows near Bayne as a column of dark, violet-tinted smoke, a new summon took form, stepping forth with an insolent, arrogant way of moving. Folding slender arms over a slender chest, and leaning much like Bayne had earlier, this new figure had a sneer on its face as it stared at Bayne with brilliant violet eyes. There were several things to draw the eye about this new figure, from his dark, wild mane of hair that reached just past his shoulders, the slender frame that almost seemed undernourished, the ears that stretched to points, his clawed fingers, the fact he wore nothing but a pair of trousers and had his legs end in that same dark smoke he had risen from, much like Phoenix stood from fire.

What ever kind of idiot he had called Bayne, it was not a word known by any that didn't speak some form of Demonic tongue, and the killing intent in Baynes glare in return to this new arrival.

"Shut it Wolf, no one asked you to make an appearance."

"Of course not, if they had I'd have thrown you in the path of that fire you were so fascinated with."

"****** *** ***** **-" Phoenix cut Baynes demonic string of abuse short by once again grabbing his tongue, and did the same to the summon Wolf to stop him saying anything either.

"Please forgive us. These two have no sense of civility around each other. Thank you for explaining that flame to me, I thought it was a little too dangerous for my master to show such an interest in."

Bowing again in apology, and forcing the other two to follow suit, Phoenix took control of things before they got out of hand. Straightening up she offered a warm, friendly smile to thew young flame wielder and other guests in his room.

"My master still has much to learn, but you are very much alike, both in how you act and think. But I fear we may have overstayed our welcome, especially now that Wolf has appeared. I'm sorry."

She bowed again, this time remaining that way as her cloak flared up, beginning to spread out over the other two who were now starting to possibly plead for redemption or release, it was hard to tell in between the bouts of swearing at each other while unable to free their tongues.

Jakx's eyebrow arched fully to the lining of his hair as the new creature appeared in the room. He was surprised but not completely dumbstruck as he might have been when he first came to the manor. His brain processed everything that was going on while his mouth ran wild with amusement, "Seriously pal how many of these guys do you have fallowing you around? I mean is it an all-day all-night kinda thing? If so that's gotta be awkward in the bedroom. I mean...Feathers there would probably make it more interesting but Smokey over there....not so much." Jakx finally went quite after his small rant and wore a wide devilish smile on his face.

He tried hard not to laugh as the "phoenix" treated both like ill-behaved children, which forced Jakx not to laugh. He literally forced himself not to laugh. He let his mouth run tool wild for what he needed next. Jakx took a deep breath to calm himself before hopping off the railing and cutting the "phoenix" off before she lead the small, odd, threesome out of the room. "Actually...I don't mind you guys staying. Cause well....I have a favor to ask. You see...well...I mean..." The words felt like complete acid in his own tongue. He had already made a decision but fallowing through was the tough part. As Jakx tried to speak and make his request he began to rub the back of his neck with his left hand furiously, and growing more nervous. He finally hissed as he felt the claws of his own gauntlet cut his neck forcing the words out of his mouth, "I want you to teach me how to use fire magic?!" He accidently shouted the request out of pure frustration at himself for how long it took. His gauntlet gently gripped the cut on his neck and shoulder; feeling like an idiot for cutting himself but slightly grateful he did, other-wise he wouldn’t have been able to get the words out. The cold silver soothed the aching skin as he waited for a reply and reaction with nervousness, from Bayne's group as well as the others in the room.

"WHAT?!"

Any argument was swiftly forgotten once Jakx made his request, including any reply to his comments made before it. All three of Baynes group had cried out as one voice, staring at Jakx in abject horror really, all wide eyed and mouths agape. Quicker to get over the shock, the summons glanced at each other then withdrew off a few paces, muttering, gesturing and clearly in a serious, rushed debate, the looks they gave Jakx weren't too promising either. Bayne finally got over himself and shook his head rapidly to clear the fog, before staring at Jakx shrewdly.

"Okay, first and foremost, I HATE magic. I've never liked it and just being near it makes my skin crawl. Every mage I've had dealings with has left a really bad taste in my mouth, and some of that is literal."

Jerking a thumb in the direction of his summons, Bayne revealed a rather serious side, his jaw set and his gaze firm.

"What I didn't know those two back there taught me, and none of it was magic. there was no casting spells or mystic incantations or funny sigils drawn on peoples floors. I'm a Demon by birthright, they just taught me how to awaken, draw on and control my latent energy. From what I saw, you're very much like me. An energy user more than a mage, only your power is of elemental flame while mine is of dark demonic origins."

Glancing to Strife, Bayne gestured to Jakx with a cant of his head.

"You said you know something about fire magic right? Don't suppose you have any tips or words of advice to offer? If this guy is serious about me teaching him, he may end up either hurt beyond all hope, or hating me to his very core before the month is out."

Jakx stared Bayne right in the face listening to his statements while trying to hold back his own. He kept his words bottled in his throat trying to bite his tongue and not say a word. At one point he quite literally bit his tongue, without piercing skin, to keep the words from spilling out. Bayne, "phoenix", "Wolf", and Strife. Jakx's tattooed green piercing eyes moved to each individual with the increasing heat slowly building around him. He felt the heat on the back of his neck and try to calm down. He wracked his left hand through it, trying to avoid clawing his back again. He continued to rub more and more till it turned into a scrapping. The words that bounced around just drove him mad.

Suddenly his own claws cut the back of his neck, without a care as Jakx's back seemed to steam and catch slightly on fire. The bare back sweated from the heat but the sweat quickly turned to steam. The whole while Jakx's voice rang out clear in the room, his bottled frustration and emotions rang out clear as day. "Control my emotions! How can I control my emotions when the very word Magic tastes like acid on my tongue?! You hate magic there pal?! Well guess what I've avoided it like the plague ever since it thought it was a good idea to permanently attach itself to me."

Jakx gauntlet suddenly extended its fingers and with a spinning motion the claws sliced against the stone wall of his room. Jakx stood once more face the group as the fire spurted from his back like a pyre. Jakx's left hand flexed, chiming the silver metal against one another, the gauntlet itself looked as if it was freshly polished and didn't have scratch on it. The wall behind Jakx, however, held deep indentations of were the claws dug into the stone leaving deep gashes.

"I HATE Magic with a fucking passion but it won't leave me alone! First it saw fit to curse me with a damn gauntlet that's now my hand and is the Silver Flame of Destruction! Then, it saw fit to ironically bless me with a blade that purifies by white fire!" At that moment Jakx stabbed his Blessed Blade into the stone for causing the very blade to scream with pure white fire that roared right in front of Jakx's face, yet everyone could still see his green tattooed piercing eyes through the gaps in the flame. The fire on his back rose even more as if he were about to sprout wings. "I HATE MAGIC! DO YOU HEAR ME! I HATE IT! You talk about meeting mages that have left made bad marks of magic on you?! I've meet magic users that want to roast, freeze, incinerate, burn, slice, smash, torture, eat, and just plain kill me!" The heat around Jakx was equal to that of a small house burning down. The wave of white fire screamed more like a fanning wall erupting from the white blade in front of Jakx's face. While, the flames on his back grew to full out wings of pure fire. Jakx gripped his sword with both hands as his gaze sliced right through everyone in the room.

"I hate magic with more passion than you know, and there is only one thing I can think of hating more than that! But, now it won't leave me alone! I can't even go to sleep without my bed turning into a barbeque, with me as the roasting prime rib main course! I have to learn magic or die! And I don't like the second of those two choices!"

Just as suddenly as it all started it quickly ended. The room quickly grew dark with the sky from the balcony being the only light in. Jakx hunched over leaning on his sword has he panted and gulped for air to fill his lungs. His eyes focused on the ground were his sword was now embedded in stone as he tried to fill his lungs back up with air. Sweat slowly rolled down his skin, making it shine in the low light, as his hair clung to his skull and forehead. His back was a mixture of sweat, trickling blood from the claw marks on his neck, and rising steam. He had yet to look up and face the room after his out burst and just focused on calming down and getting the air back into his lungs.

The phoenix danced. As soon as Jakx got even a little carried away, she was right there between him and Bayne, dancing away, her body twisting and turning as she repelled any part of either his elemental flame or the white that dared come near her master. Wolf had moved as well, propelling himself from the balcony in the moment everything started to go up in smoke, a brief glance Baynes way before launching and vacating the room. When Jakx dropped to his knees, Phoenix stared at him with a stern frown before she too left the room, propelling herself with a trail of flame, following the Wolf outside of the manor.

This now just left Bayne there facing the angry mortal as if nothing had happened, though his expression had turned deadly serious. "So be it." Before his lips had even stopped moving, Bayne vanished. When he appeared again, it was right beside Jakx, his left leg lifted up to catch the sword across the guard with his shin, angled to lift it out of the floor and against Jakx's chest. The motion didn't stop there either, Bayne followed through by lifting the little firebug clean off the floor with the same kick, sending him flying backwards over the balcony rail.

"You might want to tag along Strife, this could get amusing. Little miss whoever you are, you can do as you please."

Glancing at Strife and the woman before bringing his foot down to the floor, Bayne addressed them both, vanishing once more the moment his foot made contact. Anyone that could follow the movements of a Supernatural would have known Bayne was only using physical force through all of this, and holding back a fair bit as well. Whether they could follow or not, Bayne was already airborne,  his enhanced legs sending him from the room out to where Jakx was likely still flying through the air, grabbing the firebug by an ankle and swinging him around then down, sending him towards the charred earth below.

With a tuck of his legs Bayne rolled a little, a pulse of dark energy from near his feet shooting him off towards the ground like an arrow from a bow, another similar pulse halting his moment just before he landed, the naked eye making it seem as if he had simply teleported to that point.

"You command fire you idiot. Of course your emotions are going to play a big part in how well you control yourself. You want to be taught, you'll be taught, but you better not die on me. My Phoenix has the power to heal and resurrect if need be, but I'm not too skilled with it yet, so try to stay alive okay?"

Standing around Jakx at an equal distance was Bayne, Phoenix, and Wolf, all three staring at Jakx with a seriousness that hadn't been displayed before. It were as if they had stepped up a grade from their behaviour in the room, the trio watching Jakx and waiting for a reply. The Phoenix with her intent gaze, the Wolf with his arrogant sneer, and the demonic hybrid with his sudden no-nonsense stance.

"We will teach, but pull another stunt like you did just now, and what I did to get you here will seem like a pleasant summers dream by comparison. are you still determined to have me as your tutor?"

Jakx had barely heard the words "So be it." Before he felt sharp pain in his gut that brought our a gurgling gasp for breath. He didn't know what happened, one moment he was fine and just trying to get the air back in his lungs and the next his stomach felt like it was rammed in and he was in the air. Jakx was barely given time to think about what could have happened when he saw Bayne suddenly grab on to his ankle and slam him down towards the ground. Jakx felt the familiar embrace of the air as it whistled past his ear. At this speed he was going break bone if he hit the ground. This was the same kind of move he had used on others and he knew what kind of damage it could do. The next thing Jakx did was on reflex, as his left hand stretched out and gripped the wall with his claws. The grinding hiss from the silver mixed with the whistling air for a moment before Jakx was yanked hard to reality by his sudden crash into the ground.

With a groan, and a thankful thought that nothing was broken, Jakx forced himself to sit up. When Jakx made it to his knees Bayne began to speak again, but Jakx was trying to remember when the guy made it to the ground at all. At that moment Bayne began to belittle Jakx about fire and it's connection to emotion, this instantly started to grate against Jakx's nerves. Finally, after a few moments of battering from Bayne Jakx got his answer. "...are you still determined to have me as your tutor?" The question rang in Jakx's ears and he wasn't sure to be grateful or be more agitate. He didn't want another stunt like in the room?! Well then he should learn not to under estimate what he doesn't know.

Jakx held his semi-kneeling position, looking at Bayne through the bangs of his hair that acted as a curtain for his face. His voice boomed in annoyance and still held the gruffness, "Of course the damn fire is controlled by emotions! My sword reacts that way to the white fire! A moron with half a brain could have made that connection! It's controlling it and dealing with it inside me that I have a problem with!" If a person would have blinked they'd have completely missed Jakx's next movements. One moment he was kneeling the next he closed the gap between him and Bayne with the speed matching that of a vampire. Within that moment Jakx sent his balled up fist of a gauntlet into Bayne's gut, launching him into the air. As soon as Bayne was a few feet off the ground Jakx leaped up and grabbed Bayne's ankle slamming him down into the ground. Jakx landed a few feet away with his own stern look in his eyes while his left hand flexed and his sword rested on his bleeding shoulder. If looks could kill his tattooed green eyes were swords that pierced through the whole crowd that stood there, especially Bayne. "Don't under estimate me and what I can do. And the next time you wanna talk to me say so and don't kick me out a damn window!" With that last statement Jakx gave a sudden twist of his neck popping it so loud that others around would have thought bones had broken, and he repeated it with a second twist that held the sound of multiple bone crunching pops.

Staring at the heavens while laying in the dirt, Bayne listened to Jakx's retort with an almost serene air about him. When he was sure Jakx had finished speaking he sat up, dusting the back of his head off and glancing the mortals way with an almost secretive smile.

"So a Human that has speed almost on par with the Undead? How long has that been possible? Guess I've been out of the realms longer than I thought."

Getting to his feet, Bayne stretched, and entirely in a show of one-upmanship began popping every joint in his body with a few stretches. The noise wasn't as grand as Jakx had made, but it was more the series of pops and cracks coming from his jaw down to his toes that was his way of showing off. Obviously the blow landed on him hadn't even been worth mentioning, but Bayne wasn't so foolish as to disregard it entirely. Even with a silver fist and superhuman speed, the strength of the man was far from his own, but why ruin the moment by pulling stunts like that? Besides, Bayne kind of deserved it really.

"A moron with half a brain eh, well little mortal, if you're so clever, why do you need instruction hm? I test what I don't know, and you passed that fairly well if you could land that strong a blow on me after a fall like I gave you."

Bayne's almost cheerful banter came to an end as he met stare for stare with Jakx,  a feral snarl rolling in his throat as he continued his speech.

"But don't think for a second this is going to be fun and games, youngling. Unless you have the blood of a Supernatural flowing through you unnoticed, I have been doing this longer than you could ever hope to. You've proven you can handle me as a tutor, so I'll take you on. We both may learn something from this little endeavor after all."

Walking past Jakx, Bayne wandered off for a few yards before coming to a halt, raising a hand and snapping his fingers like he were signalling someone. Beneath his feet a dark portal opened, the sounds of pouring sand and hushed whispers filling the air as dark mist began to spread out over the ground. From the portal rose three crystalline pillars of a violet hue, their forms twisted like tree branches, splitting at the top to form pillars with two tips. They continued rising for a good ten feet before a dais of the same violet crystal lifted Bayne up, exposing a short flight of stairs to the structures base before the portal closed underneath it.

"Your first few lessons will be held up here. I could teach you all sorts of amazing tricks and moves, but those are worthless without a foundation. I'm sure you know how to meditate, who ever taught you those stances of yours will no doubt have instructed you in the methods of finding your center and the flow of things. If not, they failed you miserably. You will meditate on this dais for up to five hours a day, until I'm satisfied you've understood the flow of your energy. If you still think I'm underestimating you, you are welcome to seek someone else to learn under."

Walking down the stairs from the dais, Bayne made his way beside Jakx, folding his arms and taking a casual stance as he waited for his young charge to make a move. The smirk on his face gave away that there was possibly something Bayne had yet to explain about his actions, but for now he had finished speaking and would say no more.

Jakx merely scoffed at Bayne's surprise at his own speed, the training that Jakx had taken for himself when he first received the blade wasn't just for show and it surely was tiring after that week in the mountains. Jakx just looked at Bayne and gave a casual shrug, "Well I am damn good at my profession for a reason, and it’s not just for show there Rags." The nickname slipped before Jakx could catch it, but, what was said was said. In a brief moment, however, Jakx didn't care about the nickname at all. The fact that Bayne brought up the fact that Jakx was only human made his blood boil. "It doesn't matter how old you are asshole. Fang-free or not I'm the best there is and don't you forget it!" Jakx felt a growl rise in his own throat while his left hand flexed and his right hand gripped more firmly on his sword. As Bayne walked past him Jakx's green tattooed piercing eyes shot through the man but was quickly dumb founded by the portal that erupted from the ground.

Jakx's brow rose quickly as he saw the giant crystal structure form and rise as tall as a tower. The hairs on the back of Jakx's neck stirred as he remembered the last time he had visited a tower. The events were less than pleasant and Jakx had a gut feeling the results would be similar if not worse in this case. Jakx barely caught Bayne's instructions but was struck by reality when the man mentioned meditation. The one thing that Jakx hated the most about his training, because it was a deep wound that would never heal. As Bayne stood next to Jakx he received another piercing side glance and scoff before Jakx walked up the stairs. At the first step he hesitated with the memories of the previous tower and the training for meditation still stuck in his mind. He shook his head and forced his feet to walk the long stairs.

The stride up the stairs was long and Jakx took his time as he felt the stinging sweat roll down his back and into the claw cuts in his skin, stinging with each step he took. It was therapeutic in a way, as Jakx focused on his back he was able to ignore the memories that pounded at the doors of his mind. But, when he reach that tops step they flooded into his skull like a damn was broken. He stood there staring at the floor with a hard swallow. The tower which he was tortured at mixed with training that was equally tortures still bounced within his skull. With a long deep breath Jakx moved to the center of the floor and sat down.

Jakx remembered the focus of meditation, the initial steps any ways. His "Battlemaster" wanted him to learn it so he may communicate more closely with good. Jakx wanted no more than to burn any kind of communication with god, cause so far his still an asshole. Jakx took a moment to find relaxed position till he was comfortable with partially sitting down with a knee propped up and his right hand gripping the hilt of his sword, while the tip was pushed into the solid ground. Jakx closed his eyes taking slow deep breath as his left hand slowly drummed his fingers on to his thigh, each claw tip chiming at a drum. With each breath Jakx feed his emotions into an element that drown it away. His "Battlemaster" suggested water or wind as the purest methods to mediation to "communicate with god." Jakx had to feed his aggravation into the element as well, in the cause Jakx picked fire, he thought it was fitting. Slowly his emotions were feed more and more into that flame within his mind till no emotion was left and the chiming of his gauntlet suddenly stopped. The only sounds that existed were his deep breathing and the whistling of the wind.

The verbal assault from Jakx just had Bayne grin all the more devilishly, and with his upper and lower fangs showing, accompanied with his freakishly bloodstained eyes, he probably looked far more evil than intended. Maybe. The smile faded when the sheer waves of dread came pouring off Jakx as he took to the stairs, Bayne's brow furrowing just ever so slightly in concern.

"And I thought I had it bad during training, what is it with those people putting us Rogues through such Hell?" The thought was murmured aloud, absently at that, though he soon shook off what ever memories or thoughts had arisen and just waited in silence for Jakx to take his position.

The moment Jakx entered the true meditative state, the three spires started to unwind, twisting about with the sound of cracking crystal or glass grinding against itself as six arches were soon formed from the three towers, becoming a cage of hoops around Jakx and the platform. Once the cage was in place, a smaller portal opened directly above it, an hourglass constructed in much the same fashion as the towers rose out of it, though it was unlike any hourglass seen by most.

There was a large bell mounted atop the hourglass frame, and rather than having the sand in the bottom waiting to fall when turned over, the upper bulb held the sand, is if its personal gravity had been reversed. The sand inside the glass was as black as sin but with a sheen, as if it were made of tiny black crystals or something of a similar nature. Once it had come into full view, the portal beneath it closed, leaving just the platform, cage and hourglass visible. Jakx as well obviously.

Glancing over to Strife, Bayne just grinned devilishly again.

"When I turn that glass over, it will continue to turn over until I stop it, or Tin-Fist up there loses all control. First time I was in that cage, I barely lasted three minutes, but I've toned it down a lot so he should at least make it for five. Sitting in there is the most annoying experience imaginable, it will be doing everything it can to break his concentration, without actually causing physical pain to him or his mind. Each time that glass turns, an hour will have passed and a flame will appear above it, after five hours there will be five flames and if he's managed to survive that I'll let him out. If the glass starts turning quickly or just disappears completely before then, I'd suggest running. the building can probably take the blast but anything not ready for it is likely to be caught up in a furious outburst of his power."

Bayne turned his gaze back to Jakx, before his body seemed to transform into shadowy mist.

"The summons can watch over him in my absence, I need to eat and regain some strength, that cage takes a bit out of me when it's used."

He soon collapsed into the form of several wolves, each taking off towards the treeline at full tilt. The glass turned the moment he did so, and the sand began pouring up into the top bulb just as you'd expect it would, if hourglasses worked that way instead of typically pouring down. The moment the sand started to flow, Jakx would have been bombarded with sensations of irritation, nothing he would be able to point a name to, but the very energy given off by the cage was attuned to be as annoying as possible to whomever was within its confines. Everything from niggles down the spine, hairs raising, the general sense of being uncomfortable, what ever it took to make you want to stop concentrating and just scream, the cage would put you through.

Bayne hoped he made it to the trees before Jakx got out of the cage, but didn't hold his breath on it. Some things transcended the divide of species, and aggravation was one of them.

The fire was all Jakx focused on, he kept his eyes closed forcing his focus slowly on the fire. Every time a random thought or emotion popped in his mind he immediately feed it to the fire. He focused on the flame and the shape of it, yet he couldn't focus on the color. Every time he tossed a new thought or emotion into the flame the fire was a completely new color. If it would make Jakx question he fire he just dumped the question into the flame to be burnt and consumed by the heated fire. The more Jakx himself focused on the fire the more his sword seemed to react. The sword itself began to have a thin glow about its edge that flowed about, similar to the flow of a river, as it moved over the blade's edge.

It all seemed to happen at once that Jakx couldn't put his finger on it. He felt tense and everything seemed to crawl on his skin as the hairs on the back of his neck stood. The sweat that rolled down his back and stung provided more when it touched his wound like an itch that needed to be scratch. The thoughts of the meditation reminding him of his training to be the "blade of god" suddenly set Jakx on edge. The very room Jakx was in started to feel warmer and the more Jakx's nerves stood on edge the more his left hand began to drum on his rest thigh and chime with each stroke.

All of this was annoying and the flame seemed to be insignificant in comparison, and even that to seemed to grind against Jakx's nerves. He continued to feed each itching thought into the fire with there being no end to them. it may of been a spur of an idea or one created just of pure irritation, but the fire in Jakx's mind grew to a bonfire as Jakx continued to feed each individual irritation.

Soon the sweating itch was gone, thoughts of god were gone, and thoughts of annoyance seemed to only be on the edge of thought. As Jakx fed the fire in his mind the cage he was in grew more heated. The heat of the room was that of a small house fire that cause steam to rise from the water that was trapped in the room with Jakx. Outside the steam could be seen rising through the crack of the crystal cage. As time slowly inched more and more the steam constantly grew and poured from the cracks as if the room itself was a hot spring. A small white light could also be seen from the cracks as well for the sword’s edge had grown more bright with small tendrils of flame moving with the flowing river of the blades edge.

The shadow-mist wolves converged right at the treeline, but what appeared wasn't the ragged-looking Rogue of Bayne, but rather a more sophisticated version, his hair shorter, his clothing replaced with a long coat that buckled three straps across his abdomen, the supernaturally toned perfection of his bare torso showing where the coat was open as he wore no shirt underneath and his trousers were of heavy linen tucked into the top of heavy leather boots sporting scaled black-steel plates up to his knees.  He even had fitted leather gloves on his hands, not the finger-less red-trim gauntlets but supple black riding gloves. Leaning against a tree, Bayne studied the column of steam rising from the cage, taking in the amount of sand within the glass as well.

"Impressive, he still needs to master keeping the heat to a smaller area, but I'm surprised he hasn't erupted into a fireball yet. Cocky little bastard might actually make it to half an hour at this rate." The tone of voice was different, still melodious but older, more matured and far, far more arrogant than previously. It were as if this current Bayne was a completely different individual from a different time altogether.

Not even shifting his gaze, he passed a thought to Wolf, who just chuckled and stared at Phoenix with a sneer.

"The old man wants us to turn the cage up a little, seems the boy made something of an impression. More's the pity, mortal fool."

The Phoenix merely smiled and stared at the cage before starting to glow, while Wolf began to darken considerably, mist shrouding him in a slight vortex. The effects of the cage increased in strength, still causing no physical or mental trauma, but emanating a great deal more of that annoying energy to bathe Jakx in, still trying to drive him over the edge of frustration and break his meditation in the process.

Bayne merely stayed and watched, the ruse about him needing to feed simply an excuse to distance himself so none saw the form he now took. As an extra precaution he broke down into the pack again, but remained by the tree, lying about on the ground waiting expectantly for the results of the test the cocky mortal rogue was being put through.

Jakx felt the annoyance nipping more furiously within his mind. They annoyance felt like a ravenous dog trying to force its way into his thoughts. Jakx focused more on the flaming as his left hand began to drum again with a chime of each finger. Jakx tried to force the annoyance away with the growing flame but all it seemed to do was make the ravenous dog hungrier. He felt the focus slipping and hissed through his clinched teeth. The air about his was equal to that of a pure bonfire causing steam to rise soully from Jakx himself.

Jakx felt on part of the annoyance slip in through the wall he placed up. As of instinctive reaction he stuffed the annoyance into the fire. The gap remained there briefly unfiled until it was suddenly formed with a new dog wanting to nip at Jakx heels. The annoyance grew as he felt the wound on his back and neck tingle. His grip on his sword tighten as his teeth clinched behind his closed lips. The idea struck Jakx in strange kind of manner that it seemed somewhat brilliant and stupid at the same time.

Jakx managed to take a deep breath before exhaling slowly. With each passing moment he let a small annoyance slip through only to push it into the ever growing and ever changing fire. each time a gap formed he let another slip through long enough to force it into the fire as well. The more he slipped through to burn into the fire the calmer his form seemed to be. He slowly let each annoyance slip through his wall but funneled it like a damn so they each were burned by the fire. As each annoyance added to the fire the bonfire grew in his mind to that for a complete pyre.

Jakx himself also caught on fire but the flames matched that of the light of his sword. the firs seemed to swirl about Jakx's form like a river flow fallowing a bath with tendrils of flames spurting out with each annoyance that he let slide through his wall. Jakx's sword grew more brightly with several large tendrils of white flames moving about it's edge. Anyone watching the tower itself could swear it was a light house by how brought the flame of Jakx's sword and himself stood out in the sky.

The summons gave Bayne a quick rundown on what was going on within the cage and Baynes response was probably expected. Obviously Jakx was feeding into his power like Bayne had expected, just now HOW he expected it to happen. A half hour had definitely passed going by the sand in the hourglass, so Bayne sent the order to the summons to increase the cages effect yet again, this time with physical sensations. A prickling sensation would spread all over Jakx's body, as if he were in a field of static electricity, strong enough to give only a light shock, not injure just yet.

If Jakx survived the next half hour just as he had been, Bayne had a feeling he'd have to intervene before the heat in the area began to soften even the stones of the manor. The cage wasn't built to contain things like that, and Bayne really didn't want to cause any undue damage to the area he had only just arrived in. He wanted at least a good week or more to pass before he could be blamed for destroying something recklessly.

Kayla stood watching the events unfolded and realized there nothing I can do here. " I overstayed my welcome I had better headed off to do other things that I can do." It walked across the balcony jumped over and landed upon the ground. Sniff in the air " ah fresh air" looking ahead and off to the courtyard. <exit >

Jakx continued to toss each individual dog of annoyance into the pyre of ever changing fire. His mind was blank focused only on the fire itself and keeping a clear thought to the form of the fire to burn any other thought from his mind. He seemed to be able to hold on, but he lost track for how long he had been doing this. Had it been an hour or was it barely a few minutes? He stuffed that thought into the pyre as well. Is focus was only on that flame and making sure no other thought or emotional doubt entered his thoughts, even the ravenous dogs that nipped at the edge of thought.

When Jakx was forcing one of the ravenous dogs into the pyre he felt a sudden surge throughout his body. The whole thing jarred him and made him forget what he was doing. The moment he regained some composure he was suddenly it with a large flood gate of emotions. He let one dog in to burn but was unable to close the whole that was left behind. The idea of meditation to "connect with god" was the first thing to come to mind and that feed on deeper anger that he kept within. Slowly his mind piled with past memories and the simple fact of what he was doing now to deal with magic itself was infuriating.

As the thoughts flooded his mind within him Jakx had no idea of the effects around him. As the flood gates poured into his mind the tendrils of fire about Jakx's body suddenly burst into a roaring rage that almost enveloped Jakx and the room around him. The more the thoughts and anger ate away at his mind the greater the fire grew. Jakx's very own sword seemed to regain the same fanning wall of pure white fire, that had raged through his room previously. Both natural and white fire roared and screamed about Jakx in an agonizing sight that seemed to even melt and burn the very crystal which Jakx sat on.

Jakx tried to grab on to some solid ground within his mind but everything single thought flooded in and took over his mind. "If it wasn't for my damn heritage I'd never be here in the first place. All those damn things they thought was best for my life because of my blood. I didn't choose to be the descendent of anyone! And thanks to all that I'm sitting trying to "connect with god" just so I can learn to calm the fuck down and not burn myself with magic! MAGIC!? Why the hell is it around me in the first fucking place?! God you’re a fucking asshole on the greatest scale that I know!" He had no focus or edge all he had was a past that ate him to the core which only fueled his rage causing the fire around him to grow more drastically.

"Bayne!!" "Master!!" The summons verbally called for him, a look of actual panic on their faces as they looked around urgently for the Hybrid. The shadow wolves appeared instantly, rushing by Strife and the summons, aiming for the stairs of the dais and converging half-way up. Still in his updated regalia Bayne strode for Jakx, the cage giving way under the flame and the hourglass fading out of existence as well.

"Put up a barrier, I'll get him out of there."

The summons nodded, then did as asked, the glow and shadow of the pair expanding until a dome formed over the area. The heat from the flaming outburst didn't exceed the barriers shadowy edge, and if anyone noticed they would have seen things wilting within the barrier but not outside it. Mounting the dais at last, Bayne stepped into the blaze, completely unaffected except for a breeze causing the tails of his coat to flap about him. Anyone that could look into that fire and watch would have seen that the flames were held off from Baynes form by a good couple of feet, a personal barrier of some sort stopping them even getting close.

When he got near to Jakx, he took a knee, resting a gloved hand lightly on the back of his neck. "Time's up Tin-Fist." Without warning, a pulse of Bayne's dark energy rippled through Jakx and the immediate area of the platform, disrupting the flow of energy causing the flames in the first place, and possibly rendering Jakx temporarily unconscious depending on his state of mind. Before the inferno recovered, Bayne slipped a pendant from his pocket, A crystal on a woven chain, the pendant was shaped like a spearhead and the color of the elemental flame. Slipping it over Jakxs head, he let it fall into place, lifting his disruption and stepping back.

The crystal flashed the moment Bayne lifted his energy away, glowing like it held a flame within its many-faceted depths. The effect of the crystal was immediate, Jakx would feel his hated power being forced into the pit it came from, something sealing most of it away but for a small flicker. The withdraw of energy was extended to the sword as well, its raging blessed flame dimming down considerably.

With the immediate threat dealt to, Bayne lowered the dais so Jakx wouldn't need to walk down the stairs when he recovered his footing, a pillar being leaned on as Baynes ragged appearance returned.

"If you're awake down there, you did well. That necklace will suppress your power and stop it raging out of control, so long as it remains intact. It's only temporary for now, I need a little time to whip up something more permanent but so long as your mental state doesn't go haywire you should be fine."

The constant thought of being his descendent echoed in Jakx's mind like a virus that spread through his veins. The thoughts echoed each one leading to a pure funnel of frustration, rage, and pure hatred. "This damn blood of mine! Why the hell was I born with that god damn blood through my veins?! I hate it and all that comes with it! I never choose to have him as an ancestor or even wanted to be any part of his line!" The thoughts boiled as the fire raged all around Jakx. His eyes remained firmly closed as he saw the ever changing fire in his mind roar and run rampant within his own mind. The thoughts and voices echoed within his skull and with each passing second the roaring fires about Jakx grew.

A voice, like a whisper, at the edge of Jakx's mind suddenly got all of his attention. "Time's up Tin-Fist." Suddenly Jakx felt a blow to the back of his head like he had a steal maul knock him out cold. His eyes shot open wide and closed just as suddenly when his whole body went limp. The only thing Jakx remembered seeing in that brief moment was the sky mixed with fire, and then he was out cold only able to see the back of his eye lids.

As Jakx became unconscious the fires from around his body and sword slowly died down and when Bayne placed the necklace about Jakx’s neck the fire dispersed completely. The only indication of the fire was the steam that rolled off the crystal and Jakx himself. As the crystal vanished to a small platform steam rolled off Jakx’s back in waves caught in the wind.

For the longest moment Jakx didn't stir until the same voice called out to Jakx. Jakx slowly opened his eyes with a groan and rubbed the back of his neck with his silver gauntlet. Remarkably, Jakx still held his strange sitting stance throughout the whole ordeal. But, before Jakx could question it he felt his gauntlet rubs against a hard chain and immediately looked down at the strange orange-red crystal on his chest. With a grunt he stood up, using the sword as leverage, before turning to face Bayne. Jakx's eyes regarded the man idly through barely thin slight of his eyes lids, as if he was about to pass out. He didn't say a word he just tried to recall everything that had happened to him as he stood there with the small tendrils of steam rolling off his back.

"What's with the face? Thought the "best there is" could handle this much. Really, anyone would think I'd hit you for real this time with an expression like that."

Baynes bastard smirk didn't fade as he pushed off the pillar, letting it crumble to ash along with the remnants of the structure as a whole. The summons soon approached as well, the barrier dropped shortly after the flames died down, the pair moving to either side of Bayne with strange smiles on their faces.

"He really is like you.  I don't know which of you I pity more." Wolfs sarcastic remark received a smack up the back of the head from Phoenix, followed by his hair catching fire which had him patting at it wildly and swearing in Demonic before slipping into the ethereal realm he had come from. Phoenix just bowed to Jakx and departed sedately, winking at the last second before her face vanished as her form broke away like a rising column of violet sparks.

Looking around, Bayne stretched, then offered a hand to Jakx with a more friendly smile.

"I think we've done enough for today. You look like you got hit by an ogre and I really do need to feed on something, preferably something voluptuous and youthful."

Bayne rubbed his hands together almost gleefully, his fangs bared in a very feral and completely untrustworthy smile, somewhere between perverted lecher and starving man outside a bakers window. Pausing as a thought strikes him, Bayne draws a line in the air and another crystal falls out, being caught in Baynes open palm. Its surfaces were covered in strange runes, a script of some sort, and it was colored similar to obsidian. Aside from that it liiked like any other hunk of crystal you could find near quartz deposits. Holding it out, baynes expression had less starving lecher and more calm mentor about it.

"Should you need me for anything, pour as much energy as you can into this chunk of rock. It'll free one of my shadow-wolves and allow us to communicate. you'll know when you pit enough in when it starts letting out clouds of mist. It's a lot sturdier than your necklace but not by much. I'm still learning how to convert phylacteries into usable items for other purposes so they're all rather trial and error."

Bayne continued his small shroud rant with a smirk that just made Jakx want to knock his teeth in. Through the small slits of his eyes Jakx saw the wolf and phoenix bid him a small good-bye before vanishing, each with their own odd exit. Jakx green piercing eyes regarded Bayne through the slits of his eyes lids with small distain. He had to force his body to calm down, and literally, tried to cool off. Every part of Jakx's skin still felt heated like he was standing in the rays of the summer sun, while steam continued to roll about Jakx's form. He felt the fire within him, it felt distant, like an echo that one can make above a whisper.

Jakx finally closed his eyes all the way letting his thoughts caress his mind like the wind gliding over water. He remembered all the thoughts that crossed his mind throughout the whole ordeal within the cage and the state of meditation. It was strange to think about but the thoughts still echoed from the past as if they were yelling straight at him. Yet, the strangest thing that Jakx found about the thoughts was not that they were yelling but what they yelled about. His annoyance was never about magic, the true annoyance and rage anyways. It was his ancestry, his father, his past, and more deeply the blood that coursed through his veins. When Bayne mentioned that he looked like he was hit by an ogre Jakx gave out a small smirk, the man held some truth with a sarcastic comment.

When Bayne held out his hand containing the second crystal Jakx took a moment longer to think. In just a few moments, and a destructive meditation session, Jakx had come to the true decision about what course he would take. With a sudden blink Jakx left hand took Bayne’s in a hard hand shake, were Jakx gauntlet nearly engulfed Bayne's hand. Jakx held the firm hand shake and his gruff tone took a serious measure, "Five things there Rags." He let a brief moment slide by as the wind was the only sound heard for that moment before he continued, "One, thank you for what you have taught me so far. I learned more than you think." He let another moment pass for the words to sink in. "Two, I've yet to introduce myself haven't I? You are my mentor in Magic after all." Jakx let yet another moment pass by but this time his eyes opened to stare Bayne right in the face. but, when his eyes opened Bayne’s stared into solid red eyes that seemed to burn through him with the seriousness that Jakx portrayed within his own voice, "My name is Jakx Ingisnatus." Jakx continued to use the brief pauses of silence as a weapon within the conversation between them. "Three, I'm not some damn child that cries to a parent when they are in trouble. I can handle myself so don't expect a call from that stone any time soon." Even though the statement was said Jakx let go of Bayne's hand, pulling the stone from it. "Four, when I say something is my business it's my business. No questions asked and you stay out of my way." Jakx's flaming solid red eyes stared directly into Bayne’s for a good long minute before any part of him relaxed.

With a sudden turn on his heels Jakx's back faced Bayne as he slowly walked back towards the manor. His stance was casual and arrogant like before, but strangely his shoulders were more erect, and his voice still held the same gruff arrogance when he shouted at Bayne, "And five, you can find most of the easy women at the taverns near the edge of the valley. Just be careful cause you may catch something you don't want to from one of em." Jakx held his hidden smirk before brushing past Strife, completely ignoring him as he walked through the gates of the manor.

Watching Jakx start to walk off after stating his five points, Bayne merely shook his head with a bemused look on his face.

"Five points? Here's a few of my own. Call it Magic again and I will seal you in the nether realms until you go white of hair and withered of strength. This is not magic, this is power. What we can do by nature, Magic users have to spend a lifetime trying to learn. Get that through your thick head and you might enjoy it a lot more."

He paused, in much the same fashion as Jakx had done, entirely for effect.

"Second, that crystal isn't for when you run away with your tail between your legs, but for when everyone around you should. I'd probably strangle you in your sleep if you incessantly bugged me for knowledge. My patience isn't without limit you know."

Another pause, this time accompanied with that feral smile of his that always means no good.

"Thirdly, I'm a Demon that was infected with lycanthropy at a very young age, and sired into a vampire clan a few centuries later. There isn't a disease in existence that can touch me; nor do the women need to be easy, I don't exactly plan to let them live."

Smile fading into a more serious expression, Bayne eyed Jakx with a subtle glow to his stare.

"Finally, if there is something that I need to know to teach you in a more productive fashion, I don't care if you swore it to your dear departed mother on her deathbed, I will drag it out of your blood if I must. You asked me to teach, I never exactly offered, so your business IS my business if I feel it's in the way."

Stretching his arms above his head, Bayne turned his back to Jakx, his form starting to once again shroud itself in the dark mist that proclaimed his shift into the shadow-pack. Glancing over his shoulder, he couldn't resist one final tidbit to throw at the 'fang-free' warrior.

"Oh, and Jakx, the name is Bayne. Rags are for cleaning up the messes I leave in my wake."

With that and a nod to Strife Bayne broke apart and tore away into various directions, fully intending to scout the layout of the valley and find where all the best meals could be had no matter the hunger he was sating.

{Exit, Stage Left}