The sky grew darker by the second. The fury of the coming storm was incomparable to even that of angry and forgotten gods which had once stood proud in this land. Lightening ripped across the sky, often making a journey to the frozen earth to destroy some vague feature of the ancient landscape, leaving behind a smoldering ruin of what once was, as so many things had became and no doubt would eventually become.

Ticonious stood proud and handsome, as he always had, the commander of the horrific army of chaos and death that waited with growing impatience to destroy the inhabitants of Blightrock Summit. He was alone, save the two lesser priests that stood behind him. The icy winds made his crimson robe tumble as he stood there, surveying the fortress positioned before him. His face was stern, solid; the muscles in his face were tightened, defining the brilliant features of his seemingly perfect face. His eyes, though green, were very cold and distant, yet piercing.

Unanticipatedly, a figure abruptly appeared to the right of Ticonious. He gave no attention to the confused priests standing behind their leader. The man stood the same height as Ticonious. The once black and chaotic obsidian hair was cropped close to the stranger's head, so that the hair stood merely one centimeter. His face was also serious and firm, defining his facial structure and jawbones more so than the thin path of facial hair connecting his sideburns to his goatee. The wind ripped at his coat, a thin, black robe-like jacket that was opened in the front, much like that of a priest's robe. His arctic blue eyes coldly stared out at Blightrock Summit, following the path of Ticonious' unforgiving gaze. Marius then turned his vision to the high priest, and proceeded to address him in a very informal, yet monotonous voice.

I see you remain very confident in yourself Ticonious, something that has always attracted me.

*Ticonious' beautiful face smiled. He did not move his eyes from the grey fortress. The High Priest did not need to, for he knew the moment the being spoke exactly who it was. His voice was so sweet, and yet so bold. The lesser ghoul-priest looked back and forth to each other, in complete confusion. The powerful storm above roared in pure hatred as the legions of demonic creatures behind the hill of the Four still roared to themselves in an attempt to frighten the Exhaulted. Ticonious however, did not make any sudden movements. He did not even turn his eyes to face this powerful and extremely beautiful being. Every detail of Set's High Priest remained the same, only his wet mouth moves as he spoke soft words with a small smile.

"Marius......long time. We thought you had died......but his lordship would have known if you died. It was you, mighty and brave Marius, who we have been searching everywhere for....and now you stand before me. Why? What purpose are you serving now? The Dark Lord's war with Reficul is long since over.....you won. You have won your right to live a peaceful life, so why here? Why now?"

*The icy winds blew at Marius' coat as well as Ticonious' crimson robe. It was then the High Priest, ever so slowly, turned to face Marius. The beauty of this being was enough to make Ticonious' stomach begin to feel light. He looked deep into Marius' perfect deep blue eyes. Something was wrong. Ticonious felt......something come up from the deepest pits of his soul. He felt.....attraction. The cold, hard face of Ticonious seemed to melt away - and he had emotion! Not of hate, rage, or fear.....but of desire! The Necromancer noticed this change and quickly took back control of his mind. His speech was now quick and to the point, but his deep green eyes had a slow longing disposition to them. This was Marius, this was one of the greatest enemies of Set.......this was the man who the forces of darkness had been looking everywhere for.....this was the man who Tiocnious desired.

"Marius, you have chosen the wrong time to come out of your hole! The Four Deaths themselves stand just a few yards away......and there are legions of demons behind them! They will destroy you if you wish to stand in our way. So speak, and do so quickly.......the battle for this world is very near......why have you come back?"

The first words the priest spoke were true. They intrigued Marius, as every aspect of Ticonious always had. The words were not tainted by politics, but instead came from somewhere deep inside Ticonious. For a brief moment, it seemed as if the two solemn figures had made a connection, but all too soon, Ticonious regained his militant state of mind, taking into consideration the current state of events surrounding him, and issued a formal decree and subtle threat to Marius.

"Marius, you have chosen the wrong time to come out of your hole! The Four Deaths themselves stand just a few yards away......and there are legions of demons behind them! They will destroy you if you wish to stand in our way. So speak, and do so quickly.......the battle for this world is very near......why have you come back?"

So many questions for a man normally having all the answers...

The words Marius spoke were clear and precise as he stared into the eyes of Ticonious. A subtle smile graced Marius' lips, not a smile of sarcasm or bitterness, but a smile with a faint trace of hidden desire. It was true, he randomly thought to himself. He had always felt some degree of attraction to the priest, even though at one time the man was Marius' sworn enemy. Even then, he had thoughts, thoughts that he kept to himself, of Ticonious. Abruptly ending his reverie, which he often found himself immersed in these turbulent days, he spoke again to Ticonious in a gentle but strong voice.

In response to your statements, great Ticonious, it is true, I did not die. My presence was required in distant realms for different reasons...another story my dear Ticonious for another time. My purpose will be revealed with time, as all things are.

Marius then turned from the beautiful face before him and stared at the ruin of a fortress. His smile faded from his lips and a solemn attitude swept over him. His words were soft, but cold and distant.

As for me winning the right to live a peaceful life...

He then turned back to look into the eyes of Ticonious, his own eyes slightly glazed over yet glossy and endlessly deep.

...some things continuously escape me...for as long as I live, I fear my own demons shall ensure that peace evades me...

He stood quiet for several brief moments, continuing to look into the beautiful jade eyes of the priest. He then broke his gaze upon Ticonious and again looked away. He closed his eyes slowly and gently rubbed his eyes with the thumb and middle finger of his right hand. He then placed his hands behind him, letting them rest in the small of his back. He then changed his manner much the same Ticonious had done, so that his words were tinted with politics.

I determine the time, priest, to do the things I will, when I feel is right. Do not question me. As I stand before you now, I have stood before your Lord Set, so do not talk to me of the wrath of the Deaths or the legions of chaos. As you admitted, I won my battle with Set himself, and it is he whom fathers these disgraces. However, I have not come to speak of gods or demons nor stand in the way of your war. I shall wait, patiently, until you are ready Ticonious. You shall soon realize I am no longer entirely the same being I once was... Thus, for now, I shall wait...

*Ticonious, the voice of Set to the mortal worlds, had little to no respect to the majority of beings under The Iron Crown himself - however - Marius was an exception. Ticonious' distant cold green eyes watched as Marius turned to face Blightrock, so proud and noble he was. The High Priest could remember what seems now to be ages ago whenever Set himself had taken up the Black Citadel of Earth to be his stronghold. He could rememeber Marius the wise walk fearlessly through the hordes of chaos. He could remember Marius the brave stand before the Dark Lord himself and show little fear. Indeed, and Marius held Set's respect. Ticonious was completely lost in his thoughts, paying little attention to the war at hand, or the cold icy winds of the dark storm blowing harshly against his robes. No, he wouldn't have noticed if his youthful face had not been exposed. Instead this Marius held Ticonious' full attention. As his eyes studied every detail of Marius - the mind of the Necromancer could not help but wonder how a being as proud and noble as this Marius was doing here, on this small and tasteless world. This world, a barren wasteland.....but a wasteland without any form of honor. All the realms Set dominated all have the presence of pure evil and darkness - this realm did not. It was a torn and forsaken world, caught up between the light and the darkness. Marius seemed so very out of place here.....as did they all.

*What seemed to be an eternity of looking at every feature of Marius' was, in truth, but a few seconds. Ticonious' beautiful and cold face gave a doft smile as he too turned to face Blightrock. With a soft voice, the High Priest of Set spoke.

"Things have been slow Marius.......this is a time of decay, even his great Lordship realizes it. The times of glory have long since faded. Mighty Set himself knows that his times of valor are over........he has no worthy enemies anymore, only God himself and his Archangels. They are not ready for battle yet, nor will they be for at least another 3,000,000 years. So until then, we bid our time with little races like this."

*Ticonious let out a small sigh. The epic days seem to have long since been over, both Ticonious and his Dark God knew it. It seems that the only time the "epic" would live again was whenever Heaven decided it was time to battle for dominance over all creation.

Everything comes full circle, as I'm sure you have realized. The barren desolation that was the beginning has since begun again. As you said, this is an era of decay that we live in. However, I have lived through the same before now, and I shall live through this...

Marius' words lingered in the air for a moment as he continued looking out at the fortress. He then let his memories surface to his mind as he recalled the days when Set the Great had threatened all of existence...how he had stood before the tyrannical god and battled him. It was during those days he first met Ticonious. It seemed like ages ago. He was as youthful and beautiful then as now, but then he was not wise. He did not have experience. He was a boy in the world of men. Now however, now his life had shown Ticonious the secrets hidden to so many others. Now Ticonious was truly a man, noble and honorable, brave and trustworthy. Again Marius found himself lost within his own thoughts. He spoke again to Ticonious and a solid and firm tone, revealing his words were business, but again tinted with passion.

I find myself in the same position as your great Lord, Ticonious. The remnants of glory are merely a ruin these days. Nonetheless, I say this openly and honestly to you. You and only you - not your army, nor your great lord - have my alliance. Only you, thus tell me what I can do for you Ticonious, and I shall...

*Duragon had been hiddend high in the cloudy sky, he had not move for hours as he mind had been reaching out far beyond this realm. Sending incarnations of himself to both earth and Sanctuary, but as his incarnations died away his mind slowly found it self back to him on this realm.

Much had gone on since his mind had ventured out, not only were Sets forces knocking on the exalteds door, and apparently Marius had made his way back into the game. This garunteed some entertanment for the moment but he knew it wouldnt last for to long, Duragon was serious about hiis words on Earth, he was going to leave but first he wanted to see these events he wanted to see true carnage on last time before he made his journy*

*Duragon had finaly been pushed to his waiting limit. He was never the paceint type and wait for so long was driving him utterly insian, just standing on this cloudy platform letting his long dull black hair blow in the wind was not at all his idea of having a fun time*

Fucking waste of time this is, I have much more important things to be doing

*Saying that his body became transparent and continued to fade with every second that passed untill he was totaly gone from this realm*

The Solars had been waiting on the legions. They had been holding their post, watching them. They had scouted them for the time, figuring out their many numbers, sizes, and forms. And they knew more than ever that this fight, if they were to win, would involve every last ounce of energy they had, and everyone's willpower to win.

"Loki, we still have no word from Aeon. Many of the soilders are thinking about running. We are afraid of all of this sir. What shall we do." Loki smiled at this.

"If we are to die, then we are going to die. And if the soilders want to run, then i feel we should run." He said saddeling up on his horse.

"What?" Many of his generals were looking shocked. Even Jarod and Fenris were stunned by the announcement.

"Loki, explain yourself," Jarod said walking up next to him. Fenris got on the other side.
"Yes Loki, How do you think running will help?"

"We charge. Light of the world never sits on the fringe of darkness. It shoots out as far as it can. And if they wish to run, they can run into battle." Loki said smiling towards the legions to his south. He then kicked his horses and headed to the main entrance. He stood infront of all his soilders, his sword unsheeted, his emblem glowing.

"Solars.... the glory that was once was has been destoryed. Our power decayed. Our lands ravished and our families killed. We have been left with nothing. BUt you all know this to be untrue. We have been left with something. We have the sun, great provider. We have our rage in cups that overflow. And we have ourselves, and no one, not Set, can ever take that away. IF we are to die, then we shall die. We shall go to the Celestines Forum as heros and gods.

A new age shall reign... an age of glory. IF not, then we will haev nothing to do with it. A new power to fight the plauges or no one for the plauges to take over. IT is no longer a war of Exalted, Lunar, Human... we no longer are figures against a common enemy. We are ONE... Or we will be nothing. We will bring back the glory of life, the joy of living, or we will not live. SOLARS.... LUNARS.... CHARGE!"

Everyone looked at him as he rode his horse forward out of the gate. He headed straight for the lines of Set. Jarod and Fenris looked to him, watching as he began to glow. He held his sword out, pointing the way. IT slowly began to break the air and form fire around his tip. Soon the flames over took him and grew, inglufing him. His head errupted in a halo, his emblem a star onto the legions. The light burned, weakening the front lines. His horse becoming a gold comet shooting towards the lines of evil.

Jarod and Loki ooked at each other and laughed. The two actually began to chuckel loudly. The soilders around them began to question their abilities.
"He's crazy," they said while slapping each others back.
"YEs, he is... but what do we have to lose?" The two smiled and then looked towards Loki.

They then quickly saddled up their horses and charged after them. Their fellow soilders looked around at each other.
"THey're right men. What do we have to lose?" One of them said. He then began to run after them. Some began to follow after him, and then more after them.

By the time Loki was half way out down the field, a golden flood was errupting out of the main gate. As if the damn on their rage had suddenly been torn down. The bellows shook past the legions, blowing the litteler ones over. Their feet shook the ground, rocking the very foundation of the castle were Set had his headquarters.

Suddenly, from the summit of Blightrock, a large explosion occured. Loki quickly reared his horse up and stopped. Jarod and Fenris waited to catch up before stopping to see. They turned to look and were blinded by the sight. They held their hands up in an attempt to make out what it was.

The light was so bright that it pierced the horrors of Set's lines, hurting many of them who had never seen such a thing, disinigrating the ones who weren't ready. Even a trickle of ligth fell on Tiocnious and Marius.

Loki focused his eyes, trying to see what it was. The light then calmed as a man appeared on the top of the summit. The clouds around it erupted out, pushing away the storm of Set.

"It's AEON!"

Aeon took now time to survey the battle scape. He only needed to know where the front lines were. He slid himself down and inch and set his foot onto the ground at the top of Blightrock. Only Sol had stood here before. The ground was like the very surface of the Sun, yet Aeon didn't burn up in it's heat. He stared out, instantly finding the castle that held Ticonious and Marius. He glared at it.

The power circle of Blightrock errupted in light, throwing the hair and clothes of Aeon up around him. The flash shooked the storm back from him, clearing out the one's covering the heads of his Exalted. Above the celestials of Heaven looked down upon them. They through their light down, blessing all them on their Halos. Their minds joined, their motions guided. They breathed now in purpose. Thou stunned and amazed at the show above them, they all gained their control and turned to focus on the armies in front of them. All except for the most experienced and bleak of Set's Army began to slink back in fear.

Aeon linked straight down to Loki.
"Loki, take them forward. Spare none of them."
The lines of the Exalted all took shape, forming straight and ridgid. Loki sat in front, his golden halo aligned in Silver. He rose his sword high, it arcing a shower of the two lights as it moved up. He didn't even have to say a word as they all took their step forward and continued progressing straight. Their war banners were held high and straight.

Aeon stood in his circle, over watching as they marched. He slid his hands forward and when they came out to their full length, he snapped them, forming out a energy ball infront of them. He swirled his hands around it, layering on another power to it. He kept this up, wrapping the ball in his energy. Pure, golden, shinning as a pure point, standing out against his shinning form.

He sparked the ball, lightig the battle in pure flash, bright enough to disenigrate all weak vampires, enough to shook all the forces of Set. The Exalted stood, letting the attack happen behind them, but took now shame on taking their first swings while they had only a second to deal with the attack.

"And so they die."