Lyon had wondered to Syrtis to meet up with Mortimer. He had been planning something and wanted to see if Mortimer would help. Lyon had read of a place hidden deep in the deserts of Syrtis. This place was mysterious and caught Lyon's attention when he heard about it. Lyon was in a small town in the desert and there would be a good distance to travel to find this place but it should be worth it in the end, or so Lyon hopped. For some odd reason the source behind this story seems to escape Lyon as he drew a blank trying to remember where he heard this. "Why can't I seem to remember who was telling me this..." Lyon thought to himself as he looked around for Mortimer.

It was several minutes before Mortimer got there... or rather, until he woke up. Mortimer tended to have two very peculiar traits which Lyon was seemingly unaware of. First, his ability to sleep anywhere, and second, his unnatural punctuality... Meaning he tended to arrive long before anyone was supposed to be there.

As such it might have been fairly understandable if Lyon felt fairly... odd... when he saw one of the mounds of soft sand begin to move. Pulsing almost as slowly but steadily a figure emerged from beneath it, rising up and stretching out in the bright morning sunlight. His back creaked and his limbs shook as every muscle he had loosened out and every joint briefly dis-and relocated itself.

Coming back to his normal stance and yawning as shook excess sand out of his hair he waved to Lyon, tears forming in the corners of his eyes as they were shut tight. At last becoming his traditional self Mortimer greeted his apprentice with a sleepy smile. "So Lyon... why'd ya decide to come out here?"

Lyon surprised as he watched Mortimer wake up and head towards him. "Well, I heard a rumor of some place in this desert. I can't seem to recall the details but it seemed interesting." Lyon looked around. "I still can't remember where I heard about this place... and more info seems to escape me now. What's happening..." Lyon thought hard about what was happening then after a moment he shrugged off this feeling. "I figured you might want to come along. It should be an interesting trip." How was your sleep?" Lyon said somewhat sarcastically.

"Restful." he replied flatly. Surveying the area Mortimer could easily see what was so interesting about the place. Sand. Sand, sand and more sand... and if you went even farther just a little more sand. "Well Lyon there is something you should know about this place... Placing his hand on his apprentices shoulder he continued. "[b]It's full of sand..." Mortimer wasn't sure about how well his apprentice would react to this... mostly because it was a completely obvious statement and so had no reason to be said. Still he said it anyway. The real question however was what Darren would make of it. After all, there were more lessons that could be taught from this place than there were grains of sand. One might even say that each grain had its own lesson to teach.... Mortimer wondered if his apprentice would realize these implications or if he would simply continue with his own train of thought.

Lyon looked at Mortimer and forced himself not to react in a negative way. Although the urge seemed more powerful than usual. Something about this desert seemed strange. "Well, yeah. That's why they call it a desert..." Lyon said in a seriously sarcastic way. "Moving on, are you interested in going with me?" Lyon said moving on. Lyon started to walk into the desert without waiting for a response. "If not then whatever. I'm going either way." He said not even turning around. This desert seemed to pull him into it and he couldn't explain why. Lyon didn't realize it but his music was off. He was never supposed to have his music off.

"Where am I going..." Lyon thought as he continued to walk.

"Well then have fun." he called off as Lyon walked into the desert. Lying down he decided to try and sleep. It wasn't that he didn't care about Lyons activities... he had felt this before. Lyon was in a critical period, his normally grey soul was wavering between the two points... And Mortimer knew that he couldn't do anything about it. He had seen the same thing before in others, and in some cases managed to delay the change... but he had enough experience now to know that he couldn't do anything for that young man.

This was his journey and he needed to make it on his own. Had Mortimer been with him... no that wasn't even an option. It would defeat the point of Lyon's journey in and of itself. Mortimer felt Lyons soul as he moved farther and farther away, steadily wandering deeper into the vast desert, pushing his ability to detect souls to its outermost limits... but even as he did tis, he felt something. Something which was not Lyon... nor was it even alive. He couldn't even place its location or what it was... but... yes! There it was underground... a presence which was not a presence. A being which was not alive. Nor had it ever been alive. A ghost of an echo... Deep below the sands, and far away... was a place!

Lyon continued to walk with no final reply to Mortimer. He was on auto-pilot as he walked. It was only a half hour when someone showed up in the desert. They had their weapons out and were prepared to fight. "Hey, you seem a little lost." When Lyon didn't respond he walked in front of Lyon to try and get his attention. "Hey, I'm talking to you." He said a bit annoyed as Lyon stopped and finally said something, but not in his normal voice (not that this guy would know). It was a much darker, colder voice than usual. "Get out of my way." Lyon said glaring at the man.

Three others came around, their weapons out as well. "Or what?" One of them said almost laughing. Lyon looked around at this new threat. "All we want is your money and we'll be on our way." The first one said. The three new people had short swords at the ready if Lyon did not comply and the first one had a great sword resting at his side. "I'll say this once more... Get... out... of... my... way." Lyon said much slower than the first time. "I guess we'll have to take it by force then..." The first one said as he lifted his blade. Lyon just stood there, patiently waiting. He could grab his dagger in an instant if they dare attack him.

The three thieves were armed with their short swords. No other weapons obvious on their person as they each struck at Lyon simultaneously. The thief on his left swung low at his calf. The thief on his right swung high at his head, while the third thief lunged at his chest, seeking Lyons heart. Was Lyons training finally going to come into play? Could he evade three attacks at once?

Lyon dropped to the ground and drawing his dagger pierced the hand of the thief attacking his calf as he forced the dagger to the ground. The thief dropped his short sword out of sheer surprise and pain. The other two clearly missed him in this quick movement and almost cut each other. Lyon pulling his dagger out of the thief's hand quickly and tripped the one in front of him following through to the next thief. All three were on the ground in a matter of moments and Lyon was back standing. The leader backed off to watch as Lyon quickly took down his support. This surprised him but he readied his great sword for the now unavoidable fight. Lyon shundo'd back from the three thieves that just attacked him and Lyon held his now bloodied dagger at his side. The two he tripped were now getting up but the one he stabbed was freaking out from the blood and the pain. "So, are we ready for round two?" Lyon said in his dark voice slightly tilting his head. He was now into this fight and with no way of controlling himself without the music he readied for his next strike.

(Hope you don't mind, I'm taking a more metaphysical approach to this)

The thieves trembled, shaking in their boots at Lyons actions and ferocity. In fact they trembled so much it looked as if they were having seizures. Then all at once their shuddering stopped, and Lyon could now clearly make out that the three men had morphed into sand. Black sand which was blown away within moments. Leaving no trace that the thieves had been there in the first place.

The desert was truly a strange place, and the sand-men were only the begining. Had Lyon continued his journey he would have found two old women gossiping near a well as they lowered and raised bucket after bucket from it.

(I don't mind, there wasn't much for your character to do after he decided not to join. I did half expect him to follow at a distance out of curiosity though.)

Lyon watched as the sand men blew away then continued his journey. His dagger still from the now done battle. The blood from his dagger seemed to disappear along with the sand men. His thought's were not what was happening it was what he was going towards. Although his actions were not how he would usually act they seemed more natural for him. He was beginning to accept this new personality. Even as he walked he felt different. His emotions seemed to drain into the ground. Even though he was in the desert he could feel no heat beating down on him. It was as if his very self was leaving him and he was becoming something much different.

It wasn't long until he reached the well and the two older ladies. This, for some reason, did not surprise him. He walked towards them slowly and listened to what they were saying as he approached.

The two old women continued drawing up their water and speaking in quiet voices, somewhere between a yell and a whisper. Upon finally noticing Lyon they stopped, looked at him and returned to their quite conversation.

"Well isn't he just-"
"Oh yes he certainly is-"
"now wouldn't he just make-"
"he certainly would yes-"
"do you think we should-"
"Well I don't see why-"
"But he could be one of those-"
"yes he could be-"
"but he doesn't look like"
"you're right-"
"lets-"

The two elderly women were clearly talking about Lyon. Calling out to him the first one called "Oh boy-"

The second one continued "Wouldn't you come over here and help us to draw water from this well-"

"Our backs hurt SO, much from all this work-" the first continued.

What would Lyon do now?

Lyon hearing everything said had an idea what was going to happen but he continued anyways. "I suppose..." He said walking towards them. In his current state any type of magical creature could feel his aura pulse as his Ki seemed to manipulate in peculiar ways. It seemed to change more and more as he continued his actions.

He didn't really believe them but he continued anyways. He slid his dagger out of view but still easily accessible by himself. "Well this should be interesting" He thought to himself. "What do you want help with?" He asked in a calm, cold voice as he reached the well.

"Oh please, oh please young man, won't you help draw up our water for us. It can be SO heavy-"

"Yes, please just draw up one bucket so that our aching backs might have respite-"

They indicated a pail tied to a rope, sitting on the sandstone edge of the well. A faint rushing could be heard as one neared the well. Would Lyon accept the request or seek another path?

Normally he would question the situation but continued anyways. "Sure..." Lyon said as he reached for the rope and lowered the pail down the well. He half expected something to happen when the pail reached the bottom.

(Sorry for the short post but I have no idea what you have in mind here)

Lyon lowered the pail down into the well... further... and further... and further still.... but the rope was still taught. THe pail had yet to come into contact with anything, and the rope was almost gone. THe two old women giggled as Lyon seemed to futilely lower the pail into the well. The sound of rushing water still could be heard easily from it, but despite its close sound there was no sign that this rope would or even COULD reach the bottom.

Would he continue to lower the pail?
Or
Would he give up and leave?

Could he find another way to resolve this task which he had agreed to?

Lyon stopped lowering this pail and turned to the two older ladies. "What is the meaning of this?" He said in a semi-harsh tone. He was slightly annoyed by this task he now had. "What kind of trickery is this?" He said in the same tone as before. He was tempted to cut the rope and leave but would not leave until there was some reason to.

"There is no trikery here-"

"We are but two old women in need of water-"

Won't you please help us some more-"

"Oh please young man-"

"Yes, just a little farther we are sure-"

"Surly you can lower the bucket down-"

"If we two old women can-"

"Please young man, just a little further-"

The old women seemed insistent that Lyon continue lowering the bucket as far as he possibly could. But would he remain or not?

Lyon grew tired of this task and had he been his normal self he would continue but instead he pulled his dagger out and slashed the rope that held the pail. "I have no time for this." Lyon said in his harshest tone yet as he turned around and started to walk away. His aura grew stronger and so did the darkness in his soul. This was no time to be helping old ladies in his mind. He must leave and continue his journey through the desert.

"You were right-"

"Why of course I was-"

"Wouldn't happen any other way really-"

At these last words the two old women and the well turned into black sand and were blown away by the desert winds. No trace remained that they had once existed.

Continuing on his journey Lyon would have discovered a child, crying in the middle of the desert. Its stomach swollen with parasites, its skin, blistered and burned beneath the hot desert sun. Its lips cracked from dehydration and disease. What little fluids remained in its small body were fast draining away through its tears... but would Lyon stop and help the child? Or would he continue onwards, without glancing back.

Lyon continued his journey and glimpsed to the dieing child. Lyon did not think about it as he turned his head back to where he was walking. Nothing seemed to matter to Lyon at this point. His only goal at this point was to make it to the cave. As he walked even his memories started to leave him. Everything in the human world was soon forgotten. His emotions were long gone now. His body and mind prepared him for what was in that cave. It was his only goal. As memories and emotions faded in the desert Lyon continued his journey.

The dead body of the child too, became black sand and blew away in the winds of the desert.

Upon his next step, Lyons leg sunk into the ground. Deeper and deeper, the more he moved to struggle the further he would sink into the sand. Further down, he would be dragged by his own body into the depths of the sand until he could not breath. No matter what he did or how difficult he struggled or tried to call out, everything was futile as he slipped through the sound... suffocating...

Just when he felt like he would pass out and die beneath the sand... he fell through. Through the sand and beneath it to a hard stone floor in a place with no light.

It was quite, deathly quite. Until a voice, without gender or shape rang out in Lyons mind. "Do you know why it is you are here?" The voice rang out inside of Lyons very mind, inside his soul, forcing him to answer with everything he could.

Lyon sunk into the sand and with little struggle. He knew this was futile. Falling to the stone floor he stood still. He listened to the voice then replied. "Lyon is here to release himself. He walk the deserts to empty his soul into the sands of this desert. This was not a choice to be made by Lyon. This was pre-determined long before Lyon even knew what I was. Even when he knew he accepted it without question. The music he listened to was to hold off until the time and place was right. That is why he is here." The voice was emotionless and monotonous as it spoke. Lyon's eyes closed and he stood absolutely still just waiting.

"Many have spoken as you have. Many believed themselves to have been empty. Many have proclaimed their destiny to be this. But are you truly ready for what will come next?

You have cut down those who would harm you. You have dissuaded those who would lead you away. You have purged yourself of all distractions. But this is only the beginning. Will you accept us? Will you grasp us and take the path of the asura into your heart?"

A weight seemed to materialize in Lyons hand as the voice spoke. "In time we shall see. You shall take our sister. You shall call her catherine, for that is the place where her last master found her. Now go! Return to us when you have mastered our sister or you have died by your hand."

Lyon awoke, lying where he had fallen, the setting sun of the desert upon him and... a sword. A sword with five crosses on its blade resting in his hand.

Lyon got up and looked at the sword with empty eyes. "Nothing you could say will persuade me from this path." The voice said stabbing the sword into the ground as he continued his path. "I know what needs to be done. Your words may change others but in this state no amount of words can change what will soon become of Lyon." Lyon looked at the sword once more then faced forwards. Not too far away was a cave entrance. It was clearly out of place in this desert as it seemingly went nowhere. This cave was only visible from Lyon's eyes as it was meant for him and him alone. How it was there was a mystery but that was where he was going. Lyon's dagger was back on his necklace as it was bound to him. He continued his walk to this cave.