The Dusk Temple

The Dusk Temple is located near the peak of the city in Necrom. There, it is home to several portals that link the Nexin to their homeworld, Naexithos. The Dusk Temple is a tall pyramid-like structure that is made from a dark ebony hued stone, most of which was brought from Naexithos when the Nexin first arrived. Over the years, they have rebuilt the Dusk Temple to rest at the peak of the masive structured complex that is Necrom. Since then, smaller temples made for housing Summoners and Duskblades have been made, along with the expanding of the Inner Temple, where the great Zynx Niliuxuxos Vuxatoros lives. He is the head summoner and leader of the entire Nexin race in Sylvira.

Oneria T'sarran, a very special and unique Nexin finds herself in a large domed ceiling room in the depths of the Dusk Temple. The room is dark, faintly lit by glowing violet crystals. There is one portal in this room, but it is used for bringing in lesser creatures from the homeworld, Naexithos due to its waning power. Since it isn't used as much, Oneria has found comfort in the solitude and serenity in this room. There are two hallways that lead out of the room. The one behind her leads down to several other corridors which lead to the rest of the Temple, while the other leads to a small storage room that Oneria has lately turned into a make-shift bedroom for her long sessions of meditation.

An echoed pair of footsteps can be heard far down the hallway behind her; giving her the impression that she may not be able to finish her meditation session, interuppted yet again to another Summoner asking for her help.

Oneria sighed quite loudly at the sound of approaching footsteps. She snorted and rubbed the skin under her nose with her clawed hand before pushing herself up off the floor, grasping her sheathed claymore which had been resting on the stone floor next to herself. She brushed back a few errant strands of her silvery hair before turning about quickly to face the approaching noise. She was a lanky thing, tall and slightly hunched over, though whether this was on purpose or just a natural occurrence was unknown. She squinted her emerald eyes, the dim lighting in the room hitting them at just the right angle to make them shimmer brightly.

"Another session of reflection interrupted once more, this is the third time in a tenday." she muttered softly, her voice like velvet covered steel. She pouted her lips slightly and stood up to her full height, figuring she may as well look presentable, her claymore soon slung over her right shoulder, still sheathed. She bounced the sheathed blade up and down on her shoulder idly, eyes forward.

Waiting.

An interuption indeed, one bearing an important task that would undoubtedly need her assistance, or so she could only assume by the worried expression on the young Summoner to be's face. His feet almost didn't stop moving as he came into view in the door way and continued forward, ignoring any common courtesy.

"A message! Urgent!" He said, panting. The journey he must've took just to deliver a message, was apparently far enough to put a young lad in a sweat as he wiped his brow and looked up at the tall and lithe figure of the Duskblade before him. He seemed to let his eyes wander and his frantic voice seemed to fade as he took her in with his eyes. It wasn't often that one saw a female in Necrom, unless it was a Nexin traveling to or from Naexithos. Let alone a Nexin female who was a warrior nonetheless.

Oneria looked annoyed, very annoyed. Nonetheless, she understood her task, her duties. She remained respectable towards the summoner, nodding at the young mans statement. She kept her eyes focused solely on him, emerald orbs shimmering intensely in the dimly light room.

"A message you say? From who and what is it about?" she inquired, cocking her left eyebrow up slightly as she stared the young fellow down, likely looking far more intimidating than she meant to.

The young Summoner manged to catch his breath and himself as he noticed her annoyed look and tense posture. He straightened up and took a deep breath then exahled. "My appologies." He says as he bows for forgiveness. He stands once more to see that she is not amused yet by his attempt to regain any form of respect. "Right! The message!" He says, trying to recall word-for-word what was to be said to Oneria.

"Nerziak Vorxaz, one of the Elder Summoners is in need of your service to head to one of the portals in the fourth floor of the Dusk Temple. Apparently something has gone terribly wrong and the Nelziks we were trying to bring through from Naexithos are exploding as they enter through the portal, and there are no other Summoners available to help us shut it down!" He says in a panicked voice.

"Nerziak Vorxaz..." the Duskblade parroted, standing up straight once more as she spun her sheathed weapon about expertly before sliding it into the sling passing under her cape. She folded her arms across her stomach, gauntleted claw tapping against the elbow covering of her opposing arm. She looked up at the domed ceiling for a second, head cocked to her right as her lips pursed.

"I will head out shortly, better yet, I will leave now. Where is Nerziak Vorxaz currently?" Oneria inquired, her piercing gaze falling back onto the young Summoner once more, the annoyed, tense aura she had been emanating now gone and replaced with an almost overbearing sense of duty.

"Nerziak Vorxaz," The young Summoner repeated once more, "he is in the same room as the broken portal." He says quickly, his tone lifting slightly as he noticed her swift reaction and change of attitude from annoyance to an almost excited look. He nodded and continued on. "As I was saying, they need your help to shut off, or posibly, if worse comes to worse, destroy it."

With a nod the woman turned about and made to leave, armored boots clanking loudly off the stone floor with each step. Her hands swung loosely at her sides as she pushed open the door the young summoner had come through, steeping out into the corridor below.

"Best make haste then." she said softly, unable to hide the grin growing across her face.

The young Summoner watches as she quickly dashes out of the room and heads down the corridor. He can't help but stare slightly as she passes by him, he frowns, shrugs to no one in particular, then turns his feet about and takes chase after her towards the fourth floor of the Dusk Temple. The short and less athletic Summoner tries to keep up, but eventually is left behind the long legged Duskblade woman who's eager to shut off the malfunctioning portal.

---

Oneria arrives just outside of the door to the malfunctioning portal. A glowing light radiates from under the crack of the door. Red and purple lights are bouncing off the floor just under the door, and hitting the wall in front of the door. The light intensity increases and the familiar sound of the portal opening up as something comes through is heard in Oneria's ears. The buzzing sound of the portal increase, the red and purple lights turn into a bright white flash, and then a few squeamish yelps are heard as a watery and sick-sounding explosion is heard.

Oneria frowned hard and slammed her gauntleted claw against the door to force it open. "Elder?!" she called out as she forced the doorway clear, unless something began to impede her progress. As she did so she gripped the hilt of her claymore in her other hand. Her heart was racing and she worked to keep it calm, unaware of what was waiting for her on the other side of this door, though her sense of duty to the Nexin overrode any fears she had.

As Oneria barreled her way into the Portal Room, her eyes would be greeted with a grotesque display that only a Necromancer or Dawnblade would find any pleasure in seeing. The room was painted in a crimson hue, blood dripped down pillars like gushing sap from a tree. Body parts littered the ground and stairs around the Portal. Mutilated and exploded bits were everywhere to be seen, including some hanging off of scrambling Summoners who were trying to shut the Portal off, but for the fear of being knocked unconcious by another exploding Nelzik as they kept coming through the portal. The floor around the base of the Portal structure was turned to a thick sludge of blood and innards, which only put the cherry on top of the disgusting problem that seemed to have no end in sight.

The Portal itself looked functional all besides the fact that the Nelziks coming through from Naexithos were exploding upon arrival. The Portal was it's natural deep violet color, speckled with small auras of crimson that pulsated about the swirling vortex of violet rays. It was contained by a simple arch made of an ebony stone which was native to the Nexin's homeworld, Naexithos. The arch was embedded with three large purple crystals that powered this once working Portal.

A small whitelight began emitting from the center of the Portal and grew larger as it swirled near the center of the vortex. It suddenly flashed and a loud cracking sound was heard, then a muffled explosion followed suit as the Nelzik that came through was immeditetly destroyed into a goopy mess at the base of the Portal. This was truly a sick sight to behold.

The Elder was no where to be seen right away, but upon further inspection, he could be seen trying to pry out one of the large purple crystals with his bare hands, though in vain.

Oneria admittingly winced upon seeing the scene, lips pursed as she glanced about, taking in everything at a glance. She dragged her weapon free of it's sheathe and started forward towards the portal, muttering under her breath. She looked about at the summoners attempting to keep the magical construct in check, eyes darting to and fro in search of the Elder Summoner.

After another creature popped like a bad grape being pinched betwixt two fingers, Oneria spotted the Elder and the task he was attempting to complete. She retched slightly as she made her way through the mess of blood and innards, sword held firmly in her grip. Without much warning, once she got close enough that is, she lunged forward and attempted to grab the jewel with her clawed hand. Should she make it that far she would promptly attempt to rip the jewel out.

Though slippery, the floor is covered in more solids than liquids; disgusting as it may be, it grants Oneria little to no difference in her lunge forward as she attempts to use her clawed gauntlet hand to pry the purple jewel from its fastened space. Oneria's attempt is in vain however. The way the Portal was constructed was to last longer than many Nexin lifetimes.

The Elder Summoner sees Oneria trying to pry out the jewel like he is and he stops and shakes his head then speaks out loudly, "It's no use! They are in too tight!" He then sees the sword unsheathed in Oneria's other hand. "There's only one way!" Nerziak Vorxaz shouts over the reverberating sound of the swirling Portal that seems to be emitting a white light again in the center.

Oneria growled as she snapped back at the Elder's comment. She breathed a moment and composed herself for a brief moment before rearing back, taking a hold of her claymore in both hands as she roared in a feral manner, swinging the massive weapon at the embedded jewel, the stone in her own weapon glowing brightly in resonance just before impact.

Oneria swung her claymore into the brightly lit purple crystal. The crytal that helped power the crystal shattered in half; while shards of the gem shot off into a pillar just beside the Portal.

The Portal's light fades, but the white color that emitted from the center is still there, growing larger and larger. A shadowy mass that almost resembles a Nelzik begins to appear. The Elder Summoner sees this, and he steps away from the power crystal he was trying to free with his bare hands. He backs away and points at it. "Quickly! This one!"

Oneria snapped her attention to the new target and grasped her weapon firmly as a she rushed over to the Elder Summoners side. She skidded to a halt, armor plated boots throwing up a small shower of sparks as she grasped her blade in both hands, rearing back once more before swinging the curved monster at the power crystal now turned victim, eyes locked on the portal as she did so should whatever what was coming through succeed in doing so.

The power crystal shattered like its fallen gem, this causing the Portal to wane even more in power. The shadowy figure had already began to take form, though it seemed that it would not be coming through to this world fully. The head that was formed simply dissipated as it imploded with not enough power to fuel its transportation from Naexithos to Sylvira. The Portal's colors faded to a soft swirling gray color. The white flash that was soon to come faded to a black core in the middle of the vortex. It seemed the Portal was not deactivated fully, but it was certainly disabled and was not going to be bringing anything across from Naexithos anytime soon.

The Elder Shaman, Nerziak Vorxaz, wiped blood and sweat off of his face, slinging it to the ground below him. He attempted to dust the gibs off of his robe but sighed and just cleaned his hands on his own robe. He then looked over to Oneria as she retracted her claymore from the shattered crystal. "You have my deepest gratitude, Oneria T'sarran. We Summoners would be nothing without the aid of Duskblades like you who treat matters of importance with such quickness and precision."

The Duskblade breathed out heavily and sighed, standing up at her full height as she rubbed the back of her neck with her gauntleted hand. The fact the chamber was in a gross display of disarray had seemed to pass by her.

"It is my duty, Summoner, think nothing of it." the tall woman responded, sheathing her claymore slowly as she glanced about the chamber, primarily at the portal, eyes narrowed. "Is my assistance needed for anything else, Elder?" the woman inquired, turning back to face the older Nexin, lips pursed.

The Elder Summoner seemed defeated, distraught, and a hint of shame crossed his face. His own construct, a testement of his power, and of the Nexin people's power that could link two entire worlds together has not only failed him, but failed the people as well. He covered his face with one hand and reached into his robed and withdrew a heavy velvet pouch and lent his hand out towards the Duskblade. He shook his head and removed his hand from his face.

"Please take it... as my sincerest gratitude. Your service has proven most worthy in this tragedy." He sighed, then continued on. "We will clean the mess up, you may go wash yourself of these destroyed Nelziks... and you may also leave the city should you desire. We will call upon you if your service is needed once again." He offered her a smile, though he was still seeping with an aire of shame and defeat. He then turned his side to her and began barking orders at the other Summoners in the room, most of which were already shoveling slushy bits from the floor.

Oneria sighed and reached forward, taking the small pouch. After the Elder started barking forth orders she gave a curt bow and slinked out of the portal room, plucking gibs of Nelzik's off of herself. Though this did little to diminish the fact she was rather caked in gooey bits. She shuffled along whilst looking about, eventually stepping out into the cities main thoroughfare, still covered in gibs I may add, as she began the trek back to her little abode.

"Leave the city eh? Maybe after I wash up." she mused to herself, the prospect of finally being able to step out of Necrom of obvious interest to her. She stopped for a moment and blinked, looking down at the pouch in her clawed had. With another sigh she pulled the little drawstrings and peered within it.

Oneria would open the small yet heavy pouch to see a purple glow from the velvet pouch. She could guess right off the top of her head that there must've been over two dozen of the valuable little purple gems inside of the pouch. Such a simple yet dirty task paying that much would make anyone smile, even given the certain mess covering them.

Oneria grinned like the cat whom ate the canary, peering about a moment after closing the pouch up. "Maybe the washing can wait." she said to herself, tossing the pouch up and down in one hand. "I should visit a brothel or something of the likes... or maybe a nice meal instead, that would be more fulfilling." The woman stood there a moment longer, thinking.

"Or maybe I could get out of here for a day or two... I do have permission." she continued to monologue, tapping her her chin with her free hand.

"But where would I go?"

The Nexin world was open to Oneria's whim. There were several great places to appease her growling stomach, quite a few brothels that offered both men and women in the Portal City of Necrom, and the horizons were broad and open to her to travel to any city she so pleased.

Oneria caught the pouch with a sign of finality and looped it back about her waist. "I suppose if I'm going to have time off, I should spend it somewhere worthwhile." she commented to no one in particular. She glanced the city of Necrom over from her vantage point and sighed, scratching her chin. "I wonder if I could talk one of the Summoners into sending my to Narsis, it's such a long walk." she thought to herself, peering back towards the Temple.

She then peered off towards the gates leading out of the city, eyes narrowed. "No, no it's not my place to request such things. If i am to travel, it should be on my own merit." she finally said, shaking her head as she began her trek towards the city entrance, mumbling about a boat.

Minutes would pass, and Oneria would make her way down the many sets of stairs, hallways, and eventually streets as she made her way towards the main gate of Necrom. To her knowledge, there was one small harbor discretely tucked away in a small cave that had it's own black market ran by those who didn't live in the protection of the great walls of the Necrom city. It is simply known as Lurker's Retreat, mostly due to the fact that many of the men and women who live and work out of the cave are of the Lurker class.

Though Lurker's Retreat being one of the only places that could provide her with any form of transportation via boat, there always lies the very possible threat of the swift sailing Rynguard fleet stationed in Ragotaur which is smack dab in the middle of any route she must take.

Other alternates are baring the wilderness through The Spurcrest Mountains and The Bogs encountering many Corrupted Bog Trolls, possible Ogres, and possible Mountain Trolls, while the terrain itself is pretty hard to traverse. There is also having one of the Summoners, possibly the ones you just did a favor for warp you to the city of your choice. Though possibly finding a more suiteable Portal that will not turn you into a slushy Nelzik.