[h3][i]Tarsakh, 2nd, 1372 DR[/i][/h3]

The harsh howl of wind rattled the transporter as the ship blazed through the cold night sky of the icy tundra. Mirba Mhurhtt looked out through the stained view window of the sleek dropship at the seemingly featureless landscape. The realm of Ujeatha was much the same across the entirety of its surface. A frozen near lifeless wasteland of ice and snow that few would willingly go to. Why the man they sought would willingly come to such a place was lost on her. The driving cabin of the transporter was a two-seater, the main controls currently on auto-pilot. Thus Mirba need only operate the acceleration and elevation of the craft. Sitting across from her in the co-driver seat was Aquilan. An old associate of the one they sought. 

He was lean on the verge of being scrawny with soft almost effeminate features. Though he was handsome in a sense; possessing flawless features without a hint of age. A trait shared by all his elven brethren. He was currently entirely focused on the 3D map that served as their current guide. His fingers danced across the image projected from the dropships console. Spreading his hands apart to zoom in and waving with subtle gestures to scroll when necessary to insure the ship kept on its correct course. 

The man was not much for conversation, but he was an excellent navigator to be sure. He had been assigned as her aid along with a small party for this little expedition. The Angar-Rylla were quite interested in acquiring their wayward asset and given the amount of funding and resources they had poured into him; Mirba was not surprised. It had been a month now since the targets self given exile - a vacation of sorts according to official sources. No word had been heard from the man since he had vanished off the grid. 

It had taken weeks to just locate which plane he had traveled off to. The task made extra difficult due to the backward universe he had chosen to conceal himself in. After a while, the storm outside the ship subsided enough to allow some visibility. A much needed reprieve given the terrain they were entering was filled with tall jagged peaks of iced over stone. 

“Alright, we’re coming up on the location now.” Aquilan warned, his voice rich and cultured. Speaking in the High Gothic of the Empire. “We should have visual confirmation in a minutes time.”  

“About time, let’s hope this guy’s worth the trouble of freezing my ass off.” 

Mirba deactivated the auto pilot and deftly maneuvered the ship through a rugged canyon of rocks. It was a difficult task made all the harder by the bad weather, but while Aquilan may be a fine navigator, she was a better pilot. She managed avoid the sharp rocks while crossing through a few narrow cave openings as if the task was as simple to her as breathing. Soon they entered a wide plateau dotted with tall tree like structures which seemed to circle a small bunker of sorts. It seemed like they had found the right place.

The drop-ship hovered several yards before the bunker before setting down. The rear doors unfolded slowly allowing the five legionnaires to exit, followed by Aquilan and Mirba. Shielding her face with an arm as she pulled the heavy wool coat she wore tighter about her with her free hand. She spotted what looked to be a large kennel of sorts attached to the overall structure. 

“Doesn't look like anyone's home,” voiced one of her retainers. His voice sounding almost like a mix of mechanical static, as it resonated from his helmets mouthpiece.  

 Mirba only shook her head, her gut told her otherwise. The group moved forward to the bunker's entrance. Mirba signaled for their escort to remain outside while she and Aquilan entered. The wide metal doors creaking open with only some effort. At least it wasn't locked, but of course why bother with locks out here? Especially for someone as dangerous as the man they wanted to talk to. The halls further in were surprisingly warm, though still bone chilling to anyone without proper protection from the elements. 

The first floor was absent of anyone and if not for the obvious signs of life here and there Mirba would have thought the place abandoned after all. They came to a staircase that led to a second floor and another that went down. Deciding on the latter option Mirba opted to go down, breath misting in the cold air as they descended. The stairs leading into a long hallway which ended in a double iron door. 

Frost coated the walls and ground, with icicles hanging from the ceiling like a strange form of decoration. The door was old and rusted over, though seemed to still be in working order. Mirba clutched the latch and pulled causing a screeching sound of metal on stone to echo loudly. The door led into a circular chamber with various pieces of furniture littered about.               

In the very middle of the room was a man sitting cross legged and in a seeming meditative state. He looked to be stock still, with no shirt or any other kind of clothing aside from a pair of trousers along with an assortment of weights strapped to his body. Across his back and arms Mirba could see countless cuts and old wounds long since healed. It seemed the ‘[i]process[/i]’ of which these dream killers were subjected to was as brutal as she had heard. The sight of those wounds gave her shivers that had nothing to do with the cold. 

Entering the room the man made no sign of noticing their entrance. Aquilan expression revealed surprise or disbelief. “Can’t still be alive…” 

Mirba might agree, she could hardly imagine anyone surviving almost bare naked in these kind of temperatures. She approached, drawing closer, and noticed the telltale sign of breathing. He was alive after all. 

“So who might I thank for this most rude of interruptions, Hmm?” Came a deep yet commanding voice. The tone suggesting more interest than annoyance.

Mirba stood a bit straighter before sharing a look with her counterpart. “I've been sent by the Empire. We’re to take you back willingly, they have need of you.” 

There was a moment of silence before the man responded. “Ah yes… but of course. I knew they’d eventually send someone to find me.” He breathed in and exhaled slowly. “So just what could this task be they’d waste time finding me? Surely they have other suitable agents to call on?”    

Mirba shook her head, though the man probably couldn't see the gesture with his back turned to them. Though from what she had learned of what he was capable of, he just might anyway. “Not for this, the Empire has already deemed you the most capable candidate.”

The man did not respond right away. His features partly hidden within shadows due to the inadequate lighting of the chamber. Of what she could make out was of little use in distinguishing his features. He was strongly built but not in a overtly muscular sort of way, his strength at least obvious from the looks of the those weights securely tied to his body. Each a brick sized metal slab of iron secured by some sort of black cloth. When he did respond Mirba’s attention was snapped back to the matter at hand.

“I fear my answer to such a summons. Will have to be the negative.” Came the simple reply. 

Mirba blinked. “You can’t just decline, we-”

“Yet I can and I have.” 

Mirba bite her lip in frustration, she should have known this would be a difficult task. Before she could respond a hand rested on her shoulder and Mirba looked to Aquilan inquiringly. He only gave a sage nod before walking in front of her. “Edbon, It's been a long time.”           

“Ah… Aquilan. I should have known they’d send you as well on this little errand.”

“Indeed old friend. But we must all play our part.”

“I fear I no longer wish to play mine…”

“You and I both know that’s not quite true.” Aquilan said with a calm air. “I know why you harbor such reluctance… why you have excluded yourself away to living out your days in such a wasteland.” 

“It grows on you,”

“It was a tragic accident, it was no fault of your own… you couldn't have known.”

“And yet the blame lays squarely on my shoulders alone. There is no greater sin than ignorance. A saying I have often heard...but only now do I understand it I think…” 
    
“The empire won't go away just because you ignore it, even should you decline us here they will send others more [i]persuasive[/i].”

“I hardly fear the Empire.”

“All the same it would be wisest to accept. You need not agree to anything now… but at least hear us out. If not for your sake then for Mirra’s…”  

“What does she have to do with this?” The first time the man's voice had taken on such a serious edge perhaps betraying his emotions. 

“She was one of you most promising protégée. Even if you manage to elude the Empire, they’d likely turn to her as their next best option. Archbishop Celotar Chaekaender of the Ninth Legion has already proposed enrolling her into the B2 [i]Process[/i]. The new age of the Tribune Project.”

The man's head snapped up turning his head to the side, the lighting revealing the gleam of his right eye. Revealing a storm of Amethyst within them. “What?! When did this happen? I...I made sure they couldn't track her after what happened in Sluarica..”   

“Did you think it would take them forever? Without you to run interference they've already caught onto her trail. We found you didn't we?”

The man had no response to that. 

“Look, what the Empire is planning, their going to use any and every asset they can. What they hope to do… Mirra is simply not ready for it..”

The man- Edbon- slumped over, seemingly defeated. He sighed heavily before standing slowly. The sound of joints cracking audible in the still room. “Very well then. I will go with you and see for myself if this is worth my time. I can’t promise I’ll agree… and this will in all likelihood be my last time aiding the Angar-Rylla.”

Mirba almost sighed in relief. Having Aquilan come along had turned out to be a well placed stroke by the Ryllain brass. She opened a pack at her waist and retrieved an object from it that looked in many ways like a black mask shaped like that of a skeleton. “Whether or not you decide to aid us isn't really my concern. I was only ordered to escort you back. But I think once you learn what they want from you, you’ll change your tune,”  She held up the black mask. “You often boasted you were the greatest swordsmen in the multiverse.” She tossed the mask in his direction, which he caught easily without batting an eye. “You might as well take the chance to prove it no?”


[u][i]2 weeks later…[/i][/u]

[h3][i]Manreu Temple[/i][/h3]

The room of the main chamber was was utterly ransacked, tables broken, chairs shattered, bodies cut entwine and blood everywhere. Sitting on a turned over pillar was a single man with a saber coated in crimson resting on his left shoulder. His head was bowed low, as if he was merely a statue fashioned with astonishing detail. He looked about taking in the scene he had created. The room resembling a canvas painted in hues of red. He was draped in a long black cape, another blade similar to the one he held was currently sheathed at his hip. A black skull mask obfuscating his face from view. 

Around the sitting figure were the former worshipers of the temple dedicated to the God of Blood and Death. The monks of the Long Death were known across much of the omniverse as some of the greatest warriors there were. They also laid claim to some of the most vile entry rituals one could imagine. Most of the general public saw them as little more than homicidal maniacs with a grudge against seemingly everyone.

That in mind it had not taken much coaxing for the man known by the alias of Edbon to dispatch them from this mortal coil. All part of a much larger plan. The concept of which was a mind boggling simple though effective one. If you wanted to catch the attention of pseudo god like beings interested in only the best or most interesting of creatures. Then you merely need prove yourself worthy of their attention. Of course, the major drawback of such a plan was there would be no way of knowing when you had reached such a status. Perhaps a flawed plan, but Edbon had tried worse. 

Still it could be who knew how long before the highly venerated invitation was sent- if at all. That was at least preferable if it meant sparing his student the nightmare he had faced long years ago. The [i]process[/i] was an inhuman abomination, and while it had molded him into the weapon he was now… it had come at too great a cost. 

He was about to stand then plan his next move before the unthinkable happened. The space several feet in front of him distorted rapidly as if space and time was collapsing then melting in on itself, droplets of blood and pieces of debris floated into the air around the event and spun around violently. 

[color=8493ca]“I am Skallagrim, and you are a skilled and worthy warrior, you are invited to attend the Nexus of Worlds Tournament. When you are ready merely call my name and I shall open the gate to the Nexus of Worlds.” [/color]

Then just like that the figure vanished in a spiral of shifting amethyst lights that forced Edbon to cover his eyes from the blinding brilliance. When he looked again the figure was gone. In its place a shifting of energy that made up the strands of the multiverse vibrated much like the ripples from a disturbed pool of water. Well that turned out to be easier than first thought...     

Now would that have happened anyway without any outside stimuli from the killing of such deadly cultist? Or would he have never witnessed the event? Impossible to calculate, and there would be no duplicating the results so it was a fruitless effort to think about now. The old bones had come-a-calling. So now he was about to take audience with the only creatures in the multiverse that shared his unique eyesight…

He flicked a com signal then waited for the static to clear up before saying, “Well we’re in business. If the two of you plan on coming along, then you best get moving.”

Several hours later a gate of blinding white light shimmered into existence within the throne like room of the Dreamers. In a moment it was gone again, having deposited three figures. Two men and one woman by the look of things. 

The man in lead looked about, his uncanny eyesight taking in the scene in a heartbeat. It looked like he was one of the first to arrive. The only other being a man of some unknown species. Intriguing.