The Limits of Devotion

Conani released the breath she had been holding in for quite a while, and slouched almost immediately, looking more like a lifeless statue than an exalted and diligent student. She peered over to her father, who had married his cousin and produced three children. Conani's parents were there, but none of her grandparents or other relatives were. Her two younger brothers were not present, either, or at least she could not spot them.

Conani mused by herself, not expecting to be talked to by anybody. Not even her parents. She knew they were happy for her, but they did not support her chosen domain. They had directly opposed to any of her personal choices, and she let them be. Conani knew they were there only reluctantly.

The outside is so close now. Nosro thought. He was prepared to go out, prepared for a world where he could not breath, prepared for a world which was prosperous, or a society that was hostile.

Greeting his friends, he walked out of the courtyard, seemingly having 1 thing on his mind. In truth, it seemed that he was focused on something because he could not focus on anything else. He was still trying to get ahold of all the voices in his head, but the most he could make out was "It is all... a... lie. It has never been true!"

He quickly stopped listening and starting answering their questions. Good thing for his sleep, he could only hear those things when he truly needed to or wanted to.
"Where you going now?" One of his friends asked.
"Out. Way out."

Similar questions included are you ready, when are you coming back, and whatnot.

The typical answer was 'When the gods will it.' Nosro reentered his temple, to see that he had access to a whole library now and a more expanded lab. Yay, a dome.

Zentaku simply remains standing but begins to lean against the wall where he was. His face is still vieled by his hood as always.
A spectator comes up to Zentaku asking, "Why did you choose the domain of death? and how do you plan to use it?"
Zentaku looked the man in the eyes and responded his voice bleak and devoid of any compassion, "You know not the sufferings I have seen. I did not choose this domain for it chose me."
Though no one else could see the man backs away in fear seeing Zentaku's face first slowly then running into the crowd and fleeing.

A few curious girls her age came over to Conani, who acknowledged them by a gesture of her hands and the immediate straightening of her back. She flashed a socially acceptable smile at them, as they started asking her questions.

"So you've chosen the Mind domain? That's sweet, Conani! Why didn't you tell us?" The girl asking had long curly hair and a perfect smile.

Conani squinted and gave them an expression of unconcern. "I don't really know."

"Are we still going to see you?" This time, the girl asking was a head shorter than her and had choppy copper hair and radiant green eyes, making Conani's look generic.

"I don't know," Conani replied, looking even a little comfortable, as opposed to some other people she took brief and unnoticeable glances toward. "I hope you do, though."

"Are you going to go... out there?" asked the one with the curly hair.

"That's the plan." After that last reply, the crowd around Conani dissipated, heading towards more interesting subjects. She sighed and arched her back once more.

Ven was only approached by his master who only said "Ven it is time."

Ven knew what he meant and had been training for it his whole life.

With a nod from Ven they left.

Smax: Great... Now where was it i put it?

*Seems to have no friends or family to congradulate him*

(best can he has his sword?!)

Zentaku looks around, "Well this should be interesting..." He begins walking out into the open.

*Runs to find his sword*

Smax: Now where was it I put it again...?

Conani didn't flinch. She was taught not to. Out of habit, though, the first thing she did was turn her head over to where the sound was coming, and then curse herself for not going off to safety first. She leaned onto the wall and walked alongside it. She wanted to know what it was. She wanted to know what she would have to do.

Out of pure coincidence did she come over to Zentaku. She gulped and stood perfectly still, waiting for either to ask the winner question.

As the lightning crashed they started and Ven had no chance to question it.

*Runs to join Zentaku with sword in hand*

Sam: So what is this... is it really lightning?

Zentaku looks towards the sound (it is up at the ceiling right?) "I wonder who is doing this... guess I will kill him soon..."

Smax; Not before i get a nice swing at him!

As he was working on another scroll, this one to create an electrical current in the event of a need to break through wet rock, Nosro heard... and felt a massive rock. The dome of his library seemed to hold up.

I love architecture.

There was, however, no time to admire the paintings, as something had happened. Nosro rushed from his desk at the center of the room into one of the shelves, groping through the scrolls to pull 3 out and put them in his cloak.

Next, he proceeded to the corridor of damn 3 foot long scrolls, pulling one off the shelf and laying it on the table. After spreading some oil from his lamp on the scroll and igniting it, an inferno broke out, seemingly engulfing the library. However, nothing was burned. No scrolls, tables, people, nothing.

Instinctively, as if he had been drilled in the procedure, Nosro opened the lock on the giant arching doors and looked outside to be greeted by shocked guards.

Smax; Dman it! *Runs toward the Holy One drawing his busterblade*

Zentaku: saying in a detached and emotionless voice, "He is already dead and the assassin has no doubt escaped chasing is futile..." he walks toward where the yell came from

Before the situation could be analyzed, Nosro heard a loud yell from the back of the temple, from the Holy One.

Not good. Likely not good, at least.

He wasn't prepared for anything like this, and knew that it would take minutes for the scrolls to be... unburned. Never liking to into anything unprepared, Nosro called out to the shocked citizens and guards watching the temple.

"Well... don't look, DO !@#$ING SOMETHING!"

SMax: YOUR HOLINESS! *continues to run torwards the Holy One*

Removing the blood from his blade Ven walked toward the temple his wounds aching. I wounder if there is going to be a good fight. He smiled imagining it.

Smax: What others?