Editing Medalion of Mesob (section)

===<big>'''Raphael, Nur al-Din, Fortunadus & Bently'''</big>===

Rafe says: "Well, if taking Spasa of Death will give us an edge, or at least equal footing, to get our people back, then I'll do it. Elmer, Olive; wanna take Death Spasa? Runner.... you're already on your way... but I guess the offer is open to you too. Wrecker, Reggy; wanna become Dufiro then take Death Spasa?" 

Elmer nods, "Ive been a hunter of life for awhile.”

Runner nods, "Seems the best path for me as well.”

Olive declines. Wrecker and Reggy look to each other. Staring... 

Wrecker says, "The Change fucked our home world purple. Made us things we didn't choose to be. Given the choice, we'll stay as we are."

"Fair enough. Becoming Dufiro will always be YOUR choice, if you wish. And no hard feelings, any of you." Rafe replies. "Well then, looks like just three of us are willing, Nur. I'm glad my two snipers opted in.... them being able to use firearms, fly and become invisible were why I chose them for this mission. And me being able to use Tech... well, as a Technomancer, kind of vital. So... what do we need to do?"

Nur says, "Myself, and my two Body Guards, Dazxa & Hunkazx all can enact the ritual. I'll see if Akafar will join us. He is usually an ally.”

"Akafar.... I know that name” Rafe says. “A Member of the Blue Circle, if I recall correctly."

Nur walks off and concentrates. Bently says, "Yes. A Primas Illuminar. And not a friend of mine. Nur and his bodyguards know him better.”

A creature arrives with Nur. A furred wolfish creature in ceramic and turquoise armor. He carries a spear with a tip carved from diamond with rivulets of blood in it. He reeks of malice. At 9' tall he is a terrifying but somehow noble looking being. He walks up..."Who will join me in Death?”

Daxz and Hunk walk up and grasp shoulders with him, gaining his height.

Rafe stands tall and puffs out his chest, looking upwards into his eyes. "I will join you in Death, Great Illuminar." 

Elmer steps forward. "As will I." 

Runner steps forward, "Me too."

He looks at the three. "I will require a Summoning Book for each of you in a Race you already bear. I will write your Tomes for Death, and keep one each for myself. I will have a blooded knife of each of you before the ritual. Blood is required."

Rafe summons his Spasa of Earth Summoning Tome. He then reaches into the fold of his cloak and pulls out his old kukri knife that he has not used in a while. He pulls it from its sheath, slices the back of his hand with it, then rubs the blade around in the open wound until it is well-blooded. He then hands the knife and the Summoning Tome to Akafar. 

Elmer and Runner do the same. The three Illuminar grasp each others shoulders in a circle and collect the three intended recipients inside it. They begin chanting. There is pain. Suddenly Rafe feels pain in every quarter millimeter of his body.

When he wakes up he is on a bed in a room smelling of chocolate. A woman sitting besides him says, "Drink this. Healing Chocolate, with a touch of honey. My own brew. I'll let Ovk know you are awake.”

Rafe says, "What the fuck????" Before he realizes what's going on. Then he takes the hot chocolate and drinks it. It tastes like drinking a Hershey bar dipped in honey, and he feels the pain drifting off, clearing his head.

Moments later Nur, Bently, Ovk, and Fort arrive. Nur says., "Its nice when we see something new. You have two Death spasa and a possibly mortal enemy Primas Illuminar. He could just be annoyed."

"Hey guys. How long I been out?" Rafe asks.

Ovk says, ”A couple hours. Gentlemen, I will leave you to him. Sisin Dawo is outside if you need more of her draught." 

"Ummm..... What happened? And what do you mean, 'a mortal enemy Primus Illuminar'?" 

Nur says, "The ritual took on Elmer and Runner but at that moment it felt like a sonic boom went off surrounding you. It threw my guys against the wall of that store room hard, and tossed His Nibs through a wall Ovk says is unbreakable. And broke His Nibs into serious pieces. Now, he likes pain, so he might just be annoyed.”

"What in the actual fuck!?” Rafe exclaims. “Ummmm.... again, I ask; what happened? Or, more accurately, how did that happen? It's nothing I did consciously." A momentary pause, then: "Wait..... could this be that 'First Order Defense' thing that Ansahal did to me? He mentioned it, but never really told me what it was. I figured I'd find out one day." 

Nur says, "No the ritual would have gone right past it. The effect was stellar. Never saw anything like it. It left a bright red mandala mark on your forehead I could not penetrate to the power of and its faded now. Whatever it was kicked the hell out a major Masoja of Death without blinking. That bodes well where you are going if you have some form of Death protection. It's a serious Life oriented protection. While you were asleep I had Daz try some Death Healing on you, rough stuff but it works... it didn't scratch ya." 

Rafe smiles. "Holy shit! I had no idea it could do THAT. Wow! I mean fucking wow! And that mandala, is a sign of the source of my power. Trying to describe it any more than that would be useless as you would just forget. I'm not joking about that part. Anyway, really fucking good to know though. Death protection! Wow! This shit just keeps getting better and better. God I love my life! So, are we still on for this mission? Everybody waiting around on me? Irritated and pissed off, I'll bet." 

Fort says, "There was a smell of apples..... I know I remember that we talked about it. I talked with Arlo about it before I forgot. That's it, the thing that makes even Thrice Crowned Bards forget. Tolknor has it.... Beor had it.... Conf has it.... The thing that if you name it, we will forget having seen it..."

"Yes, that's it exactly, Fort.” Rafe says with a smile. “And that is probably the best remembrance of it anyone has ever had, that I have encountered anyway. Others have tried to remember in the odd ways, but none of them ever worked." 

Fort leans in, shaking his head, "Who else has it? I'll forget it 'til I am around its effect again... Who else has it?!!?" Fort looks very uncharacteristically serious.

Rafe sighs, knowing he must answer Fort in order to quell his curiosity, and that it will be okay to do so because he will forget. "Slugger. Fitz. Hazarda. Timothy Elhue. Johnny Cash. David of Mandalay. Jeremiah Johnson. And most recently, Adalou." 

"Adalou?” Fort says, sounding surprised. “That little fink... Ok... Let them know that I am bouncing around this and to hit me up if they need help. I want one of those things......damn.... Tolknor, Conf, Beor, Arloxedra, Slugger. Fitz. Hazarda. Timothy Elhue. Johnny Cash. David of Mandalay. Jeremiah Johnson.... and you....." He shakes his head... Rafe can see the information fading away already.

Nur says," Fascinating.... New information.... and a mystery."

Rafe turns to Nur with a devious smile. "Nur; I heard you had an encounter not that long ago with an old man that turned your legs into trees that rooted themselves into the ground. He is related to my source of power. If I say anymore, you will lose all memory of it." 

Nur smiles, "Ah, yes... good... good."