prayers for shadow, hope everything turns out okay.

Woke up this morning, and still no role.

I'm gonna go walk my dog. I expect a role PM when I get back.

I expect a role PM within the hour.

Or now, actually, that's more correct.

I expect my role PM RIGHT NOW! GIVE IT TO ME!

If it's not in my inbox when I'm done with this message I'm going to scream. Which will NOT be pleasent.

I'm nearly done with the PM writeups. I've been up to my eyeballs in work since yesterday afternoon. I spent most of last evening having writer's block. Peeps wanted me to play TF2 with them, but I was too busy staring at my document all night, not writing anything at all.

*LEG SWEEP OF DOOM!*

Yea, I learned that from Doom, you like that? You like that?

Get back to work.

Doom doesn't have a leg sweep. He just loses balance and flails. Because he's a failkid.

Roles are sent out. Please let me know if I missed you somehow.

Cant wait to play!

Prologue 8

"So, this is it, then?"

"Yes. I'm afraid this is goodbye for me, old friend."

"I see. I thought this might be what you had decided. You realize that you will cease to exist, after this?"

"Yes, I do. But it is the only way to send him back."

"I understand.......I will.....I will miss you, Tyrael."

"I know you will. But I need you to be strong, Shora. I need you to believe. You are the only guidance he will have after this. Please help him. Give him that skeptical guidance you always try to give me."

"You never heed it, what's the point?"

"So try a new avenue. One that actually bears the same course. I know you've never-"

"I do now. If for no other reason, than to honor your sacrifice."

"Thank you, old friend."

"Don't mention it. But before you go....you should probably bring me up to speed on what you intend..."


The three men poured out of the gate. One of them immediately began screaming. Thawmus the Orc shielded his eyes, as he bellowed. Romack shook his head, turning to Thawmus the Makyol, and saying, "I forgot to warn him. Orcs don't like bright light, and this place is a little too much." But before he could extend his apologies, the Orc pulled a pair of goggles out of his bag, and put them on.

The Orc smiled, as he breathed a sigh of relief. "I had a wizard craft these for me. They seem to work well, even here."

Thawmus the Makyol grinned as well. Romack was right to choose his double as a companion. This man had already shown his resourcefulness and skill, and yet they had not fought. Romack turned to him, and winked. Then he said, "Thawmus, do you remember how you died?"

How could he have forgotten? He shook slightly, and replied, "Yes. Two female warriors commanded electricity. Desiro had swords. And a Saiyan was there, who took me by surprise. He grabbed my head and thrust it into the ground. From that point on, I was defenseless, and the others killed me quickly. The last thing I remember was the smell of my own burning flesh, and the blood in my throat."

Romack nodded to himself, and then said, "Okay. Show me that lightning attack they were using."

Thawmus just stared at him. His eyes showed despair. "I.....I have no idea how to perform it. I have not been able to learn techniques that easily since you-"

"Since I saved you from your homeworld. Yes, I know." Romack seemed to know something. He continued to explain. "It was an unfortunate side-effect that we had not calculated. But we will correct it immediately. The Dark Ones made you their Gatekeeper. One of your inherent abilities is to learn the techniques of others. But it seems that you and I shared a connection. Because they named me your teacher, they must have created a link between us. As soon as I was no longer able to teach you, you could no longer learn new techniques as you used to. We will fix that, after the ceremony."

Thawmus shook his head. "Ceremony? What ceremony?"

Tyrael appeared behind him, and replied, "In order for you to become the High Paladin, you must merge with an Angel."

Thawmus looked at Tyrael, his eyes showing that he understood. "So, I am to merge with you, Tyrael?"

Tyrael's hood wavered away from Thawmus, as he replied, "No, my sacrifice will be different. Another Angel will do this. But first, we must hold the ceremony, to make him an Angel."

Thawmus actually did understand now, as he looked to Romack. Romack smiled at him. "It was something that I agreed to, before the day you were born. I knew that my very existence would come to this. And now, facing that decision, I couldn't be happier."

Suddenly, wings unfurled from Romack's back. A white hood opened, and covered his head. Shadow covered his face completely, as though his head were not even there. Thawmus turned to Tyrael, and asked, "Wait, that was the ceremony?"

Tyrael shrugged, and said, "You know, I've been telling them for a long time that it's too unceremonious to be a ceremony anymore. You'll find that there's a lot of things they do, that don't make sense."

Romack approached Thawmus, and grabbed him by the shoulders. "I am so proud of you, my son. I love you as if you were my very own. There are good and bright things in your future. In merging with me, you finally gain a surname. No longer shall anyone call you 'Thawmus the Makyol', nor 'Thawmus the Gatekeeper'. After today, 'Thawmus Lightbringer' shall be your name. And with it, you will bring justice to those who would put the Megaverse at risk. After we join, everything that I have learned over the years, shall be yours. Every technique, every strategy. And you will know how to defeat evil. Once, and for all."

Tears began to swell up in Thawmus' eyes. He had not anticipated this. He did not anticipate that he would be so soft and sentimental at a time like this. It was the first time he had cried since he was a little boy. He looked up at Romack once more, as Romack embraced him, in what could only be considered the hug of a father. Romack finally spoke again, "It's time for you to go. And this time, it's really goodbye."

Thawmus smiled, and through teary eyes, he shook his head. "This isn't goodbye. You're always here." And with that, he jerked his thumb toward his heart, just as Simon had done when he said goodbye to Kamina. Romack smiled at him, and then.....he was gone. Stray traces of dust floated in the air where he once was. Thawmus turned to Tyrael, and said, "I don't feel anything."

Tyrael replied, "You probably won't for a while. It takes time for two souls to merge like this. But I'm afraid we are out of time. I must perform my own sacrifice, now." Tyrael drew the sword at his side, and knelt on the ground in front of Thawmus, raising his sword to him. "You must execute me, with my own sword. My life will be given to you. It is the only life strong enough to give to a High Paladin."

Thawmus hesitated, and then grabbed the sword. He circled behind Tyrael, and raised it over his head. Tyrael looked over at Thawmus the Orc, and said, "You think you're beyond saving, I know. You feel responsible for the lives of thousands. Entire races extinguished, and you blame yourself. But you will save far more lives than you lost. Come here, and grab your double's arm. Be sure to hold on tight. From what I understand, it's quite a ride."

Thawmus closed his eyes, and tightened his grip on the sword. He raised his arms, and then....Tyrael interrupted him, "You know what 'Lightbringer' means, right?"

Thawmus opened one of his eyes, and answered, "It seemed a little self-explanatory to me."

"Then do it. Bring back the Light. Save the Megaverse. Don't let everything that Romack and I have done for you, be in vain."

And with that, the deed was done. Yesterday, Thawmus died. Today, Thawmus killed the two people who believed in him the most. Tomorrow....

Posting to not loose the start thread!

Awesome!!!