Blank glanced up from his dish - poultry, of some kind. He knew that Incinera was a peaceful kingdom, at its root, anyway. He was content in knowing that he was not eating stuffed Rito, and that the helping of fish on his second plate was not a distant cousin to Alex the Zora. An inquisitive look was pinned to his face, which was partially drooling. He wiped that away, but the expression remained the same.

"You look like you're all set, Hiro. I've had a full share, too..." He dropped his fork to the table and leaned back, patting his loaded gut gently with his hands, grinning. It had been a long time since he had partaken of a meal so great. Of course, the dull company made the dinner hard to enjoy. "Nerrogath indeed. I've never seen such lifeless people! If it weren't for that floating castle in the sky I'd have thought Incinera was just a boring place."

He smirked, and then stuffed a final piece of bread in his mouth before standing. He positioned himself so that he could swipe a few more off of the table without Hiro noticing - not that he'd care, and the Hylian was quick to place these in his pocket for later on. He turned back to the mysterious Sheikah, Alpha. made a gesture with his hands that seemed to say "Are you ready, too?"

Alpha takes another bite out of his current piece of meat, once again deciding silently that Incinerans really need to make their meat more juicy if he's going to enjoy the food selection. But it's still edible and has an interesting flavor, so he goes ahead and swallows it, then proceeds to devour the remaining food on his plate as Blank turns to him. Glancing up at the Hylian as he motions to the Sheikah, Alpha slowly nods and finishes chewing. Putting his plate beside him, he stands up once again and grabs his staff from beneath his cloak, hand faintly brushing up against the Earth Shard that hangs from his neck. 'Gotta remember to get the Thunder Shard,' he thinks to himself for a moment before glancing over at where Tak sits. Well, that can probably wait until whatever mess they've found themselves in is resolved.

"I'm ready whenever you guys are," the scarred man says calmly.

Hiro stands upright and, after surveying the crowd once more, sits next to Tak, across from Alpha and Blank.

"Are you feeling stronger, Tak?" Hiro inquires, genuinely concerned about his friend's condition.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just needed a little rest..." Tak replies, wearily standing. Hiro does the same, and after waiting for Alpha and Blank to do the same, moves toward the exit to speak with the Shamans.

These are my people... Can I honestly let them stay this way? Can I be the Incineran King who abandoned his people? I don't have time to deal with Nerrogath, though! I must save Hiree. She is more than this country! I am sorry, Incinera...

One might expect that the presence of their king might have changed their behavior, but Hiro's departure stirred nor settled any emotion. However, as Hiro enters the small room that houses the seven Shamans, they all look up to him in reverence.

Seven old women sit in a circle around a large torch. Each is garbed in ornate robes, which are one of seven colors; red, blue, purple, green, yellow, white, and black. They sit upon velvet pillows that mirror this color. In front of each Shaman is a small mahogany box, about ten inches by five and another three tall. The room itself is the usual gothic brick, but the floor is covered in a large red rug. The only light comes from the sole torch in the center of the room.

The red Shaman speaks. The expected croaky voice of an elderly woman is not present. A young, echoing voice that might belong to a spirit comes forth from her lips. "King Hiro Infinite of Incinera. We know why you come to us, and who your guests are. And we also know there is not much time. You have come to us hoping for a new Shard, however the means you expected is impossible. The Great Sages have fallen in battle against Nerrogath! We cannot channel that power!"

"Then how? How am I to get a new Shard?" Hiro says, growing more and more anxious with every word. Suddenly a realization hits him. He forgot to ask about a cure. "I have also come for a cure to the Necroclone's poison. He has plagued my sister with his curse."

"We know of this as well. The Necroclone's poison's cure is hard to find, however that is merely due to its simplicity. One of your guests holds the answer..."

"Who? And how can he help...?" Tak asks.

"The one called Blank Fireside has the item that cursed your sister, and the one that shall cure her... The Dark Shard can reverse the effects of the Necroclone's poison, as long as she remains alive. But time is short! You must create a new Fire Shard, for I sense a new evil coming, more powerful than any you have faced before!" the red Shaman responds.

"What? I need to make a new Shard? Is it not you who must create it?" Hiro inquires.

"That was the case, until our Great Sages had fallen. Now, the only way is to defeat the dragon Carnax, and seal him into a new container."

"What about a container? Not just any shard of glass will hold that much power, right?"

"You are correct, however we have forseen your struggle, and are prepared." The red Shaman opens her box and holds it to her king. "The new Shard of Fire," she says in honor. Hiro bows, and takes the Shard. It is not the usual bright-red; it is perfectly clear. The only reason anyone can even see it is because of the flickering orange-red light of the central torch reflecting on it.

"Thank you. Now, how can I seal Carnax inside of this?" Hiro queries. The red Shaman draws a scroll from her sleeve, and hands it it him.

"This spell will seal him. Beware, he is a powerful beast! It will require much power to seal him, but your friends' Shards are more than enough. You must set the Fire Shard on the central circle, and the other shards within their respective ones. Recite the incantation, and kill him. He must die within a day for this spell to work, and if failed, the Fire Shard will be useless. We cannot give you another Shard!"

"Wow, this sounds hard. We've gotta kill a dragon... again?" Tak adds. Hiro turns to Tak and gives him a look as if to say, "Quiet!". Tak quickly shuts up.

"Thank you for your help. I will not fail you." Hiro finishes, turning to leave the room. He abruptly stops, remembering something. "Does anyone here need to ask the Shamans something? I'm sure they'll answer if it relates to Incinera." Hiro leaves and stands outside the room. Tak follows.

"You don't have anything to ask?" Hiro asks Tak.

"I do, but I'm not gonna ask in public. It's too personal," replies Tak. Hiro leaves it at that.

I suppose it's best not to pry. It's his life, and he may tell what he wishes of it. But how am I to release Carnax? Do you have any idea, Maorin?

It's really simple... Think about it.

Eh... Quit making me think. I've already got too much.

Shining Supernova...

Of course! I can overload the Crest! Thanks.

No problem, Hiro.

OOC: Seriously, ask a question. They won't mind...

Alpha follows as Hiro walks towards another doorway, noting for a few moments a slight reluctance in his strides. Whatever the reason might be - not wanting to leave, not being comfortable around these people, whatever it is - the Incineran remains focused on whatever their new destination is at the moment. Stepping through the doorway, Alpha notes the seven women garbed in the different colors that sit there.

'They seem very knowledgeable,' he decides after listening to them for only a few moments. Immediately they reveal the answers to the most important of the questions the foursome could have asked: how to obtain a new Fire Shard, as well as how to heal Hiree. Figures that they already had the cure in their possession . . .

As Hiro and Tak leave the chamber, Alpha furrows his brow, trying to think of something worth asking the Shamans. Ultimately, though, nothing of any worth comes to mind, and he simply turns to follow the other two out. At the doorway, however, he turns back around, waiting to see if Blank can think of anything with an answer worth listening to.

Blank could not help but stare at the Shamans. They were like something out of a fairy tale. Here he stood before seven prediction-prone wise ex-maidens. He used the term ex-maidens as a means of referring to the prestigious wisdom that was sure to have followed them throughout the aging process, while acknowledging the peculiar voices that emanated from each's fair vocal chords. Blank was no authority on mysticism, but even he knew that the Shamans' voices were likely magically or spiritually induced. No natural group of crones could speak in such enchanting tones.

When the torch was passed on to himself for the position of asking questions, he really could not think of one. Their commandment was simple enough: Kill Carnax to imbue the empty Shard with the force of Fire. The only problem, really, was going about this task. Alpha, Tak and Blank all held incredibly powerful items in their possession. The Shards were no mere trinkets, and Blank reminded himself of the horrific power that the Dark Shard could grant him. He shuddered as he fidgeted with the alluring glass fragment in his pocket, feeling an urge to extract it and look it over in his hands. It was the deepest shade of purple, so dark in fact that it was as black as night in his hands in the dim lighting of the Shamans' chamber. The same would power was accessible to Alpha and Tak, but in the forms of Earth and Thunder, both equally frightful elements.

No, no question drifted to his lazy mind. He was sure that Hiro had a plan laid out already, so he bowed respectfully to the Shamans, and spoke a solemn “Thank you” before turning to follow the others. As he stepped outside of the room, his face lifted noticeably and he beamed visibly. He knew not whether or not Hiro wished to rush off to battle the red dragon, or to immediately take Blank to Hiree to reverse the Necroclone's poison. He assumed the latter; the ties between the royal siblings was a strong one indeed. “Well, let's go save ourselves a princess, men!”

OOC: TENSE CHANGE FOR ZF. I like past tense better now.

IC:
Hiro looked at Blank and Alpha for a second. His gaze then drifted to the floor, where it was held for a few more.

What do I do? Hiree or the Fire Shard? If I were to battle Carnax now, I could save Incinera from Nerrogath. But on the other hand, Hiree could already be dead. There's no choice. Hiree comes first. Incinera has a Shardholder, soon to be an earth one at that. Wait... Why would Tak trade his Shard for Earth? He would not be able to wield it properly either. I suppose that's a dispute for him and Alpha.

Hiro once again looked at them. "Alright. It's time we finished this. There's every chance that Hiree is dead, so she comes first. Incinera Castle can hold out until then."

Tak shifted uneasily. "I'm not sure that's a good idea. From what I've seen, this thing's pretty powerful."

"Then what do you think we should do? We can't just let Hiree die! We need every second we can get!" Hiro stood defiantly in front of Tak. No way was Hiro leaving her that way longer for a country that could defend itself.

"I s'pose yer right. Incinera can defend itself for a while. After all, we only need an hour or so." Tak stood and put his hand on Hiro's shoulder. "We're all ready. Let's go to Hyrule."

"Right. Now, let's get out of here. I have the scroll right here..." Hiro's voice trailed off as he looked down. The Incineran Crest hanging on his neck was burning. But it wasn't a normal kind of burn...

It was a dragon kind of burn.

Suddenly the round piece of wood exploded with extreme ferocity, propelling Hiro backward, and into a large, almost empty chamber. It was about a hundred square feet, and at least double that height. It was made with the same gothic architecture that made up the rest of the castle, with little light entering through the large doorway. Barrels and crates lined the walls, yet they did not take much room at all.

"Hiro!" Tak yelled, chasing after his fallen comrade. As he knelt next to Hiro, something began to talk. It was a deep, evil voice, which gave the feeling of hatred and fear when it spoke...

Again I am free...
You fools with your Shards...
Do you not know what power I have?
What power I can give you...
If I were only free...
And now I am...
But not by your choice, no...
By your foolishness...
I could have left at any minute...
And now I have...
And you will die.

Carnax had arisen. Behind Blank and Alpha was a medium-sized dragon, with no legs or arms. Instead it had two sets of wings, which flapped unusally slow to keep him aloft. Then again, he was one of the most powerful dragons in existence. He didn't need to flap his wings to fly. He could just as easily hover there.

Of course, his wings weren't the only interesting thing about him. Carnax looked to be purely black, with red mythril armor strapped to his body, almost completely covering him. It was a generally spiky type of armor, which shone in the blaze around him. Upon his chest was a large, round emerald, which covered most of it. Carnax's green eyes shone with malice as he lashed out with his twin-blade tail.

Carnax
STR: 20 | DEF: 17 | AGI: 3 | INT: 5 | SPI: 15 | HP: 100 | SPL: 100
Elemental Preference: Fire
Skills:
Tail Blade - 5 DMG
Bite- 5 DMG
Berserker Shining Supernova - 30 DMG (50 SPL cost)
Enflame - 15 DMG (10 SPL cost)

OOC: I'm GM. Here's how Carnax's moves will be randomized:
d20 Rolled
1-8 Tail Blade
9-16 Bite
17-18 Berserker Shining Supernova
19-20 Enflame
As you can see, I've made it so those uber-spells won't be used much. Can't have him doing 60 DMG in two turns, huh?

In that brief moment after his previous statement, Blank had begun to contradict himself mentally. He saw the foolishness in placing the lives of many before the lives of one, even if that person was technically royalty. The nomad was just about ready to voice this afterthought when he noticed the look on the King's face - agreement. Shaking his head in sympathy, Blank remembered just how strong the bond between the Incineran siblings was.

Casting away any doubt, Blank nodded with a stifled smile and prepared to follow after the others. Until, of course, his eyes ripped open in shock at the violent sight. The Hylian jumped back crazily, with a loud “Whoa!” as Hiro was lifted from the ground and practically thrown by some unseen force into the great cubed chamber ahead. As Tak ran to his King, Blank followed, eyes wide with an ominous feeling inside.

Within seconds, he found himself thrust into battle. Turning slowly with an eerie twinge running up his backside, Blank locked eyes with the cruel monster. He'd seen it before, at the battle of Farore's Shrine. Carnax was an intrusion on that event, and was certainly no less of one at this time. Blank was far too excited by his potential to save the life of a friend's loved one; no silly dragon was going to damper his mood!

As the tail-blade whipped closer to his unprotected torso, Blank instinctively lashed out with his Deku sword, praying that the frail, splintery blade would not shatter upon contact with the muscular, scaled tail of a dragon. In his other hand he held his trusty Deku Shield, hoping to utilize its defensive capability should his sword be shattered or miss altogether; of course, if the latter were to occur, what good would a shield of the same material be to him?

OOC: Yeah, I'm definitely doubting that I had Dual Wield this far back. Back to good old sword-and-shield goodness, eh?

Alpha slowly meanders alongside Blank as the group departs from the chamber of the Shamans. A short little stop to obtain some information as to how to cure Hiree, only to learn that Blank already holds the cure, a.k.a. his Dark Shard. The Sheikah feels quite a large sense of annoyance as he ponders that little fact; they've wasted so much time searching for the different fragments of the Po Rune in order to, and then coming to Incinera itself - which isn't exactly a vacation resort at the moment. Sure, it gives him a chance to get the Thunder Shard, but that's pretty much the only upside for them having come to this country.

And of course, things only keep going wrong. Or so are Alpha's thoughts as he watches Hiro be thrown across the chamber they've currently be walking through. 'What the - what just happened?!' As Tak and Blank dash towards where the Incineran King has landed, the Mage shuts his eyes and replays the last few moments in his head, now focusing on the images his vision had recorded concerning Hiro. The crest he was using as a pseudo-shard had been emitting a soft light for a few moments, then had burst into flame, after which it had exploded.

He suddenly senses a new presence behind him, and hears its voice. Two words emerge alongside his gulp: "Oh, crap."

Turning around he finds himself staring at the form of a monstrous winged drake, hovering in midair as its crimson spiked armor shines in the fiery essence of the infernal beast. Two wings, probably not responsible for its airborne status but still looking awfully dangerous, flap at a slow rate. The Sheikah finds himself staring at the emerald in its chest, matching its verdant glare in intensity. Almost so intense is this line of sight that he nearly forgets to dodge the twin tails that sweep down towards him.

Yet dodge he does, leaping at the ceiling in a quick effort to avoid the twin blades. Landing in a rush, he backpeddles a few steps while his staff appears in his hands. There are two things that run across his mind at this moment. One, an old saying Master Zaris had told him long ago as a sort of pick-me-up during hard times: "When you hit rock bottom, the only place you can go is up." With this knowledge in hand, a promise that times will get better for the group soon enough, Alpha lifts his staff up into an aggressive stance. Suddenly a grin flashes onto his face. With Tak's Thunder Shard present . . . "Tak!" he calls out, already preparing to cast his Rohtric Carrse spell, "I need you to cast an electric attack! NOW!"

He darts forward, staff held high as he hurtles it down towards the dragon Carnax - after this attack he'll absorb the lightning to power up his staff and allow access to his other Rohtric spells. But until then, he knows he needs to keep in mind that other thing that had run through his mind along with Zaris' quote, something that will keep him from becoming foolishly optimistic: knowing his luck, they aren't anywhere close to rock bottom yet.

OOC: ... I think I just may scrap the stat battle. These Rhotric spells seem interesting, and I really don't want to go through the hassle of statting them... But hey, RP battles are my specialty

IC:
Hiro looked up, squinting to see through the blood covering his eyes.

Carnax... He's out... Augh! The pain...

He glanced downward.

My left leg is broken... And my right arm is sore... Good thing I'm a lefty. Maorin, what do I do? You were there when Nogare and Kasei battled Carnax, right?

Yes, I was. You have to hit the mythril plating on his head with massive damage. It'll fade away for a short time. Then you can stun him by hitting his head... I'm not sure about killing, though.

Alright... But how will I tell them? I can barely move, let alone talk...

Life!

Hiro's wounds healed slightly. His broken leg was restored, and the many bloody cuts on his body vanished. Hiro stood, wiping the blood from his eyes.

Carnax's tail lashed out toward Blank. The frail sword, however, was no match for Carnax's bladed tail. It was flung from the hands of its owner, landing in the far side of the room.

"The head... Aim for the head..." Hiro could barely speak. He was barely audible; however, Tak was close enough to hear.

'The head! Aim for the head, Al!" The golden shard around Tak's neck glowed, sending light into the dark room. Tak quickly took a few steps forward, stretching out his hand. Thunder erupted forth from it, dancing and sparking as it made its way to Alpha's staff. Tak stepped backward, breathing a little heavier than before.

Hiro took a deep breath. "There's no way... I'm sitting this out..." he said through his gasps for air. His breathing slowed. He was in control.

Without a shard, I'm nigh useless... Unless I use the Dragon Emperor... No, I hate it. If I'm not careful... I could die. What if... What if I just used a little power? Just enough to give me a chance?

Hiro opened the pack that hung at his side. He was looking for something... And he found it. Out of the pack he took <a href=http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/9517 ... .png>three medals</a>, one with three triangles pointing outward from a central circle, with a bigger circle connecting them all; one with a diamondish shape, except for the top-left and bottom-right edges are not there, but a dot in their places; and the final, a simple swirl. Some may recall these medals when Hiro fought his father so long ago...

Each was placed around his neck. They began to softly glow; the Order was white, the Chaos was black, and the Twilight was grey. Hiro's appearance changed. Their normal bright-red color became a soft grey, while his blond hair blackened, leaving him considerably different looking. His hardleather armor shifted into a medium platemail that shined in the light of the flames. The final transformation came in the form of his sword; no longer was it small and wooden, it was a long, steel blade with a black dragon design running up the blade.

Hiro kneeled, resting from this transformation.

"Rohtric Carrse!" The Sheikah's voice resounds throughout the chamber, seemingly amplified by the magic that is coursing through him at the moment of speaking. Tak's electric burst suddenly alters course from wherever it had been heading, instead darting straight towards Alpha's staff. The wooden rod is struck head-on, but none of the energy passes into the one holding it; instead, the shock is contained within the weapon, which begins glowing a fierce azure as the power of the Rohtric spell takes full effect.

Still in midair, Alpha allows himself a moment to grin as the spell succeeds. Not that it has ever failed him before when there is lightning present, but still, the feeling of a successful magic casting always warms him in a way that non-magic users could never hope to understand. Even now, as his weapon becomes fully electrified, he feels the familiar sense that he has come to distinguish as the essence of lightning. It is there, in his hands, giving warmth to his soul as it eagerly asks for his command. It wants to strike out . . . it wants to be used . . . it wants to deal out chaotic destruction on those who deserve it. The power ruled over by the great Rohtric, god of storms and thunder, now is his to command, and he intends to use it to the best of his ability.

Sweeping the glowing staff behind his form, he takes aim at the dragon as he approaches it. Tak's words ring through his ears once again - "The head! Aim for the head, Al!" - and even as he makes a mental note to tell the Thunder Shard holder never to call him that again, he acknowledges the advice as probably sound. He focuses his awareness around the essence of lightning as he comes even closer to the flaming beast, and with a mighty effort, swings the staff like a baseball bat . . . a full five yards before he is close enough to hit.

"Rohtric Dwors!" As the staff whirls about the Sheikah's form it leaves in its wake a blade of electricity, arcing straight towards the dragon with the speed of a lightning bolt. And just in case he manages to dodge that one . . . the Sheikah spins in midair, coming down with another strike that releases a second lightning blade, this one moving in a vertical direction.

Blank winced as Carnax's mighty, armored tail slapped the sword from his hand, and he stood there gawking at the hand that had until just a moment ago been holding his trusty weapon. The bone's in his hand ached from the force of the blow; it was like being struck by the Megaton Hammer across the back of his hand. Not that the nomad had ever even seen the Hammer, but there was no possibility reserved in his mind for the legendary weapon to hurt more than the dragon's tail whip.

Even as the mage beside him went into attack mode and began utilizing a variety of electrical abilities, Blank was unable to concentrate on the task at hand. His eyes were transfixed on the airborne object overhead - his Deku Sword. His eyes followed it from where it had been thrown up to where it clattered soundly on the stone floor at the other end of the room. Blank ducked to avoid being hit by Carnax as he contended to Alpha's assault, and quickly he stole across the room in a not-so-gallant fashion.

As he reached the sword, he swept it up in his arms and grasped at its hilt clumsily, letting his fingers wrap around the coarse wooden handle. The Hylian turned back to the battle to see Alpha and Tak well into the action of the fight and sighed a restless breath of self-pity. There was no time for being disarmed when physical fighting was needed. However, if his sword could be knocked away so easily by the mighty Carnax, then there was a serious problem in his physical strategy.

Blank was not a magic user. But he had felt the power that the Dark Shard held, and he had seen the effect the Fire Shard had taken on Hiro in the past. The Blaze Blade, a mystical weapon born of a normal sword and the pyrotechnical energy of the Fire Shard, was quite an amazing concept to the nomad. He wondered if the Dark Shard could have a similar effect on his own weapon, and as he did so he tried his best to focus the shadowy energies of the shard into his sword. He had summoned the horrifying Midnight Terror - could he fuse physical power and the power of the Shards together now?

Alpha's attacks hit Carnax dead on, crashing into his skull and decimating the mythril plating guarding it. The cross-shaped barrage of lighting danced with light as the armor faded, leaving his fleshy head unguarded. A rather large green eye adorned his forehead; it blinked to adjust his vision, then glared at the trio with hatred...

You have chosen your fate...
Death is your wish...
And you shall have it...
For I am Carnax, God of Flame!

Blank's Dark Shard began to glow as he lifted his sword from the ground... Or, at least, whatever the shadowy equivalent of 'glowing' is. It seemed to pulsate with darkness as Blank drew on its power. Wisps of pure darkness came forth from it, creeping across the blade in a spider-web fashion. As the darkness fully enveloped the blade, leaving nothing but a black silhouette of it, the blade changed shape, molding itself into a dual-bladed sword. The darkness began to retract from it, showing little by little the black sword, with its intricate details all done in dark purple. The edge seemed to draw the little light the room had to offer, creating a shadowy aura around it. An ordinary Deku Sword became the Shadow Saber.

Hiro lifted his sword. It seemed to glitter as he drew it back, readying himself for the strike.

The plating is gone, but not for long. It will reappear shortly, giving you only a short time to make the kill.

Alright. Time to finish this!

Hiro ran toward Carnax, screaming as he held his sword ready for a swing. All his might was going into this. It was for Incinera, Hiree, everyone he knew. He was about to end this now. Yet, as he neared him, he saw his reflection in the emerald...

...Who am I?

... I'm Hiro Infinite, King of Incinera and holder of the Fire Shard and Medallions of Alignment...

...Am I sure? Who am I, inside? Why am I here?

... I'm rescuing Hiree...

...Am I sure? Do I not want the power of the Fire Shard?

... Hiree is everything to me. My only family...

... But there is more out there for me... Power, glory... revenge.

... I don't want any of that. Just a simple life with those I love...

... But the world... It has taken everything from me... Do I not want it back?

... There is no way I can do that... Giving up on Hiree leaves me with less...

...

All these thoughts seemed to happen in a split second, as Hiro felt no lapse between catching a glimpse of himself and jumping for the kill. As he brought down his sword, he loosed a menacing battle cry, laying waste to the dragon.

His sword struck Carnax, embedding itself in his forehead. The dragon roared, blood spewing from the hole in his head. It seemed the fight was over.

Of course, it wasn't.

The sword shot out of Carnax's head, sticking into the wall on the far side of the room. Hiro followed it with his eyes until it hit its mark, but then turned his head quickly to Carnax. The hole was healing, and the plate reappearing.

"There's no way..." Tak said in awe of Carnax's recovery.

"What... the hell...!?" Hiro said as he took a few steps backward, due to his disarmed state.