Call of Duty 6: Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer

Looks like I wanted to rant... Here's the link to my first public rant ever!

http://www.infinityward.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=137014&p=2935602#p2935602

Oh Call of Duty 6: Modern Warfare 2? The multiplayer gameplay rules...the multiplayer system sucks hairy donkey balls, after said donkey has been tea-bagging a heap of cow-shit for at least 6 hours straight.

Yes, I am frustrated...

--Warynn out

Why we are shy

It's the reason!!

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/creepy.png

The recurring Light at the End!

Consciousness drifted down into the void. A consciousness that felt alone as it was beset upon by the great nothing. A consciousness that started to feel fear in the unrelenting loneliness. So it started to defend itself, to think, to gather upon itself to keep it safe. Name, it needed a name. Perhaps... Ryu. Yes, Ryu felt familiar. It felt good, used by people who cared. So Ryu kept thinking, flashes of images all speeding by, gaining cohesion by the second. Happy images, of the light that was present in the void. But they came laced with a vivid melancholy. Images of a life that seems already gone, of a past seemingly so long ago. Of friends and family. Of brotherhood. Of a beloved sister swept away, by the dark. A home that no longer felt like home. A place he needed to get away from. A place of dark feelings and darker deeds. Of rampant emotions and bleak consequences. Suddenly it was as if the dark felt it could win, to subvert and take over this intruder. Ryu...the consciousness felt itself being surrounded and locked in.

So again Ryu fell in a dark room. A room from years past. A place normal people would call home, now corrupted and twisted into the cage, locking away all thought, sapping at the captive within. But the consciousness that was Ryu was not without it's final defences. A place like home would allow an inhabitant like himself. So he weaved himself a form. Legs, a torso, arms and a head coalescing like a gibbering mass from it's mind.
So control was possible. Ryu looked around in the room. It looked like a modern living room, comfortable leather couches around a small table. A television and sound installation against the opposite wall, a clear view for all who enjoyed their seats. Little flowers on the table, a bleak mirror of the usual brighting effect they had on the room. A fireplace next to the TV, with empty photos on a support beam above the cosy stove. Windows closed by curtains with a soft square pattern, and next to them a cabinet filled with books, their shapes and sizes as numerous as the colours were few... Actually, non-existant. The black and white veil was everywhere, marring what would be a warm and welcome room, altering and turning it's purpose from one of safety to one of bleakness.
In this room, exactly in the middle, there was Ryu. Just like last time. Everything was clearer though, more tangible to the mind as Ryu turned his new formed body and scanned around. He felt his face contort in disgust as details sprung to his eye and were discarded. It was all fake. Curtains did not hide windows, but just bare wall. The fireplace was as empty and the chimney as walled off as the void he was in. The flowers shined like plastic in the eerie all-present light as the couches felt cold and hard. Ryu shook his head and turned around, bare wall looking down upon him as their captive stared back. Stared for a way out.
Just like last time, when the need to leave grew strong, a door appeared. And just like last time a shadow stepped through, undulating and growing, it's voice dark and grating as it drilled itself in the mind. The feeling of Death arriving. "You are here... Once more. You seek to leave, but I shall keep you. Pain will not allow you an exit this time. You. Are. Mine!" It moved closer...

"Why" Ryu spoke. The shadow halted, puzzled by the sound as it's movement felt still. "What would you have with me? What purpose for keeping me?"
The shadow shook, a silent laughter in the face of verbal opposition. It moved closer again and wrapped an end around Ryu. "Because... we are one. We cannot be seperated. It is what we are." It placed a tendril on Ryu's shoulder and turned him towards the fireplace. Dark picture frames lighted up and showed their contents. A family. Four people, two adults and 2 kids, one teenaged, one still child, standing together in harmony. Only a smile recognisable on the emptiness of their faces. Around those ,the same children again but older, surrounded by numerous other persons, probably friends. Standing in a park, and in front of a house. Playing at a party, the adults drinking and the children chasing eachother. Ryu shuddered. He knew he was one of them. The little child, with as big a smile as the rest of this dark family. The grown up young man, with friendship ties that would last a lifetime. It's different from what actually happened. Reality was...a lot darker. All the time fights when he was little. The constant yelling and verbal abuse. The leaving of his useless father, left behind with his bitter mother. The only person he cared about his sister... Her becoming incurably ill later, and dying after 2 months of suffering. Him all alone, starting college with an empty heart and dulled mind, barely hanging on, getting a run-down apartment in the suburbs. A life of potential almost nipped in the bud, with only reason why it sprouted the sheer determination and elimination of all doubt through the elimination of most emotions. Just biting down and going. Just keep going, feeding on the dark.

Ryu understood. The darkness is what kept him alive. Coming home to a run down empty apartment. No one to love him, or care about him. The days at school stressing to good keep grades, only to come home to *that*. The neighborhood full of thugs and scum with him trying to make a living in the middle. The darkness urging him to take several self defense classes, him carving an existence within the garbage of society. Keeping him alive. The darkness was him. He was The Dark!
Ryu nodded and looked at the dark creature that was him... The tendrils reached out to surround him, almost as a lover that caressed his body. They touched him... inside of him, and began to feed. Ryu felt his mind glaze over and closed his eyes...

"NO!! Wake yourself Ryu!!" The voice came out of nowhere as a ray of light piercing through the clouds. Kaz's voice woke Ryu back up from the daze, a stab of white in the darkened mind. Kaz! How could Ryu forget Kazimir. The one good thing to come from all of it. Ryu met him a few months in his freshman year, an open minded and good-laughs kid with red curly hair and a warm aura. He befriended the silent and dark Ryu by the sheer power of being able to relate to Ryu in an unique empathic way. Whatever Ryu was thinking at a time, Kaz would know it and start talking about it, making it accessible, making Ryu look up from his inner thoughts and reach out to the world. When he was around, Ryu could feel like smiling again. Because of him Ryu started hanging out with people he liked, and although most found Ryu's company a bit unnerving they accepted him. Kaz was a real friend, the truest of them all. And now he was dead. Dead but not forgotten. Ryu would always honor his friend in whatever way was possible. Kaz would not allow him to succumb to his own dark self. Once Ryu had a really depressing day, punks had bashed down his door, trashing half his place before Ryu could hurt them enough to leave him alone. A lot of items with good memories were damaged in the process. So Ryu turned inward, and pushed everyone away, including Kaz. But Kaz wouldn't allow it. He slapped Ryu full in the face and proceeded with talking about carrying on and honoring memories having friends to lighten the load. Ryu was so dumbfounded about the effort that Kaz put into it that he forgot all about the accident for the rest of the day. Kaz even helped straighten up the apartment and mended a picture frame of Ryu and his sister. It meant the world to Ryu. So even with Kaz gone, Ryu could not and would not betray his best friend's memory.

The creature felt something change and pulled back it's tendrils with a jerk. It shuddered and undulated, whipping it's extremities up and down on Ryu. Ryu's answer was to grimace, pull back his arm and let out a scream of defyance, his punching with his palm outwards, pushing back inside of the creature, pushing it's core away, locking it into itself. The creature vanished with a wail like a banshee and Ryu screamed again at the room. Panting deeply, he looked around the room again and found the door. He approached and turned the handle. The voice sounded again. "Ryu, keep going! I'll stay here for now!" Kaz! I'll return for you, buddy. Honor to your soul!

The door opened and light flooded in. It surrounded and swallowed Ryu... Just like Kaz's friendship scooped up Ryu in the days he needed a friend the most.

Hey nick!!

void XMLParser::startElement(const XML_Char* name, const XML_Char** atts)
{
m_inputNaam = name;
if(m_inputNaam == _T("module"))
{
m_CurrentModule = new Module();
VulIn(atts[0],atts[1]);
VulIn(atts[2],atts[3]);
VulIn(atts[4],atts[5]);
VulIn(atts[6],atts[7]);
m_VectorRef.push_back(m_CurrentModule);
}
}

void XMLParser::VulIn(tstring attribuutNaam, tstring waarde)
{
tstringstream stream;
if(attribuutNaam == _T("naam"))
{
m_CurrentModule->SetNaam(waarde);
}
else if(attribuutNaam == _T("aantal"))
{
stream< int i;
stream >>i;
stream.str(_T(""));
stream.clear();
m_CurrentModule->SetAantal(i);
}
else if(attribuutNaam == _T("type"))
{
m_CurrentModule->SetType(waarde);
}
else if(attribuutNaam == _T("techlevel"))
{
if(waarde == _T("2"))
m_CurrentModule->SetTech2(true);
else
m_CurrentModule->SetTech2(false);
}
}

Falling in home

Ryven led Ryu around what can only be described as a warren of different platforms, stairs and walkways, ascending over huge branches carrying houses, huts and storage rooms, descending under and around them, disappearing between the big leaves once you got past them. Ryu's sense of direction had given up and fled the first five minutes of walking and he hasn't tried to recover it since. The turns and twists were just too...unforgiving for that. On the other hand, nausea had left as well, and Ryu had actually been able to divert some of his attention of putting one foot steadily in front of the other to listening to Ryven and looking around at the exotic sight. It seems Ryven was trying to hear him out about where he came from and why his clothes were so strange. He felt slightly irritated at his persistence so he made up some quick answers. Of course explaining about technology seemed to be as much as a pain in the backside as one would expect, he simplified his excuses very much. The clothes he couldn't explain at all, so he just said some stuff. Confusion seemed plain on Ryven's face, so Ryu stopped saying anything quickly enough. When one question about magic came up Ryu answered he liked made up stories from books, of course there being no "magic", but Ryven shook his head gravely. Ryu tried returning some questions, but Ryven also answered shallowly. He did seem to have a light sense of humor however, the occasional comment seemed aimed to make Ryu chuckle, and he forgot his worries for a bit. Ryu found it strange that such a bear of a man had such a light way about him. The worries and nerves returned however when Ryven mounted the steps to what seemed a quite and well-faring wooden house built on several of the huge branches. Ryu had no idea where exactly in the Tree City he was now, but as he looked around it seemed as this place was pretty isolated. Only a few houses were visible, and those some branches away. Which probably meant walking around for half an hour just to find the stairs that would give access to the house. Ryven waited for Ryu at the door as Ryu hesitantly made his way up to the front porch.
"Ready?" Ryven looked Ryu up and down as Ryu slowly shook his head and squared his shoulders. "Not really...but I guess I'll never be." Ryven heaved a small sigh as he nodded and turned to the door. He knocked the door gently as few times and waited, looking at Ryu hiding himself against the wall next to the door. Ryven shook his head and grabbed Ryu by his collar trying to drag him in front of the door.
"Oy, let go! Gahh!! Stop pulling you, dammit!". As Ryu got pulled backward, he felt his balance slipping and threw out his hand, which landed in Ryven face, earning him a muffled grunt.
Right at that moment the door opened and a smiling Sylvan woman looked upon the scene with warm eyes.
"Ryven, what are you doing here? Oh, this must be our guest then, Ryu right?". Ryu felt Ryven push him off and quickly regained his balance as he took his hand from the other's face, and apparently his fingers out of his mouth. Wiping the salivated hand on his leg Ryu tried to compose himself and failing miserably as he stammered an answer. "Ye-yes, ma'am. I-I'm Ryu." He coughed shyly and even managed a slight bow, but feeling quite foolish, he ducked his head and felt his face growing hot.
Ryven watched him with a doubtful look on his face and addressed the woman. "Yes, Leyra, this is the human that was found in the Eastern Desert." The woman - Leyra - turned towards Ryven with a slight frown on his face. "Don't talk about him like that. We're all children of the Mother, Ryven. If I remember what the Oracle said, his name is Ryu." Ryven seemed slightly abashed and nodded. "Sure, I'll use his name, as long as he refrains from further sticking his fingers down my throat." Ryu just grunted sourly and seemed unaware that he was still wiping his fingers on his leg. Suddenly the woman smiled broadly. "Don't just stand there, come in, come in!". She placed a hand on Ryu's arm and urged him in, Ryven following as Ryu let himself be guided. They quickly passed a small income hall where Ryu was instructed to remove his boots. Inside they entered what seemed the living room. It was an open and brightly decorated room. The lightly colored wood of the floor and walls was accented by light green plants and crystal objects ranging from purple to yellow through green -of course-. The room was neatly furnished to appear both cosy and open. On one end there was a large table elaborately carved with curved vines and leaves, with six matching chairs, two on each side and one on the ends. two peculiar leather sofas took up most of the other side, one large enough for thee persons, the other for two. Also some chairs designed for lounging were placed opposite the sofa's with a small table in the middle that looked like it was made out of hardened tree sap, only the color was all wrong. On the table was a crystal carving like the ones Ryu saw on the wall of the halls back at the Oracle's place only smaller and not casting light. Next to it was a stick of incense letting off tendril of scented smoke that seemed to cast slow eerie shadows on the walls of the living room. Behind the living place was a rail less staircase that seemed to go up to a second floor, part of which seemed like an open platform looking down on the living room. Ryu could also make up some doors up there, so he guessed those must be the sleeping rooms. Leyra put Ryu down in the smaller of the two couches, while Ryven sat in one of the lounge chairs. Ryu tried not to shy back as Leyra took a seat next to him and placed a cup of sweet smelling thee in front of him. Ryu felt uncertainty settle in for the long run.
"So then Ryu, tell me something about yourself". Ryu sighed momentarily and thought about the advice the Oracle had given him. And if this is where he was to stay, he shouldn't start by making the people here uncomfortable, so he shied away from the question while trying to keep the uncertainty from his voice. He failed miserably at that. "Hehe... I don't know. What's there to tell? I'm... not really that special." Leyra let out a giggle and continued smiling at Ryu. "Nonsense dear. You're the first human here in Tyranna in a few hundred years, you're special al right." Ryu felt himself falter and sighed again. "Right, ehh.... I don't know, I'm, 20 years old, I'm a kind of...eh student prog-- euh technical... stuff... magic, I live - lived - alone in a small studio... apartment, kind of a small house inside a house. I like music, I do some ...sports, and I try stuff out, like playing intruments and martial arts in my free time...aaaaand thats it?" Ryu finished with a half smile, feeling like he's been wrung out and hung to dry. Leyra picked up the half smile and nodded "I see, very well then. Well my name is Ley'ranah Ni'daliath, but everyone calls me Leyra. I live here with my two children, Dalhon and Vi'jona, eight and nineteen. I'm still quite young myself for seventy two years old." Her smile became a little brighter as Ryu's eyebrow shot up in surpise.
"Ehh, what, seventy two?? Young?... wait, Ryven how old are you?"
"one hundred and eighty six" Ryven casually answered.
Another shock entered Ryu as the pieces in his head came together. "You...live longer than us... I mean, hell, I wish I'd look like that when I'm your age... I mean I would have said a healthy 25...perhaps 30 in the extremes..but..." Ryu fell without words as everything flashed home. Why didn't he notice sooner? Magic healing, medieval swords and armour, elf-like people, rasicm against humans, huge lifespans. This was the stuff of fantasy. There are the kind of things that you read about in books, see in videogames, or see on TV. Not in front of you. Not sitting next to you. Not inside and around you...!! He took a slight sip of the thee, it tasted quite exotic, but sweet, he didn't know what it could have been made of. As he put the cup down Ryu noticed a sparkle dance in the thee. Suddenly he felt the pain in his chest he felt before in the infirmary and the blood suddenly pumping at an increased rate to his brain made Ryu feel very dizzy. He looked around the room as colours blended and sounds started to fade. He swayed once, as suddenly he felt several hands supporting him. He coughed once... twice and tried to sit up supported by the hands. He thought he recognised Ryven's voice through the haze.
"What thee is this Leyra? It made him sick fast!"
"It's Melve'eh leaf. It comes from the brushes near the mages' compound. Why is it having this effect, we drink this all the time. Perhaps humans are allergic to it?"
"Lay him down quick."
The voice haze got thicker soon, and Ryu closed his eyes as once again he felt himself slip away.

Oblivion beckons again, a call undeniable by all...

Chapter 1: Blood dawn part 5

Charles was looking at his second case for this day. This night, he corrected himself. The bodies seemed unspoiled as they lay there. An undertaker could not have positioned them more peaceful. The carpet however was stained with blood, shards of bone and remainders of tissue. Then there was the message on the wall, written in blood: “Your next”. The murderer obvious wasn't a scholar, but he seemed to know what he was doing. He had cleaned up the room after the murder, except for the carpet and the message of course. Someone was dusting for fingerprints but he has not yet found a single one.

Charles went into the kitchen, to see if anything useful could be found there. He discovered some blooded shards of a vase in the trash and a knife that was lying a bit to obvious on the kitchentable. He bagged both and handed them over to someone of forensic, before returning to his car. He had seen enough here, it was time to interrogate their witness a bit more thoroughly. Back in his car he started putting the pieces he had seen together. But for now it didn't seem to make any sense, hopefully Maya could change this.

Back at the police station he found Maya in an interrogation room. She was just sitting there, trying to hide her tears, but without any success. All her make-up was already washed away, and she almost looked like a different person now, a much older person.

“First of all I'd like to give you my condolences.” Charles started.

“That's such a void statement” Maya said in between several sniffs.

“What a big mouth for such a small and sad girl.”

“I just don't like insincere people.”

“I was just trying to be polite, but if that's how you react ...”

“Hey! I just lost my family. I mean ...” the rest was lost in a stream of tears.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. I just want to help you,” Charles said softly, “I want to catch the bastards who did this. But for that I need some help. Don't you want to help me?”

“I do,” Maya stumbled, “ but I feel so confused ... and alone ... and completely exhausted. I don't know what to do any more. It all seems so unreal and I “

Charles interrupted her “Maybe you should get some rest then.” And maybe I should get some too, he added in his mind. “I'll leave you then.”

Back in his office he almost collapsed. “What am I doing?” he asked himself, “When did I become so involved? Why can't I let it all go, even for a second? When Did I become so unprofessional?” With great trouble he managed to reach his chair, as soon as he sat down the questions started coming again. He tried to focus, to find some answers but he couldn't. The girl, it has to do with her. But what was it that dragged him in? As much as he despised her, he couldn't help loving her. What was so special about her? Her gaze rips right through him, as a blade, cutting out the scars, soothing and hurting at the same time. Who was she? She talked as if she had known him all his life, but she was as eager and interested as a child seeing something for the first time. And why...? Why...?

“Sir?”
“Sir?!?”
Charles looked up. He saw someone standing in the door opening. A man. A cop. He looked at the room. It looked different. Then he saw the clock. Five hours had passed.

“Sir?”

Finally Charles took the hint. “Yes?”, he replied.

“The first reports are in. The bodies we found at the house have been dead for 24-36 hours, the most probable cause of death is the loss of blood, together with the removal of several vital organs. Further there are some bruises. The body we recovered from the airport has only been dead for 24h at the most, but the full autopsy is still to be preformed. We also did a check on the people in that house and it appears they had no daughter.”

Charles jumped up when he heard this. He was already out of his office before the policeman could continue.
“But sir, there is one other thing I have to tell you.”

Charles didn't seem interested in what the policeman had to say.

“Davy Jones is back in town.”

Hearing that name Charles completely froze. For a while he hesitated. Then he turned around, took the documents from the cop's hand and rushed towards the exit, yelling: “Make sure you keep her here!”

Charles never believed in coincidence. Davy Jones had or has something to do with everything that was going on. But the question was what. What could he possibly gain by killing so many people? Maybe they were testing a new weapon. Maybe one of their agents had gone rogue on them. Or maybe it was just a test, to verify the skills of the police corps. Even though he would get the answer there it was better to be prepared since he knew his opponent was going to be. And what would be the fun if either party was significantly weaker? This is true for both discussions and fighting. Challenges is what makes life fun. It had been quite a while since he had a chance to compete with the master himself. The ringing of his mobile phone brought him back into reality. Which was odd since he didn't own a mobile phone. He pulled over and looked around to see where his automatic pilot had guided him. He was nearly at Davy's private airport. He turned his attention back to the ringing and reached back to grab the phone from the back seat.

“Hello?”

“Hey Charles, Toby here. Could you flash your lights?”

Charles flashed with his lights.

“Thanks” Toby spoke “Davy is in hangar 1”

Then Toby hung up. Charles proceeded to meet his arch-enemy. But he would not like this meeting seeing he was severely disadvantaged and not prepared at all.

Davy and his gang were waiting outside the hangar. Most of the people there he knew, however there were two new faces among them. One of them had now also noticed Charles and was looking back. There was something strange about this man's eyes. It looked like they could peer through the sun itself and instantly freeze it. All of the sudden Charles wasn't feeling at ease any more. His heartbeat and breathing accelerated. He tried to look away from the man, but he could not. Then another feeling started to come through, a feeling of sadness, of grieve. Slowly tears started coming to his eyes. As his mind started screaming “STOP! NO MORE” his body now completely froze. It was like his brain was no longer a part of his body. He could no longer feel his own limbs, it was all overshadowed by a sea of sorrow. His mind started pleading for death however he had not the strength to give into it. Then all of the sudden the man looked away and Charles totally lost it. He had to gasp for air, sweat started pouring out of his pores. He slowly started feeling his limbs again and step by step he seemed to be taken control of himself again.

By the time he was calm again two men had taken place on the backseat of his car.

“Hello Charles” said Davy “allow me to introduce Vlad, my European business associate, to you. I hope he didn't scare you to much?”

Charles look at the other person and looked quickly away when he recognised the man that had been staring.

“So? What have you got for me Charles?”

“How deeply involved are you in the airport massacre?” Charles answered.

“I had nothing to do with it. However I can always appreciate a work of art. Got any photo's?”

Charles handed him a file while adding the words: “what are we dealing with here?”

Davy and Vlad looked through the pictures together.

“It's definitely a supernatural creature.” Vlad started. “It's a by nature physical entity, non-physical entities leave different traces. Seeing the damage on the walls my first guess would be beasts, however those would have eaten a lot more of their victims. Also it seems to be done by something intelligent. The leftovers seem to be intentional as a sort of challenge. Is this far from the entrance?”

“Yes”

“Okay then it is most definitely humanoid. This leaves only vampires, summoners and inner demons. And neither of those seems to make sense. Vampires wouldn't leave clawmarks on the walls. Summoners would imply that those beasts are still in this reality and they would have also eaten more of the bodies. Inner demons don't care about fleshly mutilation, if it were those you would have a lot of complete hollow bodies, stripped of their essence. One last but very unlikely option is a hybrid. However if we're going to believe these exist we might as well start believing in leprechauns.”

“Any witnesses?” Davy asked.

“Just one. Profile her.” Charles said while passing another file.

This was Davy's speciality. “Her face looks young but her eyes give the impression she's over a hundred years old. Her behaviour is inconsistent, which she says is linked to her emotional state. She has a way of charming people around her. Even you can't resist her, Charles. But at the same time she frightens anyone who is near her. Though no one can explain it, they feel like there is an evil aura surrounding her. Am I right?”

Charles kept quiet. This meant he was right, and that he was beating Charles this game.

“So we're not sure who or what she is, but I'm damn sure she's deeply involved in this. Though she won't tell cause she uses her charms to guide anyone's thoughts away from this issue. Not even the great inspector Turner can withstand a little girl like this. Maybe you should ask Dr. Underwood to do a quick medical check on you.”

Charles brutally interrupted Davy: “Wipe that grin of your face and get out of my car!”

Before Davy got out he handed over the files to Charles saying: “Here you go. I hope this doesn't affect our friendship?”

Charles replied with more silence.

“So be it” Davy spoke “in that case I'll wish you an exciting race and good hunt.”

Davy and Vlad now left the car and they watched Charles drive away.

“You know who we're looking for now. She'll be hiding in the crowds. Scan the police frequencies for clothing store robberies. She won't be far. I'll take care of our religious fanboys.” Davy said.

Vlad nodded. Then they went back to prepare their hunts.

Invitations

From behind a nearby corner a rather large Sylvan male hurried towards Ryu and Tayana, a stern look on his face. Upon seeing the sylvan, Tayana relaxed and dropped what she was holding behind her back. Ryu noticed the knife from Dhokas' goon buddy as it clattered upon the floor.
The Sylvan looked at Ryu and then at Tayana and started talking with an hurried look on his face.
"Tayana, what was all that ruckus here, I just saw Kaven's brother and his punk buddies hurrying towards the Mages' guild and..." He fell silent as he looked behind Tanaya's back at the unconscious Dhokas and his goons. "Oh...right, well you handled that nicely. I'd have them punished but they already look pretty roughed up." He nodded and added "To be expected from you."
Tayana nodded back with a smile. "It's not all my work though, this hu'man here took care of one the boys nicely. I only needed to step in when they started playing dirty."
This seemed to surprise the Sylvan and he turned towards Ryu with a respectful smile on his face.
"So you're the human who was found outside. Good job, if it's true what Tanaya said."
Ryu nodded sullenly, rubbing the bump on his head "Yeahwell, thanks I guess. I have a name though, it's Ryu, if you'd be so kind to use it..."
The Sylvan barked a laugh "Hah!! Of course Ryu. I'm Ryven, nice to meet you. I'm the current leader of the Warrior's Guild."
Hearing the word leader, Ryu suddenly felt a bit intimidated in the presence of this Sylvan. That, and his size, they guy was big, and *broad*. He bowed ever so slightly. "Yeah..."
Ryven smirked and turned to Tayana "Moh'r Kahs'den seems to have some congregation again, go and sort things out will ya, I'll take over from you. I also have an errand from the Oracle again, it seems we've solved one problem for Ryu here."
Tanaya nodded quickly "Thanks friend" and nodded at Ryu "Human." before running off.
Ryu sighed heavily and grumbled under his breath. Ryven caught the hint and placed a hand on Ryu's shoulder "Don't mind her, she's just grumpy since she took you back here. Not really sure why, but it'll get better. Girls..."
Ryu let out a chuckle and nodded gravely "Yeah...girls", a small grin appearing on his face, but quickly disappearing again. "So, you said you solved a problem for me?"
Ryven started walking "Yeah, I'll explain later, but walk with me. I'll take you back to the Oracle, she'll explain it to you." Ryven slightly smirked "Heh, two audiences with the Oracle on one day, you sure must be quite important. Some people here don't even get to see her face to face once a year."
Ryu arched an eyebrow , while keeping up with Ryven's quick pace. "I have no idea why though. Most people look at me as if they see a ghost, and if they do seem to believe the sight of me they avoid me like trash."
"You can't blame the people, Ryu. Humans have fought against us in skirmishes close to war for decades. The hate is deep. Even though you seem unlike most humans, no-one will care. Well, almost no-one..." For a moment Ryu thought Ryven's lips quirked in a smile, but he quickly dismissed it.
Ryu sighed heavily and followed Ryven to the doors of the Oracle's audience room. As one of the guards saw Ryu he pushed the door open for him and bashed the shaft of his spear on the floor bellowing Ryu's name without asking for it. Ryu shrugged and Ryven gave Ryu a slight push on his shoulder. "In you go, I'm not coming with you." Ryu looked back at Ryven and sighed. Great, he thought as he stepped uncertainly into the darkness.
As the doors closed behind him the scenery became visible for him, again the single beam of light on the bird, the majestic symbol of these strange proud people, and again Ryu felt tense as he stepped forward.
The kind voice seemed to come from the back. "Still haven't learned to relax? Well I have to admit, this place was built to intimidate. But lets keep this loose and void of ceremony shall we? Come over here."
Ryu hesitantly nodded and walked over the bird symbol towards the back of the room. The room seemed lighter as Ryu moved forward and seemed bright enough at the back of the room. There the Oracle sat in front of a desk with 3 more chairs around it. She motioned to chair closest to her. "Come sit, we have things to discuss." Ryu bowed slightly in a formal show of respect and quietly sat down on the chair next to her. He tried to lean back and relax, but his muscles didn't allow for much leaning as they started to ache. Swallowing once he looked at the Oracle as she smiled and slightly shook her head at Ryu's obvious unease. She opened a drawer in her desk and took out three items, covered in dust and sand, laying them before Ryu on the desk. Ryu recognized them immediately. They were his personal items he had with him the moment that truck crashed on him: his wallet, his MP3-player/recorder and his cellphone. At least, what remained of the last. The Oracle must have watched Ryu's face. She commented dryly "So these do belong to you." Pushing the MP3 and the cellphone bits around a bit she looked up at Ryu. "I hope you could tell me some about these...artifacts. Our best scholars have come up with nothing about these two, but they were able to gather some information about you from the first." She stroked the wallet and proceeded to pick it up and give it to Ryu. Eyeing her sideways, he took the wallet and put it in his side pocket. Poking the broken cellphone he softly shook his head. "This is broken... It's called a cellular telephone, or cellphone for short. It's an...ah... communications device." He studied the two parts and smiled slightly as he recovered the miraculously undamaged battery and Sim card from them, holding them up for the oracle to see. "This is the power unit. Supplies portable electricity for the device to work." At the sound of the word electricity the Oracle slowly waved her hand about the power unit. "I sense...lightning. Lightning in a tiny box?" Ryu nodded slightly before lowering the battery and raising the tiny card in his other hand. "And the other is the memory. Device can't function without it. Keeps numbers, network information, and the works." The Oracle shook her head slightly and pushed Ryu's hands away from her. "For all the knowledge we have..." The items vanished into Ryu's pockets as he shrugged slightly, a noncommital look on his face. As last he scooped up the MP3 player and earphones and turned them over in his hands for examination. The small MP3 player seemed to have nearly no damage aside from scratches and dust on the black plastic, although there seemed to be some sand under the display cover. Shaking it irritably, some grains fell from between the few buttons and the earphone slot. The earphones themselves looked to be in an okay shape, just a few kinks in the cables, and Ryu tried to smoothen those out easy enough. As he plugged the earphones in the black unit and pressed the power button the display lighted up and suprise flashed across the Oracle's face, but she seemed to recompose herself quickly. Ryu raised the earphones to his ears and nodded appreciatively at the music. "A connection to home..." Murmuring softly, he motioned for the Oracle to come closer and pressed the other earphone in her long pointed ears. The suprise stayed on her ageless face this time as Ryu scrolled through his music library for an instrumental melodic song. He explained the brief concept of an MP3 player, demonstrated the recording function with his own voice, and cautioned her that is was nothing dangerous, only sound plucked from the air and converted to electricity, or better, lightning. He almost felt like explaining to a little child. After a few more moments of music Ryu turned the player off, rolled the earphone cables up and grinned with a broad self indulgent self satisfying smile on his face as he thrust the MP3 in his pockets along with the rest.
The look on the Oracle's face changed from surprise to silent commanding disapproval at Ryu's arrogance, and her voice dropped slightly in temperature. "A box that traps music, and a communication's device. Both using lightning? And one smaller than the other. This is dangerous if word should get out. I will allow you to keep them, since they are yours, but it is best not to go bragging about it to everyone. There is enough superstition already without people thinking their voices and sounds can be trapped and reproduced in a tiny box." Ryu felt his enthusiasm short-lived as the previous feelings of uncertainty and nervousness resurfaced. The Oracle seemed to view him in a different light now, like a new kind of animal that is being appraised if it could be tamed or if it was dangerous. Ryu tried not to show his uneasiness as those calculating eyes penetrated into his soul. Foolish thoughts, get over it, Ryu thought. It couldn't be that bad. Ryu gave a start as the Oracle spoke again.
"In any case, that's not all for which I called you here. We have found a family that is willing to take you in." Ryu blinked wildly at the idea of some of these people taking him in. A human, known enemies who shed Sylvan blood in border skirmishes. Or so he has been told. And a *family* is going to take him in? Light, don't let them hate me... He'd sooner take his chances in the forest. Trying not to fidget nervously in his chair he looked up at the Oracle. "Yes, Ryven has been asking around using his influence. He says he found a family where you can live. I've spoken to them and they are very friendly and welcoming. I'm sure they will help you fit in quite decently. Ryven will escort you as you go out." Ryu nodded half-heartedly and started to rise as the Oracle gave him a sheet of yellow paper with some days and times on. Strange names for them. "Before you go, this is a schedule when I'll be expecting you in my classroom 2 doors from here. I'll be teaching you our language and customs, and this way I can also keep my eye on you." She smiled motherly before quickly assuming that calculating calmness again. "Don't be late"
Ryu eyed the paper before folding it and tucking it away and walking to the big door. Thoughts and scenarios played in his mind, of cruel sylvans making his life miserable day by day, of him living in nothing more than a storage room, with barely any daylight and spoiled meals, of sylvans looking down on him every second of his life. Only a quiet sense of fatalism and resignation made him not run for the nearest escape door that moment. Wherever he would find an escape...
As Ryu opened the door, Ryven straightened from the wall and approached him. "So, how did it go?" Ryu felt in his pockets for his items and shrugged slightly. No need to tell him about technology, as the Oracle suggested. "I got my things back. Nothing special, just some personal items. And my wallet. Not that the money or identification papers would be any use here, so... Connections to home." Ryu sighed deeply at the thought of home. The unspoken wish that this is all just a dream, and waking up would return everything to the way it was before. Just a wish of course. But wishful thinking was part of his life it seemed. Ryven nodded slightly before going on. "Anything more perhaps?" Ryu slightly arched an eyebrow. "You are to escort me to my...new family..." Ryven grin couldn't be broader. He seemed to be very proud of himself. He gave Ryu a gentle start towards the Nexus, and Ryu let himself be led, his feet dragging as they stepped on one of the central lift-platforms. It took him several levels lower before Ryven led Ryu around towards the other side of the nexus and in to a wide, more cheerful hallway. Looking around Ryu saw light emitting veins and leaves all over the ceiling and walls in an intricate pattern, lighting the hallway as if it would have been in broad daylight on a sunny spring day. Soon the hallway gave way to an exit and Ryu found himself escorted on big wooden platforms, built between giant trees. Ryu gaped at the sight and even forgot to sulk as the scenery unfolded before him. Giant trees took up the horizon and held wooden houses in their gigantic branches. Platforms ran from each of those houses to a bigger center one that seemed to be built towards every tree and even *around* some of the trees. Ryu imagined him having to run for a couple of minutes to complete a circle around one of them. Looking behind him at the tree that housed the Nexus of Tyrana, he felt like an ant looking up at an old oak tree. The thing was even bigger than the others! The boards that made up the platform were also huge things in itself. The railings on the platforms seemed like they were grown from the boards, and no matter how much he squinted, Ryu could not find a single nail used in the construction. Everything was connected in a natural and esthetically pleasing way, grown rather than attached, bound instead of nailed down, more like glued than latched together. Supressing a sudden wobbly feeling in his knees, Ryu clutched a railing as the immense scale of it all hit home. Now he could understand how Tyrana could hold so many inhabitants. A single tree could give shelter to hundreds, and with skillfully built and planned houses, perhaps even thousands. Smaller platforms turned off the main walkway and even turned into stairs at some point as they ran up to groups of houses on branches, towards hallways in one tree or even down towards other walkways and platform paths. The idea of getting lost here came very easily, and Ryu imagined that finding your way back should be near impossible. Ryven looked back at him with a bemused smile on his face as Ryu straightened himself and kept his gaze strictly forward as he walked over to the sylvan. "Are you okay? You look a bit pale there." Ryu grunted sourly and muttered under his breath before swallowing deeply and nodding. "Lead on..." Ryu thought he heard the sylvan chuckle to himself as he lead him towards one of the trees a bit farther away. "Better get used to it. You'll be seeing this sight a lot more from now on." Ryu grumbled even more under his breath as he followed with careful steps, trying not to let his eyes wander and hoping dearly the man didn't see his feet falter every few steps.