Chapter One

Macinios hovered high above the skies of the Godland, Zalliano. He stared out at the small populus filled areas of those who had died and been granted passage to live in those holy lands amongst what he considered to be majestic rolling hills, valleys, mountains and grasslands, the rivers that never ran dry and fields of grown crops and trees filled with fruit that which would never wilter and die, the Godlands were beautiful. But no other place within Zalliano was more beautiful than the halls of the Gods.

The massive three story structure that stretched across acres of land, made of white marble, granite and the nameless metal, outside it five spiralled structures closed above it like the fingers of a delicate hand. They stood out from anywhere in Zalliano.

This was home to many Gods once now only a few remain within this. He thought, this was before the creation of Cigam and the war they fought with their own creations.

Macinios found himself discontent with the state of Zalliano. Compared to the old times before the war when the place was a bustle of activity, where each God minor or major listened and answered prayers, but man had all but forgotten about them. Although he would have never shown it his encounter with Tamorin had reached his feelings, perhaps partly because she was the last remnant of the minor Gods of the winds.

"You seem to be in deep thought, brother." Came Junnie's smooth voice,

Macinios could not help how everytime he was in her presence a shiver would roll down his spine, he clinched his jaw for he hated how she always managed to sneak up behind him negating how he could feel anyone's approach by their movement through the air. For that and other reasons the Goddess of death made him nervous

She came into view beside him dressed in a black dress that almost seemed to be part ghostly in its appearance, it made the slighest of movements despite there being no breeze blowing, her fire red hair hung down her shoulders, her bone structure was visible beneath translucent skin.

Macinios turned and looked into her eyes, eyes that always had a tortured soul or two dancing within them. By far she was the most powerful God that remained for death was always an eternal construct.

"I am only observing our homeland." He said flatly

"Mmhm and what do you see?" She asked

"Souls you have granted passage here to spend their eternity, some new most ancient and old souls. I see our home below us and wonder to myself at it's emptiness and whether or not we were truly right and justified to do as we did when the war no longer went our way." Said Macinios

Junnie remained silent breaking her gaze of Macinios to survey the Godlands and let hus words sink in. At times he found her brother to be melodramatic.

"It was necessary, those of us here yourself and myself included along with Kriel, Qrav and Lassifuss needed to survive or we wouldn't be here looking at Zalliano."

"And what of the others? Jeager, Kiloss, Earniphus, Cavium, Tamorin..... Nirvinia ..... and the many others?" He asked

Junnie raised an eyebrow at thr mention of Tamorin and Nirvinia.

"Ah, you have been to the world so that is what has brought this softness to your heart. The one who could never be yours that you could not save and the one who served under you," She said, "you're the one who shut the gates yourself when the time came, when the Cigam were nearing invading this very place, you yourself moved Zalliano from where it once was leaving the other gods stranded, ignoring their prayers in the years to come as they were hunted down."

"It was the only way, I could not risk our home being found, we had to remain hidden for a time we were all in a weakened state.... Do not make yourself sound innocent, sister, you took their souls to the place behind the veil where a God goes after death. At times you would watch as they died I heard." Said Macinios.

Junnie looked over at him with a smile, yet again another shiver rolled down his spine.

"I am the Goddess of death, what's your excuse brother?" She asked as she floated in front of him.

Macinios' eyes darted left to right and his mouth opened and shut for no words would manifest.

"Two centuries have passed since then Macinios, if you still hold on to such things they'll be death of you." She said with pause and a laugh before she descended toward The Halls leaving Macinios in the air.

-----------------------

As she had promised Tamorin had bought Jeager a drink or rather a few drinks. They sat in a booth at the back of a packed pub amongst the pungent air of alcohol and cigarette smoke. Both of them sat with a half finished pint of beer infront of them, it was Jeager's fifth.

Jeager had a 'ruomalg' spell on to fool the human eyes into seeing his armour and weaponry as ordinary clothing.

"Zalliano was moved on as ye well kno' Tam." Said Jeager

"I know a way to get us there regardless. Or rather I have piece what we'll need." Said Tamorin

"And wha' might this mystery piece be?" He asked

Tamorin reached into her pants pocket and from it she pulled a piece of white cloth which she placed on the table. Jeager looked at it for it moment then he looked back at Tamorin and the cloth yet again, he scratched his beard as he tried to understand what this piece of cloth might mean.

"It's a piece of Macinios' clothing, I took it off him the night I saw him," she said, "there is a spell that we can use to have this find it's way home."

"Will we be needin' ya Cigam from for this?" He said.

A slight smile sat on Tamorin's face as she wondered how he could possibly have known of

Phillipa's existence. Had he seen them that night outside his warehouse, Jeager could be nimble on his feet if he wished.

"No," she said speaking after being quiet for a few minutes, "Phillipa won't be needed, although it might be faster."

She pulled a cigarette packet from her pocket and lit one up taking a drag from it as Jeager watched her closely. What went on inside his mind at that moment she would never know.

"So alls we be needin' is that wee piece of cloth and a few magic words is it?" Asked Jeager

"We'll need something else, it might prove..... Difficult to say the least." Replied Tamorin

Jeager took a long sip from his pint whilst raising an eyebrow, he released a satisfied 'ah' and leaned forward.

"Will it entail killin' somethin' Tammy?" He asked finally

"Aye," Replied Tamorin with a smile whilst jokingly mocking Jeager's accent.

"We're going after a Jakali. We need it's lungs and it's scream."

Jeager sat and blinked for a moment processing what Tam had just said to him for he had only ever tangled with one of those creatures once a millennia ago when they were abundant in the world and he knew of the ferocity of those creatures, rumours of their battle prowess alone had sent many men crying for their mothers, even Gods feared them for these were creatures that had in their history brought a God or two near death, he himself had a scar the length of his back to prove it.

Jeager then laughed a loud and booming laugh that vibrated every surface in that pub, his Forge was active as he laughed and it alarmed everyone in the pub to silence and a nervous shock, Tam however remained calm smiling as she drew yet another breath from her cigarette. Jeager was laughing because Jakali were not known for making a lot of noise, yes they had loud growls that shook bowels but the creatures never roared, not even rumors dared suggest they had a bone within them that permited whimpering or screams of pain.

As he stopped laughing Jeager's face immediately turned hard as he noticed all the eyes on him from everyone in the pub.

"What's with the lot of ye? Ye never heard a laugh, ey!" He shouted, all the eyes that glared at him all seemed to cast down in unison.

Tam smiled quietly and stood. "Don't mind my brother, it seems I told him a good joke that drew the best of his laughter..... Or the worst judging from your unified reaction. Bartender a round of shots for the house!" She said with the later of words being met by approving roar.

"Tch... They don' deserve yer drink Tam. That being said, yer barking mad if ye think we can get a rise outta Jakali, the breathing pipes perhaps together but the second is unlikely." Said Jeager as Tam sat down and the pub returned to its original condition.

"You just need to brings your guns, Rathgar and leave the rest to me." Said Tam, a confident look resisted upon her face and against his better judgement Jeager found it hard to bet against her, so he simply nodded.

"So where do we find a Jakali Tammy? Las' i heard all the creatures are sleepin'" said Jeager

"They are, infact one is asleep in a cavern down below beneath this very pub."

Jeager for the second time that night found himself surprised by what Tam said to him. He glaced at the worn out wooden floor and back at Tam wondering if she was perhaps truly joking this time.

"Yes I am being quite serious and no none of these people know and they may not need to know.... Shall we go or are you so old that you'd want to stretch first?"

Jeager scoffed and stood, turned and then realised he didn't know which way they'd need to go to get to the cavern that was supposedly beneath the pub, infact he wondered how deep beneath the surface they'd be fighting and whether or not their battle would break the surface, mostly because he was worried about the alcohol being wasted in destruction.

Tam slapped his massive shoulder as she came walking past him leading the way past the bar tender who didn't seem to notice Tamorin and Jeager walk behind him and disappear behind the door into the storeroom. Once inside they maneuvered their through the cramped storeroom to the back where they store in front of what would simply be a wall to normal eyes, but to the eyes of the two Gods who stood before it the wall was a shimmering turquoise stone door.

Jeager looked down at Tam. "Well I'm not the one with muscles am I?" She said immediately

"Yer brough' me fer me muscles did ye'?" Joked Jeager, before he pushed the door.

It slid inward to one side, revealing a stone steps that spiralled downward. Tam stepped forward and looked over the edge and they kept going spiraling until she lost sight of them in the darkness.

It looks like someone knew exactly what they were doing when they built this she thought, I just assumed it'd be crude with a beast at the bottom.

"I s'ppose it's a race to the bottom then." Said Jeager as he cracked his neck preparing to jump, Tam immediately put a hand in front of him, stopping him.

She cocked her head because she had meant to put a wall of air infront of her brother. Was her GodsGrace negated in this place? That would make her mortal.

"Jeager, I believed you would die if you jumped down." She whispered

"I'm a God Tam, I'd be al----"

"No you wouldn't be fine because we're mortal, on the stairs, I hope it's only on the stairs." She hissed, interrupting him. She faced the wall behind them analysing it.

"Don' be ridiculous Tam, Gods don't lose what makes 'em," said Jeager

Tam continued to stare at the wall ignoring Jeager's words searching for signs of etchings of a boundary spell it would be an ancient one to be able to suppress Jeager's GodsGrace, if it was just her GodsGrace that was suppressed she wouldn't be surprised.

Tam gripped Nirvinia and in a fluid single spinning motion unsheathed it, struck the wall and sheathed it, she was a crouched position staring at where she had struck the wall, it glowed white with clustered Cigam words that read:

izinkosi azina mandtla lana .... The rest faded before she read

Gods have no power here.

First generation Cigam it seemed, that much she knew. But why would such a spell have been placed in such a place.

"Our GodsGrace means nothing in this place, it makes it harder to do what we want." She said

Jeager began descending down the spiralling stairs anyway despite now having been reduced to being mortal.

"Did you not hear what I said?" She asked

"Aye I heard yer Tam, but there's a job to be done ain't there." Said Jeager with a impish smile on his face as he continued down.

Tamorin stood for a moment staring at the glowing Cigam words before her. She gripped Nirvinia a little tighter and then followed Jeager down. She didn't know how they'd fair against a Jakali in the state they now found themselves but her resolve for vengeance would spur her on regardless.

The two walked down the spiralling steps in silence, the sound of their footsteps slapping against stone echoed quietly. Soon they came to reach the bottom which opened up into a massive cavern that dwarfed them instantly as they stepped inside.

She didn't expect it to be as well lit as it was. The light shone down from high above, off the cavern roof which was lined with closely packed crystals that seemed to act as florescent lights, each crystal was a different colour but all together they shone a brilliant white light that left no room for shadows but didn't blind the eyes. The cavern floor was made of smooth rock that looked as though it had been chiseled and measured to be perfectly leveled with no dips or ditches, the walls however were the opposite they were jaggered and rough with sharp edges.

At the very centre of this cavern on the perfect level floor, a creature lay sound asleep it's breathing deep and steady. It's fur was a smooth looking pattern of different shades of purple and grey, it had long thin yet bushy tail wrapped around itself and it had an elongated face with four eyelids shut tightly and a short snout, somehow it seemed built like a large man with purposefully arranged muscles. It's limbs where curled underneath itself while it slept.

Tamorin and Jeager exchanged a look before nodding to each other and reaching for their swords.

The slight click sounds of their swords being unsheathed almost instantly woke the beast. One would have even thought it knew they were there and only had it's eyes closed in wait to see if they would be foolish enough fo challenge it.

All four eyelids opened and in a matter of seconds the Jakali was on it's feet and launched itself toward Tamorin and Jeager swiping a massive six claw hand. They barely dodged.

A bead of sweat rolled down Tamorin's face.

It's fast, she thought.

The Jakali stood up on it's thick hind legs, swishing it's tail as it turned. Now Tamorin understood. It indeed was intimidating, Indeed its arms and legs were muscled beneath the fur but it was the blood lust in it's red eyes that truly shook one up.

It growled loudly so loud the pounding of it vibrated the crystals high above. They had disturbed its peaceful slumber, there was only one way such a thing would end.

"Tam," said Jeager from a short distance away, "we migh' naht make it out of here."

"That isn't an option, brother." She replied quietly as she unsheathed Nirvinia and took a low stance holding the sword behind her. She could feel the power within it pulse.

"It's been a while since we fought together Nirvinia, I hope I haven't gone rusty." She whispered

Tamorin burst forward hoping to catch the creature off guard but she didn't, the Jakali met her head on bushing aside Tamorin's initial strike attempt and then began it's own barrage of blindingly quick swipes that were forcing Tam back faster than she could step back or block. She blocked as many as she could but she was getting cut, some shallow, some deep.

Gun shots echoed through the cavern as Jeager fired his revolvers. The Jakali however simply moved it's tail faster than the bullets knocking back each one the way they came forcing Jeager to dodge his own attack and all at once not stopping its barrage on Tam.

Tam tried to switch from defence to attack, planting a foot and pivoting looking to catch the creature's back with a sword strike but missed as the Jakali backflipped over the attack then swiped and twisted as it landed, it caught Tam straight in the face with a stiff kick instantly breaking her nose and sending her flying. She lost grip of Nirvinia as she rolled to a stop, blood gushed from her nose as she tried to shake the attack off and stand adding a touch of red to the greystone cavern floor.

Jeager shouted a war cry as he charged with Rathgar gripped in one hand, in the other he held a revolver. He let loose three shots which the creature dodged effortlessly with the slightest of movements as it walked toward Jeager, a perpetual maintained growl tune played within its chest.

Jeager reached the creature and threw Rathgar forth narrowly missing, the creature countered with its blade sharp claws across Jeager's chest leaving claw marks on his leather armour and tearing through the bullet belts which crashed to the floor. Jeager ignored them. An exchange begun between two of counter and block, sword against claw, mortal God against Jakali.

Tamorin joined in with her dance style of fighting, her face bloodied and disfigured. Together with Jeager they began to force the Jakali back. They only needed to now cause it enough pain for it to scream.

But suddenly as thought it had read their attacks it caught both their swords in its hands and threw them up into the air using their own swords. In a flash it was above them planting a leg on each of their chests and sent them crashing hard into the unforgiving stone ground. The pain was immense for they were only mortals in that place.

Jeager tried to stand first but the Jakali was upon him. It grabbed him by the head, threw him across the cavern, he crashed into the cavern wall creating a crater into the it, the Jakali followed in planting a had knee to the face and with its blade sharp claws cut through Jeager's armour and drew blood. It then stepped away and let the God of Arms slump onto the floor.

Tamorin stood wincing in pain as she grabbed Nirvinia and took a stance.

The Jakali watched her from across the room curiously, the rhythmic growl playing within it chest. Perhaps it wondered how although the two were outmatched they still stood. The creature knew it was yet to reach full fighting prowess against two Gods who knew nothing of fighting within mortal limitations.

Tam knew they were in trouble and perhaps in over their own heads, she ground her teeth slightly at the thought of having to retreat. She stared down at Jeager, he lay motionless and bloody on the floor. A sorry sight for a God, although she herself was not much better. With a few broken ribs and other pains, was this how her journey toward vengeance would start? Held back by a creature that fought in virtual silence.

The creature moved, faster than she could see but it appeared before her long enough to partially block a slash of claws swipped across her body but she was cut again deep across the shoulders, she could feel warm blood seeping into her clothing.

It has turned it up a notch, I didn't see it move, at this rate we'll both be dead. If I had my GodGrace I could use the winds. We need to escape. She thought.

Tamorin reached into her pocket and pulled out an Emerald glass bead which she squeezed in between two fingers and broke.

I hope you hear me, she thought.

She then kicked off the ground and put some distance between herself and the Jakali, she needed to get to Jeager. She charged willing her aching body onwards as she struck wide and fast slashes with Nirvinia, using every bit of elegance as a swordswoman to keep the Jakali guessing. She spun and slashed, threw in kicks with punches, thrust out and ducked. All the while the Jakali stood with its feet planted not moving an inch.

Jeager hated feeling mortal, although it was his first time being mortal he wondered how anyone could live with strength this limited even thoughhe was afforded the strength of a mortal of his size and muscle, Rathgar felt heavier, each swing needed more effort and now he lay bleeding on a cold cavern floor feeling pain he had not felt in the longest time, not to mention he felt more drunk now that he was in a mortal form... But for some reason despite all this he found himself feeling a twinge of excitement and hunger for more pain.

He pushed himself to a knee and looked up to see Tam moving with sword in hand moving as only she could with elegance unmatched. He stood up staight and ripped off the shredded top half off his armour remaining in a loose fitting tattered shirt. He then grabbed Rathgar charged.

I ain't finished yet, yer bloody beast. He thought.

As Jeager attacked his first attack was blocked by the beast's tail, so was the second and third, one could have sword the thing had a mind of its own.

"What's the matter Tam? You gotten old and rusty?" He shouted

Tamorin spun to the creature's side still attacking. "I'm not the one who was taking a nap until just now."

"Blasted mortal bodies." He replied.

"We should be fine right about now." Said Tamorin.

In a flash of emerald green light, Phillipa the Cigam Warlock leader appeared next Tamorin with a staff in hand. Emerald chairs materialised from it and shot toward the Jakali looking to wrap around it. But it wouldn't be that easy the Jakali slashed through them. But in that instant it had forgotten about Jeager who ran Rathgar through it and twisted the blade, it's mouth opened but no scream.

Tamorin moved quickly and did the same running the creature through and twisting her blade. As she twisted it a warm feeling came from the blade and Nirvinia ignited lighting on fire and burning through the creature. And a scream ripped echoed through the cavern, a deafening one. Tamorin with a free hand pulled an blessed vial and pointed it at the creature's mouth, its scream flowed into it. The cork closed whenthe vial filled up.

Phillipa bound it in emerald chains when the two Gods drew back, the Jakali would not be held however before it could do anything its head was lobbed off by Jeager. Phillipa released the chains spell and let the creature's body crash, almost simultaneously Jeager dropped to his knees as he breathed heavily. He was tired and in pain.

"You both look like crap." Said Phillipa.

"As long as we're in here we're mortal." Said Tam as she walked over and cut open the Jakali's chest looking to remove it's lungs immediately.

"You should have called me earlier then, this might have ended a lot sooner." Said Phillipa

"I'm a goddess Philly, I can't call on you for everything," Said Tam, "besides we couldn't have known about the spell."

"I might have known." Said Phillipa

"For shite's sake tis done, can we get the lungs and get out. These bloody mortal things aren't for me." Said Jeager as he stood.

Once Tamorin had finished cutting out the Jakali's lungs Phillipa used a portal spell to get them out of the cavern and materialised outside the pub. They began healing rapidly as their GodsGrace returned to them.

"You know you need one more item for what you're thinking of doing to work right." Said Phillipa.

"What's yer Cigam mean Tam?" Asked Jeager. As he stretched

"I mean you'll be seeing someone you don't want to. Anyway you pulled me from important Cigam business, I must return." With that Phillipa vanished in a flash of Emerald.

"There's someone we need to see for a last ingredient for this spell. An unpredictable DreamWalker who's price for things can vary from a bar of chocolate to a piece a god's soul, depending on how he feels on that day." She said biting her lip.

"Tam, yer know I hate loops an' hoops." Said Jeager

"I know Jeager but if we are to go to Zalliano we don't have much of a choice." She said

"If that be the case, then we go alone, naht with the help of yer Cigam." Said Jeager

"She may have saved is tonight Jeager."

"Aye, but what use is being a God of yer can't fix yer own problems." He replied.

Tam did not respond, she simply nodded and summoned the winds and becoming one with them, she lifted Jeager up and they shot into the night sky. Derk Klaso was where they needed to be next in Necromancer territory to find the DreamWalker and obtain the last ingredient.