Ni'Srilan: The Desert: it'd be no fun otherwise ;

She’s going to pretend, pretend very hard, that she had not gone to Kurai. Gone to Kurai to seduce him in some way to Champion someone out of Andarin for her. She figured Notte would help Solira, and Alcatraz is in Fenris’s pants, no matter how much she rejects it. And well…so is Kurai. But is was hoping.

Not anymore.

She is pacing the edge of the oasis, her mind on fire with the possibilities. Andarin is too strong, and with Fenris being close to three Keepers, she wonders how long until they take over. Of course, they may fight amongst themselves for total control, but the fact remains…she looks at the horizon, stops and hears Kail whine at the sound of lightning and thunder.

Hypatia waits then for her Commander, for the only part of her Army she feels she has left. Though her scholars grow, her army grows weaker and weaker. Words may eventually win the war, but the Relics cannot bond like the Shards can, and Hypatia is not sure what she can do to combat the Shards.

All she can do is make Ni’Srilan the strongest. And every time a Shard Keeper or Slave comes near her, to convert them back to normalcy, or to make them never want to come near her again.

“Baraqel.” She answers him with her own fire reaching towards him, her body slick with tar. She looks almost black as it drips down her sides. She eyes fall into his, and they are wrapped up in the war that could come.

He smiles his silly smile that Kail can’t help but copy, but Hypatia is on edge.

“He’s going to go to Andarin, and Solira is neutral.” Her body twitches, and the Relic gleams nervously, trying to calm her down. “He’s going to come after us. Baraqel – “she leans in close to him, moving him away from the others. “Baraqel, I have to be able to stand up to him. But he has Lightning.” She cringes, her Water squirming inside her.

She’s just really, really glad that she didn’t say “yes” to him.

“He won’t get in. I promise. I promise…”

Althea approaches, and Hypatia’s outside goes calm and her fire wraps like a snake about her neck rather than drip like tar down her back. Kail still is next to Baraqel like it’s all a fun joke. “No one’s hiding in fear.” Not yet at least. “But Althea, these are very dangerous. Kurai is. Especially now.” But the Keepers will fight amongst themselves first. “We have to make them want the others – to kill each other but never succeed.” What is Alcatraz or Alkonost fell to Kurai? Or Kurai to Elemmire? Her Fire curls her mane and tail and her eyes turn dark.

“We’ll see.”