An eerie meeting in the dead of night...

[Cogs]

...the night was slowly creeping into its darkest hours, and I was quietly passing time with my friends Selavi, Javelinhawk, Sonodai and Xtrophic...passing jokes and discussing trivialities of everyday life...somewhere a bird was singing its ode to the night, as the moons travelled the celestial heavens above....

I sensed his presence first...more than seeing it......but, there, in front of us was a man.....an apparition of a man....regal in appearance, but yet with a friendly stance.......he spoke.....

Cogs...I have travelled far to meet you and speak these words to you

"I am dreaming...".....I spoke not beleiving....

No, you are not dreaming...I am projecting myself to you and those close around you

"Speak your mind, Sir...but haunt me not"...I could hardly speak in his presence...so strong was it.

I am the last blood of Alyssa and I have been travelling far to get here

The eye of darkness that held those expelled from the world is opening by the hands of scientists and politicians.

They cannot be stopped!

...listening intently, I covertly tried to scan the apparition....but to no avail...he was just that..an apparition, not present in the flesh....

Prepare yourselves, the dream is strong, wars will reign!

There will be loss, pain and suffering, but we will prevail against the great evil hiding behind the eye!

"The lookingglass....you are speaking of the lookingglass" ..I muttered...and in speaking these words the apparition walked straight into my body....and vanished...but in parting ..his voice spoke across the planes...

You must have been touched by the dream for you pierce its veil like a knife, Cogs..Perhaps the blood of Alyssa also travels your veins!

"I seek enlightenment...." ....I spoke into the night......

Now....I....must....rest

I could not speak for some time...and my friends were as taken as myself...the feeling of his ethereal spirit passing through my body was one I cannot begin to describe.....

Needless to say, much discussion ensued.....what was the apparition, what could its purpose be........and...why had he chosent to speak to me....the questions...needing answers........answers most certainly hidden in our immediate future.

For now, I would advise us all to be of keen eye and mind......things are not what they might seem, I fear....

[Volais]

heh heh....uhhh.....you havent been reading my mind have you Cogs...cause uhhh...that has an unusual connection to my storyline

[Lillemjau]

[Volais...this seems to be FC storyline, with the ARKs and Greenies. It's happening on Rimor as well, I believe, as far as I can tell by the official forums.]

So worried...she was so worried about Cogs, but she didn't tell him. Neither did she talk to Jenny about it. Sometimes she had talked sternly to Cogs, asking him to be careful with stimuli these days. But more than anything, she tried to keep her chin up and not let him see her worry. She didn't know what this was...what this trouble he had explained to her was. These mindshifts.

Anthony...the close friend of Damon, Tex and her. She loved him dearly, she was worried about him. They had so little times these days, he was so busy with this merger. Understandable. She had to talk to him. They had tests and labwork to schedule. And the Lookingglass....forever the Lookingglass. Would they ever find the end?

[Selavi]

Having spent more than one trip to the infamous City of Home doing bonehead missions for that rascal Simon Silverstone, I decided to take a breather and kick back with some not so healty drinks at Reets. After a few hours and triple the amount of toxic cans of Plumbo XXX, I took the fast way home *WAMMO* Back in West Athens I stepped by the backyard I knew Cogs frequented to see if he still was up and about. He always got a good tale I thought to myself.

After a little while sharing stories and jokes there suddenly was a disturbance in the nanoflow, I could feel it stur up every vain in my body, and I knew then that even how toxicated I was this was not because of the Plumbo. Then suddenly it appeared, a figure in a bright white cloak. He spoke with a voice that could send chills down your spine, but yet it didnt. He had a certain way about him that cannot be explained. For some odd reason he did not frighten us. The air arround us was silenced, and the only one able to speak was Cogs. I found it hard to even think clearly, but that was more than likely the Plumbo. After it disapeared into Cogs's body I was left with a strange feeling I didnt know Cogs aswell as I thought I did....There is something about that man wich is more than a mystery, think I shall have to watch him more carefully from now on....

Selavi

[Vixentrox]

Cathern's comm crackled to life with a warning, "Sentinel's are searching for you in Tir!" "How strange", Cathern thought. A Clan Anarchist Syndiacte member giving HER a warning? That was unusual but the warning was welcome and perhaps, upon reflection a portent of strange bondings to come.

Cathern wondered why the Sents would be searching for her now? Could it be that Silverstone had finally decided to retaliate for the attempts to overthrow him and replace him with Lord Gallahad? If that was the case, he had bided his time long enough. Cathern immediately dispatched her own eyes and ears to find out what the Sents wanted with her.

The Clan leader comm system came to life with requests for all those who have had visions to report to the Sentinels. What the hell? One of Silverstone's commanders was broadcasting on the Clan leader channel.

Ahha! "That is why they are looking for you Cathern.", she thought. Cathern wasn't about to meet them on ground of THEIR choosing. No, she decided to call the shots here. "Meet me on the bridge outside of Old Athen.", she told the Sent commander. Gathering up some forces from the EndGame Alliance, she made her way to the bridge to meet with the Sent representatives.

The Sents arrived, a half dozen or so with a crowd of followers in tow. The began demanding information about the visions. They were pushing people aside and being the typical Sentinel thug.
"Why should I tell you of my vision?" Cathern shouted to them. They expalined that it was for the good of the Clans. Heh! Good of the Clans. Cathern had heard that before when Silverstone started ordering the slaying of neutrals in Tir. She didn't belive for a second that Silverstone wouldn't use this information for his own power lusting purposes. Perhaps a bargin?

"I'll tell you of my vision if I see a written order recinding the death order on neutrals in Tir!" Cathern demanded. The Sent commander scoffed and refused to bargin. Others present also refused to share thier vision with the Sent thugs, save one. Tharkeal, leader of Vitae Covente. Tharkael imparted to them SOME of what was revealed to him. In a private channel he explained to Cathern he was trying to see what was really up. Cathern trusted Tharkael so restrained her anger.

About the time Tharkael was confessing his vision, Sir Beargar, Lord Gallahad's right hand man also made an announcement on the Clan leader channel, calling for people to tell HIM of their visions. Cathern had dealings with Sir Beargar a few times before and trusted him. He after all, was kept informed of the plot to overthrow Silverstone and replace him with lord Gallahad.

Cathern and her friends/guards quickly went to Camelot to meet with Sir Beargar. Arriving at the keep, Cathern was shocked by what Sir Beargar had to say. It seemed Lord Gallahad and Silverstone were working JOINTLY to get to the bottom of these visions. In fact, Beargar had invited the Sents to Lord Gallahad's keep. "Time is short and we must put our differences aside", Beargar explained. Reluctantly, Cathern agreed to share her vision experience with the Sents once they arrived.

A few minutes later the Sents showed up at the keep where they were asked to disarm before entering. Sir Beargar led the group into the keep, up to the formal dining room area. There, Cathern, Cogs, and Tharkael revealed the story of their vision for all present. There was some discussion on what it all meant but all agreed that the time for the Clans to work more closely together was at hand. Petty squabbles needed to be reduced.

Having gotten the information on the visions, the Sentinels departed to look for others. Sir Beargar called on the Clan leaders to stay for a meeting. He explained that the word of what had happened must be spread through all the Clans. He asked for ideas. Cathern offered that the media would be a key player in getting the news out. Beargar agreed and gave Cathern the name of a reporter whom she met later in the eve to discuss the happenings of the past couple of days. Beargar also hinted that the time of the Clan leaders was at hand. The old ways were fading and it may be time for new leadership in governing the Clans. The implications on what that might of mean seemed to sink deeply into the leaders present.

What would the future hold for Cathern? She felt she and her fellow leaders were being tested. By whom or for what reason, she could not say....and did not dare think. No...those thoughts will only lead to disapointment. Still....excitement coursed through her veins. She handn't felt this alive in ages. It was a welcome feeling.