Sands of Time (Open/T-M)

(It might, but I wanted people's characters to be spread out amoung teams. I can change that if you wish.)

Lycos sighed as "he" looked over his stuff again. He felt almost twitchy. This journey was going to be unpleasant from what she had heard. The desert wasn't all that nice and the rumors of the Castle driving people insane or killing them. Lycos didn't want to think about it.

"Oh this is going to be...interesting." Lycos looked around and spotted someone. Someone "he" had not seen in a while. "Very interesting."

Golthain
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Golthain checked his equipment for the upcoming journey. His armbow was clean and was ready to fire. He had a healthy collection of bolts. His knife was in a place underneath his garments that were easy to reach, just incase he came into a bad situation. His robes covered most of his body and his goggles would protect the most part of his eyes. He wrapped an old, worn cloth around his head. He was ready.

He slowly trodded to the starting point. Everyone there had just as much of a reason as himself to get Artifact. He's going to make sure that he will get it, no matter what cost.

A faint breeze swept under his feet...

Eire looked at the direction where her team should be, as instructed. She joined her team, and took quick glances at her teammates, one was dressed like a gypsy,the other had white hair and dark skin. I hope they are skilled and decent teammates. Eire wondered. She quickly scratched her ears and looked at the golden desert that stretched before her. She couldn't even see any shadows of distant places beyond the desert.

Eire whistled."We've got a lot to look forward to the next few days." She said this more to herself than to her companions.

((No, no, it's fine. Just asking.))

Nessare

As Nessare walked over to her team, she felt herself hold her breath as she spotted a figure she had never thought she'd see again. He looked....older. His breasts had become more prominet now, then they were when he was younger, and he looked....jaded, a little. Perhaps like Nessa herself. But there was no denying it.

It was Lycos, alright. Her first, and thus far only, "boyfriend". And her first and only love.

Nessare soon regained control of her senses and slowly approached Lycos. She wanted nothing more than to rush over to him and kiss him fiercely, but that was hardly an appropriate thing to do in front of strangers. Perhaps, later, in private, they might able to do...that. Among other things. Maybe, if things worked out right.

"....Hello, Lycos." Nessare said softly. "I....never expected to see you here, of all people."

((I'd post with Magus or Lacus, but I'm not real sure what to do with them.))

Reddley nervously walked up to his team. He stood there and looked around at the lot of them. He wasn't sure to mention his name or not to them so he kept quiet for now.


Bethany confidently walked to her team, smiling.

"Hello my fellow companions. I hope this will be a very exciting and rewarding adventure, for not only myself, but for all of us."

Lycos smiled at Nessare. His heart started to pound a little harder just by seeing her though. In all her years of life, Lycos had only dated one person. And she stood before him. It was kind of nerve-wracking.

"It's been some time hasn't it," Lycos said. He smiled at Nessare. "You look good. And no I would not expect myself here as well, but the Sands of Time. It's potential interests me. How could something so valuable really exist? And the rumors surrounding it and the Castle are interesting as well. I had to come and see it for myself."

Sa'Han

Moving more into the desert actually brought him closer to the civilization he had seen, spotting the myriad of people gathered around it edge...it was quite, not exactly disgusting, but strange. Casting a critical eye over them, he gathered some of the desert sand into his hands, using his magics to twist it into a looking glass.

The faces of several of these inferiors cascaded over it's fragile surface, and he snorted disdainfully; the desert would sort them out, as it always had.

It was, however, the last face that had truly gained his attention; the Flame Djinn, Dama'Rukh, had come for the Sands of Time as well.
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Dama'Rukh

Like her Sand-borne rival, she had also spotted the gathering teams; however, she had a better view and didn't require a looking glass. As she flew through the air, their efforts, interestingly enough, made it increasingly difficult to ignore.

Mortals were notoriously stubborn; when given an outright sign of dislike, or even a warning to stay away, they ignore it and proceed upon any path they desire. Scrunching up her face, she flew over them, finally reaching the start of her true destination.

It was then she had noticed the Sand Djinn, Sa'han, as he no doubt had been aware of her.

Nessare

"Yeah. Same here." Nessare replied, a little uncertainly. This was certainly a meeting she didn't expect, and she wasn't quite sure how to act in front of Lycos, after all this time.

Did...did he still have feelings for her, Nessa wondered? It had been so long since they had parted...could Lycos have moved on?

Nessa wanted nothing more than to ask him that herself, but it was hardly the place to do so. Yet, she still wanted an answer to her questions....a reasurance that Lycos still had some feelings of love toward her.

Hm. Well, Nessare would just have to wait until later for that, then, she supposed.

"It's a little scary," Lycos admitted. He shook his head laughing nervously. After all that had happened between them, it was a little awkward to talk to Nessare.

"I heard people go mad inside the Castle. I wonder if it's true."

"It is," Charlie said making the hermaphrodite jump in surprise. "I have been there. Be careful."

"Um...I will."

((Hm. If you do not mind me asking, Mariah, shall we get the contest under-way?))

((Toko...for the members of Team 1, do you mean Lacus?))

Bethany looked around at everyone. She cracked her neck and took a deep breath.

"WHEN IS THIS THING GOING TO START! I AM GETTING BORED HER, AND I COULD BE DOING OTHER THINGS YOU KNOW!!"


Reddley decided to introduce himself to his teammates, so he went up to the one that attracted his attention first. He walked up to Eire extending his hand, a smile on his face, and a twinkle in his eye.

"Hi. I'm Reddley, or at least I think I am. I hope we can be friends."

Eire snapped out of her gaze of the vast desert and looked at Reddley. She isn't used to working in a team but thought it best to be friendly. She shook Reddley's hand.

"I'm Eire," she smiled, "I'm sure we will." Eire added optimistically. She had started playing with her tail, giving her hand s something to do. "Are you looking forward to this journey?"

Reddley looked at Eire with an inquisitive look.

"You have a tail, like a kitty, cool." He starts to play with the yo-yo. "I am hoping by going here I can find out who I am and where I come from. I just have is this yo-yo with the name Reddley on it, I think thats me. ... ... Anyways so why are you going?"

"Thanks," Eire replied quietly after Reddley commented about her tail. "I hope to learn something about my parents. I've never known them. I grew up in an orphanage." Eire continued fiddling with her tail and looked sadly down, remembering her years in the orphanage.

"I hope we'll be starting soon." Eire looked back at the desert. "I wonder how far the desert stretches." She said curiously.

"oh," Reddley looked at the ground. "I don't know if I knew my parents, I just know I don't know them now. I have been wandering around looking for clues for two years. I still have had no luck."

Reddley ponder for a bit. Then stood upright and smiled. "Look at the bright side of things, even if we don't find anything about our parents, I know I have at least one friend with me right now."

(Time to begin)

A tall man scanned the groups as they chatted or just waited. He sighed knowing that the time to start the competition was now. If he waited any longer he feared one of them might start yelling or some might just take off-Into the desert or just away.

"May I have everyone's attention! Before you all set out I need to explain certain things."

Eire smiled at Reddley. "Yeah." Then she turned her head at the voice announcing. She gestured Reddley to do the same. " There's an announcer. He's got some things to say." Eire tried concentrating her hearing to the announcer with much effort because of the other sounds around the area. Tired of standing, Eire decided to sit down and listen. She crossed her legs when she touched the ground.

Reddley turned his head to listen to the announcer as well, while at the same time joining Eire on the ground.

Bethany looked at the announcer. "IT'S ABOUT TIME! I WAS GOING TO WONDER IF IT WOULD SNOW FIRST!"

The announcer shot Bethany a look and continued on.

"As you know we are on the outskirts of the Tempus Desert. This desert is known to be both treachorous and unkind. Many have died trying to cross these sands. And for what? Well I think you all know based on you being here.

"The Time Castle that lies somewhere in this desert. Once a central power for an incredible Kingdom. Rumors of it's prize are known everywhere. But of course the Castle is deadly too.

"You all know this, but I felt the need to say it anyways. To remind you that what you are about to do is not going to be easy or fun, but hard. The best thing that could happen is you have to turn back and go home empty-handed. The worst...I try not to think of such things.

"But you won't be alone. You all have groups in which to travel in. This can be a good thing....or a very bad thing depending on your teammates. There is no time limit on how long it must take you to reach the Castle. You do not have to share the prize. The only rule is that if you succeed in your journey you shall not use it for evil reasons."

The announcer looked around at everyone and smiled. At least that is what he wanted to do. It looked like more of an awkward mouth twitch to Charlie and Maija.

"Good luck my friends. You shall need all of it you can get."

Nessa

"So, I suppose we should get started..."

Lycos nodded and smiled, trying to encourage her old friend.

"Don't worry. I mean at least we got lucky and have someone we know on our team. Could be worse."
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Maija sighed and Natsume appeared.

"Looks like you are going to begin your trek. I wonder how long til someone snaps?"

"Keep bugging me and you'll find out," Maija said, but she frowned. She was already wary of her fellow teammates and those on the other ones. This was not going to be easy.