716393

"It was to activate the shackles if you tried to play with them." Echidna said as the runes on the shackles glowed.

Like a snake on a tree branch, the shackles flowed down Story Teller's body before encircling one wrist. Waiting for something to happen, he seemed disappointed when they didn't seem to do much else.

716434
"...Hm. Oh. Well, it wasn't an explosion, so kudos on not being predictable!" He said, twisting the shackles a bit to adjust to his new wristband.
"So what precisely do these do? I'm sure you're not simply having me wear these for the symbolism."

716436 / 715336

"Let's leave it as a surprise for now", she answered in a cryptic tone.

Giving her head a shake, she stopped tto look at t blind stallion behind her. Black veins slowly spread from the thorn as Dark continued his mental assault on her blockade of memories.

716479
"I see. I love surprises on artifacts! I haven't been this excited about wearing something with magic in it since that time I came across that odd amulet..." the Story Teller says as he begins to reminisce. He appears to be oblivious to his surroundings again.

716479 // 716503

"A long life of causing misery...So many tears shed because of you..." Dark's hollow void of a voice echoed out in Echidna's mind. The mare turned to look at the paralyzed creature. His body twitched, its mouth still in a small smile.

"And you want more. You want more slaves, you want more power, and will continue causing unhappiness to get it. I could smell you ulcerating for power a thousand miles off."

**********************************************************

The Jabberwock cringed as the Storyteller was chained, wishing there was some way he could have prevented it. The creature turned to the twisted mare, a look of utter disgust upon his in-equine face. He couldn't help but be glad the mare had lost her soul.

"You will regret this," he hissed bitterly, "If not now, then later when he gets free." The Jabberwock pointed the tip of his tail at Dark. The stallion's broken body remained as still as ever. "They sift the storm for souls, eat flesh of reason, fill tombs with sinners. They frenzy forth...Such are the Autumn People."

716948
Snapping back into focus, the Story Teller noticed the Jabberwock's reaction.
"Fear not, Sir Grimm," he stated. "I accept the chains willingly: there is nothing she could force upon me that would be worse than what I've seen. Besides, perhaps the partnership will mean the better for both of us. Counseling from one who knows the dangers that are drawn to Casters such as herself in exchange for more, darker stories for me to relate someday."

He thought for a second. ".....you've had significant contact with us here recently. You might draw the attention of at least The Judge. Would you like a rundown on him so you know how to handle him if he should show up in your realm someday?"

716959

"If you say so," sighed the Jabberwock, casting a wary eye at the madmare, "But It's not only her I'm worried about." The reptilian creature looked back at Dark and suppressed a shudder. "This 'Judge' fellow you speak of, I take it he is something of a rouge vigilante?"

716999
"Of sorts," the Story Teller said as he walked over to his concentration partner while Echidna dealt with Dark. "He takes a draconic form, similar to a huge, blue-scaled leopard with an adder's head and a few other dragon characteristics. He thinks himself the judge of all that is good and pure, and... well, I suppose he's just a bit misguided. He insists that evil is punished and must be actively sought out in any world he visits, and does not take orders well since he tends to work his way to the top of whatever chain of command he finds himself in. Usually by force."

"I encountered him and was a councilor for him for a time, similar to my role with Echinda, until I saw his ruthless ways with dealing with wrong-doings. I mainly had a problem with the "if the true culprit is not identified, then all involved receive his punishment" part of his plans..."
The Story Teller paused for a moment. "But I suppose my interactions with him are a story for another time. What you need to know is that he has an innate ability to tell if someone is hiding something from him: avoiding a subject, hiding an object, or simply lying. He can't tell the nature, only that he's being fooled. He's a tad bit aggressive, doesn't respond well to being challenged... and much harder to kill than he rightfully should be, just like any Caster. Should he show up in your world after you return, it's best to let him do as he will and attempt to avoid any wrong-doings anywhere within his established rule. If you can send him somewhere else, preferably another continent, by convincing him that there's more evil to purge there, that should work."

The Story Teller let out a deep breath. "I'm sorry if I talked your ear off there."

716948 / 716959

"Shut it", Echidna ordered as a torrent of tendrils flowed from the Jabberwock's maw.

They quickly sewed the reptile's mouth shut before a shadow loomed over him. A scaly claw grabbed him behind the head and pushed him down. He gave a muffled roar while struggling against the larger dragon's might.

Giving Nidhogg sway over the Jabberwock's life, she turned her attention back to the paralyzed stallion and the oblivious biped.

"Now to ask you a question little foal, do you think I'd leave my self so open to attack without a plan. Perhaps your even wondering how you were ensnared so easily in the memories of my victims that came before." she said in a mock tone of worry.

717031 / 716999
The Story Teller sighed. "Well... I suppose you've been through worse today," he said.
He thought for a moment. "Echidna my friend, whenever you have a moment I just remembered my second condition. I'll be sure to keep it concise."

717031 // 717049

"Of course I expected a plan," answered Dark, "Arrogant as you are, I expected some kind of effort to be put in my restraint." The frozen body's smile twitched and jerked into a grin. "But you will find they are only temporary." The stallion began to move, slowly rising to his limbs, moving with visible effort against the mare's magic. His yellow eyes flashed beneath the opaque films, focusing on the twisted sorceress.

717078 / 717049

"Yes, continue to struggle. Try to show me I'm wrong while you remain negligent to your self-appointed shackles." she answered along with a dismissive wave of her hoof.

"Now you wanted to mention the last condition of yours." Echidna directed at the Story Teller.

717129
"Yes, you see, I have a select number of companions that may wish to visit from time to time. I have no problem with you showing them their place when considering the chain of command, but I do wish for you to avoid at least some unnecessary violence concerning them. Their visits are likely to be... infrequent, really, so it's just a matter of not rending their flesh on first warning. Second notice and beyond, I have no problem with."

The scaled arm that had slapped his head before reached out of a small portal to give a thumbs up. The Story Teller hurridly pushed it back through the portal and closed it.

717129 / 717176

"The carnival calls..."

Dark's obscured eyes blazed, burning through the films. The stallion's horn flickered a poisonous yellow, enveloping the thorn in his side with same glow. It was pulled from his flesh and flung back at Echidna, landing at her hooves with an impotent clatter.

The stallion's body shuddered as his shoulder began to reform, the draconic tattoo returning.

"The deal has been brokered," he said, "You have me as your 'slave', but your soul belongs to me."

717176 / 717209

"I'll have your answer in a moment." the mare replied as he tried to push the hand back into the void.

Story Teller's eyes seemed to show confusion as Echidna lifted a hoof to excuse herself. She then turned her full attention on the stallion. Walking over to Dark, the dragon tattoo and regeneration slowed to a stand still as she stared down at him.

"You still remain ignorant. The soul belongs to me and the abilities of his are mine to command. So we'll see how long you last before my other gift eats through you." she stated as his shoulder began to flake.

718550 / 717209
"...er..... what just happened?" The Story Teller asked, blinking. "He's, erm.... gone."
Indeed, Dark's form had disappeared. No trace of him remained, and Echidna couldn't even feel her connection with the magic she had that linked to him.
"I can't feel his soul anywhere nearby," the Story Teller said, startled. "That means he has the trait that--..... GAH! I must find him immediately! He must be studied! I've been looking EVERYWHERE for that answer, my entire life!"
He appeared to be partly overjoyed, partly panicking.

728336

"He already flees" she said before turning to the estatic creature. "And what are you so pleased about?"

728344
It takes a second for him to calm down.
"....*ahem*, yes, he appears to be in possession of a trait unique to certain souls, in that they are capable of transferring themselves across vasts dimensional distances instantly. Some souls, such as those from my original home world, possess it while it triggers randomly. I was hoping that by studying the trait within him, I might be capable of tracking down those lost souls. I desire to meet with them again, with reasons varying per soul."

"...did I talk too long again?"

728375 / 717209

"You're simply too happy." Echidna said as her body flickered.

Turning back to were the stallion vanished, she floated the pieces of flaked flesh up to eye level.

"Now I simply need to let him experience hell as his immune system destroys itself and his body rots from the inside. He'll be back for a cure..." Echidna mumbled, furious with herself for letting him escape with such a desirable soul.

730493
"Anyways..." said the Story Teller as he finished calming down. "May we discuss this condition of mine?"

730493 // 730908

The Jabberwock growled from the restraining tentacles, his blazing eyes focused on Echidna.

"Do you really think that's going to harm him?" the beast telepathically grumbled, "He's an Autumn Person. He'll be back, that's certain. Mark my words, Miss Echidna, he'll be back for you."

The wiry reptile let out an angry grunt as he thrashed against the dragon that held him. Physically, it was only slightly superior to him in length and height, but it had a far greater mass. The creature narrowed his eyes at the golden-scaled beast before finally freeing his jaws from the tentacles.

"I remember you, Root-gnawer..." he hissed, "How is it that you came to be enslaved by her? Or is she merely another form of your old mistress?"

731017 / 730908

Instead of answering, her gaze simply shifted to Story Teller as Nidhogg stared at the Jabberwock with his black eyes.

Something about Nidhogg's confused stare made the Jabberwock wonder if he was correct, before the larger dragon put its weight on his ribcage and started to push.

(Sorry for the weak reply, lots of work)

731082 / 731017
(It's fine, I know the feeling)

"Erm... right then. My old companions. If one or two should show up unexpectedly, they be given the grace of a warning the first time they prompt you to punish them, rather than the usual suffering. Any time after the warning, with the warning non-regenerative between visits if they should show up twice, I am perfectly fine with the normal behavior."

731466
"I am not so merciful, but I accept..." she answered with a smirk. "...I shall give them a warning the first time they give me reason to harm them."

732954
"Something tells me that them showing up in the first place warrants the warning, doesn't it?" he asks.

732979 / 731017

"I've said what I will." she remarked while watching Nidhogg discipline the Jabberwock.