Velias paces around the Ragnarok Mainframe room, near the control console, considering whether or not to send message back to Altasia that he's going back there.

Shiroi shimmered into being, sitting cross-legged over the edge of the control console. "You called, sir?" She asked of Velias.

Velias look up and nods as he sees Shiroi, "Why yes I did."

Velias says, "I've been turning this over in my head for quite some time, but I think you are finally ready for the power I promised you."

Shiroi raises an eyebrow.

Velias says, "I have come to a realization, Shiroi... I don't know why, I've seen him do the same thing to people before...but after seeing how he planned to use Razz..."

Velias says, "If Razz is successfull at doing what Kesnick says, he will just go on to use someone else, like he always does."

Shiroi smiled, almost kind of exasperated. "Some thing about seeing that elfling being subjected to certain abuses just tugs at your heartstrings, doesn't it?"

Velias says, "I suppose."

Velias says, "I believe it is time to stop him from ever doing this again to anyone living here."

Shiroi nodded, listening quietly.

Velias says, "And I would like you to help me. I know you aren't partial to grand battles to settle some kind of fate, but think of this as more of a test, I suppose."

Velias says, "I would like you to fight my father..."

Shiroi asks: To what purpose?

Velias says, "Hopefully to kill him."

Shiroi raised her chin. "Ah," she said, and nodded, as if she understood everything from those words.

Velias says, "Yes, I know you have no reason to help me. But I can give you a power which will bring you on equal ground with him."

Velias says, "Are you interested?"

Shiroi rested her elbow on her knee, and her chin in her hand. "Hmmmm.... What kind of power?"

Velias says, "The power to will the force of fire into being."

Velias says, "Follow me..."

Shiroi shrugged, then slid off the control console, trailing behind Velias.

Velias walks over to the door, and out. Walking across the hallway to the other end, and into the R&D department, though he stops when he notices the dead silence and carnage within.

Velias says, "What happened in here?"

Alfghar walks in from the door, "Natdog happened."

Velias says, "Natdog? Did he try to assault the Tower again?"

The dead woman would wave, however she's kinna dead at the moment. The little metal crocus thing is missing, however...

Alfghar snickers.

Alfghar mutters: Kinda...more like...try to destroy Justin, Shiroi, and myself.

Shiroi says: Actually, he was just trying to stop you two from saving Razz.

Velias says, "He was? Why would he do that?"

Alfghar looks over the scene for a second, "And...well...it looked to me that he had come into contact with a damn shard."

Shiroi says: Using the word save rather loosely, actually.

Velias shakes his head, "Those damnable shards..."

Velias says, "They even got Natdog, and now they might destroy this world, won't they?"

Alfghar walks over towards Velias, "Natdog is destroyed, but your father very well might destroy us all, Velias. I can not stop him, and neither can you."

Velias nods silently, "So...Natdog is gone. I see I can no longer depend on him to delay my father in his insanity." He then looks over his shoulder at Alfghar, "Don't worry, we will stop him."

Velias continues to walk across the R&D hall, to the other side, where another elevator resides. He presses a button and as the doors open up, he steps in.

Shiroi follows, what else is she suppose to do?

Alfghar follows Velias, deep in thought.

Velias presses a button inside the elevator and the doors close. The elevator begins to descend at a fast rate.

Velias says, "Unfortunately, it looks like I might not be around for the final battle. I recently looked over the logs and it sems that a courrier has been sent to Altasia. One of the Triumvirate is scheduled to arrive here."

Velias says, "The Triumvirate are usually used for jobs in assassination."

Alfghar turns to Velias, "Do you realize that Natdog was manipulating the communication between the board and here, Velias?"

Velias says, "He was? But how?"

Alfghar says: He was an ancient, Velias.

Velias laughs bitterly, "Yeah...I suppose we were too arrogant in assuming our technology was beyond the mechanations of the Ancients. Though, the request for that assassin was put in this morning. The operation on Razz took place last evening."

Alfghar hmms.

Velias says, "So if Natdog is now dead, then that communication did indeed get through."

Alfghar asks: Do you have any kind of plan for this...operation? And secondly, who might be the assassin's target?

Velias says, "...me."

Velias says, "My father has decided his own son is now worthless."

Shiroi smirks in amusement.

Shiroi says: You mean, before, you could still run errands and stuff, but now you're just annoying with a mind of your own.

Velias nods.

Alfghar says: That should be interesting.

Velias closes his eyes, "Just...shut up."

The elevator comes to a stop, and the doors open, revealing a chamber of everpresent darkness. Velias opens his eyes and walks out, into the darkness.

Alfghar follows Velias.

Shiroi yawned, but she followed, nonetheless.

Velias continues into the room, along a pathway lit by spotlights shining down from an unrecognizable ceiling.

Velias says, "I was such a fool to be so loyal. I deserve this fate."

Velias says, "Or maybe my folly was having a mind of my own..."

Alfghar snickers, "One who has accepted fate is doomed to be ruled by it, Velias. You can avoid your fate."

Velias says, "Perhaps, but even if I do fight it, I now have nowhere to go."

Velias says, "You do not know the lonliness I have endured, Alfghar. The only person I had in the world was my father, and now he has forsaken me."

Shiroi waves a hand dismissively. "Life goes on, really."

Velias stops at a rather large pedistal in what looks to be the center of this chamber. Conical and pyramidal in shape, it has several flights of stairs which ascend to the top.

Velias says, "Here we are."

Alfghar nods.

Shiroi looks about, mildly interested.

Velias says, "I plan to forsake my father in return, by using his own beloved instruments of power againts him."

Alfghar hmms.

Velias says, "Come..." and then begins to ascend the stairs.

Shiroi goes.

Alfghar hesitates for a second, then follows.

It doesn't take long to arrive at the top. The cone has been cut in half up here, it looks like. Six pillars of circutry and iron encircle the top here, and rise into the omnipresent darkness.

At arm's height, the pillars are replaced by glass. Three of these pillars, the ones at the northmost end of this platform, have floating, glowing gems in them-a black gem, a red gem, and a white gem.

Velias walks over to the centermost pillar, which contains the red gem.

Alfghar asks: Ahh, the diamond eyes?

Shiroi raises an eyebrow at Alfghar.

Velias says, "Indeed. My father planned to use the mortal power he gathered from all the people he gave Dark Crystals to to get the rest."

Velias says, "However, he soon had much bigger concerns, and only succeded in getting this...the Pyro Eye."

Shiroi eyed the gems with mild interest.

Velias says, "Shiroi, this is the reason I was gauging your skills..."

Velias says, "These gems are called Diamond Eyes, and each has the power to control a single element. To will the force of that element into existence."

Velias says, "It is as close to godship as anyone will ever get."

Shiroi says: So, it wasn't my utterly irresistable charm.

Alfghar says: Nor your insatiable sex drive.

Shiroi snaps her fingers.

Velias says, "In order to wield one properly, you must be attuned to its corrisponding element."

Shiroi nods. "Figures."

Velias turns around to face Shiroi, "From fighting you two times, I have sensed you are attuned to the element of Fire."

Shiroi asks: Not wind or water or thunder?

Velias shakes his head, "I am never wrong about attunement. You are deffinately fire. It is something I can sense within you."

Shiroi's lips twisted, but she said nothing.

Velias turns around again and types a few keys on a slightly raised console attached to the Pyro Eye pillar, and the glass sinks into the pillar.

Velias reaches to grab the Pyro Eye, then turns around to face Shiroi again.

Velias says, "There is a bit of history behind this gem, actually. This gem is responsible for all the power we've amassed thus far."

Shiroi raises an eyebrow.

Alfghar just stands there, a little bored, and tries to supress a yawn

Velias says, "My father produced qutie a few of our key technologies from this gem, selling them to people who payed insane amounts of money."

Velias hands the gem to Shiroi.

Shiroi says: As all intelligent minds should-

Shiroi takes the gem, and a shudder goes through her as her palm comes in contact with the stone.

Velias says, "With that gem, you can now will the power of fire into existence. Anything which has its basis in fire is now yours to command."

Velias says, "This is the power you shall fight my father with."

Shiroi closes her hands over the gem, teeth clenched, her eyes squeezed shut, shuddering.

Velias says, "Are you okay?"

Shiroi arched her head back and doubled over, as if in great pain.

Velias silently stands back, as if he were expecting this.

Shiroi's eyes opened, flashing a deep, dark violet as they did so. Slowly she straightened up once more, holding the blood red jewel in front of herself. "I see. I have finally gone completely insane."

Alfghar looks over at Shiroi, "Oh, I thought you gave up your sanity long ago."

Shiroi says: I did.

Shiroi says: But it comes crawling back to me occasionally.

Shiroi tossed the gem in the palm of her hand, up and down. "So, I can control fire as I wish?"

Velias nods

Velias says, "I should caution you, though."

You raises an eyebrow at Velias.

Velias says, "If someone is more attuned to the eyes than you are, they can gain control of it."

Shiroi nodded. "Then I suppose a lavaman can take it from me easy," she chuckled.

Velias grins, "Well, we don't have much time."

Velias says, "Surveylence has reported that Tracha, Walker, and Lucius left to track down Eikigou, but my father is still here. We should strike back as soon as possible."

Velias says, "I will try to fight off my assassin. I've been through worse, so chances are I'll live to see whether you're victorious or not, Shiroi."

Shiroi smirks at Velias.

Alfghar stretches, "Sounds like fun."

Velias turns to Alfghar, "What do you plan on doing? I doubt this Tower will be safe by the end of the day."

Alfghar shrugs.

Alfghar says: I have no clue. I could probably make some kind of electrical diversion to help Shiroi out.

Alfghar says: Since it is well known that my strength does not lie in fighting.

Velias shakes his head, "I don't know how well it would fare if Shiroi goes in to fight my father with a Diamond Eye. He'll probably pull out all the stops."

Alfghar says: In a word: Badly.

Shiroi examines the Pyro eye carefully....

Velias says, "You might be better off evacuating. I've already sent the order to all the high level executives to evacuate the Tower, whether it be back to Altasia or Relidia."

Velias says, "This Tower is likely to become a target if Eikigou succedes in what he is doing."

Alfghar arcs an eyebrow, "Which is?

Shiroi, with a flick of her wrist, tossed the diamond eye into the air, lifted her chin, caught the gem in her mouth, and swallowed.

Velias says, "You haven't heard? Eikigou is gathering the shards of the Orb of Darkness."

Alfghar hmms.

Velias says, "I'm sure with that much power amassed, he wouldn't resist leveling this Tower. He's always hated Darkwood."

Alfghar says: Well then...

Shiroi burps rudely.

Shiroi say: 'scuse me, ahem.

Alfghar asks: Any suggestions, besides getting the hell out of here, Velias?

Velias shakes his head, "Don't have any, unfortunately."

Velias says, "Maybe one..."

Alfghar hmms.

Velias says, "Go ahead and use the Redslide portal to go anywhere you wish."

Velias says, "Darkwood usually strictly controls that type of thing, but no one's around to control it anymore."

Alfghar shrugs.

Alfghar says: I just might, but I have something that I have to attend to first, however.

Velias nods

Alfghar says: On that note...

Alfghar says: I bid both of you a final farewell, and good luck. We just might meet again.

Alfghar bows, and walks back to the elevator.

Velias says, "Hopefully under better circumstances..."

Shiroi raised a hand. "So long, good teacher."

Velias looks to Shiroi, "The evacuation was begun this morning, so the only ones left in this Tower are you, me...and my father."

Shiroi smirked. "Are you sure?"

A small onyx device lands in front of Shiroi, with a note attached to it that reads, "Use it well."

Velias nods.

Shiroi kicks up the device, catching it in her hand. "What's this?"

Velias says, "Probably a parting gift from Alfghar."

Shiroi depresses a button on the panel, and disappears.

Velias takes a deep breath and looks around.

"So...it finally comes down to this..."

Velias swiftly whirls around, and comes face to face with Trevor.

Velias says, "Trevor... So they sent you, huh?"

Trevor nods

Shiroi reappears, shimmering a bit. "Hey, this things's cool. Sorry, what's th-"

Velias looks over to Shiroi, "Shiroi, go to the elevator and find Kesnick. If I know him, he's probably up on the rooftop overseeing things."

Velias says, "I'll handle things here..."

Shiroi shrugged. "Be well..." she waved, then depressed the same button, shimmering out of view once more.

Velias nods, then meet's Trevor's gaze evenly once more.

Velias says, "I take it you're here to kill me."

Trevor nods, "Indeed. I must say, it's both a pain and a pleasure to do so. They say you once survived an onslaught of 50 Outcast Society members alone."

Velias drops into a defensive stance, "They say that, eh? You know, it's a pity you're here. I much would have prefered to fight Swift."

Trevor drops into an attack stance, and throws down both of his arms. A spring loaded mechanism in his sleave somehow manages to launch two kodachis into his hands.

Trevor says, "The Board did ask, but she declined, so I guess you get to fight me. I suppose once I kill you, that will make me the Vice-Chairman."

Velias says, "Don't you mean 'if'?"

Trevor grins, then spits on the ground, before charging towards Velias.

Velias also breaks into a charge to meet Trevor head on...