The Arrival of Insanity

[Keryth Chaosblade]

~#~The laughter of a maniac echoed throughout the forests of this land, echoing further and further with each passing moment. It told of a coming insanity, one that was unnatural and hysterical. When one would look for the source, they would find themselves staring at a pale, slender figure who wore black clothing. He looked innocent enough: no armor, no large swords, no bow. His dagger could be a threat, perhaps, but what was a dagger compared to a greatsword? Nothing. Except the mark of insanity in this man.~#~

~#~Keryth walked down a randomly chosen path, chasing after the slightest hint of an animal. Sometimes it was a squirrel, other times a deer. The man laughed in glee as the animals scampered in fear. At times, his laughter caused tears to flow from his eyes, and he often had to stop to catch his breath. Bored now, he walked aimlessly until he came across a small village. Interested, the schizo walked around, laughing insanely and scaring the locals.~#~

~#~His randomly chosen path was interrupted by a little girl holding a stuffed animal. Keryth cocked his head slightly, listening to the animal speak to him. It spoke insults, slander, deceits, lies. Enraged, the man snatched the stuffed animal from the frightened girl and threw it upon the ground, stomping it frantically and laughing in his shrilling voice again. The girl's eyes widened and she screamed at the top of her lungs, seemingly fighting to be heard over the man's laughter.~#~

~#~When she had dashed back to where she lived and told her parents of the incident, a group of twenty or so peasants marched upon him with pitchforks, demanding that he leave. However, Keryth didn't hear a word they said. Instead, he was off on another narcisstic dream about himself. He smiled gleefully, laughing again. A peasant grabbed Keryth by the collar, shaking him until the insane one came to. Enraged, Keryth bit the man's nose and shook his head vigorously before being man-handled off. Bored again, Keryth left the village, ignoring the long slur of threats and curses trailing him.~#~

~#~Hours passed before he found another settlement. This one was much larger and seemed to be of some importance. Intrigued again, he walked aimlessly within the city and continued his insane laughter. Finally, Keryth decided that he was tired and thirsty. With the suspicious glares from the guards and civilians alike, he was guided to the Golden Griffin, where he sat down towards the back, forgetting about his thirst.~#~

~#~Here, Keryth removed the stuffed animal from his pocket and glared at it. It spoke to him again, this time demanding that the schizo eat him. Obeying, Keryth stuffed the animal's head in his mouth, chewing and slobbering all over it. Drool oozed over the entire toy, and he laughed as loudly as he could with it in his mouth. When his mouth had dried out, he removed it from his mouth, placed it back in his pocket, and went to get a drink. Keryth quickly got the bartender's attention, as well as that of several others.~#~

"Drink. Yes, a drink. Drink. Drink, drink, drink. We wants a drink. Yes. Drink. Ha. Haha. Ha! Ha ha ha! HA! Drink. He he. Ha ha! Drink. Yes...yes...drink. DRINK!"

~#~The bartender, startled by the display of insanity in this kook, cautiously handed the man his drink while he jumped up and down like an excited child receiving the best birthday present in the world. Keryth greedily gulped down the drink, ignoring the large amounts of ale that flowed over his face, throat, and clothing. He slammed the mug down after finishing it, grinning widely. Keryth laughed insanely again before removing the stuffed animal and slobbering all over it again. For now, his world was complete.~#~

[zipcat]

*zip paused on the doorstep to the tavern, thinking of just how much she missed visiting this place. It felt like forever since she had come to make new friends, to see old ones. She missed the shuffles and noise of the bar, as well as seeing all the new people come. She even missed the apple ciders, no where else had them just like the Golden Griffon did. She hadn't been here for almost three months. In that time, she had gotten married, put her home in the mountains to sleep, became pregnant, and spent as much time with Aku as she could.*

*The only reason she dared go out while with child was because Aku was in town. He knew where she was, and she trusted that she would be alright. After asking to visit the tavern, he agreed. She was so happy that he did. She knew that she would have to stay happy, so that she couldn't get too frightened. If she was scared too much, her heart might stop. She didn't want to be a murderer, and she would be if she let her heart stop. Pushing her worry aside, she again looked forward to who she would meet in the tavern.*

*Now in the tavern, she smiled as she walked to the bar and ordered a cider. The barman looked troubled by something, but she guessed that his job must have its bad days. There was also someone new and dressed in black. She had never seen him before, but smiled at him in hope that he'll be her friend too. She loved making friends. "Hello."*

[Akunosh Inarus]

*Akunosh had come to Titan with zipcat and, feeling her sadness of not being able to make new friends, agreed to let her go to the tavern. He knew it was safe there. His apprentice, Nicole, was usually there these days practicing swordsmanship with the guards that were off-duty, and there were bound to be many people who would fight and die for zipcat. At ease with that part, the paladin made his way to an indiscreet building and entered. The room was small and cramped with stairs on the right hand side leading downstairs. Akunosh followed them down for several flights before he reached the basement*

*The basement, which was cavernous compared to the front room, was lighted by hundreds of candles and smelled thick of sweet incense. There were ten small shrines, five on each side, and two larger ones directly ahead of him. Each was dedicated to the deities of the Siriuthian Faith. Even from this distance, Akunosh could feel that he treaded upon hallowed grounds. He swiftly removed his boots and began a rigorous series of prayers and incantations to each shrine before finishing them several minutes later. When he finished, Akunosh was startled by a familiar voice behind him*

"M'lord Akunosh. Your prayers tell of despair. Even for a paladin you are praying more than you need to. What is it?"

*The voice was that of his priestess, Iva Seldarine. She had opened up this small, secret sanctuary for the use of Akunosh, Nicole, and other followers of their religion. Its existance was a secret unknown to most, as they were currently unware of the religious tolerance of Titan. And now, here she was, speaking with him. Akunosh rose slowly, his eyes heavy and full of dread. When he spoke, his voice spoke of despair beyond belief*

"M'lady Priestess. I...*sigh*...there was a man that visited my Estate two days ago. He spoke of someone who wished me dead. He didn't reveal his name, just that his intentions were to have me dead. I would normally not be worried about such a thing, but with my wife and child at risk...I cannot be careless."

"That is troubling news indeed. Hmm...I would suggest that you prepare for the assassin, if he or she does come. You have fought in the Dothraki Wars with more courage and valor than any other soldier in our military, but now the stakes are higher. Are you certain that the assassin will come?"

"I sensed no deceit from the man that warned me."

"That is odd. Then it seems as if destiny has thrown a challenge for you to meet. Be strong and couragous, as you have always been. Let not your faith falter, and Siriuthian will guide your blade to the perpetrator's heart."

"That is what I am afraid that it might come to, Iva. A holy warrior I might be, but the fact that zip and my child are at risk..."

"Akunosh...bring yourself back together. Nobody will try anything against you or your wife on your Estate. If the assassin does manage to bring harm to any of you, the retribution of the Enclave will be overwhelming."

"Perhaps...*sighs*...thank you, Iva. I will go back to the tavern and be with my wife. May Siriuthian be with you and guide you."

"And with you, my child. Good day."

*Akunosh strapped back on his shoes and ascended the steps while the priestess prayed at the shrines. When Akunosh got to the door, he hesitated, sighed heavily, and erased every feature from sight that would betray his predicament. Pushing open the door, he made his way to the tavern to meet with his wife. He found her sitting with a man that was...wait. Was his vision correct? The man...he...was...eating a...stuffed animal? Gods, the world has gone insane. Shaking his head softly, the paladin kissed his wife's neck and sat beside her, a grin appearant on his face. She always made him forget his troubles. Always*

[Keryth Chaosblade]

~#~Keryth's drool began to run on the floor as he gnawed on the stuffed animal's head. There was no telling what it was, really, as it was dirty and falling to pieces. Perhaps a teddy bear? Perhaps a wolf? Who knew? Who cared? And now, a voice was speaking. Yes, speaking. To him, to his surprise. Keryth cocked his head quizically at the woman. She was a woman, he presumed, from her long flowing hair and facial expressions. His eyes never ventured south, as he didn't particularly care about such things. She ordered a drink and greeted him. Yes, greeted him. Which was odd. Perhaps he hadn't scared this one afterall? Or perhaps she had just arrived? Again, who knew and cared? For now, he would answer her~#~

"Hello. Hi. Hehehe. Hi there. Ha. Haha! Ha! Hahahahhaha! He he he! Haha! Hello, 'ello. Tee hee."

~#~Keryth continued to cock his head, stuffing the animal's head in his mouth and drooling again after...well, introducing himself, he supposed. Then, another arrived. He was interesting, to say the least. Blonde hair, as golden as the sun. Yes, yes, yes. Golden. Keryth mumbled a hello to this man to. Several variants of hello, at that, but none would understand what he said. None did, none will. Without warning, Keryth removed the animal from his mouth and laughed. Not just laughed, but laughed as insanely as a madman. He giggled, snorted, and laughed. It was for no particular reason, but it seemed to fit the moment from his perspective. Yes, yes. Laughing was good for him indeed. Perhaps these others should try it sometime. It was quite...liberating, to say the least.~#~

[RazielTheReaverOfSouls]

Raziel warily eyed the dark-dressed newcome, who was currently dismembering some sort of children's toy... the damage done to it caused him to reflect on the last time he had fed, only weeks ago, although he could go for years without it if necessary. The battle had almost killed him, and would've, if he had been able to die in any permanent sense. Ah, but he had moved past the battle... all difficult challenges yield great results, but that adventurer's courage... his luck... his soup... it had been worth it. Soup. For the first time he sensed - for there is no easier way to describe it - a new soup in the room. A powerful soup, the kind he would enjoy... almost as much as the hunt. No. Not this soup. He was a Titan first, and would harm no one. Not here. As his attention fell from the sustenance he didn't need, he noticed others had entered the Tavern as well... but for now, Raziel would watch, and wait. Soup.

[zipcat]

*zip's eyes widened as the man laughed and greeted her, but she relaxed as she held her smile. Even if he seamed a bit... odd, he was still a bit friendly, she supposed, but the thing in his mouth with all the drool was a bit disturbing. She had no idea how to respond to such an odd thing. She wondered if sitting near this man would be healthy, but it wasn't herself she was thinking of. It was the child. Still, she would try to be nice to this strange man.*

*A soft kiss on her neck made her smile turn tenderer. She knew that it was Aku because he always did that, and it always made her relax. She smiled back at him with all of her love, that alone saying her hello. It didn't need words to say she was happy to see him.*

*She was about to speak, but the man's laughter again drew her attention in front of her. At least then she had her cider, and she hid behind it as she took a drink. It also gave her a second to look away from the drooling man in a kind fashion to smile-thank the lady who had brought it to her. She looked at the strange man again, not knowing what to say. With nothing to do, she looked at her husband with a face that showed her confusion and worry for why the man was acting this way.*

[Akunosh Inarus]

*Akunosh watched with a face of clear disgust and confusion about this man. He was definately more than odd...he was clearly psychopathic. Akunosh wrapped his left arm around his wife's waist, softly pulling her a little closer to him. Though the man was really no threat, Akunosh felt a little better knowing that he was closer to his wife. Turning his head slightly but keeping the kook in his field of vision, Akunosh placed an order for a glass of the famous Titanium Silken. The paladin rarely drank alcoholic beverages, but at the moment it was the only drink that he could think of right off the bat of his head. When the bartender placed the goblet next to Akunosh's hand, he paid him generously and took a slow pull from the drink. It wasn't as powerful as some of the drinks in his kingdom, but that truly didn't matter. Finally, Akunosh spoke*

"Is there a name that you go by, my good sir?"

[Keryth Chaosblade]

~#~A question? They were perplexed! Confused! Not sure! Haha! He had done his duty, to further serve the throes of chaos that he served. Keryth smiled and laughed insanely again, his drool now running down his throat and staining his black shirt. With mismatched colored eyes, he looked the elf in the eyes and smiled more, grinning widely.~#~

"We's go by Keryth. Yes, yes. Keryth. Hehe. Chaosblade. Ha. Ha ha. Ha! HA! Hahahaha! Hah! Hehe! Ho ho he he he! Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Keryth Chaosblade, theys calls us. Yes. We love our insanity, because it is ours and none else's. Hehehe. Cactus. Yes, cactus. Cactus cactus cactus. Ha! Cactus cactus? Cactus. Cactus! Cactus? Cactus cactus cactus? Cactus. Mua ha ha!"

~#~The rest of the sounds that passed for words that Keryth made would be undecipherable, as he now stuffed the animal's head back in his mouth and gleefully returned to his favorite pasttime.~#~

[zipcat]

*zip smiled lightly as she was pulled closer, frowning as Aku ordered an alcoholic drink. She knew that he didn't drink much at all, and wondered why he did now. Either being around this new and strange man stressed her husband more than it should, or something was wrong that she didn't know. He was always out on pilgrimages or things for the king, so she guessed there could be other things to stress about. She didn't question him, and looked back to the man.*

*She still didn't know what to say, or why Keryth spoke of himself in third person. It was confusing, and it still worried her. There was something that just wasn't right at all about this man.*

[RazielTheReaverOfSouls]

Though it had taken him slightly longer than usual, Raziel had finally decided what he thought of this man... or rather, men, as the newcomer definitely sounded and looked possessed. Having made his judgement of the of the newcomer, he now had no resolutions against announcing himself. Decidedly, he stood and slowly gravitated towards the small gathering that served as a welcoming committee for the madman.

"Greetings... Keryth. I am Raziel. To be blunt... what are you?"

[Keryth Chaosblade]

~#~Keryth glared at the man who was so blunt towards him. Why be so blunt? It wasn't much fun to be blunt, to make others understand so quickly. It was rather far more fun to confuse them, to make them question themselves and their ideas and their beliefs. Oh, but if only they could understand the liberating power of being independent and free. They would, of course, never understand. They were too bound to their laws, to their beliefs, to their customs, to their societies. But Keryth...he was free. And yes, he did enjoy every moment of that freedom, to not be bound by tradition or law. Of course, that was for later discussion, not now. Now, however, Keryth had yet another mortal to confuse.~#~

"We are human. Yes, human. Hehe. Ha! Human. If your sight fails thee, then we understand. Hahaha! Ha! Ha. Ha? Ha ha? Ha! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. But we can tell your sight doesn't fail thee yet, unless if thee are blindest to the truth. Hahaha! Yes, the truth! Mua ha ha! Ha ha! He he! Ho. Ho ho he he he ha!"

~#~Keryth's drool had now dried up, and so he placed another order for an ale. When the weary bartender placed the ale down, the schizo snatched it up and chugged it down, washing his face, hair, and clothes with the drink. Finished, he stuffed the animal's head back in his mouth and started humming a song. There were few who knew the song, including Keryth, and he enjoyed its lyrics as well as its hymn. It was about a man who had made a pact with a dark deity: in exchange for his soul, he would be given power over Chaos. In time, the man was corrupted and consumed by his own powers, driving himself to insanity and beyond, and finally poisoned and drowned himself in an attempt to stop the voices in his head. It was really quite a pretty song, or at least to Keryth. He enjoyed it very much, and now, in a gleeful manner, he began to sing it outloud, highlighting the parts of the man's suicide.~#~

[Akunosh Inarus]

"Keryth, eh? Interesting name..."

*Akunosh stopped listening to the man as he began to sing and laugh maniacally. Whatever was wrong with him, Keryth appearantly did nothing to try to change it. Schizophrenia perhaps? Dementia? Split-personality? Who knew? However, Akunosh was still thirsty, so he placed an order for another drink*

"Bartender...another drink, this time make it a water."

[zipcat]

*zip did her best to smile welcomely at the new man who had approached them, Raziel. She didn't know how she could be friends with someone who just didn't seam right, but she would still try. Still, she had no idea how or what to say even if she wanted to, and instead stayed quiet as she sipped at her cider some more. She didn't even know what Keryth was humming, or why he kept the teddy bear with his mouth. Of all the strange things she ran into, this was the weirdest. At least Keryth wasn't creepy. Then again the man did say that they loved their 'insanity'.*

*If it was only that he was crazy, at least the man was happy to be himself. Figuring it was best to not say anything when you didn't know what to in the first place, zip stayed quiet. Her cider still tasted wonderful, and maybe she could become friends with Raziel; he seamed kind, if not, at least she was close to her husband. That made her smile behind her warm glass.*

[Keryth Chaosblade]

~#~Keryth stood up, suddenly bored with these unenlightened souls. Yes, unenlightened. For they knew not the ways of chaos and insanity, and thus they were blind. Or deaf. Or paralzyed. But did it truly matter? No. So he began to walk away, protectively clinging to the teddy bear that he stole from the child. Everyone in the tavern was giving him maledict glares and mumbling curses at the deranged psychopath, but he paid no heed to them. Instead, he would walk outside and stare at the people who passed by, trying to find another enlightened one. Still clinging to the stuffed animal, he began to sing aloud the song about the mad man's suicide.~#~

[Xartamal]

[Xartamal was just meters away from the door of the Tavern as he hears an unfamiliar voice singing insanely and loudly from the Tavern..He was very curious who was it and continued to walk to the Tavern..]

[As he was about to open the door, the voices he hears became louder..]

"what might this be?"

[He smiled sadisticly and open the door..and saw an insane being inside the Tavern..Xartamal stared at the man and smiled..]

"now this is something i dont see everyday..weird man..interesting..."