Jerod sat looking at Lysias his face did not hide the shock. "H..Hey now you should be greatful that someone found you. You are lucky it was me if not for me they would have found you and killed you!" The tension was now strong around the camp fire. Echo looked at the two men and began lauging.

"Dad you really thought you could just tame him didn't you? I knew this would happen." she said between chuckles. Jerod looked at his daughter anger growing in his face. "How dare you talk to me like that" He said as he raised his hand to slap her. Echo looked at Lysias for help knowing that he probably wouldn't get involved in other peoples business.

(I am thinking about changing Jerods color it must be hard to read the yellow.. I think I shall post his color from now on in this dark slate blue.)

Lysias looked at the man with a blank face and shrugged, "Then I suppose that may have been best." His long black locks fluttered behind him as a gentle breeze swept through the area. "I think it's about time you realize who's really in charge. I confess that I do owe you a debt for waking me, but I don't feel any need to repay that by acting as your servant child." The shriveled old king didn't bother to make eye contact with the man, he was insignificant.

When Echo started laughing, Lysias looked up for a moment a bit confused at her outburst. Then as she explained her thoughts the shadow bender allowed his eyes to fall back to the fire that was being used to prepare the food. His mind wondered often and he was blanking in and out of reality as the memories of the war ravaged his mind. He knew that things were different, a hundred years had passed so there was no going back. Even so, he was having a difficult time coming to terms with being alone.

Lysias snapped to as Jerod raised his hand to hit Echo but he felt no real connection with either of them so how they treated each other was of no concern to him. All he really wanted and needed was a few willing souls who would commit themselves to him and the knowledge of how things worked today and it was already decided. Lysias would bring this world to its knees, and show everyone the pain and suffering of the Shadow tribe. . .

Jerod barked at Echo "Get the sleeping bags out so we can sleep we have a long day ahead of us tomarrow." Echo rose from the ground embarrassed. She laid out the sleeping bags laid down five minuets later she was sound asleep. Jerod woke up at five in the morning awoke Lysias and Echo. With the trip ahead of them they decided to skip breakfast.

With Lysias with them Echo was forced to walk, "women do not get to ride while men walk!" claimed her father. Echo shuffled her feet along kicking the dirt and cursing under her breath. "This is some bullshit I hate walking this is so unfair! Man just cause I have boobs I'm not on their level. Event though I'm a better earth bender than my dad I still have to walk. UGH"

"Shut up child!"

"I didn't even say anything."

Echo glared at Lyasis "How could he not help me last night? How could he just sit there he didn't even make a face, he wasn't concerned about me at all. I know it's not his fault but he didn't even care at all." Echo turned her attention to the smoke rising up from out of the wooded area ahead,

"Look there are other people, probably bandits, we need to tread carefully in this area." she said using her powers to check on the dangers that may lay ahead she took her stance and closed her eyes. When she tried to zoom in she hit a brick wall.

"What the hell; who are these people? Dad there is something out there."

"There is an Earth bender out there stone walling any passers by clearly they are up to no good waiting to rob usepecting people." Jerod turned to Lyasis "Want to get your strength up? If we attack from the North side we will sneak up on the no gooders."

Jerod's eyes light up when he thought about seeing the shadow bender in action... his imagination took him from scene to scene. Showing Lyasis sneaking up on people sliting peoples throats, throwing his shadow all around people confusing them. What a great thought it was. We will be rich, after we kill these people we will take all they have! Lyasis can't turn down this offer if he's a killer like I think he is we'll be chopping off heads and taking money before no time. If he truns down this chance I'll place him back in his crypt.

Echo shook her head and prepared to fight she knew her father had his mind made up and this was going to happen either. way

(Good post!)

Lysias fell onto his pallet looking like an old man. His strength and vitality were returning as was his youth but it was taking a little time. When he awoke the next morning at Jerod's beckoning, he was feeling better and much stronger than before. It seemed that sleeping had accelerated his recovering process but he still wouldn't be 100% for another day or so. His wrinkled look was completely gone by this morning and he looked like a 30 year old today which was still a little older than he looked before he died but it was a testament to how fast he recovered.

As they walked Lysias listened to the two of them bicker and fight. It was comical but his face remained relaxed as his mind wandered from subject to subject. He was pulled back into the present when they mentioned bandits and Jerod asked if he wanted to fight. "Actually no I don't want to fight, but I will if I have to." What Jerod was failing to realize was how peaceful a shadow bender actually was. Fighting wasn't something the raven haired king enjoyed, it was simply something he did to protect his people and their rights. His shortcomings as a King had cost his civilization but he would make up for that.

"So what do you plan to do Jerod? If we must fight, I'll participate but if this can be avoided then lets just keep going."

(Thank you. I tried really hard.)

Jerod turned to the shadow bender "W....What you have no will to fight?! What kind of a warrior are you? It's just because you haven't got your strength up I suppose."

Echo could see Lyasis was very peaceful and only fought if it was needed to protect what he felt dear. "Maybe he is right dad." She said relaxing her stance. Jerod's face turned red as the anger swelled up inside him.

"We are FIGHTING you two are warriors; act like it." He barked at the two. Echo sighed and got back into stance.

"I hope Lyasis will stop him, I really don't want to fight. Im so darn tired"

"We are going to walk around to their North side there Lyasis you will use your powers to defeat them . Echo and I will be there for your back up, so I can see you in action. I just hope you live up to my standards"

Lysias' expression changed dramatically from carefree to almost furious when Jerod told him the plan. Folding his arms across his chest and raising his head high he looked down on the earth bender and spoke with a vicious authority, "Let me explain something to you. I don't take your orders. I'm only with you because I have no other options at the moment. Now unless you want to lose your life prematurely I expect your tone and attitude to change immediately, understood?"

There was a dark aura seeming to seep from the shadow bender's very being. It was obvious he was extremely serious. Not that they would know, but his powers had at least doubled from what they were yesterday while he rested so he was more than capable of handling himself. "Now I say we should avoid any conflict, but if YOU want to fight then YOU fight and stop dragging everyone else into YOUR problems. Now do what you must or lets get going, I don't want to spend anymore time in your presence than I have to." Ignorant fool.

Jerod stood there accepting his defeat he looked up at Lyasis "I..I don't know what to say. I figured you'd be a little bit more greatful to the person who sprung you out of you tomb." He said scrowling Lyasis. "What an ungreatful bastard."

When the shadow benders aura turned black Echo grew chills up, and down her spine. Jerod jumped as he felt the shadow benders power. Echo stepped between the two "Let's just calm down no one is fighting anyone. We.." she started to finish when Lyasis interupted her to finish his full thought. "Man he is so beautiful." Echo thought to herself. She could feel his power she knew that he would be a force to recon with.

As Echo gazed upon this beautiful specimen, Jerod was glaring at Lyasis as if he was looking upon his worst mistake. "What am I going to do if he gets his strength up to its fullest, what if he kills me?"

Lysias raised an eyebrow at the man's words, "And when have you ever known a person to show his gratitude by spilling unnecessary blood?" Not waiting for a response, the shadow bender snapped his reigns and urged his horse forward. He intended to walk around this wall, and if they were attacked then he would fight, otherwise things would stay as they were.

Jerod is a bloodthirsty a man, as I've ever seen from the Earth Kingdom. I don't think he's that strong but he is ambitious. It'll get him killed one day for sure. . .

Looking back at the young girl he motioned for her to join him at his side, "Come here Echo." When she had caught up to him, without bothering to look at her, he asked, "Tell me about your Father. Why is he like this?"

(I suck with Jerod.. but I am going to try just give me sometime okay)

Echo jumped at the mention of her name, and ran to the shadow bender. "Um we were born into a family of elite warriors, fighting is all he knows. It's almost like its the only way he knows how to show a person love, so don't take anything he does or says in the wrong way it's just who he is." She said looking up at him thinking about her father and the person he'd be if he wasn't his fathers son.

Jerod stood there pissed, "No this is not okay, I am Jerod commander fo the water tribe I refuse to be pushed around!"

"He is a good man do not let his thirst for blood fool you. He has a lot of short comings, but.. I think we all do" Jerod took off in a full gallop leaving the two in his dust. "What the heck is he doing?" coughed Echo. Jerod was riding north it wasn't hard to see what he was doing, still Echo hoped for the best. Jerod stormed the camp using his powers to throw trees, rocks killing all of the people in the camp.

When Echo felt her father using his powers she took off into a dead sprint. When she arrived her father was bent over a body looking in the bandits pockets. She rolled her eyes and began looting the other bodies. "We'd better get a lot of supplies from these people considering the fact that this event probably set us back a whole day." she thought when she seen the position of the sun she knew for sure that they would have to camp out here tonight.

She thought about yelling at him but knew that would not go over very well. Lyasis is going to be so angry; after her fathers actions she kinda hoped he would kill him. Jerod stood up after looting the last person "one hundred gold, damn thats good. Unpack the supplies we have to stay here tonight. This money is going to go far." He said grinning at his daughter.

(You're fine.)

Lysias listened in a calm intense silence. He didn't hate the man, but it seemed as if he had never learned when and when not to stay your hand. He acted in a barbarous way and it was a wonder that his daughter didn't follow in his footsteps. "Tell me then, why do you not act as he does? Was he not the man who raised you?" Something about this just seemed off to him.

Before she got a chance to answer his question, the barbarian himself raced off and went about slaughtering the camp of bandits. Lysias thought nothing of it. There was no beauty within this type of violence only anger and childishness. He was so used to getting his way, like many other people with too much power and responsibility for their own good.

It was brutish what the man had done, but Lysias waited until the slaughter was over to join them. When he rode in on his horse he stopped next to Jerod and simply looked at him. A powerful sadness flowing from his eyes. Then he looked at Echo with the same look before moving on and settling his horse near a patch of grass under a tree. Tying the beast up, he felt the shadows coming and knew this was where they would set up camp.

After waiting a while when things had calmed down Lysias called his savior over, "Jerod, come. Speak with me." He gave a look to the girl indicating that she wasn't welcome in on this conversation, but not in a rude way.

Echo seen the look she was given but knew it wouldnt keep her from eaves dropping anyways. Jerod looked at him with a huge grin on his face "Some good shit huh want to ask me how I did it I bet." The two men walked into the wodded area that surrounded them. Jerod stopped and turned to Lyasis "So what is it that you want I can feel the tension building up in you." The smile faded from Jerods face as he looked at Lyasis.

Echo was stalking about high in the trees, what many people do not know is that Earth benders are wonderful tree climbers. When the men stopped suddenly Echo almost feel from the tree. When they began to talk she realized that she was too high up to hear anything. "If I climb down they'll hear me or see me." She looked around to see what she could do to get a better view of this. She found a vine that looked strong enough to hold her weight. Slidding down the vine would be hard for her. Echo just prayed that noone would see her nor sense her. Slowly she began to climb down.

The Shadow King looked at the man, his words seemingly missing their mark, "Death is never good, you fool." Lysias stood up and began pacing next to the fire he had started for himself, "There are warriors who live for battle because it is there calling. There are soldiers who take up the sword for their kingdoms. Then there are murderers who kill simply because they can as proof." Looking the earth bender in the eye Lysias asked, "Tell me, do you know which of these you are?" His voice was level although he still held that tone of authority.

His eyes were piercing as if they saw into the other man's soul and knew the answer to the question. Folding his arms over his chest, the shadow bender could feel the presence of the man's daughter above them. He knew he had signaled for the girl not to eavesdrop. There were times when one needed to mind their own business. Running his shadow up the tree and connecting it with hers, he halted her descent. It was a warning, and the only one he would give before pulling her down if she persisted.

Echo shimmed back up the tree and began the climb back to the camp site. Jerod looked at Lyasis, "I am the one that fights for kingdom, glory, I fight for vengance. Have you no pride, they killed off your tribe and then covered it up they were so ashamed at what they had done to you they covered everyhting up!! Why do you not fight for vengance; or have you just lost all your fight? You clealy aren't the man I thought you were."

Once Echo arrived at the camp site she left to go find something they could eat for the evening, finding a birds nest, and a couple of squirrels and the vegetables found in the camp. After building a fire she began makin stew, when her curiosity go the best of her.

Climing the oak tree, she began using her senses; she could see very clearly where the two men were and what was happening. She just couldn't hear anything they were saying. "What if I got just a little bit closer surely he wouldnt be able to sense me this far away." she thought aloud. Slowly she began to hop from tree to tree. Once she got close enough she could hear everything that was being said.

She knew that everything her father had said was going to piss off Lyasis and she feared what might happen next.

"And you clearly aren't the man I wished to be my savior, so that makes the both of us unhappy," he commented. Just then he looked up in the tree's directly at Echo with a venomous glare- she was pushing his buttons, and her father was trying him. The two of them were starting to get on his nerves. Turning his gaze back to Jerod, Lysias took a moment to breathe and try to contain his emotions, "My pride is all I have left. I lost my family, my kingdom and most importantly my people. It is my pride that keeps my heart beating in my chest, so you have no right to talk to me about pride fool!" The shadow bender could feel the thrumming of his chest as his breaths increased, "Vengeance will be mine, but on my watch. I won't fight for the idiocy that claims you, I have a true purpose that needs to be fulfilled and only my strength of will can accomplish that. You're nothing more than a worm under my feet."

His rage was boiling inside, just as it had when the war had started all those years ago and the faces of those men and woman that he held close flashed through his eyes reminding him of his motivation. Smiling sadistically, tendrils of darkness lashed out around him like a dozen snakes waiting to strike. Then looking at Jerod's feet a shadow quickly wrapped itself around the male constricting his movements. The head of the shadow was like that of a snake, similar to the snapping shadows around Lysias. "I've had enough of trying to speak to you with respect and keeping things civil. If the people of this world are mostly as ignorant as you, I'll bring the world to its knees. Now, you kneel worm." The shadow snake snapped Jerod to his knees. "Now, you will hereby serve me and only me for whatever purpose I deem necessary, are we clear?"

Echo felt eyes upon her, but they did not phase her. She just moved slowly down the tree where no one could sense her presence.

"How dare you a worm. You called me a worm, even though I found you cowering in the ground; a bit ironic don't you think?" Echo could feel the tensions rising and knew nothing good would come of this conversation. She began to carefully move closer to the two men.

When Lyasis became engulfed in a sea of shadows. Her moves became more hesitant of the situation at hand. "Kneel to you?" Jerod mocked the Shadow Bender with laughter.

"Do you not know who I am? I am Jerod commander of the Earth tribe why should I kneel to you?" Just at that moment he was forced to his knees.

"What the hell where did this strength come from?" Jerod looked to the Shadow bender

"You had beter just kill me I will never be in the service to somebody who killed his own people. Your people lost because you were lacking. You are to blame."

Echo closed her eyes running as fast as she could to get to her father. Jerod looked at Lyasis.

"If you are going to do this then lets just get it over with." His mouth might have said that but his eyes were still pleading for his life.