Trust, while Max had a soul full, as of late he'd been through the ringer regarding trust. His good friend Alex had left a hole in Maxs heart over his devastating actions. Something he still didn't understand or have any real answers for.

Max stepped up. "Dave may I call upon quid pro quo for the answers to your questions? Please allow me first strike. Do you have an underlying agenda for being here beside saving us? You may call me Cool Hands."

Aeviternus watched on in silence, the mystery of the stranger and his unique arrival warranting an obvservant approach, despite the loquacious and seemingly congenial nature of the man.  Yet suddenly there was an overwhelming urge to introduce himself, to join in the conversation and exchange pleasantries.  They were not at some backyard barbecue and the man was not to be trusted yet.  Underneath the mask Aeviternus felt his brows furrow and teeth clench.

We know who he is.

Absurd.  I've never seen this individual before.

But I have.

I would know.  Try to remember that you are typically ruled by emotion, it is important to temper such a chaotic medium.

I want to say hello, I know who he is.  He doesn't know us, but we can fix that right now.  It's simple, just-

Hush, boy.

There was a jerk of a shoulder attached to the arm that had been hanging on the same rail as Max, a shudder followed that traveled across the shoulder blades and grinding sounds came from under the mask were any close enough to hear the teeth within that were the culprits.  At last the grinding stopped as another noise came forth more clearly.

"Ace," he blurted out, the word falling forth like an angry accident.  The body language was defiant, slightly jittery... not common to what his partners may have grown accustomed to.

Kirby snapped a look to Ace. now that is odd,   he thought, concerned at the change of behavior. He shook the concern off momentarily and turned to the newcomer. "Aye don't mean at being rude," he said, plainly exhausted now, his patience having evaporated with the remaining stores of his energy, "But, if you can help us more than we know, why not 'shoot strait' with us and just tell us how...". Whether he was done with his questions or simply trailed off through lack of strength to do so was not immediately clear. What was clear was that Kirby did not continue to look at Dave while waiting for a response, not did he look back at Ace for whom he was obviously concerned. He instead decided his head should rest comfortably upon his knee, crouched as he was on the deck, while he waited for whatever would come.

The ship steadied in motion, it's sway and pitch had stopped yet it still moved forward at a tremendous speed. Kirby visibly relaxed as the force he exerted on the ship was release and the energy given back to him. The strange man looked around the water, seemingly concentrating and raised his hand. The ship rose in the air, carried on a giant singular wave, like a surf board the boat rocketed towards the beach.

This message was last edited by the GM at 15:39, Wed 04 Sept 2013.

Orlando was completely awestruck at what currently happened, he couldn't find the right words to say and stammered, blurting out," You're Dave Chapelle, right? I've seen you live, you're Dave Chapelle!"

Kirby felt a warm glow like a new day’s sunshine pass over him when the boat rose up on the wave, no longer needing his assistance. He rubbed a tired eye with the palm of his hand while he rose up from the cold, damp decking of their waterborne carriage. When Dave spoke to Xuan in his serious tone Kirby  was just getting to his feet, and he immediately wanted to sit down again. Not for want of sleep, though Kirby would certainly take a long nap if the opportunity presented itself, but for the magnitude for what he had just heard. He knew that what Poseidon, Dave Chapelle?, had just said to him was of the greatest importance, but Kirby couldn’t grasp what it all meant. He didn’t understand its implications.

As he stood there stupefied for a moment, Kirby realized that his friends had not heard what the God of the Sea had just said to him.

Kirby shook his head to loose the cobwebs in his brain. Uncertain of what it all meant, he simply asked “What does that mean? 'Kindred spirits', 'royal blood', I don’t understand…” he trailed off, hoping for answers.

The sensation of communicating through the soul was new to Max, but he understood how and why it could happen. The soul was energy and worked in unison with the atoms that made up the body. He knew this because of the experiments he ran at IONS. The soul had mass and this mass was energy.

In his mind he stepped towards Poseidon and bowed showing respect. "Poseidon, thank you for your help during this time of trouble, we greatly appreciate it. May I ask what you mean by 'old blood' and is the Royal Blood you refer to Shaktis' Blood? Can you give me more insight of what you mean by the 'new age' and what part you play in this coming age?" Max thought he might be referring to the time when the old gods interacted with human's, Max was witnessing this very thing on this day...divine and amazing.

The gods of old were beings of energy much like men just on a different level and they knew how to tap into their energy. Where common men had forgotten long ago how to use his creative divine energy for the good of each other. Man had become greedy and corrupt and in doing so lost much of his innate creative power. Was this the new age he referred too? Was man coming into a period of great revelation as he  himself experienced these past two days?

See???

Aeviternus, calm and in control once more, watched as each of the group spoke and noted who seemed to also hear the separate speech.  So far Xuan might not have been a candidate as it was he who was approached by what met their eyes, and less their souls.  Orlando was either genuinely impressed with the celebrity of the man or had possibly missed the dual denotation.  Odd...

The men's questions were plenty to get the conversation going, Max's standard approach of getting straight to the heart of the matter likely to glean the information they now all sought, if it was going to be provided at all.  Aeviternus wanted for them all a reprieve after watching Kirby rise, winded, from the deck after such an exertion, serving to increase the feeling of ceaseless battle.  There was still so much he didn't know about them all and he wondered if they knew much more about each other.  And it seemed they were constantly being introduced to world shaking revelations...

... Suddenly time didn't seem so generous.  Choosing again to spectate, Aeviternus awaited the new experience of watching someone get their water spirit awakened.

Hsuan Tien Shang Ti. The name was so similar to his own. Though he often spoke about the Jade Empire and its many Shen, his father had only slipped once or twice when talking about their own ancestry, making an off-hand comment about coming from Shen, about their bloodline carrying something special like the power that set them apart from the average man, though the name Hsuan Tien Shang Ti had never come up. At least not where it involved their particular bloodline. Xuan had always thought that it was just his father embellishing, creating a way to explain their abilities to a child through lore and myth. As a child, he had been happy to accept it, and pray to the Shen such as Xuan Wu - a god of half turtle and half snake, master of the element of water, the creator and God of Martial Arts, Guardian of the South and First General to the Jade Emperor himself - for which he'd understood to be his namesake, among others. Admittedly, it did help to drive him to work harder, to discipline himself and study The Way. Though as he grew and discovered other men with abilities, he'd cast those fanciful beliefs aside to accept his role as a tool of the Clan. It was easier to latch on to what you could see, to fight for your family. That Shen existed, he didn't doubt. That Demons were real, he had seen first hand. But whether they were Gods or Anti-Gods or just above average men was the original question, and logic told him that myth and lore were based on half-truths. In this case just men that were elevated by song, stories and legend, becoming ever greater by each passing generation. Eventually though, he had found himself studying ancient Chinese mythology and lore, inexplicably drawn to it, to the extent of becoming an expert and professor on the subject. Was this coincidence? Just how much of myth and lore was real? If Poseidon could stand there in front of him, then perhaps Xuan Wu...

Xuan had been introspective throughout the exchanges. Yet another truth come to light that he would have to internalize and process further, though this one might be easier to accept than the concept of aliens on Earth. Not by much. He almost felt like a boy again, flashing through memories and imaginings from what seemed like a long time ago. Dave - Poseidon - had saved them from a Titan, was whisking them away on a wave, and now having discussions with them like just another average man, with the exception that he was able to communicate directly to the soul. To the soul! And judging by the comments of the others, Xuan was not the only one able to hear it. Like Malcohm, did he have a message for each of them individually, or were they all hearing the same thing?

Xuan made a mental note to never get caught being dumbstruck by another event like this again. He was tired of looking like an idiot. He tightened his jaw and hoped his mouth wasn't hanging open in all of this. Might as well accept that anything can be real from here on. Even Terminators. Soon they would be crossing paths with elves and dragons, eventually Santa Clause. I wonder if he will give me a toy.

After finally getting ahold of himself, Xuan reached out and took Dave's hand and tensed for whatever this process of ascension might feel like. The emotion drained from his face and the only word that made it out of his mouth was, "Okay."

     Xuan took Poseidon's hand, there was not a big show, no one floating in the air being charged with lightning, only a cool amount of flowing water that left from Poseidon to Xuan.  The water rolled over his wrist onto Xuan's and then absorbed into the skin, activating all of Xuan's chakras.  There was a cool tingle as his senses heightened attuning to the the water and it's movements. " I have sped up the process that you could have attained yourself, it was already in you. Water, whom was your friend before will now bend to your will. Use her as a friend and never try to control her," Dave said for all to hear.

     He turned to the group suddenly aware of their thoughts, elves and dragons, royal blood... being connected to the soul sometimes had no filter, all thoughts were communicated, no matter what your intent was. Dave spoke and looked at Xuan, letting go of his hand,"OK, that was a little trippy, I won't tell them that,"he said to the water and to no one,"this is new to me, and what just happened was a hell of an indicator as of lately to what was pretty frickin normal for me, how about you?
     .....A couple of years ago, I needed to get outta LA, and went soul searching, I went out to Africa and found something that I hadn't planned on finding. A witch doctor, by the way don't trust witch doctors, they ain't ever shooting straight, but I'm in the town ritual, I think hell, I'm on vacation right, pass me the juice in the gourd bowl, when I wake up I can do this shit. I am still trying to figure stuff out myself. The voice talked to you all just now, was me and not me, I think I am the greek mythological dude, Poseidon." Dave said with a disgruntled face. It was apparent that he didn't particularly like being hood-winked into this. "Now I have this overpowering urge and voice in my head pushing me to do things, and the thing with you,"pointing at Xuan,"that actually came from me, I've finally given into this thing, so now things are starting to make sense. You're Max, that's what your soul said you were, you have some of this off, Gods aren't men with powers, that is the bloodline thing, men with powers have a special bloodline, I have something else in me, from someplace else, and I can remember hundreds of different life times, different peoples memories, that were all Poseidon. I spoke to your souls, everyone has these crazy powerful souls, just like the bible says, really, I've been finding out that some of us can use them to some extent. If I am a God,"he said with sarcasm,"It is different, I'm still Dave, but my soul is different now."

     His eyes begain to shimmer like sun on a horizon, his voice changing tone,"The answers you seek can be found with your mothers, the truth must be discovered." A slightly different voice had emerged out of Dave and spoke to all of the men. "And that happens on occasion, it's like Terrets actually, I can't fight it, it just comes out if I choose not to act on it, like, I'm supposed to tell Kirby to stop wackin it in the cabin down there, Xuan'll find out and get mad at'cha, no, I'm playin,"he laughed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:54, Sat 07 Sept 2013.

That lines up.  Aeviternus thought, having a few key memories arise out of the thousands that seemed to confirm what they were being told.  However the situation and that explanation still posed a small mystery, whether it was relevant didn't matter much to the ancient scholar.

His normal voice restored, Aeviternus asked; "Do all bloodlines trace back to gods?  Xuan's abilities line up with you, Max's seem to point to Shakti.  Are the gods behind the bloodlines and, if so, can we expect more visits?"  Realizing only after he'd asked that he may not seem very hospitable with his current appearance, the dark coating over his body once again retracted to leave him in his street clothes, the hood placed, as usual, across his crown.

This message was last edited by the GM at 03:38, Sun 08 Sept 2013.

Well that wasn't so bad.

Relaxing, Xuan looked at his hands and listened. He wasn't sure what he expected to see or feel. Maybe he'd find out in time.

"It seems he is somewhat like you are, Ace. Perhaps you are a god as well. The blood doesn't transfer, so the soul does instead?" The question was out there for both Aeviternus and Dave. It was mild curiosity.

It wasn't the only thing he was curious about however.

"What exactly have you been whacking in my cabin, Captain?" Xuan wore a perplexed frown toward Kirby. "And why?"

Orlando chuckled, trying to figure out if Xuan was playing with Kirby or not. He wasn't sure if the joke was apparent. "Mr. Chappelle, what we need is some more help. We need to get to Guyana, northern South America. Is there any way you can help us? Our boat won't get us there like it is, and taking a boat would be too slow at this point anyway. "

Orlando was a man of faith and this part of the conversation piqued his interest immensely. "You know what you guys are talking about is the Divine Soul, all of our souls are divine, Jesus was apart of the holy trinity, Gods essence. What makes you different than Jesus?" His comment held serious implication.

While the men were conversing Max was lost in thought. How much of what Dave spoke about had do do with the secret of Free Masonry? All the symbols he had studied over the years pointed to the son's of god mating with the daughters of men. Was this where the genes of what Dave described as the new age really meant? The DNA of greater beings mixing with man's DNA. He wondered, was this the 'royal blood' that ran through his body?

From research Max knew that mans DNA hadn't changes much over thousands of years. What has happened is non-dominat and dominate genes were changing on a daily basis, man's daily evolution. This too pointed to this new age Dave spoke of. 'They shall mingle themselves with the seed of men'...

He was walking down the right road to reveal the great mystery. The ladder representing man's DNA was being climbed.

Were the crystal sculls nothing but holding cells? Max rubbed his fathers crystal as he thought. This hypothesis made perfect sense. All crystals, as strings vibrated at specific frequency. If the sculls frequency was tuned to that of the being it held captive, both the crystals and its captive's energy would mingle, just as DNA does when it mixes. Would this somehow weaken the captives energy? Max wished he had time and the means to test this theory.

He wondered what the god's knew about strings and what the essence of the god particle was?
This message was last edited by the player at 23:38, Wed 11 Sept 2013.

Dave had stumbled onto a bit of truth, if it could be believed his thoughts were separate from that of the god residing within him.  Aeviternus knew this was entirely possible.

"They were," he spoke plainly, addressing the musing.  "Though that's not what we called the Persian priests."  He chewed on a part of his lip briefly, a habit from his true childhood that the memory dredged up.

"We called them Magi, but we may as well have called them royalty."

Max snapped out of his thoughts as soon as Dave mentioned plane..."Dave did you say plane?" Max looked around at the group with two raised eye brows. A look of surprise. "The visions door of opportunity has presented itself gents. A plane ride was in my vision."

"Cockie roaches, Tsunmai, I whacked me a couple giant giant cockie roaches down in your cabin. You a moo moo or somethin? Wes got us a God with us, couldn't you clean up some?" He smiled broadly at Xuan, and offered a squinting right eye that could pass for a wink. Orlando's mention of Guyana had stirred an excited homesickness brewing in his belly that lightened his mood.

"A flight would be great, specially with dem looking for us at sea and it would get us der ahead ahead of schedule. But, exchanging a boat for a flight? That'll be our sea captain's call. Even if deh boat is dirty dirty."

Moo Moo? Roaches? Gods and priests? Visions? ...Par for the course.

"Well, perhaps on the proviso that we have the option to buy her back, I could possibly part with Si Feng. How quickly could any of you give up your home, I wonder...for a plane?" Xuan sighed and waved away any upcoming rebuttals. "But if it is infested, and of course with the damage, maybe it would not be a bad idea."


Xuan turned on Max. "If you saw a plane in your vision and possibly knew that I might have to give up my home for one, you could have warned me." There was no trace in Xuan's face to tell if the reprimand was in jest or not.

"Next time, we use someone else's stuff."

It wasn't a pout. Wushu masters of Wudang-to did not pout, no matter how sullen one might appear.

The career soldier whose background involved two continents and several moves between shrugged, he really had no frame of refrence. Home for Kirby was most likly Guyana, but he had not lived there for many many years.

"Maybe a sort term trade? I could probly fly us there..." he suggested.

....Only caring what was in front of them, they were near sighted..."The gift of the Magi" magical bestowment," Orlando ignored the group and met Aeviternus's thought process. He had studied this topic all his life... "Yes they were Magi, weren't they, just like us in a way, only they new the ritual." He looked to Aeviternus, my sister-in-law knew this ritual, she was there, she was a Magi, she was there upon your transfer Aeviternus. I am her secret keeper now. It wasn't until now, that he fully believed in Aeviternus or what he was. He was a secret unto himself, right in front of his own nose.

Aeviternus was doing his best to have sympathy for Xuan, but being a perpetual wanderer himself for... well... centuries, made it difficult to feel the warrior's pain in this respect.  Still though, the boat was likely as much a symbol of all the things important to him as it was a home and that the old wanderer could understand.

The musings of man and sea came to an abrupt halt at Orlando's return of his own outward thoughts.  The hood turned towards the professor as he spoke of the ritual, and the last sentence out of Orlando's mouth left Aeviternus stunned.  He raised his head so that his eyes were just visible and as they met Orlando's, the surprise was clear.

"Sharokina at my transfer?  As a Magi?"  He spoke almost too softly to hear over the sounds of the wave travel that still took them to land.  Which one?? was the simple question, but perhaps not in the right company.  "With Avery?" he finally managed as he dammed the flood of questions that threatened to overtake his rationality.  He found the concerns of land and sea, boats and planes fall away as he felt pieces of a puzzle start to draw together.  But which puzzle?

Orlando took from his wallet the only picture he had of his brother and his wife, Sharokina was a striking woman of Armenian decent, with long black hair and green eyes.  Even in the picture she held secrets, she always knew too much for his own liking. "Yes, she was there with Avery, as a participant. She is or was the Custos Sub-Rosa of many scrolls of light. This ritual was one of the prized possessions. I think my brother might have mentioned back at the church, but many of the Acolytes that were there are now dead. My brother of course is on the run.