(One of my favored posts) *The gentle breeze of the artic mountain air softly rose the fur on his back up and down as he felt the snow under his feet softly mold under the heat of his paws. Tree′s surrounded him in all directions, cascading the terrain with a very peaceful and very harsh environment for one unaware of the direction they take. It was here that the guardian of the forest spent the most of his time, surrounding himself with the serene silence of the cool mountain air, located in the middle of nowhere, only able to be contacted by summon, a summon known only be very few. It was also here, hidden within vast planes of existence and seals that the celestial wolf held the most powerful of artifacts that he had been given the task of watching over. Items so evil that once held by men had done terrible things to history, terrible things to everything around them. It was these very items that he had taken and purified, charged with the protection of the forest his job also entitled him to take charge of artifacts and objects of power that would try to throw off the balance of the world. A feat in itself that the guardian of the forest prevented everyday. For if any of these objects were to fall into the hands of those that wished to use them for evil, surely destruction would follow everywhere they set their feet. Strife continued his stroll allowing the snow and felt the mush between his paws.

By chance his venture through the forest areas of these hazardous mountains and snow led him to the very place that occupied his thoughts. He looked upon the familiar landmarks that marked the location of his hidden cache of deathly objects. His thoughts took over once again as his bright blue eyes surveyed the scene. The wind softly causing the fresh fallen snow across the mountain to dance in their ever changing direction. This being a place none could find even if they knew exactly where to look as the snow continued to change the location, and such purified objects were only felt by the one that was charged in their purification. Such objects were better locked away for all of time, though he often contemplated what would happen if such a object were to have fallen into the hands of one that meant to use it for good, one that could resist the pull of darkness that always seemed to accompany these dangerous items. Other worldly items, crafted for the same purpose as those that crafted the nuclear warheads, objects to take life without cause, or without reason. Items crafted for the soul purpose of creating as much damage as possible with out the drawbacks of guilt or remorse. Items crafted to take as much life as possible without thought of process. There were still many of these items that roamed the lands, hidden away deep.

Through the fogginess of his lost thoughts the guardian of the forest felt a tinge of magic pulling him, pleading for his assistance. His thoughts once again occupied on the entrance to his lair as the pull suddenly began to become stronger. Very few knew the correct incantation to ask for his assistance, and such a summon would only mean that they require help immediately. Strife focused his mind, allowing his clarity to reach out to the one seeking his help. His mind wrapped around the young druids mind that had cast the summon and his view of the area seemed to spiral in a Arial motion, scanning out across the lands of atlantis. Destruction seemed to grasp the land, a destruction much like ones he had encountered in previous battles involving dangerous artifacts. He let his Arial view of the lands focus on the tower. His mind seemed to zoom him into the tower, scanning the many different levels of the structure. His sight directed him towards the worldstone, he could see the dangerous levels of darkness bouncing across the surface of it. In truth celestial form allowed him to view the area as though he were not there, almost like taking over the sight of a bird flying overhead. It was this view that caused him to slowly open his eyes. He knew all too well the blight that now stormed across their lands.

He would assist the lands of atlantis, for reasons of his own of course, but also to assist the Empress and Emperor of the land in which he had a close relationship with for quite some time. Much more with the empress and her druid that now summoned him, but he never had anything negative to say about the emperor. Despite that their land was a land filled with darkness, this new force that seemed to scourge the lands of atlantis was not only dark, but it was evil. Pulled from a powerful artifact that brought countless demons and evil across the lands. A object in which by itself was usually harmless, but when channeled for evil, was able to do unspeakable things. He looked towards his lair and made his way towards it. Letting his bright blue eyes begin to glow the entrance to his lair opened to him and only him. Lights filled the corridor of a long hallway, manifesting themselves as he made his way down the long hallway. As he would get out of reach torches behind him would slowly die out, only to be replaced by torches that sparked to light as he walked towards them. It would seem that the long hallway would go on for many miles, one would not know however that should such a pathway try to be walked by any but the guardian of the forest that many traps and hexes would take their lives, even the life of immortals.

Once down the long hallway he would then be faced with a dangerous set of patterns across the floor and many hexes should one take a wrong step, this being a journey he could make with his eyes closed he weaved his way across the many different traps and hexes that the maze had to offer until he finally came to a golden door. His eyes moved down to the handle and once again began to glow bright blue. The door knob slowly twisted open and as the door opened he was greeted by mountains of treasure. Golds and gems, treasures of every assortment littered the hallways and climbed all the way up to the roof leaving narrow paths through the maze of treasure. He made his way through the mountains of gold until he came to a back room that opened with his presence. A seal slowly flashed on the stone wall and the wall slowly began to slide to the side. Once inside he made his way through the room. Many different pedestals held items housed on top of them, all radiating a light blue aura off of them. Each item in his possession that he had cleansed as his duties as guardian. He made his way to a stand in the back and grabbed the many fragments on the stand and looked to them in his paw. They continued there blue hum in his paw as he closed a small bag around them. He made his way back to the front and the doorway closed behind him.

He made his way back through the maze of traps and mountains of treasure until he found himself back outside in the harsh environment once more. He could still feel the pull of the druid from inside of the castle at atlantis as she continued her efforts to summon him to the war zone. He focused his mind again and let his eyes take on a light blue glow to them. He could feel his body begin to distort the reality around him and could feel the presence of evil during the transition. His entire world began to spin and the druid would then notice white mist and blowing snow beginning to gather in the room she was currently using to summon the celestial wolf from. His body slowly disappeared from the mountain side and as he placed his first paw onto the room floor in the castle the entire room grew cold. Under his paw ice suddenly shot outward in a spider web effect covering the entire room freezing everything in the room but the druid herself. He placed another paw down and the mist began to fade away and the guardian of the forest now stood before the druid. His bright blue eyes looked towards her and he took another step forward cracking the sheet of ice now under them both. His eyes moved up and down the room, gazing across the frozen walls and inanimate objects that covered the room.

He let his eyes move back towards Maia as silence took the room for a few moments before the guardian of the forest spoke.* "My dear friend Maia, how did this happen, how has the lands of atlantis become a sudden war zone. Why is Fayte at the head of the attack?" *He let Maia explain to him quickly everything that had transpired and he turned his head towards the castle doors.* "I see, a eternal conflict with himself, with him in the possession of a worldstone. I never thought I would see the day that one as pure as Fayte and as noble would ever be subject to such a heinous act. Forced to attack all of his friends, his family. This worldstone has an advantage over his soul that would even give one such as Alucar a difficult fight for survival. Fayte′s survival depends on us getting the worldstone away from him Maia. I understand that the lands of Atlantis are having troubles getting past the hordes of demons that continue to pour threw the portals and the rifts that have opened since he has arrived with the worldstone. I believe that I can assist with this, in so doing we will focus on our next task afterwords." *His eyes moved down towards a bag wrapped around his foot and he leaned down grabbing it with his mouth, pulling it free from his paw. He let the contents of the bag fall to the floor and looked towards Maia.*

"Rift conduits such as these have proven useful in the past, and will do the same here. Once this risk conduit is established then not only will it cut off the access to the rifts and portals but will cut off his access to the witches that assist him in another dimension. This will prevent any from leaving this island by means of magic or spells, or any abilities that they may have that allow them to access different locations, even my own ability to leave will be cut off, as magic such as this does not choose sides, it must stay neutral. If you would please take a step back." *The guardian of the forest′s eyes turn a light blue and the rift conduits slowly levitate in front of his face and he closes his eyes. He softly begins to chant under his breath, allowing the rift conduits to glow in front of him.* "Such items as this have been locked away for centuries, and are bound to me, and me only. Though even that bind does not prevent me from the specific magic that they nullify." *He opens his eyes and lifts a paw towards the door and the rift conduits fly towards the door smashing it to bits as they fly towards their targets. The rift conduits locate every rift and portal in the land of atlantis and slam into them. The rifts and portals quickly turn to stone and a large sphere of magic encircles the island preventing any further portals or rifts from being opened.

The guardian of the forest opens his eyes looking towards Maia and nods his head.* "That should cut off his supply of demons, now to focus on the ones that he has used to destroy the lands of Atlantis. Such demons are resistant to much physical damage, as they are not of this world, but made purely of evil. Such evil creatures are useless to magic consistent with the forces of holy magic. I must find a spot of leverage to focus my attack. Maia, you need to stay here and assist in the castles defense in any way that you can." *The guardian of the forest makes his way out the castle door and is almost instantly swarmed upon by beasts of darkness. His eyes flash gold and a circle surrounding him shoots out in a radius around him, the demons and creatures of darkness touched by this power disintegrate upon the touch of the magic, such creatures of darkness have very minor to no protection what so ever against holy magic, even with their efforts being fueled by a worldstone. With their witches now cut off against their assistance revival is impossible. Holy magic such as this leave nothing left to revive. His eyes move up towards a rather large hill off the outskirts of the castle and he makes his way towards the hill slowly. Demons caught in his path fall backwards and hit the ground as specs of dust before even the dust is burnt away.

Magic such as the type that the guardian of the forest uses has been passed down in his family for generations. Each descendant adding their own power to the mix since the beginning of time, which allows them to be the protectors of such dangerous objects, as they hold the power to purify these objects and keep them purified forever and out of the hands of those that may seek to use them for evil. The quick smite of demons that are caught in the sphere of light surrounding him do not even have time to cry out in agony as their demise visits them swiftly, of course a sphere of this magic the size of the island is impossible, though his intentions to fuse some of the very holy magic in the spell he plans to conjure will ensure success against these creatures of darkness. His eyes fixate on the hill and he slowly ascends the hill until he now stands upon it looking out towards the destruction that Fayte had caused. Part of him should be mad at how Fayte had come in and destroyed his friends home, however as one who simply keeps the balance in the world the guardian of the forest has little feelings one way or the other, only seeks to stop more needless death of the innocents that are caught in this mad man′s path. The sphere around him continues to glow strong to protect him from the darkness as he begins the spell.

As his chant slowly begins to echo out across the air around him he lifts his hands, as he does so the wind begins to pick up in his immediate area. a white mist quickly begins to develop around the guardian of the forest and the temperature in the immediate area starts to drop. In one hand a large white light begins to shine, lines of holy light bouncing on and off of his wrist as he now stood in human form, his bright blue eyes scanning the battlefield. In his other palm a bright blue light that seemed to form crystals out of the air, pulling cold air towards him. He brings his hands together watching the two separate magics infuse with each other. Holy magic infused with the magic of ice and snow. His bright blue eyes look towards the sky and he lifts his hand towards the air, the infused essence now stringing between his fingertips. He lowers his hand towards the side of his head and then thrusts it back towards the sky and the essence shoots into the air disappearing. Shortly after a rumble is felt across the lands and snow begins to fall at a rapid rate. His blue eyes look towards the sea and he points towards the sea and a massive light emits from the sky slamming down into the water. The ocean around the island of atlantis suddenly freeze solid in a mile radius around the island preventing demons and undead from walking the bottom.