Shadow Games
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As evening came on, the group stopped to camp for the night.
When dawn came, the group moved on. They were almost to their destination. -
ooc: been away for a while and i will be the next week also bic:
Tej got off his "mount" and walked along side it, he also carried his gear. Tej walked over to Selax and asked, "so where is this 'zetacomb' thing again?"
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Selax thought a moment before he replied.
"I am not sure. It is just that the location that Avatara said Desert Fox showed him sounds like an old tomb that I saw many years ago. There was talk of something important being hidden there. It somewhere ahead, carved into the mountain. I may have some difficulty finding the exact location; the area has changed much in the years since I was last here. It may be nothing, but it is our best lead."
The group moved on, rapidly nearing the mountains.Behind them, still hidden in shadow, was the dark figure that had interfered in the battle outside Catamarca. He was quite satisfied. They were headed to the right location. However, the zetacomb was no longer of use to him, so that his orders were now just to observe. There was a possibility of that changing if his master saw some opportunity to simplify his plans.
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The group reached the mountains around noon. They continued to head north along the base of the mountains, stopping every once in a while to search for any signs of the tomb.
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The sky had cleared up and it was about midday, although the group was walking under the shade of the trees there was still quite a lot of heat that was getting through. The group was walking through something that resembled a forest, quite thick a moist. The ground was damp and spongy but not overly hard to walk over and if you were to look out through the trees you could see where the snow capped mountain was, reaching up into the heavens and amongst the clouds miles above the Earth. A lot of he plants that grew in the forests of Cythera contained plants that were unknown as of their properties, wether they were poisonous or not, most of the findings came from two groups, the people who were hungry and had to eat and the people who were drunk out of their skulls and thought that they could tell which ones were poisonous or not and they would bet on it, almost like a game of Russian Roulette.
The group stayed around the base of the mountain, as Selax had stated before, the Zetatomb may have some markings on the mountain side as to its location. No one knew what they would look like the they didn't move all that fast, the Earth its self put up some resistance to try to hinder them, boggy ground, hidden tree roots and fallen trees.
"I think its about time to eat again" Tej stated, "Its been a few hours and walking through this jungle really builds up quite a hunger."
"I am starting to get a little hunger myself, it will also give me another chance to look at the talisman and work out how to use it." Avatara replied.
"Who's turn is it to cook?" Selax asked.
"I believe its yours Selax, Tej and I will get some firewood." Medoc replied.
"First we are going to have to find a dry area to make the fire, I haven't seen any good place to make one for miles" Avatara stated.
"You really know how to kill a good idea don't you Avatara" Tej complained.
"If you gentlemen don't mind, when Desert Fox was teaching me some magic, one of the things he taught me was how to make fire, although that was for my arrows it serves the same purpose. As long as the fire doesn't get to big and we start a bush-fire we will be fine. I am a little hungry myself, are there any objections? Good." Moonshadow said, walking over to a fallen tree, giving it a slight brush and sitting on it.
"Why didn't you think of that Selax?" Medoc murmured.
"Hey, I am the cook at the moment, if you want to eat be nice." Selax threatened.
Moonshadow looked at them both and sighed. She looked at the ground for a few seconds and then a small fire started to appear out of no where, it slowly grew and then eased off and kept steadily burning. Selax went over to the food pack and got to work.Over the next few days the group moved around the base of the mountain at a fairly slow constant speed. The area where the Zetatomb once was would be heavily overgrown and possibly quite hard to see. The forest didn't have a great deal of noises coming from within it, there were the birds and that was about all, although a few days later the forest became unusually quiet, it seemed that a lot of the birds didn't like this area. About a mile from where they had camped that night they found out why. It was by pure chance that they had found the Zetatomb, they were singing to pass the time more quickly and Moonshadow heard an echo come from the mountain, when she went and had a look she had found the entrance to the Zetatomb. It was fairly evident, Selax was able to read that writing that was written above the cave, it read 'Thy hath found the entrance unto Agnash'. There were vines draped over the entrance as it was around most of the base of the mountain, that had seemed to keep the vile smell inside the cave and not pollute the area around the cave, it was not until they entered the cave that they realized the true meaning of rotting flesh. It was evident that it had been a few hundred years since anyone had set foot in he cave as most people wouldn't even attempt entering for the smell was so overpowering.
After an hour of arguing they decided that they had to enter, Selax made a bubble around them as they entered the cave, it wasn't until they got about a hundred yards into the cave that they realized where the smell was coming from, there were hundreds of dead people, they had been there for many years. They were all wearing bronze armor which put made them about 200 years old. With the dampness of the cave and the lack of air flow it stand to reason why it was so bad in the cave. As they ventured further into the cave it started to get warmer, as they ventured further the could see a little light coming from the end of the tunnel, it didn't look like daylight, it was the wrong colour. As they got closer to the light they started to slow down.
"I wonder if anyone still lives in here?" Avarata pondered.
"Its very unlikely although stranger things have happened." Selax answered.
"I think we are going to have to go in there one way or another, we may as well do it now but be careful." Avarata said.
They all started to walk to where the light was coming from, the group of them were in awe. The entire cavern was about 200 meters in length and at least 100 in height, it looked like the inside of a Cathedral but without any windows or pictures. This entire section had been enchanted may years ago, it was fairly obvious that this was so because the walls them selves were emitting the light. In the very centre of the circular cavern was something that none of them had expected, not even Selax.~OOK~
Sorry for taken so long to make this post, I have just been slowly adding things to it over the last few days. I finished my exams not long ago so I will have some time to post now. I tried to make this post as interesting as possible and left something at the end for some imagination.
If anyone has any problems with this post just PM me and I will edit it, most of the time it would just be from character conflicts like someone saying something that they wouldn't and thing like that. I hope to be posting again soon.
~BIC~This post has been edited by Half Truth : 21 June 2005 - 01:17 AM
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Wizard rode steadily NW for days. He rode on the main path, where he would expect to see other travelers, but he saw very few.
When he reached the River Sitia, he avoided the conventional method of crossing, which was the stone bridge that usually was bustling with activity. It was, in fact, the only "safe" way to cross Sitia. Everybody from merchants and caravans to ordinary folk used it to reach one half of Cythera from the other.
The land of Cythera had always been an interesting subject of study for Wizard, being more of the scholarly type. The River Sitia did effectually divide Cythera in half. It's source was somewhere in the mountains to the north. Wizard did know of a pass which led from Land King Hall to the other side of the mountains, but it was pointless to go that far for nothing. There weren't many other crossing points.
There was one other he know of, however. He rode north for several miles, to where the waters grew thinner and more shallow. He traversed the water at the narrowest point. It was a fairly simple task for him, with the aid of his telekenesis. His horse did not enjoy fighting the current, but the water was cool and refreshing. As he crossed he continued on his previous line of thought.
Cythera was populated oddly. Land King Hall always seemed so distant from everything else. Pynx did as well, but then again, none of the towns seemed to be near each other. And none of them seemed to like each other. It was as though each part of Cythera was a world unto its own. Perhaps it was the "House" system of ruling towns that caused such a rift, or the people themselves.
Even with a good, just king to rule them, much of the land and its inhabitants remained a mystery to Wizard, and he was generally one who could understand human behavior.
Perhaps the dissension was damage that remained from the Elemental Wars. . . Thinking of those times brought a shiver to Wizard.
He did not enter Cademia, but instead headed west. Soon he would reach the mountain pass to Pynx. Perhaps there will be time for a stop at Cademia on my return. . . , but he doubted it. He did not have time to waste, and he did not wish to get hung up anywhere.
This post has been edited by The Wizard : 20 June 2005 - 05:01 PM
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Gin walked with his fellows, he was nervous and aprehencive of anything and everything. He simply did not like the place and so quietly he slipped out of the group, and so did not see the great cathedral, he was insted meticously looking at the dead corps, holding his breath, for about a minute he would hold his breath and then run outside the cave breath deeply and run back in. he repeated the procedure untill he had found that there was simply no evidence that the men had ever been attacked, Gin went outside and sat upon a rock, podering how it was possible for all of the men to die without ever being totched. Well at least there was no evidence of broken bones, who ever killed them either didn't have to touch them or had killed them without damaging the bones or puncturing the armor, whoever had killed these men was definetly a being of intelligence, no monster gaurded the depths of that cave and so holding his breath Gin ran to the others of the group, he got inside of Selax's bubble just before his lungs burst. Then having time to breath and look around he gasped at the site before him.
OOC I would be happy to create the unknown site but I do not know the nature of the Zetacomb and therefor can not construct a creature being or other "unknown site", if anyone would tell me exactly what the thing is to the best of their knowledge I could do more. Or if they could direct me to the post that I probably missed that tells what it is ^^, sry. BIC
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OoC
I'll try to think of something for the unknown sight.
BiCIn the center of the cathedral stood a being nearly 12 feet high. It seemed to be made out of many different gems, shining like a rainbow. At first glance, it might resemble a statue, but the way it moved its head proved that it was "alive". It seemed to be some sort of golem. From what resembled its head, a voice issued.
"So at last another group thinks they are worthy to take the zetacomb."
It chuckled and waved its hand. Suddenly, the air seemed breathable, and the group emerged from the bubble. Before anyone could speak, it continued.
" ** If** you are worthy, then you may take it, but you first must pass through the Maze. You cannot leave unless you survive."
Again, before anyone could speak, it waved its hand, and the group suddenly found themselves in a different cavern with three exits, each of which led in a different direction. The creature was gone. Everyone started talking at once.
"What was that thing?"
"Where are we?"
Suddenly, Medoc asked a different question.
"Where is Selax?"Selax emerged into the open outside the tomb. The instant that the air had become breathable he had turned invisible and sped back out into the open. Like everyone else, he had known that they were being watched, but, unlike the others, he had never intended on entering the tomb at all. He had another task to take. Pulling out his swords, he stepped toward the woods. At the same moment, Balthon emerged from the woods, his swords already in his hands. He smiled.
"Come. Let us finish this, Selax."
The two sprang at each other and began again to fight. -
Gin looked at the three tunnels, and then counted the people in the room with him. "I hate to say this, but if we all split up at least one of us may make it to the zetacomb, however I think that this maze can be solved by deduction. So let us look around before we do anything." Gin was calm on the outside but inside he was angrey and frightened, he felt, like a rat in a maze. However Gin liked himself and didn't intend to die. He joined the others in searching the cavern carfully combing its every square inch, they found only 3 things each one was a small object, one looked like the zetacomb, others were statues showing three key human behaviors., one statue showed a man with missing a leg holding a hat with several coins in it as well as there was a finly made prosthetic leg on the other side of the statue, the other showed a king being crowned by pesants. Gin put the objects down, "Anyone know what these are for?" he asked quietly, his own mind racing. He saw that the objects showed virtue but he didn't understand what exactly what they were ment to show. However he saw something else when he sat down and walked over to the wall, he blew and the dust came away, there was a message, there were like messages on the other walls. the messages were "warrior of deseat and power." "Thee who is poor and lonely." and the last was "thee who seeks material objects." and there were symbols under the inscriptions, the symbols matched those over the door of each maze. Gin also noticed that the inscriptions and symbols where upon stone rings that were movable, you could move the inscriptions on their ring and the symbols on their own. Tej found depressions in the form of boot marks infront of each door, when he stepped on the depressions light came from the door, it was red. Mabye red ment that Tej needed something to go through the door, sure enough the door would not open for him, he stood on another depression and the door glowed green and could be opened, Tej shut the door and stepped off of the depressions the door was once again locked, he went to the third door, it too glowed green and opened. Gin wonderingly walked up to Tej, "Hey, go back to that one door with these he handed Tej one of the objects, Tej approached the door and it glowed violet, he approached the other door and it glowed blue, the third door glowed blue as well. After a while they had it seperated out, from left to right the statues glowed purple at each door, Left: zetacomb Middle: King, Right: beggar. and so they had an object to match each door and therefore a symbol to match each object.
the zetacomb statue matched a symbol that looked like a triangle
the king matched a circle
the beggar a square
Tej then stood infront of each door in turn. the zetacomb's door opened, the beggar's door did not, the king's door did (when he did not have a statue in his hands.)
The symbols on the wall could be moved and at three times they blocked the doors, the phrases also blocked the doors at three diferent places (move the symbols and there were thre times in which the doors were obscured and three places they were not, the same goes for the inscriptions.)
Jin found one more thing, a tablet, on it was written thus:
Though must in this chamber show to us that wich is utmost importance to thee, even more important than that which you seek.
OOC For anyone who wants to solve this I will leave it at this, nothing or very little is as it seems and deseption is a main part of the puzzle. Also if you would propose what to do so that I can tell you whether you have the answer or not I will appreaciate it. Also I'll check the posts every day to see if anyone gets the answer. If you think something should be changed or anything of the like PM me. BIC
This post has been edited by Kentonis 417 : 23 June 2005 - 10:08 PM
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The golem watched the progress of the group in the Maze. If they got through it successfully, they would have to face the tomb guardians. If they survived that, he was designed to allow them to have the zetacomb. He was designed only to destroy those who he deemed unworthy to face the challenges. But...
Something was wrong.
The golem had been given a great deal of free thought when he was designed, and he knew that something close by was wrong. At that moment, a frigid wind blew into the chamber. The golem looked up, startled. Calling his powers to him, the golem stepped forward.
"Who is there?" he demanded of the blackness in the entrance.
"A primitive construct designed to protect the zetacomb. How amusing," answered a voice from the darkness. Before the golem could say anything, a dark figure emerged from the shadows.
"Who—what are you?" the golem said.
"A servant of a greater power. A power that will soon rule all who live."
"Regardless, you are unworthy to face the challenges and must be destroyed," the golem answered as he had been designed.
"Foolish beast! You think that I need to fight you? You will be some of use to me, I think."
With that, the figure stepped forward, letting the shadow fade around it. The golem had enough free will to take a step back. Before him stood a creature of nightmare. It stood 12-feet tall, with leathery wings, three horns on its head, and massive talons sprouted from hands that were curved to grip a sword (if it was necessary), and long tentacles capable of breaking stone with ease. It had eyes that were almost entirely white. It raised its arms before speaking again.
"Prepare to meet your real master."
The golem raised his hands to fight, when suddenly he felt a presence in his head. Something more evil and dangerous than the creature before him. He tried to fight it, but it blasted him aside and began to remake his mind. Suddenly, the presence finished withdrew, and the golem straightened. He knew what he must do. He must destroy the group if they defeated the guardians. He didn't even remember the creature or notice disappear back into the shadow.Selax and Balthon's rematch was much like before. Only, it was daylight and there was no lightning. Again and again, the two flew at each other. Again and again, each was able to defend himself, and the fight dragged on.
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OoC
I am not much good at describing fight scenes, but I figure I may as well give it a try.
BiCSelax flew at Balthon, swinging one of his swords down from above and thrusting the other forward. Balthon twisted out of the way of the second, parrying the blow from above. He brought both of his swords around to slash at Selax's side. Selax blocked and kicked out at Balthon's side. Balthon jumped and brought both of his swords down from above; Selax blocked the blows and twisted out from under Balthon. The two backed away from each other and then lunged.
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Gin quietly began to assimilate the data he had.
The inscription: Obviously something highly nessicary to solve the problem.
The statues: Possably worth something, possably not.
The inscriptions and the symbols: Reminded him of a combination lock
Gin quietly went over the facts again. Could he solve it? Gin continued to ponder the question. if the giant rings were actually a lock of some sort, then how do you open the lock? Where is the arrow to the combination lock (There is no phisically ingraved arrow, he is just wondering, where is the point that you use as 'the arrow')? What is the combination? Gin pondered these questions and came up blank, so finding no answer he quietly divulged the information he had to the others. He concluded his speech with this: "I think that we are in some type of combination room and puzzle. I think that the answer is obvious but is hidden so well whithin all the other peices that it is a task within itself to find the answer. However I'm not sure that there is only one answer." Which in fact was true for a thief would be unto the beggar, just as a noble warrior would be unto another of the statues. Where did the group fit? For it seemed at that point that the only wrong answer was to lie.
OOC I think it would be better if I did this; anyone who can come up with a plausable answer, post it, call the thing sloved, and move on.
BICThis post has been edited by Kentonis 417 : 06 July 2005 - 12:55 PM
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OoC: With Wizard again BiC:
Wizard rode onward, deep in thought, wondering where the group might be now. When he looked up suddenly, he could see Pynx. The sun bathed its ugly, gray roof in rays of ultraviolet. It was still unattractive, but had an air of splendor about it. Wizard pulled up for a moment and paused, examining the spectacle that spread before him.
Pynx did always smell so very pleasant . . . Wizard reflected warmly.
Pynx was not too far ahead now, and he was about to ride on, when his horse snorted. "What's the matter boy, huh?" Wizard spoke in a gentle, soothing voice. The horse pricked its ears, listening intently. Wizard listened as well, and in doing so, he opened his mind to sense what was around him. He sensed several people near him.
He turned and found himself looking into the faces of a couple of weather-worn men -- ruffians, as the populous of Cythera had come to call them.
They stared at each other for a moment. One was middle-aged looking. Probably been doing this for his whole life , Wizard thought for a moment. The other looked much younger, but just as tough.
The younger one was the first to move, carrying a large club, with crude spikes at the end, but the second was only a moment behind. Wizard lashed out with his staff, whacking the first across the face. The older one ducked from the staff, and stabbed at Wizard with an old sword. Wizard moved to avoid it, but fell off of his horse in the proccess.
"Ack," Wizard cried out as he slammed to the ground. He was getting to old for this sort of combat, but he kept fighting.
The ruffian with the sword dove at Wizard, who was scrambling to get to his feet. The other ruffian was coming up just behind the first when suddenly he lifted his club and struck the other on the back of his head. The older one, who had the short sword, fell to the ground, most likely dead.
The younger one looked at his hand, the club, and the other ruffian, trying to grasp what had happened. Then he looked at Wizard who was on his feet. The man's eyes narrowed, and he charged at Wizard again.
Wizard backed away quickly. Summoning all of his strength, Wizard struck the man across the jaw again and promptly knocked the club from the man's hand. The ruffian was furious, as was evident by his facial expression.
He charged again, with no weapon, intending to take this old man on with his bare hands. His judgment was clouded and he was virtually blinded by his rage. He'd kill this relic if it was the last thing he did . . .
Which it was. Wizard stared at the body. In the last moment, he had telekenetically picked up the fallen man's sword and pointed it at his assailiant, who had blindly charged into it.
He sighed, he didn't like to kill, but it was often necessary in such rugged lands as this. He mounted again and rode on to Pynx.
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Gin had already given up solving the puzzle, he had gone as far as he could. Therefor he took from his backpack a sandwich. Several of the other members looked at him as though to ask "what the hell? How can you think of food at a time like this?" Gin answered their unspoken question "I can't solve the puzzel, so I'm going to eat and sleep, this place seemes safe enough." and he proceded to do just that. He ate his sandwich, pulled a blanket out of his pack, zipped it shut layed out his blanket, put his pack at the head of the improvised bed lay down on the blancket, pulled it over him and was soon asleep, though the '7th sence' which had always served him well was out on patrol; Gin would awaken at the slightest noise that didn't conform to his idea of 'rightness', for Gin was not exactly human, though what he was other than human he did not know.
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"We have been standing around here for hours looking for other clues and come up with nothing" Medoc said a little quicker than usual, "I don't know about you people but I have to take a leak, I am going to go down that tunnel a little ways and pay tribute to the wall" Medoc pointed down the brightly lit tunnel that runs 20 meters before hitting a dead end like all of the other off-shoots from the main chamber.
"I think Medoc has a good idea" Avatara replied looking over at Gin who was sound asleep, "we could all use a rest and something to eat".
"Well you all know where I am going to be" Medoc said walking down the tunnel. He stopped at the end, looked over his shoulder to make sure that no one could see him and started watering the rocks. The rocks at the end kind of the tunnel where kind of shaped into a basin but it just looked like a random rock formation or possibly just where something had stuck when the tunnel system of being created. Medoc finished his business and walked back to the group.
"Did you do anything back there?" Tej asked.
"Nothing out of the ordinary, why?" Medoc asked curiously.
"Just before you came back a crystal started to glow on the roof. Are you sure that you didn't do anything or was there anything that looked out of the ordinary?" Avatara asked.
"At the end of the tunnel it looked as if their was a basin, it looked more like something had struck the rock when the tunnel was begin made." Medoc replied.
"If you men don't mind I have something to say." Moonshadow said with some show of superiority in her voice, "I have seen something like this once before, I heard about some magician a while back who was experimenting with trying to make a way of getting out of a tunnel for miners if the tunnel collapsed and block their way out. He theorized that by adding a liquid to a certain type of magical crystal it could create enough energy to instantly teleport someone or a small group of people a short distance. I think that is what we are dealing with here...I think you men have some work to do now, get to it, I don't want to be stuck here all day."
"What are you going to do?" Avatara asked.
"You don't actually expect me to..." Moonshadow stopped mid sentence looking offended, "I will wake up Gin and fill him in on the situation." She said composing herself.
"I guess we have been to. There are three other tunnels and they all have to be activated to work I guess so lets go." Avatara said to the group, "We will needs Gin's help here." he said to Moonshadow and then they took a tunnel each.About a minute after they had met back at the statues the room darkened slightly and seemed to warp as if they were under moving water. Everything around them slowly went dark...
The group appeared in-front of the giant being again and began to speak...This post has been edited by Half Truth : 11 July 2005 - 04:52 PM
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OoC
Half Truth, Selax is outside the tomb.
BiCThe giant golem clapped its hands, and a noise came from behind it. All the dead bodies that the group had passed on their way in were now coming toward them, obviously intending to kill them.
Outside, Selax and Balthon circled each other, looking for an advantage. The two lunged at each other again.
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When the other's of the group teleported away Gin remained asleep, no one it seemed had actually woken him, and for some reason he did not teleport with the rest of the group, he awoke, groggy and looked around, "Where'd everyone go?" he asked the walls, then he silently shrugged and walked to the walls, an idea dawning on him, he put his hand on one of the sliding circles and pushed, he put the words, "Thee who is poor and lonely." in front of the passage, then he went to the circle and moved it until it was under the inscription, suddenly something poured out from the celing of the tunnels and Gin too was gone from the room, he found himself standing in a room devoid of light or anything else, he quietly felt his way around until his hand touched something, he felt a sharp pain go into his arm. The world rushed up to blanket him in darkness, but being in a strange place Gin fought with all his might and won, images began to flood his mind and he soon had knoledge that he could not understand, then a presence made itself known, "We are the creatures of the zetacomb, alass the item is not to be found here, it was taken long ago from this place, in its place we bestow upon you a gift, a gift of both power and healing, go mortal. Seek elswhere for the zetacomb." Gin felt his heart fall, The zetacomb gone? Where is it now? Who took it? answers to his thought questions were not forthcomming and so Gin resulutly sighed and sat down on the floor, then he heard water rush once again and he sighed as he appered where the others were, being uncerimoniously dumped out of a hole in the celing he gasped as he fell and curled up in a ball. He had become solid steel when he crashed into the ground and began to roll downhill, curled up thinking he must be dead. Gin crashed through several dozen undead and inot a wall, where he sat pondering how he could be alive and what had jsut happened as well as exploring something new within himself, what was it? Magic? I do not have magic! Gin would be against that wall for the better part of an hour, exploring the new sensations he was experiening.
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OoC
Kentonis, I don't think the TS will last long enough to have the zetacomb be elsewhere. I think we just need to find it quickly and go back to the tavern.
BiCOutside, Selax and Balthon backed away from each other. Neither had yet hurt the other. Suddenly, Balthon said, " You never did figure out why our world was destabilized, did you?"
"No, I have wondered for a long time." Selax answered warily.
"I guess there is no harm in telling you." Balthon grinned evilly. "I found a way to draw strength from our planet. After I had been doing this for years, I discovered a side-effect."
Selax looked at him with dawning realization.
"You. . ."
"Yes," Balthon answered proudly, "I caused our world to be destroyed."Then, something happened to Selax that had not happened to him for many ages. He erupted into a rage, flying at Balthon in fury. Balthon responded in kind, also flying forward in a rage.
It would have been quite a sight had there been in spectators, to see both normally calm elementals in an absolute fury and trying twice as hard as before to kill each other.(edit) Golem bit made no sense. (/edit)
This post has been edited by Avatara : 31 July 2005 - 11:55 AM
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"This is getting old," Avatara muttered as the group faced the advancing undead horde on one side and the rumbling pace of the golem behind them.
"There has to be some way out of this, we can't take all of these creatures at once," Medoc's voice seemed more frantic than usual. The shadowy chamber and the glowing city behind them creating a sinister scene.
"If we can make it to those doors, we'll be fine." Moonshadow suggested, readying her weapon.
"Get ready." Out of the corner of his eye, Avatara saw Gin tumble out of the ceiling and slam into the far wall. He walked over to Tej and pulled him in, "Tej, listen up very closely. Gin is trapped back there behind the horde. I need you to fly over and get him out of here when we begin to move." Tej nodded in assent and took a deep breath, preparing himself. Avatara turned to face the rest of the weary group, "Okay listen up. We're going to make a break for the gates over there. No time to argue, just go! Go now!"
The undead, just meters away, broke into an all-out charge, but instead of turning and facing them, the group sprinted straight towards the golem. "Spread out!" Martel shouted, "Make it harder for him!"
Blinded by the overwhelming desire to kill these intruders, the golem charged onwards, each step crushing the ground beneath him. The group, heeding Martel's warning, fanned out into multiple targets. Unable to hit them all, the golem settled on the one that seemed to have commanded them.
Martel almost lost his footing as a massive leg of rock slammed down just off to his side, sending cracks along the solid stone underneath. He felt a sudden rush of wind and instinctively tumbled forward as the golem's arm slammed down behind him. The impact knocked him forward, where he fell on his side and rolled to a painful stop. His chest ached, something was damaged, but there wasn't any time for pain. He saw the golem move again, and forced himself to roll to the side, narrowly missing another hit. On his back, he looked up at the rock beast towering over him, waiting for the next hit. It didn't come.
Through the ringing of his ears, he could barely make out shouting voices. Above him, a projectile whizzed by to bounce harmlessly off of the rock beast.
"Something must be wrong," Avatara mentioned to Moonshadow as he sent a small fireball at the golem's head, something it easily dodged.
"C'mon Martel, move!" Medoc groaned as he waved his arms. The golem stood for a moment, unsure of what to do. A blast to the head from another fireball made up its mind, and it began to move. Suddenly out of the immediate danger, Martel picked himself up and began heading towards the doors that marked their salvation.
"Okay, lets go!" Avatara cried out, as the group turned and fled before the golem. The stairs leading to the ornate doors were just ahead, but the golem had the advantage of size and was gaining rapidly. Medoc and Martel reached the stairs first, bounded up them and pushed open the double doors enough to fit through. The rest of the group was right behind them. Moonshadow was the last one in, sliding through before the others pushed the doors shut and bolted them. A massive impact knocked them backwards as something heavy slammed into the doors. But the strange arcane material held fast.
"Everyone okay?" Avatara slumped down, trying to catch his breath. Martel nodded in reply.
"I think this is the same cathedral we saw earlier," Medoc noted, looking around. Directly ahead of them, down a short hallway that shifted colors with the twinkling of the gems lay a sheltered alcove within which was an ornate marble pedestal. Upon approaching, the group could see the gold markings that lined the pedestal wound upwards in some sort of inscription, the apex being a small hole where an oddly shaped crystal would sit.
"Its not there."
"Someone must have taken it before we got here," Avatara slammed his fist into the wall, "We're too late!"
"Do you think Desert Fox reached it before us?" Moonshadow asked.
"I don't think so, it doesn't seem like he's been here at all."
"Who took it?" Medoc asked.
"I don't know."
"Who else was hunting this?" Moonshadow looked around.
"I don't think anybody knew it was here, unless they were following us," Avatara sighed, "I just don't know."
"Wait a minute, I think I have something," Martel had strayed slightly to inspect an oddity he found. "Look at this, I know exactly who took it."
Selax lashed out in fury, his forceful swing sending sparks flying as it clashed upon the sword of his adversary. He lost all thought, all focus was on killing this creature who had murdered so many. He was determined to win, no matter the cost.
"Selax!" A voice from below echoed remotely in his mind. "Selax! Selax!" The voices grew in number and in intensity. His opponent's thrust flew by him, narrowly missing, the voices were distracting him. He pushed himself back a bit and glared down to see who was interrupting him. To his mild surprise, he noticed the group was waving at him.
"Selax!" They called, then something about a zetacomb he missed as he blocked his opponent's next strike. Selax ignored them, their wishes and desires were unimportant. He returned a strike, slamming into his enemy's sword with enough force to send him sprawling.
"Selax!" In his mind, the voice came through clearly now. "Selax, look out! He has the zetacomb! Balthon has the zetacomb!"
-
OOC Thx Avatara. BIC
Gin looked around him amazed at what he saw. Undead, hundreds of them, then he saw Tej flying twords him, he'll never be able to lift me if I'm a rock. Gin muttered to himself and suddenly he was human again, Oh drat! He added seeing undead suddenly turn and start heading for him. He unsheathed his sword and lopped the head off of a nearby undead. After a minute or two Tej reached him and Gin reached up grabbing hold, suddenly something hit him and he lost focus, when his eyes unrossed again he was in the cathedral where Tej had dropped him, he sighed and slowly rose to his feet, feeling the spot where a club had hit him. He sighed and walked over to the others, he noticed something different and sat down to wait. I suppose it's my lot in life, to get left out. Gin grinned to himself and then went back to where the tunnel led to the outside, he looked through the tunnel and the corpses, and decided to wait for the ohters and sat down leaning against the wall.
