The tale of the Treasure
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Avatara slowly and painfully drifted back to consciousness. He attempted to look around, but everything was so dark that he couldn't see anything. There was a foul stench around, one that made Avatara feel queasy. He was completely wrapped up in sticky thick spider strands, save for his head, and wasn't able to move at all. There appeared to be a pole in front of him, one that was lightly glowing. What it was, and why it was there remained a mystery. Avatara wished he had a dagger or at least his magic to cut through the ropes so he could do something. He attempted to cause his hands to go up in flame, but that just caused a bunch of smoke to rise, nearly killing Avatara from lack of oxygen.
He had to wait and see what would happen.
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"I'm a controversial figure. My friends either dislike me or hate me." -
Lindor came to. Fighting to orient himself through his pounding headache, he first noticed that he couldn't move, including barely able to breath. His arms were trapped, wrapped around himself in an almost self-embrace. His legs were completely numb, and the goey webs hugged aboout him everywere but the top of his face. Lindor struggled to open his eyes, even such a simple act seeming all but impossible. Finally, his fair blood, resistant to the spider poisen by nature, awakened enough for him to raise his eyelids.
Only to look up into the face of the hugest spider he had ever seen. He welcomed the blackness that swelled up around him, sending him back into forgetfull unconcenseness (sp?).
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Though Avatara was knocked out and drug away, the spiders didn't even bother to take note on what he was dropping. A few potions and a revival serum were there. Talos scooped it up and had to make an agonizing decision. DF was still dead and his body wouldn't hold out much longer and Avatara was gone but had time before he could actually be revived. The only problem was what to do to get the serum. His final choice would not be easy to come to...
A few hours later, DF awakened. His clothing was tattered and his flesh was scarred but he was alive. He saw Talos nearby writhing in near agony. He didn't have any time to try to find out because suddenly his mind was seeing it too. Avatara was not dead.
THE WORLD WILL END. EVERYTHING WILL DIE. YOUR FAULT, ALL YOUR FAULT. DISEASE, FAMINE, PLAGUES. THE WORLD WILL END. ALL YOUR FAULT. YOU ABANDONED THEM! YOU ABANDONED US! TRAITOR!
Visions popped up as the idea kept rolling around. Avatara's mind was leeking out visions of the future, and of the past.The 9... Avatara was standing at his spot, the rune of fire, amongst the 9. He remembered the fierce glow each had. They had called for a gathering, someone had called for a gathering. Something terrible was happening. People were under attack by an unknown force, three villages had been decimated. Dethelon stepped forward, the avatar of air.
"I have called this gathering." His voice boomed. "Our land has faced a threat none of us have ever coped with before. The years of peace are over. For the first time ever, we must use the temple to its full extent. We must get help from other dimensions, help me open the portal. Our people are dying, and we cannot possibly save them." He droned on, Avatara had stopped listening. He knew this was an extreme exaggeration, but he also knew that the people they had sworn to protect were being slaughtered. It seemed like only yesterday Avatara had come to the Temple of Life, even though it was over 240 years ago. The council of 9 had successfully kept their land prosperous and in peace. "...and even the Guardians of Light to the north have dissappeared." Avatara stared stunned. All 60 of them were wiped out? No, it couldn't have been. They weren't stupid, and probably escaped to a place, ready to strike back when needed.
Time sped up and the vision jumped ahead a couple of hours. Avatara stared at the blood on his hands, letting his trusted friend and advisor Gerthridon slip from his embrace. He knew now who was behind this terrifying onslaught, who had even dared to challenge the nine. Even though he knew, he couldn't believe it. Dethelon had betrayed his collegues, his friends, their trust. Somehow Avatara knew he'd have to prevent his influence from spreading. After slaying 2 of the 9, and now the advisor for them, he had somehow absorbed their gift of magic. It was even more stunning that one of the two slain was Dethelon's best friend, an attempt to get others off his track.
A clank of metal from the hallway and Avatara froze. The guards were coming, somehow he had bribed the temple guards! Everything in Avatara's life was collapsing. He had quickly ran to the study, and there he had finished the magical ritual to open the gate. If he didn't escape, the secret Gerthridon had died to protect would be released. Avatara now was the only one alive who could work the dimensional gate on this side. He stepped back, the gate whirling open in front of him. With a sigh, he focused on his power and set his study on fire. Hot flames curled up the walls as the last scraps of information and chemicals needed to open the gate burned to ashes. Avatara sighed and stepped in the portal, leaving behind the sounds of guards attempting to smash down his sealed door.
The thoughts stopped rushing. Talos, DF and Lindor sat stunned on the ground. The others were elsewhere but no doubt had to have seen that.
"We shall wait a few more hours, then we strike. That was we can have a stronger force to attack with" Talos said, taking command
"Right, a few hours" DF said silently------------------
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Agian a voice cries "Help, help. Help me!"
Tycho Maudd
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I say what occurs to me to say when I think I hear people say things, more I cannot say. -
DF's mind perks up "Did you hear that?" DF asked as he frantically searched around.
"Hear what? More voices? No, I can't say that I have" Talos responded and started laughing as DF looked like an idiot.
"Someone...familiar. Not very familiar but it is a voice from a time ago" DF said as he followed the mind trail left to him by his unseen friend.
The night was cold, he remembered that. He seemed to be the youngest of all the rest. A mere child with the power of an adult. His power couldn't stop what would happen next. A dark energy was pouring from one of the members as a huge argument ensued with the rest of the group. DF stayed out of it but he knew that a dark force was going to erupt soon as he watched the nine's power start to waver. A friend of his, a bit older, about average age of the group, was with him. A friend in the practices. DF's magic was similar to the power of evil that was permeating the council but not exactly alike. There was one member who left the council, knowing what would take place. Another had risen to take his spot.
A flash and another memory surfaced.A bit older, DF was finding more and more wrong with the world around him. The nine9 was a whole but with the new member. The one who left was no longer in touch, he had escaped somewhere else, but appearantly trained the one to take his spot. DF wasn't as strong as any of the nine but his power was greater than many others in the land and it did allow for him to see it was going on. The council met again that time. Dethelon spoke in a booming voice about the more apparent shifts. The coucil of life was being destroyed in a bloody coupe! DF felt the power being used and knew it before the rest did, or seemed to notice. He kept it to hiself hoping it was only a bad feeling. The more he spoke, the more DF noticed a higher member starting to fade off. Avatara!! No wait, Avatara wasn't his name then, he had a different name. What could it have been? DF couldn't recall. He didn't fade away, no, that would have been too easy. Instead he stopped paying attention. DF noted this for later times.
Another flash, another memory.
Dethelon was the traitor. His best friend Lerdarion, of the third element, the path of nature, was aware of this and aware of DF's power. He taught DF with all the skill he could but DF wasn't able to handle it. Soon after, DF's power took control and he destroyed Lerdarion in a fit of rage that was induced by the powers inside by accident. The energy was then absorbed and DF was able to cast some elemental spells. The fires of rage then burned the castle nearby, everyone started blaming the strange things going on at the Temple of Life. Dethelon then made a move and killed another one of the nine, angry that his friend was killed. DF couldn't remember his name, but only a number. The fourth element, the path of earth, was slain. Dethelon trapped both the bodies of the slain nine in horrifying beasts that started slaughtering people at night for power. Their tortured souls were twisted into a mockery of what they had become. Dethelon, the seventh element, the path of air, was becoming more powerful than he normally should have.
Flash, the memories were coming faster.
Avatara, standing by a gate of fire as DF watched from a hiding space nearby. The guards were surely going to catch him before he made it. DF cast a dark spell that Avatara wouldn't notice and the guards became slower, more sluggish. His magic didn't work on Dethelon but he was too far away and Avatara's power was too much the opposite of his to matter. He went through the gate but the gate wouldn't close fast enough. Working fast, DF sealed the portal by destroying the artifact it was made of and unwaringly saved Avatara's life by destroying it with a fire blast that would seem part of the spell Avatara had left behind. What was Avatara's name then?
Flash.
Dethelon was chasing him through the fields, his friends all hidden.
Flash.
A similar portal opening nearby.
Flash.
Explosions all around as he passed through the gates. Dethelon was desperate to catch and kill him. Dethelon needed the power, and DF had the power.
Flash.
His mind swimming all around him, DF found a familiar spot and regained his sanity. Lindor followed in case something were to happen. Stretching out with his power, Lindor found something.
"DF, I found something here. Looks like a gate of some sort. Want me to break the seal?" Lindor asked as he started to charge up a dark spell
"No, your blasts won't work. This is sealed from both sides. He will recognize my signature and will open his side too." DF said as he got himself ready. Then DF thought, If I destroyed that gate, the only way into this world would be through the void. DF shook that thought away. He knew Avatara would be angry that DF left Avatara's path wide open, so he had kept the gate artifact hidden all these years with a wizard's web.
His body then began to glow and his clothes changed shape. The robe of Avatara!! This one was a grey version though. The spell used was unfamiliar to Lindor and he watched with amazement when DF's power hit the gate and it appeared in the visual spectrum. The gate was completely grey at first but soon after it changed to a half red-half grey gate. Then red energy poured out as the gate shattered. DF's power was overwhelming it but he stopped attacking. The red power stopped as well. Out came another cloaked figure. He was dressed in red.
"Tycho, it has been some time" DF said as he approached him.
The two glows, DF's grey glow and Tycho's red, combined as they closed in on one another.
"The power of the council will never be the same. Dethelon has made sure of that." Tycho responded. "Even if Avatara succeeds in his trial yet to come, it won't be restored to its former glory. Just a shadow of what it once was."
"Are the others still safe?"
"From what I could tell, Avatara is back in action, but is in peril. The other 4 are fine. Four left besides Avatara? Who else had died? We will have to find them but they can be great help if they are found. However, we might need someone skilled in dimensional travel, I remember that they each fled to someplace different to avoid all of them being caught."
With some effort, Tycho set out a power unseen before by Lindor.
"Heh, I forgot about this. Wait! Send us to the spot where my friend Talos is." DF said as he projected a mental image to Tycho.
ALl of a sudden, a massive fireball was headed straight for Talos.
"Aw, hell" Talos cried as he put up a magic shield he learned from Avatara. Surprisingly enough, DF, Lindor, and a strange person emerged from the fireball a few feet away from him.
"HAHAHA!! You should have seen the look on your face" Lindor shouted as he fell down and rolled around with laughter
"This is a new ally, he will help us find the help we need" DF told Talos as Talos walked over to where Lindor was and kicked him.------------------
(This message has been edited by Avatara (edited 12-28-2001).)
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Suddenly, a sound can be heard from the nearby bushes.
Rogan, who has been a little dull the past hours, put his right hand to his sword and said to the others: "What was that?""It's coming from over there" said Avatara and pointed at the bushes.
Another sound, but no movement.
DF drew his iceblade and Rogan unsheathed his sword. Grapper approached the bushes with an alert eye and one hand on his sword.
When Grapper was about a pace from the bushes, a figure leaped out of them and attacked him. Rogan and DF jumped a few steps backwards as Grapper fell to the ground with the person on top of him, holding a dagger.
Quickly, Lindor put his sword to the man's throat and everything was silent. "Who are you?" yelled Lindor. When the man raised his head, Rogan recognised him as an old friend, Lukyan...
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Horses...dangerous in both ends and uncomfortable in the middle -
"Do you know this man?" Lindor asked Rogan, seeing a hint of recognition flash accros Rogan's face. "Do I let him rise, or make his body fall?"
(This message has been edited by Avatara (edited 12-28-2001).)
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"Remove your weapon immediately" Rogan responded.
The man on the ground smiled a somewhat confused smile.
"This is Lukyan, commander of the independent force known as the Seventh Legion" continued Rogan, "and a good friend of mine. I'm surprised Kestrel does not recognize him? He's cooperating with the Gelian Independent Force (see character info) many times"
Lindor removed his sword and helpen Lykyan get on his feet. Grapper got up and removed the dirt from his clothes."Please, accept my apologies" Lukyan said, "I have been chased by demons a long time, and I am a little jumpy" He held his hand out.
Grapper shook his hand and they both nodded and smiled. "No hard feelings" Grapper responded."So...what are you up to?" Lukyan asked curiously.
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Horses...dangerous in both ends and uncomfortable in the middle(This message has been edited by Avatara (edited 12-28-2001).)
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Avatara stirred, the blackness around him was spiraling, making him dizzy. He wanted to lapse into the black void threatening to swallow him up, but something inside warned him. The world seemed to tilt, and Avatara felt like releasing his lunch. He couldn't remember how long he had been here, but the nausiating stench was almost unbearable. Darkness nibbled at the corners of Avatara's vision, and he relented as he plunged into the void and lost hold of consciousness...
He saw him coming toward him. The day was like any other, the sun gleaming down in warm rays. His best friend was walking with them, they were in the mountains to the north, seeking the guardians of life. They were discussing something, it was a relaxing talk, a nice break from the chaos of politics back at the temple. The temple shone, its dull purple stones glowing slightly in the distance behind them. The hill they were on was lush, green, and grassy. A wood began down below, and stretched toward the massive snow-topped peaks in the distance. The air was buzzing with life, as they had left the valley of the temple. Recently the life there had been becoming more strenuous, and it was starting to lose the balance that had been in place for the last 239 years.
His friend, of the second element, was discussing the life he dreamed of ahead. He had fallen in love with one of the female guardians of life, and was thinking of nothing else these days. Avatara had teased him about his fortune, and they had shared relatively good times then, when they could escape the temple. It had started to seem like a prison to Avatara back then, with the increasing threat that was plaguing the land. Avatara had...no wait, Avatara had a different name back then. What was it? Avatara was the name he chose when he came into Cythera, in the middle of the night.
The memory started to fade, replaced by a different one. This one was from long ago, before Avatara had become one of the nine, before his gift had been discovered and trained. No, Avatara didn't fit, it sounded rather crude among the life then. (i)What was I called? He had been a ranger, travelling the woods with friends like him who liked the quiet paths of nature. They had helped visitors through the woods and always helped maintain the balance of life then. It was some 300 years ago, the time when they stumbled across the rare Silverthorn plant. A plant with magical healing properties.
Suddenly a voice drifted to him as the vison faded, it was a female's voice. He strained to remember who it was, until he remembered. It was the leader of the guardians of life. She had found him, and brought him to the temple when he was rather young. He was to be a ranger no more, though he could always retain what he had learned and gained from that experience. The voice was whispering a name...his name.
Avatara woke with a jolt, seeing the cavern around him. The journey into this world had fragmented his memory, so the past was slightly unclear. But he remembered. He whispered the word out loud, treasuring its importance.
"Paithan"
Suddenly his memory was sliding back into place, images and scenes flashed before his eyes. As he would start to recognize one, it would fade away, to be replaced by another.
Hours later, he remembered everything. Everything he had been taught, everything he had been through. Somehow his memory had been restored, and now he knew the task he had to accomplish. He had to free his people from the tyranny occuring now, but he knew he wasn't strong enough yet. He needed to study more, so he would be ready. The treasure he was seeking contained a magical object of importance, something that would be useful in the future. Most of all, he needed friends to accomplish it.
He had gotten them into this, now he had to see this through, with them. With renewed resolve, he concentrated. The spell the spiders had placed, the illusion that made him feel like his magic was gone, no longer had an effect. Avatara had broken the illusion, power flowed into him and refreshed him.
Avatara focused a ball of energy to appear in his hands, the web around them melted and withered away. With his hands free, the rest soon became free of the webbing. A massive spider was nearby, appearing to be asleep. Avatara held out his hands and touched the spider's skin. It was dreaming of Avatara's death, how it would kill and eat him. Avatara smiled, then changed it to a scowl. The spider never knew what had come, Avatara's hands had melted it with their touch. "The path of fire" meant more than most people believed it intended.
The spider dead, the smell of burning flesh a welcome relief to the stench of the spider, Avatara continued on. He picked up his sword, and welding it began his journey through the cave.
The fresh air of the night welcomed him. He stood on the ledge leading down into the valley below, the cave behind him. He remembered his friends had been captured there, all the signs pointing to it, but his gut told him otherwise. DF had probably come, he felt a feeling of relief and safeness radiating off his friends, some distance away. Yes, DF would take care of them, he trusted DF. Though DF didn't know it, Avatara remembered DF from his world, working as part of a secret group that worked in the castle. The group was the eyes and ears of the temple, in a sort. Avatara wondered if DF remembered, but he would leave that to DF. He had a treasure to find, and friends to rejoin.
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"I'm a controversial figure. My friends either dislike me or hate me."(This message has been edited by Avatara (edited 12-28-2001).)
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With the original group- Talos, Lindor, and Rogan finally gathered by the assist from Tycho, Tycho left to find Avatara. Not known to DF was the original name of Avatara and Tycho was refusing to let DF know. DF remembered little from the times. His memory was clogged ever since he trasported from this realm to the other. In the other he appeared as a young man and was taken under tutalage by a formidable warrior. He learned the ways of the sword. His dark power revealed in a sparring match with the warrior which left the warrior dead and the area around it destroyed. DF took his name from the animal he thought of himself as and the place he longed to be. I am a later. Of the 8th area. Shadow. Yes, shadow.
DF's thoughts were his own but he couldn't remember the past that was lost to him. Time warped it and it was only coming back in fragments. The group, assembled at the bottom of the base, was about to go in and find something. DF felt Avatara was safe but also sensed a powerful object inside that needed to be collected. The group around him and ready to go, the charged the gates...
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(This message has been edited by Avatara (edited 12-28-2001).)
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With his sword, Lindor sliced the door in two and left it burning on the ground. The Flamesword was working perfectly despite a while of disuse. The small fort was bigger on the inside than the outside walls gave it credit. What was not expected was a group of mongrol dogs in the area. The dogs were apparently guardian dogs which had laid waste to the place. The previous keeper of the dogs was now several small piles of bloodstained bones. The gory scene was almost enough to make Talos puke and the smell only enhanced that idea. The reason it was not done was the the dogs decided to try for another meal that day. There were 20 in all. The furious mess almost took the group off guard as DF and Talos were bit even before they drew their weapons. Lindor was lucky he had a full set of armor because the dogs seemed to bite him more than the others. With a spell, 7 of the small beasts were set on fire and yelped louder than ever. They were the lucky ones. DF and Talos, already mad at the damn things, charged the main contingent of the animals and slashed through. It was almost pathetic. The dogs couldn't even defend themselves before being sliced into two halves. Lindor used his sword and stabbed the dogs that went after him. The distincly different styles left an interesting, if not gory scene in the end. The group continued on down the hall, Talos taking front and Lindor behind, checking every room for any bit of content they could find. Most of them were barren. Some were obviously torture rooms by the positioning of the decaying muscles and bones. The nauseating sights made anybody want to hurl but they didn't because there was no time for it. A few interesting rings were found, none that could be used for any realistic purpose. They found a Ring of Pain which would hurt the wearer as much as they hurt others, a torture ring which tightened every time the muscle relaxed, a Dark Ring which shattered a person's mind if worn. Though useless for himself, Rogan collected every one. They then entered a room in which a single wizard sat
"I have been expecting you, Talos" the wizard started.
Talos looked incrediously at the aging man.
"Oh, don't be surprized. I know you far greater than you should know. I must do something that I have been anticipating for years and then you will see why I know you" the wizard said as he stood up.
"....." the wizard opened his eyes and cast a spell on Talos. The energy was being sapped from his body to create a shield which protected the wizard from the others.
"Get it out, get it out, get it out, get it out" DF screamed as he fell to the ground
Lindor, seeing Talos writhe in agony and DF fall to the ground, could not bear to see more. He swung his mighty sword against the shield but it held fast. Then electric bolts shot up at Lindor and shot him back at the wall behind him. As Lindor crupled to the floor, Talos found energy that wasn't being stolen and lunged at his enemy.
The sword pierced through the energy shield. Though the wizard was controlling it, it was Talos's energy and he had final say on what it did.
"Now you see .. how I know you...I have anticipated this moment...used my mentality...and found you are the one...you have just..given..away..you.r..fri..end.."
The wizard slumped over as the group tried to figure it out. Then DF went mad.
"Noooo, it can't be." DF screamed as he clutched his head "His presence..I felt it... I feel it. He is sending the location to his master."
DF got up and ran, headfirst, into the brick wall. He passed out and fell to the floor
"What a moron." Lindor said "What the hell did he mean by location?"
"Let's ask him" Rogan said as he cast a spell
The freezing blast was felt across the room where Lindor was starting to stand up. DF also woke with a start and jumped from his spot
"Avatara is not here. But he is in danger. He used Talos to access my power and found Avatara. Damn. We gotta hurry here. We must find it. It is all we need to combat him. We need the object and to give it to him to be able to go back" DF said
As they filed out of the room, they walked into another trap. Goblins, a horde of them, had surrounded the group's location.
"Whoever this guy is, he just doesn't like us" Rogan said as everyone readied themselves for combat again.------------------
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They finally figured out why all these strange enemies appeared here. This was a dark barracks. The goblins lived and trained here. Not quite enough though. Lindor's sword flashed through enemies with ease, setting them ablaze as well as killing them. Talos was making mincemeat out of the ones he faces. His sword flashed with a speed only possible by a master swordsman like himself. The many enemies that were facing him were being slashed befoer they even realized that they were up. Rogan stabbed the occasional goblin that reached him but focused more on elemental spells as he cast a fireball, turned around and cast a acidic spray. The acidic spray was a spell learned from one of his scrolls. It was an earthly-air spell which the air around the target became acidic and did severe damage. This spell melted armour, killed enemies, made their weapons useless, and scared the hell out of the ones surrounding them. It had a side effect though a really small one. The warriors dare not tread on that ground for a while in fear of spreading the effects to themselves. After 15 minutes of hack and slash the real reason behind the goblins attacking became apparent. There were 8 mages behind them controlling their every action. Rogan was the first to notice this and set out to destroy them from afar. He summoned lightning and combined it with fire. The resulting spell would zap the enemy, hopefully paralyzing them, and set them ablaze. The spell was a strong one too. Rogan made sure to put enough energy forth so that one or two of them blocking would not even phase it. Imagine his surprize when the blast imploded under a powerful defensive spell.
By this time, Lindor was getting tired of killing goblins. The kept coming so he started using his sword as a staff and focusing his spells in the tip. Dark energy poured from the tip every time he slashed his blade. Most times it would leave a dark trail of energy that would stop when it slashed into a person, greatly improving Lindor's range. If a goblin was unfortuanant enough to get hit, the dark energy would seep into his body, causing either the body to explode or to shrivel up into an impossibly small flesh ball. Both results were ghastly but they were what Lindor decided to do. Every once in a while he would cast a larger spell that would trap a group of goblins inside of it and shrink until the pressure collapsed each of their bodies into one another. Witnessing this made almost everyone there want to vomit. Such horrific sights had not been seen by anybody. Anybody, that is, except for DF. His experience unlocking his power in the other realm was not pretty. He had little control over it. It seeped into each of the members of the barracks and killed several. The swordsman who took him in collapsed into almost nothing before exploding. The mess would have been a pain to clean if there was one. The hellish power then destroyed the building and set the town around it ablaze. The power DF had was too much for any of the guards to handle and they each fell, despite DF trying to control it. He was the only one to walk away. Nobody ever knew but him. The sights were enough to overtake his mind then but since he was able to block them out. Now the sights were here but the mental fortitude was as well.
Luckily Talos didn't see most of the carnage done by Lindor. The spells only took place in a different area but that was so far out of Talos's concern tat it only caused a little nausea. It in no way slowed him down though. His sword flashed through enemy after enemy. Only pausing to slice through a blade that was coming at Talos or to block a spell from a mage in the back. This can't be thought Talos Too many. Way too many. Can't keep this pace forever.
Spell after spell blocked by the mages. Rogan's power wasn't working. Of course, there was the factor to take in. More and more discord along the goblins. More hesitation meaning less cuts to his allies. His attacks were breaking the spell on the goblins. They were fighting only because they were being told to fight. Another spell and another left his hands. He would do all he could to help his allies.
Can't take it anymore DF thought, his mind panicing Can't let this continue
DF stopped his slash and freeze approach and was almost swarmed by the enemy. Then the enemies around him dropped dead. DF had a dark aura around him. With a spell of his own, he broke the spell the wizards had on the goblins. Rogan had weakened the link but DF cut it off at the Goblins instead of trying for the wizards. Then he set another spell which dropped all the goblins to a deep sleep. All of a sudden it was a face off between the wizards and the group
"Who dares challenge us?" one of them called to the group "We are 8 of the 9 that oversee this realm" the one in the center said as the wizards got closer to one another
"Imposters. Must have been trying to replace the old council." DF sneered back at them "You did a fine job. Plunged this world into darkness, purged the good from the land, stole all the treasures from its people. Overseers my as$. You are nothing"
"You little bastard. How dare you say such things to us. There is no way you can beat us so why do you still stand up?"
"No way in hell you are getting out alive. This world is dead under you." Rogan called out from the back
"Twits, all of you. Begone" the wizard shouted as the wizard group cast a spell
Lindor and DF cast a shield which Rogan greatly strengthened. The shield held for a bit but soon buckled under the power of the spell. Talos jumped out of the way as DF took the full force of the blast. It was only a second but it blasted DF into the wall behind them, 10 feet back. Talos quickly jumped forward, sword extended hoping to stab through one of the wizards. Before the sword could even nick the wizard, they all cast a spell which sent Talos flying back. Rogan quickly cast a spell which caught Talos and spared him an angonizing fatal fall.
"They are too powerful. We must retreat" Rogan called out as he backed away with Talos and Lindor.
"Go on. I will hold them off for a time. Find Avatara. He is the only one who can stop them" DF said as he limped forward
"What?" Rogan cried out, exasperated
"No, don't talk, just go. Let me borrow something though" DF asked as he flipped a blade out of Rogan's dagger belt
"Try to return this one. I liked the ice dagger you lost" Rogan said
"Heh, I will try" Df said as he watched the others leave.
"Fool, you will die" The head wizard said as they charged another spell
"Not without one of you" Df said as he let the blade fly
The blade was the dagger of virtue. Dark spells cannot hold it back. It struck down one of the wizards but the spell was then cast.Outside, Avatara saw the wall crumble on the second floor and a person ejected by a dark energy wave...
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Avatara was watching the path ahead, as it curved right through the woods and headed underground. A blue glow was emenating from ahead. The ice caverns Avatara thought. He rounded the corner to see what lay ahead...
The path went under the mountain in front into a round cave with walls spread open in an expanse about the size of a small building. The light gray walls, ceiling, and floor had tiny intricate patters of slightly darker gray weaving among the lighter making extraordinary designs. No design was repeated, or even mimiced, twice. Big, blue crystals protruded from the wall and floor, ranging from the size of the little finger on a child to the size of a full grown adult. These were scattered seemingly randomly, but in a pattern of their own, and left a path through the center. The ceiling was covered in a layer of dark indigo crystals, that seemed to shine with their own light, the cause of the dark blue glow. The dying rays of sunlight reflected off the crystals in the cave, causing beautiful sparkling colors to greet the visitor. The whole sight was breathtaking.
Avatara was disturbed from his thoughts by a minor explosion somewhere behind him and to his left. Glancing back, he could see black voids, and a wall tumbling away. Somebody was using magic of the underworld, not a good sign. Avatara shrugged, and turned back to the spectacular sight of the crystals. They seemed to be drawing him in, promising him beauty if he would just stay there for the rest of his life. It was a tempting offer. Avatara stepped closer, the sight only seemed to grow more beautiful, more entrapping, more...tempting...
Avatara finally gave in, as the conflict in his mind was lost. He walked closer, and touched one of the crystals. It felt smooth, and had a nice cool feeling. It seemed to twinkle in delight. Avatara frowned and turned away, something wasn't right. But this was a place of beauty. Something in the back of his mind was yelling at him about danger, but he was ignoring it. He reached out again to the big crystal in front of him. It seemed to glow when he touched it, blocking out all sights, and relaxing his memory.
This was paradise...
Suddenly, Avatara snatched back his hand. Something was wrong, something was terribly wrong. In an instant realized that a spell had been cast, to entrap others. The light gray on the walls themselves were sparkling because they were the crystalized bones of others who had been here. In the split second after he jerked his hand back, he understood what was wrong, and set up defenses to block it. The crystal in front of him cracked, revealing a dark wicked claw protruding from where Avatara had just removed his hand. A furry white arm yanked its hand out, and swong it toward Avatara. A face resembling a bear on a white hairy body snarled. Avatara ducked under the claw and drew his sword, a ring of steel echoing around the caverns announcing its arrival.
The arm came for him again, followed by viscious teeth and the other wickedly clawed arm. Avatara backed away from the first, than lunged with his sword. The steel smoothly slit into a puncture in the beast's fur around its heart, and the fur turning red around the spot announced a hit. Surprisingly, the beast didn't seem to notice, and flung its full weight on Avatara, knocking him to the ground. The hilt of the sword, still in the beast, crashed into Avatara, knocking the wind out of him. Avatara shifted his right arm and a dagger shot from the sleeve, slashing a nasty cut on the beast's shoulder. The creature seemed oblivious to pain. It snarled and twisted, driving the hilt further into Avatara with pain. He gasped for breath, but it was impossible to breathe with the creature on him. A sudden panic arose in Avatara, but he fought to keep it down. Instead of giving into the pain, he tried to find the quiet center of his being. The beast raised a claw, and slashed it across Avatara's left arm, making a deep gash that revealed the bone. Avatara ignored the searing pain, and tried to concentrate.
In the calm center, Avatara had all the time he needed. Time in the world around was of no matter. Avatara focused on his power, his inner being, and let it swirl around him, comforting him. With newfound resolve, Avatara bit back the pain and gripped the beast's arms with his hands. The beast snarled and growled in Avatara's face as it struggled to free itself. Avatara almost hurled, but tried to concentrate. The beast wanted to kill him, that wouldn't happen. Avatara unleashed the fury bottling up inside him, a screaming beast rolled back, its arms now a molten puddle that stank of burning flesh. Avatara glared at the howling creature, and let go of an inferno inside him. The walls themselves seemed to melt in the intense heat, and many crystals were turned into a big puddle around the trail. Other crystals shattered, flowing chips of rock and stone everywhere. The beast lay in a puddle of blood, ash, and liquid flesh, internal organs charred and lying in the blackened spot on the floor.
Avatara lost control of himself, and let his lunch free at the gruesome sight. When it was over, he gripped his left arm, and focused, attempting to heal it enough to get out of there. Now in contact with his power, Avatara sensed something was terribly amiss. He guessed it had to do with the cave and these beasts that inhabited it, so he gathered his untouched sword from the remains of the beast and continued on through the cave. The crystals changed to icecles and the blue glow became lighter. Appearantly, no creature dared to challenge Avatara after that, as he continued into the depths of the ice cavern.
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"I'm a controversial figure. My friends either dislike me or hate me." -
DF landed far from the fortress. His body was quite badly burnt, bruised and cut. The landing did not make it too easy either. The branches tore his clothing, which slightly fused to his skin due to the energy used on him. Still, he was alive and could move and that is what mattered. Now he was on his own, again. Alone...lost...in a place where he had few freinds. Heh, guess life is a giant circle DF thought as he picked himself up and started out his hunt for the others.
Rogan, Talos, and Lindor were not quite out of the woods yet. They reached the entrance to the fort as an amazing blast was heard above them. It was extremely loud which meant some powerful energy had just been released.
"Cut open the door already, I don't feel like getting in the way of whatever the hell that was" Rogan growled at Lindor
"Wait, what about DF? We are just going to leave him?" Lindor growled back.
It was all Talos could do to keep Lindor from charging back up the stairs.
"DF is either out of his by his own way or the blast disintigrated him. We need to get out. That is all that matters now" Talos said, trying to sooth Lindor's temper
"It still stinks. Having to leave him." Lindor said as he reluctantly pulled out his sword
"Always does and always will. I will hit the top hinge with a spell. Talos, you hit the bottom. Lindor, your sword should easily slice through the door itself" Rogan said, taking command.
At that moment, two of the mages appeared and tried to stop them. It was too late. The door was in pieces and the 3 easily escaped into the night.Upstairs, in the now wall less room, 4 wizards stood
"4 is dead. The dagger cannot be touched. 3 tried to and he is right now paralyzed"
"Did 5 and 7 get the infidels?"
"No, they escaped before they could be caught."
"Damn. What is that dagger? It cannot hold such power and exist at the same time without being a godly weapon"
"A dagger of virtue. Our powers are compromised and even turned back when faced by it. 4 is gone and we cannot retrieve his body. That is what happened here"
"What about the other one? He is dead, right?"
"No, his energy is still strong. I think that is the one our leader has been looking for for this long time"
"Grey robe, dark power, resistance to our spell. Seems to be like what we are looking for"
"You tell him, I am going to write it down. We must never forget the present in case it were to repeat itself"
"Right"------------------
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As they continued on through the forest in the night, Talos stumbled upon an entrance to a cave. On is not quite the proper word, more like he fell into the cave. Seeing as Talos was already down there, Rogan and Lindor decided to follow that path, they might just find what they had been looking for all this time.
A half hour later it was decided that they were on the right trail. Each was freezing his @ss off from the cold in the cave and each were half blind and grumpy trying to go through.
"Whose smart idea was it to go down here?" Rogan asked for about the 15th time
"I believe it was you" Talos finally said, getting fed up with Rogan's complaining
"I don't know about you guys but I am cold as heck down here" Lindor said and with that, he drew the Flamesword.
The effect it had was to be expected from fire, it gave off some slight heat and shone a little light in the cave. Since it was a sword, though, it wasn't all too powerful.
"You sick of the dark Rogan? Why not light this here stake so we can see and maybe not freeze" Talos said in a slightly mocking tone
"You had some wood this entire time and you didn't alert me?" Rogan said, his anger steadily rising as he approached Talos
"You didn't ask. I just remembered I had it anyways" Talos fired back, getting annoyed by Rogan
They heard laughter but couldn't place it.
"Why do I hear laughing?" Talos asked with obvious concern
"Maybe somebody is, oh I don't know, laughing?" Rogan mocked and chuckled afterwards
Lindor and Talos looked at him flatly
"Just light the damn thing so we can get on" Talos said, starting to get angry
"Yes, mother. Geez, can't even take a simple joke" Rogan complained as he summoned the fire god to grant him the flame spell. The fire shot from his hands and into the stake. It was obvious that the stake was meant to be lit by how the flame stayed at the top, away from Talos's hand.
After lighting the stake, they wish they hadn't. A huge ice beast had also seen the light and came lumbering after them
"What the hell is that thing?" Lindor asked as he positioned his sword between him and the beast
"Ugly" came Talos's responce
"And quite stupid" Rogan added with a chuckle
Despite its immense size, the beast was quick on its feet. It jumped all around them making them work hard to actually hit him. When they did, it reared back and knocked the warrior that did make the hit him to the wall far beyond the group.
Lindor was the first to experience this pain as he was sent flying right after the start of the battle. His sword left his hands halfway through but luckily the armour took the brunt of the blow. It still hurt. He got up and noticed that the beast was on fire. heh, stupid bastard Lindor thought as he got up and found his sword.
Rogan found out quickly that ice spells had no effect whatsoever on the beast. The fire on its fur soon went out after two attempts. He thought of using a fire spell but instead decided to hit it with lightning. The lightning left his hands and jumped into the beast, shocking it and dropping it to the ground. Rogan charged up another shot but he never got it ready. The beast quickly leapt up and smacked Rogan across the room.
Talos had the fire and the visibility. He also had one of his swords drawn. With his enhanced visibility and his sword, and the beast being distracted by Rogan, Talos plunged the blade deep into the beast's skin. The wail was loud enough to wake the dead. It knocked Talos off his back and Talos dropped the fire, opting instead to save the sword.
With that, the beast grabbed the stick and ran off.
"Damn thing" Rogan said as he got up and rubbed his back
"I guess it is back to normal" Lindor added as he used the light from his sword to gather the rest of them.
"Got any more sticks so we can attract even more ugly monsters?" Rogan asked with a sly grin.
"Shut up" came Talos's responce.------------------
Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes.
That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile way and you have their shoes.(This message has been edited by Desert Fox (edited 04-23-2001).)
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Avatara had heard bickering within the group and even a few minor skirmishes here and there but this was one to top it off. It was always so funny when the others got on each other's nerves. DF even got irritated but he was far less suseptible than these clowns. He was in a different part of the cave when one fell in. Must be Talos thought Avatara That line of curses is his own personal trademark. How they stumbled on the trail so near me is a puzzle though..
Soon after the other two So it was DF that was knocked out of the tower. Heh, stubborn fool quite a lot of the time Avatara thought as he suppressed a laugh.
His extreme mental power gave him more insight on the conversation on the other part of the cave. The mentality was enough so that he heard the entire conversation. Rogan and Talos. Get those two in a room for several hours with absolutly nothing and they will find something, or lack of, to fight over. Avatara thought and could not contain the laugh that he was holding inside. The conversation shifted. Worries were pouring from a couple. Can't tell which two. Damn, my cover is blown Avatara cursed himself for letting out that sign of amusement. It was his one weakness. He found the arguments of normal men and women to be some of the funniest things around and laughter can be the most powerful tool, either to the joketeller or the victim.
Moods shifted as he heard them try to get a light going. Avatara was lucky. He had an inner light which he released to show him a path. This way he could see and the wall prevented the others from discovering him. When the light was finally set, though, the mood shifted from jubilation to abject terror. A beast appeared when it sensed the light they had. A minor skirmish in which they were tossed to the walls repeatedly or is it just once for each? and the battle was over. The slight cry of pain from the beast or whatever it might be let Avatara know that they were alright but again in the dark. They soon after continued without the light that they had. Avatara had no worries about meeting this creature only becasue he could destroy it if needed.
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...
It had been 12 hours since Avatara first noticed the others shifting through the cave. They had stopped for they found a warm spot in the cave and decided to camp out. They would take 4 hour shifts so that they could be alerted in case an enemy was to come during sleep.------------------
Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes.
That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.(This message has been edited by Avatara (edited 12-28-2001).)
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(Am I still by that bush?I sort of forgot were I was.)
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While Talos was on guard duty, he sees a mysterious migure come closer...closer, until Talos attacked it. "Hey! What's the big deal!" the figure says. It lights a torch, and Talos sees the heavy cloak of Ferazel. "Oops, " Talos says. "Sorry, something else came up, and I had to go back to LKH." Ferazel says. Then, Ferazel takes out his belongings, puts out his torch, and goes to sleep with the others.
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Quote ViaVoice, "Hal Cohen help build Satam sand scratch a flat surface scratches that some scratch that scratches that scratch facts scratcher wraked this scratched tax costs tax this. " Is this ViaVoiceian?(This message has been edited by Avatara (edited 04-29-2001).)
(This message has been edited by ferazel_09 (edited 04-30-2001).)
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Um, Avatara is not with the group, he is nearby watching.
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Before criticize someone you, walk a mile in their shoes you should.
That way, criticize them when you, a mile way you are and have their shoes you do. -
Meanwhile, fifteen leagues away, two opposing armies sat oppositte of the grand valley, staring at each other like the mountains with their grim rocky expressions. The valley seemed split in half, each side mimicking the army that sat battleready and silent.
To the south, the armies of undead stood. Horrific abominations of the likes the land had never seen before, their rotting and stinking corpses held together by the forces of only the most devout necromancy the world had seen in shock. Their touch of death had withered the land and poisined the rivers, which ran red with their fluids as they sat beneath the water of town and villages, rendering it undrinkable. Row upon row of the plunder of the deepest crypts to the robbed loot of the grave waited, grasping their worn axes and sharpened spears in withered fingers.
To the north, a single legion of but the bravest souls. The only men in history to have faced the darkness of the undead that had now befouled the island of Cythera. The Last Legion of Tarant. They grimaced. Shattered men from a shattered nation, a once glorious and grand empire that had been leveled by that same army of undead.
And now they were set to level Cythera. No. The Legion was not to allow the fragile land of Cythera to fall, they did not want it's people to experience the horrific deaths the dwellers of Tarant had, only to be reanimated to forcefully join the armies of the undead.
The General stood stalawart in the front of the battle line, holding his war pole like a weapon. The blue and gold flags of the legion wandered lazily accross the cool, slow marsh air.
There was a hobbile shriek from the droves of the undead, a kind of shriek that would curl your hair and turn your blood into cheese.
And the two armies were upon each other.
