A Regnum Tale: Exiles [Archive] - Champions of Regnum

Immune

08-19-2010, 05:00 PM

An Almost Ending

Iris ran through the desert sands as fast as she could with an injured leg. An unsightly arrow protruded from her left thigh, rich elven blood steadily rushing out of the wound it had produced. The black arrow was clearly of ignean making, being made from the wood of the dead and blackened trees scattered throughout Ignis. The pain she felt wasn't so unbearable as it was when it first penetrated her flesh, but the arrow itself was still hindering her movement; Which was still considerably swift for someone with an arrow through the leg… just one of the benefits of receiving training as a hunter. The swamp was just a little further southeast, if she could only make it there… she might be safe.

Iris tried to listen for footsteps behind her with her fine pointed ears. Her hearing was top-notch, which had saved her life on multiple occasions... but she couldn't concentrate with the throbbing pain in her leg distracting her. She thought about looking back.
'You shouldn't.' her mind told her immediately by instinct.
She knew her instinct was right of course, it had never failed her yet. She didn't always listen to it however, and had to know just how safe... or unsafe... she was. So Iris forced herself to ignore her better judgment and glanced behind her... turning out to be a bad idea really. She lost her footing (not that loose sand gives much grip in the first place) and of all the rotten luck, she tripped and her head struck a fairly sizable rock partially buried in the sand.

Dark red blood immediately began to taint some of her short golden hair along with the surrounding sand. As if that wasn't bad enough, the arrow shaft broke upon falling and the arrowhead would be even more difficult to remove safely now. But, that matter would hold little importance until she escaped her current situation.
"...such an idiot" she grunted to herself, enduring a new wave of pain.

She pushed herself hurriedly onto her side and looked around. With her vision beginning to blur now, all she could make out was the silhouette of a robed figure moving towards her.
'Three archers... turned into one mage? Ugh--' It didn't matter now though. She couldn't get up. Which would pretty well make running away out of the question, much less fighting. If it was an enemy (which was almost certain), chances were these moments would be her last.

She thought frantically, desperately trying to devise a plan of escape. The hot desert sun was draining her of any remaining strength however, and intense thinking only made the stabbing pain induced by the fresh gash on her forehead even worse. It came to the point where she simply had to lay her aching head back down in the warm sand, which with increasing likelihood seemed would become her grave.
"...done for." Iris whispered in a tone of resignation... and abandoning any hope of getting away this time, she shut her eyes and let herself slip into unconsciousness.
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Life Changing Coincidences

Ahno's silver hair sat in a small ponytail at the back of his head, with strands hanging in his face; The mild sandstorm almost seemed to ignore him, leaving the man untouched. He stood and watched from a small distance east of Samal as a few archers from the Ignean army at the fort chased after something... or someone, to the southeast.
'What are the idiots chasing this time?' was his first thought. There were always numbskulls who felt the urge to run down every single thing that moved. Quite an effective way to get oneself killed. With keen brownish-red eyes he surveyed the unfolding battle between the Igneans and the Alsians. Though he was a dark elf, Ahno was beginning to find it difficult to really care which side was victorious in these repetitive battles; And though he was also a conjurer, he felt content to let them fend for themselves. He was growing weary of this war and all who partook in it. Why couldn't someone just win already?

Upon concluding that it did not really matter to him who controlled Samal, Ahno proceeded to follow the archers and whatever it was that they were chasing. Now, as hypocritical as that probably sounds, he really had nothing better to do, and was willing to risk his life just for some entertainment... not that he was completely defenseless either. Nor did he care so much about whether he died or not, seeing as his existence seemed to have been reduced to aiding in war day-in and day-out. He didn't even remember signing up for that. That could just be the heat though, but he was pretty sure it wasn't.

Anyhow, mages, as everyone knows (or should know), aren't the best runners. He had nearly lost sight of the party when they suddenly stopped and changed course. Not surprising, really... people who chase something so far away from a fort must be easily distracted to begin with; why would they be consistent and chase the same thing when they can start chasing something else halfway through? The pursuit lasted approximately 15 minutes and Ahno was quite honestly worn out; Long-term endurance was not his forte. Thus is true for most mages.

Luckily for Ahno, it looked like whatever the archers had been chasing was laying still now. Well, whether that was actually good or not he'd have to decide once he knew what it was. He could see it sitting in the sand not too far away now. As he got closer, it became clear that it was indeed a girl laying there. Ahno finally encountered something unexpected, realizing it was an elf.
'Now why were you at Samal I wonder...' he thought.

A reasonable query, considering there had been no Syrtian force at Samal. None that Ahno was aware of at least. Which is a good basis to make such an assumption, because he pays quite a bit of attention to his surroundings, true hunter-quality observation skills really. Such a trait was useful for pretty much anyone, and Ahno made the most of it by habit at this point.

Ahno scanned the elven girl with a sliver of interest now. She was still alive it seemed. Breathing tends to be a good sign that you're not dead, in case you're wondering how he could tell.
'Strange... they gave up a kill that was practically theirs.' he grinned in amusement. 'Or they thought that falling over means a person is dead by default.' Some grim humor, he knew, but it was more intended to poke fun at the Igneans who'd been chasing this elf. Whatever the reason was, this girl was lucky. Although she would also be unlucky if she remained untreated.

And then something truly caught his eye. It was her hand... her right arm was outstretched and her palm faced skyward. On that palm Ahno could hardly believe what he saw.
'That can't be...' he was genuinely in wonder. Her palm was marked with a crescent-shaped birthmark. Ahno stared at it for a minute without thought. 'Is that really...'Slowly he lifted his own right hand and studied his palm. His own skin was marked in the exact same fashion as hers was.
'...how?'

Ahno looked around... saw nobody. He turned back to this random girl who had suddenly become of significant importance to him. That mark that they shared...
'No one has ever been able to explain this simple symbol to me.' Ahno contemplated. Of course, some mages had speculated, and supposedly wise men had made up plenty of rubbish; But he didn't buy any of it, he wanted a real answer. This could be his one and only chance to gain insight about... whatever this marking was, or if it even had meaning.

After a little hesitation and some deep contemplation, Ahno knelt down and began to heal her injuries. In a more forgiving climate she probably would have survived anyways, but here... it was not the same. It was a desolate place, torn by war and harsh weather. Such a land claimed every drop of blood that it could, and it had acquired a taste for hers. She was very fortunate, for she would indeed have perished there in just over an hour had Ahno not come to her aid.

As he finished mending the injury on her forehead (which at this point one could guess was to some high degree of severity), Ahno heard something. A footstep or two in the soft sand... an easy noise to miss, but the wind had died down and there was little else to hear. Someone was watching him.

Without a word, Ahno formed an invisible barrier around himself and the elf; Caution was not something you could have too much of most of the time.
He then utilized one of the many uncommon powers a conjurer could learn and created a small snake from the surrounding sand. It hissed softly and then without need of being told what to do, slithered in the direction that Ahno was pretty sure the intruder was. Suddenly it hissed and bit what appeared to be air, producing a yelp... also seeming to originate from the air.

Ahno realized what was going on and kicked quite a lot of sand in the direction of what he was pretty sure was a hunter. The sand flew forwards, as most sand does upon being kicked, but some of it stopped short and stuck in the air, creating the sand form of a man standing there. The not-so-invisible hunter knew full well now that he'd been discovered, and without warning ran off full speed headed east... towards Shaanarid.

Ahno watched in frustration as the unknown identity ran off. He knew enough though, enough to know that soon enough Ignis would become an even more unfriendly place towards him than it already was. Aiding a wounded enemy AND assailing a fellow Ignean is the equivalent of putting a bounty on your own head and then insulting the mother of every bounty hunter in the most despicable bar in Altaruk. Pretty much every crime worked that way, which Ahno believed was just laziness on the part of whoever was assigned the order of significance of each crime.

With metaphor or without though, Ahno knew he'd be in more than just -trouble- if he tried to come back to the inner realm of Ignis, unless he had the head of this girl in his hands perhaps... which he was certainly against. Once word reached the castle, news would spread to just about everyone who lived in the nation and he would be killed on sight like any Syrtian or Alsian. Not that he had a "huge" problem with that... because, contrary to popular belief, a desert is just not a nice place to live.

He looked back down at the girl, still laying there motionless, but alive. He created a small golem, scooped her up off the ground and gently placed her in the arms of the smooth-stone golem. Ahno studied her features for a moment, without purpose this time. Then without a word and without looking back, Ahno began walking towards the relatively nearby swamp, with his golem following close behind, carrying a girl named Iris.

-To Be Continued-

w_larsen

08-19-2010, 05:48 PM

now this is a nice story. or beginning of one for that matter.

Godot

08-19-2010, 06:12 PM

I like it!!
good job!
its about time for somebody from syrtis to make a contribution to the
story vault !!! hint hint gelfies

bois

08-19-2010, 08:21 PM

Very good beginning. I like this. I look forward to more.

Artec

Immune

08-19-2010, 09:46 PM

Thanks guys for the positive feedback! :)

I'm already working on the next part, depending on how long I make it (I make a lot this plot up as I go), it could be done as early as in a few hours; at most it'll come in 2 days.

Klutu

08-20-2010, 03:21 AM

Very Nice Story Immune! - You get a 1+ just for making me read something xD

Dohni

08-20-2010, 03:46 AM

love the writting style and it is a compelling story.... Bravo

SPARTISH

08-20-2010, 04:36 AM

Now this story is one i could read, and in my opinion the best that has been published on the forums.

I like the fact it does not contain real users (at least for now, but i hope it wont), it makes it more enjoyable for me. I guess this way you are able to create certain charactoristicts without real life contradiction and helps my imagination, not to mention your writing skills are well developed =).

It has now become my first subscribed thread, congratulations =).

P.S. How come Dohni has zero posts when he/she has clearly posted on this thread =S.

Ulti19

08-20-2010, 05:42 AM

Posts in the inn section don't count towards your total posts.

On another note cool story :D

Immune

08-20-2010, 07:52 PM

A Destination

Remus strode heavily up the sloped landscape in his blue-tinted metal armor. His deep blue eyes were shifting from place to place, like he couldn't concentrate. He was covered with various scrapes and scratches along with some minor dents in his armor, but all in all he was no worse for the wear. His shield however, would require quite a bit of work to be restored to a state of reliability. He sighed audibly, aiming to relieve some of his stress; On the contrary, it made him feel like falling over and never getting back up.

'Going back with two of the nine who were with me before won't look good.' he thought. Remus had been sent on a sabotage mission with a company of supplied troops on Syrtian soil, but when the operation was long underway the situation had suddenly turned too hot too fast. The details are of little consequence at this point... suffice to say, the mission was a failure and seven loyal Alsian soldiers died in the process, under his command. He was rightfully worried, his was not a Nation which kindly tolerated failure. But he would worry about crossing that bridge when he got to it.

Behind Remus walked a warlock who hadn't spoken a word this whole trip and who's identity was a mystery to everyone, including their employer. Not that his face was hidden... but absolutely no one in Alsius recognized him, and there were no records regarding any part of his existence. All Remus knew was that he was a human with red hair and pale blue eyes, pretty much all that anyone knew about him, other than his status as a warlock.

There was also a Dwarven marksman named Gimli, who's general presence more than made up for the other's silence with his constant upbeat and irrelevant chattering. Maybe he'd had too much to drink to block out the incident he'd somehow managed to survive. This effectively preventing any chance of sweet silence befalling them. Both of them thoroughly bothered Remus for perfectly opposite reasons: one wouldn't talk and Remus didn't even know his name, and the other one wouldn't shut up long enough for him to take a breath in silence.

The knight and his surviving allies from that unfortunate episode were heading east from the northern bridge connecting Syrtis and Ignis, with the simple name of "The White Bridge". The group was heading east-southeast from the bridge, hoping to hit the desert limit dividing the sands of Ignis from the green prairies. The plan was to then follow the divide and reach the swamp by nightfall where they would set up camp; They needed a rest after what they'd been through.

They were also supposed to meet the Alsian detachment at Samal the next morning for a follow-up attack on Herbred fort, and eventually Eferias Castle, both of which were expected to be utterly unprepared. Regrettably, it seemed Remus would be delivering the news that not only was the sabotage a failure, but that now the Elves would be expecting them. Remus ran hand through his short, unkempt, jet black hair and groaned as Gimli continued to talk without provocation. It was slowly numbing his ears.

His mind was somewhere else anyways though, Remus was walking forward without really paying attention to where he was going. He was thinking about a dream he'd had the night before the operation went wrong. It was strange... different, it didn't -feel- like a dream. In it he was confronted with an obscure humanoid figure, and they were standing in the very swamps that his group was heading for now. The figure spoke to him, though it sounded strange... muffled, like it was talking from behind a thin glass wall.
"Seek this place. This... is where your true destiny will begin to unfold." was all that it told Remus before his sleep returned back into... just sleep.
Dreams weren't a common experience for him. Especially ones with a message like the one he had been given in that one. That was actually a first, and he had woken up thoroughly confused.

Not that this was the only reason for going to the swamp to make camp... sleeping out in the open desert was just not a smart idea. It was enemy territory, and they were in no condition to be attacked in their sleep. The swamp provided cover, and was somewhat cooler temperature in the shade its trees produced.
It is also true that they could have reached Samal in the same time it would take to reach the swamps... but the fighting would almost certainly still be raging on, and a full-scale conflict was just not something they were capable of taking on at the moment.

Remus' daydreaming seemed to have brought him to the limit in no time, though the sun was slowly but surely falling towards the western horizon. They stopped long enough to sip some water that they collected along the riverbanks near the white bridge. With solemn eyes, Remus looked into the sky towards the swamp and noted the gradually dimming light, subtly transforming into the colors of a sunset. They would have to hurry if they wanted to make it before nightfall.

He felt a tap on his shoulder... the nameless warlock pointed and directed his attention to the northeast. Three Ignean archers... a hunter without a pet, and two marksmen (distinguishable by armors) seemed to come out of nowhere and were coming at them full speed.
"Great. What are they doing this far South... they should be at Samal." Remus thought out loud. "I'm not in the mood for this." He may have felt different if he'd gotten some time to recover from his last fight, which had left them weary. But Remus knew they'd have to get rid of them, one way or another. Gimli finally shut up about whatever his current topic of the minute was, once he realized combat was about to begin.

Luckily these Igneans seemed to lack the combat experience many seasoned veterans had obtained from long years of intense training and real battle. These men were only recently released into the war zone, fresh blood eager to kill without realizing they were far from invincible themselves. Remus had no problem cutting them down if they were foolish enough to attack considering the circumstances. Even in their battered state they could crush these whelps in a minute; "They" being Remus and the warlock... Gimli was somewhat of a fresh face himself.
'Probably why he's so annoying.' Remus always told himself.

The Igneans certainly met Remus' expectations regarding their foolishness. The hunter's form began to shimmer, and in an instant he was nowhere to be seen. The one true ability a hunter possessed which could be called "magic" was invisibility. A simple manipulation trick, bending light around the user to create the illusion that he or she was simply not there.
The marksmen simply began firing arrows at them with considerable velocity. It seemed they had already spent a good amount of energy getting here or attacking something else, because they neglected to utilize the magically infused arrows which marksmen were famous for.

Remus' shield was already crippled, but these arrows were of low quality and the assailants couldn't produce as forceful a shot as an upper-class and well trained dead eye. Not to mention the attackers had been sprinting for the past 15 minutes.

Still, Remus didn't want his shield to break here and now if he could prevent it, and so charged down the limit-slope and forth towards the pair. Somehow they didn't expect that and panicked, one stumbling backwards mid-shot and the other dropping the arrow which was intended to be his next attack. Remus actually laughed at this, and was already on top of them before either could recover from their fatal mistakes.

The hunter appeared behind Gimli with an arrow drawn as Remus had dropped down to confront the marksmen, but our silent warlock was patiently expecting this. With a flick of his staff, a giant hand made of stone erupted from beneath the hunter, grabbed him by the torso, and giving him time for one scream of terror, violently smashed him into the ground with a resounding *THUD*, along with some disturbing cracking noises... followed by a moment of distressed gurgling.

The marksmen were already dead by the time the stone fist had re-entered the stone from whence it came. Their demises were much less dramatic than their fellow hunter's, a sword through one's heart and a shield swipe breaking the other's neck. Luckily that didn't harm the shield any further. It was all over before Gimli realized it had even happened, but that didn't stop him from feeling proud for being on the victorious side.

Remus climbed back up to the others.
"Quickly now, we're wasting daylight." he huffed shortly, and they were off again like nothing had happened. Remus would be the last to admit it, but he was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion.
Another hour of paced walking brought them to the swamps with dusk fully upon them.

Immune

08-20-2010, 07:53 PM

Knightmare

As Remus entered the swamp, he slowly became aware of the faint smell of smoke. The swamps were a very moist area, making a natural fire out of the question. That left one logical explanation.
"Someone else is here." Remus mumbled. He realized just then that Gimli had stopped talking, at long last. This actually brightened his mood. Speaking of brightness...
"Say... warlock, mind giving us some light with that candlestick of yours?" he asked sarcastically. No response. He stopped slowly. He didn't expect an answer really, but that wasn't what bothered him, it was the lack of... their presence.

Remus turned on his heels, and to his surprise neither of his companions were there. He thought for a moment, calming himself to the best of his abilities.
'I knew it.' he thought to himself. The knight drew his sword and readied his shield. 'Gimli wouldn't abandon me, but he was inexperienced... but the warlock--'
His contemplation was cut short, but he was already at the right conclusion.

"Veeeeery good my friend, clever of you indeed! But I'm afraid it's far too late to save poor Gimli... or yourself, for that matter." The voice resonated all around Remus, but in reality it was all in his head. It sounded raspy but audacious, if not a bit mocking. He had never heard this voice, which is exactly why it was so easy to guess that it was the silent warlock.
"Who are you?" Remus said threateningly, seemingly to no one. Of course, he knew who it "was", but that didn't tell him anything.

Did you forget me already?! How disheartening, really. I could just ~burst~ into tears! At that moment an explosion erupted right in front of Remus, who stood strong against the force that would've knocked most people flat on their back.

"Tsk tsk tsk! That was all I had to do to get rid of little Gimli! You're really going to make me work for this aren't you? Hahahahaha! He cackled. Remus knew there was no talking his way out of this, but he could still try learning something of value.
"Why are you doing this? Who do you work for?!" Remus yelled, though he had no idea in which direction he should be yelling.
"Who, MEEE??? Why, I'm ~flattered~ you want to learn more about me!" A giant boulder flew over Remus' head and came barreling towards him. He dived out of the way just in time so as not to be crushed, bones and all.

Remus got up quickly and looked around. There was still enough light to move around without running into trees, but finding this mage could prove difficult. He did the only thing he could and took cover behind the closest tree.
Oh now WHY would you hide from me? Do I frighten you?! I suppose I can't blame you... I scare most people to ~death~!!! Remus had learned to listen for the hints of the next attack to come in the warlock's voice, but was less than unsure of how to counter that one.

With no other ideas he raised his sword and at will created a shining barrier that completely surrounded him. It was made of pure white light, one of his most powerful protections... because he had no idea just how strong this warlock could prove to be. A cloud of purple and black darkness had suddenly materialized around his barrier, which luckily seemed to be effectively repelling the ominous fog. Remus had just about enough of this.

"Face me you coward!!!" he bellowed, and his barrier exploded in a wave of heat and light in all directions. Suddenly the surrounding area looked like it was in daylight again, and the fog had been burned away. A gasp could be heard from above and a yell as something fell from one of the trees nearby, followed by the rustling of weeds and various plant life. Remus had him now. He charged with his shield at front, in the direction of the warlock. Groaning noises led the knight right to the mage, who was still lying on the ground, trying to recover.

Just as Remus was about to drive his sword through his throat, the necromancer thrust his free arm up and at him, releasing a burst of pure force, strong enough to knock Remus back several feet. Now the roles were reversed, Remus on his back and the warlock back on his feet. The mage shot a bolt of lightning from his staff directly at the knight, who was already half-up again and used his shield to absorb the energy.

Remus smiled, the magical energy of that attack helped fuse the cracking metal in his shield back together. Not only that, but he loved this next trick... he touched his sword to the charged up shield, and then pointed the blade at the warlock, releasing all of the stored energy in the form of an explosive sphere.

The warlock had never seen a warrior do that before, so he wasn't really prepared to counter it. He simply dived out of the way. The sphere hit a tree he'd been standing in front of moments before, which was now splintering, burning, and about to fall on top of him. He rolled on the ground fast enough not to be pounded into the ground.

The tree was between the two of them now. The mage went to stand back up only to find that his tunic was caught under the collapsed tree. He hastily cut it loose with a beam of light (managing not to burn the rest of the robe simultaneously). When he looked back up Remus had already closed the distance and was jumping over the tree, swinging his sword at him.

The still unnamed warlock jumped back in surprise, saving himself from being beheaded right there and then. Remus didn't completely miss however, and put a deep slash into the man's left arm. He kept charging him, following up with a slash to his right leg. The warlock fell on one knee and looked up now both in disbelief and anger. He wouldn't fall this easily, he refused... he had one last trick that would end one of them for good. His eyes turned completely black, whites and all, and he looked straight into the eyes of the knight just as Remus struck him across the face with his shield.

Both of them fell limp.

Immune

08-21-2010, 09:04 PM

Hope anyone reading these is still liking them, here's the next part. (Split in 2... damn 12k char limit.)

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Mind Games

Ahno had made it to the swamps without incident. Several hours had passed since he'd made his last decision as an Ignean. The dark of night was upon them now... him and Iris, that is. Ahno had built a small fire, and he sat against a log, with Iris still unconscious, laying on the ground opposite of the fire from him. He listened to the calm ambiance and the crackling fire as he watched her. The light produced by the flames gave her an eerily somber appearance.
'Who are you?' He wondered. The question had burned in him ever since he saw her hand. That symbol. His symbol... and hers, apparently.

He was just about to fall asleep when an explosive sound came from... somewhere. Ahno stood up and looked around, completely on guard and aware now. He'd placed a protective enchantment around the perimeter of the campsite, but it was by no means a safeguard against everything that could come their way. Better to take care of a problem personally than relying on an unmanned barrier to keep you safe while you're sleeping.

It wasn't hard to determine where that noise originated, because a large dome of light could be seen through the trees, perhaps half a mile away. Ahno had to rub his eyes to make sure he wasn't hallucinating, when he thought he saw two men attacking each other in what appeared to be isolated daylight. The various noises accompanying what he saw supported that it was indeed combat going on there. He rubbed his chin and thought... thinking is what he does best, after all.
"Let's see..." he went through some ideas in his head, and found one that pleased him.

Ahno closed his eyes and in seconds an ethereal bird materialized in front of him. It chirped once, which rang out, reverberating like a wind-chime. Keeping his eyes closed he controlled the creature and saw through its eyes, and heard what it heard. He had it fly over to the commotion and rest in one of the trees. A knight and a warlock it seemed. He could tell that both were unusually powerful, and both seemed surprised that the other had lasted this long. He watched until the very end, at which point both combatants fell on their sides, though the knight did so without apparent reason, appearing unscathed.

He released his concentration and the form vaporized back into the air. Through the trees he could see the dome of light growing smaller, eventually disappearing and leaving the swamp in darkness once again... save for the pale moonlight and the campfire. Ahno turned and looked back at Iris. He'd successfully removed the arrow from her leg, and with the help of his power she would be awake and back to full health by morning. At which point he hoped his decision to save her didn't end up being unwise.

The battle that had just taken place piqued Ahno's curiosity, and he felt the need to investigate. He figured that it seemed safe enough, considering both men were either dead or knocked out. A feeling of precognition told him that the number of things that didn't make sense here was about to increase. He placed a second layer of magical protection around the clearing before setting off.

The site was a short walk away, and with a minor illumination spell he made his way there easily in under five minutes. He scanned for and found the knocked over tree, the trunk of which was still burning. This marked where the two had both collapsed. Ahno began feeling apprehensive... the air was growing unnaturally cold for this area. He created a thermal shield around himself that retained heat, the drop in temperature was something one would experience in northern Alsius.

He knelt down next to the two bodies now. The warlock was dead, without a doubt. No breathing, and the color was already draining from his skin... it actually seemed like he had been dead for much longer than a few minutes. Ahno didn't have time to think about that now, he turned his attention to the warrior. This one seemed to be alive. Which Ahno had already guessed... but that wasn't what he was trying to figure out. What was confusing was why he fell over for no reason.

Looking over the warrior, there was one thing he immediately noticed: his eyes were completely white. Ahno had a feeling as to what that meant, but he couldn't be sure yet. Spotting no other physical anomalies, he decided it waas time to check for spiritual and magical presences that didn't belong there.

Ahno closed his eyes and whispered a few words. When he opened them again his vision was changed. Looking at the warrior's form again, he now saw white light emanating from all areas of the body. This was normal, to Ahno's disappointment. He tried making some minor adjustments to the spell, and suddenly he could see a black and purple orb with the diameter of a penny.

This concerned him deeply. Not because he didn't know what it was, quite the opposite in fact. He knew exactly what it was. Ahno had saved many Igneans from this ability, it was a last attempt of a dying necromancer to kill someone before dying themselves. Sometimes though, it could be much worse than that. Only once had he seen this terrible power mature to its fullest potential... and on that day he vowed never to let it happen again.

Which led Ahno to his decision to save him. Not only because he believed no one should have to suffer such twisted magic (he was against most necromancy)... but also because if he didn't, many more lives could be lost in the future. He didn't know this man... for all Ahno knew, as soon as this person awoke he may try to kill him. Something told him that was unlikely though.

Ahno rested a hand on the man's chest, where his heart was. The other he held over the knight's forehead. He closed his eyes and focused on the heart and the mind simultaneously. Energy was building up at his fingertips, and he was about to touch the forehead when the orb suddenly lashed out him with a tendril of psychic energy. Ahno knew this would happen,he had dealt with this before and was prepared for it.

The warlock's mind was still there, conscious as ever, battling the knight's conscious for control of the body. If he could not gain control, he would then try to kill him. Ahno wasn't about to let either happen. He sent a burst of psychic waves at the orb (being cautious so as not to harm the warrior). The warlock wasn't prepared for this interference. Not only did Ahno temporarily paralyze his thought process, but also gave the knight a chance to recover.

Ahno knew this wouldn't last long and so made his moves quickly. He put his index finger on the knight's forehead and began exerting healing rays through his other hand into the heart. As he did so, he began extracting the malevolent energy from the warrior's head to rest on his energized fingertip. The process was tedious, but he finished without incident and had the entirety of the necromancer's consciousness in the palm of his hand.

Before Ahno could destroy the presence however, the paralyzing affect Ahno had inflicted on it wore off. Suddenly he heard a screech in his mind, it was like a banshee. The energy surged for his mind, but he was not about to let the mage start all over again. He formed a mental barrier, blocking all thoughts at will. Nothing could get in, and very little could get out. He could still sense where the energy was however... it was HIS head after all. He was hesitant towards directly attacking it, so he began with protective countermeasures.

With a simple thought, he began erecting a barrier around his head so the warlock was trapped. Not that it was trying to escape, not yet at least. Ahno then began isolating the area where the orb was floating with additional walls of mental energy. What it was doing now he couldn't tell, but the sooner he got rid of it, the better. The warlock realized what was happening and tried to leave the conjurer's mind... only to find that he couldn't. It began trying to force its way out.

Ahno knew he couldn't hold the outer barrier forever, and began compressing the mental isolation chamber he'd formed around the orb. Soon enough the consciousness couldn't move. Ahno let down all other barriers and forced the now powerless corrupt energy out of his head and back into his hand. Ahno grinned.
"Time to finish this."

His palm holding the sphere began to glow faintly. The intensity of the light grew brighter and brighter, Ahno had to squint to continue without breaking his concentration. By the time the energy reached its peak, the presence in the orb was frantic. The warlock knew he was in danger, but he was trapped... hopelessly so, it seemed. Suddenly the necromancer had an idea that might save his life.
'I... refuse... to die!' He exclaimed... though he was the only one who heard it, being a ball of energy encased in a magical barrier.

Ahno was about to close his fist around the orb, which would engulf it in the energy. Then without warning, the orb contracted to a speck of barely visible size, and exploded. The force was immense and broke the barrier containing the warlock's consciousness. The mage sought out his former body, which suddenly came back to life, despite the broken neck. Or it "was" broken. He grabbed his staff as Ahno turned to face him.

"Next time... you die." the warlock gasped. He thrust his good arm out towards Ahno and, in a flash of light, he was suddenly gone.
"Dammit!" Ahno exclaimed. This was a failure in his eyes, although he had stopped the birth of an abomination. Still... never before had something like that happened. The spontaneous revival of the warlock's body was inexplicable to him. Something had caught his eye also... as the necromancer held his hand out before he disappeared, Ahno thought he could make out a symbol on his palm... it looked like an hourglass.

"No catching him now..." Ahno sighed, turning back to the knight. To his surprise, he was already awake and getting up. Normally the victim of such an encounter would remain knocked out for at least a few hours. Ahno was amazed at his fortitude.

Immune

08-21-2010, 09:05 PM

(12,000 char limit)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First Introductions

"Ugh... wha? What's going on...?" Remus stammered. He saw that the conjurer before him was a dark elf, but that doesn't always register correctly when you've just awoken from attempted mind control and soul tainting. He picked up his blade and pointed it at Ahno. "Was that you?" he asked pointedly.

Ahno frowned and replied quickly.
"If by 'that' you mean expelled the necromancer from your mind and saved you from becoming a monster, then yes. That was me." His tone was understandably irritated... he was expecting a bit more gratitude than that. Remus didn't seem to quite understand most of that. He did however, understand the 'saved you' part.

"Well umm... thanks." Remus lowered his blade. "But why?" he asked. Ahno looked back at the campsite he'd set up, then up at the moon in the dark sky. It was getting late.
"Let's just say... it's better for everyone that he didn't succeed." he replied.
Remus decided that was an acceptable answer for now. Another question came to him.
"What were you doing here in the swamps at this hour though?"
"I could ask you the same thing, you're very far from Alsius. But I'll tell you simply, that it's personal business."

Remus wondered at that, 'personal business'?
"You do realize Samal was sieged today? Why would you not be there?"
"I'm aware that it was Alsius attacking... I could again ask you the same." Ahno grinned mischievously, he loved countering people in conversation like that. "But again I shall answer regardless... simply put, my allegiance no longer lies with Ignis."
"So you're an exile." Remus concluded.

Ahno remained silent.
Remus sighed. "Kind of wish I could leave Alsius like that."
Now Ahno raised an eyebrow. "Really now?"
The knight continued. "Yes... I'm sick of the constant battle. I only joined the army to see new places... snow and pine trees get stale after a while, you know? But killing... that's not something I relish. I just want it all to stop, it's gone on too long."

Ahno thought back to that morning, he was thinking the same thing. He looked down at his hand, then at the hand of the knight... he was wearing gauntlets.
'Worth a shot' he decided. He held up his hand and showed it to Remus.
"Does this have any meaning to you?"

Remus' eyes went wide.
"Who are you?"
Ahno chuckled half-heartedly.
"That seems to be the question of the day. If you'd like to stay... I can tell you could use some rest as much as I could."
Remus looked at his hand, and he felt like that dream might start making sense soon.

Ahno turned on his heel towards the camp and began walking. He waved for Remus to follow him. He turned his head to speak back as he walked.
"By the way, the name's Ahno."
Remus hesitated a moment, and followed.
"Remus."

bois

08-21-2010, 09:57 PM

I am reading it with relish.

I really like this story.

Let me tell you why. Technically it is quite good. Atmosphere is good. Continuity is quite good. Immersion into story is excellent. Storyline development and progression of character development is quite good.

The introduction of a possible protagonist and a possible antagonist. Good.

The chapters are compact and deliver a story in a progressive way. Story is building nicely. The language is not too complex yet it delivers imagery to keep me in the story. I like that. Paragraphs deliver a clear idea to the reader. Often, stories here try to squeeze too much information into paragraphs like its a sprint race. Steady as she goes.

Now I see two tiny things you need to guard against.
This is one:
If anyone cannot guess how that turned out, it is recommended that you watch someone get rammed by a dump truck going 100 miles an hour into a cliff wall to witness a similar affect. This may very well be where the concept of a falcon punch originated.

This statement took me out of the story. Why? because it refers to something completely foreign and out of context of the imagery you are building. I would be careful about trying to make the reader "see" what you are telling. Let the story take them.

Edit : I deleted this part because it was just simply incorrect.

Normally I won't nitpick like this but this story is so good and offers so much I just felt compelled to comment in the hope that this story continues and possibly could be one of the best out there. Certainly It is top 3 material as is (in my humble opinion)

Artec

Immune

08-21-2010, 10:32 PM

Thanks for the constructive criticism,

You're right about both points, the first one I was thinking of removing but I simply forgot about it. The second one... was also sort of forgetfulness. The swamps are indeed between Ignis and Syrtis (as in the game). The cold temperature was meant to be connected with the presence of the necromancer, though I neglected to build on with that.

I'm glad you pointed both of those out, it helps me to remember these kinds of things for the future.

Hope you and others keep reading, it's nice seeing how much some of you love this already. :)

Dohni

08-21-2010, 11:53 PM

I love the story and how you are developing it. I made the connection betwen the battle and the cold and thought it was because of northern magic being performed.

I shed a tear for Gimli. I figure someone should remember him......sniff.

The story is very captivating and at the end of each chapter I want more. Which is a good thing. :beerchug:

Isemon

08-22-2010, 07:20 AM

really nice story, can't wait for more :D
Gave you green karma :P

Gytha_Ogg

08-22-2010, 05:02 PM

Good stuff, I love it! Moar pl0x!

Bois was right about the dump truck, but the other one I took differently:

the drop in temperature was something one would experience in northern Alsius.I took it as having an implied

the drop in temperature was [unusual for this region, more like] something one would experience in northern Alsius.so it worked for me.

Mbwana

08-23-2010, 07:45 AM

really good read, it was very easy for me to immerse myself into the story :)

bois

08-23-2010, 01:31 PM

I re-read it a few times and it does work. I seem to have lost the understanding of it a bit in the first read. I read terribly fast so yes I missed the implied part of it.

A thumbs down for me on that one. My original stance stands. Very good continuity.
Thankfully, I can always depend on GythaOgg to keep me on the straight and narrow. Good looking out Gytha.

Artec

Leadoffhitter

08-23-2010, 03:41 PM

"Necesitas dar reputación a más personas antes de darle reputación a $userinfo[username] de nuevo"

May we have some more of this epic freedom tale, please?

:)

Immune

08-23-2010, 06:20 PM

New chapter, read away.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Awakening

An obscure figure stands in a ring engraved into the floor, in the center of an ancient room. An altar of sorts sits just outside the ring. Various runes cover the ring and the altar, seemingly ageless, as if they'd been placed not a day before. The center of the room is filled with light, though there appear to be no windows, nor doors for that matter. Everything outside the ring and altar is covered in a strange darkness. A wise and resonant voice emanates from the figure, that of a woman.

"You have been chosen by unseen powers, to serve a great cause. You do not, cannot yet understand what is happening, but know this: You have been set on a path; it is imperative that you follow it. But you need not follow it alone. All will soon become clear, in time. Seek passage to the Isle of the Ancients. Find this place."

Iris woke with a start the next morning.
'What the hell kind of a dream was that?' was her first thought. The sky was clear, not a single cloud to be seen. She realized she was lying in dirt and moss, not sand, which is what she had fallen in before unconsciousness seized her. Then it occurred to her that she had woken up at all, which astonished her indeed.

As Iris sat up she looked around. Clearly this was the swamp she had been running for the previous day. A small circle of ashes lay in front of her, suggesting a fire had been there. Then she noticed the two men also sleeping there. One dark elf, clearly a mage, sat directly opposite of her with his back to a log. The other was a human, a knight of Alsius by the looks of the shield on the ground, laying to her left. He'd taken off most of his armor, save for his greaves.

As if all of this didn't confuse Iris enough, she then noticed the dark elf's right hand, lazily drooping at his side, with a crescent shaped marking in the palm. She glanced quickly at the hand of the knight as well now, who's hand could also be seen facing upwards on an outstretched arm. As she guessed, the mark was also there.
Iris was, at this point, well beyond any sort of comprehension.

She bit her lip in contemplation. Iris, like the other two, had never met another person with the crescent marking. Normally she would have left them, but clearly one or both of them had saved her. She touched her head where the rock had wounded her, and found no sign of the injury. She examined her leg as well, also fully healed.
'He must be a conjurer.'

After considering her options (which weren't many), she decided to remain there... for the time being, at least. Having made her decision with nothing else to do, she began building up the fire again. As warm as Ignis was, being this close to the ocean made the swamp cooler than the desert itself. Even if such wasn't the case, it kept her mind adequately busy.

Ahno woke up to the smell of burning wood soon after. He saw the elf girl was still here, awake and tending to her bow. Which was good, he was half expecting to find her gone if she woke up first. He looked over at Remus... still sleeping. Iris addressed him before Ahno could say so much as "good morning".
"You're awake I see. Good. Perhaps you can explain to me who you are and what's going on here?"
Ahno wasn't exactly a morning person, he was still waking up.
"Ummmm uhhhhh..." was all he said before Iris spoke again.

"I suppose it was you who saved me?"
Ahno rubbed his eyes and replied, albeit more slowly than if he hadn't just woken up.
"Ermm ahh... yeah, yeah that was me." he said inarticulately. He blinked twice before yawning.
"Why?" she asked, though she had a feeling she already knew.
"You'd prefer I hadn't?" he asked in response, though he knew that wasn't what she meant.
"No, I suppose I should thank you for it. But why? I was under the impression that Igneans disliked Syr... erm... elves." She looked down as she altered her wording.

'She's hiding something.' Ahno thought.
"What do you mean, 'elves'? Are you not Syrtian?" She knew that was coming.
"Answer my question and I might answer yours." She replied curtly.
He grinned slightly. 'That must mean yes.' Even so, Ahno obliged, more enemies aren't what he needed, now that he had no realm.
"Well then..." he paused, wondering how to word it. "if you must know...your hand. You are the first person I've ever seen with that symbol on the palm. Besides myself, that is."
'So I was right.' thought Iris.

"Yes, well..." she began... she wasn't sure what to say next. In reality, she was just as fascinated as Ahno and Remus were to discover someone else with that mark. But she had no idea who either of these men were. Could she just trust them because of this one similarity they shared? After debating with herself, her curiosity bested her sense of caution.
"...what were you expecting then? Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't know what it means, if that's what you were hoping for."

Ahno did seem a little disappointed. He wasn't expecting her to know, but he had hoped. He sighed audibly.
"Well, I will answer your question now, I suppose." Iris told him. "You are right. I am technically, not Syrtian, not anymore at least. I left it behind no longer than a month ago... and it has not been easy."
Ahno nodded understandingly.
"Well, I suppose my life will be similar now. I sacrificed my place as an Ignean when I chose to help you."

"You didn't have to help me." she told him. As if he didn't already know that. She almost sounded indignant about receiving help from him.
"Should I apologize for saving your life?" Ahno asked irritably.
"No, but I'm just saying it's not my fault." she said cautiously.
"Wasn't trying to blame you." was his response.

They fell silent for a few minutes before Iris spoke again. She gestured towards Remus.
"So who's your friend?"
Ahno looked over at him and answered,
"Him? Well, ah... I just ran into him last night actually, not far from here." He didn't think she had to know all of the details.
"So he just came along?" she asked.
"Well, it just so happens he has the mark as well. And, well... eh, it would be easier if you just talk to him yourself when he wakes up."
Iris decided not to argue and turned her attention back to her bow.

Remus woke up not long after, almost forgetting he'd joined these two. He'd noticed Iris the night before, but didn't bother asking Ahno about her. Iris gave him a few minutes to wake up, unlike what she did with Ahno where she attempted conversation as soon as his eyes opened. When he seemed awake enough to talk to, she did so.

"Hello there, mind if I ask who you are?" she inquired bluntly. Remus didn't seem to mind the straightforwardness however, though he wasn't sure what to say.
"Mmm... hello. Remus. That's me. And you?" She blinked before answering.
"Iris." Ahno couldn't believe he'd forgotten to ask her that.
'Idiot, how could you forget to ask her name?' he scolded himself and quietly smacked himself in the forehead.

Iris had been waiting for Ahno to ask her name as well, she rolled her emerald green eyes when she realized that he'd simply forgotten.
"Oh, yeah, my name is Ahno." he threw in lamely.
"Mhmm..." was her intentionally uninterested response. "So," she continued to Remus, relishing the frustration that seemed to cause Ahno, "were you expecting me to know the meaning of the marking as well?"
"What? No... you mean, you have it too?!" Remus probably could have guessed, but he didn't like to guess. He simply liked to "know” things, what and when he needed to know them.

Iris was growing exasperated with these two. She sighed.
"Yes, I have it as well." Remus pondered this. What were the chances? A coincidence like this, was it even possible? Certainly not probable. Slightly plausible though. Whatever the chances, they were certainly against it.
"So... did one of you plan this somehow? Or something?" Remus asked them. He wasn't sure how that could even be possible, but it was worth asking.
"Umm, no." Iris said flatly.
"All coincidence, it would seem." Ahno replied. Though Ahno was never a believer in true coincidences.

"Well then," Remus started, "what now then?" The question they'd all been thinking. What were they supposed to do now? Go on with life like this had never happened. Somehow none of them seemed to think that.

"Wait..." Ahno said. "I think I know." The other two looked at him incredulously.
"You think you -know-?" Iris repeated skeptically.
"Indeed." He thought back to his sleep, before he'd awoken. They waited for his explanation doubtfully.
"Well?" Remus prompted him, more out of eagerness than out of disbelief. Ahno exhaled, as if preparing to deliver an important speech.

"I had a dream last night. There was a... person I think, a woman. She told me to go to the Isle of the Ancients. I'm not sure why. She made it sound very, um, important..." he stopped slowly as he realized they were both looking at him wide eyed. "Umm, did I say something wrong?"
"That... was your dream?" Iris clarified disbelievingly.
"Erm, yes, why? You don't believe me?" Ahno asked a little confused.
"Because..." she continued, "I had that dream as well."

Remus stared at her as intensely as he had at Ahno now. He shifted his eyes from Ahno to Iris back and forth several times, as if expecting one of them to start laughing as if it had been a joke. Of course, that did not happen.
"You're both serious?" Remus finally asked. Neither of them answered him, he knew they both were. "Well, uh..." he hesitated, "unless I'm mistaken, I had that dream also." It almost sounded as if he had a hard time believing that himself. On the contrary, Ahno and Iris had already suspected it.

They sat there in silent contemplation for a minute.
"So..." Ahno broke the silence, "should we go?" Iris spoke immediately.
"Woah wait a minute, when did this become 'we'?" Ahno frowned.
"Don't you want to know what the symbol is?" Ahno asked her.
"Well yes, I do, but it was just a dream..." she began.
"Which all of us had." Ahno reminded her. Not that she'd forgotten. She couldn't really argue that point, it was too unnatural to be coincidence. "Besides, what have you got to lose? You're an exile already, remember?" she knew. "And you," Ahno turned to Remus, "you said you wanted to leave Alsius. Doesn't this sound like the best chance, maybe even your only chance?" Remus had been thinking this himself, so the persuasion wasn't really needed.

"I'm going with or without you two." Ahno said in finality. Remus sighed.
"I'll come." He said shortly. He hoped he didn't regret this. Iris looked at them both like they were insane.
"I... why... but..." there was nothing she could say, really. Ahno had made a good point that there was nothing stopping her from going. She moaned about herself giving into this madness. "Fine, fine I'll come." she agreed submissively.

Ahno sighed both in relief and in satisfaction.
"Good."

Immune

08-23-2010, 08:07 PM

Hey guys, I'm probably going to start needing more names for future chapters, since I don't think I'll be adding real players. I'm not great at making up names (It took me awhile just to come up with even 3 I liked.) I mean, I have some ideas, but more options are always better. So if someone out there feels up to it just give me a list of cool/exotic names. If you do this, try to come up with names both with benevolent and malevolent tones.

Thanks in advance, expect the next chapter in 1 or 2 days :)

Silent_Shadow

08-23-2010, 09:35 PM

Great story Immune. Nice characters, descriptions, and emotions. Can't wait for the next chapter :).

Hmm, names...
Zane, Shiela, Tolstan, Serkai, Tyrex? *shrugs*

Immune

08-25-2010, 09:11 PM

A Journey Begins

It was late morning when the three of them silently headed off. They traveled west towards the southern white bridge to cross into Syrtis. After crossing they began a long walk to the northwest. A little over an hour of walking brought them to the northern white bridge without incident.

None of them spoke until now, where Remus suggested they take caution from this point on. He had no idea where the Alsian army was, but they would have left Samal by now for Herbred. He was sure they knew of his treachery by now, or they thought he was dead. Either way if they saw him with an elf and dark elf, the 'kill first, talk later' rule would likely apply.

What he didn't know, however, was that the Alsian assault on Samal had actually been a failure in the first place. Ahno had thought of this possibility (though he didn't mention it), but making such an assumption could prove unwise. Reasoning aside, the trio came across no resistance. Some wind resistance perhaps, though they managed to get past that rather easily. They were now following the lake beach to the west.

It was early afternoon when their destination came into view. Iris had led them to the seldom-used Syrtian docks. No one ever used the lake docks, in any of the realms. There was no reason to, and boats floating out on the lake could be easily seen and attacked by enemies from the shores. No one who had gone to the island in the past ever found anything there worth mentioning... which slightly confused the three of them as to why they were supposed to go there.

"There's the dock." Iris said. As expected, there was no one else there. A small wooden boat sat in the sand on its side, unused for who knows how long.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" said Ahno. Iris was still having second thoughts.
"You don't really think we're going to find anything do you?" She was skeptical that they would, but she was also nervous. What if they did find something?
"Only one way to find out, right?" Ahno was eager to see what awaited them. He had more faith than Iris, though he was just as unsure of what exactly they would find. Remus was just as curious about what could be waiting for them on the island, but he was far less anxious.

Without another word they dragged the boat partially into the water. Ahno and Iris climbed in first. With a final moment of wondering if he was crazy, or if this was all just another weird dream, Remus shoved the boat off and jumped in.

Remus took hold of the oars and began rowing. Ahno sat next to Iris. He decided to ask her more questions while they drifted towards the island. Not that they were completely important questions. They would, however, break this eerie silence... and perhaps he just wanted to talk to her a little.

"So, I'm just curious, how did you survive as an outcast? Did you hunt your own food? Make your own arrows? Where did you sleep?" Iris wondered why he was so interested, but decided it would be easiest to just answer him.
"Well if you must know," she began... because he did have to know apparently "there is a small Syrtian caravan outside of the wall that I made friends with. They were kind enough to trade me supplies when I needed them." Ahno thought about that.
"What did you trade them?"
"Mainly furs, and occasionally there are mineral deposits I happen to cross which I have no idea what they are. But they wanted it, so I gave it to them."

This was all they got to discuss, much to Iris' relief and Ahno's disappointment, before they reached the island's shore. One by one they climbed out into the unfamiliar area. They stood there for a minute, looking around, wondering what to do. Ahno acted first, and began walking towards a small gap in a giant cliff wall surrounding a good portion of the island.
"Come on, we won't find anything standing here." Iris and Remus followed after him.

A clearing stood before them, encircled by the cliff wall. There seemed to be very little, save for a few trees. They scanned the area and found... nothing. It would be difficult to miss anything as there was almost nowhere anything could be hidden. They were all slowly losing hope.

They decided to search the outside of the island. As they were about to leave, however, a glowing magical barrier materialized over the gap. Ahno touched it... solid as stone, though many times stronger he was sure. It seemed to come out of nowhere. Clearly this was the place.

Immune

08-25-2010, 09:11 PM

Trials of the Crescent

They turned back to the clearing to see someone standing there in its center. How he got there was beyond any of their knowledge. The figure was quite tall, seven feet about, and clad in full heavy metal armor. His face was completely concealed. The armor was all gray; Except on the breastplate was a blue crescent, which seemed to glow with a faint light. In his right hand he held a dual-ended spear as tall as he was.

Remus spoke first, both cautiously yet firmly. He had no idea if this figure was a threat to them.
"Who are you?"

The figure replied immediately, as if it had been waiting for the question. His voice was was deep and strong, yet emotionless, as if he weren't really a person at all.
"I am Awen Patronus, the spirit guardian of the Crescent Sanctuary. For many years I have awaited your arrival. I am the first of many tests you will face in your future." His speech was slow but clear. Time was something he had no longer had consideration for.

"So how do we enter this... sanctuary?" Ahno asked with uncertainty.
"You must pass three tests. I will begin them when you are ready."
The three looked at one another. They couldn't believe this was actually happening. But it was, this was real. They nodded to one another to affirm they were ready. "We are ready."

"Very well. Let the trials of truth commence." A circle with a blue crescent in the center materialized in front of him. "The wisest amongst you, step forward."
Iris and Remus both immediately looked at Ahno. He looked at both of them and supposed they were right. Not that either of the others were unintelligent, but everyone knows that studying as a mage inherently requires vast amounts knowledge on various subjects. He stepped forward into the circle.

"Ahno, wise mage of Ignis, are you prepared for this test?" he asked.
"I am."
A large hammer appeared before him, laying on the ground. Intricate designs covered the golden handle, and the head appeared to be made of silver. A perfectly round stone appeared next to the hammer.
"Your task, is to destroy this rock, using that hammer."

Ahno raised an eyebrow and exhaled in disbelief, like it was a joke.
"Ummm... did you mean to call the strongest of us?"
"No." Ahno frowned and looked at the hammer. He bent down to pick it up, and gripped the handle. It was warm to the touch. When he went to lift the hammer off the ground however, it wouldn't budge. Mages are weak in strength, as most people know. Most could at least move the handle of this weapon though.

Ahno tried again. It still didn't move an inch. It was like the hammer had the weight of a mountain. He stepped back a moment and began to panic. He looked at his companions, who also looked worried. Ahno tried just spinning the hammer by the handle without actually trying to pick it up. No, he couldn't move it that way either.

Ten minutes he sat there, thinking. He tried magic... which failed. To his surprise, there was a magical barrier of some type surrounding the hammer.
'That must be against the rules.' he thought. His next attempt was summoning a golem to do it for him. Even the golem could not move this hammer. Another ten minutes went by. Never before had Ahno encountered such a simple task that seemed so impossible.

Half an hour after the trial began, an idea struck him. He produced a hand made of energy, and picked up the stone. With all of the force he could put into it, he struck the hammer with the stone. The rock shattered with ease. Ahno felt like an idiot for not thinking of that before.

"Ah, so you are indeed wise. That hammer could be lifted by no man, physically or magically. You must always remember to look for alternatives to resolve that which seems impossible." The hammer and bits of rock disappeared.
Ahno stepped back to stand with the other two.

"The strongest amongst you, step forth." This would be Remus of course, as they all knew. He stepped forward, not sure of what to expect after what he just saw.
"Remus, strong knight of Alsius, are you prepared for this test?" Remus sighed.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
A golden beetle appeared in front of him. It would easily fit in his open hand.
"Your task is to catch this creature without killing it." Remus shuttered.

As with the previous, this trial seemed to be more suited to another person. Deciding there was only one way to start, he bent down to grab the beetle. It jumped backwards. He grunted... he sort of expected that.
'So I can't kill it. This will be fun...' He ran at the beetle, and it began flying around the entire clearing. He could barely keep track of it. 'Great.'

It wouldn't stop now. It even flew right by his head once and he didn't have time to react. As it continued its relentless flight, Remus watched it. After maybe fifteen minutes he saw a pattern to its flight path. He tried grabbing for it in midair. This, of course, did not work. He was becoming frustrated.

After many grabs he decided his hands were just too slow for that. So instead he threw his entire body in the way and put his shield in front of him, just as the creature was about to fly by him again. It crashed into his shield violently, with more force than he expected. Remus was actually pushed back a few feet, but he remained standing. The beetle was on the ground now, still alive but stunned from the impact.

Remus saw his chance and dove at the creature. It saw him coming but was unable to react. He clasped his hands around it, relishing the victory that he never thought he'd need to earn.

"You are very strong indeed. This creature would be impossible for even the quickest hands to grab from the air. The impact would have knocked most people flat on their backs as well. Remember that strength of mind is just as important as strength of arms." The beetle vanished from Remus' hands.
Remus stepped back now.

"The nimblest of you, step forth." Iris was already prepared for her turn, and stepped into the circle, confident she would find a way to pass a test that would likely not suit her usual thinking.
"Iris, skilled hunter of Syrtis, are you prepared for this test?"
"Yes."
A wall materialized next to her, seven feet tall and wide. It was made of gold and covered in dozens of small silver runes.
"Your task is simply to touch the symbol which stands for truth." Iris bit her lip.

'There are so many...' she didn't have the time to count, but there were 147 runes on this wall. 'Guess I'll get started.' She examined the many runes and touched one at random. Without warning the runes all disappeared and reappeared in different locations. 'Somehow I knew it wouldn't be that easy.'

After several guesses she stopped and examined the runes. Every once in a while she touched one out of curiosity. She had no idea what any of these symbols meant, so couldn't exclude any from possibly meaning truth. She tried memorizing the ones she chose incorrectly, but there were just too many. After half an hour she closed her eyes and thought about nothing in particular.

About five minutes passed until she opened her eyes and studied the runes again. Her eyes flicked from one to another, and another with great speed. Eventually she realized something.
'There are two of each rune!' So what? She thought about this. Would there be two correct answers? She doubted it. Carefully she started from the top left corner's symbol and looked for a match. She found one.

She did this for fifteen minutes. Picking the next rune and searching to see if it was repeated somewhere else on the wall. Her expression was intense and determined. Her focus couldn't be broken at this point.

Suddenly her eyes lit up as she grinned and touched a symbol (http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&biw=1024&bih=651&tbs=isch:1&sa=1&q=awen+symbol&aq=0&aqi=g1&aql=&oq=awen+&gs_rfai=) composed of three vertical lines fanning outward towards the bottom, with a dot above each line. All of the other symbols turned gold and melted into the wall. leaving this symbol alone in the center.

"You are very clever. Many people without thought would guess until their arms fell off. The symbol was invisible to blind sight, it had to be sought with purpose. A quick eye can be just as useful as a quick step. May this lesson help you to always spot the truth in the future."
Iris stepped back.

The last symbol disintegrated into the wall. The shape of a door materialized in the wall, and became a hole big enough for one to walk through. The figure spoke to them all once more.
"You have successfully overcome the trials presented to you. In doing so, you have proven your worth of entering the sanctuary I guard. May you remember these tests and be guided by their lessons."

He stepped into the circle himself now. With a strike of his spear against the ground, the circle grew brighter. The light shot upwards and engulfed him, and when it dimmed and finally seized, both the circle and the guardian had vanished.

The mysterious wall remained with the entrance open wide. It seemed to call to them. The group looked at each other and nodded in unison. Together they walked forward and faced the wall and the door in its center.

It looked as if light couldn't penetrate the darkness inside that entrance. Ahno stuck his arm inside and none of them could see it. He shrugged and stepped in first. Iris followed. Remus looked back at the entrance to the clearing. The barrier was still there.
'No turning back now I guess.'

As he followed the other two through the opening, it closed and the wall slowly faded from existence.

Immune

08-25-2010, 09:52 PM

Phew next chapter is up finally. Almost became a victim of writer's block.

Thanks to Gyth for pointing out I could put thoughts in italics. Not sure why I didn't think of that :p

More name ideas are welcome. (Won't need them for a bit yet, but I know I will eventually). Don't want an important character named Bob right? xD

I'm thinking (or hoping) next chapter will be easier to come up with. As always, 2 days at most... probably, at least. Keep reading!

Mbwana

08-25-2010, 11:35 PM

I love these 3 tests :D

I don't think I can really help you with names immune (as my sig shows :p) but do the names have to be sensible?

for instance, a sensible name:
Legolas

not-so-sensisble name:
L E G O L A S
xXxLegolasxXx
I love Pie
:p

Dohni

08-26-2010, 04:42 AM

still reading and still loveing the story!

I look forward to each new chapter. Whish I could help you with names but I suck at it. I keep thinking I have a good name for you and then realize that the reason i thought of it is I remember seeing them in game. LOL

Immune

08-27-2010, 09:43 PM

A Destiny Revealed

Ahno came out of the portal first. He looked behind him to see if the others were following. To his surprise however, he saw only a solid wall. Curious as to how that was possible, he touched the wall, expecting his hand to go through it. It did no such thing though, it was just a regular solid wall.
'Ancient magics are at work here it seems.'

A moment later Iris came through the wall. Ahno tried touching it again, but nothing had changed. Iris seemed just as surprised as him, though not so curious as to how it was possible. It wasn't really important. She was already becoming accustomed to strange things happening.

Finally Remus appeared from the wall. Just like the others, this surprised him. Though he decided it wasn't even worth thinking about. It seemed that confusion was going to be a frequent experience for him for a while.

Together they began walking forward. This was the room they'd seen in their dream the night before. Unlike before, they could see the outer edge of the room. The walls were curved, giving the room the appearance of a silo. They were a shade of royal blue, with intricate emerald green designs covering them from top to bottom. Bright red spots were placed among the design at seemingly random intervals.

On the opposite wall was what appeared to be a giant doorway. Giant statues stood on either side of it. Six small holes in the wall ran horizontally parallel with the floor, three on either side of the door.

As they approached the center of the room with the ring and altar, a bright blue light flashed, filling the entire room. The three of them shielded their eyes, and when the light was gone, a woman stood before them. This was the figure from their dream. She wore an elegant white robe, with gold trimming. The back of the robe featured a radiant blue crescent on its center. Her eyes were the same shining blue color. A white hood concealed long amber locks of hair. A soft light seemed to emanate from her.

When she spoke to them, her voice resonated throughout the room. She sounded as wise as any mage, her tone seemed sad, but strong.
"Welcome, chosen ones, to the Chamber of Revelation. You have done well to make it here, though the prophecy said it would be so."

The three looked at her in awe. What were they supposed to say? Ahno recovered from the lack of speech first.
"Who are you? Are you the person from our dream?"
"I am. You may call me Nadia, spirit of hope." She didn't speak further until Iris decided it was her turn to say something.

"So? Why did you bring us here? What were we chosen for? Who chose us? Why us? When were we chosen?" Questions spilled from her unexpectedly, and Nadia held a hand up gently so she would stop.
"You have been chosen by destiny to fulfill the prophecy told by an ancient seer long ago."
"Prophecy?" Remus repeated questioningly.
"Yes. Before the war ever began, your involvement in its resolution was foretold."
"Resolution??" Ahno echoed in disbelief.

"Yes. You three have been chosen to end this eternal conflict. You are each descendants of legends of old. They too tried to end this war, but in the wrong manner; they joined the battles in hopes that their presence could force the others into submission." She shook her head sadly. "Only by uniting could they have succeeded. Which is what you have done." now she smiled at them in hope.

"We're supposed to end this war alone? How can that be possible?" Iris said incredulously.
"You may not know it, or believe it, but you three are to be among the greatest warriors in the history of this land. Each of you have the potential to change the world. The crescent which marks each of you is the insignia of an ancient order of peace keepers, who fell shortly after the war began."

"Did this prophecy describe how we're to accomplish this feat?" asked Ahno.
"The prophecy says no such thing. I can, however, tell you how to continue the work of the Crescent Order, you must succeed where they tried and failed."
They listened intently now, wondering how they could possibly do anything to stop this war. Certainly it wouldn't be easy, as they were about to find out.

"You must gather the ancient gems of power which lie in each realm of this land, and bring them to this chamber. By the time you have successfully been able to do so, you will know what to do." This was beginning to sound more and more impossible.

"There is one complication, however. I must warn you, that, by some foul trickery played by the divine forces, there are three similarly powerful warriors with a similar goal, but an entirely different intention. They would end this war in a storm of destruction, obliterating everyone and everything. This cannot happen." Ahno remembered the warlock from the night before, and the symbol he'd seen on his hand.

"Do these three... have markings on their hands as we do?" he asked uncertainly. Nadia held her hands out, palms facing each other as if to hold a ball. Between them she created a floating symbol. Two triangles sat on top of one another, one pointing down and the other up, touching at the points, giving them the appearance of an empty hourglass.

"Yes. This is their symbol. You may recognize it as an hourglass with no sand... a dark representation of their intentions. The end of time."
"So let me get this straight," Iris began, "the three of us are supposed to get into every realm on our own, find and steal their gems, and bring them all back here, while three other 'evil' chosen ones, are doing the same thing?"
"You can, and you must. Else the world as all of us know it will be forever changed for the worse."

The three of them stood there, thinking, wondering. None of them felt up to the enormous task suddenly thrust upon them. Nadia knew they would feel this way at first. They would have to adapt though. Then she remembered one last thing.
"I can still help you in your quest, by giving you something you can use."

She stepped back and a flash of light came out of nowhere. There were now three golden chests before them.
"Each of you open the chest which lies before you. Their contents will aid you greatly in your journey."

Ahno went first. He opened the chest in front of him and took out a magnificent staff, along with an amazing amulet. The wood making the staff had a purple color to it, and twisted to a point at the foot. Silver runes ran all along its length and seemed to radiate light. The amulet was a blue sphere with silver wisps swirling around the inside, hanging from a silver chain. Nadia explained what they were.

"That, is the Staff of Tranquility. As long as you carry this, Ahno, you will never know fear, and calmness will never leave you. It will nullify any mind altering magics which may be used against you. The sphere, is the Amulet of Perception. Never will an answer elude you as long as you wear it. Use them wisely." Ahno gladly put his old staff in the chest, it was of little worth to him.

Iris opened the chest in front of her next. She took two items from within. A white leather quiver with gold trimming she took in one hand, and a blue tinted short bow in the other. The bow had golden symbols engraved in the fine ancient wood, known as xymerald. She gaped at it, these types of bows were said to have been extinct.

"Iris, this is the Bow of True Sight. Seldom will your attacks miss when you use this, and rarely will an enemy be able to trick you in battle. And that, is the Everlasting Quiver. You will never run out of arrows as long as you carry it. May they bring you many victories in battles yet to come." She eagerly replaced the new items with her old ones in the chest, they brought her no kind memories.

Finally it was Remus' turn to open his chest. He did so, and produced from it a sword made of pure gleaming silver, with shining blue runes running down it's blade. The hilt was golden with silver inlays. He also took out a shield, made of silver just as the sword. A sophisticated golden design covered its face, with a blue crescent in the center.

"These, Remus, are the Sword of Purity, and the Shield of Tenacity. This blade will cleave easily through all but the most corrupted of evils. It will never break and will always remain sharp. This shield will aid you when you may otherwise fall. Never shall it wear, you may always rely on it. May you strike down all that is tainted with darkness which stands in your path." Remus calmly laid his old gear in the chest as the others had done. He was never really the sentimental type.

Nadia closed her eyes and bowed her head slightly.
"These are my gifts to you, in hopes that with them you will undoubtedly prevail. Your journey is far from over, and there is much yet for you to overcome. There is nothing else of usefulness for me left to tell you. I have faith in your abilities, all that remains is for you to have faith in yourselves. I wish you luck, chosen ones."

And with that, the room seemed to disappear before their eyes, and they were suddenly standing at the Alsian docks near Aggersborg Fort. The sky was darkening as dusk slowly extinguished the light of day. They could, however, see black smoke billowing to the north, and an unnatural orange light could be seen glowing in the distance through the multitudes of pine trees, suggesting something was burning.

The sounds of battle rang out in the distance, the clashing of metal and the cries of courage and pain.

Through it all, a gentle breeze carried the whispers of an unfulfilled destiny past the ears of the chosen ones.

Mbwana

08-28-2010, 01:24 AM

wow, very very nice immune! :D

Altara

08-28-2010, 09:19 AM

Heh, I love it :]
I'm just sorry I haven't read it sooner

Leadoffhitter

08-28-2010, 11:45 AM

:hat::drinks:

w_larsen

08-29-2010, 07:52 PM

while general advice is to let the piece rest for some time before editing it, i'll point one sentence i did not like.

She touched her head where she had hit her head, where she found no sign of the injury. (awakening)

she...head where she... head, where she....

hopefully more of the story coming soon :)

Immune

08-31-2010, 09:42 PM

A Walk in the Dark

The three of them were growing weary from the day's events. They decided, however, that this would likely be their best chance at getting into Alsius. Before they began moving again, Ahno fed artificial energy into each of them. It was no replacement for sleep, but it would help them to overcome fatigue in the coming hours.

They began making their way north, towards Aggersborg. As they came to the tree line they stopped and looked. The fighting in the immediate area had all but ended, but the carnage left behind was enough to know it was more than a skirmish. It looked like Alsius was being invaded by the other two realms simultaneously.

Dozens, possibly hundreds of corpses littered much of the ground within several meters of the fort, the door of which had been obliterated. The top half of the tower had also been blown off somehow, and flames were spilling out its top. A section of wall had been destroyed on the western side as well. Some of the trees in the surrounding area were knocked over, some charred black and others still burning.

Remus suddenly felt relieved, if not a little guilty, that he hadn't been there defending. There were dead troops from every realm, but most of them were Alsian defenders. The air smelled thickly of blood and burning flesh, the flickering firelight only seemed to make the scene even eerier. After a minute of disturbed observation, they remembered what they were here for. Silently, they started moving west-northwest, towards the gate of the Great Wall of Alsius.

Two hours of walking through the pale light of a full moon, while dodging groups of every realm, eventually brought them near the gate. A huge battle must have taken place here. The scene left behind was even worse than that at Aggersborg. What was important, however, was that the wooden gate had burned away, and the metal one had been forced open. This might be easier than they'd expected.

Iris used a wide range version of her invisibility power, giving all three of them the illusion of invisibility. They had to move slowly so as not to break the effect, but it worked. There were few people left in this area to worry about anyways, but it was better to attract the least amount of attention as possible.

When they were well into the Frozen Wind Forest Iris released the power. For the first time since they left the chamber they spoke.
"So do either of you know where these gems even are? Because I know that I don't." Iris asked. Remus nodded.
"I do, I know this realm like the back of my hand."
"Is that good?" Ahno asked jokingly. Why not try to lighten the mood after all?
"Of course, didn't you know I inspect my hand daily?"

With that, Remus led them to the north, towards Kheled's Slope. That's where they would find their first gem. It was a short ten minute walk to find the right area. The gem wasn't in its holder, though they hadn't exactly expected it to be. They did, however, see a large battle going on not far to the west.
"Someone in that mess must have it." Remus stated.

With all due haste they made their way closer to the combat. It looked like a small group of Syrtians had taken the gem, and the Alsians were desperately trying to block their way out. Ahno had already worked out a plan to get it away from both groups. With Iris' invisibility, they got right up near the fighting. Ahno was ready.
"Both of you, grab my shoulders." he whispered, though the combatants probably wouldn't have heard him even if he had been yelling at the top of his lungs, since pretty much everyone was already doing that. Iris and Remus obeyed, and Ahno lifted his staff, which began glowing.

The movements of everyone except themselves were becoming sluggish. Little by little the people all around seemed to stop moving completely, frozen in time. Remus realized what had happened and clapped Ahno on the shoulder.
"Nice one."
"Quickly, I can't hold this for long; we have twenty, maybe thirty seconds at most. Grab the gem and run." Ahno explained hastily. Remus nodded, he'd already picked out the carrier of the gem. He sprinted over and hefted it out of the statue-like man's arms.

When the affect wore off the three of them had run west and taken cover behind some large white rocks. The battle continued to their east, and Remus chuckled as he saw the previous gem carrier crawling around on the ground looking for the precious stone he believed he'd dropped without noticing. No one else seemed to notice that there was no longer a gem to be fighting over, not that they really needed such a reason to be killing one another.

After taking a moment to catch their breath, they remembered there was still another gem for them to capture. Ahno used a strong weight altering power on the gem to make it lighter. It wasn't permanent, but it would allow them to keep moving swiftly for long enough. They put the stone into a sack to carry it in. Remus took the lead again and they began moving to the southwest.

The journey to the next gem location was a long one. Over two hours passed them by as they climbed through the Alsian mountains given the name Withering Heights. They could see the city of Birka down below them at one point, the denizens hectic over the presence of invaders in their land.

The land grew quiet as they left Birka behind them, not many of the attackers must have come this way yet. Everyone was after the closer gem first it seemed. There was one small group of Igneans however, on the trail running between Birka and Gokstad. As the three of them passed over the last mountain, they saw a small detachment of Alsians surrounding the second gem. Not that this surprised any of them.

Before they had time to come up with a plan to get the gem away from them, the Ignean group they'd seen on the trail arrived on the scene. Without warning they attacked the troops defending the gem. A short ten minute battle left the gem in the hands of the Igneans, though not without considerable losses. In fact, only three of the ten original members of the group survived.

Luckily, none of them were conjurers. Two warriors and an archer remained. They each knew they could kill the remaining Igneans with ease, but Iris and Remus knew Ahno might not feel up to attacking people he used to live with. They looked at him as if to ask him, Ahno understood and nodded with a sigh. He'd have to learn to live with such choices. These were no longer his people, and he knew they'd attack him on sight regardless. It would be easier to just kill them.

Together the three of them charged down the side of the last hill towards the enemy, Iris firing an arrow straight into the neck of the warrior holding the gem in both hands. He dropped it instantly and fell on his side gagging. The two remaining looked down at him in surprise and looked for where the arrow came from. They spotted them with seconds left to react.

The archer, who was a Molok marksman, shot a flaming arrow towards Remus, who was charging the remaining warrior. It bounced off of his shield like any other arrow, and Remus continued his charge, running straight into the other warrior with his shield. His opponent was using a large two-handed hammer, indicating him to be a barbarian.

The Ignean warrior, a dark elf, grunted as he took a step back from the impact, but he held his ground. With a simple thought, Ahno caused the earth beneath the Igneans to tremble violently. Remus was affected by this as well, but his footing was far better than this barbarian's. With a sweep of his sword at his legs, Remus knocked him over with ease.

The marksman was about to put an arrow through Remus' knee to achieve the same effect when Iris shot one through his own heart. The man clutched wide eyed at the shaft uselessly, falling to his knees and dropping his bow. With an energy blast from Ahno he was finished and fell on his side.

As Remus went to drive his sword through the barbarian's heart, the warrior rolled to the side and the blade dug itself into the ground instead. Rather than try to pull it out, Remus turned and kicked the warrior hard in the side with his metal boot before he could get on his feet again.

The warrior dropped his hammer as he gasped for breath, which had been knocked out of him from the kick. Remus dropped his shield to the ground and picked up the hammer. He never realized just how heavy these things were. He could use it for a short time, but it certainly wasn't possible for him to carry this kind of thing with him everywhere he went. He brought it up over his head and brought it down into the dark elf's ribcage with a sickening series of cracks.

Remus dropped the hammer heavily. He walked over and picked up his shield and heaved his blade out of the ground with some effort. Iris went and recovered the gem, which had rolled downhill a bit when its carrier was killed. Ahno used the same feathering spell on this gem as he'd used on the other one. Their combined weight now added up to that of an average pebble.

They were astonished that they as a group had obtained both of these gems that were being fought over by nations. It seemed too easy. There had to be something else to come. Perhaps they were just lucky. Maybe fate really was on their side. Regardless, here they were with both of the gems.

Suddenly they heard voices in the distance, getting closer. A soft light was coming from around the hillside. People were coming, they had to leave now. With discretion and haste, they departed to the north. Using the gate as an exit was out of the question, it would be heavily guarded at this point. Remus knew of a teleporter seldom used however, which would take them outside the wall.

Another hour of walking and dodging Alsian patrols brought them to the Dvergardunn ruins at last. Remus looked around before pointing.
"The teleporter is just over that snowbank I believe." They were all relieved, the first part of this crazy quest of theirs was about to end. As they neared the snowbank however, Iris shrieked and fell onto her hands and knees

Ahno stopped and quickly knelt next to her.
"Are you okay? What's wrong? Hey, can you hear me?" She wasn't answering. She was just sitting there, shivering with... fear? Her breathing was spastic and uncontrollable. He looked to Remus. "Hey, can you carry her?" he asked him. Remus didn't answer either though.

Ahno got up and looked at him... his eyes were wide open, staring straight ahead at nothing. He was standing completely still, stiff like a statue. Ahno waved a hand in front of him, and got no reaction. His brow furrowed as he wondered what was going on. The answer presented itself.

"Hello again, my Dark Elf friend!" came a somewhat familiar voice. Ahno had heard it but once before, yet he could guess who it was. He turned with his staff at the ready to face the mysterious warlock from the swamp.
"You..."
"Yes, me! Aren't you glad?!" The hourglass mark on his hand faintly glowed red. He smiled wickedly, showing his crooked teeth.

"I don't know about you, but I just hate to leave business... unfinished."

Immune

08-31-2010, 09:57 PM

Finally, didn't mean to delay this chapter so long. (Guess that really depends on what you call "long") But better to do it right than to rush it right? Anyways, hope everyone enjoys! :)

PS, could still use name ideas; Though I've got all that I need for the next few parts I believe.

bois

09-03-2010, 01:30 PM

Names :Nimix ,Arestis, Solange, Bedamis, Diabolos, Xula.

Good story. I look forward to next instalment.

Art.

Mbwana

09-03-2010, 03:23 PM

some names (I know I'm not good at this :p):

Aran, Zeusius, Heranaas, Lo Manah, J'hor, Ube, Roth, Mournin, Praxix, Kufu, Domly

Immune

10-04-2010, 01:42 AM

Hey guys, sorry I haven't written in quite awhile. School and junk, you know? Anyways, I'm gonna try and pick this up again. I might be a little rusty, so forgive me if it's not as good as previous chapters, haha :p Enjoy!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fire and Ice

Ahno stared at the necromancer standing before him with a forboding look in his eyes. There was no doubt about it, this was unmistakably one of the forsworn which Nadia had warned him about. He looked at his companions again, Iris still quaking on the ground and Remus still paralyzed standing up. Ahno put a dangerous tone in his voice as he asked,

“What have you done to them?” he clenched his fists and was resisting the urge to lash out at the mage before him, in hopes that he might actually get an answer. To his surprise, his hopes were not dashed for once. The warlock smiled contemptibley again as he replied.

“Who, me? Why, nothing at all! It seems that I've simply… scared them out of their wits.” The mage snickered as he always seemed to whenever he thought he was clever. Ahno had guessed this already, a spell which induces nightmarish fear. The necromancer tilted his head to the side in contemplation and looked at Ahno. He frowned and continued, “Though you, my friend, seem as composed as ever. Why is that, I wonder?” For a minute he examined the staff which Ahno held, paying attention to the runes engraved along its length in particular. An expression of understanding gradually came across his face.

“Ah, so you’ve finally met dear Nadia, have you?” Ahno narrowed his eyes and thrust his staff toward the warlock threateningly.
“How do you know about that?” In asking this, Ahno realized that the amulet of knowledge didn’t grant instant and unlimited answers. Its true power must be much more subtle, he decided. The necromancer answered snidely,
“Oh-ho, so you don’t know everything now do you, my wise friend? I’m afraid I can’t tell you that much!” He threw his head back and laughed curtly.
'I'm really getting tired of this guy already.'

Ahno waited for the arrogant one to calm down again. After he was finished with his mocking laughter, the necromancer lowered his head again and spoke.
“But come now, let’s be civilized here. You and I both know what I want, and I’m sure you’d like to avoid a conflict between us as much as I would. So why don’t you just let me take those off your hands…” He gestured at the bag concealing the two gems, which Remus had dropped. “…and I’ll be on my way. No fuss, no muss. How about it?” He smiled menacingly. Of course Ahno wouldn’t agree to these terms, but Ahno had figured long ago that excessive talking was all a part of how this guy worked. He planned on making the most of that; wordplay was something he found himself to be quite good at.

“A generous offer, but I’m afraid I must respectfully decline. Perhaps, if you made it worth my while, however…” Ahno's expression remained nonchalant. Though it was clear that he was acting, it seemed to thrill the necromancer that someone finally accepted his subtle challenge to outwit him in a seemingly harmless conversation.
“A haggler, are we? Very well then, name your price for those lovely stones you carry.” This is basically exactly what Ahno was hoping he would say.
“Unfortunately I cannot name a price, until you name yourself. Anonymity does not sit well with me, I’m afraid.”

’He’s just as clever as expected…’ Though the conversation had been short thus far, he could already tell that Ahno was just as witty as he was. He wasn’t about to let an opportunity pass him by to test his own wits against such an opponent. He continued the exchange, though he decided that it would have to end soon.

“You put a price on your price? How absurd…”
“Perhaps you do not want the stones after all, then.” Ahno interjected.
“No need to be hasty…” ’Enough of this. If it’s a name he wants, it’s a name he will get.’ “...you may call me… Cyrus.” His voice became spectral and resonated when he said his name. Suddenly the necromancer’s ice blue eyes flashed and the ground began to tremble.

Ahno was caught off balance and stumbled backwards. To his good fortune, this removed him from the path of a large cluster of icy stalagmites which erupted from the ground where he had just been standing. Before he could do anything, Cyrus was hurling giant icicles at him like frozen javelins. Ahno dodged two of these before he fortified his barrier and began mounting his own attack.

With a flick of his staff, a large, transparent wall of energy appeared between himself and Cyrus. As the necromancer started trying to break through this, Ahno prepared for his next move. He began concentrating engery into the ground, and soon the surrounding snow and ice was swirling around Ahno. Five mounds rapidly grew in front of him, and could soon took on the the recognizable forms of a pack of wolves, made from the ice itself. Their white and light-blue figures moved as any real wolf would, their deep blue and black eyes focused on nothing but Cyrus.

The barrier finally shattered, which sounded like nothing more than the wind rustling the leafs of a tree. The pack of wolves instantly sprinted forward and toward the single enemy. Cyrus was unimpressed, to say the least. A sweep of his staff produced a wall of flames between him and the beasts. The wolf furthest in front, closest to the flames, began melting instantly and howled in pain. The others backed away, unsure of how to attack now.

The necromancer grinned and continued to take the offensive. He now began launching fireballs toward Ahno and the wolves, who were still backing up. Ahno used this to his advantage, using barriers to stop and contain the energy of each fireball. He then compressed each barrier to the size of a marble, creating extremely volatile explosive spheres. After four of these, Cyrus decided he'd have to try something else. Before he could attack again, however, Ahno threw the four energy bombs at the warlock without warning.

Cyrus had not realized that his attacks were not only stopped, but intercepted as well. The orbs flew through the wall of flame and exploded violently in midair. The force was strong enough to throw Cyrus several feet, causing him to drop his staff and hit the ground hard on his back.

With his concentration broken, the protective wall of flames dissipated. The wolves which had been watching and waiting patiently, saw their chance and charged, snarling and growling as they got closer to their target. Ahno put various protective wards on the wolves as they ran, making them even more dangerous.

Cyrus stumbled to his feet and saw the four ice wolves sprinting at him full speed. His ability to fight was significantly reduced without his staff. He outstretched an arm and attempted to stop them with a stream of fire, but the flame glided around them. A thermal shield was one of Ahno's protections. They were too close to stop now, and they would rip him to pieces if he just stood there. With no other choice, Cyrus retreated without his prize.

Ahno watched as the wolves were about to jump on the necromancer. The necromancer whispered, with some effort and audible to no one other than himself,
"Your time will come." Cyrus waved his hand in an arc, and was suddenly gone.
'Just like in the swamp.' Ahno grunted in frustration, and let the wolves disintegrate back into plain snow and ice. This was the second time he'd let Cyrus escape when he almost had him.
Somehow though, he knew they would meet again.

Immune

10-04-2010, 01:42 AM

Back to Business

Ahno turned to face Iris and Remus again. To his relief, they were moving again, though they seemed tired and confused. Understandable, he didn't expect them to recover from such an experience right away. What exactly they saw or felt, he was unsure of... but he guessed that it couldn't have been pleasant.

Iris was sitting now, legs outstretched. Ahno walked over with a look of concern. She was still shaking, although that could just be the cold. Ahno doubted that though. He knelt down on one knee next to her.
"Are you alright Iris?" She looked up at him, unsure of what had happened.
"I... I think so. What happened? One moment I was walking behind you and the next..." she stopped there, a shiver ran down her spine.

Ahno was just glad that she seemed okay, for the moment at least. Whether the incident had caused any mental damage, he couldn't tell at a glance.
"I'll explain later, we should be safe for now, at least I think so. Safer than before in any case." Iris nodded in agreement, though really she had no idea what he meant. She was content to just sit there idly in confusion.

Remus, who seemed to have recovered better than Iris, walked over to them. He was carrying the sack with the gems in it again. He looked down at them both sternly.
"I have no idea what just happened, but I think we should just get out of here before more... 'weirdness' comes our way." Ahno looked up at him and nodded. This was certainly no place to be resting. They were, after all, still in enemy territory. Then again, everywhere seemed to be enemy territory.

Ahno stood up, and pulled Iris to her feet. Remus pointed at the ground where Cyrus had been fighting from before.
"What is that?" Ahno followed his gaze, and realized that Cyrus had abandoned his staff in his haste to escape. Ahno walked over to it and picked it up. He examined the weapon closely. It was made of unnaturally black wood, with a red crystal sitting on its head. Runes were engraved along the length of the staff, none of which were familiar to Ahno.

He brought it back to the other two, still examining it.
"I think we should take this, and bring it back to the island."
"You going to carry it? Remus asked transparently.
"I'll carry it." Iris offered, which caught both Ahno and Remus by surprise.
"No no, I can carry it, really, no problem." Ahno told her. Iris shrugged and didn't argue. Remus raised an eyebrow at her, but didn't say a word. Ahno put the black staff on his back through a strap on his tunic specially designed for such purposes.

Ahno glanced toward Remus, he realized he hadn't asked if he was okay... though clearly he seemed to be. He was, after all, quite fortuitous, as he had proven a few times already. Ahno decided that Remus was the sort of person who you don't ask "are you okay", because he will always say yes. Though on the other hand, he didn't seem the type who would exaggerate and say "I didn't even feel it", or something to that effect. If he wasn't okay, Ahno was sure he would know it.

With the gems in their possession and with no more obstacles in their way, they walked up to the teleporter. Ahno went first, touching the glowing light to be enveloped by it, and disappearing. Iris followed quickly after. Remus waited a moment and looked around. This would probably be the last time he saw his homeland. He sighed audibly, remembering the few good memories he had of this place. After a moment he turned to face the teleporter again. He reached for the light, and followed his allies through to the other side.

The group now found themselves on the northern end and outside of the Great Wall of Alsius. They were all exhausted, but dawn was approaching, and this was no place to stop and sleep. Alsius would be looking all over the place for the gems, and if they were found in this condition, they were finished. They each looked at one another. An unspoken and unanimous decision had been made that they should go back to the island. At least now, they seemed to know where they were going.

They silently began making their way to the south, as the first dim rays of sunlight became visible over the horizon to the east.

Mbwana

10-04-2010, 02:53 AM

ooo, great stories as always

Dohni

10-04-2010, 04:49 AM

love it!!!!

Dohni

10-15-2010, 02:14 PM

ummmmm.... Bumpity bump bump

Immune

04-22-2011, 07:55 PM

Helloooo forum readers. It's been several months since I last updated this story, sorry to those who were enjoying it. Although I may not play the game any longer, I've been thinking about picking this up again and maybe/hopefully even finishing it. So let me know if you'd like me to continue on with this.
Anyways, I've already got the next part written, so here it is. (Please note that any changes that have/will take place in-game will have little to no effect on what happens here.)
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Making Progress

The group slowly climbed through the mountains west of the crater known as Thorkul’s rage, and after about an hour came to the road between Aggersborg market and the Great Wall of Alsius. The sky was growing brighter with daylight, and the three of them were only getting more tired. Their only comfort was in knowing that any enemies they came across would likely be as worn as they were. Every realm focused a great amount of resources on the assault the night before; there was little reason for Ignis or Syrtis to commit more troops to totally missing gems, and Alsius was thoroughly beaten to the point that they had no fresh soldiers left.

They continued through the pines west of Aggersborg and eventually came to the road between the fort and Pines Bridge, thus far without incident. As they were about to cross the road however, Ahno stopped short.
“Wait…” he told them. They obeyed, and waited for his reasoning. “Do you hear something?” Iris hadn’t been paying much attention, she was tired and her head was jumbled with uncoordinated thoughts.
“Umm…” was all she said as she began listening for whatever Ahno was hearing. It wasn’t hard to miss actually; voices could be heard not far down the road.

“An Alsian patrol?” Ahno guessed.
“Most likely.” Remus agreed. The surroundings provided little cover besides the thin-trunk pines all over the place. Luckily, there was a decent sized boulder which provided a somewhat better alternative. They hurried behind it before the voices, which were definitely getting louder, got any closer.

They didn’t dare to make any noise once hidden, but they all seemed to agree that waiting for the danger to pass was the best option. Although they could now tell there were only two people talking, it wasn’t worth ambushing them. The group listened to the discussion as the pair walked by.

“I heard the gems were smuggled out by Alsians. I don’t buy that though, it sounds more like the work of an underground group or something.”
“Blasted gems, I stopped giving a damn about them a long time ago. Do you have any idea how many we lost last night?”
“I heard anywhere between a few hundred to over a thousand. We won’t have an army left to fight with if this keeps up!”
“I hear ya... I just can’t believe Darryl is gone. You knew him, didn't you?”
“What? Yeah I knew him... you mean he-?”
“Yeah… they found him this morning. Fool wouldn’t leave the fort when we started pulling back to the wall.”

The voices now moved out of earshot, and the three of them sat there for a minute longer before doing anything. Iris peeked around the rock to make sure it was safe, Ahno stood up from his crouched position. Remus however, just sat there, staring at the ground with a somber look in his eyes, as if contemplating something deeply. Ahno noticed and almost thought he had just fallen asleep. He knew better though.

“Is something wrong?” he asked. Iris looked at them now.
“It’s safe.” She said. Ahno nodded, but waited to see if Remus responded.
“Nothing's wrong. I just... I knew Darryl. Was my best friend, actually. Before I left.” He answered finally. Ahno frowned, Iris knelt next to him.
“Want to talk about it?” she offered. She still hardly knew Remus, and wasn’t much of a councilor, but she felt she should try at least.
“Nothing to talk about.” Remus sighed, “I knew his stubbornness would do him in sooner or later. Just wish I could’ve talked to him once more, or something, you know?.” Iris nodded and stood up again. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” He assured them, and they knew he would be.

Remus finally stood up with them. “Let’s keep moving.” He said, and they continued walking east towards the Alsian dock. The sun was well above the horizon now, marking the time to be about mid-morning. The three felt exhausted and craved sleep, none of them complained though. As they neared the docks, a breeze carrying the scent of death from the north reminded them of why they were doing any of this.

When at last they stepped foot on the dock, Remus spoke unexpectedly.
“So how do we get back? To the chamber, I mean.” The question had occurred to the others as well… how indeed?
“I wouldn’t worry about it.” Ahno said, “The spirit, Nadia… I’m sure she’ll get us back in somehow.” Remus grunted. Iris didn’t care, she just wanted to be somewhere they could rest.

They began to descend the ramps to water level, where a boat awaited them. Remus wasn’t looking forward to rowing again. Before they could get in, however, the air around them seemed to begin wavering. The landscape slowly faded away, and when it was over, they were back in the island chamber again.
“I guess that’s how.” Ahno said. He couldn’t help grinning; it seemed they had actually done the impossible. With some help, of course. Remus looked back, and as with their first time entering, saw only the chamber wall.
“Hmph… all of this magic can’t be good for me.” He muttered.

Before any of them could do or say anything else, Nadia appeared before them in a flash of light and spoke.
“You have succeeded in the first part of your journey, as I expected you would.” She smiled a bit. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d actually smiled. She continued, “But your journey is far from over. As I’m sure you are aware, this is but the first of three sets of gems you must bring here.” They remembered, but couldn’t think of much of anything other than sleep. Nadia could tell they were exhausted. It was not even noon yet, but it mattered little.

“You have all done well, and deserve a rest before continuing. Please, sleep.” She waved a hand, causing the unusual light that normally filled the room to dim significantly. The patterns covering the walls glowed and could still be seen distinctly. It seemed as if the chamber was now filled with moonlight rather than daylight.

Before their eyes, three beds made of what seemed to be water formed in front of them. Remus poked the one in front of him with his finger… it was more like rubber or jelly than water. Whatever it was, it was nothing any of them had seen before. It was, however, a much more comfortable place to lie down on than on the cold hard floor.

Iris didn’t question what the bed was and gratefully collapsed onto it, fast asleep before her bed had stopped quivering from the fall. Ahno, a bit more gracefully, slid himself onto his bed and lied down quietly, and was overcome with sleep within seconds. Remus eyed his bed one last time before taking most of his heavy armor off for sleep. Slowly and somewhat awkwardly, he climbed into the bed before him, as if expecting he would fall through the transparent material. Once satisfied that it was in fact safe to sleep on such a bed, Remus lied flat and soon drifted into a peaceful slumber.

Nadia gathered up the gems, which the heroes seemed to have forgotten about, and brought them over to the giant door. She placed them in two of the holes in the wall next to the door and looked thoughtfully over at the group once more. With that, she faded from view and let the three heroes sleep in peace.

SirHiss

04-26-2011, 01:47 PM

keep it up!

Immune

04-28-2011, 04:33 AM

Hello any new or former readers. The next chapter is here, you can probably expect one chapter a week from me. That's what I'm aiming for anyways. Anyone reading feel free to comment! I enjoy feedback, whether it be criticism or just a random comment on the story ;) (Just try to be positive and non-spammish) Anyways, enjoy :)
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Dark Matter

Ahno awoke before the others, though it was not morning. They had, after all, returned in the morning the day after they'd left. It was now well into the evening; up on the surface, the sun had already set. It didn't matter in the chamber though, the lighting was controlled... somehow.

Ahno looked at the others, lying in their respective beds.
"Still sleeping..." He rubbed his eyes groggily and began to get out of his bed. He had a restless sleep, but it was better than nothing. Something didn’t feel right as he got up, and then he remembered the staff he’d taken from Cyrus after their battle. He couldn’t believe he’d slept with that strapped on his back, and quickly slid it out of its holder.

He looked it over once more. It was of craftsmanship totally foreign to him; he had never seen a staff quite like it. It reminded him of his own new staff, exotic and powerful… but this one was clearly crafted with dark intentions in mind. Slowly he examined the unfamiliar runes, tracing some with his finger.

He did this for several minutes, going down the length of the staff. When he reached the tip, he stopped, and did not touch the last rune etched into it. He did know this one… it was the symbol on Cyrus’ hand, the hourglass. His heart skipped a beat, and he looked around, as if expecting that someone was watching. But Remus and Iris were still sound asleep, and Nadia was nowhere to be found.

Ahno turned his attention back to the staff. He stared at the rune for a minute, before bringing his sight to the dark red crystal sitting in the staff’s head. It almost looked demonic; it appeared as if there might be blood swirling around inside the gem. It was… enthralling.

”So much power…” Ahno caught himself thinking. He couldn’t stop staring for some reason.
”Touch it.” He heard a voice not his own. It was barely a whisper, like a hiss, yet it echoed mysteriously.
”What?” He thought, to the voice apparently. He didn’t break his gaze with the crystal to look for the source of the speaker. He knew it was in his head.
”Touch it, you know you want to.” Ahno unconsciously began reaching toward the crystal very slowly. He noticed this and stopped his arm, though did not pull it back.

“I can’t.” He was whispering out loud now, his voice shook slightly. “This thing is evil.”
”What harm could it do? It’s just… an experiment.” He heard.
“N-no…” He faltered, “This can’t be safe.”
”Why worry? Just a touch… it hungers for mastery.” Ahno was breathing heavily now, though he didn’t realize it. His hand inched a bit closer to the crystal.
“I shouldn’t…”
But you WANT to! Stop this resistance!” The voice persisted.

The crystal was glowing now. Ahno couldn’t stop the unnatural force which seemed to be pulling his hand toward it any longer. His arm seemed to extend without his consent.
“I suppose if… I’m careful…” He said, he wasn’t sure if he was speaking or thinking now. The red glow intensified, and reflected in Ahno’s eyes now. There was a low but certainly audible humming accompanying the glow now.

Iris woke up to the humming and glowing red light. She saw Ahno with the staff and could see the entrancement in his eyes. She had no idea what was happening, but immediately knew it was not good. She then realized he was about to touch the crystal.
“Ahno!” she shouted, but he couldn't hear her.

As soon as Ahno’s hand came in contact with the crystal, the room was filled with a flash of red light and a loud *ZZZT*. Iris turned her head closed her eyes to shield against the light. A quiet *thud* followed. The echo of hard wood dropping onto the stone floor filled the chamber, and faded into silence.

Iris was trembling, the sound of her heartbeat filled her ears. She was too afraid to open her eyes.
”It’s just a bad dream.” She whispered, her voice was filled with fear. "It's just a bad dream."