_Arceus_
Creative!
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Chapter 12: Rescue Christopher's POV When we arrived at Battleon, and thankfully, it wasn't that far, we immediately went to Warlic in his shop. "Welcome to my magic shop. Here, you can learn new spells, undertake arcane quests, and even use the magic mirror to change your appearance." Change my appearance? I didn't know that was even possible. "That's okay, Warlic. I have come here for other reasons. Artix Krieger sent me. He said you are the person to ask any question." He nodded. "Well, ahem, I do know quite a lot. What seems to be your quandary?" Crystal stepped forward. "First: do you know why Sage Uldor and Aquella have gone to the peak of Mount Eigerbuld?" she said. Riiiight. "Mount Eigerbuld is a focal point for the Ethereal Realm. If you have become a wizard, and trained with Jackel Sano, you should know the Ethereal Realm." he said. "But why has he gone there?" Toff said. "My educated guess is that he has gone to Eigerbuld to communicate with something or someone in the Ethereal Realm. Aquella the water-elf is half-psionic, and Uldor may need her to help." Warlic said. Oh, I see. "Okay. Another question: What do you know about the Undead Ribber creatures?" Janice said. "They come from the Lands to the West, in search of a 'Shadow Master'. They are Undead, but are not controlled by a necromancer." he said. We knew that already. "But what is the Shadow Master they speak of, and what exactly are the Lands to the West?" I said. "I can only surmise that the Shadow Master is someone who has wronged the Ribbers, or an acquaintance of theirs, and has fled from the Lands to the West. Those Lands, beyond Darkovia, are a place of much mystery. Several great kingdoms arose there, and most have fallen." he said. Darkovia? They live near Darkovia? Why haven't I seen them though? "The Shadow Master might be a fugitive from one of those kingdoms. I will research this more, with the help of Falerin and his Library of Fin d’Siles." he said. Where? "You just lost me. Where is this Fin d’Siles place? I never heard of it." I said. Either that, or I have forgotten. "Oh, sorry. It has been a secret for a long time. Perhaps it is time you learned of it, seeing that you are of such importance to this world." he said. "Hmm, I’d love to hear more, but I think I should go to this Mount Eigerbuld and meet Uldor. Can you see if they are there yet?" Warlic showed me a mirror. "Let us peer into my magic mirror and see." he said, then the mirror showed an image of Aquella and Uldor on a rocky ledge. "Ah, there they are! Your magic never ceases to amaze me, Warlic. It looks like they are okay. Sage Uldor appears deep in thought." Janice said. Wait, have they met before? "Both Aquella and Uldor seem to be concentrating on a psionic task. Perhaps they are in contact with the Ethereal Realm right now. Hmm......I sense danger approaching." he said. Danger? Who? A Troll suddenly appeared behind Sage Uldor and Aquella. "You must go now, waste no time!" he said. Roger that. We rode through Mount Eigerbuld. Yep, rode. We bought some horses from Aria. Thankfully, Crystal brought some money. When we arrived, Aquella and Uldor were already gone. A Troll suddenly popped out behind us. "Graaahhh!!" it said. It scared Janice so much, she screamed: "Waaaahh!!!" then punched the Troll so hard it flew all the way down the mountain. Wow. As in, wow. Toff and I beat the life out of the remaining Trolls. Suddenly, a 'dog' jumped in front of us. "Look! A dog!" Crystal said, then ran to the 'dog'. What is she doing? "Crystal! Look out!" Toff yelled. The 'dog' pounced Crystal, trying to bite her with its sharp fangs. Toff ran to her and knocked the 'dog' out cold. Another Troll showed up. "Ugh.....you beat Flerg’s guard dog. That make Flerg sad. Flerg no fight......Flerg go home now......" it said. And I guess he's Flerg. "Wait, Flerg. Where is the Water Elf and the old man? Where did you take them?" Janice said. Nice description. "We no take them, just hold on to them. Then the Armored Man come take them and pay us for helping him." Flerg said. Armored Man? "This......Armored Man, which way did he go?" I said. "He ride south, toward Krovesport. That all Flerg know. Flerg go now......" he said, then walked off. "Right. Time to go rescue Aquella and Sage Uldor! It shouldn’t be hard to find an Armored Man in Krovesport......all those Rogues wear leather anyway." Crystal said. We mounted our horses then rode off to Krovesport. It wasn't that hard finding that city. It was filled with rouges, as Toff had said. When we arrived, we began asking the locals about Aquella and Sage Uldor. Toff approached a rouge. "Have you seen an Armored Man with a Water Elf and an old Sage pass by here?" The rouge just shook his head. "Despite this being Krovesport, a city filled with leather-wearing roguish types, I have seen many an armor-clad man today. But I have seen none with a Water Elf or old Sage in tow." the rouge said. "Oh, okay. Thanks anyway." Toff said. "Take care of yourself in this backstabbing town." the rouge said, then went off. We walked around town and apparently, Crystal had an idea. She said she was going to ask some Armored Men lurking around town. So, we did. "Have you seen an Armored Man with a Water Elf and an old Sage pass by here?" she said. The 'Armored Man' looked at her. "Well, I’m an armored man. Do I have a Water Elf and an old sage with me? No? You should not single me out just because I like to wear armor. That’s not nice." he said. We're just asking dude. Chill. "Yes indeed, you are right, I should not assume that you are a bad person because you wear armor." Crystal said, looking down. I looked at Toff, the look on his face tell me that he wants to kill that guy.........so bad. "Thank you for being understanding. It often hurts my feelings when I am made out to be a bad guy, when truly I am not." the man said. Pshh. You're the one who's saying that. We walked around town again, asking any Armored Man we see. We approached another Armored Man. "Have you seen an Armored Man with a Water Elf and an old Sage pass by here?" I said. "Hehehe......the knight called Barca mentioned a particularly fetching Water Elf he noticed a while ago. Other than that, I know nothing." he said. Yes! We finally have a lead. "Thanks." I said, then walked off. We began asking around the city for this man named 'Barca'. We approached another Armored Man, hoping that he knows this 'Barca' guy. "Excuse me, do you know someone named Barca?" Janice said. The man looked at her. "You found him." he said. Oh yeah! "Do you know an Armored Man with a Water Elf and an old Sage?" Crystal said. Come on Crys (Yeah, that's her nickname. It's pronounced like mine.), that IS the Armored Man we're looking for. "Actually......yes I do. I could never forget the sight of that beautiful Water Elf. I've always had a thing for Water Elves." he said. So, he's not the one we're looking for? "Can you tell me where they are?" Crystal said. I have a bad feeling about this. "Sure I will, just as soon as my two friends try to rob you! Did you forget that you were in Krovesport, home of thieves and rogues?" he said. Then suddenly, two bandits lunged at us by surprise. Fortunately, I was fast enough to notice them and beat the life out of them. "I need to teach my friends how to fight better. Well, you should be able to find your Water Elf and the old man in the northeastern alleyways of Krovesport. Watch your step!" he said. Why you little.....! I was about to strangle him to death, but Janice stopped me. We went on to the northeastern alleyways of Krovesport, but saw no-one. "No sign of the Armored Man, or Aquella and Sage Uldor." I said. "Your friends MIGHT still be alive......Care to find out?" a voice said, then revealed itself. Another Armored Man. And apparently, he's the one we're looking for. Finally! "Prepare yourself for the beatdown of the century!" he said. YOU prepare for YOU'RE beat down. I lunged at him. I took him by surprise with my speed. Wait a minute, how can I be THAT fast? I mean, faster than Toff, and HE'S a VAMPIRE! I took out my sword and swung it at him. I put a huge gash in his armor. "Argh! My armor!" he said, then swung his axe at me. Note that he has two axes. Again, how can I be THAT fast? I evaded his axes with no effort in doing so. I'm starting to scare myself right now. I swung my sword again, and this time, I removed his helm. I was shocked that HE was actually a SHE. "You sure know how to put up a fight! For a second there I actually feared for my life." she said. Well, you should have. "No more small talk. Tell me where my friends are, or else." I said. Aquella and Uldor walked beside her. "We are safe and sound, friend!" Aquella said. "But......the Trolls, they attacked you and---" "The trolls did not attack us. Dundela sent them to PROTECT us." Uldor said. Dundela? You mean the 'Armored Man'? "And just who are you, Dundela? And how do you know Aquella and Uldor?" Toff said. Yeah, how do you know them? "It's quite simple really.......I am Uldor’s daughter! I only have a small portion of his powers, but I sensed a dangerous presence approaching them on Mount Eigerbuld." she said. You're his WHAT?! "Uldor and I were combining our psychic abilities in order to use the Ethereal Realm to help locate the 'Shadow Master' that the Undead Ribbers are searching for." Aquella said. "Probing the Ethereal Realm would have helped very much, because that dimension touches all others. As we started our search, however, someone ELSE must have noticed." Uldor said. "It was a force of darkness, Father. It may have been the Shadow Master himself (or herself!) that noticed." Dundela said. Wait. "Warlic and I were just then looking at you through his magic mirror. We saw the trolls approach and thought you were in trouble." I said. "Hmm" Uldor looked at Aquella. "What is it, Aquella?" he said. "If only Warlic and our friend here were aware of our location, then perhaps one of THEM was the presence that Dundela detected?" Aquella said. Right. Ignore me. "Well if that were the case, then our friend here or Warlic may be the Shadow Master" Dundela said. I'm the what?! "It is doubtful......but not completely out of the question." Uldor said. What do you mean, 'not out of the question'? I have a pretty good feeling that I’m not this 'Shadow Master'!" I said. Well, I'm not! "We can be sure of nothing at the moment...." Aquella said. I'm pretty sure I'm not the 'Shadow Master'. "Well, we CAN.......if Dundela sensed the dark presence HERE.......then we can be certain that some powerful force is WATCHING us......watching our every move." Uldor said. "And I probably only sensed it because it wanted me too!" Dundela said. "I will go to the Paladin Order and request Artix Krieger’s help. We may need the Paladins, considering the Shadow Master's connection with the Undead." Aquella said. "What about us?" I said. "You have perhaps a dangerous task.......Collect an Orb of Light from a creature called Jagos in the Skraeling Desert, then go back to Eigerbuld with the Orb and await my return! The Orb SHOULD keep the dark force at bay." Uldor said. "SHOULD keep the dark, evil, powerful force away?" Janice said. "Yes. We need go now. We'll see you atop Mount Eigerbuld." Uldor said, then went off. Janice, Toff, and Crystal stared at me. "What?" I asked them. Is something wrong? "How can you move so fast like that?" Crystal said. I don't know either. "Furthermore, how did you TOP Toff's speed like that?!" Janice said. "I.......I don't know. I think it's just my instincts kicking in." I said. Although the look on Toff's face bothers me. The look of worry. Why? Does he know something that I don't? If that's the case, I need to know everything..........
< Message edited by _Arceus_ -- 2/23/2013 5:17:42 >
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