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The fight between Talos and Tyrael raged on. Suddenly, a dark figure appeared, seemingly instantly, in between the two duelers...

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<font color="gold">Bronze: the other gold metal.</font>

<out of character>

whoops, don't write stuff in appleworks then come online, i'll add on to the beginning, but it won't be as plausible, but i think it would have been damn good otherwise =)

the time is the problem, i did a couple things in my post to fix it

just thought of something.....trundaylan edit your post to say half an hour in. much more plausible then.

<back in>

Dead tired from the battle with the wolves, Rio and the rest sat upon dead logs in the clearing. Fatigue washed over him. He longed to rest, but he was worried. It was the time Kest had predicted he would be done, but there was no movement from that quarter. Setting Idlao and Davis to watch, the rest slipped into restless sleep.

Waking, Rio stared up at the sun, it was well past the time Kest had said it might take until. As the day became steadily brighter and the shadows became almost nonexistent, he became more and more worried. He looked more frequently to theKestrel to see if there was something discernibly wrong. He heard what sounded like a branch being swung through the air very fast. Accompanied by it was the pained grunt of one of his men. He turned quickly and saw the arrow haft protruding from Dalt’s left arm. At the same time, cries of war surrounded them and the clearing was beset by demons and undead.

“Around theKestrel,” he bellowed, “Protect theKestrel!” Rio almost could have smiled as Dalt broke off the arrow and cleared leather, taking the nearest undead’s head off. Trundaylan had time for a quick healing spell before he, too, was engaged. Rio guessed there was close to a score of them attacking. His thoughts were cut short as he hacked at the demon which had closed with him. They fell back into a ring on steel around theKestrel, who, of those gathered, appeared to be the only one undisturbed by the course of events. That might have something to do with his trance-like state, Rio thought. As he gored an undead, he saw Ryan desperately fending two demons off. He whirled and slashed one of the demons doubling Ryan. Ryan went on the offensive and soon had opened another smiling face for the demon’s entrails to cough out of. He gave a brief nod of thanks and turned to next enemy. Rio met problems of his own as he turned to his other side. He barely deflected the cut that would have gone straight to his heart, instead drawing a line of red along his sword arm. Rio parried the next two slashes and came under the demon’s guard, disemboweling him. He glanced around briefly and was dismayed to see one of his guard had fallen and another was bleeding profusely from a serious wound along his thigh. theKestrel had not stirred yet. At least they were taking a toll on the enemy. Trundaylan fell back into the scanty protection of the small, and growing smaller, ring of men to cast a healing spell upon the Davis, the grounded guardsmen. With a harried look, Trundaylan pulled the groggy man to his feet. Perenor, the guard with the thigh wound, was heavily beset by two undead and a demon was cloing in upon them. Rio turned towards Perenor, catching a small glimpse of movement towards the center of the ring. As he moved to engage the demon that had beset Perenor, he stumbled as he felt the white hot pain lance through his gut and flare again as the undead behind him pulled his blade out for another slash. Rio turned, tripping on a root as he fell. Time seemed to freeze.....the undead was extending his blade.....in a moment it would pierce his chest.....the world seemed to bend and Rio wondered whether this was it......Darkness.

I became aware of my surroundings again, this time with a pounding headache. Outside stimuli began to reach me. There were cries and battle noise surrounding me. As my vision began to act properly again, I saw that we were beset. Perenor was falling back, Davis was stumbling, but still swinging, Ryan was attacking with a vengeance upon the undead who had beset Trundaylan. Idlao and Nesalt were nearly tripping over me as they were beaten back by three demons. As I continued my sweep of the small battle I saw Rio stumbling back, pain written across his face. I was horrified as I saw what was about to happen, without thinking of consequences, I pulled the most recent spell from my mind into being, and had time to think, “****.” before the world seemed to come apart and blackness overwhelmed me....

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And so the problem remained; lots of people were mean, and most of them were miserable, even the ones with digital watches. Many were increasingly of the opinion that they had all made a big mistake in coming down from the trees in the first place. And some said that the trees had been a bad move and that no one should ever have left the oceans.

As my vision cleared once again, I decided that I was entirely fed up with this whole blurry vision business. And so I was dreadfully disappointed that even after my vision cleared I couldn't see anything, being as it was pitch black around me. I spoke a word and a flaming light appeared, and hovered about 2 feet above me, and 2 feet ahead of me. In the light I saw that all who had been in the company had also been transported here. Transported by...hmmm...how had we gotten here? Transported..by...a...SPELL! It hit me like a freight train, and I felt the need to black out again. Masterfully controlling myself, I decided it would be an especially bad idea given what I assumed the circumstances to be. The spell which had leaped to mind had been, unfortunately, the very one in which I was seeking in the clearing. I had successfully mapped its traces, and had awoken to find a battle around me, and one of the best people I knew about to be stabbed in the heart.

And so, I had reached into my mind in a blaze of speed for the closest spell, usually something quite nasty indeed....hmm, well, I guess this was quite nasty in itself. The spell was something which I couldn't control and lay very well at all. I had run into these before, usually I was in very dangerous places. Obviously the fact that the black cloaked thing, which I had indeed upgraded from a persona to a "thing", was quite powerful and add to that the fact that I felt certain that he didn't black out every time he used the spell, which meant his mind worked on different pathways. Yep, I was definitely getting worried. Time to wake up the others. I walked....well hobbled, I was rather stiff, to Trundaylan and cast some minor healing, and then awoke him.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" He shot me a sour look. I shrugged and smiled, "Great....now heal up these men, would you?" He turned away and set to his task. It appeared that all would be fixed up by the healing, which put me in a very good mood. This quickly turned to thoughts of how Barak might be faring at Pnyx. I was worried about them, but then, they could handle themselves.

I forced my mind back to the problem at hand. We had portalled to wherever "Blackey" had gone. I was a touch worried that it could be some sort of trap, but dismissed that as a problem I would worry about later. As soon as the others felt functional enough, we would scout around to see what we could find.

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And so the problem remained; lots of people were mean, and most of them were miserable, even the ones with digital watches. Many were increasingly of the opinion that they had all made a big mistake in coming down from the trees in the first place. And some said that the trees had been a bad move and that no one should ever have left the oceans.

*realizes with a start that he still has the pages from Alaric's journal*

"Oh well, no time for that now."

*Trundaylan goes back to his work...*

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All the men had been healed by Trundaylan, thankfully they were all doing fairly well considering. They stood in a rough hewn cave of dark, almost black rock. They had decided the best course of action would be to scout ahead. (sudden thought hit me, writing about battle's is _so_ much more fun, I think I'll make this quick ) So decided, they headed farther into the cave, going down at a slow, but steady rate. The cave began to have traces of habitation. Scraps of leather, or bits of metal were seen more frequently the longer they walked. The cave had evened, and perhaps even begun to climb. They continued their walk, still meeting no one. The cave widened the farther they went. Soon they began to feel breezes upon their laboring faces, after a time they even began to hear the cries of gulls. The tunnel grew lighter and lighter. No one had said it, but they had all felt trapped and unnerved in those tunnels, and now that they could get free, their step came quicker, and they almost jostled towards the entrance. When they reached it, they stood amazed.

Before them, imbedded upon the massive white granite cliffs, stood an vast and unpenetrable fortress. Its walls defied explanation, they stood hundreds of feet in the air, and their thickness could only be guessed at. The top of the walls held crenellations for archer's....as if anyone could hope to scale these walls. The fortress itself seemed to have been carved from the solid stone around it. It was surrounded by cold, craggy peaks in all directions save for the north. To the north lay the sea, gulls circling the rocky harbor which lay below. Small strips of bone white sand could be seen, winking in the sun. It was a sight and once breath-taking and bone-chilling. Who was in command of this vast fortress? How was it's location unknown? The answer to the former was quite easy to determine. A small winding path, wide enough for two abreast, was hewn out of the rock. It led up to the fortress and terminated at the base of the walls, although no gate could be seen. It only took a few glances among themselves to determine their course of action.

Making their way along the rocky path took them in a semi-circle, skirting the valley which lay in front of the forbidding fortress. As they came nearer to those endless walls, they realized that their was a great chasm which separated the fortress walls from the valley floor. It was perhaps 20 feet across the abyss. The trail took them to the edge of the chasm, where it abruptly terminated.
"What now?" ask Trundaylan. theKestrel was staring at the spectacle which rose in front of them. The cold fist of fear tightening about his heart for the first time in a very long time. He shook off the effects, knowing it could only serve him poorly, only to have it return in a flash, tighter than before, when out of thin air, a slender stone bridge appeared, crossing the abyss. Out of the solid wall, a gate now appeared set by stone.

With a grim look, theKestrel turned to the other's. From between gritted teeth he said, "I think we are expected." As if to accede the point, a flame sprang up from the top of a massive tower situated in the center of the fortress.


<out of character>

WARNING!!! Do not mess with the characters I have here presently. I have thought up a VERY interesting plot, and I think it will go quite well. Trundaylan....or anybody, if you want to take control of Barak's troops, please go ahead. If anybody wants to get in contact with me, my icq# is 76040974. Now that I have such a fantastic plot thought out, people better keep their posts up!!

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And so the problem remained; lots of people were mean, and most of them were miserable, even the ones with digital watches. Many were increasingly of the opinion that they had all made a big mistake in coming down from the trees in the first place. And some said that the trees had been a bad move and that no one should ever have left the oceans.

JackFrost's eyes flit open, but when they do, it seemed as if they are still closed. Blackness is the only thing around him. He tries to realine his thoughts, and finaly succedes in remembering how he got there. He reaches down to touch his side...but the dagger is no longer there, and his wounds have been healed. Strange.

Jack casts a minor enlightenment spell, and groans at his surroundings. He is in a small stony cell, surrounded on three sides by cut granite, and the fourth, holding a door made of solid steel.

"Where in #e!! am I?" he asked aloud. But then it hit him. He WAS in a living version of that dreaded place, a sactuary of darkness. He must have been captured after his fall from in battle. For what reason remained unanswered, though, and Jack concentrated to keep from going insane in the small room, as he sat down to wait.

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The One And Only:
~Theo Nean Donly~

Jack suddenly hears the sound of a door opening, then footsteps. "Jack? JackFrost?" says the person on the other side of the metal door.
JackFrost thinks for about a second before he replies: "Who are you? Where am I?"
"I am Mutaro", the person replies, "I am sent by Rogan to rescue you. You might remember you got fatally wounded".
JackFrost narrows his eyes, trying to look through a small window in the steel door. "I thought I were dead!"
"Almost. You were captured by Talos`men. Rogan overheard a conversation between two of his henchmen. Just give me a moment to pick this lock".
Mutaro sits down and starts to tamper with the lock until finally a small "click" is heard and the door opens.
"Let us get out now. I have disposed of the guards so getting out should be simple".
The two men then starts to walk and in a matter of minutes, they are out. Rogan and a few other warriors are waiting on the outside...

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"But which way will the balance swing? To the east or to the west?"
(Omen)

[This message has been edited by Rogan (edited 11-02-2000).]

*The dark figure raised his hands. A sudden green light surrounded Talos and Tyrael. Tyrael recognized the figure, but couldn't place him. A gasp from Talos showed that he know who this dark figure was. Now only if he could...

It suddenly clicked into Tyrael's mind. The dark figure, the one that brought about...no! It couldn't be! But, it was...

Tyrael suddenly let out a war cry and charged at the figure, but to his amazement he couldn't move. The green glow was holding him in place somehow. He tried using a spell, but magic seemed to be unaccessable to Tyrael. His mind racing, he tried to think of a way to free himself.

He was so focused on finalizing his plan that he didn't notice that Talos had been knocked unconscious, nor did he see the fist coming at him untill it was too late. With a painful gasp, Tyrael saw the world close in around him and wrap him in darkness...

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The dark figure let out a laugh. It raised its hands at the charging army of Talos, and the army litterally exploded. The figure turned to leave as a head from a demon hit the ground behind him. Holding his left hand out, the figure used magic to drag the two unconscious warriors with him.

He had an important appointment to keep...

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Jack blicks his eyes at the surrounding landscape.

"Where are we?"

Rogan steps forward: "We are in a forest about 200 paces from Cademia", he said,looking around to make sure no one else is nearby. "You were captured and we followed Talos`men to this place. I am Rogan and these are my men: Mutaro, Korax, Angus and Keno".
Mutaro looks back on the prison, a large stone building, and says: "I suggest we leave before more men arrive". Rogan starts to walk with the rest of the party close behind...

(out of character)
Sorry double post. I know they are almost similar to eachother...something wrong with my computer...

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"But which way will the balance swing? To the east or to the west?"
(Omen)

*The group crossed to the gate and walked inside. When they reached the courtyard, they saw a dark figure waiting there.*

"Who are you?" theKestrel boomed out.

"All will be revealed in time." came the reply. The voice seemed old and tired, but was bustling with strength and intimidation.

"What do you want?" Rio piped up.

"All will be revealed in time. Now come and follow me."

The figure turned and went inside the keep. theKestrel and the others followed warily, with Trundaylan in the rear. With a deep breath and a nervous thought, they were inside...

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*Tyrael slowly came to...with a moan. He instantly sat up and looked around. He was met with pitch black.

He heard a moan nearby, it sounded like Talos, and then footsteps. The booted footsteps came closer and after what seemed like an eternity, they stopped. There was a click of a key, then a sound like a metal door was opening. Some scurried sounds indicated that someone was being dragged out, from the moaning Tyrael guessed it was Talos. The booted footsteps and dragging slowly faded away as the door clicked shut. The footsteps stopped, and a faint red glow appeared.

Tyrael dropped to the ground and went to sleep...only to be awakened a moment later by the sound of tortured cries.*

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I walked behind this stranger, feeling a strange kinship with him, something I couldn't place, for it was just beyond my memory. Wary nonetheless, I followed him into the keep with a sense of foreboding.

I could see that this place would be invincible to ordinary attack. As we passed through the gateway, our party swung their heads to it when they heard it clang shut.

"What is the meaning of this," I cried.

"Do not worry, it is but for my safety, you do not need worry about yours."

We followed this man into the very heart of his keep. When we arrived at his study, he bade us sit down. He rang a small bell, and then sat himself. Moments later as the door opened, all jumped. In the doorway stood a demon! I loosed a bolt of raw energy directly at his chest....which fizzled before it was anywhere close to the demon. I was shocked, and looked to my companions. I covered an extra shock, when I realized Trundaylan was no longer with us.......

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And so the problem remained; lots of people were mean, and most of them were miserable, even the ones with digital watches. Many were increasingly of the opinion that they had all made a big mistake in coming down from the trees in the first place. And some said that the trees had been a bad move and that no one should ever have left the oceans. - Douglass Adams

*Trundaylan was still not sure how it had happened. He was following the group somewhere inside the castle, until they took a breather at the foot of a giant staircase. There, the group paused to look at the decorations. Trundaylan was staring back at the wall designs along the way they had come, and when he turned back, he found he was alone. Normally, Trundaylan would have followed, but both the staircase and the long doorless hallway that branched off to the right were empty. Trundaylan walked up the staircase, but found that all six branching long hallways at the top were empty too.

After pondering this for a bit, Trundaylan decided he was on his own, and decided to explore. He wandered down a hallway into a grand chamber, laced with decorations in gold and silver, with sparkling gems embedded in it. The carpet was finely woven with blue and green threads, with a hint of silver, made in such a way that the person walking on it had the impression he was near the sea. Trundaylan could almost taste the salty air. The aqua tiled walls also helped to increase the effect-the tile being cut off halfway up the wall where plain white took over. The ceiling had visible wooden beams, stained and a massive chandilier hing in the center. The bars of the chandilier were gold and the many candles were in hand-blown glass cups, that resembled tiny bells turned upside-down. Stray furniture was scattered about the room, finely polished wood, that added to the massive effect. A nifty bookcase was off in one corner, the faded books obviousely old. The chamber was astounding to look at, being as heavily decorated as it was.

Trundaylan walked over to the bookcase, on the far side of the room. Maybe he could learn something interesting. He scanned the books, many with titles so faded that it was hard to tell what they were. One caught his attention however, it was a black book-not really interesting to look at-which made it all the more intriguing. Trundaylan reached for it, and suddenly pulled back as a slight grinding sound was heard.

Appearantely, the whirlpool in the center of the room was more that it appeared to be. There was a staircase that had slid open when Trundaylan pulled the book. The staircase led down old granite steps that looked like they could use some servicing. Trundaylan walked over and noticed a faint red glow in the darkness. With a deep breath, Trundaylan started down.

His footsteps clicked on the slick steps as he desended into blackness. The stairs immediately rose back into the floor above as he stepped off. From the faint images of iron cages on either side, he guessed he was in a jail. Also, the gloom and dank smell helped contribute to that thought.

Trundaylan was passing by, en route to the red glow when a voice whispered from seemingly out of nowhere.*

"Hey, wait up!"

*Trundaylan glanced around uneasily.*

"In here! Hurry, the keys are on the far wall..."

*Trundaylan looked to his right, and noticed for the first time a figure was in there, calling out to him.*

"What are you waiting for? Hurry!"

*To further enhance the urgency of the shadowy figure's words, a bloodcurtling scream came from the direction of the red glow. Trundaylan quickly hustled over to the far wall and picked up the rusting keys, brushing a spiderweb off his face as he did so. He unlocked the door and the figure emerged.*

"We must hurry, follow."

"What is going on?" for the first time, Trundaylan spoke.

"Something big and nasty. I'll tell you later. First we must rescue someone who has a key role in the near-future."

*Without waiting for a reply, the figure dashed off in the direction of the red glow, pausing only once to retrieve a sword.*


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*As they reached the area where the glow was emenating, Trundaylan could see he was now in a circular room. A giant fire lit the center of the black room, and on the far side he could see two guards beating up a man chained to the wall. Trundaylan couldn't make out the man's face from here, but he seemed to recognize him.

Without warning, Trundaylan's companion ran past drawing his sword. In a single slash, he felled both guards, leaving behing a glowing white line that crossed their stomachs, spilling dark blood. With another swipe, a clang of metal on metal, and a flurry of bright white sparks, the second figure was free. Within ten seconds the guards had been felled and the three men were on their way to escape.

Trundaylan and his companions ran down a dark tunnel, not knowing how long they had before pursuit would begin. They ran onward, down the dark tunnel, when suddenly they rounded a corner and blinked against the bright daylight that lay before them.

As their eyes adjusted, they could begin to see again. Appearantly, they were halfway down a mountain, overlooking the eastern coast and sea. Off to the southeast, Trundaylan could see Odemia, and to the north he presumed would be LandKing hall. Beyond Odemia, he could see a vast dark shape, just on the horizon. The afternoon sun was throwing long shadows, so he had no way of telling what it was...but he got a feeling of evil from it.

Trundaylan looked at his companions for the first time. He was shocked when he saw that the battered, blood-stained figure was Talos, whom the guards were torturing. He turned and was met with an even greater shock. The one whom he had freed, was none other than the great Tyrael himself...*

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*out of character*
Am i hallucinating? Or did you delete my posts?

*back in character*
I looked at the figure again, that familiar sense returning stronger than ever. I wondered who this person could be. "What is this THING doing here?" I demanded.

"Do not worry, they are under my control and are useful creatures. Do not concern yourself with them for the moment. I am sure you are worried about your men that I abducted, Kestrel. They will be returned shortly. I merely took them for the purpose of discerning what side you represented in this conflict.....which brings me to the conflict.... Talos must be utterly destroyed! You succeeded at LandKing Hall, and your troops are currently engaging Talos at Pnyx. We must go there to tip the balance in your favor."

As he spoke of Talos, I could hear the anger in his voice...and yet....there was an element of....something almost wistful in his voice. The sense of knowing this person returned stronger than ever, and I realized with a chill down my back, I had never given this man my name...

"I won't argue with getting your help, but this begs the question of what your interest is in the whole thing. I don't really like going into battle with complete strangers."

"Talos.....well, he is an enemy, that should be enough for you."

The door opened again, and the missing men came in. All three knelt before me professing their unhappiness at being unable to fight off the demons. "My Lord, they came at us unawares!", "They surprised us, My Lord, we didn't have a chance." I silenced them with a word and a laugh, "You are back, that is all that matters." I looked them over, "Did you suffer any ill treatment?" A nervous glance passed between them..

The stranger interrupted, "They came to no permanent harm, and they are strong men, I may have been a bit....zealous....in my need to find out who you represented."

I felt my anger rise, and with a tightly controlled voice, "What...Did... You....Do." I couldn't believe that this thing expected me to be his ally when he attacked my own men.

"Sir..., he didn't do any physical damage....it was as if he laid or minds bare....it wasn't a pleasant experience...., but we were well cared for after that." I only changed my menace to the figure a fraction.

"Let us go to the battlefield then. I have left my troops to long." I could only hope that Trundaylan could take care of himself, as I felt confident he could.

The world blurred, and we were in the middle of Barak's camp. It was sunset, and the fighting had died down for the night. I headed towards his tent.

Unbeknowst to me, in the mountains overlooking Pnyx, there sat a massive force of demons and Undead, their camp covering a valley, the breeze rippling their tents.




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And so the problem remained; lots of people were mean, and most of them were miserable, even the ones with digital watches. Many were increasingly of the opinion that they had all made a big mistake in coming down from the trees in the first place. And some said that the trees had been a bad move and that no one should ever have left the oceans. - Douglass Adams

*Tyrael, seeing Trundaylan overwhelmed with questions, held up his hand before Trundaylan could say anything.*

"I know you have much to ask me and why Talos is with us. We have limited time, so I can only tell you this. There is much more at stake, and greater powers than even I at work here. One of them is evil, and only through the combined efforts of Talos and I are we able to stop him from unleashing the full fury of his power upon us. But still, he is stronger than us. We have to find an important person and turn him to our side. He will give us the clue we need to defeat this evil.

Come now, we must hurry to Pynx. I'm afraid that we won't make it in time to stop the impending doom for the city. The cloaked figure says he is trying to help, but in the battle that shall soon occur, the city of Pynx will be destroyed without doubt. Even if we make it, I'm not sure if it's fate can be changed, but we must try.

Come now."

*And with that, Tyrael lifted his arms, and the three saw the world around them vanish in a white light...*

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"While the motives of hell are usually bent on distruction, the motives of heaven are undecipherable"
--Librarius Ex Horadrim

We were in a tent in the middle of Barak's camp. The figure, giving his name only as "Return", myself, Rio, and Barak were sitting on stools around a small desk which had a map laid on the top of it. I hadn't appreciated Return's unwillingness to give us his real name, and I was very worried about what sort of ally he would be, however, we had a common cause, and he did seem to be trustworthy enough. He had told us of the weaknesses and soft points of the creatures which consisted of Talos' army, as well as a detailed map of the structure of Pnyx. How he had managed to gain that was a mystery to me.

We had a very tough job ahead of us. Talos' army had captured Pnyx before Barak had arrived, and had retreated inside. Pnyx was well fortified for siege or attack, and they were still a very sizable force. Rio was a master tactician who was analyzing the plans of Pnyx for any possible weaknesses. Barak and myself were discussing Return, and Return had secluded himself in a corner, with his back to us, apparently finding the seams of the tent very interesting. I turned to Barak again, "I don't know Barak, I have trusted your judgement for years.....you think we can trust him? He just seems....." I sighed, "I don't know, something about him tugs at me, but at the same time, something seems," I paused thinking for the right words, "something seems foolhardy about this. I mean, what do we know about him? He takes some of my men, then he lures us to his fortress, and then he offers his aid. He didn't seem to have any need to be afraid. His fortress could hold for years without a single casualty on the inside. Why does he need our help? This whole business worries me greatly. At the same time, he doesn't give us any reason to distrust him. He has brought his personal guard.....perhaps I would have rather he didn't bring those damned things, but there is no doubt they are powerful beings. I think they are stronger than the ordinary demon.....but that's another worry, for where would he get these allies from? If only we didn't need him, but I'll be damned if we can take Pnyx with the force we have.....it's just to easily defendable. What do you think?"

The wind outside picked up, blowing against the heavy canvas of the tent. The walls billowed inwards, and the tent's entrance snapped open in the wind, a cold gust sweeping inside, chilling everyone. I shivered and got up to close the flap, pausing to look around outside. The camp was solitary. Only a few fires were still lit, everyone else had gone to their beds seeking rest. The tents seemed to be hunching against the earth, seeking to stay away from the cold, reminding me that soon the winter would be upon us, and although Cythera didn't get swamped with snow, it was enough to freeze men if they weren't careful.

When I returned to my seat, Barak looked up from his musings, "Everything you say has been on my mind also, but I think we can trust him. Doesn't the saying go, "In times of need, look for unexpected allies?". We have no choice but to trust him. We must rid this world of Talos, if what you say is true.." He looked at me again, and it appeared as if a great weight had settled over his shoulders, the toil of centuries seemed to descend on him, threatening to crush him, and when he spoke, his voice was changed; small, scared, looking for a way out, "You say....you say that when you were a guest of Alaric, he took you into his confidences. You say that he told you that when he attained harmony with the land, and became the LandKing, the feeling was much the same as he felt when he held the Crolna for that brief period, before Talos fled before the failing curses of the King?"

I nodded my assent, I had been at Alaric's side for many weeks while the taint of the Crolna worked its horror. Talos had delivered the Crolna to the King, and thinking he was saved, he was instead destroyed. It was a sad day when I learned of his final day. I had been scouring the countryside for Talos, but to no effect. When I returned and heard the news, I left. I had traveled for a time, not even truly caring what happened to me, for Alaric had been like a father to me. After a time, as I heard more news of the atrocities committed by Talos, a purpose gradually formed in me, and I began to recruit people to my cause. I made a home for myself at Land's End. It became my base of operations, my training center, my resistance against Talos. I had immersed myself in the study of magic, trusting Barak and Rio to train the men. I had created an elite force, and was nearly ready to attack Talos when I heard of his assault on LandKing Hall. My hand was forced early, and I arrived at LandKing Hall at the last moment, in time to help throw off the attackers. My thoughts were burning with fear that Talos would gain full control of the Crolna. If Alaric's guesses were right, the Crolna would make Talos a master of the water, much as Alaric had been a master of the land. He thought that the Undine's taint on the Crolna was actually a spell which enabled the user to control the Water's forces. His theory was that one couldn't control both the Land and the Sea, and that was his poison. If it was true, we couldn't stand to wait for a siege, for Talos might gain control of the Crolna's true powers, and he would then be unstoppable.

Barak sighed, "We have no choice then, we must trust Return." Slowly, I nodded. As if called, Return faced us and came over. I fancied that I caught a glint of a metal flask as he had turned, and I was surprised, I hadn't thought of him as a drinker. Return looked at us questioningly, "You have reached a decision about me?"

"Yes." As I said this Rio stood up, and with an excited expression on his face, "Look at this!!" He brought the map of Pnyx over to the table, and laid it before us.

------------------
And so the problem remained; lots of people were mean, and most of them were miserable, even the ones with digital watches. Many were increasingly of the opinion that they had all made a big mistake in coming down from the trees in the first place. And some said that the trees had been a bad move and that no one should ever have left the oceans. - Douglass Adams

Jack turns to Rogan as they exit the forest, Cademia in view.

"What has happened to Pynx?"

"Talos' force has taken it over. They have the defenders imprisoned somewhere."

"If I could get you into Pynx, by means of secret passages never seen by anyone except Masters of the Magic Academy that you must vow never to use against us, would you help us free them?"

"I will always attack the enemies and never the inhabitants of Pynx."

"Then follow me."

With that, Jack leads the small but powerfull group south-west, until a mountin range rears up before them. Coming down from the jagged peaks in bubbeling cascades is a fairly large stream. After climbing up about fifteen feet from the ground and glancing around to make sure no one but Rogan's group is near, he walks into the largest waterfall...and vanishes from view. Rogan and his men quickly follow.


[Sorry Jack, but some inconstisancies I had to fix]

[This message has been edited by Avatara (edited 10-20-2000).]

*The refugees looked upon the half-finished structures of what they hoped to be their new home. The city was large, mainly consisting of people from LandKing hall, and the refugees from other cities. It lay in a tiny valley between five mountains, with the pass coming up from the trail from Cademia to Pynx. The pass was easily defended, thus the perfect place for a fortress for protection, and no other route lay out. There were many caves, all of them empty, that had been set up as temporary shelters with knowledge that winter would come. Food and supplies made the caves themselves easily defended from attack, and were to be used as hiding places for the townspeople if their city fell.

It was unlikely that the city would fall though, with many workers scrambling to complete the defenses. The opposing army would have to arrive through the pass, no magical powers could penetrate the rocks-in fact the rocks prohibited magical powers from being used in the valley, the caves were too deep to continue through, and flight over the high mountains was virtually impossible. The pass was well guarded by a black fortress, with many arrow holes and ways for the defenders to strike back safely. The walls of the fortress were high enough that ladders and seige towers were out of the question, and thick enough so that sappers were pointless. The enemy would have to assualt the massive gate, and would likely suffer very many casualties.

If they got past the gate, the keep of the fortress was rigged with many booby traps that the defenders could use to thin out the line of attackers. The keep was an additional 15 feet taller, and was also easily defended. The fortress had five secret detonation triggers, all 5 had to be activated, and then it was rigged to collapse on an unsuspecting enemy.

The pass continued, easily defended, down to the city. The city was barely even close to done, but it also was strategically planned for defense. Archers could stand on the slightly slanted tops of the houses and could slowly retreat by rooftops as they picked off advanceing foes.

The caves were even more so, the paths leading up were in direct sight of archers raining chaos down on those below.

The person in charge looked about him and smiled. This would be the perfect place to hold out against a massive assault.*

(Laguna, this is the city I'd like you to be in charge of)

------------------

As Jack, Rogan, and his men near the end of the secret passageway to Pynx, a figure steps out of the shadows. The group tenses, fearing that they've been caught by surprise. Jack quickly casts a spell of light in the area and relaxes, realizing that the figure was Ferazel, a fellow mage of .

"What are _you_ doing here?" Jack asked his friend.

"After the beasts broke through our ranks, everyone scattered. I ran to this passageway with hellish minions on my heals. After making it though the secret door, I casted Feraz Lock on it to prevent the damn demons from opening it back up. I've been waiting here ever since, occasionaly using the spell Far Sight to see what the creatures inside Pynx are doing. What about you?"

"I was captured by Talos' commander and held captive until these fine warriors got me out," answered Jack, nodding to Rogan.

"Can they be trusted?" asked Ferazel, looking suspiciously at Rogan and his men. "I mean, what if they use this passage against us later?"

"We must trust them, because we need them to take back Pynx. Other worries must wait for later. For now we must wait look and wait for the right time to attack."

Rogan and his men flexed there ready muscles as Jack and Ferazel used Far Sight to examine the creatures defences.

--------------------

Avatara: could you trash all the posts between this one and your last one before this? There are four of them. Also Ferazel's post two in front of this. Thanx~

And about editing my posts, I truely appreciate it. It gets hard, with my limited time available, to make sure everything works out, but I would like the stroy to make as much sense as possible.

[This message has been edited by Theo Nean Donly (edited 11-02-2000).]

--Getting better, but this time you forgot an important phrase. It is supposed to be:

O mighty and wise Avatara

**Yours truly (wishes he could write that in cursive)
O mighty and wise Avatara

[This message has been edited by Avatara (edited 11-02-2000).]

A demon was going on patrol down the hallway. Suddenly, he heard a sound, but too late. One of Mutaros arrows penetrated his skull and left him dead on the ground. Mutaro pulled out the arrow and put it back in his quiver. "To avoid confusion" Rogan whispered, "I want you to stay here". He pointed at Angus, Keno and Rongar. "I need only Mutaro, Lucas and Korax with me. Guard the tunnel". With those words, Rogan went down the hallway followed by the others. "I know Pnyx as well as the back of my hand" Lucas whispered, "Around the corner is a stairway leading down". Ferazel agreed. Jack looked around the corner and said "nothing. That demon must have been the only one". Lucas and Ferazel went down the stairs followed by Jack, Rogan, Korax and Mutaro...

------------------
I have no signature...my dog ate it.

*5 if I lived in Asia that is. *

Dawn broke and the sun came up. Rio’s find was invaluable. There appeared to be a tunnel which came up underneath Pnyx and into the Hall which Lindus used to preside over. It began in a small cave to the southwest of Pnyx. It was marked on the map as three abreast, unmounted. We would send a small force of troops through the passage, hoping that they could open the gates. All was arranged and coordinated, and I watched as Barak and “Return” rode towards the woods. They would ride out of sight of Pnyx’s defenders, then turn towards the cave. All of Return’s demons had to go with him, and a few men of Barak’s were going to, ones I wasn’t familiar with. Now all there was to do was provide some distraction.

--

Barak looked uneasily around him. The chomp of horses bits and creak of leather filled the small cave. Looking at the passage which continued through the back of the cave, he knew horses were out of the question. He stifled down a shudder as one of the demons brushed against him. The horses were spooked, and so was he.


Leaping back, Barak was ashamed to see nothing more than a cobweb. He brushed it aside, and they continued by the greasy torchlight provided. They couldn’t cast any spells, or the magically inclined in Pnyx would sense it. So here he was, surrounded by demons, thoroughly unnerved, and the most afraid he had been in his life. Return had begun to act oddly, urging them on faster and faster. The men’s heavy breathing filled the small space, and they continues on.

--

I rode hard, arrows falling around me. I took another shot at the defenders with a lightning bolt, then I was out of range of the archers, as well as any accuracy for my lightning bolts. I turned and surveyed the small pool of chaos which had developed where once there had been only order. On the entire eastern side of Pnyx I had mages trying to pick of people on the walls, as well as archers taking their shots. We still hadn’t heard the signal, so there was nothing we could do.

I couldn’t understand what they were doing. I had been sending magic trails for close to an hour trying to determine what was happening. They had put up an enormous magical shield around all of Pnyx, not strange in itself, but upon the walls, the entire way around, there stood demons, hands linked with each other, bellowing and chanting in their strange and ungodly language. It happened just as I was about to ride forward again, a lucky thing for myself, but not for many others. The wave of pure power which ripped through all those within range of Pnyx were ripped apart. I felt tears course down my cheeks as I saw the remains of many of those brave people I had fought alongside of for years. Half of the mages were down...they had been throwing lightning at the defenders shield. As I thought of this I suddenly realized what had happened, for there was no longer a shield around Pnyx, they had thrown the shield itself at us. But I shuddered to think of the forces involved in this. I knew we couldn’t wait. I bellowed out, “On my signal, we attack!!” I rode forward, the death which formed in my eyes merely joined the tears already present. Arrows fell around me, shattering against my shield. I continues on, arrows flaming off of my shield. I dropped my shield and jumped to the ground. My eyes closed, and I focused on the form, bringing it into existence, and as I opened my eyes, I saw my liquid death in fly towards Pnyx, crashing against the walls splashing defenders, dooming them to a slow and painful death. I reached into my saddlebags, swaying as I stood. I downed a black potion, then another. I focused on my energies again. This time a dark cloud began to form over Pnyx, from it leaped lightning, and it rained fire. I could hear the screams of those inside Pnyx, and I could see that it was on fire. I staggered to my saddlebags, nearly passing out. Enhancing my voice, I screamed out, “Attack!” Downing three of the black potions, I threw myself at the task again. This time, a whirlwind appeared from the dark cloud, and settled down into the heart of Pnyx. I saw bodies get caught up in it, and saw them hurled distances that would instantly kill them. More fire. More lightning. My head was pounding like a bellows now and I couldn’t focus my eyes. I made it to my horse again. After downing a variety of potions, I could at least focus my eyes.

The swirl of chaos appalled me. All was darkened and thrown into strange shadows and ghastly images. From flashes of real lightning, I saw men rushing around me, almost to Pnyx’s walls. Lightning leaped everywhere, fire fell from the heavens, and men died as quickly as was possible. I pulled another black potion from my saddlebags, glad that I had been prepared. It was then that I heard it, the incredible boom of sound, like great drums were being beaten upon, the prearranged signal. Through the flashes of light which pierced the gloom, I saw the gate being forced open. A solitary figure was opening it, with only two others to protect him. My heart fell as I realized who it was, and the danger he was in.

--

Barak was the first to emerge from behind the tapestry. Terrible sounds echoed throughout Pnyx. He was followed quickly by the others. As he began to walk forward, he heard the hiss of metal on leather, and turned in time to see the demon, and thrown himself to the side. When he saw it was Return’s demon, he knew he had been betrayed. Barak’s men drew as well, and soon they were in pitched battle with the demon’s. Barak caught sight of Return, backed against a wall, fending one of also. So they had escaped his control. That was what had happened. Barak realized one must never trust a demon, especially the blood crazed ones facing them.

He wiped his sword on the jerkin of the nearest demon. Only five men remained, and Return was badly wounded, his face pale and fevered. As Barak moved towards him to cast healing, he shied away. “You mustn’t heal me,” he gasped. “It would kill me. You don’t know all about me, but I must take care of it myself.” He grimaced in pain and continued, “Believe me in this. ...sacrifices...have been made to be where I am at all. Your healing would kill me. You must hurry.” And so they hurried on. Barak was afraid of what terrible thing was going on behind that poor man’s face.

Barak found all of Pnyx was embroiled in the worst magic he had seen in decades. They had to dodge fire and lightning, the entire top of Pnyx had been ripped open by the forces involves. It was falling apart, but the attacker’s still couldn’t gain entry. Barak started to run, the others following his lead. Heedless of the demons and undead crying out and following them, he ran on. He reached the main gate, slaying the men and undead protecting it from the inside. He struggled with the bar, and one of the men rushed forward, and together the lifted it from its holdings. Barak set his back to the gate, and pushed as hard as he could. The scene outside was nearly as frightening as the one inside.

--

I mounted and turned my horse towards Pnyx, only worried about one thing. My headache and fatigue did not matter, only one thing mattered. I had to get to Barak in time. The horse slowly gained ground on Pnyx, and soon the walls loomed large. I was almost there!

--

The dark-cloaked figure gasped and groaned. He stood, with an effort deserving awards. Slowly he staggered, to weak to resist the call. He knew only one thing now, it’s taint drawing him on, the power calling to him. Everything would be right it told him, only he knew, deep inside, in a place long dead, that it would be the very worst.

--

I came closer and closer to Barak’s position. He and the other two were surrounding, fighting for their lives. From the topmost tower in the center of Pnyx, a great flash of light bloomed, temporarily blinding me. A great thundering sound followed the flash of light and dread enveloped me like a shroud. When I could see again, the gate was flooded with defenders, and Barak and the others were nowhere to be seen. My heart gripped in my chest, and I enveloped myself with flame, and charged forward, death leaping from my fingertips. As I came to the place where Barak had stood, I saw a trampled figure. Tears came like a mist down my cheeks, and I threw myself off my horse to be sure. As I turned the figure over, the pain hit me like a sledge. Here lay my greatest of friends, my greatest of allies, and most of all, a good man. He would not be able to be resurrected.

The rage which came over me then obscured all thought and memory. I vaguely knew that time passed, and people died, but that was all.

I reached the base of the tower, finally to the source of hate. It was the light which had kept me from saving Barak, and whatever had caused it was going to meet a very nasty end tonight. I vaulted the stairs, reaching the door to the chamber at the top, and blew the door to toothpicks. What I saw made me want to run, stay, and jump off the tower, all at the same time. The dark cloaked figure stood before me, the Crolna grasped in his hands. The light of it shone throughout him, and I knew he had harnessed it’s power. I also knew, from past conversations with this man, that it was his death. Alaric stood before me, alive, but his doom was signed now. He stared at me, and I could see his old self battling with his new self. New won, and I threw up a shield against the firebolt that was hurled against me. The rage which had kept me sustained was dying in the embers of this new development. Alaric....how many days had I wished he was alive, and to have my wish granted, only to find him too late. I knew I was going to die in this tower. Alaric was now the most powerful thing in Cythera, and I had no chance, nor could I get away. Resigned to my fate, I crafted the strongest shield I could, and turned away from him, to look at the progress of the battle, hoping that somehow, a few would live, a few would fight, a few would keep us alive.

What I saw dismayed me. We had taken Pnyx, but flowing down from the mountains came a force of Undine which would have been a challenge had we been fresh and hale. The depth of despair which I felt could not be described. Everything I had worked for, everything I had hoped, it had all fallen away, and could not be caught. I felt heat from the Alaric’s magic which was searing the shield. It was only a matter of time. I thought how I had one final place in which to retreat, but now I couldn’t even use it. The frustration came over me, for I couldn’t help any of these people nor could I save myself. These thoughts were foremost in my mind. I saw the Undine fall upon the weakened forces below. I saw Rio charge in against their side and cut through them. It wasn’t fair!! We would be able to destroy them if we hadn’t been thrown from conflict to conflict, dying the whole way. I felt my shield fall, and I turned to face Alaric. His face had an unhealthy glow to it, and he appeared to be waiting, a smile which would freeze blood on his face. I did nothing, for there was nothing I could do. I saw a change come over his face, and for awhile, he was as near to his old self as he would ever be again.
“Kest? Is that you?” he peered at me as if he was a blind man.
“Yes, mentor, friend, it is me.” I sighed, knowing this could not last.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“It is too long a story to tell, old friend. You would not wish it told anyway. The sum of it all is that I sit here and wait to die, while all my friends die outside.”
His face was wavering again, and he seemed to find some life to fight it, for once again, he was his old self. “Do you need out of here? I can do that for you. I have...power... I don’t understand where it comes from, but I can put you and all you wish anywhere you want.”
I felt the faintest glimmer of hope, and so, “Yes, master of old, I do have somewhere I would wish us. Land’s End. I wish to go there now.”
He looked at me again, and something rippled across his features and he said in a smaller voice, “What is happening? I feel something within me that should not be there. I feel so strange, I don’t know what to do. But yes, I will transfer you there, it is nothing... Tell me, what is happening to me?”
I swallowed, “You have harmonized yourself to the Crolna. You are master of Water and Sea, you have been tainted and will eventually die. Outside demons you control are attacking my men, and soon all of your former friends and compatriots will be dead. I fear that you will soon lose control of yourself again. Please send us away, that we may protect Cythera again.”
The horror which came over his features made me cringe, and he said, “Is it true?...yes, yes of course it is, you wouldn’t lie about something like this. I have a favor to ask you though...would you please tell my father he couldn’t save me, but thank you for trying? He is the one who has protected me this long, by making me potions to stave off the call of the Crolna to me.”
“Of course I will tell him when I next see him. Alaric....” I swallowed, “you have been a father to me..., but if I have to at some time in the future...”
He interrupted me, “Please, if it comes to that, do not hesitate. Now get ready, I am going to send you off.”
However, the look in his eyes changed, and theKestrel knew that brief lapse was over. A massive blast of energy hit theKestrel and he dropped to his knees. Alaric raised a massive two-handed sword, and with frightening speed brought it down at theKestrel's head...

----

Rio glanced about in the midst of the battle. He saw that he was down to only four men, and he couldn't hold them off forever. He shouted for his men to retreat, and they fled the ensuing force, making it inside the gates just as the first of their foes reached the gate. He sighed on the other side of the bolted doors, wondering how long it would take for them to be overrun.

----

theKestrel looked up at the blade spinning towards him, only to see it replaced with a quick flash as someone passed by. He looked over and saw Tyrael angrily striking against the blade Alaric held. With strength that nobody would have been able to predict from an old man, Alaric shoved Tyrael against the far wall. Two more figures came into view.

Trundaylan dropped his mouth at the sight of Alaric, as Talos dropped into an attacking stance. Tyrael was about to attack when Trundaylan shouted out "WAIT!!!"

"What do you want?" Tyrael snapped rather angrily.

"You fool! I should have known Talos corrupted you! That's the reason you broke him out of the jail! You knew Alaric was alive, and you hoped to kill him so Talos could succeed! I trusted you! I even looked up to you, but now..." Trundaylan shouted, his face betraying his anger.

"If it was only that simple..." Talos muttered quietly.

"That is not the Alaric you think it is! He is the cause of all these recent troubles, in fact..." Tyrael was cut off by Alaric.

"Now, Trundaylan. These two men, as you know, are the source of all the recent troubles, and the death of Pynx. I did not die of old age, nor of natural causes. You have my diary, read it." the calm voice of Alaric spoke as Talos notably paled.

Trundaylan reached into a sack, and skimmed through the papers until he came to the last one. The page was slightly charred, and obviously written in a hurry for the writing was sloppy. Trundaylan read, and as he did so, his face revealed intense rage.

"So you! You were the cause of everything. You disguised his death as a natural cause so your treachery would remain hidden. And then, you corrupted him!" the paladin spoke, pointing a finger shaking with rage at Talos. theKestrel rested his head against the back wall and Tyrael remained silent.

Without warning, Trundaylan swung his blade, hoping to catch Tyrael, but to his shock, Trundaylan was forced backwards, slamming into a wall. With a hiss of the ancient runeblade Azurewrath, Trundaylan's armor peeled away from a nasty cut on the right shoulder, still glowing white. Instead of finishing Trundaylan off, Tyrael contnued his arc and ended it with a lazy eight that completely took Alaric by suprise. The old man fell to the floor, the white steak across his stomach slowly fading away. He landed in a puddle of dark blood, and the crolna went scattering across the floor and down the stairs. With the death of Alaric, the land of Cythera began shaking violently and pillars in Pynx toppled.

"We must escape somehow." a weakened theKestrel spoke. Tyrael raised his arms, and all four watched the world vanish in a bright white light as the pyramid of Pynx toppled down.

----

Darkness filled the room, and I wondered what Tyrael's magic would do to me. As the view began to fade, I saw a new place, with refugees strewn everywhere as the ground stopped shaking. I felt my heart clenched as if by a giant hand, crushing me. My head began to pound and blood came from my nose and ears. I began to cough blood. I could see what was left of my army around me, amazed at being alive. The blood came to my eyes, and I couldn’t see. I felt a slight loosening, and I yelled, “Please!” With that, I was loosened, and fell back, near to dead.

----

The man walked into the room. “How is he doing?”
“Still not strong enough to be healed.”

A figure lay in a bed, white sheets over him. His head was bandaged, as well as his eyes. A scar was forming upon his cheek, jagged but forming a circle. He had lain in that bed for the last week, and he would lie in it for weeks to come.

“I will leave him alone now.”
“That would be the best...when he heals...,” the statement was left unspoken, fervor in the voice.
“Yes, when he heals.”
With that, Rio walked out of the room to oversee the defenses of Last Chance and to relay the terrible news to the leader of the haven and the forces assembled, Laguna.

------------------
And so the problem remained; lots of people were mean, and most of them were miserable, even the ones with digital watches. Many were increasingly of the opinion that they had all made a big mistake in coming down from the trees in the first place. And some said that the trees had been a bad move and that no one should ever have left the oceans. - Douglass Adams

--Great post, but I had to integrate something more that only would fit in. Plus, don't go to Land's End, that is the worst place to be near when this story ends. And no, its not something as meager as a volcanic eruption. I just changed the final scene.

A note to Jack, Rogan, or Ferazel, wrap it up quick. The destruction of Pynx is at hand, and you don't want to be near. Also, this story is almost over, and I'm about to begin part II as soon as the new people I've recruited post their characters.

**Yours truly,
Avatara

[This message has been edited by Avatara (edited 11-03-2000).]

"The room at the bottom is supposed to be a tome storage for illeagal tomes Pnyx confisgated." Ferazel says, halfway down the steps. "Only the top mages were told of this. Ferazel and I were some that learned of this." Jack added. "At the bottom of the steps will be a door with a magical lock similar to the ones used to lock the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Degree Halls. We were both told the password." Ferazel said. By this time, they had reached the bottom of the steps. "PASSWORD?" the door shouted in their heads. Suddenly, the door opened. "You must say the password privately and telepathicly to the door." Ferazel says.

------------------
Ferazel Rocks!
Cythera's 'Team Stories' Rock!

Lucas was first to enter the room. It was filled with bookshelves, grimoires and tomes. "Unbelieveable!" he said, "the legends were true!"

------------------
I have no signature...my dog ate it.

As Ferazel, Jack and Rogan begin learning extremely powerful spells, and some that could edit the coding of the time continuim, space and time, and the timeflux, they heard Pnyx collapsing over them. Quickly thinking, Ferazel casted a spell that would transport his room, and Callie the magic cat to safety. "We gotta get outta here!" Ferazel shouted. "I'll use Full Nexus, and go to where the road from Pnyx is at almost fully east!" Rogan shouted above the sound of rocks falling. Minutes later, they were in Ferazel's room, somewhere hidden in the mountains. Ferazel strokes Callie while Rogan looks though his bookshelf....

------------------
Ferazel Rocks!
Cythera's 'Team Stories' Rock!