Ambrosia Software Web Board: Requiem (team story) - Ambrosia Software Web Board

Dylam wasnt too far away from Cademia when he noted a very odd feeling. He didn't know what it was and immediately uncast his shadow walk thinking that it might be the reason behind the odd feeling. He looked around and all he saw was Cademia behind him and a small marking in the ground ahead. He quickly made his way to the site and noticed that the ground in front of the marker was disturbed recently. He then noted the headstone.
Flynn. Dylam didn't know what to make of him. Below his name listed many of his deeds in the name of good.
Why does this place feel so odd?Dylam thought with extreme concerngraves are sacred and always have an odd feeling in it but why does this one feel so....so different? Dylam asked himself as he looked within himself.
Suddenly something was there. It was hard to see but it was there. It seemed to be using shadow techniques that were out of Dylam's league. It was around the grave, just idling around doing nothing.
What...in...the....hell...is ...that....thing?!! Dylam though, getting angry its an evil being, what would it be doing around a grave of such a being as this Dylam thought as he drew his sword Well it wont take this one, I wont allow it
Dylam focused his mind and remelted into the shadows while he stealthily approached his adversary. Suddenly, with a flash, he withdrew his shadow cloak and attacked. Not execting it, the being there was quite stunned by the attack and the magic that accompanied the attacks. Slashes hit solidly, injuring the being. After 5 such slashes, the shadowy being withdrew into the void that it came from. Dylam watched as the realms opened up slightly to draw in its own being. Dylam knew of this kind of beast. It was destroyed because of its loss. Dylam also knew he was lucky the thing was lazy, had it been alert, Dylam would have died before he could cast a third shadowy slash.
Something about this body. Something very odd. Don't know quite what it is but I do believe the only thing I can do follow DF and his group and ask. Ugh, I hate DF. Hopefully he didn't do that evil deed for nothing so long ago Dylam thought as he headed off towards Pynx...

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DF's charactor, Dylam, is getting used more and more by its creator

[This message has been edited by Desert Fox (edited 11-15-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Desert Fox (edited 11-15-2001).]

When Moonshadow finally let go of the now blackened and stained mirror she was weak with exhaustion. The glow around her hands subsided as she raised them to her temples. The analysis had brought about some interesting facts, but nothing that could be used against the Fiends immediately. There was only this amazing effect of healing magic.... Maybe she could work on that one. She built up the force-field once again, took the mirror and continued her research with a new directive.
***
Katze stared around the room, stifling a yawn. She felt useless among all those mages and directed a questioning glance at Sideline. He didn't seem quite comfortable, either. There had been nothing of much use in the books, mainly fairytales and superstitions. There might even be some truth to them, but Katze didn't want to rely on it.
Lindus looked around the room. "I believe we're one person short... where is Moonshadow?"
"The last time I saw her she said she'd go to the garden." Lochinvar spoke up.
Everyone exchanged puzzled glances. "To the garden, out of all places." Darken Rahl muttered.
"Could somebody go and bring her here, then?" Lindus inquired.
***
Moonshadow put the mirror back down, only now noticing that dusk had fallen while she had been working. But it had been worth it. The Shadow Fiend surely was invincible... as long as nobody knew just how exactly his magic worked. She smiled, knowing that her friends and her had an advantage now. The being's structure was designed to reverse spells! It was a neat idea, she had to admit to that. Before the Fiend's opponents would have guessed that they'd be dead. She stretched, yawning. It was hard to keep her eyes open. Who would have thought that? Healing magic supported their attacks... but healing magic would not support them, oh no. She felt conciousness slipping away from her as sleep took over. What an absurd idea... killing the Fiends with light magic........

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As l lay in my bed staring at the sky I asked myself:
Where the hell did the roof go?

[This message has been edited by Moonshadow (edited 11-15-2001).]

Lochinvar stood up and went to the door. He stood there a moment, looking pointedly back at the group, then cleared his throat. "Ahem, Ferazel, would you mind?"

"Oh, silly me," Ferazel laughed, and un-feraz-locked the doors.

Lochinvar walked out into the garden, looking around for Moonshadow. He finally found her asleep under a tree. He paused a moment, then gently shook her awake.

"What? What is it?" she said sleepily.

"We're having a conference, everyone's waiting on you," Lochinvar replied softly.

"OK, help me up."

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

A few minutes later they were back in the hall, and the doors were relocked. Moonshadow sat blinking, trying hard to stay awake.

"Right," Lindus began again. "Now that we're all here, who wants to start?"

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"So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war,
There never was knight like the young Lochinvar."

Much to everyone's surprise, Sideline spoke up first.

"I found Valkier's journal, but I don't know if it helps. He seemed obsessed with someone he called the 'Ring Master'. There are supposed to be four rings like the one he used to wear; each one enslaves the wearer to the will of the Ring Master. Valkier only knew of the one ring in Cythera; he was greatly troubled by its disappearance from Pnyx."

"Wait," Sasha interrupted, "the ring is gone?"

"That's right, you wouldn't know!" Lindus exclaimed. "The ring disappeared just over a week ago, along with a young mage; we could only conclude he'd somehow fallen under its power."

"Valkier had spent a lot of time trying to weaken the ring's magic," Sideline continued, "by scratching the words 'slave of' from the engraved enscription."

"Hmm," Wolmark mused, "that would make it read 'Nectas, Magpie'; I guess he meant well, but I think that would have made it worse! Instead of being a slave the wearer would be destoyed, leaving only the Ring Master."

"I never thought of that!" Lindus exclaimed. "Oh, how often our intentions have gone awry!"

"There's no mention of Shadow Fiends," Sideline resumed, "but this Ring Master must be one of the few people around that's likely to have been holding a grudge against both Flynn and Valkier - if their murders are related."

"The trail lead here," Sasha declared strongly. "I do not doubt they're connected!"

Sideline nodded. "I agree, it's too strong a coincidence. There's more in the book, but I can't read it - can't understand the language. Perhaps one of you mages will have more luck." Sideline threw the book on the table, and sat down.

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My signature? You want to see my signature? Now why would I go revealing all my secrets to a total stranger, huh?

Brink had been oddly quiet during the search. He had kept his head down and not made eye contact with anyone. He now got up and examied the journal. His face turned white as he read on, and then in his hand came a fireball of a strange color. He started to shudder as the rest looked on horrifed. Slowly Brink shook his head, as if coming out of a trance. The fireball in his hand had gone out, but Valkier's journal was gone with it. His face remained white and fear on it. When he spoke, several mintues later, his vioce shook, as did his hands and he seemed 10 years older, his brillent red hair now streaked with white." What was written in that book should not be seen with any human eyes. The scirpt that it is written in was only taught once, to a group of 5 people. As far as I know, 4 out of the 5 are dead and Valkier was not one of the 5. If he knew it, that would explain alot."Brink now fell silent, thinking.

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Your problem,idiotSavant, is that you go through life thinking everyone likes potatoes. Well,they don't. They like asparagus.
-friend



[This message has been edited by idiotSavant (edited 11-15-2001).]

Katze jumped up, almost knocking her chair over in the process. "What were you thinking of?" She yelled angrily. "That book could have provided valueable information on the Fiends!!!"
"I don't think so." Brink stated.
"And how would you know?" Katze demanded. "You've not even read as far as the tenth page!" She had her hands on the table and leaned forward.
"No, and I didn't want to. Not seeing this script. Trust me, please, it's dangerous."
Katze eyed him suspiciously, and most of the others seemed to be of her opinion.
Most, not all. Ferazel rose from his chair, fixing his gaze on Katze. "Sit down please, will you? It's no use yelling at him like that."
"But -" Katze opened her moth to object, but Ferazel cut her short.
"Whether or not the knowledge in this tome was usable is debatable, but now it's gone for good, and we can't change it. Better get over it and go on. I, at least, don't doubt he acted that way because he believes it's for our own sake." With that he sat down again, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
Katze stared at him with narrowed eyes, but then sat down again, too.
Everyone relaxed a little, and the meeting went on.

------------------
As l lay in my bed staring at the sky I asked myself:
Where the hell did the roof go?

Talm watched the whole ordeal with great interest, wondering just what brink was thinking, burning the book like that. He hadn't said anything, but he felt it was foolish to distroy the journal. But there was nothing to be done now. He sat, still in silence, reviewing the text he'd read on mental defense while he waited for the meeting to continue.

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I saw board 17... and it was good!
(DO NOT ATTACH MEANING TO THIS)

Sasha was furious. The book might have contained a vital clue, and now it was destroyed without so much as a by-your-leave. However, she remembered something her mother used to tell her when she was a girl: "there's no use crying over spilt milk." She satisfied herself by glaring at Brink, who began to squirm under her harsh gaze.

While he wasn't the thinker Wolmark was, Trinias had been mulling over some things that were more in his area of expertise. "Are these shadow fiends physical beings? I mean, someone had to leave the trail we followed, and someone tried to steal the Ruby Fang. If that wasn't a fiend, then who was it? Could it have been the one that summoned it? If so, that means that they're still here in Pnyx - no-one's left since before Valkier died, I checked."

"And after that," Lindus added, "I ordered the city sealed; nobody came or went until you arrived."

"You're not thinking," Wolmark broke in.

"Do you think that would have stopped me leaving, if I'd wanted to?" Ferazel added, almost simultaneously. "I could teleport out of here any time I wished."

Lindus gave a smile that reminded everyone of a teacher, amused at the dimness of a favoured student. "Go ahead, try it."

Ferazel opened a portal, and stepped through. A minute later, the door opened; Ferazel walked back into the room, feraz-locking the door behind himself - he looked distinctly embarrassed. "I tried for the tavern, and ended up at outer gate of Pnyx! What did you do?" he said, staring at Lindus.

"We screened Pnyx, preventing any teleporting in or out. When I said we sealed the city, I meant it!"

"So," Sasha murmured thoughtfully, "they're still here somewhere." Her eyes began to glint, as she imagined running her sword through whoever had dared to harm one of her friends.



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There are three kinds of computer users: those that use Macintoshes, those that wish they used Macintoshes, and those that don't know any better.

Brink stood up again." Whoever murdered Valkier was more powerful then him. From what I read from that book(Brink shuddered again) he was not weak and had much knowledge of the darker parts of magic. What I did back there was the right thing to do."(Many of the group continue to glare)Brink sighed." For what little I read, some life force of mine is gone. The script that it was writen in should have died a long time ago. If anyone feels that I acted badly and wrongly, I will not be any more trouble.However, If I am allowed the privilege of staying, I have a piece of advice.The murderer is powerful. We should stay together, and search. We should not split up and for that will give the murderer another chance to kill." Brink sat down, feeling his now white and red hair

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Your problem,idiotSavant, is that you go through life thinking everyone likes potatoes. Well,they don't. They like asparagus.
-friend

DF watched the group with great interest as Brink destroyed the book and the others argued over what had happened. DF had come to the same conclusion as Moonshadow had about the fiends earlier, without realizing it, and that let him know that he would be posing as a healer every time the group would be facing them rather than as a dark enforcer. DF smiled at this complete change and regarded it as a nice way to go about. At least he knew his powers wouldnt kill his allies this time.

As the meeting drew on, DF found himself in the corner of the room with Darken Rahl to his left and nobody to his right. The rest of the group was more enclosed around the table and DF found this to be an excellent time to test out something that Rogan had given to him long ago. DF found the secret pouch he kept on his cloak for so long and opened it. It opened to reveal a small bottle of wine, the same kind that Rogan had drank for most of their journey before. And as the group went about discussing the various things to do, including a rather funny incident in which Ferezel tried to teleport out, DF drank the small but rather potent bottle of wine. By the end of the meeting, DF was found snoozing in the very corner in which he sat.

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New and improved, Df only attends the Cythera boards for some odd reason

[This message has been edited by Desert Fox (edited 11-17-2001).]

Moonshadow, having kept quiet through the conversation, now directed a half amused, half annoyed look at the peacefully (and soundfully) snoring DF. She cleared her throat to get the others attention. When everybody was looking at her she got up and smiled at her seated audience. "If I may?"
Nobody seemed to have objections.
"Great!" She smiled even more, making everybody wonder why the heck that woman was in such a good mood. "Now, if you all stop blaming Brink, I have a suggestion to make, or rather, a new insight to share." She looked around at everyone. "During my analysis of the Fiend's magic essence a very interesting fact showed up: the creature is 'anti', meaning every spell you cast on it will have the exact opposite effect. Allow me to give you an example." Moonshadow took out a black, stained crystal mirror, the same one she had used for the analyis, then muttered an incantation. A black mist rose from the mirror, leaving it fairly clear. "This -" she pointed at the mist "- is the essence of our particular Fiend." Noticing everybody retreated from the table a few steps she smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, it's not dangerous any more."
Leandra gave her a sceptical look. "What makes you so sure about that?" she asked.
Moonshadow smirked. "Go ahead, give it a try."
Everybody leaned back in as Leandra stared first at Moonshadow, then at the mist, then back at Moonshadow. "How?"
"However you please."
"Well.... step back, everyone." She clasped her hands together and opened them again, forming a small orb of fire between them. Then she hurled it at the mist... and stared in disbelief as a small ball of water shot back at her, wetting her hair and clothes.
Somebody giggled, but shut up as Leandra shot him a sour look. Wolmark rummaged about his bag a little and then handed her a piece of cloth as a towel.
"You knew that, didn't you?" Lochinvar queried, seeming less amused then the rest, and, surprisingly enough, Moonshadow blushed at the comment. "Well... I was expecting it," she admitted, squirming a little.
Then she turned back to Leandra. "Sorry, Leandra." Lochinvar raised his eyebrows, and Moonshadow sighed. "I apologize." She looked back at Lochinvar, her eyes saying 'are you satisfied now?'. Her face brightened up again as she turned back to Leandra. "Wanna try again?" She didn't notice Lochinvar smiling behind her.
Leandra was about to say something when Wolmark took her arm and lead her aside, whispering something in her ear. A smile appeared on her face and she nodded. "Sure thing!" She moved her hands again, but no immediate reaction was seen on the mist.
A few seconds passed by, and suddenly the mist imploded, leaving nothing but thin air. Leandra smiling triumphantly, while Moonshadow looked directly at Wolmark. "You gave it away!" she accused, more amused than annoyed. Wolmark shrugged, trying to look innocent.
"Anyways, as Leandra so impressively proved, this creature reverses spells. By healing it she caused its destruction."
"Does that mean all we need to do is heal them?" Brink asked, not quite believing what he just witnessed.
"Exactly." Leandra nodded. "Though it also means that nobody should use shadow magic against them, for that will only strengthen the creatures." She looked over at Darken Rahl, only now noticing that DF was sleeping. "Somebody please make sure he'll get to know that..."
Moonshadow nodded. "Mind you, though, that this 'healing' process kind of eats them up from within, so it takes a little time... don't get careless! The more powerful your healing spell, the faster you're rid of the Fiend. Everyone capable of doing so, please consult either Leandra, me, or one of the healers of Pnyx to learn at least Minor Healing. Lindus, will you forward this to your pupils?"
The headmaster nodded. "Please report any other progress to me, will you?" He asked, before turning to Ferazel to ask him to open the door, and disappearing through it.
Sasha turned to the remaining group. "Any more progress made?"

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As l lay in my bed staring at the sky I asked myself:
Where the hell did the roof go?



[This message has been edited by Moonshadow (edited 11-17-2001).]

"No," Wolmark stated firmly. "None of the books we found had anything worth mentioning; not even as much as Moonshadow found out."

"Right then, we're all tired," Sasha looked pointedly at Desert Fox sleeping in the corner, "so we'd better get some sleep. I'll ask Lindus to post some healers as guards."

With that, the group broke up to find their assigned rooms.

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

Some time later the six Ronin, Katze and Talm had gathered in one of the larger rooms. Wolmark looked around a moment, and frowned. "There's someone else that should be here; now who..."

His face brightened. "Ah, I have it; I'll be right back."

Wolmark was as good as his word, returning in under two minutes - followed closely by Moonshadow, who looked distinctly puzzled by his precipitate summons.

Wolmark closed the door and turned to Kwon. "If you wouldn't mind, Kwon..."

Kwon nodded, and took a position near the door, reasonably certain that the darkness around his mind wouldn't prevent him from sensing any eavesdroppers.

Wolmark began to speak. "Right, now that we're all here, there's something I think you all should know." He proceeded to inform them of his visit from the Voice - Kronos - and the existence of the fifth element, Time.

"So that's what the fifth crystal is, in the inscription?" Talm was highly excited.

"That would be my guess, yes," Wolmark replied, then shrugged. "Make of that what you will; you now have all the facts."

The small group broke up, and returned to their rooms. Moonshadow hesitated outside her door, then decided she had one more stop to make before retiring; on her way, she noted the students of healing patrolling the corridors of the sleeping areas.

Fifteen minutes later, task completed, she was fast asleep in her bed.

------------------
There are three kinds of computer users: those that use Macintoshes, those that wish they used Macintoshes, and those that don't know any better.

Talm was amazed by the concept of time as an element. If the the Fire crystal increased the element of fire, producing heat, would the time crystal speed up time, allowing someone to travel into the future? The posibility astounded Talm. He decided then and there that someday he would find the Time Crystal. Talm dozed off, the thoughts of travel thorugh the mists of time inspiring dreams of meeting his future desendents, or seeing what inventions existed in times to come.

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I saw board 17... and it was good!
(DO NOT ATTACH MEANING TO THIS)

Wolmark had some trouble getting to sleep. It might have been the strong light from the lamps, which none of the four men felt comfortable extinguishing - if a shadow fiend should come for them, they preferred that it not have the darkness to hide it. Nevertheless, he was so tired that he eventually manage to doze off.

Some time later he awoke with a start - to see Trinias suspended in mid-air, a shadow fiend holding him by the throat and choking him!

Wolmark quickly cast the most powerful healing spell he knew. The fiend gave a high shriek, and quivered as if in pain. It dropped Trinias, and turned on Wolmark. Wolmark opened his mouth in horror - his basic-healing spell wasn't strong enough! The fiend picked him up by the neck and threw him against the wall. Wolmark slumped to the floor, unconscious.

The fiend turned on the other three, now wide-awake Ronin, and began to advance.

Before it could sieze another victim, the door suddenly burst open and Lochinvar rushed in. He extended both arms, and a beam of intense white light blasted into the shadow fiend. It seemed to fold in on itself, then imploded.

Lochinvar's arms dropped to his sides. "I thought you'd probably need a hand, tonight," he said - then his eyes rolled up, and he collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

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"So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war,
There never was knight like the young Lochinvar."

*** OoC ***
Sorry for hijacking Nectas, Magpie, things are just too slow without him!
*** BiC ***

In a dark, almost forgotten room of Pnyx, a dark figure sat motionless in concentration.

Nectas took a sharp breath as he felt the shadow ghoul die. It failed! He'd failed! But there was still the second ghoul...

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

Leandra started awake - she'd heard a noise. Looking around, she saw Sasha dangling in the air, with a dark form holding her around the neck.

"Leandra... please... help!" Sasha gasped.

Instantly, Leandra raised her hands and cast the most powerful healing spell she knew, then cast it again. The fiend shuddered, but maintained it's grip; Sasha was turning blue when the dark form suddenly contracted in on itself, and vanished in a puff of dark mist. Sasha fell to the ground.

Leandra quickly ran to her friend's side, and cast another healing spell with the little power she had left. The colour returned to Sasha's face, and her breathing steadied as she slipped into a natural, healing sleep.

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

Nectas couldn't believe his senses. The ghouls had both failed him! How could he ever explain his failure to the Dark Lord?

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There are three kinds of computer users: those that use Macintoshes, those that wish they used Macintoshes, and those that don't know any better.

[This message has been edited by Ronin (edited 11-17-2001).]

Mean while, unaware of the others plight, Brink stared in to the ceiling of his quarters. "hmm" he thought to himself"5 cracks in it". As Brink had always sufferd from mild insomnia, but tonight it was worse. Grumpily Brink roled out of the lumpy bed and headed for Lindus's quarters."Damn."Thought Brink"The halls of Phinx are dark."He tread slowly down the stair well, looking carefully around. He knocked once at the quarters and was answered immediately by a "Come in" As Brink opened the Door he was met by a cascade of yellow light. He shielded his eyes and blicked a couple times. Lindus smiled apologetically, saying "Sorry about the light, but my eyes have been getting worse in recent years and I need the light to read. So what brings you here young Brink? Please have a seat" Young? thought Brink, I get white hair in one day and he calls me young?! However, Brink sat down, his eyes still ajusting. Brink suddenly forget what he was going to say. "uh, Lindus I er, came down here to see if you can help me.(Here Lindus raised an eyebrow but stayed silent, waiting for Brink to continue)I came on this quest for some fast glory and some cash, but now I see it is much more. I want to be part of the group but am used to doing things independently, and not having my views questioned." Here Lindus grinned broadly. "I was like that once, a long time ago(Here it was Brink turn to look quesioningly)Not as long as you'd think. Then I realized there isn't such a thing as a one man team. I got a book that may help you, as it helped me. Its in the library. Lets go and get it, and I'll tell you a tale..."
As Brink and Lindus start there walk, they hear an explosion. "Come my friend"said Lindus. "Let us see what is happening"

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Your problem,idiotSavant, is that you go through life thinking everyone likes potatoes. Well,they don't. They like asparagus.
-friend

[This message has been edited by idiotSavant (edited 11-17-2001).]

Moonshadow awoke to the sound of a hammering on the door of her quarters. She struggled to open her eyes, in time to see Katze open the door and talk briefly to Sideline. Katze closed the door and walked over to Moonshadow's bed.

"There's been an attack on the Ronin - two, actually - and some kind of explosion," Katze said after checking Moonshadow was awake.

Moonshadow sat up abrubtly and instantly regretted it as her head swam. "Get me a couple of those black potions over there, would you?" Katze retrieved the potions, and Moonshadow swallowed one, with a grimace. She cast a reviving spell on herself, bringing her to full alertness, then took a mouthful from the second potion.

Quickly collecting various potions in a bag, she turned to Katze. "OK, I'm ready; let's go."

In one of the rooms they found Leandra cradling Sasha's head in her lap. Moonshadow passed over a black 'Mages Friend' potion then, after a quick evaluation, completed the healing that Leandra had begun on Sasha.

Sasha blinked awake, then quickly stood up. "Thankyou, I'm fine now."

Leaving them to recover, Moonshadow walked quickly to the room occupied by the rest of the Ronin; she was somewhat surprised to find Lochinvar passed out on the floor. After checking that Lochinvar was alive, she turned to Wolmark and cast a healing spell. She turned to question the others while he was struggling to consciousness.

"What's Lochinvar doing here? And what happened to him?"

Trinias opened his mouth to speak, but only a hoarse rasp escaped his lips; Moonshadow cast another small healing spell, and Trinias visibly relaxed.

"Thankyou. A fiend had me by the throat, and Wolmark's basic-healing wasn't enough to stop it; it did hurt it though, so it knocked him out. Then Lochinvar smashed through the door, and blasted it with some kind of white beam - then he just collapsed."

"I see," Moonshadow murmured. "He'll be all right, I think; you might want to check on the women."

Trinias nodded, and the four men left the room. Moonshadow waited until they'd all left, finished off the last of the black potion, then cast a spell on Lochinvar.

Lochinvar blinked awake, looked at Moonshadow, and grinned. "Thanks, I needed that. Help me up."

By the time the others returned, Lochinvar was back on his feet.

"Right, now what about that explosion?" Katze queried from the corner. Moonshadow jumped; she hadn't noticed the woman was still following her.

"Explosion?" Lochinvar said in confusion.

"It happened while you were unconscious." Katze replied.

"Well," Trinias added, "I guess we'd better check it out."

------------------
There are three kinds of computer users: those that use Macintoshes, those that wish they used Macintoshes, and those that don't know any better.

[This message has been edited by Ronin (edited 11-18-2001).]

Lochinvar, Moonshadow,Trinias,Katze and the others rushed to the seen of the explosion, finding Lindus and Brink there already.
"What happened?" asked Moonshadow, eyeing the destruction, scorch marks, a black substance, and bits of distiller everwhere.. Brink replyed "When we first got here, a student was lying on the ground, in between life and death.Lindus casted major healing, to no affect. The student had only come two months ago and was making a healing potion for he had a theory that if you tossed a potion on a shadow fiend, it would have the same effect as a healing spell. We guess that the distiller exploded when he tried to make it. He is now in his quarters being attended to. Why the distiller exploded and why the healing spell had no effect is the question . Does anyone have an idea why?"

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Your problem,idiotSavant, is that you go through life thinking everyone likes potatoes. Well,they don't. They like asparagus.
-friend

[This message has been edited by idiotSavant (edited 11-18-2001).]

Talm, roused from his slumber by the explosion, quickly left the room and was directed by a bystander to the Alchemy lab. He looked around. His freinds already stood around, and he had the feeling that he'd missed somthing. He looked at the blackened peices of the distiller. Alchemial Brews were known to somtimes explode, but not normaly this violently unless they were made just for that task. Talm inquired to no one particular, "What happened here?"

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I saw board 17... and it was good!
(DO NOT ATTACH MEANING TO THIS)

Although no alchemist, Sideline began to pick carefully through the debris strewn about the room. Rather than risk touching anything, he used the tip of his dagger to move things around.

"What are the ingredients for a healing potion?" He asked.

"Yellow sulpher," Moonshadow replied, leaning against the door way with her arms crossed, watching him.

Sideline indicated the black muck in the centre of the wreckage. "That looks like the same stuff that was on your mirror." He stood up, and looked over at Lindus. "This is how it looks to me: the student finished up their potion, and was then attacked by a fiend - they must have gotten wind of what he was up to, somehow. Your young apprentice, probably eager to test his theory, threw a healing potion at the fiend; and it worked, better - and worse - than he'd hoped. A standard healing spell works from the inside out, imploding the shadow fiends. A healing potion, when consumed, would work much the same way; but this one, being thrown, worked in reverse - destroying the fiend from the outside. The result was this exlosion."

Lindus looked around in comprehension. "Yes, I see. I'll spread the word to be more careful, and to use healing potions as weapons only as a last resort."

"That also accounts for the failure of the healing spells," Moonshadow added. "The boy is suffering from the effects of a shadow attack, not just the explosion." She stopped, and looked around at the Ronin. "It must have been a different kind of attack than that used against you, as well."

Desert Fox, on hearing their conclusions, hurried off to try to help the unfortunate student.

Sideline sighed. "Even with all of this, we're still no closer to finding the person behind it all - except we can be sure they're really still here, in Pnyx."

Moonshadow frowned, staring at the black residue in the midst of the wreckage. She was wondering if there was some way to use her analytical skills to trace the origin of the fiends.

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My signature? You want to see my signature? Now why would I go revealing all my secrets to a total stranger, huh?

"There has to be some way..." Moonshadow muttered, deep in thought.
"Some way for what?" Katze asked, looking at her curiously.
"To trace them..." Moonshadow answered absent-mindedly. "The fiends, I mean. Normally it wouldn't be a problem, but..."
"But what?" Sideline questioned.
"We're in a pyramid inhabited almost only by magic users! It's like trying to read a certain person's tracks when you don't know what kind of boots they wear... I guess..." Leandra explained.
"Right." Moonshadow nodded.
Sideline chewed on that for a moment. "Well then... what do we know?" he asked, like a teacher trying to sort out possibilities.
Everybody close enough to hear them paused to think about it. What did they know?
"Easy!" Katze suddenly exclaimed.
Everybody turned to look at her, and she looked back at them, grinning broadly. "They're walking backwards." she announced. Noticing the frowning faces around her she proceeded to explain. "I don't know much about magic... but if they're reversed, then they're, like, walking backwards... or aren't they?" Her voice trailed off, showing insecurity.
"No, you're absolutely right!" Moonshadow supported her, pushing herself off the wall. "Walking backwards... seems like things are getting to easy for me.... or my mind is getting to complicated for things, for that matter." She shook her head. "Katze?"
"Hmm?"
"Could you get me the bottle that is on my desk? You know, the one I used yesterday?"
Katze nodded. "Sure."
"Great!"
The rogue turned to leave the door.
"Oh, wait, please! If you're on the way, bring along two or three of the white potions, too... that reminds me... Sideline, can you use magic?" The adressed man shook his head. "I guess you better bring a few more then..."
"Why?" Sideline asked. "I mean... see what happened here."
"You're right, Sideline, the room is a mess." Brink nodded, then thoughtfully added. "Would you rather have yourself be the mess?"
Sideline gulped, and shook his head quickly. "I guess I better join you, then..." He turned and left the room together with Katze.
***
When they returned, each one equipped with three potions (the last ones Moonshadow had had in store), the winter elf began immediately. She used a telekinesis spell to put the black remnants into the bottle, closed it and handed it to the next bystander. Without looking up, she said. "Now, if you'd bring that somewhere, possibly not too far away, I'd like to test something."
"Sure," Lochinvar nodded, not quite sure what she intended to do, just as she looked up at him sharply, and then grasped the bottle again. "Now what?" he asked.
"Not you!" she told him, before giving the bottle to Talm. "Would you?"
He nodded, exchanging a confused look with Lochinvar, before leaving the room, only to return shortly after.
"Now I don't know where it is... let's see..." She closed her eyes shortly, and when she opened them again they had turned the already familiar shade of silver. "Down the corridor, the... third room on the right, ain't it?" she asked.
Talm nodded.
"I think that should be specifically enough for a location." Moonshadow said. "Now all we have to do is wait for the next Fiend."
"Why?"
"Because -"
Leandra and Wolmark stared at each other, both having started to speak at the same time. "You first... you seem to have an explanation." Leandra remarked.
"Right. It's because the Fiend's trace is already to weak, since we spent so much time examining everything." Wolmark explained.
Moonshadow nodded in agreement.

------------------
As l lay in my bed staring at the sky I asked myself:
Where the hell did the roof go?


[This message has been edited by Moonshadow (edited 11-19-2001).]

An on uneasy silence fell on the group. 'So" said Wolmark "Brink, what did you do before coming on this adventure?" Brink grunted "mercenary" As the silence continued, it was clear he should go on. "I fought my battles alone, taking my foes down one by one. I'm no assassin, don't get me wrong. I fought for the side that paid best. Then, when I thought I had it all, I lost it all. Word got around about a scheme I pulled down at kosha. They just got what they deverved."Here Brink grins"I was kicked out of my guild, my pay and land taken away. Since then I've done a bit of everthing. Maybe it was for the best, probably saved my life. One of the times, I would have been too slow, spelled too late, whacked last. It was a harsh world and only the young and fit lived. Brink pauses taking a deep breath. " I almost killed myself a couple times, when I was on the street, moneyless, homeless, half drunk, with a huge debt racked up at the tavern.Then I pulled it together, started working at the two tailed rat. I got in the trading business, through some of the people I meet there. Still I yearned for the old days, before the petty bickering about if the product was overpriced. I wanted those moments where you didn't have to think, just do." Brink stopped there and silence fell again.

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Your problem,idiotSavant, is that you go through life thinking everyone likes potatoes. Well,they don't. They like asparagus.
-friend

Nectas couldn't believe it. The third ghoul he'd sent had met the same fate as the previous two - and at the hands of a novice! At least his invisible spies hadn't yet been detected. It was time to develop a new strategy. If there was only some way to remove that interfering witch...

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

Desert Fox returned to the group, reporting success in curing the novice mage. With the last loose end of the evening tied up, no-one could think of anything else to do, so they elected to return to their interrupted sleep. After the next attack they'd be busy enough, but until then all they could do was wait. Almost everyone returned to their rooms, with powerful healers detailed to act as guardians.

Sideline was one of the few that couldn't stand inaction. Making sure the three healing potions were close to hand, he began to prowl the corridors of Pnyx. Somewhere, someone was hiding.

"If it were me, where would I be?" he asked himself. He obtained a map of Pnyx, and studied it at some length. "Ah, the old cellars..."

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

Moonshadow awoke to a horrifying sight: a glowing red demon, standing beside her bed, glaring at her balefully.

------------------
My signature? You want to see my signature? Now why would I go revealing all my secrets to a total stranger, huh?

Katze was woken by a loud thud. Looking around, she saw a large demon, picking Moonshadow's unconscious body up from the ground where it had been thrown. She gasped, then hurriedly ran out of the room. The demon let her go - she wasn't it's target.

As Katze ran out, Lochinvar ran in. He stopped, gasped, and without further hesitation, leapt to the attack. The demon blasted him with a jet of flame, doing some injury, and burning much of the leather from his quarterstaff.

Lochinvar countered with a blast of ice - but he knew he wasn't strong enough, he'd need help - soon!

------------------
"So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war,
There never was knight like the young Lochinvar."

As Sideline headed to the cellers, he meet Brink , reading his book by the light of a torch in the hall. "What are you doing here?" questioned Brink "I could ask the same of you." said Sideline. Brink laughed. "I just got this book from Lindus, and I couldn't stop reading.However I see your planning something" "Yeah" replied Sideline. "I'm going to search to old cellers to see if anythings there.If you want to come, come." Hearing this Brink got up and grabbed a torch. "Sure why not."They both started down the staircase. 'Hmm not much here Sidline, just wine, mold and puddles." "Thats odd" stated Sideline. "The celler is usually dry .Lets look" Brink and Sideline moved toward the puddle."Look" said Sideline "Theres some chalk writing on the ground. Wait, its in a triangle like in Land King hall" Suddenly both Brink and Sideline felt like a tranporation had taken place. Dozens of glowing eyes were around them."I think we're in trouble"said Brink

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Your problem,idiotSavant, is that you go through life thinking everyone likes potatoes. Well,they don't. They like asparagus.
-friend

[This message has been edited by idiotSavant (edited 11-19-2001).]

[This message has been edited by idiotSavant (edited 11-19-2001).]