Ambrosia Software Web Board: Bane (a Team Story) - Ambrosia Software Web Board

Quote

Guess im too quick for you


The creature wasnt just satisfied with kicking around a helpless DF and the arrow made it a bit more enraged, if not a little hurt. Instead of continuing on toward Trinias, it turned and charged Indigo, who was getting into a defensive stance. Having no weapons of its own to use now, the creature used some skills that it had, as well as good old fists and feet. The pure speed of his jabs were hard enough to intercept, which Indigo soon saw, but his feet were landing nasty blows to Indigo's stomach and his legs, which cried out in protest every time they were hit. The group now realized their advantage, the creature was intent only on Indigo, leaving his flank open to anybody...

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We were the first political party to advocate renaming the Washington Monument the Big Stone U.S. Penis and putting big, orange foam testicles at the bottom.

*** OoC ***
It's been brought to my attention that the recent withdrawal from team stories by several writers at once, which was intended to be temporary, has lead to a kind of mexican standoff: none of us really feel inclined to start posting again if the others aren't going to be involved. Since one of us has to break the deadlock, I guess it might as well be me.

Unfortunately, all I can think of just yet also involves one of Moonshadow's characters, so I hope she doesn't mind.
*** BiC ***

Brianna leaned back against a log, worriedly watching over her tiny and unconscious friend. She'd lain Shi gently on a large palm frond, and started a fire to dry them both out. Finally, the still slightly transparent Phaerie opened her eyes and coughed, almost inaudibly. Brianna's face relaxed as she broke into a smile.

Shi sat up, blinked at Brianna, and turned to look forlornly out at the island. "It's not fair. It's not fair!" she wailed.

"You tried your best," Brianna said comfortingly. "Nobody can reproach you for that."

Shi sniffled, wiped her nose daintily - she was so small that almost any motion appeared dainty - and gazed sorrowfully up at her half-elven friend. "But now I've kept you away from it all, too - and your grandfather's over there!"

Brianna glanced at the island, and couldn't quite keep the concern from her eyes. "It couldn't be helped. Besides, he can take care of himself."

"Without magic?" Shi sounded highly skeptical.

"He'll have to." In spite of the confident words, Brianna felt a chill run down her spine. She made an effort to shake it off. "I feel like a walk; are you up to it yet?"

Shi evaluated her condition. Away from the island she was feeling stronger, but not strong enough to fly yet. However, she really didn't want to be left alone. "Not yet; perhaps if I could ride for a bit?"

Brianna grinned; she was always willing to have the almost negligible weight of the Phaerie perched on her shoulder. She'd done it so often, it was almost a comfort.

For no particular reason they headed south, deeper into the jungle.

Some time later, Shi decided to try a short flight. She hopped into the air, and flew ahead falteringly. Brianna watched her unsteady flight, and moments after Shi suddenly plummeted the short distance to the ground, she was crouching over her on hands and knees.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes," Shi panted, quite out of breath. "I guess... I tried too much... too soon."

Brianna carefully picked her up in one hand, and levered herself up against a cold, stone pillar with the other.

Cold? Stone? Brianna almost forgot the diminutive form in her right hand, as the examined her find. It was a standing stone, heavily covered with moss and festooned with vines. It was very similar to the ancient stones found all over Cythera, but this one had old Empire markings, from the time of the Tyrants.

Shi sat up, watching with interest. "What is it?" she asked curiously, her own troubles forgotten.

"It seems to be some kind of Empire marker stone," Brianna observed.

"Marking what?"

"I'm not sure," Brianna replied. "It looks like it might have something to do with the island."

They hunted around near the stone for a while, and eventually discovered the mouth of a cave. "This must be it," Brianna whispered, sparing her sensitive ears the torture of loud echoes.Quickly improvising a torch, they made their way almost timidly inside.

Once inside, Shi's strength rapidly returned, and she began flitting slowly along beside Brianna. In the darkness she gave off a faint glow, adding to the light from the torch.

After only a few short corridors, with matching twists and turns, the natural cave formation gave way to what was plainly Empire era construction - mortared granite bricks - and the corridor began to slope downward, in the direction of the sea.

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I will classify my lieutenants in three categories: untrusted, trusted, and completely trusted. Promotion to the third category will be awarded posthumously.

[This message has been edited by Overmind (edited 07-07-2002).]

If anyone dosen't like this reply just to save time type disregard in next reply.

Half way down the corridor Brianna trips over a rock suddenly hears a crash she
turns around and a stone wall is blocking the path. She searches for away out
through the sides then desides to go on. As she go down ward though the corridor
as time progresses and deeper through the corridor the floor gets wetter and wetter.
Then she realizes not just the floor is wet the ceiling is also wet.I think I'm under a lake or ocean if possible. After a while she gets tired so tired she sits down. She looks ahead it apears that the slope is starting to go up that must mean that I'm in the middle of the corridor then the floor colapses. she hits the ground but starts to slide faster and faster. Down and up and again until she goes down further,farther, faster and faster.Then she goes up shes to scared to realize there is no ground. as she goes up she hits ground but she keeps going.And then she hits a wall a stone wall wait a stone door. she opens it apears I'm in a crater or a vocano. she sees two other doors
its been two hours I'm tired

visen
I'm only 14 HAY what do you want from me. I have read most of the story and the first
post. but I not going to change the back bone of the story.
If you like my part of the story chose door 1 come back later and type visen.


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*Visen- It was good, but the story's in past tense. If no one is going to post to this then I will. It might help if I knew what "Empire" we were talking about. I hope it's the Tyrant's Empire. If it's not, ignore this.*

Brianna and Shi had come to two doors. They were huge, dark slabs of polished obsidian and on them they bore the ancient emblem of the tyrant. Brianna looked closely in and around them they were seperated by about three feet of solid rock. Probably granite. "What is this? Why is it here, and so far from any of the Tyrant's civilizations? The closest thing is the Sorcery Tower. Or is it? What is this place?" As Brianna wondered this out loud, Shi had been examining the rest of the room. "Nothing else but these two doors, Brianna."
"Shi, I have a question. Are you fast?"
"Yes, why?"
"I'm going to go through this door. I think that it's rigged with a trap. I need you to open it, and then get back, quickly."
"Ok. Here I go."
"All right. Shi, be careful." Shi cautiously stepped forward, and kicked the door hard. In a flash, a dozen spears popped into the center of the tunnel, on the wall behind her, and there were many on the back of the door as well. Even Shi did not have time to escape, but she ducked. Despite her quick reflexes, Shi recieved a small, two centimeter long cut on her arm, just below the shoulder. "SHI! Are you alright?"
"Yeah. I guess I'm fine. We have to go on. Now."
"Ok, if you can do that." They picked their way through the spears and into the tunnel. It appeared to be a grave crypt, and very old. "It looks to me like it dates back to the first Tyrant." Brianna said, showing her vast knowledge. "But who are they?"
"I think we'll find out soon!" Shi replied, "Look!"

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"To listen, one must be silent." -Ogion, A Wizard of Earthsea

[This message has been edited by Mr. Somebody (edited 07-16-2002).]

[This message has been edited by Mr. Somebody (edited 07-17-2002).]

Sorry, I was getting to it, honest!

Yes, I was referring to the Tyrants. I just wasn't sure what to call their regime, and 'Empire' sounded best

Um, given the fact that Shi is only 1 foot tall, I'm not sure that a 2 inch cut could be considered 'small', but otherwise, good post.

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The e-mail of the specious is deadlier than their mail

Quote

Ok. Is 2 cm good?

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"To listen, one must be silent." -Ogion, A Wizard of Earthsea

In the wall opposite the spear-trapped entrance, a tunnel lead out of the room that sloped visibly upwards. At its far end, Shi's sharp Phaerie eyes - and Brianna's almost as sharp half-elven ones - could make out the flickering light of a torch - and it was coming closer.

Quick as a flash, Brianna flattened herself against the wall next to the mouth of the tunnel, while Shi flitted to a spot above it, near the roof. Soon, their superlative hearing could make out the sound of stealthy, almost hesitant footfalls approaching the room.

A pale-robed woman stepped through the entrance, holding a flaming torch out in front of herself. When she caught sight of the triggered spear trapped, she stopped - and gasped in shock, as something sharp poked her in the back.

She was even more surprised when a tiny, glowing figure flitted down and hovered in front of her, tiny wings betaing so fast they were almost invisible.

"Hello," Shi said in her friendliest voice. "My name's Shi'nayne. That pointy thing you can feel sticking into your back is a notched arrow my friend Brianna is aiming at you. You know, I just love to talk; and we're going to have such an ever so long chat..."

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Trinias reached back and pulled another arrow from his quiver. He quickly notched it and let it fly. It pierced the creature's flesh deeply, but wasn't terribly effective now that his bow was devoid of magic.

He fired again, and again, until he'd expended all of the ten shafts he usually carried. Without magic, his quiver would have stopped replicating the arrows as he drew them out. Out of habit and reflex, he reached back to the empty quiver for another, after he loosed the final shaft.

His hand touched a feather.

Quickly swinging the quiver off his back, he saw that it was still fully stocked with arrows. "I think... I'm beginning to understand!" he said to himself.

He swung it back into place, and began to let fly an endless barrage of arrows. While not particularly damaging, the pain of the constant attack eventually drove the creature off.

"Stored magic!" Trinias cried.

"What?" Martel blurted in confusion.

Trinias pulled out one of Moonshadow's healing potions that he always carried, and forced it down DF's throat, before replying. "Stored magic! It's unaffected!"

The others still looked at him in confusion. "Look," he continued, "the magical swords retained their power, and the replication magic in my quiver still works. It's only new magic that's affected - except for Sya's bow, for some reason."

"I think I see," DF said as he sat up, once more fully whole. "The potion still worked, too."

"But what about Shi, and the Undine? Whay were they affected?" Martel queried with a frown.

"Because magic is their life-blood," Trinias explained patiently. "IT continually flows through them, regenerating them and giving them life. The anti-magic stopped the flow, so Shi began to fade out."

"But if the swords were unaffected, why was your bow?"

"Because it works by channelling power into the arrows as I fire them. Each arrow has new magic."

Martel nodded. It all made sense. "Now, how do we make use of that knowlege?"

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Skeiron was still watching from the concealed tower. He turned to a tall man standing attentively near the door.

"Release the second gaurdian."


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I will classify my lieutenants in three categories: untrusted, trusted, and completely trusted. Promotion to the third category will be awarded posthumously.

A crack of thunder was heard through the skies. A giant whirlwind came down from the skies. It was made of a blue fire, a lightning wind. The tornado formed into a giant, glowing, blue beast, with lightning spurting all over it's humanoid form. It was made of cloud flesh, it was a cloud, yet it held great power. Trinias shot an arrow at the beast, but it went straight through. The beast did seem to be irratated, and it turned to Trinias. "CLEAR!" Someone yelled, and just as they moved, blue lightning hit the spot with force. "How do you get rid of a cloud??"
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Skerion was watching them with a smug look on his face. "Let's see them beat this."

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"To listen, one must be silent." -Ogion, A Wizard of Earthsea

The second Guardian began rampaging through the forest after them. “RUN!” someone yelled. Everyone replied by acting, not talking, and run they did. Larc, though wounded, was still happy go lucky.

“Hey look! Rain!” He smiled and opened his mouth to the sky. Trinias slammed into him.

“If you don’t shut up and run like heck, right now, you will be made into little tiny pieces the size of a raindrop when that thing hits you!”

“Your point is, uh, well seen. G’bye!” With that, Larc took off to the front of the pack. The beast roared, which was actually quite like a thunderclap. In its anger, lightning started to charge all over it. Soon, DF noticed what was happening.

“TAKE COVER!!!” They did, and just in time, because lightning spurted out all over its form. Trees all over were disintegrated. It was Sya who first spotted the tower.

“Over there! Maybe that’s what we’re looking for!”

“I don’t care if that’s what we’re looking for!” Indigo replied. “I want to take shelter there!” The uproar showed the group’s agreement. Razmalak stopped.

“You go, I will use my magic!”

“YOU, are crazy, then! C’mon, let’s go!” Razmalak turned and faced the beast.

“All right then, I will come too!”
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Shi turned to the stranger. “Oh dear. I am soo bored. Let’s have a nice chat! That will make us all soo happy!” Shi gave her biggest, widest, nicest smile. “Are you going to talk to me? I don’t want to get angry, do I Brianna?”

“Oh no, Shi, we don’t want to get angry. Let’s talk to the nice lady.”

“Of course I’ll talk. Anything you want. Anything.”

“Where are you from? Is it the island where we were?”

“I am from an island.”

“Did it have an anti-magic guarding it?”

“Yes.”

“Where did you live on the island?”

“A tower. It had a beautiful view. You could see everything.”

“Did you see a raft land, with some warriors and mages on it?”

“Yes.”

“What happened to them?”

“One of them defeated the antimagic of the first guardian, and then the rest killed it. Then I left.”

“What do you suppose is happening now?”

“I suppose they are fighting the second guardian.”
“What is the second guardian?”

“A cloud beast. It shoots lightning.”

“How do you kill it?”

“You dehydrate it. It will then dissapate.”

“How do you do that?”

“Lead it to the desert.”

“It is raining. How do you stop that?”

“That is the beast’s extra protection. You stop it by putting out the spell binder in here.”

“Just one last question, miss. What is the purpose of all this?”

“We don’t like magic, so we are trying to wipe out all magic and it’s beings. Then, we shall take back Cythera with all of our armies, and drive back the invaders at last!” The woman ran.

“Kill her!” Shi yelled. The woman pushed the nose of a statue and the spears retracted, but then, and arrow hit her in the back. She died immediately. “Brianna, could you try and stop that rain? I’m going to warn the others about the guardian.”

“Shi!! The anti-magic!”

“The woman said it was gone. I just have to trust her. Hope to see you soon, beware of the traps!” With that, Shi was off towards the island.

“Shi had better be right.” Brianna thought as she inched down the tunnel.

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“Keep running! Keep running!” Blasts of lightning hit all around them.

“The stupid tower just had to be locked!” Martel yelled. “It’s been nearly an hour!”

“What’s that?” Larc asked. “Hey! The rain stopped! Yahoo!” Suddenly, Shi was floating beside them.

“Hi! I’m back, now, I want you people...”

“And Elves!”

“...and Elves to follow me!” So they all did, because as DF said,

“I don’t have any better ideas!” Shi led them to the desert and stopped.

“HA!” Shi yelled really loudly. Larc turned to stare at the beast.

“Say, that looks kinda like you did!” Shi, who was in a good mood replied with,

“Was I that ugly?” Most of them laughed.

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Skerion did not look pleased. “We have no choice. Send out the army, and we will return to the crypts.”

“Yes sir.”

“No, I have a better idea. Have the army attack the tower, and come to the crypts with us.”

“Yes sir.”

“SOME DAY! SOME DAY, CYTHERA, I WILL GET MY REVENGE!”

-The End-

*I hope you liked it, and see you back at the tavern! *

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"To listen, one must be silent." -Ogion, A Wizard of Earthsea

Hmm, that was rather abrupt. Also, they never discovered what the source of the anti-magic field was. True, the immediate threat is over, but the weapon could still be loose out there, somewhere. Mind you, that leaves things open for a sequel, someday.

I had intended for Skeiron (note spelling) to survive as a regular villain, so that much is good, but the way this ended made him appear to be a far weaker person than I'd have liked. Oh well, I'll just have to spend more time developing him.

Overall, this story was dragging out way too long, and few people seemed to have any ideas; so it was probably best to lay it to rest. Besides, the principle reason for this story was just to give Katerei somewhere to use her new characters, and since the Tavern has now caught up with the events of the Sorcery Tower, that need is no longer there.

I may make a sort of a 'rounding off' post when I've had more time to consider things; we'll see.

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The e-mail of the specious is deadlier than their mail