We are back!! We can't post as much as we'd like but we're BACK!!! HAHAHAHAA! Note: There may be language, themes or events that some may find offensive or disturbing. Alice raised her arms in front of her and the water in the pool she was standing in front of her formed into a ball and floated up to her head height. She looked at me and smiled, lowering the water back to the ground. “Now you try it.” I took a deep breath and reached out to the winds of magic around me. I opened my eyes and felt the magic flowing through me, and reached out to the puddle in front of me and formed the image of the water rising off of the ground in my mind’s eye. The water began to rise off of the ground slowly, forming into a sphere. It reached about Alice’s torso when the sphere began to quiver. I fought for control of it’s shape, eyes clenched in concentration, but it became more unstable, until it splashed outwards. I heard Alice gasp and opened my eyes to figure out why I hadn’t been splashed. The water that would have hit me was suspended in mid air, and Tari was pushed close to my left side, poking her tongue out at Alice, who was drenched from head to toe. She grimaced, “Okay, I’ll change into some dry clothes, and we can talk about those dreams you’ve been having. I won’t be able to do more practise with you tomorrow.” The mountain separating Lustria and Naggaroth loomed over us, the sound of shrieking monsters audible past the great stone barrier. “How exactly are we planning on getting past?” Tari quipped, looking over the sheer cliff ledge, dropping down into the churning rocks and waves over 100 feet below. Hjeki scowled, and Alice looked over the rocky outcroppings for a game trail. “I haf to agree with da daemon, dat’s no small climb.” Hjeki’s thick accent clashing with the elegant Druhir, Thenwyn squinted at the mountainside, examining as much as possible. “With how rocky it is, we should be able to manage it, especially with Tari to help.” I replied, Thenwyn nodded, “It’s hardly the most impressive thing we’ve done.” He looked around, “I can see how it keeps out major invasions though, a small group like us can scale it easily enough, but a large force would be easy pickings for the Lizardmen after that climb.” “Well, no point in just standing around! Go climb your mountain while you can!” the voice was high-pitched, almost shrill, and we all turned to face the source. The emaciated male elf child had stark white hair, and wide pink eyes. He was filthy, gore and blood streaked all over him, especially thick around his mouth and on his palms. “What’s wrong? Did I startle you!?” his voice turned to a grating high of excitement, as he clapped his hands together. Thenwyn gagged, covering his nose as the wind blew the stench of guts and rot from the child towards us. “Are you alright?” Alice inquired, and the child started to laugh almost maniacally, bending backwards so far that the sound of his bones cracking and popping was audible. Hjeki took a step back from the laughing elf, and suddenly he shot forward, standing in front of Alice before any of us realised he was moving “Never better!” he shrieked, eyes so wide they might fall out of his skull. “Alright, is there something you need, or are you okay if we leave?” Thenwyn ventured and the child grinned, “There is something I need.” his grin nearly took in his ears- literally. “All of you to die.” Thenwyn catapulted backwards, and Tari leapt forwards, vanishing from sight as something seemed to tackle her, as the child charged at me. I pulled my sword from its hilt, slashing for the center of the child’s torso with full force, to find the insane grin only an inch from my face, teeth starting to grow into the razor sharp canines, “You can’t beat me, I’m better than you, Iyskyth Meril-Ereg.” The child’s voice whispered in my head, and the child’s jaw dropped open, revealing even more teeth behind the first ones, the smell of rotting meat emanating from the gaping maw. Hjeki’s sword pushed it’s way through the elf’s sternum, and Thenwyn pushed me away from the child. The child started laughing, and looked Thenwyn in the eyes. “Your immortality won’t help you anymore, Thenwyn. All of you are obsolete, the time of humans, elves and daemons is over.” It’s head swivelled around to stare at Hjeki. “You are all relics of an old age, and so are your weapons.” The sword impaling him, suddenly started turning to dust, blowing away on the wind. Alice started chanting a spell, a ball of energy forming between her hands, when her arm suddenly snapped to a right angle, a jagged piece of bone protruding out of her skin. A daemon, grey and covered with spines, eyes the colour of rotting meat, became visible, holding her arm, snarling. Tari slammed into it, throwing it into a rocky outcropping. The elf looked back to me, “Oh, you can see Lory now? I was wondering when he’d become visible to you. Your daemon is quite strong, but it won’t beat Lory, I guarantee it.” He was suddenly standing in front of me. I slashed upwards with my sword, but it turned to dust again. “You see, while it’s strong, you can’t feed it enough. Lory has many times the magic he needs, so he can keep going for much longer. That is why yours will lose. Because you aren’t good enough.” I glared at him, standing. “Don’t call Tari ‘it’.” The elf laughed, and I scowled at him. “She finds it dehumanising.” The elf started laughing harder, and I could almost feel Tari’s excitement. I closed my eyes, and reached out to the winds of magic, feeling magic pour into me. Picturing a sword in my mind a bizarre feeling somewhere, that massive amounts of magic were being used. The elf inhaled sharply, and I opened my eyes. A long, slightly curved blade was in my hands. It was black washed, with silver on the outline, and a glowing, shifting green and blue pattern along the center, looking almost as if the blade was melting in the center. The elf looked at me with what could almost be fear, turning to flee. I dove after it, but it’s speed carried it away before I could hit it. “Damn, he got away.” Tari pounced on my back, bear hugging me so hard that I could feel my ribs crack. “Hey, since you are suddenly an expert on magic, do you think you can help Alice?” Thenwyn called over. I stiffened, remembering her broken arm. I turned around, Alice lay there unconscious, and Tari was already gently shifting the bone into position. I tried doing the same as I had done with the sword, but the best I got was a partial fix. “She will be able to move that, but anything strenuous will cause more damage.” Tari said. I slumped back, exhausted. Thenwyn moved around a little bit, and I heard the rasp of steel, “Hey Iyskyth, when are you letting this sword cease to exist?” “I thought it already had, It’s not draining my magic.” Tari chuckled. “That’s because it isn’t a magical construct anymore. During that little storm of magic, you created a physical object out of magic.” Hjeki frowned, looking at the blade, “So, how are ve goin to store da blade? Ve don’t haf any scabbards that fit it.” Tari walked over to me, blade in hand. “It’s simple, like this.” She plunged the sword into my chest. It didn’t hurt. I opened my eyes to see Tari pushing the sword into my body, until the hilt was the only thing sticking out. “Before I finish, the sword needs a name, so you can call it to your side.” “Isn’t this a bit sudden? I can’t instantly come up with a name, especially with a sword sticking out of my sternum!” Tari blinked, confused. “Just think of what feels right.” She replied. Helpful, ‘what feels right’ she says. Great. “Think of something!” She shouted, “Waridi Moyo!” I shouted in reply, and the blade sank into my chest. Hjeki blinked, and Thenwyn looked confused. “I’m not the only one who saw Tari store a sword in Iyskyth’s chest, right?” He ventured, and Tari grinned at him, “See Iyskyth, Thenwyn gets it.” The trees of the jungle stirred, primordial monsters screeching their rage at each other. Thenwyn looked nervous, and Tari fidgeted. “Ve aren’t actually going in there, are ve?” Hjeki asked, looking around for a different path. “We are heading in there, but only for a couple miles, after that we are going to head to the beach.” I answered. We slowly made our way towards the jungle's edge, slowing every time we heard something roar, or move in our direction. “Nervous, Iyskyth?” Alice joked, her own trepidation plain in her eyes. “Ha! Of course not, I’m one of the fearless Druchii!” I half-heartedly boasted, keeping the joke going, I continued “Hjeki’s the one who’s scared!” Hjeki chuckled, “Vhat? I am one of the glorious Norskans, ve are not afraid of some silly lizards!” “Haha! ‘Fearless Druchii’ and ‘Glorious Norscans’ you fools are obviously inferior to my vampiric glory. The Lizardmen are the ones who should be afraid!” The jokes continued until we reached the jungle edge. “So, this is Lustria. The continent of death.” Alice glared at Thenwyn for the comment. “Aren’t you just a bundle of joy.” I replied. “Vhat are ve vaiting for? Ve haf to go in eventually, might as vell start now.” He stepped in, and we followed suit. Characters Iyskyth Meril-Ereg (EE-SK-ITH MER-ILL-ER-REG)- A young Druchii, previously Heir to the House of Meril-Ereg. 6’2” tall, 74 kg. Alice Iasan (AL-ISS EE-ARS-AN)- A young minor wizard, she hails from the Empire and has befriended Iyskyth. 5’1” tall, 62 kg. Hjeki (Hee-eki)- A large Norskan, he is extremely strong and tough, despite his rather young age, and has befriended Iyskyth. His father is Hrimki, a once great Warlord. 6’11” tall, 102 kg. Tari (Tar-ee)- A Daemon who maintains her connection to this world by a link to Iyskyth’s being. Invisible to normal mortals unless Iyskyth let’s them see her. In current form: 5’9” tall, 71 kg. Thenwyn (THEN-WIN)- A Vampire who is at least three hundred and twenty years old, he is still very human, despite the thirst. He is accompanying Iyskyth, Alice, Hjeki and Tari south. 6’3” tall, 76 kg.
Good to see these characters back in action. Great story, has a very anime feel to it, which is great for a visual style to imagine these characters in. Really great descriptions, fantastic action.
Really nice! Looking forward to reading more. I have not seen/read much anime, but I do find your story different to previous fantasy stories I read and I like it. I will try to look and read the story previous to this one, because I am interested in the characters.
"And then the warmblooded interlopers died at the hands of the glorious lizardmen" Just a suggestion for a wrap up. If you want to keep writing your own ending, that would be ok, too. (Moar?)
Interesting story! Why should they be afraid? They are brave heroes after all, nothing to fear from smelly lizards hiding in the bushes. I am sure nothing will go wrong. It is almost like one of those bar jokes: a Norskan, a Dark Elf, and a Vampire walk into Lustria... Though I did like this line: And so the peril begins. Well said.
Finally! Hjeki speaks!!! Your group also finally gets into Lustria, and the first major reference to an already occurred event, with the Elf from the Choose your own Adventure! Glad to see you took my advice! I'm not sure whether to be amazed at the character development, or scream at him for hypocrisy... BOTH!!! It also needs a little bit of editing due to the Tablet tricking you by the way