Dark Age Legends

[Dude Man]

Duilin nods in agreement "That's why I left the Dark Empire. They forced me to join, or they would kill me, I saved my streghth for a good time to turn on them. When I finally did, I had no clue that this all would happen." Duilin pauses for a moment "You know that Gedi, he seems to be learning to quick....I think I remember him...."

[Xorlak]

The orb began to swell to gigantic proportions above Draven's head.  Knowing their leader all too well, the surrounding soldiers cleared the vicinity of the remains of the castle in a panic.  Draven floated higher and higher above the rubble.

"What's the matter, Scorch, buried alive?  Here, let me help you!"

----

Iduran lowered his blade, recognizing the face of the dead soldier.  Unfortunately, he was not there when the soldier died, so he munstered a vague answer.

"Brave warrior, you gave your life defending the people of Romme..."

[Cesque]

Scorch carried on toward the two archers. "Quickly!" one of them said, helped him stood up, grabbed him and began to run toward the forest, as second one suddenly leaped out from his cover.

"For Romme!" - he screamed, shooting an arrow aimed toward Draven.

-----

Cheetah sat on the dirt, singing some tune of his people, having no better things to do. He never enjoyed an idea of visiting a ghost of some unknown soldier...

[Xorlak]

The miserable little arrow spun off its trajectory upon reaching the proximity of the turbulance caused by Draven's aura of flame.  Draven was so fixated on his spell that he didn't even notice.  A bead of sweat ran down his forehead, but quickly evaporated in the heat.  At last the ball of flame swelled to over ten feet in diameter...

"GOODNIGHT!!!!"

First straining his arms backwards, he heaved the huge sphere straight downward.  Like a comet, the orb streaked accross the sky, plummeting towards the remnants of the castle...

[Dude Man]

Duilin then got up and walked over to the cave and saw the ghost, Iduran and Gedi

"How?" The ghost says
"Silgus blew your head off, he would have been mine or Scorch's but it was yours. You made a great sacrifice and we will miss you, Good bye" Duilin says

The ghost smiles and then a big shine of light comes and he disappears, all that is left of him is an old piece of paper

"Well, that was educational" Duilin says "Well...Hey what's this!?" Duilin picks up the paper "It appears to be a map, hey, a map to that storage cave!"

[Cesque]

The first archer with Scorch managed to get to the forest.

"Looks like you don't have your magnificent power anymore?" - said soldier.
"Just shut up..." - answered Scorch.
"What's the matter? You're almost dead and still you-"
"Silence." - suddenly said a weird voice as they were running through the woods. A tribal-looking earth mage with dreadlocks and wooden staff was looking at them. Nagash. "Some foolish soldiers just run toward the woods as if they were looking for someone." - he continued. - "Found our outpost and destroyed it. Few people survived. Can't say you look better... Scorch."
"How do you know me?"
"I track steps of my former enemies..."

Earth mage first bandaged most severe of Scorch's wounds, put a blindfold round his head, covering wizard's eyes, then lifted both hands in the air as his hair waved, he chanted healing spells. Scorch's head was suddenly relieved from pain, as was almost the rest of his body.

"What about my sight?" - asked Scorch.
"There are better ways of seeing." - answered Nagash, chanting another spell.
Suddenly, Scorch's vision was blurred, altrough he looked through the blindfold. He noticed archer and the earth mage shine in the bright light, shaping like he supposed they would look. He could feel the power emanating from them, as well as spell energy released as the mage casted his last spell.
"You can now SENSE your enemies, their look and their strength, as with the multielemental spell, Scorch. Now... we have to do something about that Draven, don't we?"

...

"It surely isn't best day for Romme." - said second soldier as the giant fireball blasted apart ruins and set them on fire. Slowly heading toward them, he incinerated next arrow with flame and again, shot it toward Draven. He was almost sure it won't have an effect but he done this anyway...

-----

"Good." - said Cheetah hearing Duilin's call. - "Now come out here and let's follow this map to the cave."

[Xorlak]

The comet of fire slammed into the ruins of the castle, spreading flame in all directions.  The sky turned red, and a yellow mushroom cloud emenated upward.  The pile of debris unsettled and flew into the air, only to rain down across the ruins of the town.  Several of the remaining walls of the castle cracked and fell over.  Although Draven aimed to vaporize the castle completely, he was satisfied with the level of destruction.  Even if Scorch had survived the colapse, there was no way he could have survived that...

Somewhat exhasted, Draven flew diagonally downwards towards a nearby group of dark soldiers, who had absolutely no idea what was going on and certainly knew better than to ask.  Although he was fatigued, Draven at least had accomplished one of the checks on his 'to-do list'.

However he frowed as he landed, thinking about what his real priority was...

"Blast, the sword..."

Scorch was clearly distracting him so the wyvern man and the washed up knight could escape with his prize.  He debated whether to pursue them immediately, but he was running out of energy...

"No matter, I'll find those weaklings soon enough..."

A lieutenant approached Draven, wringing his hands.

"My Lord, what are your orders?"

"Have you set up my tent yet?  Bring me to it."

The soldiers panicked as they realized the gust from the explosion knocked all the tents they had been setting up down.

"Uhh, yes my lord..."

The lieutenant slowly lead Draven while the other twenty soldiers ran ahead at full speed to attempt to reassemble the tent before Draven arived.

----

(Heh, that's so RPG-ish)

Iduran glanced at the map.

"Yes, I remember now!  Quickly, we can make it before nightfall."

He hurried out of the cave.

[Dude Man]

"Hey, Iduran wait up!" Duilin says wile running out of the cave after him
*LotR music starts playing, heh*
"Come, boy, let's go!" Duilin says to Gedi

Duilin and Gedi start following Iduran, they look for the cave....

[Cesque]

Scorch, Nagash and the archer were suddenly knocked by some giantic explosion.

"Nice weather, it seems to be shining castle parts..." - said Scorch and after short concentration, felt a moving object incinerated from magical flame somewhere near.

"Look out!" - screamed Nagash as a blazing piece of furniture fell into the nearby bushes, setting them on fire. It was spreading, consuming more and more parts of forests near the wood.

"Looks like we're in dreadlock, ekhm, deadlock." - said Nagash. - "We'll either have to burn here or jump into the maw of the lion, running toward the castle ruins where"
"I prefer second choice." - said Scorch, who somehow didn't like anything connected with fire now. Putting both hands before himself, feeling the power of fire all around and trying to evade it, along with Nagash and the acher the wizard managed to get out of forest.
"Draven will pay for desacration of mother nature..." - commented earth mage while they were running.

As the approached the former battlefield, a cloud of smoke was rising from the ashes. Somewhere in the distance, shapes of soldiers could be seen.

"I'm becoming sick of this war..." - said Scorch, trying to fend off the smoke with wind breeze he summoned.

-----

Cheetah followed Iduran, Duilin and Gedi.

[Dude Man]

Duilin then continued walking and then looks up at Iduran in front of him "Are we there yet?"

[Xorlak]

Unable to set their leader's tent back up, the group of soldiers panickly moved Draven's materials into a nearby house that was only partially burned out, covering the holes in the wall with red cloths bearing the insignia of the Dark Empire.  The lieutenant approched the door just as the soldiers finished, running out and saluting as Draven approched.

"R... right this way, sir..."

Draven entered the house and sat at an empty kitchen table.

"Quickly!  Bring me my meal.  I want a change of armor as well.  And get me a more comfortable chair for god's sake!"

The soldiers scurried about as Draven unfurled a battle map that was placed at his side.

----

Iduran lead the group thorough as small ravine, populated with much plant life.  He hacked vegetation with his blade as he went along.  After a few moments, the group came apon another cave in the rocks...

[Dude Man]

"Is that it?" Duilin asked "Because I REALLY want to change my Armor, it rusting on my skin, it's soaking wet and there is a broken peice on it and it is scratching at my leg..."

[Xorlak]

Draven removed his tattered armor and cape, replacing them with identical fresh ones that were brought to him.  Neatly tieing his hair back once again, he sat down to dine on exquisite rosted meat and fine wines.  The onlooking soldiers stared blankly at the meal that was reserved only for their general, comparing it with the unknown mushy substance they were forced to eat.

----

A soldier came out of the cave brandishing a spear.

"Who goes there...?  My lord?  Is that really you?!"

Iduran smiled.

"Yes... I've brought some friends who helped me escape.  We are in need of rest..."

"Right this way!"

The soldier extended his hand in the direction of the cave mouth.  Iduran slowly walked in.

[Cesque]

Scorch with Nagash still only observed the ruins, searching for some sign of Draven...

-----

Cheetah followed Iduran.

[Dude Man]

Duilin followed Cheetah and Iduran, Gedi walked closely behind

"It's okay," He said the the soilder "I'm with you guys, now!" Duilin taps his armor.