The Tales of a Wandering Adventurer. [Archive]

Lightwielder

08-27-2009, 07:55 AM

Been going into Tarn more often recently than usual, drank water this last time, and STILL something goes wrong. I never even considered that one of my biggest concerns would be Blackhorn Beetles.

I'm searching out a ruined building again when it happened. Now, the easy solution would be to stop searching those buildings, but the rewards I find by searching these buildings is more than worth it. I guess I'm just crazy enough that I can't stay away.

So, anyway, I'm searching this building, when I hear some rapid, light clicking...like an insect skittering around. When you adventure, you learn to be wary of such noises; the only problem was that these clicks were too loud. This means that it's not only very big, but that there are several of them. I turn around to see no less than seven of these large, carnivorous bugs rapidly crawling my way.

I realize that there isn't a way out without killing a few of them. If I was near an exit, I would likely leave them to their home, find an EMPTY building to search. Such is not the case here. As the first two come within range, I somehow pull off a maneuver that ultimately killed them both at once. No problem there. As I'm fighting off another one, one more of them comes skittering along the ceiling above me. Thank the All-Father that I have a metal helmet. I kill the one I was fighting with fair ease, and the fourth one on the ceiling crawls off and joins the fifth one to attack me together. It took some work, but I dispatched them soon enough. The last two move in to attack...

By now, I'm standing in the corner of the room so I wouldn't get surrounded by them all. I'm bleeding from several open wounds, and incredibly sore. I decide to reach into the depths of the Neverness for the energy to heal myself. All of a sudden, I feel a sudden pain through my arm. It wasn't a sharp pain, like the horns of the beetles; It was a familiar pain...one that I have felt the sting of many times in the past. I was left only watching in fear and pain as the Nevernal energy explodes before I could release it. The over-familiar feelings of the failed casting of magic was upon me once again. My entire body collapses. I couldn't move, I could barely even see; but the one thing I did see were two large, black blurs still moving toward me. I close my eyes to combat the disorientation...

Several sharp pains ring through my body, both from the horns, and from the mandibles. I couldn't sit there and let them eat me, so I muster another try. I call something from the Neverness that even undead would flinch at...a Fire Elemental. I order its assistance, and watch as it grabs the beetles and slowly incinerates them. I thank the Elemental before releasing it. I then call on my mastery of Restoration to patch up the wounds until I can get back to the fountain.

The most curious part is yet to come...

I walk out of the building, and find myself face-to-face with a Halgirom. A feeling of dread goes through me as it raises its powerful arms. The smart thing to do in this situation would've been to run. In most cases, I would not have survived that fight, having been so heavily injured previously, and barely walking. A rush of manic fury rushed through me, and I jumped forward without even thinking and tore it in half with my blade. To this day, I am still not sure how I did it...

thingirl

08-27-2009, 12:49 PM

OK, John's luck is about like mine. Now I'll vote, and I'll be especially glad if you post one chapter a day.

thingirl

08-27-2009, 02:43 PM

OK, I just entered Tarn, and the first building had 7 blackhorns. creepy.

Lightwielder

08-28-2009, 06:49 AM

Sorry, but I'm not inspired to play Sryth every day, and I'm not often inspired to write these without playing Sryth.

It won't be every day, but I will try according to my motivation. I enjoy writing these, myself, but it also takes a lot of time to write each one. Time that I don't always have.

thingirl

08-28-2009, 12:37 PM

And I, and all writers, appreciate time. (Yes, I have some low level Naruto FFs. My mastery in weaponry: writing is about a 40. Badstench's is about a 80. Someone else I know has about a 95, and professionals have 100.)

Lightwielder

09-01-2009, 09:39 AM

A mission...An enemy...A blade...

The smell of death surrounds me. Bodies litter the floor. By description, it would seem like a formerly-chaotic battlefield, but wars are rarely fought underground, as is the case here. This is a hostile situation of a different sort. As I stand, momentarily paralyzed by fear, my enemy ever approaches. I regain my wits, and I move around the room, determined to keep out of reach of my enemy's deathly claws.

Because of the shape and size of the room, if he were to back me into a corner, that would be the end of me. There would be no escape. I watch my enemy carefully as he approaches, when suddenly, he lunges, one claw outstretched! I quickly step to the side, and watch as he lunges past me. As he passes, his sickly, green hair brushes against my face. I almost drop to the floor in shock. The foul odor emanating from that creature is beyond imaginable! It is a familiar very scent; the odor of death, but this creature's scent is twenty times more powerful than your common week-old corpse.

So, as I walk around the room, staying out of reach, I wait for an opportunity. My enemy lunges clumsily, and I swing out of it's way, and strike back with my shimmering blade, all in one swift motion. I hit him in the shoulder, and he flinches back. I knew right then that it hurt...or at least did damage. I'm still not sure if undead creatures can actually feel pain. It hit his armor, though, so I know it didn't do much. As he lunges again, I dodge, but his sharp claws catch a chink in my armor and bring me to the floor. I try to rise from the floor, but my enemy is already upon me. I feel a sharp, pinching pain from his attack, but I quickly kick him off, his sharp claws scratching off my skin and hurting even more.

I stand up, and attempt to put some distance between me and my enemy. As I raise my sword to attack, I realize that my body feels as heavy as iron. My strength has been rapidly drained...but by what? The teeth! While I was on the ground, he bit me. I had carelessly ignored those sharp yellow fangs that are mostly the only things protruding from his mouth. He swings again, and scratches wide against my chest armor. The sheer impact alone still hurt, but I would probably be dead if it weren't for my armor. As I feel my strength returning, I attack again, slicing off his left arm. I draw back out of range again, but I was too late. Those teeth had, once again, sank into my flesh. My body becomes sluggish again, and again, he lunges. I decide to give in to my weakness, and I drop to the ground. My enemy trips over my body as he lunges, causing him to fall forward. That gives me enough time to return to my feet.

Now I am feeling tired, but I can't give in. By some force of magic, the creature's severed arm disappears from the floor, and reattaches on its arm. A creature that doesn't tire, and regenerates. I can tell that this is not going well for me. I lunge forward, striking him straight in the chest. Magic energy rings through his skeletal body, launching him backwards; but, again, I got struck. Thankful that it was by the claws, not the teeth, I re-evaluate the conditions. I am seriously hurting, but his armored, skeletal body looks about ready to collapse.

I make a sudden realization; a resource that is present in this room that I had not been using...Shadows. I jump at the wall, melding with the shadows protruding from it. Unrestrained, I move along the floor of the room, jump out of the wall behind him, and slam him down to the floor. He quickly recovers, but I strike him again. As I back out of range, those claws of his scrape against my armor, clothing, and skin. I can't keep going on like this. I reach into the depths of the Neverness and relax, as the pain lifts, blood clots, and wounds heal in an instant. While I was doing that, my enemy was approaching. I open my eyes to see a claw coming down into my face. My helmet protected me from most of the blow, but pain rushes through my face like fire.

I wasn't until just now that I realized that he had me cornered. The odd shape prevents me from dodging out of the way. I was trapped. I call upon my last resource, prayer to the All-Father. As I finish, a faint white glow surrounds my body. I know this feeling. Srythak has granted me a Blessing of Protection. I am well aware of the benefits of these blessings. It means that the creature's claws and the teeth are helpless. I lunge forward, while he swings his claw. I don't even pay it any attention as I jump on top of him, forcing my sword through his rotted chest as I bring him to the ground. A blast of bright energy bursts through his body, ending this fight, once and for all. I back away as the skeleton transforms into a swarm of black ants that all rush to the shadows of the room and vanish.

By now, you've probably figured it out, but in case you didn't...the enemy I just vanquished has a name. His name is Lord Jurth Creyn.

Lightwielder

09-01-2009, 09:40 AM

I will give a rep to the first person who can tell me his name. Let's see if you can figure it out.

thingirl

09-01-2009, 01:07 PM

Inzilia the Feared.

MrBlack

09-01-2009, 08:06 PM

Lord Cryen

Lightwielder

09-01-2009, 11:36 PM

MrBlack guessed it correctly. It was Lord Jurth Creyn. I decided to do a special episode, longer than the common ones, so I chose a special "boss" enemy.

I will do special episodes every once in a while, but not as often as the common ones.

thingirl

09-02-2009, 12:01 AM

I guessed Inzela because you were useing SSL and he was regenerating.

Lightwielder

09-02-2009, 06:52 AM

Actually, the regenerating had nothing to do with game mechanics. Regenerating or re-attaching lost limbs is a signature of powerful undead for almost any Roleplaying game.

thingirl

09-02-2009, 03:15 PM

Still, "Inzilia heals herself". Darn, that made her female.

Lightwielder

09-08-2009, 11:05 AM

I was on my way to Kardsen, the city of perpetual uprising. I would never have guessed what almost served to end my life that day. I was relieved to find a Border Ranger outpost. We talked, we ate, we slept. In the middle of the night, the tower was suddenly besieged. I got out of the tower, and I was incredibly surprised at what I saw...

Goblins! But not just any goblins. These ones has strangely-colored skin...like they had war paint. Although these goblins were incredibly skilled compared to most goblins, it took little effort to hack the first several down. But then came the ogres. They were tough. Fortunately, I only had to defeat one of them. The other rangers took care of the rest.

Then I saw him...the leader. I didn't need confirmation. Just by looking at him, you could tell that he was. Few words were spoken, we got down to the swords pretty quick. This guy was fast! I couldn't hit him, but he was hitting me. I felt just about ready to fall and die, but I didn't. I called upon an Air Elemental.

You see, Elementals are as free as the elements themselves; which means that they are also incredibly fast. The Elemental provided a good distraction against the goblin, allowing me to heal. Still, he kept trying. This time, though, he also had an Elemental to worry about. This allowed me to hit him. One strike, in the leg, made it difficult for him to evade.

Then the goblin did something entirely unexpected. He charged; waving his weapon in a berserk fury. It was all I could do to avoid getting hit, and even then, I did still get hit many times. This wasn't working; I had to find a way to stop him.

It was almost as if it read my mind. A gust of wind rushed all around the goblin...and he stopped. But not by his own will. He was being held in midair by the wind currents created by my powerful Elemental. Seizing this opportunity, I rushed forward. A painful cry descending to a faded whisper...and it was dead. I thanked the Elemental(They are still sentient creatures, though some do not believe so.) and promised to myself to be more careful if I meet more of that kind of goblin.

Lightwielder

09-08-2009, 11:06 AM

Sorry for the late reply. I was going to do one about the Carveclaws in Fogbough Forest, but I didn't have even any moderately close encounters with any of them.

Lightwielder

09-26-2009, 03:53 AM

I do apologize for the lack of posts recently. I've been having a couple of hectic weeks, but they will return soon.

Lightwielder

11-22-2009, 10:05 AM

The Silent Temple... Home to the powerful deity Skargokk. Few tales have been passed down about this temple, but those that have don't give any explanation about its recent resurfacing. The only part of this temple that is worse than the traps...is the aura dwelling in it. This aura drains your Nevernal Energy, leaving you vulnerable to the traps that lie ahead.

..........
..........
..........
I stand corrected. There is one greater force that I consider to be worse than the temple's aura...the statue of Skargokk in the inner sanctum. Sometimes, this massive statue will become infused with the consciousness of Skargokk himself when you take the treasure that he is guarding.

I had an encounter with this massive being only once before. It was one of the greatest forces I have ever seen. Some people, when in the face of an evil deity, will stand strong and claim they are not afraid of them. That was a VERY big mistake this time. I would never recommend this course of action to anyone! (Except, maybe Rokmokkara)

I stood my ground. The moment the vessel of Skargokk moved, I could sense it's immense power. I was absolutely terrified, but there I stood. It all went downhill from there...

I was beaten around, smashed, and blasted away more times than I could count(mostly because I was in so much pain.) I was out of Blessings of Protection, and I just used my last Quickstone heal, and the temple's aura negated my Nevernal Powers. I was in a desperate situation. This being was going to kill me. There was no way that I could defeat it. It had senses and powers beyond that of any creature that I've ever seen. Then, I happened upon an idea...

I reached into my pack and pulled out a weapon of destruction, forged of sorrow, pain, doubt, anger, but also happiness, joy, peace, and life itself. ...The Wanderer's Bell... I took the bell out with weary hands, but still, I gathered the strength...and threw it straight up into the air!

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

...Time slowed down to a near halt...

CLANG! CLANG!

...Every time it struck the edge, a blinding flash, a deafening clang, the roaring of mountains, trees, oceans, souls, planets, death; all in pure, unhindered, cataclysmic harmony...

CLANG! CLANG!

And yet, silence... Even during these rings of truly nightmarish experiences, there is no sound. The sounds of the Wanderer's Bell break through to your very soul. Your ears hear nothing. During all this, you cannot hear your enemy groaning, screaming, or dying; or the temple crumbling. You cannot even hear your own thoughts. It is an experience that I would never want to go through again.

The vessel of Skargokk started to crumble and collapse, unable to bear the power of the Wanderer's Bell. Regardless of the power of the deity himself, his physical dwelling was disintegrating. Only the All-Father could stop such a fate, and Skargokk wasn't exactly on his good side.

Even then, I underestimated the power of the Wanderer's Bell. The resounding power of the Bell actually drew the deity of Skargokk into a physical, possibly even mortal, form. I moved with haste to attack the deity before the effect wore off.

I have never heard the screams of a deity before, and the Wanderer's Bell still prevented me from hearing them, but I could tell...the Bell caused him great, agonizing pain, even before I sliced his upper torso with my blade. The scar didn't bleed, but a dark glow emanated from it. I knew then that I had wounded him. I don't know if it would recover over time or not, but it was there.

The Wanderer's Bell clattered to the ground with a flat CLUNK! Skargokk regained his true form, and disappeared. I knew, however, that he would not hesitate to kill me if I entered his presence again.

After the event, I returned to the Battlegrounds, and bowed out at that point. I couldn't really fight ogres in the condition I was in. But I will never forget that day...or that sound.

Taleria

11-23-2009, 03:03 AM

Interesting take on the Wanderer's Bell. Very creative.

I haven't experienced the terror of Skargokk yet, but this piece really made me afraid. No magic. Eek.

Lightwielder

11-23-2009, 05:23 AM

Interesting take on the Wanderer's Bell. Very creative.

I haven't experienced the terror of Skargokk yet, but this piece really made me afraid. No magic. Eek.

When writing that, I felt like I was conveying something that I had experienced in real life. There was definitely heart and soul poured into that one.

He was 18+ for me, with no magic. I actually had to use the Wanderer's Bell 3 times in that battle, completely draining the last of its charges. Regardless, I had an achievement, and a story to tell from that encounter. It was worth it.

thingirl

11-23-2009, 09:52 PM

Somehow, I managed to pass ALL ELEVEN checks (died once from a **** rock). Still, nicely done.

Lightwielder

11-24-2009, 03:15 AM

Thanks to everyone who repped me for that. I didn't expect many people to notice, to be honest.

Lightwielder

12-09-2009, 11:03 PM

Fire is one of the most important resources known to humans, goblins, ogres and more. I learned yesterday what a dangerous enemy it can be, as well.
---------------
I took a room at a local inn for the night, on the outskirts of Trithik. If I wasn't about to collapse from exhaustion, I would've gone to my home, Silversword Tower.

I woke up to an infernal heat, and I was sweating all over. There was a faint crackling coming from the hall. When I opened the door, the blast of heat nearly knocked me off my feet. The fire had almost consumed the hallway, and it was blasting down the doors. I swept into the rooms, one by one, evacuating the people that were still inside. Two rooms remained before the fire stood up and confronted me. This was a problem...a Fire Elemental. Slashing it only kept it at bay, because it's doesn't have physical form, but I had to get to those rooms.

There were no shadows for me to slip by with, because of the light that it radiated. I decide to call upon a Water Elemental. An obvious choice, given the circumstances. Almost immediately, the Water Elemental evaporated. This Elemental must have been quite powerful. I decided to run the other way, hoping it would follow me, but it grabbed me, and I tripped.

Only the more powerful Elementals(except Earth Elementals.) are able to shape their element to physical force, such as grabbing people. Either way, I was being held...by FIRE! The flames started to quickly heat up my armor, so I had to think fast. I swung with my sword to break its grip, and then I cast Fortification to block it off to one side of the hallway. I skirted around the fire, and got to the first room. No one inside, but when I got to the next room, there were two people trapped inside. As I was escorting them out, the Elemental broke free. I cast Illusion on the civilians to confuse the Elemental, and allow them to escape.

This served to make the Elemental more angry. His bursts of rage brought half the ceiling crumbling down, missing me only due to my quick reflex. I decided to use this to my advantage. I lured him over to a weak part in the ceiling using Illusion. The very fire emanating from him brought it straight down on top of him. I came in, swinging hard and fast, over and over again, finishing him with an attack from a Water Elemental.

I paid the innkeeper to help pay off the damages, and I went off back to my more secure tower, wondering if it may not have been a random attack. Many people would have considered this a heroic accomplishment, but it really is "all in a day's work" for someone of my abilities (and enemies).

Lightwielder

12-09-2009, 11:11 PM

It was a little more difficult to write this episode for one reason only...

It was pure fabrication. It wasn't based on an in-game experience, just a little creative writing out of boredom.

Young Ned

12-10-2009, 03:06 AM

I didn't think it sounded familiar... which actually made it a bit more interesting than the ones that are based on game content. Good job. :cool:

Lightwielder

12-10-2009, 10:40 AM

I didn't think it sounded familiar... which actually made it a bit more interesting than the ones that are based on game content. Good job. :cool:

Really?... Then I suppose that I ought to do more, sometime.

Young Ned

12-12-2009, 11:38 AM

I didn't mean to sound as if I were disparaging the stories that are based on game content, and if it came across that way I apologize. I just meant it made the story a bit more surprising.

Lightwielder

12-12-2009, 10:08 PM

I didn't mean to sound as if I were disparaging the stories that are based on game content, and if it came across that way I apologize. I just meant it made the story a bit more surprising.

I know. Don't worry, you're fine. Actually, the next one I have in mind is going to have quite the surprise in store.

Lightwielder

12-22-2009, 12:32 PM

Hey, guys. I've been sort of inactive on the Sryth Forum a bit, but it's mostly because most of the time I devote to the Sryth Forum gets redirected to working on the next installment of the series. It's a good one, trust me.

It's not like I've just disappeared, because I do log on and see how things are going. I just haven't really posted much. Badstench, I still keep up-to-date on your interviewer series, and it's still going great. Arik, I plan to read yours, but I haven't gotten around to it, due to working on my own.

I'll soon return with a brand new installment, but it's so long, I might have to make it a multiple-parter, instead of just one post... Decisions, decisions...

-See ya soon-
Lightwielder

Lightwielder

12-23-2009, 11:48 AM

As soon as he walked into the room, I could tell that he was planning on lying to me. The only problem was that my Divination magic wouldn't tell me HOW he was going to do it. He glanced around briefly and subtly, then sat down in the wooden chair. He had a rather thick coat on to keep the winter chill out, but I couldn't shake the feeling that he kept things under it for eliminating potential threats. Despite any subtle attempts of mine to see it, he never exposed his right arm, keeping it tucked inside his(slightly too long) coat sleeve.

"Good evening, sir. I take it you are willing to discuss the negotiations?"

His voice was somewhat gruff, yet whispery. The eerie feeling that emanated from him was quite intense, but I maintained my composure, and responded.

"Let's get to the point. What exactly is it you want?"
"I need someone good at what he does, and what he does is particularly discreet. A spy, or infiltrator, to be more specific. Provided your reputation is accurate, you seem to be more than capable."
"You want me to kill someone..."
"As an adventurer, do you not already do so regularly? Surely, the prospect is not unknown to you."
"Indeed, but I need to know my target."
"Well, I was recently attacked by a Goblin Thief, and he stole an...artifact from me, one of great power that cannot be easily replaced."
"So, you need me to track down this Goblin? Couldn't you just hire a seer for that?"
"No, that won't do any good. The goblin's death would mean nothing, because the loot has changed hands...the wrong hands, to be precise. I want you to track down and recover the stolen artifact from Nenuil(Ne-noo-ill) the Sorcerer."
"Nenuil? He lives in Graldok, correct? Well, then why are we sitting here in the Goblinclaw?"
"His influence is expansive, but not this expansive. Very little chance of being overheard."
"So, what exactly is this artifact that I'm looking for?"
"I will not give you many details, but it's a small silver object. It fits in your hand, hemispherical bottom, pointy top. You won't need more details to know what you're looking for. It must be recovered before Nenuil unlocks its secrets. Killing him would be preferable, but the artifact takes highest priority. Rest assured, you will be compensated well for your task."
"Are there any other details you can give me about this task?"
"If you need any more, then your reputation must be an exaggeration..."
"No, it's enough."
"Good, good. Return here when you are done to collect your reward."

The man slowly gets up from his chair, again looking around, then heading to the door. As he walks out, I wonder how much of his story is truth, and why he chose me.
-----------------------------
I've traveled through Southwest Tysa on multiple occasions, and it's usually uneventful. Such was not the case today. It was a partly cloudy day, with the sun occasionally visible. Bright, blue skies and green hills. Seemed like a great day to travel. I specifically decided to avoid any detours into the Hart Hills, as the Hart Hills are goblin domain, as well as their excellent ambush network. This day, the threat of goblins is as small in comparison as a candle is to a volcano. I was about to cross the border into Southwest Tysa, when I saw someone coming up behind me on a horse. There was a problem, though...I had seen this same person six other times since departing. They were definitely following me. I stopped my horse and turned to face them. I could see his eyes, but that was the only part of his helm that was open enough to see through. They...didn't look evil at all. Boy, was I wrong. He dismounted from his horse and drew his sword. The very moment he grabbed for it, I made a swift dismount from my horse, drawing my sword simultaneously.

I've never seen a weapon quite like what my supposed adversary used. It was a large blade, probably two-handed, that was straight and sharp on one side, but jagged, notched, and vicious-looking on the other. He held it down at his side in his left hand with the jagged edge facing toward me. The flat of the blade was a dark brownish color and it had some ancient lettering inscribed into it. Based on the way that he held it, I could tell that he was quite skilled with this weapon.

You have something I need...attempt to flee, and I will strike you down without a second thought.
"So, what is it that you need?"
I need information. Specifically, the name of your target.

Something about him gave me a bad feeling. The moment I tell him, my usefulness would leave me, and he'd strike me down without a second thought anyway.

"Who wants to know?"
"I DO!" he yelled. He was getting tired of my delays.
"I don't know much, specifically. All I know is that he is a Sorcerer that lives in Syr. He's apparently a key part in some plot, and my employer wants him eliminated."
"I have mastery of Necromancy. You hoped to walk away without any trouble by lying to me, but dead men do, in fact, tell tales.

He raised his weapon! Before he even launched an attack, I assailed him with Illusory enemies. Using that opportunity, I jumped at him and struck him in the chest. Barely any good. I could tell that it hurt him, but it didn't really do any real damage, due to his armor. His weapon was big and heavy, so my swift attacks got through with little opposition. I had the upper hand, but that soon changed. I threw another swing, but he blocked it. As soon as our swords clashed, a powerful sting shot through my head. Barely managing to hold my ground without falling over, I struggled to throw off the psionic attack. I could tell, though, that the attack wasn't coming from him, it was coming from his sword. I shook off the attack, but too late to see the sword incoming. His incredible strength, coupled with the weight of his sword, shattered my defensive stance and sent me to the ground..........

I was heavily bleeding. I called upon my power of Restoration, and I began to feel better. The pain was easing away. I open my eyes just soon enough to see a large, long object coming down on me.
---------------------------------
I gasped heavily as I sat up. It didn't feel like a gasp, however. I didn't breathe in while doing it. I wasn't breathing out, either. I looked around, and found myself in a familiar place.....The Corridor of Death. It's the place where one receives the energy of a Rune of Life. I have been here many times before. It was a large, circular room that was entirely dark, except for one bright light emanating from a pedestal in the middle of the room. I started to stand up, when an ethereal force stretched out from the walls and bound me to them. I struggled, but the power was too great. I've never actually had this happen before. (In hindsight, I suspect that, at that very moment, he was using Necromany on me, therefore binding my soul to the Corridor of Death.) I was truly terrified. It seemed like several hours that I was bound, struggling in the vague hope of getting free, but it was probably only a couple of minutes. I got away from the walls, approaching the glow. Once I got there, I took a brief moment to reflect, then I reached for the glow.....

-(A blinding flash, and the Corridor of Death fell away)-

(To be continued...)

Lightwielder

01-06-2010, 10:35 AM

Blurry....dizzy.....but soon, it starts to come into focus.

I woke up in a small common room of sorts...it looked like an inn, somewhat ramshackle, but well kept, considering it's condition. Several confused-looking people sit or lie on the various beds littered around the room.

(Time for a history lesson)
When an Adventurer escapes from the Corridor of Death, they will be returned to a point of concentrated positive energy. These points[In-game, they're known as safe spots] are only found in certain locations. There is a group of people dedicated to seeking out these spots wherever they might be, and building shelters for those people to rest in while they recover. They usually come in the form of inns or medical pavilions, depending on the location. You can almost always find a few experienced Adventurers volunteering their time at places like these to help new Adventurers get re-accustomed to living after their recent traumatic experience of having just, you know, DIED. The Rune of Life returns you to the last of these spots that you bound your spirit to. Binding your spirit to one of these points[The Roleplaying equivalent of saving the game] is actually almost a passive action. Anyway, back to reality...)

I looked around the room. The only real excitement in the room was at a table with a guy(I assume another Adventurer) telling a story to the rest of the people sitting around it. I didn't catch the whole story, something about defeating a deity incarnate with a bell, but not much more. Regardless, it was time to get moving. I had to get to Graldok before that mysterious swordsman does, and he probably has a head start.

I asked the caretaker which city I was sent to, and she informs me that I am in Talinus. I thanked her for the information, and departed from the shelter. Although I want to write a little more about the trip, the trip to Graldok was thoroughly uneventful, despite the speed at which I raced there.

I decided to start my search in the bazaar. If anyone knew where to find Nenuil, it would be in the Bazaar. The Bazaar in Graldok is one of the most popular in the world of Sryth, especially to Adventurers, where they can get the best deals available on the various treasures that they find in their everyday adventuring. My search came up with a result; a rumor about one of the places he frequents. Little more than a rumor, but it's a lead nonetheless.

My trip took me to the ruins on an old tower, said to formerly belong to a powerful Elementalist that was defeated by an Adventurer a long time ago. After several hours of searching...nothing! I couldn't seem to find anything. I called upon my power of Divination, and it told me that there WAS something here...

Now I just need to find it.....

(To be continued...)

Lightwielder

01-06-2010, 10:37 AM

I do apologize for the late reply, but the Christmas and New Year thing delayed it a bit. I'm still working on it, though, don't worry.

Young Ned

01-09-2010, 01:51 AM

Not a problem. Nice work -- I admire how you're explaining game mechanics in believable in-world terms. :cool:

Lightwielder

04-01-2010, 10:12 AM

It didn't take me very much time after that to happen upon a discovery. A small, silver rod. It seemed to resonate with magic, but of an unknown sort. I decided to examine this object further, but before I could, my sword flew out of my hand. I turned around to see a young man holding my sword in midair with Telekinesis, pointed at me. This man looked too young to be a master sorcerer.

"I'm looking for Nenuil the sorcerer."
"I am he, and he is I"
"It can't be. You look too young, like an apprentice."
"I guarantee you, you won't find another Nenuil. Also consider your spatial relation to mine, as well as the contrast that the floating sword provides. You would demonstrate profuse prudence by accepting my word. If that does not suffice, then use Divination, which I know you are capable of."
Well, I learned one thing from talking to this man. He is well-versed with words. Tricking him may be difficult. I decided to take his advice and use Divination, but I don't detect any deception.
"So what do you want from me?"
"Last I checked, I had not summoned you from lands beyond. What motive brings you to my tower, and why has your presence intruded upon my personal belongings."
"I figured you would take me for a common thief, and thus, attempt to slay me on sight. Even now, you could plunge that sword into my body at a whim. What makes you hesitate?"
"Your choice to evade my demand tires me, intruder. The absence of tact that you display openly weakens your lifeline further. However, if it get things done, I shall answer your question. Do not assume, intruder, that you are the only man that has grasp of Divination."
"Well, I must apologize, but I cannot reveal my intentions to you, Nenuil."
"If I so willed it, you could already be dead, intruder. I offer you a last chance to provide a defense for your presense."
"And I choose to waive such a privilege. I feel that you have decided my fate already, so wasting my breath further would be pointless. Release me, or attack me, so that we may be done with each other."
--------------------------------
In hindsight, challenging a sorcerer of unknown experience was probably not a prudent choice, in regards to my well-being.
--------------------------------
Nenuil unfolded his plan of action as I predicted he would. He started by launching my sword at me. Once he launched it, his control faltered enough that I could reclaim it with my own Telekinesis, before it struck me. A risky maneuver, but effective nonetheless. With my sword in my hand, I lunged at Nenuil, but was thrown back by an Air Elemental. Dispatching the elemental was a simple task, but Nenuil continues to assail me with magical attacks. I couldn't get close to him. If only...one opening...he would breathe no longer.

I spun, dodged, and weaved through his attacks, but I still found difficulty getting within attack range. I used my power of Destruction to shatter the wall behind him, but he responded by hurling the debris right at me with Telekinesis. At this rate, the tower will collapse before resolution occurs. I feinted to draw his attention, then spun around to dodge the attack. I finally closed the distance when, suddenly, the door opens forcefully, and a man walks in; the very same armored warrior with the jagged blade that attacked me on the road. Both of us cease our combat, equally surprised to see this man. Nenuil had a look on his face that betrayed both recognition and fear(or awe) of this man. He takes a look around the room, then at Nenuil, then at me.

"I remember you. You were the warrior on the road. I should have dispatched you entirely when I had the chance. Hmm... Nenuil, this fool of a swordsman should be giving you no trouble at all. Since I'm in the neighborhood, do you need assistance?"
With a look of scorn on his face, Nenuil replied, "No, Gannash, I do NOT need your help."
"All right, then I shall retrieve what I came for. Nenuil, I need the Star Stone."
"Why? I told Hathell that I needed at least two weeks. I'm still studying it."
They seemed to be either oblivious to my presence, or not caring that they were throwing names around with me still here.
"Hathell needs it now. He will return it when he can."
"Hathell can't use it if he doesn't know how to. I'm only just starting to unlock its secrets. It's too dangerous to attempt to use it without further knowledge. He's going to get himself killed."
(Holding up his sword)"Nenuil, your refusal borders on betrayal. Hathell insisted that I get it now, and that's what I shall do. Relinquish the object, or I will be forced to take action."
With an intense mix of disappointment and anger, Nenuil opened a cleverly-hidden mechanism that revealed a small silver object. The very same object I was searching for. Just before Gannash took it, I used Telekinesis to summon the object to my hand. Even underneath that helmet, I could sense incredible anger and a feeling of insult at my meddling.
"Nenuil, flee into town now. Do not attempt to interfere. This whelp is mine."
All right, but please be careful to my tower.
Nenuil flees, not that such an action is my primary concern. I look at my new opponent bearing down upon me.

"May the All-Father protect me."
(The two warrior lunge at each other.)

--[To be continued.]--

Lightwielder

04-03-2010, 05:44 AM

I engaged the man with the jagged blade, but the problem was that I had no plan of attack. My speed was my only advantage, but it wasn't enough. I swung around him repeatedly, constantly trying to avoid that blade. I could tell that he was furious, but wasn't a reckless anger; he had complete control over every swing. I struck him in several different places, but it wasn't enough.

I narrowly dodged the blade, yet again. Only Divination kept me ahead of his game. I couldn't keep going on like this, lest a repeat experience occur. I had to find a weakness, or I had to get him to stop fighting. Okay, the latter seemed out of the question, but lets try plan C. I spun around him, jumped over his sweeping attack, and then fled at full sprint. Like I said, my speed was my advantage. Despite the Necromantic and Illusory obstacles that he presented, he could not possibly hope to catch me in that heavy armor. I had survived the encounter, and accomplished my objective. Now I need to hightail it out of here, before he came after me. He seems like the type to pursue his objective to the ends of the earth.

I decided to take a detour through the Copper Wood as I passed through Southern Tysa. It would be advantageous to me to throw him off my trail. I took a nugget of wisdom, and opted to avoid Ildraria's cave, whether she's home or not. Half a day later, I emerged from the forest and set off for the Goblinclaw.

As I approached the Goblinclaw, I prepared my bow. I was unsure about whether he knew my destination beforehand. As I watched the Inn from the uphill slope, I saw no sign of Gannash. I still remained on-guard as I entered. I was rather surprised to see my employer sitting there, waiting for me.

"Well, did you get it?"
"Do you have my payment?"
The man pulls out a box and opens the lid to reveal a considerable sum of gold.
"I trust that this is satisfactory."
"Possibly, but I'd like to know more about the person that I'm handing an unknown artifact to, and the artifact that I'm handing over."
"You are wasting time."
"Yes, but I'm not relinquishing it until you answer my questions."
"Fine, I will answer your questions, but know that there will be questions I cannot answer, and information that I cannot reveal."
"All right, then you may start with telling me about yourself."
"I will not tell you my name, for security purposes, but I will tell you that I am a Sorcerer. I wish to study that artifact to figure out what its purpose is."
"You're holding out on me."
"Of course I'm holding out on you. You are a mercenary. I hired you to retrieve something, not to investigate my motives. That is the reason I am paying you"
"Well then, keep your gold. I am no fool. Just by comparing to current Lore, I can tell that this object is too powerful to give away blindly."
"I wish that I didn't have to force the matter, but I must insist. Prepare to join the legions of the dead."

I saw this coming, and I was well prepared for it. I used my mastery of Elementalism to summon an Air Elemental. The Elemental's incredible fury whipped up a windstorm, sending tables, barrels, and chairs around the room. I used that moment of chaos to pull out my sword, and I lunged at him. He only barely had time to cast Fortification. He then waved his hand, and I heard some commotion from outside. There were screams from the fleeing customers. I ran outside, and saw a vast horde of undead surrounding the inn. How could he summon this many undead at once. He must be an incredibly powerful Necromancer. I got to work fighting off the undead. They were numerous, but they were weak.

While I was fighting off the undead, allowing the people to get to safety, I saw the Necromancer attempting to flee from the inn. I chased after him, but he kept summoning undead behind him, so I couldn't get close. Instead, I pulled out my bow. I nocked an arrow, took careful aim, and fired. The arrow sailed over the horde of undead, and landed in the torso of the Necromancer, killing him on impact. The horde of undead returned to their dwelling places, and I approached the dead Necromancer. I was extremely cautious, because Necromancers don't like to stay dead. I found out the reason he never exposed his right arm; it was made of bone. He was a Necrophyte.

A Necrophyte is a sorcerer(typically Necromancers) that has changed some of their body parts, but not their whole selves, into undead. Magical grafting or dark rituals are the most common methods used to acheive this result. Besides increasing the caster's affinity toward undead,(Making their Necromancy more powerful as a result) doing so has numerous advantages. Undead legs never fatigue. Undead arms have many benefits, but the ability to drain life and magic are common to all forms of undead arms, no matter what they are made out of. No one has ever figured out how to make an undead head, but many theorize that if it were possible, the benefits would be beyond powerful.

Just then, I heard a voice from behind me.
"You slayed him. I truly commend your resourcefulness."
It was Gannash, but he didn't look as though he wanted to fight.
"You know him?"
"Indeed. He is one of my enemies, and one of the strongest members of his order. Incredibly elusive; every time I thought I had tracked him down, he slipped away."
"So, if it was him you were after, why did you attack me?"
"You were working for him, and I knew, based on your legendary skills, that you would be able to defeat Nenuil. I could not allow you to acquire the artifact, and yet, you still managed to get it."
"You know, there's a question that's been bugging me. Who's Hathell?"
"First, I ask that you give the Star Stone to me."
"I'm afraid that I cannot do that. I'm not giving this to anyone until I figure out what it does. That would be stupid."
"Why do you adventurers have to be so bullheaded?"
"It keeps us alive, that's why."
He raised his sword.
"This is your last warning. You already know that you are no match for me. Give it to me, before I take it off your corpse."
"Bring it on, Gannash. I never liked you in the first place."

It was time to stop running and avoiding him. Here and now was the place to stand up to him. And I think I know the way to do it. First, I had to put some distance between us, without making him think that I was fleeing again. I decided to attack him fiercely, carefully avoiding making contact with his sword. Then, suddenly, I broke off the engagement, and retreating up the slope. I pulled out my bow and peppered him with arrows as he climbed the slope. Some of them seemed to be having an effect, but the purpose was to slow him down. As he got close, I cast Destruction to blow him back. It didn't do much, but I didn't care. I ran along the slope, to separate us again, then I ran down again. My skill of Woodsmanship, as well as my lighter armor, allowed me to reach the bottom before he could get very far.

I then decided to put my plan into action. I ran to the dead body of the Necromancer, and used my sword to cut off his undead arm. I used Telekinesis to pick it up,(So I wouldn't have to touch it) and then I took aim. Like an arrow, I fired it at him, continuing to use Telekinesis to guide it to the target: his sword. The arm made impact and latched on. A Necrophyte's undead arm has the ability to drain magic, even from weapons. Gannash yelled in surprise as his sword temporarily became a powerless, heavy blade. Now was the time to move in. I quickly closed in, using Shadow Magic to aid my attacks. Gannash summoned some Illusory allies to assist him, but they did little good. I attacked swiftly and forcefully, hitting chinks and gaps in his armor. His sword did little good, now that I was finally able to parry it. Now, he was just a brute, which my speed and accuracy gave me a definite advantage over. He knew that he couldn't flee, either, and a look of dread started to wash over what little I could see of his face.

Calling on Shadow Magic once again, I parried his blade, and drove my sword through a gap in his armor. Gannash fell over, finally defeated. I stood there, surprised that I finally killed him, when a glow emerged from his body, and it slowly faded and disappeared. That was a Rune of Life. He'd be back, I was certain. I now needed to figure out what this Star Stone's purpose was. I returned to the Necromancer's corpse, and took the chest of gold, and gave it to Grutzmil to pay for the damages to the inn. He told me that there would be a lot left over after paying for repairs, but I told him to keep it. He was quite grateful.

Since then, I had difficulty shaking the feeling that I was being watched, and I knew that just possessing this artifact would bring me nothing but trouble, but I had to get to the bottom of this.

--[THE END]--
--[To be continued in a later series]--

Lightwielder

04-03-2010, 05:51 AM

A free rep' to the first person who can completely tell me what is so special about this recent series that I did. (Besides the fact that it was a multi-parter.)

[There are a couple of people that I have directly given the answer to, so they are exempt from this offer.]

Make sure that you wrap your answer in spoiler tags, or send the answer to me in a message.

Young Ned

04-05-2010, 10:45 AM

I enjoyed the story, but I don't have a clue about your question, sorry.

Lightwielder

04-07-2010, 12:01 AM

All right, the rep' opportunity has expired. I figured that someone would have guessed it by now.

If you read CAREFULLY, you would've seen a few details that suggest that my character, John Ardin, is not the focus of this story.

First of all, John Ardin does NOT know Telekinesis, Divination, or Destruction; all of which were used by the character telling the story.

See for youself: http://www.sryth.com/p/?e08585xce142f125

Second of all, read this line from Part Two.
I looked around the room. The only real excitement in the room was at a table with a guy(I assume another Adventurer) telling a story to the rest of the people sitting around it. I didn't catch the whole story, something about defeating a deity incarnate with a bell, but not much more.

That's a plug-in for one of my above stories, which were from the eyes of John Ardin. Since the writer was not that person at the table, he couldn't have been John Ardin.

So, which character WAS writing this? Have a look.
http://www.sryth.com/ci.php?f_c=pcp.inc&f_i=1080b26xce17bc9e6

Thanks to Oldschool for allowing the use of his character.
Thanks to Young Ned for his comments and support throughout.
And thanks to all of the readers that make writing worthwhile.

(And don't worry, I'm still going to keep writing, and Hawk will be making more appearances, so you will have to keep reading to find out how it turns out.)

Lightwielder

05-03-2010, 10:19 AM

I remember the days when this place was peaceful. Simple farming was the most exciting thing that occurred here year-round, excepting occasional...events...that took place in the month of the dead each year.[October]

Unfortunately, those days have passed, and Farmer Wurmwrit is often troubled by a certain menace in his pumpkin patch. Farmer Wurmwrit once told me that he misses the company of the occasional adventurer visiting his farm to talk and have some palo. I questioned him on this matter; why does he feel lonely when half of the adventurers in the Kingdom visit here on a regular basis? He gave me an answer that rung true of almost every adventurer, myself included.

"Ever since that thing started growing in my fields, adventurers come from all over to visit my farm; not for me, but for that beast. If someone does stop to chat, it's always rushed, tense, and spontaneously ended. Never a chance to sit down for palo and just catch up. Heck, I'd cook dinner for them if it meant a decent chance of some company. Don't get me wrong, though, I'm grateful for their assistance, but I wish things could go back to the way they were."

I pondered this answer for a moment, but was interrupted by a distant, scratchy roar. The pumpkin beast was fully grown. I sincerely apologized to Farmer Wurmwrit, and headed over to the pumpkin patch. Because of the barrier that prevented us from attacking right away, I had time to look the allies that I would be fighting alongside. My eyes fell upon a person who I was both glad and worried to see here.

Alanne...

Alanne was a nice woman, powerful and lightning-quick. The downside to this quality package is that she's incredibly talkative. One time when I was talking with her, I started to see this tinge of bluish color in her face, and I had to shout at her to get her to stop talking and BREATHE! I avoided eye contact, because if she saw me, the pumpkin would be half-dead before I could get away from her.

Okay, I admit, I don't give her enough credit. She has a penchant for making it ON TIME to events such as these, so once it started, she would stop talking instantly, in the hopes of being the first to pummel them. Unfortunately, she did see me.

"Hey, John! How're you doing?"
That, by the way, was a rather mild greeting by far. She must have her ever-shifting mind focused on the upcoming battle.
"Um, fine, I guess. Demon here, crazy sorcerer there; the usual. It's about to start."
"Yes, I know. I'm rather excited, aren't you?"
Again, my definition of "excited" pales in comparison to hers.
"Um, yes. In fact, I feel like something good is going to happen."
"Good, come on, the barrier's almost down!"

Just then, a mighty roar sounded through the field, a faint flash, and the barrier collapsed, to be replaced by vines, forcing their way out of the ground like hydras, ready to attack. The adventurers charged forward recklessly, all wishing to get a slice of the action...and the pumpkin, too. I jumped forward, slicing at the tentacles, but then I stopped. I noticed that the tentacles that got sliced regrew, stronger and bigger. Alanne did not seem to notice this. I slashed at the massive pumpkin, while circling around towards Alanne.
"Alanne, stop slicing the tentacles!"
"Eh?" she said, just after slicing another tentacle, "Oh, you're right. Thanks."
Unfortunately, I wasn't sure that she actually heard me, so much as automatically(and subconsciously) acknowledged me. I never got the chance to find out, though, as a thick vine had wrapped around me, throwing me several yards away. I got up, and took a couple of seconds to take in the battle. Alanne had been battered repeatedly by the tentacles, but she was fighting like she didn't even notice. I ran forward, driving my sword through the pumpkin's thick skin several times. The pumpkin beast belted out a near-deafening roar, which only served to intensify the onslaught that the vines were commencing. I managed to do considerable damage, but I was again snagged by the vines. This time, they decided that crushing me to death was the more sensible course of action.

I fought back against the death grip, but their massive strength got the best of me. I called for help, but received none. Alanne was forty yards away, fending off vegetation, and the pumpkin was fighting with a renewed strength.

Suddenly, I felt a shock run through my body. Not electric, or anything similar, but like an adrenaline rush. My hands instinctively tighten on my sword, and I swung, not knowing what my target was. The vines released me, mostly because they weren't connected anymore; I had severed them. This adrenaline surge didn't stop there. I continued to run forward, driven by my legs, with seemingly no control. I jumped higher than I'd ever jumped before, and drove my sword through the creature's body, and my sword continued to slice as I slid down its hide. It didn't even stop there. I flailed my sword madly, in some sort of berserk fury, but it was remarkable, with every sense as sharp as my sword. It was like having a seizure. My sword sliced through vines and hide with every slash, and I just kept attacking, never tiring, seemingly putting all my strength into EACH swing, yet still going. However, every swing was perfectly executed, not in an reckless manic fury, but with precision. I couldn't count how many times I had attacked, but I knew that each one would fell a giant. Finally, it ended. It didn't just end, though. It rushed out as quickly as it rushed in. My body had been pushed past the brink of exhaustion, and I fell. I pulled out the Wand of Dragonfire, and launched it, but I didn't find out what happened next. Even as it was firing, I was fading out.....

I woke up in Farmer Wurmwrit's house, as he explained the remainder of the story to me. Apparently, Alanne jumped forward after I passed out and struck the pumpkin beast in its core, causing it to crumble as it died. Farmer Wurmwrit seemed resigned to the fact that it would be back, but he told me that every adventurer that saw what happened told him that they had never seen such a feat ever performed in Sryth history. I decided, right then, to sit and have some palo (and he even cooked dinner) with Farmer Wurmwrit.

[Thanks to Thingirl for allowing the use of her character.]

Lightwielder

11-13-2010, 10:25 AM

My enemy stood before me, a towering 27 feet tall. His weapon shook the ground with every swing, just waiting to taste my blood, for surely one strike would result in my demise.

That, however, was simply the fear talking.

In truth, he was about eight feet tall, and his weapon was a reinforced greatclub(reinforced, as in, covered in steel plates with metal spikes on them). His name was Warhand the Savage, and he was an ogre, though to call him just an ogre would be quite the understatement. Though there was nothing magical or fancy about his weapon, his incredible strength allowed him to wield it with ease, while his heightened sense of alertness made him a devastating adversary.

Anytime I attempted to move in and attack, his club would be there already. He was definitely not like any of the ogres I've ever seen, excluding a certain despicable, rune-covered one that comes to mind. None of this was going through my head at the time though, as it was mostly focused on surviving that tree that he called a weapon.

*Thump!* *Thump!* *Thump!* Every time I would barely jump out of the way, I would look back at him, just to see him weapon coming down on me yet again. As I spun back around, he swung his club down once again. With a loud ringing clash and a shower of silver, his weapon impacted my Fortification barrier, bringing it to an absolute halt.

Seizing this opportunity, I dropped the field and projected an Illusion of myself jumping onto his club.(because actually jumping onto it would be suicide.) Though I didn't expect it to work, as he was much more cunning than your average ogre, I was surprised to find that he actually bought it. He spun around and swung his club horizontally as hard as he could, throwing my projection off and sending it sailing into the wall of the arena, causing it to disappear in a flash of shimmering light. He was clearly aware of the power of Illusion, as he realized immediately what it was and spun back around, but I was already too close, and he knew it. I thrust his shoulder with my sword, but even then, it had little effect. Bringing my sword out and around, I even managed to score a couple of hits before he grabbed me.

Every Adventurer worth their salt has been grabbed by an ogre at one point or another in their life, but never does one get used to it. Ogres are immensely strong, physically, and they can crush bone with their very grip. Imagine that, except this one was much stronger. He had me by the shoulder, and I felt the crack of my bone within moments. The pain was intense, and it caused me to drop my sword. Brilliant... Even if I managed to recover it, I wouldn't be able to use it. I gathered my will, and commanded forth an Earth Elemental. Forcing itself between me and Warhand the Savage, it rose up and pounded him mercilessly. The upside was that it allowed me to slip out of his grip, but the downside was that it didn't last long. Warhand swung, and with one hit, blasted through the Elemental, shattering it. Elementals don't die, but they return to the element from whence they came. The Earth Elemental melded with the earth again, leaving me with an even more furious ogre than before.

If he was going easy before, that had all changed. Warhand swung over and over again, tirelessly attempting to crush me, with little concern for his own defense. I had to think of something quickly. Clearly getting in close would not be an option, and I didn't even have my sword. Wait, I did have something else. The plan I was formulating was risky, but it just might work.

I stopped in my tracks and spun around to face him. I half expected him to figure something was wrong, but no, he took his swing again. His weapon came down upon me...or, what he thought was me. As my Illusion disappeared, he swung his weapon around to attempt to hit the real me,(as I had pulled this trick before) but he couldn't. His weapon would not move. He pulled and pulled, but it would not budge from its position. I had erected a Fortification barrier around his weapon! Even his arm was trapped inside. His scowling face turned toward me, only to find a small iron rod pointed directly at him. His expression remained unchanged, but that glimmer of fear in his eyes told me that he knew it was over. A bright flash of white heat emerged from the rod, and the Wand of Dragonfire unleashed an devastating inferno, engulfing Warhand the Savage and launching me backwards. The Wand of Dragonfire is, of course, intended to be used at range, and I had never before attempted to use it at point-blank range. I'm still surprised I wasn't killed in the explosion. Burns covered everywhere on my body that wasn't protected by armor, while certain parts of my armor had literally warped from the intense heat.

It was actually a couple of minutes before I could muster the will to use Restoration, and it certainly helped; however, I was still badly injured, and quick, in-combat Restoration would not do enough. I stood up with great difficulty and looked at what remained of Warhand the Savage. Black marks were left all over the ground, and the only part that remained was the bit of his arm that was trapped and protected inside my Fortification.

During the course of the battle, I was too focused on Warhand to notice the reactions of the crowd, but after the explosion, I remember that all had gone quiet. There was no doubt that Warhand the Savage was dead, but no one knew whether I was still alive. Suddenly, the realization swept through the crowd, and a storm of cheers erupted from all sides. I picked up my sword and left the arena, leaving Zumryn with only a simple "I'm done" before leaving the Battlegrounds.

Young Ned

11-18-2010, 02:20 AM

Good job. :) Your writing seems to have more confidence these days, and you told the story simply but with style.

Lightwielder

11-18-2010, 06:19 AM

Thank you, Young Ned. I hadn't noticed; I simply wrote. If it seems more confident, than it makes me happy to have written it. :D

I get my inspiration when I'm playing Sryth. Whether it's based on a real battle or not; whether a hard boss or a common enemy, it just strikes me, and then I simply transfer it to type. Basically, I wing it.

Lightwielder

02-08-2011, 11:23 AM

I was passing through Southern Tysa, lurking around(but not inside) Ildraria's Lair while I waited for her to be ready to fight again. Ildraria is a strong dusk dragon with incredible regenerative capabilites. Recently, her lair was discovered and reported by a group of famous Adventurers, and since then, Adventurers come from all over at various times to battle her. Ildraria no longer hoards treasure(at least, not in this lair) for that reason, so she's seen as more of an Adventurer's Milestone(or for the more renowned ones, a workout). Unlike other dusk dragons, however, Ildraria does not show any sign of seeking other shelter. This leaves two widespread theories. Either there's something very important to her about that lair, or she intentionally hangs around to battle opposing Adventurers for sport. Her motives are unknown, but her threat is very real.

A sudden and distant yell snapped me out of my thinking. It was coming from over a nearby hill. I quickly rushed over, only to come across an interesting sight. I saw a distressed Adventurer battling a monster that I haven't come across in a long time. It was a Doomclaw (http://www.sryth.com/ci.php?f_c=showinfo.inc&f_infoid=doomclaw). I had no idea what it was doing there, but I drew my sword and ran to the Adventurer's aid. He was crouched in a defensive stance, skillfully handling a long knife, but he still seemed rather inexperienced to be fighting something as formidable as a Doomclaw.

Whether it perceived me as the greater threat(and rightfully so), or it saw me as a higher value target was uncertain, but the end result was the same. It turned its black beak toward me and attacked. I hadn't even taken the first swing when I saw two more Doomclaws Gate in.

I raised my shield to protect myself, as fighting Doomclaws in close combat is difficult. They essentially have two weapons, and the fact that they are natural weapons means that they start learning at birth(or whatever process that they originate from) how to use these weapons.

The other Adventurer was behind me, and I was standing between them, so both Doomclaws moved to attack me. I had little to do but to defend. Moving away to a better position would expose the other Adventurer, so that wasn't an option, but I couldn't keep defending forever.

Suddenly, several undead warriors started to emerge from the earth and approached our position.
"Oh, come ON!" which I realized I had actually yelled it out loud. The undead drew closer and started mindlessly, yet mercilessly pounding the Doomclaws. They weren't hostile, they were summoned. I quickly glanced behind me to realize that my ally, the other Adventurer, had summoned and was controlling them. Excellent! They wouldn't last long against the Doomclaws, but they gave me an opening. I unleashed a powerful attack against the nearest Doomclaw, but it hadn't killed it. The first one had retreated a few steps, so I switched to another of the Doomclaws, calling forth a Fire Elemental. It had no way to protect itself on all sides; from undead, fire and sword, and was quickly defeated.

The Doomclaw I struck earlier suddenly collapsed. My Ally had struck it from behind in a vital spot with that knife of his. Wait, wasn't he behind me? How did he get over there? I turned to the last Doomclaw, and it threw up its arms in surrender. That sent up a red flag right there; Doomclaws, despite their strength and speed, are primitive creatures. They may understand fear and when to retreat(and that's a maybe, at best), but they don't surrender. Ever. Even then, its arms were struggling, as if they were stuck. The other adventurer was doing something to it...Telekinesis would be a likely guess. Either way, I tightened my grip on my sword and thrust it straight through the creature, and it fell to the ground, lifeless.

I turned to the man.
"Are you okay? My name is John Ardin, and I saw that you needed help."
He said nothing, instead just looking me over. I was about to speak again when he finally said something, and it surprised me.
"You are a fool, leaving your back exposed like that."
"I...what? Exposed to what?..." and then it dawned on me what he meant.
He raised his knife in that "get the point?" kind of way.
"The only reason you're not bleeding on the ground right now is because you made for an effective shield and I owe you. I am no longer in your debt, so I suggest you leave now."
"What the Never would possess you to resort to backstabbing me in the middle of a battle that you were losing anyway?"
"This exchange is over. Pray we don't meet again, for my blade prefers to be the one to extend greetings to strangers."
"What about your name then?"
He dismissed my question with only the title "Shadowphyre (http://www.sryth.com/ci.php?f_c=pcp.inc&f_i=108a845xce17cabe5)." With that he Gated away.

I didn't understand who that man was or what his intention's were, but I made sure never to forget what he looks like, in the event that we DID cross paths again.

So much for Ildraria... Well, there's always next time.

Lightwielder

03-09-2011, 12:16 PM

It was a rainy day, and such a day(even coming from someone that -loves- rain) that makes one believe that it would not be a good idea to go adventuring that day.

So, naturally, I went adventuring that day.

While in Talinus, I took on a request by a Border Ranger to retrieve his lost weapon from the site of a recent battle between his company and a goblin hideout. The battle was an easy one, but he was severly injured by a stray goblin bomb and his battleaxe was lost within the chaos. Within the ranks of the Border Rangers they will issue you a uniform weapon if you own no weapon or your weapon is of substandard quality, but they will not object if you wish to provide(from your own pocket, of course) your own weapon of standard quality or better for personal use.

This was one of those cases. The weapon was crafted by a master blacksmith and was notably expensive. He would like to see it returned, if possible, as he returns to duty within a week. Despite being a weapon of war, he took excellent care of it, and it was still in good condition. It was a simple task. Even among the carnage and bodies, the aforementioned axe would easily stick out among the makeshift goblin weapons.

So, there I was. The site of the conflict was at Marl's Wood. The Border Rangers(as intended) were on the offensive, marching toward a makeshift goblin tunnel built into the side of a nearby hill(at a distance, it looked more like a mine entrance). The focal point of the battle was a massive mound of stones that the border rangers were encamped to provide protection against the goblin projectiles. It was a peculiar phenomenon; stone upon stone, stone(or boulders) of all shapes and sizes just forming a huge pile in the middle of the clearing. They weren't meticulously arranged, like a structure would be, but instead just piled there. Interestingly enough, there weren't any slopes close enough(even the nearby hideout entrance wasn't close enough) for this to have been a random rockslide. Regardless of the origin, however, my task was to locate a certain battleaxe, and nothing more. Simple, right? Not quite.

I was searching on the edge of the mound opposite the former Border Ranger encampment, when my eyes fell upon the weapon, sticking out from a hole between a few large rocks higher up. It would only take a short climb, so I got started.

I was almost there when something happened. I reached for the last rock to pull myself up when a jet of flame shot out from within the mound, causing me to slide down and land on a large boulder. At least I landed on something, instead of sliding all the way down, but the rain still made it a poor foothold. I looked up and saw a giant grey-shelled beetle push its way out of the rocks. Ah, so that's what it was! There wasn't any goblin bomb involved in the Border Ranger's injury, it was a Dragon Beetle (http://www.sryth.com/ci.php?f_c=showinfo.inc&f_infoid=dragon.beetle). This day just got worse.

It is a common misconception that Dragon Beetles detest rain and avoid it absolutely, whenever possible. Not true. Yes, they are affected by it, just like any other creature might, and they would naturally seek shelter, but they(and their ability to breathe fire) are not significantly hampered by it.

I drew my sword, but had nowhere to go. I couldn't move without being completely focus on movement, or the rain would cause me to slide off. Whether killing the Dragon Beetle was necessary or not, I was not sure. My objective was that battleaxe, and Dragon Beetles don't hoard treasure, they're territorial, so fleeing would not be problematic once I had it.

The Dragon Beetle, as expected, started with its signature weapon, the fire breath. I blocked with Fortification, but that would only buy me time. I have never battled a Dragon Beetle to the point where it had exhausted its fire breath. Perhaps it gradually restored it; so quickly, in fact, that it even provided a replenished reserve in the midst of battle. Perhaps it simply needs to warm up to reuse it, but has a virtually limitless availability. These are purely speculations, though. Anyways, let's get back to the matter at hand.

If I could even the battlefield, I could pull this off. I started by summoning an Earth Elemental, which knocked the Dragon Beetle off the mound, then I pulled out my bow and started firing at it. The arrows simply bounced off of its rock-hard shell, but it continued to climb. Its movements were too erratic to hit it in the face. In order to stop its advance, I created an Illusion of goblins charging at it, seemingly from the plains beyond. With it focused on fighting its new foe, I took advantage to climb down the mound. I had to get off quickly, because Illusory goblins would not last long. Halfway down, I heard a monstrous roar and the crackling of fire, then my focus was relaxed. They had all been eliminated, so there was nothing to focus on.

I quickly climbed off the last rock, and as soon as I spun around, a sharp pain went through my side as the Dragon Beetle slashed it open with its sharp mandibles. The Dragon Beetle quickly took flight and attempted to ram me, cornered as I was. My reaction was instinct; Fortification. The Dragon Beetle hit the shield with a -THAP!- and stumbled around in midair momentarily. I took that opportunity to attack it with my longsword, getting a couple of good hits in, but it was still flying. I called upon my power of Shadow Magic to wrap around its large mandables, and gave a sudden yank, sending it crashing into the boulders.

If it wasn't dead already, it certainly no longer posed a threat, and I had no desire to unnecessarily kill it. I climbed to the hole again and retrieved the Border Ranger's battleaxe. He was most pleased to have it back. I left out the part about the Dragon Beetle, because it would be a whole lot simpler for everyone if they simply believed he was injured by a goblin bomb. Fortunately, there was no need for him to ask about the gaping wound in my side, because it wasn't there anymore. Restoration is a wonderful Power, in my opinion.

Lightwielder

06-09-2011, 10:16 AM

It wasn't a cheery day. Clouds blanketed the sky so thickly that you couldn't actually differentiate the clouds, it was just one large grey expanse that almost looked like the actual sky itself, only darker.

I was summoned to a meeting at the Goblinclaw, the details being ambiguous and mysterious. Nevertheless, things of this nature usually, for better or worse, wound their way into becoming adventures, which I was all for. At least the letter specified the promise of pay.

When I got to the Goblinclaw Inn, a man discreetly motioned for me to come over. Ever alert, I went and sat down at the table. He was wearing chainmail, so I guessed him to be a fighter or mercenary of some sort. When he spoke, it was soft and fluent, not gruff, as I had expected.

"Good afternoon, John Ardin. I trust all has been going well?"
"Indeed it has, good sir, but if I may be so bold, I suspect your primary concern lies elsewhere. We could easily talk about such things in letter."
"Oh, this is true, but there is little more enjoyable than a face-to-face conversation between gentlemen, don't you think? Besides, you are correct about my motives, and mail can be intercepted."
"Well, face-to-face conversations can be overheard."
"Yes, this is true, but we do not live in a perfect world, and there is no infallible system. I find this to be more enjoyable, so this is the one I use. Regardless, I'm certain you're anxious to hear my request?"
"Yes, in fact, I am."
"I wish for you to recover something. A small, though irreplaceable, object. It looks like this."
He spread out a parchment onto the table that had a drawing of the object in question.
"May I ask what's so important about it?"
"I apologize, but I'm afraid I cannot tell you that."
"All right, do you have any idea where to find it, or do I have to scour the North Broadlands to find it?"
"Well, I was having a...friend holding onto it for a little bit. I sent an agent of mine to retrieve it, but he returned saying that the object had been stolen by a thief before he could get it."
"Well, how does that help me?"
"A man of that same description has been spotted in Trithik."
"How am I going to find him among the thousands in Trithik?"
"I have this enchanted dagger that you may borrow. It will lead you to him. I expect it back when the task is complete."

I was a little bit suspicious of a man with "agents" at his command, but I soon found myself at the gates of Trithik. After about an hour of searching, I finally came across my target. He had a hooded cloak on, likely to blend in on the streets. Fortunately, there was no one around. I charged and drew my sword. He spun around, drew his sword, and deftly parried my swing. I continued to swing, but he just blocked or dodged blow after blow, occasionally even counterattacking. He was clearly more skilled with the sword than I had expected. I decided to call upon my power of Elementalism to summon a Water Elemental. The Elemental swept cleanly through, flushing away half the alley with it(but avoided me, for obvious reason). The man got back to his feet and waved his hand. Before I could prepare for what was about to happen, the space directly in front of me exploded and I was launched backward into a building. I recognized that attack. It was Destruction, the one Sphere of Magic that I had trouble protecting against.

He raced forward, preparing to strike, but he stopped. I was about to take that moment to cast Shadow Magic to disappear when he pulled his hood off and spoke.

"Ardin! What the Never are you doing?"

It was Hawk...

--------------------
[To be continued]

Lightwielder

08-26-2011, 08:23 AM

After the sudden realization of having just attacked my friend, Hawk, and promptly being "whupped," I could only bring one thought to my tongue to aptly respond to the situation.

"Ow..."
"Were you a simple brigand, John Ardin, you'd be dead by now. What's going on?"
"I'm asking the same thing, though not necessarily to you. I was hired to retrieve a stolen object, supposedly from a mere 'thief.' The situation was rather mysterious in its entirety."
"Who hired you?"
"I'm not sure exactly. We talked a bit in the Goblinclaw, but he was rather evasive. He told me that you stole an object from a friend of his, and that his agent was unable to recover it from you."
"Wait a minute...would this be the object you were seeking?"

Hawk retrieved an object from his belongings and showed it to me. It was exactly the same as had been shown to me. It was a small, smooth, silver object with a pointed top and a hemispherical bottom.
"Yes, exactly that. Wait, how did you know?"
"I had a similar run-in, not long ago. In fact, this object IS stolen. I stole it. Interestingly enough, I was hired by somebody else to steal it from them."
"Well, what is it?"
"I've no idea. It's not anything that's shown in any history or lore books I've ever read. One thing I do know, though. A lot of people are after it."
"This thing?"
"The person who hired me was one of the enemies of your employer. This looks like a power struggle, and we are right in the middle of it."
"Well, what are you going to do now?"
"I'm going to get to the bottom of this, including figuring out what this is."
"If you don't mind, I'd like to come along with you."
"I see no reason not to, but you're probably not getting paid."
"Well, considering the results of our encounter, I don't think he would pay me anyway. I must say, you handled that quite well, considering I had the jump on you."
"Eh...actually, I spotted you following me about two streets down."
"....."

---------------------
[To be continued]

Lightwielder

09-02-2011, 09:53 AM

Why can't it ever be, "Get job, kill(or even just subdue) thief, return goods, get paid"? Of course, it smelled like a complex adventure from the outset, but I didn't expect to be tagging along with a friend like this.

On our way out of Trithik, Hawk explained a very brilliant plan he had in mind. He proposed that we return to my employer, announce that we had the object, refuse to hand it over, and become fugitive targets. I, of course, retained my serene, focused mind throughout the whole thing.

"You have got to be kidding me..."
"Come on, John Ardin, you don't see the advantages in this plan?"
"Yeah, of course I see the advantages, but I suspect that there's a better way to go about things than to draw the attention of both sides. Think about it, they both want the same object, so instead of having them fight each other over it, we're going to let them find and stomp us, then fight each other over it?"
"Well, except for the "getting stomped" part, that's the plan."
"I assume you have an idea?"
"Actually, I do. Let's get going."

The next day we headed back to the Goblinclaw at the appointed meeting time. Hawk waited outside, as they would probably recognize him, and I was to do all of the talking. Fortunately, I was pretty good at that. My employer was already there, and he motioned for me to come and sit down.

"Greetings to you again, John Ardin. Have you done what I asked of you?"
"Indeed, I have."
I pulled out the object and showed it to him, to prove that I had it, and he grinned. He reached out for it, at which I withdrew it.
"Ah, yes. Your pay."
"Keep it. I did not complete your assignment."
At that moment, any amount of approval on his face was quickly replaced with suspicion.
"But you just showed me the artifact. Hand it over and you will...or do you mean that something went wrong?"
"Yeah, you could say that. I'm not handing it over."
He sighed, "I strongly urge you to reconsider your decision...before things have to get violent."
He wasn't fooling around at this point.
"And what would you do about it?"
"Enough games!" he shouted as he stood up, "I give you one more chance to assist us by relinquishing the artifact. I have no personal quarrel with you, so I will even allow you to return to your home and go about your life with no further trouble. Of this, you have my word. Refuse, however, and I will treat you like an enemy, and my enemies are given no quarter."
"Threatening me will do you no good. I've already made up my mind, and you're not getting it." I promptly drew my sword. I knew there would be a fight. He surprised me when he didn't draw his, but instead, just spoke again.
"All right. I'm not so proud as to turn up my nose at bargaining with my enemy. I think you'll want to hear my offer." He then turned his head and pointed. Two men got up from another table and drew their swords, but they didn't attack me. Instead, they grabbed the innkeeper, Grutzmil, and held him at swordpoint, ignoring his shocked protesting.("Whoa, whoa, hey! No need to get all jumpy. Easy with those!")
"I offer a trade. The object that you carry...for these two hostages."
"Two?"
As if in direct reply, the front door opened and Hawk walked in, hands tied behind his back and a large, armored man(Which I would later learn that Hawk knew him as "Gannash.") walked in behind him, holding Hawk's sword.
"Ugh, sorry, John Ardin. There were too many of them." Hawk said.
"Perhaps you would like to reconsider my offer?..."

--------------------
[To be continued]

Lightwielder

09-06-2011, 08:48 AM

I stood, carefully contemplating my options. I will admit...they weren't many. To hand over the artifact could cause even greater difficulty than the present situation, not to mention that there was no guarantee that he wouldn't pull a dirty maneuver. On the other hand, it was also not my place to intentionally gamble the lives of others in bold and willful refusal, no matter how confident I was in my ability to succeed. Hawk is an adventurer, he knowingly signed on to all the risk that it brought. Grutzmil...is not and did not.

Not much time had passed before we started hearing sounds of battle outside. Moments later, one of the walls gave way to an explosive entrance, eliciting a dramatic whimpering from the owner, Grutzmil. Everyone turned to see who or what had done it, when several armed men emerged from the smoking remains. My former employer drew his sword at once, his face unknowingly broadcasting the sense of recognition.

One of the armed men stepped forward, clearly displaying that confident stature and style of clothing that suggested that he was a(or the) leader.

"Hathell, what exactly might you be doing here?"
The man that had demanded the artifact(and whether he retained focus enough to be aware of it or not, still had the bound hostages) responded to the question.
"I could ask you the same question. I thought we mutually agreed that the Goblinclaw was neutral territory." to which Grutzmil sarcastically interjected, "Oh, what joy it is knowing that I apparently own quite the landmark. Definitely helping me now, it is."
"And I don't dare to assume that you are, perhaps, aware that you have the owner hostage?"
"Well, since we were here anyway, figured I might as well use the resources at hand. I had no intention on killing him."
"Oh, really." I voiced.
Hathell turned to face me, only to see my shield slamming a sizable portion of itself into his helmet, knocking him backwards. By the time he recovered, I had already catapulted myself forward using Shadow Magic to eliminate his lackeys that he ordered to take Grutzmil hostage.
Growling, Hathell spoke, "Your friend, however, IS expendable. Gannash, kill him!"
Gannash responded quite quickly, lunging his sword straight through his hostage...and then my Illusion, having served its purpose, disappeared. Gannash looked around, unsure of where Hawk had gone, when he felt the tip of a sword in his backside.
"I would strongly advise against moving. Now, hand me my sword, and drop your own." Gannash reached back to return Hawk's sword, but used that same hand to grab his arm and try to get the upper hand, so Hawk took his dagger to the exposed back of Gannash's legs, slicing them open and dropping Gannash to the floor almost immediately. "And stay there!" he yelled. Turning back to me, he spoke. "Thank you, Ardin. That was very well executed."

In the meantime, the intruders had taken the opportunity to use the commotion between Hawk and Gannash to attack Hathell, and chaos had erupted. However, we couldn't leave, as we would be caught in the crossfire of the warring factions outside, so we decided to fortify in a corner, making sure that we weren't hit by any stray attacks. I figured it was best to leave well enough alone, but Hawk couldn't resist throwing the occasional Destruction attack into the chaos. Seeing an opportunity, I summoned an Air Elemental to stir up the chaos on both sides, and then told Hawk to use Telekinesis. He didn't suspend them in the air, but simply launched them back into the wall, while we escaped through the hole that the intruders had entered through. We ran into a few enemies on the way out, but they were no match for our combined prowess.

We had escaped!

--------------------
[To be continued]

Lightwielder

12-09-2011, 12:37 PM

I should have known better than to expect that it would be that easy. Sure enough, four days later, Hawk showed himself at my residence with the look of discovery still brightening his face.

"Ardin, you owe me."
"Hmm? Why's that?"
"That...thing we liberated..."
Even though I remembered what he was talking about, he held it out to show me anyway.
"Well, I figured out what it is, well...sort of. It's made of Tju-Zattin."
"Platinum?"
"Correct. The only known examples of Platinum's use is on the most revered and holy Aldvarian relics. I am uncertain whether or not the use of Platinum itself is related to the fact that most of these artifacts are magically powerful, to a tremendous extent, even. Regardless, we should treat this one as having equal, if not greater, potential. I cannot even begin to explain about how rare this material is. We are among the very few to ever lay hands on it."
"Okay. That explains why they're at each others' throats over it. Do we have any idea what it does?"
"Without field testing or experimentation, it's unlikely that we will know at all."
"So why did you say that I owe you for this?"
"Oh, yeah. I had to go through numerous...underground channels and contacts to get this appraised accurately, and a few more to learn all that I needed about it. Not cheap. Add onto that the fact that I did not want anyone knowing that I was poking around about an unknown artifact made of Platinum. Silence is absurdly expensive. Although, if you had seen the offers I got to buy it from me..."
*sigh*... "Roughly what would I owe you, then?"

He then leaned closer and whispered in my ear. I was quite thankful that he did, for if my servants had heard the amount mentioned, they'd all have demanded a raise.
"Wow... I'd need a little time to acquire that."
"That's only half of it. I'm as knee-deep in this as you are, so I figured I would share the expense."

As we finished, my appointed armory keeper entered the room. His posture remained calm, but his face betrayed that serenity.

"Master. Sir Hawk. I beg pardon from both of you. Many of the other staff are reporting a rather tremendous sight, and it is unnerving the servants. It is something you may wish to see personally."

I followed him to the top floor of the tower and looked out the window. I didn't even need to use the viewing lens to understand what was before my eyes.

A distant army was approaching Silversword Tower!

--------------
[To be continued]

Lightwielder

01-26-2012, 09:53 AM

I've never actually had to face an army bent on destroying my humble tower, not even rogue bandits looking for a quick score. They know better than to mess with the resident. Besides, Hawk's castle would make a better mark.

"Okay, we have a problem."
"Surely you can conjure up more productive words, Ardin."
"All right, then. Let's prepare the defenses."
"Master," my armory keeper spoke, "We are not trained for war. Our defenses are minimal, not including your legendary prowess."
"Oh, your prowess? That's funny! Don't worry, though. This will be no problem with me here."
"This is not really the time to inflate your ego, Hawk. You'll make for an easier target for their archers. Anyways, let us prepare."

Okay, it is true that Hawk has beaten me more often than not whenever we faced off. Minor details, right?

Hawk and I decided to ride out to intercept the enemies before they reached Silversword Tower. We didn't have far to ride, as they were almost there. When we approached, they stopped, and a man emerged from their ranks. It was the same man that I had negotiated with about my employment contract in the first place. I now knew that this "Hathell" was ruthless and resourceful. He began to speak.

"John Ardin, Hawk, my men and I have come a long way. We will, however, be satisfied with you simply returning what we have come for. It need only be that simple. This all ends when you decide it."
"Did you really think you could talk us out of it after how far we've already come?" Hawk responded.
"I'd rather avoid the conflict and unnecessary bloodshed if I can. As it is, it seems your stance will not be uprooted on this."
At that, I remarked, "You wish to avoid bloodshed, but you brought an army to eliminate two people. You lack both honor and integrity."

Hathell returned to his troops and disappeared within their ranks. Hawk didn't even need to hear the order to charge before he was taking action. Unsure of where Hawk was going, but figuring he could take care of himself, I took off on my horse, Benignancy. I promptly retreated from the advancing army. I had to be careful, as I was unsure whether they had any archers, but I figured it was likely. After I had a good distance between me and the army, I charged at full speed. The soldiers near the front saw me and took up positions, preparing pikemen and halberdiers as quickly as possible, to no avail. I charged through with absolute impunity, due to the Fortification barrier that I erected directly in front of my horse. It wasn't the horse itself that ran them down, but the fact that my constant speed allowed me to maintain a mobile barrier, a difficult feat for all but the most practiced.

Before long, the formation had been completely scattered, either by soldiers fleeing from the path of my beloved engine of destruction, or having been forcibly shunted from their steadfast position. I kept going until I had worked my way through their main ranks. It wasn't until I had leveled out and looked over the action as I came around that I realized what Hawk was up to. He Gated directly into the middle of their ranks, summoned a couple of Elementals to protect his flank, and got to work.

I took another charge though a disorganized group, preparing my Nevernal Reserve to heal Hawk as I passed by. Unfortunately, after that was done and I was heading out, I got caught by a halberd and was forcibly dismounted. Hawk saw me go down and immediately fought his way through to cover me. It was about 20 seconds after I had stopped tumbling before I recovered from the disorientation, and it took even longer to get my wind back. If Hawk hadn't been covering me and the army wasn't so scattered, I would likely not have lived long enough to get back up.

"Thanks." I spoke as I cast Restoration. I drew my sword and prepared to engage the endless ranks of hostile forces that still surrounded us.

-----------------------
[To be continued]