First Contact: Finally, a Lead

[Anonymous]

Dad's been missing for five years now. I finally decided a few days ago that I had to go and look for him. If he was in trouble, I had to go and help him out. Leaving our home deep in the Sirantil trees, I would follow the Ergeon Stream, which Father had always told me would lead me to civilization outside of the Valley. Before I left, I picked up the swords I had used when Dad had trained me. I removed the safety edges and revealed their real edges. On the sides of the blades, there were their names: Chyaka the Soul-Taker on one of them, and Lahume the Purifier on the other. I belted the scabbards on either side of me, then sheathed the two blades and wrapped my scarf around my neck. I put on my jacket and stepped out into the fresh valley air, taking in the gentle spring aroma of wild flowers as they wafted near on a gentle breeze. Finally ready to leave the place I had called home for the past 18 years, I took one last look at its empty windows before leaving. I had packed anything of value into my satchel: foodstuffs, alternative weapons, and my treasured posessions. There wasnothing left to loot from the house, so I didn't care if anyone broke in when I was gone. I walked at a downward incline as I followed the river, and I eventually lost sight of the house.

About two hours after beginning my long trek into the civilized world, I grew fatigued and sat myself down along the stream. I had found a boulder near a pool in the stream, so I removed my hiking boots and dipped my feet into the artesian water. It was extremely cold, so I quickly removed my feet with a shiver. I then put both my hands together and charged up a spell Mom had taught me.

"Eav'lukamu!!"

The word eav'lukamu meant "Blaze", as Mom told me, and a ball of fire formed in my hands. I lazily tossed the fireball into the water and watched as steam flew up from the contact point. I cautiously dropped one toe back into the water, and was pleased to feel that the water was quite warm now, and it was extremely soothing. I dropped both feet into the warm water and felt my fatigue fall from my body and flow down the river. Father had always told me that the waters of Ergeon had some ability to heal fatigue, but I had never believed him until now.

Finally ready to continue, I dried off my feet and put my boots back on, then continued to follow the stream. I was not five minutes more along the river before I saw another person up ahead. I waved one hand above my head in greeting as I called to him.

"He-ey! Over here! Are you from outside the valley?"

[Anonymous]

((OOC: Alright, sorry it took me a while to post, I had to decide which of my characters would work in this thread. The one I chose might be a bit outlandish, but I didn't think a spectre or giant castle-man would really fit))

As The Great Zarathos trudged through the undergrowth, he pondered at the terrible turn of luck that had brought him here. Lost, tired, and hungry, the street performer uttered a nonsensical, but impressive sounding curse under his breath. He was completely lost, and there was no sign of civilization anywhere. It looked like he might have to sleep outside again.

Suddenly, Zarathos was interrupted from his musings and mumblings by a voice. Could it be his salvation? Perhaps this person could lead him to food or shelter? But, first things first, the introduction. Make it grand and exciting. At the very least he might be able to make some money on a performance.

Spinning, Zarathos raised his arms dramatically. While his best and most dramatic robe was packed away in favour of sturdier travelling clothes, his hat should have been enought to impress nearly anyone.

'Greetings fellow traveller!" He took care to make each syllable long and dramatic "You are indeed correct! I am The Great Zarathos, a traveller of many places! Who would you be?"

[Anonymous]

I stood in one place until I heard the man's echoing reply.

"Greetings fellow traveller," he shouted, accentuating each syllable clearly. "You are indeed correct! I am The Great Zarathos, a traveller of many places! Who would you be?"

"(Someone from outside the valley! Maybe he's heard of Dad...)"

I ran up to the person who had called himself Zarathos. His hat was really something, although the rest of his wardrobe was rather plain. He appeared to be rather friendly, and I was grateful that he was a friend.

"My name's Leon. My house is farther up the valley. I'm not really much of a traveler myself, but I'm going on a pilgrimage to look for my father. Oh, that reminds me...Have you ever heard of someone called Carlo Krilangi? That's his name, in case you're wondering."

[Anonymous]

Zarathos put one finger to his nose, and closed his eyes. "Carlo Krilangi you say? Hmm..."

After several minutes of what appeared to be intense concentration, the travelling wizard raised his head and nodded sagely.

"Never heard of him."

The performer scratched at his beard, which was beginning to show spots of black under the cheap white dye. Looking off into the underbrush, he suddenly gained a strange and disturbing twinkle in his eye.

"Could it be young man, that you are on a quest? A noble enterprise? A great undertaking? If that is indeed the case, then a great wizard such as I, Zarathos, would be most useful. You are fortunate in the fact that I have nothing to do at the moment, and simply wish to get out of here as quickly as possible. Indeed, this could be a most beneficial partnership, I supplying magical knowledge and prowess, and you the food, shelter, and general funding."

Standing tall, Zarathos tried to appear as wrinkled and sagely as possible. His arms were outstretched dramatically, eyes sparkling in the sheer splendour of the moment.

"Very well! It is decided! I, ZARATHOS! Will accompany you on your most noble quest. Let us be away young, er... sir!"

With that, Zarathos continued his haphazard march into the thick growth, nearly decapitating himself on a low hanging branch.

[Anonymous]

I was dismayed by his response. I'd have thought that a "traveller of many places", as he called himself, would've heard of Father.

"He must've really kept quiet if no one's seen him..."

Zarathos scratched at his beard. Suddenly, I thought I saw a strange glimmer in his eye.

"Could it be young man, that you are on a quest? A noble enterprise? A great undertaking? If that is indeed the case, then a great wizard such as I, Zarathos, would be most useful. You are fortunate in the fact that I have nothing to do at the moment, and simply wish to get out of here as quickly as possible. Indeed, this could be a most beneficial partnership, I supplying magical knowledge and prowess, and you the food, shelter, and general funding."

"Now wait just a second-"

"Very well! It is decided! I, Zarathos, will accompany you on your most noble quest. Let us be away young, er... sir!"

He started marching off, and he hadn't gone more than ten steps before he was nearly beheaded by a low hanging branch.

"Umm...Maybe I should go first..."

I suddenly realized that the way he was going and the way I was going were total opposites. Deciding that I would be better off with company, I thought it best if I simply went with this man.

"This way," I told him as I ducked under the branch and led the way through the tangled growth the lined the Ergeon.

[Anonymous]

Zarathos nearly headed off in a totally different direction, but decided to trust the young man's obviously superior navigationonal skills.

Well, this was a step in the right direction. It had been a long time since he had been on a quest. Quests were good. Quests caught and held attention. Quests meant an audience. Zarathos could feel the excitement rising. This is what a mage of his calibur should be doing.

And the young man would be useful as well. He must have some money, and he looked like the warrior type. He'd probably be able to handle those... things that were chasing him. And the sooner all this was taken care of, the sooner he could get back to studying his little treasure. The thing that would raise him from obscurity into a mage that could truly change the world.

Zarathos gave no sign of his thoughts as he walked, instead sub-conciously mumbling to himself about a hundred different topics. He hoped the boy knew where he was going. Zarathos was lost, but he believed that they were venturing dangerously close to Connlaoth... and his kind were not welcomed there. In fact "not welcomed" was misleading as to the seriousness of the consequences for wearing a funny hat and causing little lights to appear in Connlaoth.

[Anonymous]

Zarathos was mumbling under his breath as we walked back toward my house. It seemed like he was talking to himself about several different things at once. Deciding not to distract him, I led on, quickly passing the place that was once my home. I had made up my mind never to return there unless I needed to; it would bring back memories, and was never a good thing. I was lucky that Zarathos was caught up in his random musings; if he pointed out the house, a conflict of interest would ensue, and I did not want that.

I continued on through the evening, and only when the moon shone directly above us did I stop for the night. I did not want to stop, since there were some wild animals that could prey on us, but if one of us stood guard, there would be no trouble.

"I'll take first watch," I said to the older mage, sitting myself on a smooth rock. "You get some rest, and I'll wake you in a few hours."

[Anonymous]

First watch? Did that mean Zarathos was expecting to take part in a watch at some point? Obviously the boy didn't understand that a great and elderly mage like Zarathos needed to have a good night's sleep while undertaking a quest! Well, he'd soon learn if he tried to wake the wizard during the night. Zarathos had once slept through the invasion and massacre of a small town.

As he lay down on his overstuffed bedroll, Zarathos stroked the ring on his finger. He still hadn't figured out how to use the cursed thing, and the last attempt was responsible for his current situation (i.e. being lost in the woods). However, Zarathos knew it was his ticket to true wizardly glory. Besides, how would he learn its secrets without trying?

His mind made up, Zarathos began the process of magical creation. Making sure his new travelling companion was looking away, the usually boisterous mage focused his thoughts.

...Make it small... three legged... wings of the bat... It was coming together now, but it would hardly attract a crowd, he'd have to make it more spectacular... a snout like a cross between a tiger and a great reptile... flames spewing from its mouth... the tail of a scorpion.

Good, but it was pathetically small... Zarathos increased its size. The ugly, mismatched creature was now the size of a large hunting dog.

Satisfied, Zarathos now poured his concentration into the ring on his finger. The green gem glowed momentarily, outlining his illusion in a ruddy light. A moment more, and Zarathos could sense that it was illusion no more, but flesh and blood...

Unfortunately Zarathos had failed to learn his lesson from last time, because as he studied his creation in wonder, it pounced on him, sharp teeth grasping for his finger. The mage yelled, jumping up from his bed, and cast an illusion of flame around the thing. Unphased it came on, completely ignoring the illusion, but beginning to spout its own flames from its mouth...

[Anonymous]

A roar came from behind me. There was some kind of strange creature attacking Zarathos, and he wasn't doing very well in holding his own. Maybe it would teach him to be more careful...But I couldn't let him die on my watch. I slowly approached and drew both of my swords. The moment the beast eyed my dual swords, it threw itself off of Zarathos and blasted me with fire. Though I was able to dodge away and avoid being caught in the blaze, my clothes were badly singed by the spurting flames. Angered by the impudence of the malicious beast, I snarled and spun my swords around with a graceful flourish.

"Blast it...Wretched chimaera," I shouted, giving it the name of an ancient beast that was said to have been the combination of many animals. "I'll make you pay for that!"

With that, I charged, swinging one sword across and the other one down. The clever beast reared back and used its front claw to block my strikes, then pushed me away and roared. It then ran at me and tried to sting me with its barbed tail. Though I leaped to one side at the last moment, the tail caught on my clothing, locking me in close combat with the malformed menace. It clawed and bit me viciously as I tried to break away, but I finally slashed overhead with one blade and cut the tail at its middle. As the creature howled in pain and backed off, the fluids in the tail came pouring out, drenching me in blood and poison. I cringed as the burning venoms entered some of the scratches and bitemarks in my skin. Acting quickly, I plunged Chyaka into the ground, closed my eyes and focused on Lahume and recited an incantation.

"O Lahume, cleanser of poisons, free my body from the toxins within it! Oguchona!"

At the end of the incantation, I shouted the name for the Detox spell and thrusted Lahume into the air. A pleasently warm aura surrounded me as the poisons that coated my body melted away. Free of the toxins, the aura left me, and my movement was once again unbound, but the poison in my body remained for the moment. After about a minute, however, a sickening feeling rose into my throat, and I doubled over and coughed up blood. This blood, however, was thick with the poison; this was merely the last stage of the purging process. I stood upright, stepping over the puddle of poisoned blood, and wrenched Chyaka from the ground. Scraping the dirt from it, I flourished both of my blades and turned back to Zarathos.

"Zarathos," I shouted, "give me a hand with this beast! I can't fight it off alone!"

I heard another roar, and I turned around just as the chimaera spewed more fire from its gaping mouth. This time, I was not so lucky; I was unable to dodge, and the creature's flaming breath burnt my tunic to cinders and covered me with painful-looking burns.

"Gah...Blast it..."

[Anonymous]

"Fantastic! This is absolutely fantastic!"

Zarathos could almost imagine the crowd cheering... beast and man, locked in mortal combat! A vicious fight to the death! The perfect start to their quest! The fact that Zarathos had summoned the beast made it even better. It was much more stable than the last few illusions he had made real with his ring. It meant he was getting better. He still wasn't sure how to control them or stop them from trying to rip his organs out, but that was just a small drawback right?

The illusionist nearly danced with joy as the young warrior fought with the creature. He had gotten the fiery breath and the poison and everything. It was perfect! That probable the chimera would be chopped to bits soon did nothing to stem Zarathos' enthusiasm. The younger man was holding his own in combat, and had even cast a few spells! It was so wise of Zarathos to choose him for there quest. He was perfect for accomplishing...errr... whatever it was they were accomplishing.

"Zarathos, give me a hand with this beast! I can't fight it off alone!"

The travelling mage was wrenched from his inner monologue just in time to see the creature burn his companions tunic off. Right! The creature! It was the mage's job to help from the sidelines. He wouldn't do all the work of course, that would make the quest far too easy. But he could offer a small amount of assistance.

Creating an illusion he usually employed for spectacular juggling displays, Zarathos created the image of a large, floating ball of flame and hurled it at the creature. The illusion passed harmlessly through the thing, which didn't even seem distracted by it.

"Oops!" Zarathos had forgotten to use his ring! That was most sloppy of him, or so it would appear to one untrained in fighting magical beasts. It was wise to start off with lesser magics, rather than wasting a great deal of energy. The creature had survived the first spell, unsurprisingly, but now it was time for a real ball of fire.

Once again, he conjured a fiery sphere, this time using the ring to force more magical power into it. Zarathos was pleased. He could feel the heat from it. He moved to hurl it at the chimera, but, oddly, it refused to move. Instead, it began to orbit around the performer's body, darting at him every so often in a most menacing way.

The mage decided to flee, whirling his staff (the trademark of any great mage) at the threatening ball of light. In his haste he nearly ran into the chimera, but stopped just short, giving it a sharp tap with his staff when it snarled at him.

Desperately, Zarathos backed away from the beast and the fireball, trying to think of a spell to get him out of this situation...

[Anonymous]

I stopped cringing long enough to focus on Zarathos, who seemed to be trying to get a fireball to do what he wanted it to do. Growling in the back of my throat, I made up my mind to show the two-bit actor that magics were not to be trifled with. I crossed my two swords for a moment, then thrusted them both upward.

"Eowutocu!!"

The incantation for the Lightning spell took immediate effect; lightning rained down around me, somewhat causing the chimaera to back off, and bolts occasionally met the tattered edges of my tunic. Finally, a single pair of jagged bolts fell and lit my blades with electric energy. As the electricity crackled around me, I swung my swords downward. The ethereal lightning shot from my swords and made direct impact with the creature, sending it sprawing onto the ground. Wasting no time, I immediately rushed the downed creature, whatever it was, and leaped into the air. As I came down, I reversed my grip on Chyaka. When I landed, I sent my sword crashing into the creature's skull, causing strange tinted blood to spray everywhere. The beast howled and writhed in agony, and the bloody stump of its tail flailed out at me and struck my right leg, which immediately crumpled upon impact. As the lifeforce left the deformed beast's body, I clutched at my wounds and grimaced; this was more trouble than it was worth. Finally, after a few long minutes of watching the chimaera die, it finally went still.

"Jeez...About time..."

I gingerly picked myself up and walked over to the beast, then proceeded to wrench my sword free from its skull. I wiped the dual blades clean on the grass, then turned on Zarathos, anger gleaming in my eyes.

"What on earth was that all about?! I thought you were wise, since you were a mage and spoke so properly! But do you truly know anything about magics?! Your own spells despise you!"

Deciding that I was disgusted with the entire thing, I told him so and returned to my rock, where I kept watch once more.

"You've got an hour to get some sleep before I wake you for the next watch," I told him without looking back. "Get some sleep; I want to live another day, if you don't mind."

[Anonymous]

The younger man's words stung Zarathos. How dare he! He was speaking to the almighty Zarathos, arch-wizard and all-powerful mage! There were legends written about him!

...Weren't there?

Zarathos often said there were. He must have read them at some point. He couldn't recall at the moment, but perhaps after this quest he would begin a new one. He would collect the legends and stories about himself, and preserve his wisdom for future heroes.

"Spells are not the only thing that a great mage must know! I simply wished to test you. How can you complete this quest if you could not defeat a creature such as that? Thankfully you have done well. I was right to have chosen you."

Yes. That made sense. Quite a lot of sense actually. Zarathos was indeed the wisest of all men. Once he figured out how to use his ring, he could cleanse evil from the land!

"Now, as you have suggested, I will retire to my bedroll. Tommorrow will be filled with trials and tribulations! With my wisdom and your strength we will complete this quest! I bid you good night!"

[Anonymous]

Before going to bed, Zarathos tried to justify the encounter, but I couldn't even force myself to believe him. I simply sat on my perch, wondering if the "trials and tribulations" he had spoken of referred to more monstrous creations, until he had finally said his piece and gone to sleep.

Once he was asleep, I leapt up from the rock and bounded over to the cleared area where I had slain the chimaera. I found the thing's grotesque body and dragged it to one side, behind a thick clump of bushes. Hoping that no creatures would try to get at it and discover my scent upon it's hide, I carefully hid the slain beast in the shrubbery and covered the trail of monster blood it left. After doing so, I decided to release some of the tension pent up inside me and practice my combat style.

I returned to the empty patch of earth and drew my two swords, holding them so that the two blades crossed directly in front of me. Gathering the bottled-up anger inside me, I began swinging madly in a dual sword-fighting style taught only among the men of my family, according to Dad. I progressed slowly at first, fumbling with my blades at times and occasionally falling to the ground when I lost my balance. Eventually, however, my strikes began to flow more easily. I perked up slightly as adrenaline began to course through my veins, and I put more of my power into each strike. Faster and faster I practiced, and I began putting all of my energy into the deadly dance of flashing steel.

Finally, with one swift movement, I swung both swords downward with such force that my feet lifted off the ground. This had never happened to me before; in my astonishment, I seemed suspended in the air, as if held in place by some invisible wires. As gravity took effect once more, I suddenly began to act without thinking. I twisted my body and spun in a full circle just before landing. As my feet met solid ground, I slashed diagonally, crossing my arms, and then swung outward with both swords while taking a long step forward. As I made the final strike, a wide arc of wind suddenly flew out from my swords and dissipated into the night air.

I stood in that position, both arms outstretched at either side with swords extended, for the longest time, trying to determine what had just happened. That arc of wind appeared to be of magical properties, but I had not casted any spell. I could not help but wonder if Dad could also perform such a feat. I stood upright and sheathed my swords, then walked back over to the place where Zarathos slept. The mage was still there, although I could not determine if this was a good or a bad thing. I opted for neither of the two, but forced the venomous thoughts from my mind and sat on the rock again, trying to determine how I had made that last attack.

Eventually, once an hour had passed, I nudged the sleeping figure of Zarathos to rouse him.

"It's time to switch," I told him. "Get up and keep watch...I need to get some sleep."

[Anonymous]

Strangely, Zarathos made little complaint when roused from his sleep. His mood seemed glum and thoughtful compared to his earlier energetic self.

The so-called mage spent most of his watching sitting by the fire, massive orange hat pushed back from his face. He sat, wondering at the strange events that had brought him to this place. Only a few short months ago he had wandered the streets of the greatest cities in the land, delighting huge crowds with his mastery of sleight of hand and illusion. Those were simpler times.

Deep down, Zarathos knew he was a fraud, that he'd most likely amount to nothing. That's why he'd jumped at the chance for real power.

He glared at the twisted ring on his finger. This power was the cause of all his problems. He could still conjure up the image of fantastic beasts, but only at risk of their coming to life and harming innocents. Still, he couldn't get rid of the ring, his only chance to actually mean something. And who knew where the dratted thing would end up? Anyone could get a hold of it.

No, only certain people could be trusted with it. Someone who was wise and powerful, and would use its powers for the betterment of human kind! Only a mighty wizard such as ZARATHOS!

The wise old wizard placed his hat back upon his head, smiling. It was time to wake his companion for the next watch. Meanwhile he would ponder the secrets of the universe as he slept.

((would you like to skip forwards to the morning? You said you had some plans for other characters to meet up here correct?))

[Anonymous]

(OOC: Yes I did, but that'll be later into the day. Let's go straight to morning and see what another day brings...)

After an hour, I silently awoke and took my shift. I decided not to waste any more of my energy on practice, but instead brooded on the flat rock as I passed the night. I decided not to bother Zarathos till morning; though I was still a bit angry at his actions, I felt that he had been through enough for one day, and that he did deserve some reprieve. Therefore, I took the rest of the night to watch the skies and wonder about my father.

When dawn peeked over the mountains into the valley, I woke Zarathos, and the two of us proceeded once more through the valley. We continued to follow the Ergeon, stopping only twice to regain our stamina. As the sun ran its course overhead, I debated about telling Zarathos of my strange discovery the night before. I decided to take a more interesting approach to show him the new skill I had developed. I stopped and turned to face him, a daring gleam in my eyes.

"Say Zarathos...That monster you made was...a little weak for my taste...Can you summon anything else? Perhaps something more...dangerous?"

I knew he wouldn't be able to resist, being the adventurous kind of person that he was. It would be the perfect opprotunity to test myself and to see just how much of a real mage the old man truly was.

(OOC: Thought I'd make it interesting, so I made one last battle scenario to go through before we meet up with another one of my characters...Heh heh heh...Have fun with it, but at least make it humanoid so my character can duel it to build up to his skill. I swear, if you just do that, I can make this into one explosive scene!)

[Anonymous]

The be-hatted mage instantly perked up at the mention of a summoning. It appeared his companion had done some thinking and realized that the incident last night was a serious test rather than some kind of mistake on Zarathos' part.

"A little weak you say? Yes indeed, but it's best to start small you know. You exceeded my expectations however, so we can move on to the next test."

Yes, an excellent idea. Zarathos was glad he'd thought of it.

"Give me just a moment lad." The wizard focused his energy on his ring once more. This creature would be even more fantastic (and deadly) than the last. It would be a masterpiece of magic, a pinnacle of enchantment, a...

All of the sudden an image popped into Zarathos' head, replacing the odd beast he had been imagining. The creature he viewed now was even more monstrous. Without a concious thought from the wizard, it began to appear before him, the ring supplying magical power to the image.

The thing coalesced out of thin air, a grey mass of muscle and bone. It stood almost 7 feet tall, hairless body studded with spikes and barbs. Its legs were bent oddly, but gave the impression of great speed and leaping power.

With a screech from the massive, mouthlike opening on its faceless head, the creature attacked, swinging a sharpened protusion on the end of its muscled arm.

Zarathos backed away in confusion. This wasn't the thing he had tried to create. Although it had appeared in the way normal for his other illusions, it did not originate from within his own mind. The thought that magic as powerful as his could be tampered with was nearly inconcievable. Obviously someone or something very powerful did not want them to complete their quest!

((Ok, apologies if this post doesn't make sense. Anyway, I hope that's monsterrific enough for you. This should be good!))

[Anonymous]

(OOC: Heh heh...Sorry for the late reply, but I was caught up in tons of other stuff...Anyway, it looks freakin' sweet! This'll be good!)


Zarathos responded exactly the way I predicted. I got excited for the exhibition, and I spun my dual swords in anticipation as he thought up a new creation for me to do battle with. Soon, magic energy began to focus on a single point in front of the mage, and a huge humanoid figure with a spike arm appeared before him. Standing at least seven feet tall, this indescribable horror was covered in razor-sharp barbs and spines rather than hair. Its legs were bent, and I supposed that it would be fast. Zarathos had put more into this new creature than I had predicted.

Suddenly, the beast bellowed and struck out at its creator with the spike arm. Zarathos leaped back, a confused look on his face. That look frightened me; it told me that this was not what he had planned. Rather shaken, I ran over to the befuddled mage, desperate for answers.

"Zarathos," I told him, "is this your creation thing? Tell me for real; the look on your face totally gives you away. And do it quickly, so we can decide what we're going to do while we're still alive."

Just as I finished, we were rushed by the terrible summon, and it thrusted its spike arm out towards us. We were forced to dodge in separate directions, and the beasst let out another tremendous bellow. Made by Zarathos or not, this creature was still a great threat, and I had to quell it at any cost.

"Zarathos, stay back," I shouted to him. "That spike arm will be the end of you if you get too close! Support me from afar with magic! And don't use the ring, whatever you do!"

I didn't know how that ring had conjured the beast without Zarathos' knowledge, but it seemed that the ring would continue to act independently as long as he wore it. As I thought about this, I leaped back from another swipe by the colossal monster' spike arm. As it attempted to wrench the tip of the arm from the ground, I noticed that there was a blade edge on it. The creature sported a sword arm; it would be perfect for testing my new ability. I may have had a disadvantage due to the difference in our heights, but that did not daunt me in the least. I was ready for the beast, and there was nothing that could stop me.

To try and catch the beast off-guard and get in the first strike, I threw a blast of fire at its face while rushing at it. As planned, the beast swiped at the ball of flame with its sword arm and cancelled it out, but I was right there to attack with my dual blades. The creature was fast in bringing back its sword arm to block my attacks, but I could feel it strain under each successive blow. After a minute or so, the creature seemed to think that I had left an opening in my salvo. It brought up one of its powerful legs and thrusted its foot at me. Luckily, I saw the kick attack coming, so I jumped and landed square on the creature's leg, then used it like a springboard to propel me even higher. As I hung in the air for a moment, I got an insane idea that made me grin wickedly at the sheer coolness of it.

I did a full somersault at the apex of my jump, then started to fall again with both blades pointed downward. I then twisted my body so that I began to spin like a top, so that my blades seemed like a drill. The strange creature saw this and threw up its blade arm to try to impale me. Instead of dodging, however, I met the blade arm head-on with my own swords. There was a horrible grinding noise as the tips of the blades met and clashed with each other, but after a moment I heard a snap. A large fissure had appeared in the beast's arm. The beast was weakened; it was time to unleash that technique I had seen last night.

I threw my weight away from the gargantuan and landed on my feet, ready for combat. The thing raised its arm at me and flicked it upward, taunting me onward. I consented and charged with all the agility I could muster, and I began striking furiously at the odd beast. It parried strike after strike, but I could feel its strength weakening with each successive block. Faster I danced, becoming a thrumming tornado of steel and palpable rage as I struck again and again with ever-growing strength. Finally, when I heard another snap in the beast's arm, I decided to end the battle. I did the same thing I had done the night previous; I swung downward with both swords, and the force carried me into a somersault. I made a full spin and swung diagonally with both swords, knocking the beast's arm aside. I finally swung outward with both arms with a mighty swing, and a cluster of energy gathered where the tips of my blades had carved the air. The arrow of energy shot forth and connected with the creature's sword arm, and the force was so great that the beast's arm shattered like glass.

Though it was not yet dead, I had taken its main method of attack, meaning that this fight would be smooth sailing from here out. I approached once more and raised up my sword to kill the thing, and to my horror, it caught my swords in its other clawed arm. As the thing applied more pressure to the blades, I could hear the straining of the metal in the blades as it weakened. I tried to wrench the blades free, but I was not strong enough; the beast's grip was like a vice. Finally, to my dismay, the swords were snapped in two, and I stared in disbelief at the horrible reality, that my father's last gifts to me were destroyed. I dropped to my knees and shuddered. Never had such powerful sadness overcome me, and I could tell that I looked like a fool, weeping over a broken blade.

My grief had deterred me from the task at hand, and the monster finally decided to kick out at me with its powerful legs. Its right foot connected with my face, and its left came shortly after, catching me full in the chest and throwing me back. I was stopped only when a tree happened to block my flight path. The concussive force was enough to stun me and make me drop the broken hiltts of my once-weapons. It was only a second before I blacked out.

(OOC: So yeah, I was stronger, but that towering thug had a nasty trick up his sleeve! So now we finally get to see what Zarathos is capable of! Seeing as I'm unconscious now, I think the magician needs to kick things into overdrive...Heh heh heh...)

[Anonymous]

Zarathos backed off and watched the battle helplessly. The beast was magnificent, but so was Leon. He was a stronger warrior than the mage had guessed.

It seemed the lad had the advantage, but the creature managed to turn the tide by smashing Leon's weapons and  hurling him into a tree. The younger man was unmoving, and it would only be a matter of seconds before he was torn to a pulp.

Keeping in mind the warrior's warning about the ring (perhaps he knew something Zarathos didn't?) the "wise old mage" did the first thing that came to mind.

He jumped on the thing's back.

Zarathos' inept flailings would only distract the monster for a few moments. If he was flung off it was unlikely he'd get another chance to attack. So Zarathos yelled at his unconcious companion: "Get up you fool! Fighiting is YOUR area!

[Anonymous]

(OOC: I hope you don't mind if I take control of the colossus for this post...)

I know not how long I was knocked out, but I awoke to the booming roars of the giant creature as it struggled to pull a large...SOMETHING...from its back. I took a closer look and realized, with a jolt of pure terror, that the "something" latched onto the back of the monster was Zarathos, who was doing absolutely nothing mage-like in trying to distract the beast. It was enough, however; in the few precious moments that the beast was sidetracked, I found one of my broken blades and stood, the cloth upon the hilt rough upon my sweat-soaked hands. With all the strength I could muster, I threw the broken sword high into the air.

Meanwhile, the tormented beast struggled furiously as it tried in vain to scrape the false mage from its back. It grunted in frustration as it flailed about with its claw arm, trying to grab him. After a few moments of this, the beast finally made a smart move and dropped to the ground, attempting to crush Zarathos in the process. The loss of its sword arm, however, had disoriented it, and it lost balance and fell to the wrong side. It attempted to stop the fall with its claw, but its arm was so brittle that it shattered upon impact. It let loose a high-pithed scream before slamming its head into the turf with such force that it righted itself with the rebounding force from the blow.

Just as the best stood upright again, I started running as fast as I could toward the beast. A flash of light shone down from above, and it hit the foul monster on the head, directing its attention to me. I threw out one hand to one of the fallen blades in the grass.

"Yak'sudia!!"

The Magnetism spell worked perfectly; it drew the fallen half of the blade into my hands. I was careful to place it between the palms of my hands on the flat side, so as not to cut myself. Holding the point away from me, I raised the edge above my head and raced toward the startled monster. It did seem to react to my approach, but it could not stop me without its arms. I leaped into the air and kicked it in the chest with both legs, knocking it to the ground.

I stood over the fallen menace, broken blade raised and ready to finish the battle. The thing struggled to rise, but I stood firmly on its shoulders; it could not push against my weight. I hefted the blade up and thrusted it into the thing's neck. Its inky black blood soaked the ground, and the monster kicked about wildly in its death throes, scraping up grass and dirt with its feet. Finally, it fell still, and the blood ceased to flow from its wound. The beast was dead, and we were alive.

I gathered the fallen pieces of my once-weapons and laid them before me. They laid still, two hilts and two blades, formerly Chyaka and Lahume, my prized posessions. No magic was in them anymore. They were now lifeless, lesser than the meanest amoeba. I became alone in a second sense at that moment. I packed up the two broken swords in my satchel and began walking again, headed for the end of the valley, not even acknowledging Zarathos.

Meanwhile, just outside the canyon, Farenoshu Mylis entered the valley and began trekking through the foliage. He was glad for the plants, as they provided ample protection from the sweltering sun. Faren stopped for a moment to rest and get his bearings. Something caught his eye in the sky, and he turned just in time to see a small flicker of reflecting sunlight. Wondering what its source could have been, he redoubled his pace and set off toward the place where the light had been falling, leading him right to me and Zarathos.

[Anonymous]

"Fantastic! Fantastic! What a spectacle! You are a remarkable young man. It must be fate for two of such power to have met!"

Zarathos' face grew solemn.

"However, that creature was not of my creation! Some dark force is attempting to subvert my magic to it's own twisted uses. Obviously whatever it is has learned of our quest and wishes to stop us! But don't worry, I am confident that your swordplay and the power of the great ZARATHOS will prevail! This will be an endeavour that shall become legend!"

It was at this time that Zarathos noticed he was sitting alone in a clearing next to the slowly dissipating body of a massive great skinned creature.

"Hello?"