Post by phantompen on Jul 20, 2010 6:08:35 GMT -5
(Hello there one and all. I'd like to present to you all the beginning of a short story I've written for CR. The events to follow are an alternate history following the Earth mission in the Sumata Arc. While I've changed, and will be changing aspects of many different characters I hope to keep the core of those that I make use of and best of all to tell a tale worth reading. I hope you all enjoy the first part in "Of Relics and Royals".)
Chapter 1
It was a cool night for those on the northern edge of Crepusculum. The moon hung high over the towering peaks of the Shade Mountains, and the winds that traveled down sang softly through the trees and into the small town of Manilino. It was late, and nearly everyone had put themselves to bed, every hut and home left only to the pitch of night. Yet amongst the buildings was one where the candles burned brightly and the spirits of those inside were as warm and alive as could be.
“To the Heroes!” The deep voice of Yeligar rang throughout the halls of the local tavern, as he stood with his glass raised before chugging it back. The same cheer echoed as each of the members of the rebellious fighting force, known only as the Heroes cheered back. For most it had been months since they had seen the grandeur of the planet Allorum, and to have come back with victory in hand was enough for a night of celebration for them all.
“My warriors, tonight we celebrate our first major victory over the Sumata and Trucido Damnedblood.” Yeligar’s voice took on a powerful tone as he began to recount the tales of their adventure to Earth. “For those that could not join us, we came through the old portal to the world that many of you call home. Trucido had brought many of his most powerful allies in the Sumata to fend us off as he searched the world for items called relics. Without anyway to locate them, it was all we could do to fight tooth and nail against them, but sadly each time they left us bested in combat, and left with nothing but defeat.” Many of the others nodded their head, remembering their own accounts of the battles.
“But this is not a night of despair is it?” He roared heartily as the Heroes cheered back a loud “No!”. “That’s right! We gave it to those bastards good and strong each time, and it was in our last confrontation that we rose victorious.” Yeligar swung his thick powerful arm down past the table and snagged a pearl necklace off it before raising it in the air. “As long as we hold one relic, we hold that victory in our hands!” The room echoed with his boisterous laughter once more, and most all of the other Heroes cheered and laughed with him.
“I still can’t believe that strange land you came from Andy. It still feels like a dream.” A petite voice came from a young and beautiful girl. Her name was Jasmine Loque. No older than 16, she sat garbed in the traditional robes of a Crepusculum healer. Her blond hair looked to glow in the candlelight, and she held a smile of innocence as she chatted with the young man sitting beside her. Amongst a less interesting crowd, the boy called Andy would have stood out as quite unusual. His appearance matched his manner, his clothes hanging lack and loose on him while his vibrant orange hair stood up, untamed and wild.
“Funny, I can’t help but think I said the same thing of this world. Magic, monsters, royalty bent on global destruction. Every once in a while I still think I’m going to wake up in my old bed on Earth.” He smirked nonchalantly as the two talked over the other Heroes partying in the wooden hut. “Of course, that’d really suck.”
“Oh yeah, and why would that be?” Jasmine leaned in close to him as she asked.
“Uhhh…” Andy stammered, looking to her for only a moment before turning his head upwards, as if hoping the answer had been left on the ceiling for him. His cheeks blushed a little and he was glad she was too short to see it. “Well, I mean it’s not like it’s a common thing for us. Earthlings I mean. The most exciting thing a guy my age gets to do is… drive a car.” He looked around aimlessly for a bit before deciding he’d rather change the topic. “Anyways, enough excitement for a while. We deserve a day to relax. To the Heroes.” He raised his glass to Jasmine and with smiles on both their faces they toasted. Little did Andy, or any of the occupants of that room know that the events about to follow would be anything but a break from that very excitement.
Across the room, a young lady rose up to excuse herself from a table. Her long raven hair wafted back and forth across her back as she moved towards Andy and Jasmine, her poise and posture that of a refined lady. And why not, for to Kara Samsra, the years of royal training had become second nature to her. She tapped her finger gently on Jasmine’s back, waving meekly when she turned around. “Hi guys, having fun?”
“Kara, hey. Yeah it’s been fun. How about for you?”
She shrugged in reply. “It’s been okay, all things considered…” She gestured over to the table she’d come from. All eyes were on Volkmare who stood atop the table in a dramatic pose. Though drowned out by the other voices, it was clear enough the goateed fighter was regaling any that would listen of his battles on Earth. As he spoke, he waved his sword around no doubt mimicking his actions in one of his many fights. “He kind of scares me honestly.”
Andy could only chuckle. “No worries. You can grab a seat with us.”
“Thanks, but I’m actually going to grab a bit of fresh air. I just wanted someone to know I’ll be out for a little bit. Don’t have too much fun without me.” Kara smiled softly and curtsied slightly before turning away and out the door.
Kara took to a gravelly path that lead towards a lake not too far from where they were. Her ears perked up to the sound of water sloshing and splashing and she let out a relaxed sigh. The quiet of nature put her at ease. Though her months traveling with Andy, Jasmine and the others had gotten her more used to crowds and noise and people, she still needed her me time as much as the day they had found her in the frost kingdom, Ghiacco. As she wandered almost instinctively towards the water, her mind wandered back to the strange fragmented memories that had plagued her since she’d been found. She remembered seeing a vast expanse of cold wasteland from high atop. She remembered the sounds of heavy doors slamming, and the rattle of chains, and the feeling of slender soft fingers wrapping around her neck as piercing eyes stared her down. She shook her head violently, snapping out of the dark fragments of her past. “What does it mean?” She mumbled to herself.
As she approached a clump of waist-high shrubs that outlined the river’s approach, her attention was drawn to someone just in the distance. The person was hunched over by the riverbank, and with each second mounds of dirt splashed out to either side in growing piles. Kara moved silently, watching behind a tree with curiosity.
“Come come my pretty little bobble. I know you’re here somewhere.” A deep, coarse voice came from the man who was busy digging away at the earth. He chuckled to himself with a menacing tone. It was a tone that spoke to Kara of danger, a danger she’d encountered more than once in the past. All of a sudden the silhouette of the man seemed to fill in with the details of her memory. The wide brimmed hat, the long coat that draped down under his legs, and the faintest hint of a deep blood red that covered him head to toe.
Trucido! What is he doing here? Kara covered her mouth and watched with uncertainty. She looked back on the faint light of the Heroes party of in the distance. Can I make it? It looks like isn’t paying attention. Taking a deep breath Kara backed up slowly, each step echoing in her ears from the fear that caused her heart to race. The grass was like crunching glass and the dirt was as a grinding stone against her shoes. Then there was a loud snap, clear as day. Dropping down behind one of the bushes she looked at the perpetrator; a single lousy twig from one of the trees laid broken in two. Her breath lay trapped in her lungs as she prayed Trucido hadn’t heard it. When at last she summoned the courage to look she peered through the leaves to see only the empty landscape. She hadn’t a moment to wonder where he’d gone before she felt a disturbingly warm breeze up against her neck.
“It appears I have an audience.” His voice whispered in her ear. Kara jumped forwards through the shrubs and turned to see the Sumata’s leader staring coldly at her. Her hands shook and she felt a lump go down her throat as she pulled her blade out at him. “Oh please now Kara, don’t waste your time. We both know that isn’t going to do anything but get me mad.”
“What are you doing here? What are you looking for?” Kara kept her blade pointed at him, not shirking back from his threat.
“Not much.” He grinned from ear to ear as he played with her. “A little of this, a little of that.”
“There’s nothing here for you, you monster!” Kara shouted out. Her mind ran rampant as she tried to figure a way to get away from Trucido and back to the Heroes. He was powerful, but there was no way he could handle them all. She looked for a moment to the cold rushing waters behind her, and wondered whether she’d use it to fight or flee.
“Oh, but that’s where you’re so very wrong my dear. Truth is, I find myself short a few special little trinkets that are very dear to me. I thought I sensed one near by, but I just can’t seem to find it.”
“The relics.” Kara responded.
“Don’t suppose you’d know where one is?” He looked at her curiously. Kara shook her head defiantly, dreading what she was sure would come next. Trucido shrugged to himself, and his hand moved to his blade. He drew it slowly, letting the metal sing as it rubbed against the sheath. He loved the fear he could see in Kara’s eyes as he did so. “No? Well that’s okay. It just occurred to me there’s an easier way to get one.” His arm snapped to his side, and the blade detached segment by segment till its whip form laid beside him. “Don’t bother running dear. Let’s just make this easy on us both.” He approached her calmly, his free hand extended out as he bayed her near.
“Not a chance!” Kara wasn’t going down without some resistance. The others wouldn’t act any differently no matter the odds, and there was no way she was going to be the weak one. Her free hand tightened as she forced herself to stop shaking, and with a flowing motion of her body she called on her bond with the water’s energy. The river’s flow changed, slowly somewhat as a wave rushed up over the embankment and collided with Trucido. His body slammed against a tree as the water flowed around him and the tree. Kara could not help but smile as she commanded the water to freeze around him, pinning him in place. She looked to the far off light where her friends were and began to bolt towards it.
“I told you not to bother running away.” Trucido spoke with a hint of brewing anger as an ellipse of blackness grew from where the tree had been. He leaned backwards and fell into it, appearing in front of Kara through another similar portal. His whip lashed from side to side, balking Kara from moving any further. “Last chance. I’d hate to have my ransom be beaten and bruised.”
“I said no!” Kara stepped back and once again called on the river behind her. The water swirled above her before lunging as a snake towards the crimson fiend.
“Then face the consequences!” He snarled as he held his hand out. Another one of the swirling vortices appeared in front of him and swallowed the water inside. Trucido raised his other hand and another portal appeared over Kara, letting the water rush violently towards her. She had only her instincts to trust as her arms shot up to rein in the water’s wrath. It looked to crash against the air around her before staying still as a dome around her.
Kara’s breath was heavy as her body bent and swayed, urging her element around for another attack. The flow diverged in two as it rushed to either side of Trucido. With startling speed he sprang forward in-between the two attacks as they collided with each other. In an instant he was right beside her, and his arm swung powerfully at Kara’s head. She flew backwards as he connected, and by the way the air stung the inside of her nostrils she was sure her nose was broken.
This is nothing. Nothing as bad as any of the others have had. Kara rolled with the blow back to her feet and she cried out as she hurled the water of the lake out as balls of sheer force.
“Come to me darkness!” Trucido cried out in response as his hand trembled in front of him with his dark power. Forming spheres of pitch he countered her attacks, one by one. The space between them burst with water and evil magic again and again as neither would budge an inch. Only after they exchanged blows for more times then either could count did they finally cease.
“Do you realize now how useless this is?” Trucido cackled as his hand continued to brim with darkness. “Now be a good girl and-“
“Now!” Kara interrupted him as her whole body conjured her magic in an elegant display. All around them the droplets of water that had fell to the ground from her previous spells turned to icy needles before firing out at Trucido. His face twisted in an expression of rage as he brought his arms up to guard the attack. Once more a portal appeared to consume the attack, but the needles came from too many angles to defend. By the time it ended all but Trucido’s front were covered in the deadly points.
“You BITCH!” Trucido cracked his whip violently at his side once before lashing out at Kara. She parried the blow with her blade, her hand shaking with the force behind his whip. Again and again his weapon pounded against hers till her hand went numb with the vibrations he sent through her sword. The next slash of his whip beat the blade from her weakened grasp, but by the look on his face she could tell he wasn’t going to let up. His free hand rose up and lobbed a sphere of darkness at her again and again. “You had your chance, now revel in your failure!” Kara tried to keep up, but she could feel that Trucido had been playing with her as the water she struck out with was annihilated by his magic. As one tore past a shield she brought up it struck her in the chest. She could feel all the air forced from her lungs as her body was blown backwards into the rushing waters.
It wasn’t enough. Kara despaired as she could feel her consciousness slipping. She couldn’t even muster the strength to bring herself out from the water. I’m sorry guys. I really tried. Her eyes closed as she fell victim to the exhaustion and pain. The last thing she felt before she blacked out was a strong hand pull her out from her element.
“Bothersome brat.” Trucido hissed as he felt the pain of the needles through his body. “I should just kill you here. A corpse is as good a ransom as any after all.” His free hand pulled back to strike as Kara lay limp in his clutch. As he moved to end her, he heard a phrase that made him flinch just from its sound.
“Moon Reaver!” A crescent shaped wave of blue energy sliced through the air towards Trucido, who could only release his stored magic out to counter the forceful blow. “Trucido let Kara go!” Andy called out as he burst from the shrubs, the footfalls of the other heroes not far behind.
“Andy.” Trucido spat the name out. Looks like I’ll have to save this for later. He thought. “Though I’d love to stay and hash it out with you like old times, we’ve got more at stake here; namely the life of the princess and my relic. Bring me what I want in one week’s time at this very place or I’ll kill her without a moment’s hesitation.” Trucido held Kara up as a human shield.
“You Bastard!” Andy braced his tremendously large blade out in a combat stance.
“Goodbye Andy! Remember, one week or else!” Trucido threw his hand out and another portal appeared beside him. Andy cried out as he threw another blade beam out towards the portal, but by the time the attack reached, the portal, and its conjurer had vanished into the night.
The other Heroes arrived to see Andy slam his sword against the ground as he cursed violently. “What happened Andy?” Yeligar took to the boy’s side.
“Trucido took her. He’s got Kara and he’s using her as ransom for the relic!” The others gasped while Yeligar put a reassuring hand on Andy’s shoulder.
“We’ll get her back. If Trucido wants the relic so bad we’ll set a trap for him.” He spoke calmly.
“Not good enough!” Andy shouted back defiantly. “We gotta track him down. We’ll head to his base and confront him before he comes back to get the relic. Kara had him injured. We could do it!” Andy turned to the Heroes as he pleaded his case.
“But, we don’t even know where his base is. He always uses those portals to come and go.” Zeke chimed in.
“Zeke’s right. We’re not wasting our time hunting wildly for a place like that. Stop being a brat and let’s figure something out.” Donovan played idly with the cards in his hands, his tone tactless as always.
One by one the others agreed, thinking the idea futile. All of them agreed except for Jasmine. As Andy sank his head down in frustration she came forward to move beside him. “Despite that, we have to try.” She pleaded with the others. “Kara would do the same for any of us. She’s our friend, and all of you know that the Sumata won’t play fair. We have to try at least.”
“Jasmine.” Andy looked up to her, glad to have an ally in his cause.
“You kids.” Yeligar shook his head in defeat. “There’s no changing your mind is there?” One look at the determination in Andy and Jasmine’s face and he knew the answer. “There is a way actually.” He let out with a sigh.
“What?” All of the Heroes exclaimed at once.
“North from here, past Nachtundtag is the base of the Shade Mountains. There is a narrow trail that will lead up the mountains until you reach a wide cave opening. In there lies the soothsayer Lady Profeta. If anyone can tell you where Trucido is, she will. You two will go there to try and learn his lair’s location. The rest of us will stay here and prepare a trap for Trucido.”
“Thank you Yeligar. We’ll succeed, I promise.” Andy shouldered his great blade and rushed back to the hut to gather his supplies with Jasmine in tow. With just a week to look, he needed every moment to count. What Andy didn’t know was that the location of Trucido’s lair was the least of what he’d come to discover in his newest journey.
(END CHAPTER 1)
Chapter 1
It was a cool night for those on the northern edge of Crepusculum. The moon hung high over the towering peaks of the Shade Mountains, and the winds that traveled down sang softly through the trees and into the small town of Manilino. It was late, and nearly everyone had put themselves to bed, every hut and home left only to the pitch of night. Yet amongst the buildings was one where the candles burned brightly and the spirits of those inside were as warm and alive as could be.
“To the Heroes!” The deep voice of Yeligar rang throughout the halls of the local tavern, as he stood with his glass raised before chugging it back. The same cheer echoed as each of the members of the rebellious fighting force, known only as the Heroes cheered back. For most it had been months since they had seen the grandeur of the planet Allorum, and to have come back with victory in hand was enough for a night of celebration for them all.
“My warriors, tonight we celebrate our first major victory over the Sumata and Trucido Damnedblood.” Yeligar’s voice took on a powerful tone as he began to recount the tales of their adventure to Earth. “For those that could not join us, we came through the old portal to the world that many of you call home. Trucido had brought many of his most powerful allies in the Sumata to fend us off as he searched the world for items called relics. Without anyway to locate them, it was all we could do to fight tooth and nail against them, but sadly each time they left us bested in combat, and left with nothing but defeat.” Many of the others nodded their head, remembering their own accounts of the battles.
“But this is not a night of despair is it?” He roared heartily as the Heroes cheered back a loud “No!”. “That’s right! We gave it to those bastards good and strong each time, and it was in our last confrontation that we rose victorious.” Yeligar swung his thick powerful arm down past the table and snagged a pearl necklace off it before raising it in the air. “As long as we hold one relic, we hold that victory in our hands!” The room echoed with his boisterous laughter once more, and most all of the other Heroes cheered and laughed with him.
“I still can’t believe that strange land you came from Andy. It still feels like a dream.” A petite voice came from a young and beautiful girl. Her name was Jasmine Loque. No older than 16, she sat garbed in the traditional robes of a Crepusculum healer. Her blond hair looked to glow in the candlelight, and she held a smile of innocence as she chatted with the young man sitting beside her. Amongst a less interesting crowd, the boy called Andy would have stood out as quite unusual. His appearance matched his manner, his clothes hanging lack and loose on him while his vibrant orange hair stood up, untamed and wild.
“Funny, I can’t help but think I said the same thing of this world. Magic, monsters, royalty bent on global destruction. Every once in a while I still think I’m going to wake up in my old bed on Earth.” He smirked nonchalantly as the two talked over the other Heroes partying in the wooden hut. “Of course, that’d really suck.”
“Oh yeah, and why would that be?” Jasmine leaned in close to him as she asked.
“Uhhh…” Andy stammered, looking to her for only a moment before turning his head upwards, as if hoping the answer had been left on the ceiling for him. His cheeks blushed a little and he was glad she was too short to see it. “Well, I mean it’s not like it’s a common thing for us. Earthlings I mean. The most exciting thing a guy my age gets to do is… drive a car.” He looked around aimlessly for a bit before deciding he’d rather change the topic. “Anyways, enough excitement for a while. We deserve a day to relax. To the Heroes.” He raised his glass to Jasmine and with smiles on both their faces they toasted. Little did Andy, or any of the occupants of that room know that the events about to follow would be anything but a break from that very excitement.
Across the room, a young lady rose up to excuse herself from a table. Her long raven hair wafted back and forth across her back as she moved towards Andy and Jasmine, her poise and posture that of a refined lady. And why not, for to Kara Samsra, the years of royal training had become second nature to her. She tapped her finger gently on Jasmine’s back, waving meekly when she turned around. “Hi guys, having fun?”
“Kara, hey. Yeah it’s been fun. How about for you?”
She shrugged in reply. “It’s been okay, all things considered…” She gestured over to the table she’d come from. All eyes were on Volkmare who stood atop the table in a dramatic pose. Though drowned out by the other voices, it was clear enough the goateed fighter was regaling any that would listen of his battles on Earth. As he spoke, he waved his sword around no doubt mimicking his actions in one of his many fights. “He kind of scares me honestly.”
Andy could only chuckle. “No worries. You can grab a seat with us.”
“Thanks, but I’m actually going to grab a bit of fresh air. I just wanted someone to know I’ll be out for a little bit. Don’t have too much fun without me.” Kara smiled softly and curtsied slightly before turning away and out the door.
Kara took to a gravelly path that lead towards a lake not too far from where they were. Her ears perked up to the sound of water sloshing and splashing and she let out a relaxed sigh. The quiet of nature put her at ease. Though her months traveling with Andy, Jasmine and the others had gotten her more used to crowds and noise and people, she still needed her me time as much as the day they had found her in the frost kingdom, Ghiacco. As she wandered almost instinctively towards the water, her mind wandered back to the strange fragmented memories that had plagued her since she’d been found. She remembered seeing a vast expanse of cold wasteland from high atop. She remembered the sounds of heavy doors slamming, and the rattle of chains, and the feeling of slender soft fingers wrapping around her neck as piercing eyes stared her down. She shook her head violently, snapping out of the dark fragments of her past. “What does it mean?” She mumbled to herself.
As she approached a clump of waist-high shrubs that outlined the river’s approach, her attention was drawn to someone just in the distance. The person was hunched over by the riverbank, and with each second mounds of dirt splashed out to either side in growing piles. Kara moved silently, watching behind a tree with curiosity.
“Come come my pretty little bobble. I know you’re here somewhere.” A deep, coarse voice came from the man who was busy digging away at the earth. He chuckled to himself with a menacing tone. It was a tone that spoke to Kara of danger, a danger she’d encountered more than once in the past. All of a sudden the silhouette of the man seemed to fill in with the details of her memory. The wide brimmed hat, the long coat that draped down under his legs, and the faintest hint of a deep blood red that covered him head to toe.
Trucido! What is he doing here? Kara covered her mouth and watched with uncertainty. She looked back on the faint light of the Heroes party of in the distance. Can I make it? It looks like isn’t paying attention. Taking a deep breath Kara backed up slowly, each step echoing in her ears from the fear that caused her heart to race. The grass was like crunching glass and the dirt was as a grinding stone against her shoes. Then there was a loud snap, clear as day. Dropping down behind one of the bushes she looked at the perpetrator; a single lousy twig from one of the trees laid broken in two. Her breath lay trapped in her lungs as she prayed Trucido hadn’t heard it. When at last she summoned the courage to look she peered through the leaves to see only the empty landscape. She hadn’t a moment to wonder where he’d gone before she felt a disturbingly warm breeze up against her neck.
“It appears I have an audience.” His voice whispered in her ear. Kara jumped forwards through the shrubs and turned to see the Sumata’s leader staring coldly at her. Her hands shook and she felt a lump go down her throat as she pulled her blade out at him. “Oh please now Kara, don’t waste your time. We both know that isn’t going to do anything but get me mad.”
“What are you doing here? What are you looking for?” Kara kept her blade pointed at him, not shirking back from his threat.
“Not much.” He grinned from ear to ear as he played with her. “A little of this, a little of that.”
“There’s nothing here for you, you monster!” Kara shouted out. Her mind ran rampant as she tried to figure a way to get away from Trucido and back to the Heroes. He was powerful, but there was no way he could handle them all. She looked for a moment to the cold rushing waters behind her, and wondered whether she’d use it to fight or flee.
“Oh, but that’s where you’re so very wrong my dear. Truth is, I find myself short a few special little trinkets that are very dear to me. I thought I sensed one near by, but I just can’t seem to find it.”
“The relics.” Kara responded.
“Don’t suppose you’d know where one is?” He looked at her curiously. Kara shook her head defiantly, dreading what she was sure would come next. Trucido shrugged to himself, and his hand moved to his blade. He drew it slowly, letting the metal sing as it rubbed against the sheath. He loved the fear he could see in Kara’s eyes as he did so. “No? Well that’s okay. It just occurred to me there’s an easier way to get one.” His arm snapped to his side, and the blade detached segment by segment till its whip form laid beside him. “Don’t bother running dear. Let’s just make this easy on us both.” He approached her calmly, his free hand extended out as he bayed her near.
“Not a chance!” Kara wasn’t going down without some resistance. The others wouldn’t act any differently no matter the odds, and there was no way she was going to be the weak one. Her free hand tightened as she forced herself to stop shaking, and with a flowing motion of her body she called on her bond with the water’s energy. The river’s flow changed, slowly somewhat as a wave rushed up over the embankment and collided with Trucido. His body slammed against a tree as the water flowed around him and the tree. Kara could not help but smile as she commanded the water to freeze around him, pinning him in place. She looked to the far off light where her friends were and began to bolt towards it.
“I told you not to bother running away.” Trucido spoke with a hint of brewing anger as an ellipse of blackness grew from where the tree had been. He leaned backwards and fell into it, appearing in front of Kara through another similar portal. His whip lashed from side to side, balking Kara from moving any further. “Last chance. I’d hate to have my ransom be beaten and bruised.”
“I said no!” Kara stepped back and once again called on the river behind her. The water swirled above her before lunging as a snake towards the crimson fiend.
“Then face the consequences!” He snarled as he held his hand out. Another one of the swirling vortices appeared in front of him and swallowed the water inside. Trucido raised his other hand and another portal appeared over Kara, letting the water rush violently towards her. She had only her instincts to trust as her arms shot up to rein in the water’s wrath. It looked to crash against the air around her before staying still as a dome around her.
Kara’s breath was heavy as her body bent and swayed, urging her element around for another attack. The flow diverged in two as it rushed to either side of Trucido. With startling speed he sprang forward in-between the two attacks as they collided with each other. In an instant he was right beside her, and his arm swung powerfully at Kara’s head. She flew backwards as he connected, and by the way the air stung the inside of her nostrils she was sure her nose was broken.
This is nothing. Nothing as bad as any of the others have had. Kara rolled with the blow back to her feet and she cried out as she hurled the water of the lake out as balls of sheer force.
“Come to me darkness!” Trucido cried out in response as his hand trembled in front of him with his dark power. Forming spheres of pitch he countered her attacks, one by one. The space between them burst with water and evil magic again and again as neither would budge an inch. Only after they exchanged blows for more times then either could count did they finally cease.
“Do you realize now how useless this is?” Trucido cackled as his hand continued to brim with darkness. “Now be a good girl and-“
“Now!” Kara interrupted him as her whole body conjured her magic in an elegant display. All around them the droplets of water that had fell to the ground from her previous spells turned to icy needles before firing out at Trucido. His face twisted in an expression of rage as he brought his arms up to guard the attack. Once more a portal appeared to consume the attack, but the needles came from too many angles to defend. By the time it ended all but Trucido’s front were covered in the deadly points.
“You BITCH!” Trucido cracked his whip violently at his side once before lashing out at Kara. She parried the blow with her blade, her hand shaking with the force behind his whip. Again and again his weapon pounded against hers till her hand went numb with the vibrations he sent through her sword. The next slash of his whip beat the blade from her weakened grasp, but by the look on his face she could tell he wasn’t going to let up. His free hand rose up and lobbed a sphere of darkness at her again and again. “You had your chance, now revel in your failure!” Kara tried to keep up, but she could feel that Trucido had been playing with her as the water she struck out with was annihilated by his magic. As one tore past a shield she brought up it struck her in the chest. She could feel all the air forced from her lungs as her body was blown backwards into the rushing waters.
It wasn’t enough. Kara despaired as she could feel her consciousness slipping. She couldn’t even muster the strength to bring herself out from the water. I’m sorry guys. I really tried. Her eyes closed as she fell victim to the exhaustion and pain. The last thing she felt before she blacked out was a strong hand pull her out from her element.
“Bothersome brat.” Trucido hissed as he felt the pain of the needles through his body. “I should just kill you here. A corpse is as good a ransom as any after all.” His free hand pulled back to strike as Kara lay limp in his clutch. As he moved to end her, he heard a phrase that made him flinch just from its sound.
“Moon Reaver!” A crescent shaped wave of blue energy sliced through the air towards Trucido, who could only release his stored magic out to counter the forceful blow. “Trucido let Kara go!” Andy called out as he burst from the shrubs, the footfalls of the other heroes not far behind.
“Andy.” Trucido spat the name out. Looks like I’ll have to save this for later. He thought. “Though I’d love to stay and hash it out with you like old times, we’ve got more at stake here; namely the life of the princess and my relic. Bring me what I want in one week’s time at this very place or I’ll kill her without a moment’s hesitation.” Trucido held Kara up as a human shield.
“You Bastard!” Andy braced his tremendously large blade out in a combat stance.
“Goodbye Andy! Remember, one week or else!” Trucido threw his hand out and another portal appeared beside him. Andy cried out as he threw another blade beam out towards the portal, but by the time the attack reached, the portal, and its conjurer had vanished into the night.
The other Heroes arrived to see Andy slam his sword against the ground as he cursed violently. “What happened Andy?” Yeligar took to the boy’s side.
“Trucido took her. He’s got Kara and he’s using her as ransom for the relic!” The others gasped while Yeligar put a reassuring hand on Andy’s shoulder.
“We’ll get her back. If Trucido wants the relic so bad we’ll set a trap for him.” He spoke calmly.
“Not good enough!” Andy shouted back defiantly. “We gotta track him down. We’ll head to his base and confront him before he comes back to get the relic. Kara had him injured. We could do it!” Andy turned to the Heroes as he pleaded his case.
“But, we don’t even know where his base is. He always uses those portals to come and go.” Zeke chimed in.
“Zeke’s right. We’re not wasting our time hunting wildly for a place like that. Stop being a brat and let’s figure something out.” Donovan played idly with the cards in his hands, his tone tactless as always.
One by one the others agreed, thinking the idea futile. All of them agreed except for Jasmine. As Andy sank his head down in frustration she came forward to move beside him. “Despite that, we have to try.” She pleaded with the others. “Kara would do the same for any of us. She’s our friend, and all of you know that the Sumata won’t play fair. We have to try at least.”
“Jasmine.” Andy looked up to her, glad to have an ally in his cause.
“You kids.” Yeligar shook his head in defeat. “There’s no changing your mind is there?” One look at the determination in Andy and Jasmine’s face and he knew the answer. “There is a way actually.” He let out with a sigh.
“What?” All of the Heroes exclaimed at once.
“North from here, past Nachtundtag is the base of the Shade Mountains. There is a narrow trail that will lead up the mountains until you reach a wide cave opening. In there lies the soothsayer Lady Profeta. If anyone can tell you where Trucido is, she will. You two will go there to try and learn his lair’s location. The rest of us will stay here and prepare a trap for Trucido.”
“Thank you Yeligar. We’ll succeed, I promise.” Andy shouldered his great blade and rushed back to the hut to gather his supplies with Jasmine in tow. With just a week to look, he needed every moment to count. What Andy didn’t know was that the location of Trucido’s lair was the least of what he’d come to discover in his newest journey.
(END CHAPTER 1)
