Chapter VII ~ The Past + Pirates = Problems

Choco was riding through the woods, “Faster Jumbo faster” she urged. Jumbo, with a gazelle’s grace, leapt and rushed through the foliage.

Nefarious, how did they find me? She knew she had what they wanted, but she wasn’t going to give it to them that easily.

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The barbarian after many months of trekking had finally reached his final destination. A burnt down home in the middle of the countryside. The place had recently burnt down, and he spotted elephant tracks leading out from the back. Great more walking.

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Mr. Strider, Rebel, Goon, Stealth, Furry and Minty all were drinking, as they took a moment’s break. Then Mr. Strider continued.

“Xoro, she was the current Darkest back then, but things didn’t go as Lagalos and I planned.

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Ronneir Strider, at the age of twenty manoeuvred through a mountain of books, scrolls and ancient texts.

“Laga?” Ronneir called out.
“Over here Ron!” Walking over, he found Lagalos only thirty-five years old hunched over a gallery of tiny prints.
“Why’d you call me here man? You know I have some chicks to pick up.” Ronneir was impatient and irritated by his friend’s sudden urgent call.
“Ron look at this, check out these texts right there.”
“Why, looks like a fancy door.”
“Not just any door, this is THE Sleeping Gates.” Lagalos’ speed was getting faster.
“It’s an old door, suppose to hold all the power of the Gods, but it was only opened once, and it flowed in magic, that destroyed everything and supposedly created everything in a new way. Demons, spells, sages the list goes on.” Lagalos’ hands were swinging wildly expressing his excitement.

“Ok and this matters why?”
“Easy, there are four equipments that are famed to have been created by the ether of the Sleeping Gates: The Harp of Tears, the War Robe, the Divided Blade, and the Lens of Grace.”
“Uh huh...” Ronnier began to doze of, and daydream about the elven girls he just met.
“With all four you can reopen the door, but worse yet, everything will be destroyed again.”
“Uh huh...” Ronnier still uninterested.
“Listen, everything destroyed, means no girls. Of ANY race.” Lagalos looked at him very sternly.
“So what does that have to do with us? Those items are probably guarded really well if that was what could happen.”
“They were, but I’ve been hearing around the elven council that three of the four artifacts have gone missing.” Lowering his voice as though the books themselves were writing the conversation.

“I think someone’s trying to reopen the gate.”
“Okay lets say someone is trying to open the gate, why us, out of the millions of soldiers, fighters and mercenary would even go out to find this last artefact or the missing three. And how the heck would we get to it if no one else can.”

“Because everyone knows that the War Robe is something The Darkest always carries.”
“Hah how do we beat someone that strong.”
“So far, most of the people going there have been fighting for just themselves, but if we work together, we could easily take down this person.”
“Alright and if we fail, we die.”
“Yep.”
“No resurrection at all.”
“What is this? A game? Of course we stay dead.”

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Lagalos left the meeting to take a breather. He could not fathom why in any sake, Ronneir would do this. He knew that the group he’s in is very fond of Ronneir, and if this was to surface, they would try their best to ensure it wasn’t him.

“Hey, you ok?” Deblo put his hand on Lagalos’ shoulders. “No I’m not.”

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“There it is, according to my research this is where the latest Darkest lives.” Ronneir and Lagalos stared at the large sloping mountain and narrow channels. A perfect place for one powerful wizard to defend against thousands trying to climb their way up.

“So your sure this plan of yours will work?” Ronneir looked uncertain as he looked at the long climb ahead.
“Yep, the Darkest won’t expect long range physical attacks, so I’ll find a camp out and you try to live long enough to bring her out.”
“And if that doesn’t work.”
“I got Plan B.”
“Good.”

They slowly made up the rocky mountain side, more so Ronneir slowly climbed up as Lagalos flew. Where they finally reached the top, they found a large castle.

“Creepy.”
“Very.”

They’re journey was cut short when they saw a line-up outside of the castle door, filled with large muscular creatures, some looking fierce to some looking like a rock.
“That is a rock...” Ronneir pointed out.
“Oh my eyes must be going.”

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Xoro watched as the Nefarious pirates held her down, and as the blade swept into her fingers, no blood came out. A black ooze, ripened the air, as it escaped from Xoro’s wound.

“By the great whales of Ishmael. What is that?” The Captain jumped back with both his blades out on guard, his crew followed suit.
“I’ve been dead a long time Captain. This is my bloodvow.” Xoro’s eyes misted, and her skin grew paler. Black ooze ran from her wound, covering her entire body in ritualistic symbols.

The Captain knew he was in trouble, this cleric was a servant of the demon lords, something quite unpleasant to cross. Black lightning soon was cuffed in her hands as she let loose a thunderous explosion. The ship was instantly shattered, as everyone was killed. Floating there, Xoro watched the clouds roll away. She was tired.

As the water around her blackened, he eyes regained their colours and slowly her breathing slowed. Then as she submerged underwater, she barely spoke the name “Ron”.

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Ronneir had finish telling his story, and they all had begun to set out to the temple with the War Robe. They were already on the path to the temple when suddenly he felt a horrible pang inside of him. Crouching over, he could barely stand up without the aid of Stealth and Goon.

“Mr. Strider, what happened? Are you ok?” Rebel ran towards him, ready to cast and repair a wound or illness he may have got.

“No, I’m fine, really, just that I think something’s gone wrong. We need to get to the temple faster.”

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

“NEXT!” The summoned stone guardian bellowed.
“Hey Ron! Wake up, I think it’s us.” Waiting in line for hours on end to have a chance to combat the Darkest for the War Robe was unprecedented until recently where challengers by the hundreds would climb up the mountain only to be killed or maimed.

“Huh? Oh us? Ok, you lead Laga.” He followed him in as the guardian stopped them and boomed out, “BOTH OF YOU WILL CHALLENGE HER?”

“Uh yeah is that a problem?” Lagalos tried to stand tall and strong, but the stone guardian was eight times his height.

“WHO WOULD GET THE ROBE SHOULD YOU BOTH SUCCEED!”
“Uh, I guess that would be... Ron”
“Wait what? I don’t want it.”
“You look better in a dress anyways.”
“Ah you jerk.”
“PROCEED THEN!”
They entered the hall, and there they saw burnt markings, blood stain, broken weapons and scatters of creature remains everywhere.

“Uh that’s not a good sign for us.”
“Nope.” Stepping over fresh carcasses, Lagalos and Ronneir heard a voice that surrounded them.
“Welcome, to my lair, oh and what do we have here? Two fine warriors yes?” There she was, the Darkest, with her jet black wings sitting on her throne high above the ground.

A tiny twitch in her face, when she looked at Lagalos flew by. “An elf? That’s quite rare to have. None the less, another dead body is just another dead body.”

She then waved her finger a bit, and lightning danced between them.
“RON GET FOR COVER!” Lagalos knew that spell, it was a powerful one, and he had no time to stop it.

The lightning flickered and then made contact with Ronneir’s chest, sending him flying back into a large pile of the dead. Lagalos wasted no time, he pulled an arrow and fired it, but the Darkest was faster, she casted a Plume shell reflecting the arrow.

Shit so she really is a cleric... this is bad. Lagalos ran with the speed of the eagles, and soon found himself flying pass the ground as open portals of dark vortexes try to ensnare him.

“Oh you’re quick aren’t you.” Lightning danced across her fingers again, and then made contact with Lagalo’s back. Sighing in boredom, she was about to call in for the next set but she saw blue feathers floating around Lagalos.

He rolled over and fired multiple arrows at her, and almost caught by surprise, she placed her plume shell. “Oh you’re quite a clever one. Using your winged shell like that.”

“No I’m the clever one.” Ronneir was behind her throne, with a blade at her neck as he jerked his arm, and the Darkest went limp.

“Told you it’d work.” Lagalos said. Ronneir staggered out, and pulled out a burnt sheet of rubber. A sealed pack of water, insulation, and dried dung.

“Ok ok so your crappy elemental armour worked, but why the dung?”
“I didn’t think you’d use it.”
“Ah you jerk.” Then a black arrow flew and went right through Lagalo’s chest. He stood there staring at Ronneir. Ronneir spun around and threw a blade at the Darkest. The blade went through her shoulder and pinned her to the throne.

Ronneir saw the gaping wound around her neck closing up, and realized they were running out of time. He ran and picked up Lagalos. Before the Darkest could pull out the blade, they both were gone.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Ronneir, Rebel, Goon, Stealth, Furry and Minty reached the temple’s entrance but Ronneir was now in further panic.

“No no no no, shit... shiiit...” Ronneir was in fear and guilt now.
“What’s wrong?” Rebel asked.
“The traps, they’re all activated.” Running inside, he emerged minutes later. “It’s.... it’s... gone...”
“Wait you mean they already came here? Nefarious?” Goon pulled out his sword, expecting an attack. Lix was standing by, waiting for the first sound of a threat.

“No it can’t be them, who ever did this went through alone, damn... there’s only one track in and out, and all the traps were useless.” Ronneir was walking back and forth, quickly then in circles.

“FUCK IT ALL!” He screamed out.

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Choco was feeding her elephant when suddenly a rustling through the foliage made her grab her mage sword. Then through it, she fired her most powerful lightning spell. The creature fell back and made a familiar moan.

Carefully going out to inspect, she saw a barbarian too familiar. “HUCK! OH MY FFSGHAAA YOU SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF ME!!”

Huck lay there, “Hey Choco, I finally found you.”
“What you were looking for me?”
“Yeah I need to tell you something.”
“What?”
“Pirate Island.”
“What?”
“An island full of pirates.”
“What?” After some explanation and catching up, she understood what he wanted. Someone to help him go to Pirate Island and dig for treasure; he said it was easy, and she saw no reason to not believe that.

“Um why are you still lying down?”
“Oh I can’t get up, my armour doesn’t move well.”
“Oh...” Choco couldn’t carry him up so she tied him to Jumbo as he pulled Huck back up.
“Thanks.”

Choco was glad for this, she needed to get away from everything, Nefarious would never find her on an island full of pirates, and they’d never expect anyone to go there, not with the treasure she had.

Damnit Ely, you are really good !! this is really really riveting !! MORE MORE MORE !!!

I agree with hobo! More please! :-P

.. this is awesome lol im left behind.. way left behind lol