I walked, tired from a long journey. I had run for about 20 minutes, and was finally at my destination. This was plenty of running for an inexperienced swordsman only in his teens. The people here call me Buttons. Back before I came to this horrid land of Dereth, I was a jester& so some here even call me Buttons the Clown, which was my stage name. Beside me stood a man in his prime, with piercing blue eyes. I called him Pooz, but the common folk called him Ncf-Poozer. I didn't know much about him, but something led me to trust him, and to look up to him. I looked at Pooz and grinned.
"We're finally here!" I said, but no reply came. He stood by me, cool and collected. He pulled his bow from his backpack and gestured forward. I followed him, sword and shield in hand. We walked autonomously through the murky Tusker Holding, and looked around as we came to the first hall. This was my first time here, and I thought it may be my last. Only the strong warriors came here, the bold ones who knew no fear.
"Be careful, and walk where I walk." Pooz said, his voice still unalarmed. He walked along the side of the wall, and jumped as far as he could to the other side of the room, where a huge figure of an Empyrean head stood, looking at us intently. I jumped to where he did, but stumbled a little when I landed right behind him. The noise of my fall had alarmed our foes, and they came running at us at once. "This should be fun," Pooz said with a wink.
The Tuskers sprinted at us, roaring with fury that we had invaded their territory. Mouths foaming as they ran, their roar sent shivers down my spine. This was my first encounter with a Tusker of this much skill. "Just relax," Pooz told me as took a arrow from his quiver and put it to his bow. He unleashed the first arrow when the Tusker was less than a foot away from us, and impaled the beast in the eye. The monster fell down dead, and it's brothers attacked us with rage. I pulled out my Takuba and Buckler, and got in a ready stance. Pooz and I stood back to back, surrounded by more than ten foes.
I sliced at the Tusker in front of me, who looked at me square in the eyes. He punched my face with his huge claws knocking me to the ground. I quickly jumped up and drank a potion that Pooz had given me earlier. As I gulped down the potion, another Tusker hit me from behind, and I was unable to block myself with my shield. I fell again, and I was becoming exhausted fast. Pooz turned around when he heard me cry in pain. He shot at a tusker who was about to pummel me to my death, but was soon brought to the ground by a monster that was behind him.
The tuskers bashed at our helpless bodies, as our weapons were taken away from us. They surrounded us as we were on our knees, unable to defend ourselves. Behind the Tuskers, we heard a slow chanting, and time seemed to stand still. We looked past the tuskers sleek coats of fur and saw an elderly man standing near the head statue. He was doing something, and we saw his mouth move leisurely.
After a few moments when the tuskers had decided to dispose of us for threatening their species, they got ready to attack us. "What are we going to do!" I asked my comrade.
"I think we will be fine," Pooz said and with that, we were blinded by a huge wave of fireballs which had come from the direction of the mysterious man's corner. Four tuskers fell, and we soon got to our feet and grabbed our bow and sword. Arrows flew and firebolts soared as we all attacked the remaining Tuskers. I looked up as I struck the last beast down with my flaming sword. The man who had saved us looked through his packs, counting his spell components.
"I really should stop saving people like that, it's expensive to buy Platinum Scarabs, you know." He said with a grin.
"Who are you?" asked Pooz. The reply came after a moment of silence as the man finished his counting.
"Maybe you should look to what saved you before who saved you. Just call me Drack"
"Drack that's an odd name, it can't be your real one," Said Pooz. I looked at my friend with a quizzical look. Should you really be pestering at him? I wondered.
"It isn't, it's what I call myself and what the people call me, it's been too long since I've used my old name, I can't remember it now. Besides, you ask too many questions for someone who was so close to death 5 minutes ago."
"Death doesn't scare me," Pooz scowled.
I whispered to Pooz, "Do you know him or something?" I asked. Pooz just shushed me and continued talking with our savior.
"So why are you here? You questing for tusks also? You look different, Drack. More stressed maybe?"
"Doesn't matter to you, now does it?"
"I guess not. Well, thanks for helping us I guess." Pooz replied. I knew there was tension between the two. It seemed like they were long lost friends, could they be? It surely is possible; I dont know much about Pooz. For all I know, he could be working for the enemies themselves.
We left our liberator behind us as we walked further into the dungeon, fighting our way to the bottom pit. Countless amounts of shaggy beasts fell to my fiery blade, and to Pooz's arrows. As he shot the scorched tipped arrows through his sleek black bow, he looked so heroic, so strong, and so valiant. I looked up to him, and I wanted to be him so badly. I shrugged off my dream and continued killing. When we reached the bottom of the dark and gloomy dungeon, we were exhausted. Our armor was covered in a deep red shade of blood when we stumbled into the final room. We peaked past the corner of the wall and saw about 25 or 30 Tuskers, only standing there.
"Here we go!" In slow motion, a single flaming arrow shot across the room. The sound that came next made me cringe. The tusker that was hit fell the ground and a pool of blood splattered all around it. Other tuskers looked around the tusker, confused as to how it died. In the dark, one tusker saw the blue eyes of my fellow warrior, and charged us in fury. I got out my sword once again, and breathed slowly, "Its okay, just calm down and we can own these guys, no worries!"
Within minutes, we were surrounded, and we were being bashed quickly and painfully. Pooz's arrows shot furiously, and he yelled when a tusker gashed him in the face with it's tusks. Blood dripped from the side of his face as he shot back at the Tusker, who evaded the unfocused archer easily. I reached around and slashed at the Tusker's face, and a Tusk fell from the horrid looking beast. It cried as it fell to the ground, and I grabbed the Tusk quickly.
"Got one! Let's get outta' here! I said, and Pooz nodded. Pooz and I whipped out our wands and portaled to safety. When traveling through portal space, I thought of the job well done that had just taken place. On the other side of the portal however, things weren't so bright. I looked around, and Pooz was nowhere in sight. The only person in front of me was a woman in a turquoise robe. Her eyes were gloomy and she was kneeling away from me, looking at the scenery. After I noticed her, I noticed just exactly where I was and fright struck me.