Well… that went well…
Regal: I agree this did go well.
Me: yes, apparently gore isn't on the shock factor.
Regal: honestly I expected some guys to be going NICE!!
Me: so regal how shall we set up the rest of this encounter?
Regal: well I think we should cover what happens with Seth's group and Lloyd's group in a special way.
Me: I see what you're getting at. Enough prattle what do we always say?
Regal: don't get eliminated!!
Me: wrong show…
Regal: Jakonen owns nothing. And warning what seems to be an hour may actually be about ten minutes
Betrayer
The trio stood aghast in the presence of Arcueid doused in blood and holding Narse's severed limb.
"What's the matter guys? You look like you've seen a horrific display of violence" Arcueid sneered.
Her speech has a moderate English accent.
"Arcueid what the hell did you just do?" Seth yelled.
Arcueid scratched her chin with the severed limb of the fallen guard.
"Well unfortunately little peon Narse was going to spoil the surprise when he saw a part of me that normally doesn't go on a human." Arcueid replied with an innocent look on her face.
There was a flash of movement behind Arcueid. A long rope like form was waving and wiping around in the shadows.
"Normally hair shouldn't move like it was a sentient creature." Arcueid finished.
The rope form emerged from the blackness. It was a long braid, approximately ten feet in length that had a sharpened point at the end.
The sharp end was caked with dripping with drying blood.
"To be honest I shouldn't have used it; it practicallymurder to comb it all" Arcueid continued.
Lainey was looking around frantically.
"What the hell happened to the cookie salesperson, Arcueid Brunestud?" She asked nervously.
Arcueid chuckled.
"Arcueid Brunestud has been dead for over 200 years." She replied.
Seth tightened his grip on his sword.
"So you've been jerking us around this whole time!?" Seth yelled.
"Not jerking, more rather, prodding to be in the right." Arcueid answered.
"What exactly do you mean?" Ein asked.
"My colleagues and I needed more information on the world's savoir." Arcueid explained.
"What better way to get information on the father then to ask the son."
Her hands extended into claws.
"My name is Arcueid Balcroft!" She yelled, "Remember it in the next world!"
Seth immediately pulled out his over and under crossbow he bought earlier today.
He fired the two shots he loaded in earlier simultaneously. Both arrows were deflected by Arcueid's braid.
Ein pulled out one of he flowers he had on his person. He began to chant.
"I call upon nature's wrath to ensnare my enemy! Crushing Vines!!" He shouted
Large vines and roots burst from the ground and entangled them selves around Arcueid's legs and midsection although her arms were free.
"When the hell could you do that?!" Seth said.
"For as long as I can remember." Ein replied.
Lainey pounded her fist in her other hand and charged toward Arcueid.
"Wyrm Crush" Lainey yelled.
Her hand became encompassed by energy.
Lainey's fist collided with Arcueid's face.
Arcueid spat the blood that was gathering in her mouth.
"A futile effort" Arcueid said.
Her body flexed. Her arms pulled on the vines that held her. She ripped through them as if they were nothing but paper.
Her eyes flashed Crimson as her braid rammed itself into the ground and suspended her in the air.
Her entire body lunged. Seth quickly drew his sword.
She released an insane laugh her claws tore into Seth's abdomen.
Seth winced in pain. He gritted his teeth.
"Congratulations Arcueid, you just pissed me off." Seth Growled.
He held his sword back handed and drove it through Arcueid's back and into himself.
"How do you like them apples?" Seth yelled. He pulled the sword out and kicked Arcueid away.
The ragged man smirked after seeing the teenagers take Arcueid away. "Divide and conquer what an absolutely boring tactic." He stated, "I really thought you people would have done something a tad bit more, what's the word, Heroic."
"To be honest I though there would at least be some minions we had to get through to fight you." Lloyd replied.
"Well minions are also a boring tactic an also-" the ragged man continued.
The cloaked figure stepped closer two the conversation. A small bit of fog seemed to follow him along with near inaudible whispering.
"Zazamel, Enough" The cloaked figure said. His voice was deep and could make blood freeze.
The ragged man, now known to be Zazamel, quickly bowed, "yes my lord"
The cloaked man was taller than most, almost 7 feet tall. His broad shoulders suggested a muscular build. A small strand of silver and green hair revealed it's self from the opening in his hood.
"I will give you a choice Zazamel," he said, "which one would you like to kill?"
Zazamel raised his head. "I will take the silver haired one."
"Very well then" the cloaked man said. The man removed his cloak.
The man wore heavy black armor that was adorned with metallic skeletal decorations. His sword that hung at his side looked like the blade was attached to a spine of something very large.
Its blade was almost a serrated edge and looked to need two hands to wield.
His hair was long sliver with a streak of green in it.
The most horrifying part of the man was that of his eyes. His eyes were an icy blue that could stop a man cold in his tracks.
He looked like he hadn't slept in about a year.
Zazamel put his hands together and ghostly runes surrounded them.
Lloyd drew his swords, Genis readied his staff, and Byth and Goth shifted their spears.
"Well then, Let us dance" Zazamel said. He pulled his hands apart.
A ring appeared at Genis's feet. It rose until it covered his body and he disappeared. Zazamel disappeared as well.
The Group looked around frantically.
Lloyd turned to the Black knight.
"Where are they!?" he demanded.
The Armored one closed his eyes. "My subordinate usually wants a one on one fight against what appears to be the strongest magic user in an opponents group. Zazamel doesn't like interruptions, so he teleported somewhere nearby; but far enough away so no one could interfere."
Lloyd shifted his sword grip.
"So I guess that just leaves it at 3 against one." Goth said.
The knight laughed. His laugh could curdle fresh milk.
"On the contrary, your completely surrounded." he said.
He raised his hand. A black flame surrounded his hand.
The ground rumbled and cracked.
For a moment there was silence.
Suddenly a hand shot up from ground near the armored man.
The skeleton that was connected rose from the hole. Glowing red orb in the eye-sockets shone in the darkness.
More and more hands rose with skeletons connected to them. Surprisingly they were all armed with swords.
This continued until, as previously stated, Lloyd's group was completely surrounded.
"Anyone else not see that coming?" Byte said.
The armored man lowered his hand, "Attack!"
Immediately the Skeletons clashed with the three.
Goth crushed one's skull with swift shield bash.
Lloyd's blades cut through bone and marrow as he hacked apart 3 nearby skeletons
Byth spear rent its way into a ribcage as the impaled skeleton jerked around to get free.
"If there weren't so many I'd call this light exercise" Lloyd observed as more of the undead horde approached the trio.
Genis observed his surroundings, searching for some clue as to where he was.
The trees rustled in the wind.
"You look a bit confused" Zazamel said emerging from the brush.
"Where are we?" Genis demanded.
"Oh, were about 100 yards away from were we once were." Zazamel stated, "Though I can't give an exact direction to them. I never pay attention to these things."
Zazamel pulled a pipe from his clothing; a small fire appeared from his thumb as he lit it.
"Now I'm going to give you, oh say ten seconds to run away. Mind you I'm horrible at math." Zazamel smirked. He put the pipe to his mouth a bubbles rose from the end.
"I don't see any reason to run" Genis said, "if your stronger than me you'd catch up to me for sure, if your weaker ill just beat you and be on my way"
Zazamel eyed him carefully. "You know you're not as dumb as you look. Very well as they usually say En guard!"
Zazamel's fingers glowed blue. His fingers flied around and drew a star in the air with ghostly runes around it.
Electricity shot between Genis's hands as he prepped a spell.
"Thunder Blade!!" Genis shouted as his spell manifested.
The enormous electrical sword that Genis had conjured threw itself at Zazamel.
"Wild magic # 56! Chaotic Surge!" Zazamel commanded as he molded the arcane energies.
The Thunder Blade was sucked into the magic circle that Zazamel created.
The magic circle lurched and shot out electrical squirrels as Genis.
"Is that the best you can do!?" Genis laughed.
One of the squirrels hit a tree behind him. An enormous electrical surge burst forth and the tree disintegrated.
"Oh Shi-, Force Field!" Genis commanded hastily.
Three of the remaining four squirrels of squirrelly doom collided with the invisible barrier he had brought into existence.
The Force Field was ripped apart.
The last squirrel approached quickly.
"Reversal!" Genis said. A Burst of energy shot the last squirrel back at Zazamel.
The squirrel exploded in Zazamel's face ripping off his hood.
Genis now found out why he hid his face.
Half of Zazamel's face was that of a Teddy Bear.
"Well then thing are getting a tad bit more interesting." Zazamel said.
"Let's end this soon" Genis said.
"Party pooper; it's only been, what, two minutes" Zazamel wined. His hands glowed with a wide variety of colors. "Wild Magic # 12, Prismatic Blast!"
A violent rainbow of energy ripped its way from Zazamel's hand.
The colorful beams that shot out burned, froze, melted, disintegrated, turned to stone, grew, shrank, shredded, teleported, healed, harmed, and baked everything in its path.
Genis could only raise his hand in defense.
"Is there no end to them?" Goth yelled destroying his 30th skeleton.
"Screw this!" Byth screamed. He bulled over 3 skeletons and charged at the armored man.
"You dare challenge me?" The Armored man chided. He pulled his massive sword out. An unnatural mist surrounded the blade. He held it with one hand prepared for Byth's charge.
Byth's spear crashed into the Armored man's chest. It broke apart like it was made of uncooked spaghetti.
Byth pulled out the sword that was on his belt. Attacking from every possible manor Byth swung his sword at the Armored man.
The Black Knight easily blocked each hit. Sometimes he didn't even bother to block. He read every one of Byth's move like it was a children's book.
Lloyd ripped apart 5 skeletons as he made his way through to Byth and the Armored man.
Goth bashed and stabbed his way through to the two as well.
Byth was desperately trying to get a hit on the armored man.
The armored man blocked another attack with his sword.
"I've had my fun, its time for you to die now." The armored man said with a chill.
The man slashed his sword at Byth. Byth raised his shield to block. The sword shattered the shield in a single blow.
The Knight swung again. Byth raised his sword to deflect the blow. The Knights massive sword sundered its way strait through Byth's blade. It continued and took part of Byth's head as it passed thought it.
Finally in the follow through, the knight cleaved off Byth's arm at the shoulder.
"Byth! You-!" Goth yelled, "You Son of A Bitch!" Goth charged at the armored man.
The armored man simply pointed his sword at Goth.
"I call upon the spirits of the dead; become a destructive force to smite my foe" He said, "Soul Strike!"
Ghostly forms from the mist surrounding the knight's sword threw themselves at Goth.
The blast ripped apart Goth's arm and flung him into a near by tree.
Lloyd used the moment to strike. His fiery sword Flamberge sunk into the Armored man's side.
Lloyd jumped away before the armored man could retaliate.
"This has been the first time I have been wounded in quite some time. Congratulations are in order." The armored man said.
"I don't need congratulations from nameless men!" Lloyd yelled.
"My apologies, my name is Quincy." The man replied, "It will be the last name you'll ever know."
"Seth, be careful you're bleeding really bad!" Lainey cried.
"I'm fine Lainey worry about me after she's beaten" Seth winced.
Arcueid was clutching her open wound. "That was unlike your fighting style Seth." She said
"You're supposed to be calculative and patient about your attacks, yet you injure yourself to get to me. I didn't expect that." Arcueid observed.
"Whatever gets the job done" Seth replied to her remark.
Ein walked next to Seth. He pulled out a branch of holly and placed it on Seth's wound.
"Nature's water of life; restore your servant to his former self" Ein chanted.
A cool feeling over ran Seth's pain. The wound closed in a matter of moments.
Seth was not entirely good as new. The pain was still in his abdomen simply less severe.
Arcueid scowled. "He is a healer too?" She said to herself.
"Tsk, fine ill just kill you first!" Arcueid yelled. Her braid snaked back for a strike.
Time moved at a painfully slow pace.
The braid drew ever closer with split ends drifting in the air.
Ein jumped to the side moving an inch and hour.
Seth felt the need to jump but his body could not respond.
The snake like hair closed to mere centimeters away from Ein's face.
A blur flew from the corner of Seth's eye.
The braid was half gone.
A thud was heard as a crash was heard against a tree.
The remainder of the snakelike braid went limp and fell to the floor.
Seth glanced around his surroundings.
Ein was unharmed as was Lainey.
The missing part of the braid was lodged in a tree along with a large double sided axe.
"I'm sorry Arcueid but your fun is over." A female voice echoed.
Two golden eyes from the shadows in which the blur came from appeared.
The eyes leapt into the clearing.
Alice the cat was standing in between Arcueid and Seth.
The white cat glowed with a blinding light.
Seth had to cover his eyes.
"Did you really think these kids were the only ones to fight here?" the voice said.
The light vanished and the cat was no longer there.
What stood in its place was a woman.
She had paw like hands and feet. Cat like ears rose from her white flowing hair.
Green cat eyes shone in the moonlight.
She was completely nude. Though to the untrained eye one would not think so due to the white fur that seemed to double for clothing.
"What in the nine hells are you doing here Alice?!" Arcueid demanded, "You're supposed to be dead!"
The woman pulled the axe from the tree. "You know me, I have nine lives."
"Seth!" The woman yelled, "You look like you need some help."
Seth sat their dumbstruck. His cat just turned into a person and is talking to him.
"S-sure!" Seth stammered.
"Alright let's do this!" Alice exclaimed.
"Umm, what now?" Lainey asked.
"Less questions, more action" Ein replied robotically.
"Right!" Seth stated.
Lainey rushed Arcueid. Her foot planted itself into Arcueid's stab wound.
Arcueid howled in pain.
Alice swung mightily at Arcueid. The axe came close to hacking off Arcueid's arm, but instead gave her a bloody gash.
Ein drew his knife and bounded of a tree. He spun through the air.
"Screw Attack!" Ein yelled as his knife drilled its way into Arcueid's lung.
Arcueid gasped for air, yet unable to obtain it with her punctured lung. She slowly slunk to the ground.
A pool of blood began to form around her corpse.
The four paused to catch their breaths.
Alice placed her Axe on her shoulder.
Seth stared at Alice.
"Now I would like an explanation." Seth suggested.
Alice sighed. "Alright where to start, I'm not from this planet. Neither is Arcueid or the other two for that matter."
"So where are you from exactly?" Ein questioned.
"I do not see the merit of answering that. Though I will tell you that it is a near by planet." Alice replied.
"so how did you end up here?" Lainey asked.
"I was pursuing these three for quite some time, when I finally confronted them I was sucked into a vortex and I ended up here. Weakened by the encounter I had to assume that cat form for the majority of the time. That was about five years ago."
"any more questions you would like to ask?"
The teens looked at each other.
"No" they said in unison.
"Good, now we have to hurry to your father, he's going to need our help." Alice said hastily.
She rushed off in the direction of the camp.
"Come on lets go!" Seth ordered as he followed suit.
Ein and Lainey followed soon after.
Seth darted between trees trying to keep up with Alice.
Lainey soon pulled ahead of him with Ein trailing behind.
Alice stopped. The rest stopped with her.
"What is it Alice?" Lainey asked.
"Seth, you're too slow with that wound." Alice said.
Seth glanced down to see that his stab and slash wound had reopened.
"let me take care of that" Alice said.
She closed her eyes and spoke silently.
Her paw glowed and she pressed it against Seth's abdomen.
The wound was completely removed from pain and was healed as if it never existed.
"Wow, thanks" Seth said in gratitude.
"You can heal too?" Ein asked.
"Yes, and I observed your healing abilities earlier, a good effort but only good for a quick fix." She appraised
"Yeah, yeah first time in practical use, lay off me." Ein huffed.
"do we really need to do this now?" Lainey urged.
The four quickly started to run again.
Clang
The clash of steel on steel resounded in the forest.
Clang
It rapidly increased.
The sounds of combat grew with each step they took.
Clang
A clearing appeared ahead with a camp fire blazing.
Seth stopped in his tracks to see a large man in even larger armor fighting his father.
The fight it seemed was evenly matched.
Regal: O.o The heck!! Cat human! Ein spell caster, teddy bear face, squirrels of doom; what is wrong with you.
Me: planed whole time.
Regal: dang and still you haven't done the surprising thing yet?
Me: next chapter I swear!
Regal: oh I understand you have a message you want to relay.
Me: oh yes.
Thank you for reading this chapter, now I would like to take a moment honor a great man who has passed away.
In The loving Memory of Ernest Gary Gygax, 1938-2008, Pioneer and Patron saint of the Fantasy RPG Genre – he's doing critical hits in heaven now.
Me: that man has done more for games than Nintendo.
Regal: your very passionate about this aren't you?
Me: Of course I am! Without this man such concepts such as hit points and critical hits would never have been made! This man gave boss monsters their first job! He invented God mode! He defined what modern day elves look and act like. Hell Without this man the video game would never had come to be!
Regal: you're scaring me man!
Me: Let it be known that this man will not go quietly in the night. That this man's legacy is continued with every RPG made! Hail Gary Gygax and his son Dungeons & Dragons!
Regal: umm you just said the system you use for your stories.
Me: Ahh well, like anyone could have guessed.