Chapter 4: Spree and a Threat
For the last week I have had the minions get to work on fixing up the castle. It is in much better condition than before, who knew such simple creatures could be this handy, though it would take years to make this place an operational base.
If we ever hope to fight battles beyond this small land we still need a power source to reawaken the old Gates scattered throughout the old lands, and unfortunately we don't have anything that powerful at this time. So that's why I'm going to have a talk with this little goblin. "So what you're saying is that there is almost no way to restore the Gates?" I asked Gnarl as we sat in the dinner hall.
"Not exactly master... I mean Nova." Gnarl said, "There is one energy strong enough to bring the Gates back."
"What is it?" I asked him.
"The Tower Heart." he said, "The Tower Heart was an orb of extraordinary power and was at a time used to power the Gates."
"Alright, so where do I find it?"
"Yeah about that." Gnarl said scratching his head, "While in a battle against Solarius's Empire, your predecessor decided to launch the last remaining Tower Heart right into the gates of Empire City destroying them and the Heart."
I groaned in annoyance, "I thought you were an advisor."
"But there still is a way." Gnarl said, "In the Wastelands, which were once ruled by a previous Overlord, there was a place called the Dark Tower. If you can get to what remains of the Spawning pit that once housed the Heart there is a chance that the residual magic might be drawn to your presence."
Finally some useful information. "So where is this Dark Tower?" I asked.
Mellow Hills
By concentrating on the Force, which Gnarl explained has a great similarity to magic, perhaps having the same source, I concentrated just enough energy to transport myself and Gnarl to the Tower Gate closest to the Wastelands.
This place wasn't exactly what I was expecting for a wasteland. In fact it seemed rather peaceful with all of the trees and the sounds of birds.
"I'm so glad we didn't explode." Gnarl said as he appeared beside me.
I suddenly felt concerned "Explode?" I asked.
Before Gnarl could speak, I heard a small rumbling sound and then one of the piles of white rocks that were near us broke open and brownish-yellow flames shot from it. "Ah, it seems that the Brown Minion Gate is still operational." Gnarl said, "These gates are ancient arcane links between the Hives and the land. They will allow you to summon minions from their Hives to wherever you are. Right now you can only summon ten, but we will find a way to increase the number later. Now just raise your left arm at the Minion Gate and the jewel in your gauntlet will do the rest."
Doing as he said I raised my hand at the Minion Gate and ten Browns jumped out from the flames. "Good sire, now let us move on." Gnarl said, "We will have to go through the village of Spree to get to the Wastelands."
We walked down a short dirt path till we came up to a wall made of poorly stacked stones and wooden spikes. A small trench with a stream in it separated the wall from the road, but that wasn't what caught my attention, it was the smoke rising from the other side of the wall.
I raced over to the wooden drawbridge and into the village. What I saw was horrifying, bodies littered the streats, buildings burning or broken apart, and what looked like crops smashed apart. I have seen many battles in my missions during the Clone Wars, but I have never seen a massacre as bloody or brutal as this.
"Help." said a very weak voice. I looked in the direction where the sound had come from and saw a young boy with brown hair and old ragged clothes with a red bloody spot on them sitting on the ground with his back to the stone wall of a tavern(which I later found out was called the Happy Mule Inn).
"Help." he said again in a still weak voice.
I walked over to the boy. "Are you okay? What happened here?" I asked him. It was at that moment that Gnarl and the other minions arrived and saw the massacre.
"Half... lings." he said before falling on his side with his eyes still open. I needed no confirmation that he was dead. I placed my fingers on his forehead then gently closed his eyes.
I then stood up and said, "Halflings."
Evernight Temple
The Elven villagers (who, just adding, were dreased in more ancient Elvish clothing and not in hippy outfits) had gathered in the in the Temple room where their queen, Lady Elise stood in front of the Mother Goddess Statue.
"My people," Lady Elise started, "I have sensed a great darkness in the East. After 400 years our old enemy has returned, the Dark Elves are back."
Looks of fear and despair appeared on the faces of Elves gathered below. "But..." Elise continued, "all hope is not lost, I have also sensed a Light brighter than anything I have ever seen. Whoever this Warrior of Light is may be our only chance at surviving this and sending the Dark Elves back to the depths of the Netherworld. I know I am not as strong as my sister was, but if you are willing to follow me I promise you that I will do everything I can to protect you and the pride of our people."
She waited in the silence unsure of what to expect her people's response to be. Then a cry broke out. "Long live Lady Elise. Long live the Elves. Long live Lady Elise. Long live the Light."
"Thank you all so much." Elise said with tears filling her eyes.
"How heartwarming." said a loud voice that seemed to be coming from all directions at once. A powerful wind began to swirl around the room (much to the dislike of some female Elves wearing skirts). Then it seemed that ever shadow in the room leeped from their places and flew into the center of the whirlwind turning into black clouds. There the Darkness all gathered and formed into the likeness of Terreck king of the Dark Elves. "So you still believe in that legend that there is truly someone who can defeat me for good. I thought you were smarter than that sister." said the shadow of Terreck.
"If it is foolish to believe then so be it." Elise said with her voice unbending.
Terreck's Shadow laughed, "Then I guess your answer remains the same as it was 400 years ago." the shadow said.
"It is." Lady Elise stated with conviction
What seemed to be a smile formed on the shadow's face, "Then so be it. Know this sister, there is no where you can run, no where can hide, we will find you and your misguided people and end you all." And with that the winds stopped and the shadow vanished.
Village of Spree
I had my minions gather up the villagers bodies and bury them in close to the village gate.
"Gnarl." I said as I stood in front of the graves, "Have you ever heard of things called Halflings?"
"Yes I have." He replied, "But it has been a while since I have seen them. Last I heard they were living in a village at the edge of the Wastelands just East of here." Gnarl then turned to look at Nova only to find that he was no longer there. "Master? Nova? Hello?"
Halfling Village, Wasteland Reef
I looked down at the village below from the hill I was on. The sky was filled with dark clouds. There were many doors built into the rocky side of a large hill and next to the village was a forest of odd trees that looked like Felucian plants at night. And from this vantage point I could see beyond the forest using my binoculars which I salvaged from my ship, there were several pools of a blue ooze and what looked like the ruins of some small villages.
I turned my attention back to the Halfling village below. Some short, fat humanoid creatures were unloading several items (which were probably stolen from the village) and putting them in a pile on the left side a the road leading to the door covered wall. To the right of the pile were several cages, some filled with people and some with some fluffy white animals. On the right side of road were several large pots sitting on top of some fires with some slightly taler and fatter versions of the Halflings in cooking uniforms tending to them.
A Halfling in armor opened one of the cages and took a young girl with long blonde hair and brown eyes out of it and took her over to where cooks were and tossed her onto one of the tables where they were cutting vegetables, she tried to get up, but her hands and legs were still bound. Then one of the cooks picked up a cleaving knife and started walking towards her.
I could no longer sit by and watch knowing what would clearly happen, so I got up and backed a few steps before running and leaping right off the hillside and landing right in front of the cook. He exclaimed in a dialect I am not familiar with and backing up slightly, but then he regained his senses and charged at me with his cleaver. Not letting him get any closer, I focused Force energy into the palm of my hand (you know what, let's just call it the Force Push from now on) and released it at him causing him to fall backwards and right into one of the pot.
I then turned to the girl and ignited my Lightsaber. But then I noticed that something was different about my Lightsaber, it's yellow blade had changed into the form of an axe with a white blade. At the sight of the weapon the girl shut her eyes tight as I swung my new Lightaxe(good name don't you think) at her removing her bounds with one swing.
She opened her eyes and saw that see hae been freed. "Go. Get out of here?" I told her.
"You definitely don't have to tell me twice." She said before running off.
"Nova!" Gnarl's voice shouted as he and my minions raced over to me.
"Took you long enough." I said with a grin.
I pointed my left hand (the one with the crystal on it) at the cages signaling my minions to break them open.
I myself raced over there and slashed the metal bars of one of the cages open. "Run, get out of here! You're free!" I told them.
They all charged right in the direction of Spree. A group of Halfling guards attempted to get in their way, but when they realized the speed and numbers of the mob the began to run, but were trampled by the fleeing villagers.
Once the villagers were out of sight we turned to leave, but then all of the doors on the side of the hill open and Halflings began flooding out.
"I think we know what to do." I said to Gnarl. He nodded. "Run away!" We both shouted as we (and my ten minions) raced of into the Wasteland Forest.
Nordburg
"So this is my enemy." Terreck said as he watched Nova's actions from a pond of water near the village. Then he grinned, "Let's begin."
