Chapter the Fourth

The Realm of Asgard - Tale 2

Tides of Darkness

A shimmering Red Moongate opens in the besieged fortress, rising from the ground like a wraith. No one notices at first, for everyone is on the walls, watching in despair as the daemon's army advances. One soldier notices the gate, and yells to his comrades. Soon many have turned and are looking at this strange thing. Lord Odin and T'dam glance up from a map just as I come rushing through. I come out of the gate to find myself facing a wall. With no time to stop, I leap, snapping my wings open to catch the air. I soar over the wall, my stomach barely clearing the heads of the defenders. My tail knocks a man off his feet. As I clear the wall, I see the astonished enemy army. It is as large as K'vin said. I land running at full tilt, straight toward it. Bellowing my war cry of "Sosaria and Virtue!", I crash into the nearest enemy unit. Thus began the Warped Battle, as it was later called by the Asgardians. Countless legions of orcs perished that day, like straws in a fire. Ogres, Trolls, Giants, none could stand before me. Suddenly behind me a Horn sounded, and the fort gates opened. Out charged what remained of the Asgardian Heavy Calvary, followed by the remaining foot solders. The Dragons of K'vin's Weyr, those still alive, flew over the wall, diving into the enemy and wrecking havoc. K'vin had followed me through the gate and explained what was happening. Lord Odin, T'dam, and K'vin fought their way to me.

Not much of an army, I thought as I finished cracking two ogres heads together. I don't see why they didn't do this long before, I thought to myself as my friends reined in beside me.

"Hail and well met, Warped! "Lord Odin cries.

"Hail, Warped" T'dam greets me.

"Hail, friends" I greet them, with a smile on my dragonic face. "Looks like your enemies army is on the run" I remarked, and indeed it was so. The Daemon's Army was in full flight, turning and running.

"Then let us give chase!" Lord Odin yells.

We Rallied our forces, The Asgardians under Lord Odin and the Dragons under T'dam. Once rallied, we charge after the retreating enemy. I far outrace the rest of our army, and am halfway between the two armies when the Daemon himself appeared, along with his personal guard. He was large, larger then the Balrons, the Elder Daemons, of Sosaria. His gaze burned like fire, and his very presence smote me like a blow. His army stopped in their retreat, more afraid of him then of me. I stopped dead in my tracks, sliding a few feet. For this was no Daemon, whatever anyone thought. This was a being from Sosaria; a being I thought long dead, for the Avatar destroyed it, ending the Third Age of Darkness. But, my eyes told me it was very much alive and well.

"RETREAT!" I screamed, pure terror in my voice, my courage leaching away like water on sand. "FLEE!" Turning, I followed my own advice and raced back to the fort with all the speed I could muster. The Asgardian army was ahead of me, needing no further help in getting them to go. The monsters presence was enough for that, and if I were in retreat, then they had defenatly better be leaving as well. For that thing was a being so monstrous, so powerful, that the Avatar himself could not destroy it alone. He had three trusted friends, heroes all of them, and the help of the Time Lord. Even then he could not fully destroy it, just banish its pysch form Sosaria, leaving its body in the castle where he fought it, the castle that sank under the waves in the cataclysm that followed. This thing, this monster, was the child of Mondain and Minax, conceived of magic. Its name.. was Exodus.

* * *

"Warped, I brought you some food," K'vin says as he enters the room I stay in. I am sitting in a chair, staring at nothing, as I have been since we retreated to the fort, three days ago. He sets the tray on the table. Lord Odin enters behind him.

"Warped, what is wrong with you?" K'vin Asks. " You told me no daemon cold match you in a fight. Yet, you seem to be in terror of the one outside"

"That is no daemon outside. It is a being from Sosaria. I thought it destroyed long ago, yet it seems it was only banished." I trail off into silence. After a moment, I begin speaking. "It is called Exodus, and the Avatar himself could not fight it alone. What chance do I have?"

"You are not alone, Warped" Lord Odin says, "You have an army to help you. Surely this Avatar never had that"

"You also have the Dragons of my weyr at your back." K'vin adds.

I started shaking with quiet laughter. "You.. don't understand" I gasp through the laughs that roll out of me. "Exodus. didn't have to.. bring. an army. He could take.. this land. single-handedly.and none of us. can stop him." I say, still gasping the words out through the laughter

"Then I fear the end of our world is at hand. Our doom is nigh upon us," Lord Odin says sadly.

Something clicked in my mind. I stopped laughing. "End of the world. Doom. Doomsday. That's it!" I cry, leaping up form my chair. "That they way to beat Exodus!" I say, almost dancing with joy.

"Warped, what are you talking about?" K'vin asks. Lord Odin looks puzzled, as if wondering whether my mind has finally snapped.

"Go get T'dam and I shall tell you!" I say, rushing out of my room, heading for the war chamber. Lord Odin follows

When everyone has arrived in the war chamber, a massive stone room with tapestries hanging form the walls, and an old oak table with many chairs in the middle, I tell them what I will do

"T'dam, what do your ancient writings say of Sosarian Magic?" I ask him

"Not much, I'm afraid." He answers. "Only that it was different from our magic and very powerful"

"And what do they say about the Spell of Armageddon?" I ask with a slight grin

T'dam's eyes go wide at the name. "No, you must not Warped! Not that spell! Better to Embrace the Sun then cast that spell!"

"What Spell is this?" asks Lord Odin, looking confused. T'dam answers him without taking his eyes from me.

"It is the Doomsday Spell. It will unify all the tidal forces of Life itself; Good and Evil, Order and Chaos, Sight and Sound, Fire and Water, Earth and Air, and unleash them all in a singular event to which no world has ever been subjected. All life will perish in the apocalypse that will be triggered. Stupidity has no greater champion then he who would cast this spell."

Nay, not all life" I tell T'dam. "I have worked out a way to modify it to only kill life that is sentient. Life that thinks, and speaks."

"That is hardly an improvement. We all think and speak," growled Lord Odin

"Not so fast. There is more I have to tell you," I say calmingly. "There is another spell, created by the Seer Hawkwind, who guided the Hero on his quest to become the Avatar. It, and it alone, can protect against the Spell of Armageddon. For when the Barrier of Life spell is cast by one strong in Virtue, with the Sigils of Virtue as the focus, it will form the Eight Virtues into a physical barrier that nothing can penetrate."

"And do you know the Barrier of Life Spell?" T'dam asks angrily. "Are you strong enough in the Virtues to cast it? And what of the Sigils? They are in Sosaria, where they will do little good."

"Leave that to me" I tell him.

"What of everyone who is not behind this 'Barrier'? They will die!" Lord Odin argues.

"Do you really think that there is any sentient being alive outside this fort that is a follower of good?" I ask him. He stared at me defiantly for a minute or two, then lowered his head.

"No" he mutters. "Cast your spell. We have saved what can be saved"

"I will need some Blackrock for the Barrier of Life spell. Does anyone know where I can find some?"

"What is this Blackrock?" T'dam and Lord Odin ask.

"It is a type of rock, Black in color, and it cannot be moulded or changed by physical means. Magic is necessary to shape it"

"There is rock like you describe. It can be found in the northern mountains, but, alas! We have no way of getting any."

"T'dam, can you send some dragons for some?" I ask him

" I could, but it would be suicide. That thing you call Exodus could easily kill them before they come anywhere near the mines" He answers

"Not if he's busy dueling me. K'vin, would you be willing to take some of your friends and get me some Blackrock?"

"I will" He replies.

Long I prepared for that fight with Exodus. Spell after Spell I cast upon myself, spells of protection, of warding, of might, strength, speed, dozens of other things. Lord Odin's few human mages came and cast their spells on me. K'vin gathered his friends, all fast and agile dragons. He took them to the back of the fort and waited for my signal. I went to the top of the wall in human form.

"Exodus!" I roared, my voice amplified with magic. "Exodus! I know what you are! I know where you come from! I challenge you to single combat!" My heart was quaking in my chest. I was terrified.

Exodus stepped forward, away from his army. He raised one hand and beckoned, daring me to come. "Come" he said in a voice that sounded like dry leather crumbling. "Come, puny mortal. It is Time to Die"

"For Sosaria and Virtue!" I yelled as I leaped form the wall, shifting to Dragon form as I fell. I hit the ground running. Straight at Exodus. "Sosaria and Virtue!" I roared again. That was K'vin's signal. He and his friends slipped out of the fort, flying low to the ground to avoid notice. It worked. Everyone was watching the Idiot Dragon who had challenged Exodus.

Long we fought. I leapt upon him head on, clawing and biting. He brushed me off like a bug. I flung Fireballs at his face, Lightning at his head, and he deflected them and came at me. I charged him once again, grappling with him. This time he did not brush me off. He threw me. Head over Tail I flew, landing in front of him. I rolled over and climbed to my feet. Taking a breath, I let loose the fire that burned hot within me, the fire that was every dragons birthright. A long stream of it flew from my open maw to envelope him. This time he did not try to deflect it. When the fire died away, their stood Exodus, unhurt but for a few singed hairs upon his horned skull. Sucking in another breath, I breathed my deadly electricity upon him. Long bolts of it struck him, doing no harm that I could tell. I quickly tried my other breath attacks. The poison, acidic green gas he breathed without effect. The Oily Black Smoke he waved away, unfazed. The Freezing Cold of my Frost breath did not even cause him to blink. Staring unbelieving, I used one of my most potent magical attacks, The Flame Strike. Pillars of Fire burst from the ground to surround him, hiding him from view. From the inferno could be heard a roar of pain. As the last of the spell died away, Exodus rushed out at me. He cast one of his own spells, and I was hurled back by some unseen force. He struck me, tearing long gouges in my hide, cutting through my scales like they were cloth. I screamed in pain and struck back, making a long scratch in his arm. He just grinned madly and stepped towards me. I knew then my death was nigh. Suddenly, before he could finish me, a ball of. something. struck him in the side, knocking him slightly off balance. We both turned to see what had thrown it. A man was stumbling from out of the forest nearby, another ball of whatever it was already leaving his hands, growing bigger as it got closer. It struck Exodus in the chest, knocking him back a few steps. I stared at the man. His once fine robe was torn and shredded. He was bruised and bloody, his hair in wild disarray. As he was throwing another ball of. light, I thought, I suddenly recognized him. It was RuneStar! One of the Gamemasters! I stumbled to my feet as Exodus started off towards RuneStar.

"I thought I took care of your kind before. I shall finish the job this time" He rasped in his crumbling leather voice.

RuneStar didn't answer, just hurled another light ball. Exodus's army, which had stood silent watching us fight, started moving to attack the GM. Without taking his eyes form Exodus RuneStar flung out a hand at the army and a wall of flame flared into existence between them. A grinning ogre stepped into the fire, not fearing it. He burst into flame and melted before he took two more steps. The rest of the army stayed back.

"You cannot defeat me. I am the Master of the Game, and I shall destroy you or die trying" RuneStar replied

"Then prepare to die' Exodus roared in reply as he raised his arms to cast a spell. RuneStar's arm rose and a bar of Liquid Light shot forth from it, striking Exodus in the chest and hurling him back. I heard some shouting on the castle walls. K'vin had returned

"Go Warped. This is my fight" RuneStar told me as he continued to strike exodus with the liquid light.

"No, RuneStar. You cannot defeat him! The only one who can do that is on my world!"

"I am the last of the GMs, and for good or ill this is my fight. GO!" He shouted at me as Exodus finally beat off the bar of liquid light and counterattacked. "GO!" He howled again as he flung a hand in my direction. I felt as though someone had struck me hard in the head. The world churned around me, and I felt a wrenching movement, until finally it swam back into focus. I was in the fortress. I had survived over a battle with Exodus. I collapsed before anyone could reach me



I awoke to K'vin slapping my face. Still groggy, I shifted to human to take up less room

"Warped, wake up" K'vin was saying in fear

"Wha.. Eh?" I mumbled

"RuneStar is here in the fort, lying near death. Exodus is attacking! His army is even now trying to climb the walls," K'vin told me "And Exodus himself is looking rather angry"

I jumped to my feet, fully awake "Quickly, get Lord Odin!" I told him. I was not long waiting; Lord Odin was at the walls directing his troops. I went to meet him at the foot of the wall

"Quickly, send your men. I need them to find some objects for me." I told him hurriedly. "Hurry, we have not much time"

"My men are busy defending the castle, and have no time for a scavenger hunt," he said irritably.

"Without these objects, I cannot cast invoke the Barrier of Life" I told him angrily He decided it wasn't a scavenger hunt after all, and sent men to look for the items I required. Soon they returned with the objects. A chalice. A balance scale, a sword, shepherds crook, a stone, an empty scroll, a small bag of gold, and bar of silver. Using my Magic, I carve the stone into the shape of a heart, and melt the silver bar into an ankh.

"Warped, what do you need these items for?" K'vin asked me

"These shall be the Sigils of the Virtues," I told him. "But first, I must attempt to imbue them"

Taking each object in my hands, I chant the mantra for the Virtue that object is to represent.

"Summ. Beh. Ra. Lum. Mu. Ahm. Cah. Om."I chant as I pick up the objects, one for each mantra. As I set each Sigil down again, it glows a bluish white color before fading to normal.

"There. These are now Sigils of Virtue. Now, I shall now try to summon the Barrier of Life" Arranging the sigils in a circle around me, I remember the Blackrock.

"K'vin, where is the Blackrock I sent you to get?" I ask him. He hands me five fist-sized lumps of Blackrock

"Is this enough?" he asked

"Indeed it is. I thank you for getting it. Now please stand back, out of the circle of Sigils," I ask him. He complies. I arrange the Blackrock in a smaller circle inside the sigils. Raising my arms, I put forth my will, hoping that the spell will work. It does. The Sigils begin to glow again, with the same color. But the glow increases, until they are shining like the sun. The glow jumps to the Blackrock, and then to me. Suddenly out from me flies a wave of light, in all directions. When it fades, the fortress is encircled in a field of bluish white light. On the other side Exodus's army can be seen trying to pierce it, to no avail. Exodus himself cannot penetrate it. He stands with his head lowered, thinking.

Running to the opposite side of the castle from Exodus and his army, I step through the Barrier of Life. As the caster I can move freely through it. Raising my arms, I begin to cast the Spell of Armageddon

"In Vas." I begin. The ground starts shaking. The wind picks up speed. Those inside the castle can see Exodus's head jerk up and his eyes go wide. He knows what spell is being cast

"Corp Bet." The ground rumbles ominously. The wind is blowing at hurricane speeds. Exodus is running around the outside of the barrier, rushing to stop me before I finish the spell. His army is going around the other side. I am trapped

"Mani." Exodus is roaring now, running even faster, trying to reach me with his magic, trying to destroy me, to hurl me into oblivion.

"Wis." All are deafened by the sounds being heard. To call them sounds is to call a mountain a pebble. The very earth was screaming in agony. The sky was howling in pain. Everyone falls to their knees, unable to stand in the powerful earthquake. Exodus takes to the air, outracing the wind in his hast to reach me.

"Xen!" I scream the last word of the spell, and the world suddenly goes silent. Time seems to stop. Exodus stops, only a few feet form me. When nothing happens, he chuckles, an evil chuckle, and reaches for me. Suddenly, the primordial magic of life itself erupts form my body, racing in every direction. It parts around the Barrier of Life, but hits all else. Exodus is hurled back by it, like a wood chip caught in a thunderstorm. Every thinking, sentient creature the magic touches in destroyed, incinerated, hurled into oblivion, and unmade. The Magic soon spends itself, and coming back to me it dies. Time resumes. The birds in the trees can be heard, singing. I barely cling to conciseness, swaying as I stand. The Barrier of Life dissipates. I finally surrender to gravity and fall to the ground. My last thought before I fall into sleep is that all sentient creatures not inside the Barrier were destroyed. All but Exodus.

I awake a few minutes later. All is quiet. I groaned as I sat up. I hurt all over. Looking around me, I suddenly remember what had just happened. I look at the fortress. There are people on the walls, looking past me.

"Ah thank the virtues the Barrier of Life held." I mutter as I turn to see what they are staring at. My heart skips a beat or twenty at what I see. Exodus, lying unconscious on the ground, bruised, bloodied, but not dead. Suddenly, in a flash of light, an old man in a hooded white robe appears next to me. I jump back in surprise.

"Who are you?" I ask in complete surprise.

"You know who I am. Look closely." He tells me as he lowers his hood. I look

"The. Time Lord?" I ask

"None other" He replies. "I knew that Exodus had made it to another world, but I did not know which one. I felt the spell you cast, and immediately came. It is well I did. I shall deal with Exodus."

"Can you send me back to Sosaria?" I ask him. He looks at me keenly for a moment before replying.

"No. I could send you back, but I will not. Fate lies heavily upon you. You have some great task to accomplish before you can return to your world". Having said that, he looks at the unconscious Exodus, and both vanish in a flash of light. Lord Odin, T'dam, and K'vin are making there way over to me. I wait for them, too weak to walk far.

"Warped, you've saved our world" Lord Odin says as he stops in front of me. "On behalf of all Asgardians, I thank you"

"All that is left is the task of rebuilding" T'dam says.

"Then I shall leave you to it." I reply. "K'vin, would you be so kind as to raise a gate back to Rivendell? It shall be a long while before I can cast spells," I say as I hand him the rune. He nods, then casts the spell. The now familiar Red Moongate rises.

"Farewell" I say as I stumble through it. K'vin follows, after saying goodbye to T'dam. The Gate closes. Many songs would be sung in Asgard, of Warped and K'vin, the two heroes who defeated the Great Daemon.