~chapter 29~ Gondar's fortress
Justin and Jared left the boat and went onto the shore, entering the grassy plains of Foagy Island. The old man was right; there was not a sign of civilization anywhere. Just nature.
"I wonder why no one lives here..." Justin said as they walked.
"I bet the castle that old guy mentioned is Gondar's castle..." Jared thought out loud. As they neared the center of the island, the sky began to grow dark and cloudy, as it did with any evil spot. Soon Gondar's castle came into view.
Two creatures called lizardo's stood at the northeast watch tower. They were tall creatures, about 6 and a half feet. They had blue scaly skin, white slanted eyes with no pupils, a long pointed snout with fangs protruding from the upper lip, two horns on the top of their head, large ears that looked like the folds of a bats wing, a long tail that hung down to the floor, and they wore a plain brown tunic. Each sported a long bow and a quiver of arrows on their back. The two on this tower looked over the land, conversing to each other in their language. Suddenly an arrow caught one in the back, killing it and sending the body falling down to the ground. The other, shocked by this sudden event, looked at the ground at its fallen comrade then in the dirrection that the arrow came from. It was met with an arrow straight to the head, then its corpse also falling from the tower to the ground.
"Nice work, Justin." Jared whispered as they ran up to the wall. Jared decided to 'borrow' the bow of the lizardo that had fallen on this side of the wall. Using the plan from the fort they encountered, Justin tied some rope onto the end of an arrow and shot it to the other side of the wall. After securing the rope, the two began to scale the wall. Then, Jared heard something coming.
"Shh." he whispered to Justin, pulling up the rope. A creature with a lion's body, eagles wings, and scorpion tail called a manticore rounded the corner. It sniffed the air a few times, picking up a scent of something strange. Jared and Justin dangled just 15 feet above it. The manticore was about to leave when Justin's foot slipped on the wall, knocking a few pebbles loose. The manticore felt the pebbles rain down on it and looked up.
"Uh oh..." Justin muttered. The manticore let out a roar before spreading its wings and flying upwards.
"Climb!" Jared shouted as he pushed Jared up. They made it to the top of the wall as the manticore reached them. Justin quickly got out its bow and fired an arrow into its chest. The creature reeled back in pain but was not out. It curled back its tail and struck forward. Jared jumped off to the side, but almost lost his balance. He then whipped out his sword and slashed the manticore across the eye before Justin shot it with another arrow. The manticore plummeted to the ground. Just as Jared pulled up the rope, a few creatures rounded the corner. There were some lizardo, a few creatures that looked like manticores except they had red fur and dragon wings called scorpicores, a creature called a gnoll that stood like a human, but had brown fur over its body and the head of a hyena, and wielding a spiked tri-mace. The creatures snarled as they huddled around the body of the lizardo, then the manticore. Jared and Justin slid down the rope to the other side of the wall, still hearing the sounds of the monsters on the other side. Hiding in the shadows, they crept along the wall until they reached a large iron gate with bars coming down vertically. Justin could squeeze through the bars, but Jared was too big.
"I'll go on and see if I can open the gate." Justin whispered. Jared nodded and Justin dissapeared into the shadows. After a few minutes, the gate began to clatter and slowly lifted up. Jared crept under the gate and was soon met by Justin. The hallway was lit by torches along the wall. Passages branched off in every direction. Suddenly they heard commotion as several creatures were approaching from ahead. They ducked down a small hall and waited as the monsters passed. They decided to go down the hall they were in. Soon, they came to a door marked 'armory'. The door was surprisingly unlocked. They opened it and went inside. The room was filled with all kinds of swords, bows, armor, clubs, cannons, and what caught Jared's eye, gunpowder; kegs and kegs of it.
"Can you say distraction?" Jared grinned. He rolled a cannon so it faced the kegs. After loading it, he made a fuse that would give them time to leave. Then he took a torch hanging on the wall and lit it.
"Move!" Jared shouted as they ran from the room. They ran a little ways down the hall and turned into another one, running up a flight of stairs. After about 30 seconds, there was a small explosion followed by a very large one that made the whole castle shake. Smoke filled the hall as the sound of shouts and snarls was heard. They ducked into a closet as a horde of monsters rushed past. After the coast was clear, they went down the hallway and found another flight of stairs. After following it up, they found a corridor with a door at the end, guarded by two gnolls. Jared and Justin readied their bows, then quickly rounded the corner, firing arrows and killing the creatures. They ran to the door and opened it, finding another flight of stairs.
"Geeze, how many stairs are in this place?" Justin mumbled. They ran up the stairs in a long winding corkscrew. At the top there was a door. Jared was about to open it when Justin stopped him.
"Shh...listen..." he whispered as they pressed their ears to the door. Voices could be heard on the other side.
"...too late to stop us! With the cannon complete I can now use it!" the voice was Gondar's. Another voice they heard was Theo's, though they couldn't make out what he was saying. Then Gondar's voice spoke again.
"Once....collect the.....essences...most powerful being...it's time!"
~end~
~chapter 30~ farewell to thee
Jared and Justin burst through the door to Gondar's lair. Theo stood at Gondar's side. Gondar stood at a machine, preparing to fill it with dark energy.
"Hahahahaha, pathetic fools. You're too late!" Gondar laughed as he powered up an attack and launched it at Justin. The energy hit dead on and sent Justin flying against the hard stone wall. Justin slid to the ground, totaly limp. Jared gaped as his last friend was now dead.
"You BASTARD! First you kill my brother! Then you destroy my home! Next you kill ALL OF MY FRIENDS!" Jared roared, his anger taking control of him. "Now that I have nothing left to lose, I WILL kill you even if it costs me my life!" Jared stood glaring at Gondar and Theo, totally enraged.
"I've come to stop you Gondar!" Jared shouted.
"Not if I can help it." Theo stepped in.
"You..." Jared growled. Jared and Theo stood there glaring at each other for a few moments, then Jared charged Theo, preparing a head but to the chest. Theo saw this and braced for it, grabbing him around the shoulders and flipping him upside down. Jared kicked his foot down into Theo's face, then landed on the ground as Theo reeled back, holding his cheek. Jared got up and jumped back. Theo took the offence and ran at Jared, jumping and kicking him in the jaw then landing behind him. Jared, ignoring the pain, turned and threw a fist, which Theo blocked with his forearm. Theo then threw his own punch, which was blocked as well. Theo then kicked Jared in the side and punched him in the chest. Jared stumbled backwards. Theo attempted another jump kick, but Jared caught his foot and flipped Theo backwards. Theo, however, landed on his feet and brought another fist into Jared's stomach. Jared retaliated by kneeing Theo in the side. Then he quickly brought his sword and swiped down on Theo. Theo, reacting quickly, brought out his own sword just in time and blocked the attack. The battle continued with swords now. Theo swiped at Jared with his sword, who jumped back to get away, then jumped forward and pushed him back with his foot. They lunged forward and they had a standstill, their swords pressing together as they stood inches away. Theo then brought his elbow to Jared chest, sending him back. They stood there for a moment, as if taking a break. A bead of sweat dripped off Jared's face as he panted furiously from the battle. He gripped his sword tightly in his sweaty hands. Theo stood his ground, smirking at his opponent. Gondar then finished supplying the dark energy to the machine.
"Hah! It's done! There's nothing you can do!" Gondar cackled evily. A count down was heard.
"20 seconds till fire..." the voice sounded. Jared growled and charged at Theo. They engaged in fierce sword combat.
"15 seconds till fire..." Jared fought harder, striking Theo with every blow he could muster.
"Give it up, you can't beat me." Theo smirked as he blocked more of Jared's attacks.
"10 seconds..." Jared raised his sword up, getting read for a swipe down attack.
"9 seconds..." Theo tilted his sword sideways to block.
"8 seconds..." Jared quickly kicked Theo's hand up, leaving his mid section vulnerable.
"7 seconds..." Jared swung his sword down his side and slashed Theo through the stomach.
"6 seconds..." Theo's eyes became wide as pain surged through his body and he fell to the ground.
"5..." Jared then looked at Gondar.
"4..."
"Here I come!" Jared shouted, charging gondar.
"3..." Suddenly Jared felt a foot grab his ankle and he plumeted to the ground.
"2..." Jared looked down at his feet and saw Theo grinning.
"You...won't win..."Theo said as he coughed up blood and died.
"1..." Jared tried to scramble to his feet as he reached a hand towards Gondar.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" ..................
To be continued...
Justin and Jared left the boat and went onto the shore, entering the grassy plains of Foagy Island. The old man was right; there was not a sign of civilization anywhere. Just nature.
"I wonder why no one lives here..." Justin said as they walked.
"I bet the castle that old guy mentioned is Gondar's castle..." Jared thought out loud. As they neared the center of the island, the sky began to grow dark and cloudy, as it did with any evil spot. Soon Gondar's castle came into view.
Two creatures called lizardo's stood at the northeast watch tower. They were tall creatures, about 6 and a half feet. They had blue scaly skin, white slanted eyes with no pupils, a long pointed snout with fangs protruding from the upper lip, two horns on the top of their head, large ears that looked like the folds of a bats wing, a long tail that hung down to the floor, and they wore a plain brown tunic. Each sported a long bow and a quiver of arrows on their back. The two on this tower looked over the land, conversing to each other in their language. Suddenly an arrow caught one in the back, killing it and sending the body falling down to the ground. The other, shocked by this sudden event, looked at the ground at its fallen comrade then in the dirrection that the arrow came from. It was met with an arrow straight to the head, then its corpse also falling from the tower to the ground.
"Nice work, Justin." Jared whispered as they ran up to the wall. Jared decided to 'borrow' the bow of the lizardo that had fallen on this side of the wall. Using the plan from the fort they encountered, Justin tied some rope onto the end of an arrow and shot it to the other side of the wall. After securing the rope, the two began to scale the wall. Then, Jared heard something coming.
"Shh." he whispered to Justin, pulling up the rope. A creature with a lion's body, eagles wings, and scorpion tail called a manticore rounded the corner. It sniffed the air a few times, picking up a scent of something strange. Jared and Justin dangled just 15 feet above it. The manticore was about to leave when Justin's foot slipped on the wall, knocking a few pebbles loose. The manticore felt the pebbles rain down on it and looked up.
"Uh oh..." Justin muttered. The manticore let out a roar before spreading its wings and flying upwards.
"Climb!" Jared shouted as he pushed Jared up. They made it to the top of the wall as the manticore reached them. Justin quickly got out its bow and fired an arrow into its chest. The creature reeled back in pain but was not out. It curled back its tail and struck forward. Jared jumped off to the side, but almost lost his balance. He then whipped out his sword and slashed the manticore across the eye before Justin shot it with another arrow. The manticore plummeted to the ground. Just as Jared pulled up the rope, a few creatures rounded the corner. There were some lizardo, a few creatures that looked like manticores except they had red fur and dragon wings called scorpicores, a creature called a gnoll that stood like a human, but had brown fur over its body and the head of a hyena, and wielding a spiked tri-mace. The creatures snarled as they huddled around the body of the lizardo, then the manticore. Jared and Justin slid down the rope to the other side of the wall, still hearing the sounds of the monsters on the other side. Hiding in the shadows, they crept along the wall until they reached a large iron gate with bars coming down vertically. Justin could squeeze through the bars, but Jared was too big.
"I'll go on and see if I can open the gate." Justin whispered. Jared nodded and Justin dissapeared into the shadows. After a few minutes, the gate began to clatter and slowly lifted up. Jared crept under the gate and was soon met by Justin. The hallway was lit by torches along the wall. Passages branched off in every direction. Suddenly they heard commotion as several creatures were approaching from ahead. They ducked down a small hall and waited as the monsters passed. They decided to go down the hall they were in. Soon, they came to a door marked 'armory'. The door was surprisingly unlocked. They opened it and went inside. The room was filled with all kinds of swords, bows, armor, clubs, cannons, and what caught Jared's eye, gunpowder; kegs and kegs of it.
"Can you say distraction?" Jared grinned. He rolled a cannon so it faced the kegs. After loading it, he made a fuse that would give them time to leave. Then he took a torch hanging on the wall and lit it.
"Move!" Jared shouted as they ran from the room. They ran a little ways down the hall and turned into another one, running up a flight of stairs. After about 30 seconds, there was a small explosion followed by a very large one that made the whole castle shake. Smoke filled the hall as the sound of shouts and snarls was heard. They ducked into a closet as a horde of monsters rushed past. After the coast was clear, they went down the hallway and found another flight of stairs. After following it up, they found a corridor with a door at the end, guarded by two gnolls. Jared and Justin readied their bows, then quickly rounded the corner, firing arrows and killing the creatures. They ran to the door and opened it, finding another flight of stairs.
"Geeze, how many stairs are in this place?" Justin mumbled. They ran up the stairs in a long winding corkscrew. At the top there was a door. Jared was about to open it when Justin stopped him.
"Shh...listen..." he whispered as they pressed their ears to the door. Voices could be heard on the other side.
"...too late to stop us! With the cannon complete I can now use it!" the voice was Gondar's. Another voice they heard was Theo's, though they couldn't make out what he was saying. Then Gondar's voice spoke again.
"Once....collect the.....essences...most powerful being...it's time!"
~end~
~chapter 30~ farewell to thee
Jared and Justin burst through the door to Gondar's lair. Theo stood at Gondar's side. Gondar stood at a machine, preparing to fill it with dark energy.
"Hahahahaha, pathetic fools. You're too late!" Gondar laughed as he powered up an attack and launched it at Justin. The energy hit dead on and sent Justin flying against the hard stone wall. Justin slid to the ground, totaly limp. Jared gaped as his last friend was now dead.
"You BASTARD! First you kill my brother! Then you destroy my home! Next you kill ALL OF MY FRIENDS!" Jared roared, his anger taking control of him. "Now that I have nothing left to lose, I WILL kill you even if it costs me my life!" Jared stood glaring at Gondar and Theo, totally enraged.
"I've come to stop you Gondar!" Jared shouted.
"Not if I can help it." Theo stepped in.
"You..." Jared growled. Jared and Theo stood there glaring at each other for a few moments, then Jared charged Theo, preparing a head but to the chest. Theo saw this and braced for it, grabbing him around the shoulders and flipping him upside down. Jared kicked his foot down into Theo's face, then landed on the ground as Theo reeled back, holding his cheek. Jared got up and jumped back. Theo took the offence and ran at Jared, jumping and kicking him in the jaw then landing behind him. Jared, ignoring the pain, turned and threw a fist, which Theo blocked with his forearm. Theo then threw his own punch, which was blocked as well. Theo then kicked Jared in the side and punched him in the chest. Jared stumbled backwards. Theo attempted another jump kick, but Jared caught his foot and flipped Theo backwards. Theo, however, landed on his feet and brought another fist into Jared's stomach. Jared retaliated by kneeing Theo in the side. Then he quickly brought his sword and swiped down on Theo. Theo, reacting quickly, brought out his own sword just in time and blocked the attack. The battle continued with swords now. Theo swiped at Jared with his sword, who jumped back to get away, then jumped forward and pushed him back with his foot. They lunged forward and they had a standstill, their swords pressing together as they stood inches away. Theo then brought his elbow to Jared chest, sending him back. They stood there for a moment, as if taking a break. A bead of sweat dripped off Jared's face as he panted furiously from the battle. He gripped his sword tightly in his sweaty hands. Theo stood his ground, smirking at his opponent. Gondar then finished supplying the dark energy to the machine.
"Hah! It's done! There's nothing you can do!" Gondar cackled evily. A count down was heard.
"20 seconds till fire..." the voice sounded. Jared growled and charged at Theo. They engaged in fierce sword combat.
"15 seconds till fire..." Jared fought harder, striking Theo with every blow he could muster.
"Give it up, you can't beat me." Theo smirked as he blocked more of Jared's attacks.
"10 seconds..." Jared raised his sword up, getting read for a swipe down attack.
"9 seconds..." Theo tilted his sword sideways to block.
"8 seconds..." Jared quickly kicked Theo's hand up, leaving his mid section vulnerable.
"7 seconds..." Jared swung his sword down his side and slashed Theo through the stomach.
"6 seconds..." Theo's eyes became wide as pain surged through his body and he fell to the ground.
"5..." Jared then looked at Gondar.
"4..."
"Here I come!" Jared shouted, charging gondar.
"3..." Suddenly Jared felt a foot grab his ankle and he plumeted to the ground.
"2..." Jared looked down at his feet and saw Theo grinning.
"You...won't win..."Theo said as he coughed up blood and died.
"1..." Jared tried to scramble to his feet as he reached a hand towards Gondar.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" ..................
To be continued...