b"Family Ties ~ The Tale of the Poe Sisters"
Part Three ~ Sands of Time/b
In the desert Oasis, time stood still. Though the sun rose and the moon passed, the sands never rolled in a wind that was forever absent, the pools of clear water never dried in the ever present scorching sun and the nests of Leevers and Guay were undisturbed. The white glow of the moon shone out, lighting the dark sky and hinting the sands with a calm silver hue. The quiet and peaceful corner of the desert was disturbed only by the sounds and metal hitting metal, echoing out the open doors of the Temple, built into the side of the mountain.
Beth slammed her sword down hard, pushing against the force of her enemy who was in turn trying to force his blade into the girl. With a push, it forced her off and brought it's shield to bear. Beth took a defensive stance, having no shield of her own, she circled her opponent, watching it's every move, as it mimicked her exact steps, slowly pacing around waiting for a chance to strike. Her opponent stared at her through lifeless eyes, an evil grin permanently etched on it's scared face It lowered it's shield and jabbed forward with it's own short blade. Beth hopped backwards, narrowly missing the sharp instrument, but quickly recovered and leapt forward, blade at the ready. She took advantage of her foe's open vulnerability and brought the sword down, straight through its chest, running between its ribs and directly into its chest cavity.
Had it been any other humanoid fighter, blood would be dripping onto the marble floor, and Beth enemy would be well and truly dead, it's heart bisected by a steel weapon. As it was, her enemy was already dead, in a way it always would be. The oasis was a source of great magic, the goddess ruled and cast her will over the whole valley, and so it was that those who passed through it and died became a part of her own spirit. Magic can have both a calming and torturous effect on the dead, and this was no exception. Beth retracted her blade, a strange green and blue aura emanated from the beast's body as she ducked and rolled from another blow. She took a defensive position again as she watched her enemy regain it's posture.
She couldn't tell it was male or female, but then again, she wasn't paying much attention to its possible gender, or even what it was wearing. All she knew, was that a hulking skeleton, armed with a Short sword and a solid round shield, circled around her, trying to cut her to pieces. Every so often it would laugh, the kind of laugh a murderer would make as he stepped over his victim, muffling their screams and showing their last hopes. The kind of laugh that would send shivers down the spines of even the most hardened of Gerudo's. Beth took a chance to see what her sisters were dealing with.
Amy crept slowly around a jackal like creature. Unlike the canine itself, this monster had no feet, it had nothing more than cloud where its hips were meant to be, a ghost no doubt. It's face and body were entwined with bandages, but two glowing red eyes shone out from behind them, never straying from the eye contact it maintained with its prey. Joelle and Meg were facing off with a strange robed creature. It's face wasn't visible, but it was moving about the room randomly, spraying fireballs whenever it felt like it and then disappearing with a warbling laugh that was enough to drive anyone insane. The fireballs were easily deflected off the edge of a blade, but Joelle's scorched and singed robes were enough evidence of how frequently they had missed.
Beth turned her sword; catching the assault of her enemy against the edge and halting it's further attack.
iThere has to be some way of defeating these beasts,/i Beth thought, iSwords were no use against a ghost, or a mage that teleported at random. If only there was some way to turn them against each other./i
A moment of hope broke through, when a deflected fireball crashed close to the ghost that hovered precariously close to Amy. As the flames licked at the cool floor, the ghost reared it's head and sought refuge away from the flickering embers. Not only had Beth noticed this, but Meg was already moving position to deflect the reflect the fireballs at the phantom. The Mage appeared, and whooping as it always does, cast three heavy red fireballs down upon the two girls. Meg stood fast, and as the ball of searing hot flame approached, she brought down her sword, sending the attack scattering off towards the bandaged beast. The fire hit and instantly, an unearthly screech filled the room. The ghost was alight, and in it's throes of second death it slowly dissolved away to ash.
The distraction was what Beth was hoping for, and as the skeletal monster twisted it's head to locate the source of the misery it so longed to hear, it brought it's defence down. Beth ran forward her blade held high. With a sweeping arc movement, she brought the silvery steel edge across the neck of the monster, snapping it's vertebrae and knocking the skull apart from the body. The body instantly fell apart, bones clattering on the marble surface, but the head still laughed. Through a toothy grin and eyeless sockets, a blue mist appeared and began to rebuild the body. The swift movement of Beth's foot knocked away all hope of the beast coming back, as she ploughed her heel through the skull, cracking it into numerous splinters and plates. The mist dissipated and the reconstruction halted. All now that remained was the whooping wizard that floated high above their heads, raining it's torrent of fire down to the ground.
"We have to lure it down to our level somehow." Meg explained as the four sisters regrouped. "We need bait. Live bait."
The decision was made, and as the next fireball crashed towards them Amy screamed in pain. Having screamed from real pain before, pretending to was no difficulty. While her sisters hid in the shadows, Amy lay motionless on the floor. It didn't take long for the magician to descend over her, it's arms outstretched towards her, it was almost upon her when from the hidden corners of the temple leapt three attackers. With swift direct strokes, three swords powered through the robes of the magician turning it's whoops into howls of pain. Amy rolled from her play dead position, and grabbing her sword, sent it straight up in a direct blow through the beast's neck.
The howls stopped and the robes fell to the floor, whatever held them up now dissolved into the air. Silence filled the temple again, a silence that was broken only by the heavy breathing of the four girls. Through the patterned glass windows of the temple walls shone the light of the rising sun. The battling had lasted the whole night. As the beams of light struck the remains of the monsters, a wind picked up centralised at the top of the steps. Like tendrils from a creature, the remains were picked up in the wind, circling the room and being pulled closer to the same spot. Bones, ash and robes came together, and began to glow with a brilliant white light. The girls shielded their eyes, and as the light and wind died, a treasure chest was all that remained.
"Do you think it's safe?" Amy asked, admiring the finely carved wooden chest from afar. Golden hinges were placed at the back, and a gold trim slid along all the corners and edges. There was no lock.
"Only one way to find out.." Meg replied, as she approached the box. She hovered over it, trying to resist the urge to open it, but finally gave it. She lifted the lid, only slightly, there was no reaction from the chest. The lid was lifted fully, leaving the contents of the chest fully exposed. The four girls leaned in to look.
"It's empty.." Joelle began, but a sudden glaring green and gold light halted her words. Despite the contrast and brilliance of the light, neither girl shielded her eyes, but watched as the light coalesced into a pair of gloves. Not just any gloves, these were Gauntlets. Strong metal gloves that were covered in gold plates and red jewels.
"This must be it, the Golden Treasure.." Beth exclaimed "This is what Lord Dragmire sent us for, and know we have it."
"Then lets take it and leave at once" Meg said, reaching into the chest and removing the gauntlets. As she touched them, she felt a powerful magic move through her, filling her body with strength and determination. Meg felt so strong, she believed that nothing could stand in her way. "Amazing.." she whispered to herself, wrapping the Gauntlets up in her robes and securing them tight the magically feeling faded as her contact with the treasure did.
Back outside in the oasis, the fluttering Guay and crawling Leevers passed by the girls without hassle, and soon they arrived at the border between the calm peaceful oasis, and the violent storm of the wasteland. The sand seemed even thicker than before. With no other choice, the sisters raised their arms to their faces and stepped into the storm.
"It's too heavy!" Amy cried out, her protest only barely registering over the screeching wind.
"We have to keep going!" Meg responded "We have no choice!"
"Look!" Joelle yelled, pointing into the storm. There, floating a few feet above the sands, glowing with an urethral silver light was the phantom that they had encountered in the pit of the stone plateau. Jardo Malvin's forgotten spirit hovered in the center of the storm a few meters from where the sisters stood.
"Follloooooowww..." the ghost said, it wasn't a shout, but the sound passed over and was heard perfectly, almost blocking out the screaming winds. The ghost began to move through the dancing sands, it's silver light acting as a guide that the sisters could follow.
The path the ghost took seemed irregular and random, crossing all over the desert and sometimes backing up on itself, but after some time the sands weakened and the sisters found themselves back at the stone plateau. Nearby a wooden post could be made out through the sands, the Gerudo flag hoisted at the top. The ghost wavered slightly, before fading away gain into the sand storm, the silver glow fading with it. After a short rest, the girls began their last trek towards the fortress. Following posts back was easier than the first time, but soon the last danger faced them as it had hampered their journey from the start.
"The river.." Beth whispered. The wind howled so loud, she could barely acknowledge herself that she had said it.
"We have to find someway across!" Meg yelled. As if her words were a chant to bring forth lost spirits, a silver glow appeared across the other side of the river of sand, and Jardo Malvin's ghost once again began to hover there.
"Crosss..." it slurred, pointing with a decaying hand at the raging river of quicksand.
"How can we cross? There's nothing to support us, we'll be swept away for sure.." Amy cried out, her sisters looked at her in agreement.
"Trussstt..." the ghost whispered this time. It's voice had change for the rough crow of a ghost and had become softer, more human like that anyone would have though possible from a phantom. Again, he faded from view. Joelle stepped forward, standing on the very edge of the riverbed, and closing her eyes took another step of faith.
Her foot landed on a solid surface, cool to the touch and not course or rough like the sand. Joelle peeked out of one eye to find herself standing in mid air over the river itself.
"Come on," she motioned to her sister to follow. One by one the sisters nervously crossed over the river, guided across by a mysterious invisible platform. As the last sister stepped onto the other side, a faint aura glowed around where they had just stepped before being swept away by the wind. A voice whispering in the wind told them all they need to know. A kind, gentle voice that could only come from someone loving and caring.
"Goodbye, my children."
Wiping a tear from her eye Meg motioned the others to follow, the short distance between the river and the fortress was almost complete. As the open gates of the fortress became more focused through the sand Meg smiled to herself. /i, she thought iwe're home, safe and most importantly, we have the treasure that will guarantee us a future./i Through the waving sands, four sisters stepped out onto the calm sands of the Fortress borders. Their clothes torn and shredded colour impossible to tell anymore, but their hearts and souls strong and ready for more. The stepped in time towards the gates, and towards the future they so always wanted.
Part Three ~ Sands of Time/b
In the desert Oasis, time stood still. Though the sun rose and the moon passed, the sands never rolled in a wind that was forever absent, the pools of clear water never dried in the ever present scorching sun and the nests of Leevers and Guay were undisturbed. The white glow of the moon shone out, lighting the dark sky and hinting the sands with a calm silver hue. The quiet and peaceful corner of the desert was disturbed only by the sounds and metal hitting metal, echoing out the open doors of the Temple, built into the side of the mountain.
Beth slammed her sword down hard, pushing against the force of her enemy who was in turn trying to force his blade into the girl. With a push, it forced her off and brought it's shield to bear. Beth took a defensive stance, having no shield of her own, she circled her opponent, watching it's every move, as it mimicked her exact steps, slowly pacing around waiting for a chance to strike. Her opponent stared at her through lifeless eyes, an evil grin permanently etched on it's scared face It lowered it's shield and jabbed forward with it's own short blade. Beth hopped backwards, narrowly missing the sharp instrument, but quickly recovered and leapt forward, blade at the ready. She took advantage of her foe's open vulnerability and brought the sword down, straight through its chest, running between its ribs and directly into its chest cavity.
Had it been any other humanoid fighter, blood would be dripping onto the marble floor, and Beth enemy would be well and truly dead, it's heart bisected by a steel weapon. As it was, her enemy was already dead, in a way it always would be. The oasis was a source of great magic, the goddess ruled and cast her will over the whole valley, and so it was that those who passed through it and died became a part of her own spirit. Magic can have both a calming and torturous effect on the dead, and this was no exception. Beth retracted her blade, a strange green and blue aura emanated from the beast's body as she ducked and rolled from another blow. She took a defensive position again as she watched her enemy regain it's posture.
She couldn't tell it was male or female, but then again, she wasn't paying much attention to its possible gender, or even what it was wearing. All she knew, was that a hulking skeleton, armed with a Short sword and a solid round shield, circled around her, trying to cut her to pieces. Every so often it would laugh, the kind of laugh a murderer would make as he stepped over his victim, muffling their screams and showing their last hopes. The kind of laugh that would send shivers down the spines of even the most hardened of Gerudo's. Beth took a chance to see what her sisters were dealing with.
Amy crept slowly around a jackal like creature. Unlike the canine itself, this monster had no feet, it had nothing more than cloud where its hips were meant to be, a ghost no doubt. It's face and body were entwined with bandages, but two glowing red eyes shone out from behind them, never straying from the eye contact it maintained with its prey. Joelle and Meg were facing off with a strange robed creature. It's face wasn't visible, but it was moving about the room randomly, spraying fireballs whenever it felt like it and then disappearing with a warbling laugh that was enough to drive anyone insane. The fireballs were easily deflected off the edge of a blade, but Joelle's scorched and singed robes were enough evidence of how frequently they had missed.
Beth turned her sword; catching the assault of her enemy against the edge and halting it's further attack.
iThere has to be some way of defeating these beasts,/i Beth thought, iSwords were no use against a ghost, or a mage that teleported at random. If only there was some way to turn them against each other./i
A moment of hope broke through, when a deflected fireball crashed close to the ghost that hovered precariously close to Amy. As the flames licked at the cool floor, the ghost reared it's head and sought refuge away from the flickering embers. Not only had Beth noticed this, but Meg was already moving position to deflect the reflect the fireballs at the phantom. The Mage appeared, and whooping as it always does, cast three heavy red fireballs down upon the two girls. Meg stood fast, and as the ball of searing hot flame approached, she brought down her sword, sending the attack scattering off towards the bandaged beast. The fire hit and instantly, an unearthly screech filled the room. The ghost was alight, and in it's throes of second death it slowly dissolved away to ash.
The distraction was what Beth was hoping for, and as the skeletal monster twisted it's head to locate the source of the misery it so longed to hear, it brought it's defence down. Beth ran forward her blade held high. With a sweeping arc movement, she brought the silvery steel edge across the neck of the monster, snapping it's vertebrae and knocking the skull apart from the body. The body instantly fell apart, bones clattering on the marble surface, but the head still laughed. Through a toothy grin and eyeless sockets, a blue mist appeared and began to rebuild the body. The swift movement of Beth's foot knocked away all hope of the beast coming back, as she ploughed her heel through the skull, cracking it into numerous splinters and plates. The mist dissipated and the reconstruction halted. All now that remained was the whooping wizard that floated high above their heads, raining it's torrent of fire down to the ground.
"We have to lure it down to our level somehow." Meg explained as the four sisters regrouped. "We need bait. Live bait."
The decision was made, and as the next fireball crashed towards them Amy screamed in pain. Having screamed from real pain before, pretending to was no difficulty. While her sisters hid in the shadows, Amy lay motionless on the floor. It didn't take long for the magician to descend over her, it's arms outstretched towards her, it was almost upon her when from the hidden corners of the temple leapt three attackers. With swift direct strokes, three swords powered through the robes of the magician turning it's whoops into howls of pain. Amy rolled from her play dead position, and grabbing her sword, sent it straight up in a direct blow through the beast's neck.
The howls stopped and the robes fell to the floor, whatever held them up now dissolved into the air. Silence filled the temple again, a silence that was broken only by the heavy breathing of the four girls. Through the patterned glass windows of the temple walls shone the light of the rising sun. The battling had lasted the whole night. As the beams of light struck the remains of the monsters, a wind picked up centralised at the top of the steps. Like tendrils from a creature, the remains were picked up in the wind, circling the room and being pulled closer to the same spot. Bones, ash and robes came together, and began to glow with a brilliant white light. The girls shielded their eyes, and as the light and wind died, a treasure chest was all that remained.
"Do you think it's safe?" Amy asked, admiring the finely carved wooden chest from afar. Golden hinges were placed at the back, and a gold trim slid along all the corners and edges. There was no lock.
"Only one way to find out.." Meg replied, as she approached the box. She hovered over it, trying to resist the urge to open it, but finally gave it. She lifted the lid, only slightly, there was no reaction from the chest. The lid was lifted fully, leaving the contents of the chest fully exposed. The four girls leaned in to look.
"It's empty.." Joelle began, but a sudden glaring green and gold light halted her words. Despite the contrast and brilliance of the light, neither girl shielded her eyes, but watched as the light coalesced into a pair of gloves. Not just any gloves, these were Gauntlets. Strong metal gloves that were covered in gold plates and red jewels.
"This must be it, the Golden Treasure.." Beth exclaimed "This is what Lord Dragmire sent us for, and know we have it."
"Then lets take it and leave at once" Meg said, reaching into the chest and removing the gauntlets. As she touched them, she felt a powerful magic move through her, filling her body with strength and determination. Meg felt so strong, she believed that nothing could stand in her way. "Amazing.." she whispered to herself, wrapping the Gauntlets up in her robes and securing them tight the magically feeling faded as her contact with the treasure did.
Back outside in the oasis, the fluttering Guay and crawling Leevers passed by the girls without hassle, and soon they arrived at the border between the calm peaceful oasis, and the violent storm of the wasteland. The sand seemed even thicker than before. With no other choice, the sisters raised their arms to their faces and stepped into the storm.
"It's too heavy!" Amy cried out, her protest only barely registering over the screeching wind.
"We have to keep going!" Meg responded "We have no choice!"
"Look!" Joelle yelled, pointing into the storm. There, floating a few feet above the sands, glowing with an urethral silver light was the phantom that they had encountered in the pit of the stone plateau. Jardo Malvin's forgotten spirit hovered in the center of the storm a few meters from where the sisters stood.
"Follloooooowww..." the ghost said, it wasn't a shout, but the sound passed over and was heard perfectly, almost blocking out the screaming winds. The ghost began to move through the dancing sands, it's silver light acting as a guide that the sisters could follow.
The path the ghost took seemed irregular and random, crossing all over the desert and sometimes backing up on itself, but after some time the sands weakened and the sisters found themselves back at the stone plateau. Nearby a wooden post could be made out through the sands, the Gerudo flag hoisted at the top. The ghost wavered slightly, before fading away gain into the sand storm, the silver glow fading with it. After a short rest, the girls began their last trek towards the fortress. Following posts back was easier than the first time, but soon the last danger faced them as it had hampered their journey from the start.
"The river.." Beth whispered. The wind howled so loud, she could barely acknowledge herself that she had said it.
"We have to find someway across!" Meg yelled. As if her words were a chant to bring forth lost spirits, a silver glow appeared across the other side of the river of sand, and Jardo Malvin's ghost once again began to hover there.
"Crosss..." it slurred, pointing with a decaying hand at the raging river of quicksand.
"How can we cross? There's nothing to support us, we'll be swept away for sure.." Amy cried out, her sisters looked at her in agreement.
"Trussstt..." the ghost whispered this time. It's voice had change for the rough crow of a ghost and had become softer, more human like that anyone would have though possible from a phantom. Again, he faded from view. Joelle stepped forward, standing on the very edge of the riverbed, and closing her eyes took another step of faith.
Her foot landed on a solid surface, cool to the touch and not course or rough like the sand. Joelle peeked out of one eye to find herself standing in mid air over the river itself.
"Come on," she motioned to her sister to follow. One by one the sisters nervously crossed over the river, guided across by a mysterious invisible platform. As the last sister stepped onto the other side, a faint aura glowed around where they had just stepped before being swept away by the wind. A voice whispering in the wind told them all they need to know. A kind, gentle voice that could only come from someone loving and caring.
"Goodbye, my children."
Wiping a tear from her eye Meg motioned the others to follow, the short distance between the river and the fortress was almost complete. As the open gates of the fortress became more focused through the sand Meg smiled to herself. /i, she thought iwe're home, safe and most importantly, we have the treasure that will guarantee us a future./i Through the waving sands, four sisters stepped out onto the calm sands of the Fortress borders. Their clothes torn and shredded colour impossible to tell anymore, but their hearts and souls strong and ready for more. The stepped in time towards the gates, and towards the future they so always wanted.
