The Grand Tournament
Chapter 2
Quick A/N: Wow guys! Thanks for the reviews! It means a lot to me to know I have fans ^_^;;
Stepping out of the bushes, Duran looked ahead at the seemingly endless dirt path ahead of them and the giant coliseum in the distance. He sighed.
"We got a long way ahead of us, you two ready?" he asked, turning around to Carlie and Angela, and sighed again to find their jaws dropped to the ground.
"THAT far???" Angela screeched, "I can't walk that much! These are news shoes..."
"Gran'pa once told Carlie about Child Labor laws! If you make me walk that much, you'll get time out!"
"Hey!" Duran shouted over their moaning, "We rest when we get there, the tournament is still two days away. We'll have plenty of time to rest up." He explained, and started walking, hacking at hapless tree branches that weren't even in his way. His companions sighed and began to walk after him.
After two hours of walking, the group settled down near a brook for a small rest. Carlie played with ladybugs in the grass while Duran and Angela sat on a rock nearby.
"So tell me more about the tournament, I'm still a little unclear. What are some of the things you heard?" Angela inquired, twirling her hair.
"I already told you that some demons eventually get their way in..."
"Underworld demons? Since the Dark Prince opened the bind?"
"Yeah, exactly," Duran continued, and took out his sword to polish it, "They have extraordinary powers, a lot similar to Koren's, but far more sinister." Angela snorted. "I also heard once that sometimes competitors mysteriously 'disappear' before matches, found later in a stream with rocks tied to them. Others are found in their rooms, looking like they exploded or something. So, we just need to be careful and stick together at all times."
"Like we are now?" Angela asked sarcastically.
"What do you mean?"
"It's quiet." She replied, and it took the mercenary a few moments to understand what she meant.
"Carlie!!!"
"Finding flowers for Duran..." Carlie sang, skipping over rocks and picking up stray wildflowers in the forest, "Giving them to friends, and not to stupid selfish purple haired meanie princess...la la la..." she continued, humming with no real melody. She was so content in her happiness that she didn't notice a small shadow jumping from tree to tree above her.
"OOH!" she squealed, coming across a perfect blue flower in a field of pink. Walking over towards it, she heard a small "fwump" behind her, and turned around to check.
"Duran? Meanie Princess?" she asked, and when nothing else moved, she shrugged and continued to walk to pluck the blue rose from the earth. The shadow behind her creeped out, crawling close to the ground towards the small girl. Almost upon her, it stepped on a twig without meaning. Carlie barely had time to turn around before the predator decided to finally just pounce on the half-elf.
Carlie's scream echoed through the forest.
Angela picked up the high-pitched shriek with her Elven ears, slightly twitching them.
"Duran!" she yelled ahead of her to her companion who was bushwhacking his way through the dense foliage, "She's this way!" she pointed to the right, and quickly ran off with the warrior quickly on her heels.
~*~
Carlie took another swing at the demon before climbing to the lowest branch on the tree. Unfortunately, the demon's claw grabbed her by her weak slipper and began to pull her short body down to it; it's mouth watering with anticipation. The halfling screamed again, just as Duran and Angela entered the clearing.
"Carlie!" the screamed together, and as Duran rushed forward with his sword, Angela began to chant a spell. The demon twisted itself abruptly, facing Duran and startling him a bit. The creature had no eyes, only a steaming red mouth with hundreds of dagger-like teeth lining all sides. Its front half was like a wild beast, with jet fur running from its head down to its claws. The other half was similar to a dragon, burgundy scales glistening in the light that shimmered in between the tree leaves. A long tail twitched back and forth, slamming into the ground with tremendous force.
Duran leapt for the creature, spinning in the air and bringing his sword down to the demon's lower side, sending it slightly into the air. Airborne, the demon was helpless to Angela's finally summoned spell: Holy Ball. The spheres of light hit the creature in the chest, and it disintegrated into ash upon contact with the holy light. Carlie panted in the tree and finally fell down into Duran's arms and cried.
"...Let's go. We don't know if there's more of them..." Angela begged, but just as she said that, several roars came from beyond the grove.
"...You're a jinx." Duran snarled affectionately, and ran with Carlie in his arms back the way they came with Angela dashing after, holding her staff just in case.
They just reached the brook again to find more of the same breed of demon crossing the river to get to them. Angela yipped and ran ahead of Duran back onto the path, leaving a trail of dust. Duran followed, trying to jostle
Carlie who kept sobbing and his broad sword to keep both from contact. The demons pursued, gaining speed, and Duran could swear he could feel their fetid breath at his heels. Angela twirled around and fired another Holy Ball, knocking out three demons, but it seemed as if three more appeared in their place.
"What the hell are these things?" Duran cried out running faster to keep up with Angela. Both could see the coliseum just ahead, both wondering if they were going to make it. Using their remaining strength, they pushed themselves onto the stone bridge, leading to the Grand Arena, only to find the large gate closed.
"NO!" Angela screamed and began to whack the gate with her staff, "LET US IN! PLEASE!" Her cries were in vain, however, as the three Mana Warriors soon found themselves against the steel gate, pushing against it to stay away from the demons, which were now just yards away, slowly stalking in. One moved to the front, it's mouth drooling, and got ready to pounce. Duran held up his sword and Angela prepared a spell when the demon pounced...
...And instantly twisted in mid-air, howling in pain from the shuriken the struck it's chest.
"Son of a..." Duran began, and watched in amazement as Hawk flipped out of the tree and onto the ground before them.
"Hey guys! Long time no see!" he greeted, waving to his friends. He turned back in time to jab his knife into another beast's chest, sending it howling over the bridge. He darted about, throwing more shurikens at his enemies and dicing them apart until the remaining whimpered off like dogs. The thief panted and sheathed his weaponry. Turning back he grinned.
"Harunoki. Ash demons. They usually live in the dark places in the desert, but they can survive anywhere. You guys alright?" he asked, and was pleased to see his friends nod.
"Why are you here Hawk?" Duran asked, adjusting his hold on Carlie to sheath his sword. Hawk smiled gently.
"Why, to enter the Grand Tournament of course!"
Dun dun dun duuuun! Hawk is in! Yeah, use your imagination to guess who else is there :p Review please! I told ya this chapter would be longer! And it gets better in the next one! Woo hoo!
Chapter 2
Quick A/N: Wow guys! Thanks for the reviews! It means a lot to me to know I have fans ^_^;;
Stepping out of the bushes, Duran looked ahead at the seemingly endless dirt path ahead of them and the giant coliseum in the distance. He sighed.
"We got a long way ahead of us, you two ready?" he asked, turning around to Carlie and Angela, and sighed again to find their jaws dropped to the ground.
"THAT far???" Angela screeched, "I can't walk that much! These are news shoes..."
"Gran'pa once told Carlie about Child Labor laws! If you make me walk that much, you'll get time out!"
"Hey!" Duran shouted over their moaning, "We rest when we get there, the tournament is still two days away. We'll have plenty of time to rest up." He explained, and started walking, hacking at hapless tree branches that weren't even in his way. His companions sighed and began to walk after him.
After two hours of walking, the group settled down near a brook for a small rest. Carlie played with ladybugs in the grass while Duran and Angela sat on a rock nearby.
"So tell me more about the tournament, I'm still a little unclear. What are some of the things you heard?" Angela inquired, twirling her hair.
"I already told you that some demons eventually get their way in..."
"Underworld demons? Since the Dark Prince opened the bind?"
"Yeah, exactly," Duran continued, and took out his sword to polish it, "They have extraordinary powers, a lot similar to Koren's, but far more sinister." Angela snorted. "I also heard once that sometimes competitors mysteriously 'disappear' before matches, found later in a stream with rocks tied to them. Others are found in their rooms, looking like they exploded or something. So, we just need to be careful and stick together at all times."
"Like we are now?" Angela asked sarcastically.
"What do you mean?"
"It's quiet." She replied, and it took the mercenary a few moments to understand what she meant.
"Carlie!!!"
"Finding flowers for Duran..." Carlie sang, skipping over rocks and picking up stray wildflowers in the forest, "Giving them to friends, and not to stupid selfish purple haired meanie princess...la la la..." she continued, humming with no real melody. She was so content in her happiness that she didn't notice a small shadow jumping from tree to tree above her.
"OOH!" she squealed, coming across a perfect blue flower in a field of pink. Walking over towards it, she heard a small "fwump" behind her, and turned around to check.
"Duran? Meanie Princess?" she asked, and when nothing else moved, she shrugged and continued to walk to pluck the blue rose from the earth. The shadow behind her creeped out, crawling close to the ground towards the small girl. Almost upon her, it stepped on a twig without meaning. Carlie barely had time to turn around before the predator decided to finally just pounce on the half-elf.
Carlie's scream echoed through the forest.
Angela picked up the high-pitched shriek with her Elven ears, slightly twitching them.
"Duran!" she yelled ahead of her to her companion who was bushwhacking his way through the dense foliage, "She's this way!" she pointed to the right, and quickly ran off with the warrior quickly on her heels.
~*~
Carlie took another swing at the demon before climbing to the lowest branch on the tree. Unfortunately, the demon's claw grabbed her by her weak slipper and began to pull her short body down to it; it's mouth watering with anticipation. The halfling screamed again, just as Duran and Angela entered the clearing.
"Carlie!" the screamed together, and as Duran rushed forward with his sword, Angela began to chant a spell. The demon twisted itself abruptly, facing Duran and startling him a bit. The creature had no eyes, only a steaming red mouth with hundreds of dagger-like teeth lining all sides. Its front half was like a wild beast, with jet fur running from its head down to its claws. The other half was similar to a dragon, burgundy scales glistening in the light that shimmered in between the tree leaves. A long tail twitched back and forth, slamming into the ground with tremendous force.
Duran leapt for the creature, spinning in the air and bringing his sword down to the demon's lower side, sending it slightly into the air. Airborne, the demon was helpless to Angela's finally summoned spell: Holy Ball. The spheres of light hit the creature in the chest, and it disintegrated into ash upon contact with the holy light. Carlie panted in the tree and finally fell down into Duran's arms and cried.
"...Let's go. We don't know if there's more of them..." Angela begged, but just as she said that, several roars came from beyond the grove.
"...You're a jinx." Duran snarled affectionately, and ran with Carlie in his arms back the way they came with Angela dashing after, holding her staff just in case.
They just reached the brook again to find more of the same breed of demon crossing the river to get to them. Angela yipped and ran ahead of Duran back onto the path, leaving a trail of dust. Duran followed, trying to jostle
Carlie who kept sobbing and his broad sword to keep both from contact. The demons pursued, gaining speed, and Duran could swear he could feel their fetid breath at his heels. Angela twirled around and fired another Holy Ball, knocking out three demons, but it seemed as if three more appeared in their place.
"What the hell are these things?" Duran cried out running faster to keep up with Angela. Both could see the coliseum just ahead, both wondering if they were going to make it. Using their remaining strength, they pushed themselves onto the stone bridge, leading to the Grand Arena, only to find the large gate closed.
"NO!" Angela screamed and began to whack the gate with her staff, "LET US IN! PLEASE!" Her cries were in vain, however, as the three Mana Warriors soon found themselves against the steel gate, pushing against it to stay away from the demons, which were now just yards away, slowly stalking in. One moved to the front, it's mouth drooling, and got ready to pounce. Duran held up his sword and Angela prepared a spell when the demon pounced...
...And instantly twisted in mid-air, howling in pain from the shuriken the struck it's chest.
"Son of a..." Duran began, and watched in amazement as Hawk flipped out of the tree and onto the ground before them.
"Hey guys! Long time no see!" he greeted, waving to his friends. He turned back in time to jab his knife into another beast's chest, sending it howling over the bridge. He darted about, throwing more shurikens at his enemies and dicing them apart until the remaining whimpered off like dogs. The thief panted and sheathed his weaponry. Turning back he grinned.
"Harunoki. Ash demons. They usually live in the dark places in the desert, but they can survive anywhere. You guys alright?" he asked, and was pleased to see his friends nod.
"Why are you here Hawk?" Duran asked, adjusting his hold on Carlie to sheath his sword. Hawk smiled gently.
"Why, to enter the Grand Tournament of course!"
Dun dun dun duuuun! Hawk is in! Yeah, use your imagination to guess who else is there :p Review please! I told ya this chapter would be longer! And it gets better in the next one! Woo hoo!