Chapter Three: Quest… A Rocky Beginning
And so it was that the very next morning, Princess Gemini of Flaim set out with Magnus, Maar the Bard, and her father's friends Gerrek, Greebus, Leaf, and Ryna, to the southern city of Kannon, and then to Marmo. But, what none new, especially Magnus, was that visitors would come to see King Spark that very day.
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"This is it," Deedlit, the High Elf, said as she stood at the gates of the capital city of Flaim. "Cecil, Elska, can you feel his presence?"
"He's defiantly been here," Cecil, the wizard, said.
"I can feel his music in the air still," Elska, Cecil's young apprentice, said. "He might even still be in the city."
"Guards of Flaim!" Deedlit called up. The men looked over the turrets.
"Who goes there?" asked a captain.
"I am Deedlit, High Elf and wife of the late Sir Parn," Deedlit called up. "I seek audience with King Spark."
"I had a feeling you would be by," called down a familiar voice. Deedlit looked, and saw Slayn, her old friend. Slayn looked up at the guards, and said, "It's alright, let her in. She is a good friend." the gate was raised, and the drawbridge set down. Deedlit rode her steed into the city, followed by the cart that Cecil and Elska rode in.
"Slayn," Deedlit said, "Thank you. I have a question to ask you. I need your help desperately."
"Is it about your son, Magnus?" Slayn asked.
"Yes! You've seen him?" Deedlit asked, her heart rising in her chest.
"Indeed, Lady Deedlit, he has been here. But I fear you have just missed his departure."
"I was afraid you would say that," Deedlit said, her heart plummeting once again. "Then we shall go and trouble you no further." She began to rear her horse, but Slayn stepped in front of her.
"Deedlit, the King must speak with you and Cecil. In truth, if you had not come, I would have sent for the two of you immediately. We need the both of you."
"Does this concern the troubles in the south?" Deedlit asked.
"Yes," Slayn said.
"Then we shall see the King."
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"You let him WHAT!" cried Deedlit. She rose from her seat, in the King's private council chamber, and glared at King Spark. He'd just told her about the prophecy, and of Magnus's journey with the Princess and the others.
"It is his Royal duty to protect my daughter," Spark said. "Lady Deed, I meant no harm-"
"You know nothing of the harm you've done!" Deedlit cried in rage. "I lost my husband- my ONLY love!- to that evil knight, and now you send my son to die at his hands too!"
"Deedlit," Queen Neese said calmly, "It was destiny that brought him to us. He is the only other person who can hear our daughter's inner thoughts, and I believe he may be able to save her from this tragedy."
"But you do not know off the horrors of the Sorcerer Knight!" Deedlit protested. "He is a devil, and a monster! You don't know the grief that washed over my soul when Cecil returned from that battle with my husband's torn, blood stained cloak, and his broken shield… I died that day!" she covered her face with her hands, and wept at the memory. "And now, you send my son, my only son, all I have left of Parn, to the same fate!"
"Deedlit," Cecil said, going to her and holding her as she wept, "I fear for Magnus, too. I love him as my own son, you know this. But it is in his blood. In his spirit. He cannot fight who he is or what he is to become. Parn did not, did he?"
Deedlit looked at her friend, and saw the secret love he felt for her there. She pitied poor Cecil, who loved her but whom she would never love in such a way. Cecil knew she could never love him as she loved Parn, yet still he stayed. "What shall we do?" Deedlit asked her friend.
"Come with us," Neese said, "Come with us to Valis, and from there we shall seek out our children together. We will find them before any more of the prophecy happens."
"But I have searched for my son, going from city to city, village to village, for two years," Deedlit said as she dried her tears, "I cannot abandon my search."
"I'll go find him," Elska said. The young thirteen year old girl stood up and walked over to her master and the Elf. "If you tell me which way they're going, I can reach them in a matter of days."
"But Elska," Cecil said, "You are still but a child. And your apprenticeship has barely begun."
"But you yourself said I was the best since Laylia and Slayn," Elska argued. "And I want to find Magnus as much as you do. Please, let me go. I could even catch up with them before daybreak tomorrow, on my own."
"They went by the main roads to Kannon," Slayn told the eager apprentice.
"Then go," Cecil finally said. "Go, and may all the Spirits of the Earth assist you."
"And may Marfa bless and protect you," said Queen Neese. Elska nodded, bowed to the King and Queen, and then darted off from the room to the stables.
"And let us be off on our own journey," said King Spark. A few hours later, the King, Queen, and their old companions set out for Valis, while Elska the apprentice sorceress rode on her steed, assisted with a speed spell, over the dunes of the desert, in search of Magnus.
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"We're lost," Maar said as the others gathered around a tattered old map of Lodoss.
"We're not lost," Gerrek insisted, "we just don't know where we are."
"And you're not helping," Magnus said. "You need to do something besides complain."
"I would, but I'm too small," Maar said sarcastically.
"You're going to have to get over that too," Ryna told him. "Why did you really come with us, Maar?"
"To write the love ballad of Magnus and Princess Gemini," Maar said dreamily. Magnus and Gem blushed immediately. They looked at each other, and then both reached to strangle little Maar. But then a great wind rose up over them. Sand and dust whipped about them.
'What's that!' Gem asked in her mind.
'Dragon riders,' Leaf responded. And sure enough, the shape of a great dragon flew over them, blocking the sun. Then, the first dragon was followed by three smaller dragons. Then the great dragon swept down, onto the desert floor. And gave a loud roar. And his rider, a young man with red hair and a blue bandanna, laughed.
"Well well well, what have we here? A few lost desert rats?" said the dragon rider.
"What are you doing here in the realm of Flaim? " asked Greegus. "The kingdom of Moss is very far from this land."
"I'm just takin' a little ride with my friends," the young man said, thumbing over his shoulder to the other three behind him. "And this is MY territory. Got any offerings for the dragons?"
"I'll give you an offering," Gerrek said. "How's about a taste of my axe?"
"Naw thanks," said the leader. He scanned the group, and them smiled. "I will take that Elf maiden."
"Huh?" Leaf asked, scared, "M… Me? What do you want with me?"
"Elves make tasty snacks for the dragons." the leader said smiling. His lackeys behind him laughed wildly.
"Magnus, don't let them hurt me!" Leaf cried, cowering behind him.
"Me! I wasn't hired to protect you," Magnus said.
"So much for the age of chivalry," Leaf responded. Suddenly, the dragons rose up into the air, and began to encircle them. The warriors drew their weapons, preparing for a fight, but instead the lead dragon swooped down, and grabbed Leaf up in it's talons.
"IIIEEEEEE!" screamed Leaf, "Someone help me!"
"Spirits of Wind," Magnus called, "rise and beat them down!" the Great Wind Spirit appeared, and with one mighty blow, he nearly felled all four dragons.
'D-----! This guy's good," thought the young leader of the dragon riders. "Arsnis! Fire!" he called to one of his companions. Arsnis drew a bow, and shot an arrow at Magnus, but Gem drew her sword and deflected it just in time. But with the distraction, the dragon riders rose to the sky once more, and disappeared over the horizon, with Leaf's cries for help echoing in the wind.
"Great," Gerrek said, "Now what?" Behind them, a horse neighed. The looked back, and saw a figure on horseback coming towards them.
"Another enemy?" Ryna asked.
"No," Magnus said. "A friend!"
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"Put me down right now you big idiot!" Leaf screamed up at her captor. "I'm friends with the High Elves! They'll turn you stone if you don't let me go!"
"Will you shut up!" the young leader yelled at her. "Man, why'd I have to pick such a noisy woman." They soon saw the cliffs of their home, in the kingdom called Moss. The dragons landed on the rocky terrain, dropping Leaf on the ground. Then, the young red haired man leaped off the his dragon's back, and walked over to where Leaf lay.
"Fine!" she spat, "Feed to some stupid dragon!"
"That was a joke," the young man said. "I have no intention of feeding you to my pet. I took you to satisfiy MY hunger."
"Your hunger? F… For what?" Leaf asked, scared again. Oh, where were Magnus and Gerrek when she needed them?
"Orson!" a woman's voice shouted angrily.
"Uh-oh!" the young man said. "It's mother!"
"Mother?" Leaf asked. Suddenly, down came another flock of dragons. "Wait… I know that voice. Shiris!" Leaf cried as the large ruby red dragon, and her majestic rider, landed on the cliff.
"Leaf?" Shiris asked. Then, she scowled. "Orson! What have you done! If you've done her like the last girl you kidnapped-!"
"I haven't touched her!" Orson cried.
"Touched me?" Leaf said. "EWWWW! That's what you meant when you said I was to satisfy your hunger!" She reached up quickly and struck him across the face.
"OW!" Prince Orson cried. Then his own mother came up and struck him. "OW! Geez, mom, what'd you do that for?"
"This Half Elf happens to be a friend of mine," Queen Shiris said.
"Half Elf? Geez, I thought you were the real thing." Prince Orson said, disappointed.
"Well now you're gonna get it," Leaf said. "You interrupted an important mission for King Spark of Flaim."
"I told you your lechery would get you in trouble!" Shiris yelled at her son, "Now I have damage control!"
"That might not be enough." Leaf hinted. "I was traveling with the best fighters in Flaim, as well as the son of a legend. Lord Magnus, son of Deedlit and Sir Parn, is our leader, and he's not going to like having one of his companions kidnapped by a perverted prince."
"Parn's son?" Shiris asked, dumbfounded. "But… I had no idea…"
"Mom?" Orson asked.
"If Parn's son is coming, then we're in big trouble! Riders!" Shiris called. "We have to go and meet with Lord Magnus. I'll be lightening struck before I let Parn's son kill mine." The woman leaped onto the back of her red dragon, followed by Leaf.
"Ma?" Orson asked. "Wait! Who the h---- is Parn?" he got on his dragon, and followed his stately mother into the air.
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"Oh Magnus! I finally found you!" Elska cheered as she ran up and hugged the tall Half Elf. Magnus laughed and picked her up, too, spinning her around.
"Well well, who's this?" Gerrek asked.
"My best friend Elska, from my home village," Magnus said, putting the girl down. "When I left, she'd just begun her apprenticeship with Cecil. Don't tell you finished already?" he asked her.
"Nope, not yet," Elska said, "But I'm close. Me, your mom, and Cecil were all so worried about you! We've been looking for you for two years, and I missed you oh so much!" Elska hugged him again.
Meanwhile Gem was none too happy about this little reunion. This girl might be younger, but she was cute as a button! And Magnus was paying way much attention to this kid. Gem felt her blood boiling! She coughed loudly.
"Oh, Elska, this is our leader, Princess Gemini."
"Hi," Elska chirped, putting out her hand, "Nice to meet you."
"Humph!" Gem grunted, crossing her arms.
"Did I do something wrong?" Elska asked, looking quite sad.
"You must forgive the Princess, she's mute," Ryna said, "and she doesn't take to new faces all that well."
'Princess,' Magnus asked Gem in her mind, 'What's wrong?'
'Nothing!' Gem yelled in her head. 'Absolutely nothing!'
'But… Oh! You think-! Gem, she's like my baby sister! There's nothing going on between us. I haven't seen her in two years. That's all.'
'Okay… I'm sorry,' Gem smiled again, and took Magnus's arm. 'It's just hard for me to see you paying so much attention to another girl. Specially knowing how I feel about you.'
"It's alright now," Magnus said out loud. "Elska, it's okay. Gem's sorry for being a little rude."
"It's fine," Elska said, "But I need to ask you something. What was that with those dragons before?"
"They kidnapped Leaf," Maar said. "And there's more of them!" They all looked up into the skies. Lightening flashed in the distance as Dragon Riders, armored for battle, came flying towards them.
'What should we do?' Magnus asked Gem.
'We meet them head on!' Gem said in her mind. Then,with a loud battle screech, she drew her sword, and charged ahead.
"That's our princess," Gerrek said, "Just like her dad," he hefted his axe.
"Yes, let's go," Greebus said, "And may Myre be with us." They drew their weapons again, and charged.
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"Look at those fools!" Prince Orson cried. "Charging form the ground! This Lord Magnus really is crazy!"
"Who's that girl in front?" Shiris asked Leaf.
"That's Princess Gemini of Flaim, daughter of King Spark and Queen Neese." Leaf said.
"Spark's daughter and Parn's son?" Shiris asked. "What have we gotten ourselves into? Let's descend!" she ordered, "We don't want to fight them." Shiris lead the dragon riders to the ground, and she leaped off her dragon as the Gem and their party raced over the dunes.
"Halt!" Shiris cried, "We don't want to fight!"
"Shiris?" Ryna asked as they halted their attack. "What are you doing here?"
"It's that guy who took Leaf!" Maar yelled, pointing at Orson.
"That's my thick headed son," Shiris said. "He knows better."
"Hey!" Orson yelled in protest.
"We demand that you return Leaf," Magnus cried, "Now."
"Don't worry, I'm right here!" Leaf said, climbing from the dragon's back. She skipped over to Magnus, and asked, "Did you miss me?"
"I uh…" Magnus said, stepping behind Gem.
"You can't be Parn's son," Shiris said suddenly. She stepped over to Magnus, and took his face in her hands, turning it this way and that, "There's no way! You look more like Deedlit."
"Yes, Deedlit is my mother," Magnus said.
"Well you'd think you'd get your looks from Parn. Now there was a handsome man. Brave and chivalrous and kind!"
"And what was my dad? Chop liver?" Orson asked angrily.
"Your father couldn't ever hold a candle to Parn. Or your namesake." Shiris said quietly. Magnus looked in the face of this fiery queen, and saw her hidden heart ache there.
"Um… Well, thank you for returning Leaf," Magnus said. "We have to go now."
"Wait," Shiris said, "You have to let us apologize for this misunderstanding. Maybe we could take you back to our home for some dinner?"
"Free meal! Alright!" Maar cheered.
"Maar? What are you doing back?" Shiris asked. "I thought you'd gone with Ashram and Hobb."
"I got homesick, and besides, who could leave an island that has Princess Gemini?" he asked, staring up at the Princess with stars in his eyes. Gem sighed.
"We really have to go," Magnus said, "We're on quest of utmost importance."
"A quest huh? Dangerous? Life threatening?"
"There certainly seems to be no certainty of survival," Magnus said.
"Then take my good for nothing son with you." Shiris said.
"WHAT! MOM!" Orson cried.
"It's your punishment for being such a louse," Shiris snapped at him. "Leave your dragon here, and we'll make sure to take him back home. From here on out, you're on foot."
"But… You can't take Fireball from me!" Orson whined. "I've had him since he hatched!"
"I warned you about how you treat girls," Shiris said, taking Fireball's reins. "And if you're going to be King after me, then you need learn to grow up. Riders to the air!" But just then, the world was turned upside down…
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Deep within the inferno of Shooting Star's Volcano, the Sorcerer Knight appeared. In his hands was a iron covered sphere which contained black powder that had enough force when ignited to bring down a hundred castles. This powder, obtained from foreign lands, was what he needed now.
"Already heroes of old have been stirred from their long sleep," he said aloud in a emotionless, deep voice. "Now, stone shall shatter on stone, and the foundations of the earth shall shake." He smiled, but all that could be seen were his long fangs. He raised the sphere above his head, and threw it with all his might into the magma! Then, using a teleportation spell, he retreated from the mountain, as the powder and the fire reacted, lava and fire and smoke and ash exploding into the sky, destroying the ancient mountain, covering the fertile lands of Flame's eastern lands in ash, and sending a shockwave over all of Lodoss.
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The sand rippled like water beneath them. A sound like a thousand dragons stomping at once roared around them.
"What's happening!" Elska cried.
"Earthquake!" Greebus shouted, "Myre! Protect us!" a shield of light encircled the large group of people and dragons as the earth cracked beneath them, sand spilling into the chasms.
'The prophecy!' Gem said in her mind. 'Foundations of stone shaken! We'll never beat this stupid thing!'
'Don't worry, Gem,' Magnus assured her, 'We'll destroy that Knight and the circlet before anything else happens! I promise!' Then, just as suddenly as the earthquake began, it was over. All was still. But now, much of the cracked, dusty ground lay bare beneath their feet.
"This will make the crossing of the desert more perilous," Greebus said. "Be careful not step on the mounds of sand. They're sink holes that will swallow you up." They began to walk back in their original direction, with a disheartened prince dragging his feet in the rear.
"Wonderful," Prince Orson grumbled, "Just my luck to have this quest as penance."
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AN: PLEASE REVIEW! I'm begging you people! PLEASE:'O'''''