The Hezi And Row Show 4

The blue haze dissipated from around the travelers. Their eyes focused on what was around them. The three stood at the top of an apex of staircases. Other various denizens went about their business in the bustling area known as The Nexus. Peering around, nothing seemed out of the ordinary to any of them. Druids called out there advertisements for porting or buffing services. Enchanters offered wares and services of their own. Some even offered up goods and equipment to potential buyers, even though The Bazaar was just a few dozen paces away. The shimmer of various teleportations, be it from druids or scions, lit the air as if it were awash in a spectacular fireworks show. The noise level and buzz, equally as loud. The three stood back to back looking as though they were prepared for something that wasn't happening.

"Seems quiet enough. We must be the first to arrive" the large bald headed human said as he clenched and unclenched his gauntleted hands.

A small pot bellied halfling, looking much the part of an adult demi-human film star, twitched. His eyes darted to and fro. "Are we sure this is a good idea?"

"Flower. It was your idea!" This came from a dark haired yet strikingly beautiful wood elf standing between the other two. She had one hand near a bag at her belt and her other on the hilt of a bleach white bone handled weapon.

"I know! That's why I'm asking!"

"I wouldn't have come if I thought it was a bad idea, little man" Hezikiaha, the big broad shouldered human warrior whispered.

Rowwanda turned and looked at him. "You would have come even if I told you it was the worst idea! Any excuse for action and you leap before you look!" Her eyes burned into him.

He turned and gazed back at her. "Yeah! But that's why you love me!" he said with a gleeful glint in his eye.

Her face started to turn red "I do not lov-"

Flowersniffing Treehugga interrupted her. "Guys, we still need to scout The Bazaar! We can't call the others up until we do."

"Alright, let's go." Hezi started down the stairs towards the tunnel that led to his destination. He shoved people aside, sometimes intentionally, sometimes just because of his bulk.

The three tried to appear as nonchalant as they could as they entered the tunnel that led to The Bazaar. Just as they started to round the corner Rowwanda stopped in her tracks. The other two noticed and backed up towards her.

"What's wrong Row?" Hezi asked.

She seemed far away, her eyes glazed over. "I'm...I'm not sure. I feel something...powerful." Her brow furrowed as she concentrated. "Something...behind us." As she finished, a gust of wind broke down the tunnel, nearly blowing them off their feet. A loud commotion started back behind them, in The Nexus.

Flowersniffing looked all around panicked. "What in all the bushy hairs of Tunare's female parts is that!"

Hezikiaha brushed past him on his way back down the tunnel, until Rowwanda's hand on his shoulder stopped him. "Stop. Don't go. I'm not sure what it is but we mustn't be the center of attention. Not yet. We must finish our mission." The audible effects of battle, screams, shouts, magical chanting, all rose up the tunnel on the wings of echoed sound.

Flower shifted uncomfortably. "Maybe it's my kin! Maybe they didn't wait for me to signal?"

"Possibly. No one member of our forces is that powerful, but perhaps the lot of them together-" she cut herself off as she shook her head. "Come we must finish before there is no fighting left for us!"

Hezi shook his head as they made their way deeper down the tunnel. "Ahh, it's probably just a couple of loose wristed idiots dueling again! You know, as much as I love combat and killing, why is it that I'm fighting for the vertically challenged rebellion again?"

Rowwanda stopped and looked him in the eyes. "Because I told you if you didn't, that I'd nail an "Innoruuk sucks!" sign to your armor and leave your ass in the Plane of Hate."

"Oh...right...let's go!" Hezi gave Row a wide berth as he walked around her towards the entrance to The Bazaar.

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as the portal opened and dark, massive beings began to rush through it.

The huge, heavily armored soldiers poured through the opening with weapons drawn. They stormed down the stairway toward the crowds that had gathered and began to attack.

From behind the Diaku came tall beings whose very heads seemed to be made of fire, their massive weapons burning with the arcane power of their master.

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(Ten minutes later.)

The three companions met each other at the eastern bank in The Bazaar. All seemed to be in control yet rushed none the less. Vendors went about their business all around them, yet everyone noticed something in the air, the faint booming echoes coming through the walls. Some got fidgety, others started to pack up their belongings and head for the exits.

"Well all seems well, except for the commotion out there. I think we should be good to call in the others and begin the attack, assuming that's not what has already happened." Flower looked all around him as he talked.

"Yes I believe now would be the time. We have squandered enough precious minutes. Let our justice and retribution be swift and all consuming!" Row's eyes burned with fiery power.

Hezi looked at her as he slowly drew his swords. "Geez Row, you think maybe you're getting a little too into this?"

She turned to him as she also drew her sword. "The humans and erudites will pay for their underestimation of us! No longer will our people stand by and let their lanky asses run this world while we are pushed more and more into smaller sections of our own lands! I love Kelethin and Qeynos equally as my homes, but I shall not stand by and watch the rift between our peoples be blamed on mine alone. Their leaders will be made to see!" She turned from Hezikiaha to Flowersniffing. "Do it!"

Flower bowed his head and chanted slowly. "Brethren here my call..."

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Amidst the peaceful day that had thus far gone off without a hitch, the halflings, gnomes and elves, secretly stashed away in Rivervale, waited patiently for the summons. An army the likes of which had never been seen before shifted uncomfortably in an effort to quell their desire to start the invasion. Not that the army's numbers were great, but an army made up of so many of the demi-human races had never formed in the history of Norrath. Called together by their chosen leader, Flowersniffing Treehugga and his grand designs on changing the world, the army had formed over the last few weeks. Awaiting this day.

A rather large, for a halfling, male warrior sat idly on a stool outside the makeshift headquarters they had set up. He fingered his sword as he waited. Just as he was about to call for an underling, a gnome corporal sprang up from seemingly nowhere. "I apologize for the interruption of-" the gnome looked around to figure out what his superior officer had been doing. "Of whatever it was you were doing sir!" The gnome saluted briskly. "But I was wondering if I could ask you a question?"

The halfling, Commander Jak Bougher, looked up. "Is it the same question you asked ten minutes ago?" His voice was quiet yet had an air of authority to it.

The corporal shifted nervously. "Well, yes sir. It's just that we have been gathering for weeks. Waiting for today. Yet the sun is starting to descend. We are past schedule!"

"I know. The men are getting restless. We better have a massive battle or a massive party, and soon! Or else the men will start deserting, or worse, rioting."

"So what do we do sir?"

The commander looked up into the sky towards their target. The moon of Luclin. "We wait...five more minutes. Then we attack! Summons or no summons!"

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(Five minutes later.)

Hezi shifted around nervously. Not liking the fact that action had not found its way to him yet. "C'mon little man! I got swords ready and no guts to stick them in! Let's make with the destruction and mayhem already!"

Rowwanda leaned in and whispered into Flower's ear. "Anything yet?" The halfling's head shook an answer, as he continued to try. "Keep trying my friend, we can't do this without our army."

Hezi overheard their conversation. "Look, I'm telling you! That's our army out there already! I don't know much about magic but maybe the reason they can't hear you is because they are getting in all sorts of fun!"

Row stood up fully and leaned towards Hezi. "I would call this little rebellion of ours many things...but fun is not one of them!"

The burly fighter smiled a charming smile. "Oh come on Row! You can't-" He was interrupted by a loud explosion. The sound came from the tunnel that led to The Nexus. As the echoes died away it was replaced by another sound. The sound of screaming, running, fleeing people. A horde of humanoids poured both ways through the tunnel. Confusion reigned as total chaos set in.

Rowwanda grabbed Flower by the scuff of his collar and Hezi by the elbow. "Let's go! Move! Towards the tunnel to Shadowhaven! We can't deal with this many people! We will have to enter The Nexus from another entrance." She pulled them along, getting to a wall that they could follow when suddenly they were all knocked off their feet. The ground heaved and shook with a massive rumble. Dust and rubble poured from the great stone ceiling. People all around fell to their knees and backs, swept aside by the tremor that tore through The Bazaar.

Rowwanda and Flowersniffing both held their shields over their heads as Hezi ducked behind them. The rumbling scaled back to a low deep humming noise. Flower looked to Row. "Did we do that?"

Row shook her head. "Not us specifically, but our armies... I don't know. For sure. Maybe. What else could it be? We have many powerful magicians among us!"

Hezi ducked his head between theirs. "Did you bother to tell them ahead of time that we are supposed to take this place over? Not destroy it!"

The wood elf druid shot him a disgusted look. "Of course we did! But magic can be unpredictable. Anything is possible in a place imbued with as much magic as The Nexus is!" As Hezi and Flower pondered this, another large wave of noise and tremors started to shake the ground. A huge tear in the very floor they stood upon formed near the Nexus entrance, and ripped the ground asunder as it traveled for several feet then tore itself open and swallowed several unfortunate humans who were standing over its gaping maw. Their screams echoed off the walls as they fell much farther than would have seemed possible. Cracks appeared in the walls all over The Bazaar. Several sections began to tumble down under their own weight. More debris fell from the ceiling above them.

Rowwanda stood and pulled the others with her. She gazed around at the destruction and utter chaos that gripped the large room. "Ok, did we do that?"

Flower stood next to her, a mask of shear shock and amazement on his face. "I guess so." He looked at the newly formed gorge in the floor. "That's bad right?"

Row couldn't pull her eyes away from the scene. "Generally speaking."

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(Elsewhere, at the same time.)

The corporal once again approached Commander Bougher. Before he could say anything the commander stopped him with a hand. "I know what you are going to say Corporal. It is time. I am well aware." He turned and stood upon his little stool, positioning himself in front of his men. "Men! Listen up!" The army hushed at his request. " I am proud to say it is finally time! We shall invade The Nexus and take the first step to our freedom! No longer will we be separated by our petty differences! We shall not stand idly by and be exterminated!"

The corporal looked up sheepishly, "Exterminated sir?"

The commander didn't hear. "We shall not go quietly into the night! Today is July 4th and so-"

"The fourth of what sir?"

"Today we celebrate...our independence day!" The crowd was quiet for a moment, respectfully waiting to see if their leader was done. After a moment when no more was forth coming, they broke into a loud cheer. They started to chant "To Victory" when they were interrupted by a noise none of them could make out. It came from the very sky itself and grew louder. Confusion started to set in when suddenly some one shouted "Look!" and all eyes followed the elves pointing finger to the sky...to the moon. Luclin itself had erupted flame from its southern most point. Pieces of the moon broke free and flung out into the sky. Streaks of fire and debris floated leisurely away from the main body. Even as far away as the army was they could make out small cracks slowly forming on the surface of the moon.

The commander attempting to reign in his army's shouts and cries of panic, looked helplessly at his corporal. "Does this mean we won? Did they accomplish our goals without us?"

The corporal thought about it for a moment. "Well sir they did say they would take any opportunity they found. Perhaps they managed to do what we needed to do without us. Maybe they didn't have a chance to call us."

Commander Bougher wiped his brow and sighed a huge sigh. "Good! I'm not much of a leader and I didn't really wanna die today anyhow. What I really need is a drink. Which would be appropriate if we won right?" The corporal started to respond but never got the chance. The commander looked out over his men again. "Men! We have won the day!" A loud cheer again followed. "Drinks on the house!" A louder cheer followed. "Follow me men! To the beer!" The army stormed forth nearly knocking over the commander. Every man shouting at the top of his lungs..."BEER!"

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(Following.)

Hezi again interjected. "I hate to tell you guys, but you can't win unless you're alive. And if we don't leave soon, we won't be!"

Nodding her head, Rowwanda said, "Yes I think anyone who survives might come looking for us. We might want to go into hiding for awhile. A long while."

Flower shrugged his shoulders. "I got a couple hundred years to waste. I hear Guk is nice this time of year."

"Silly little half man! I am not living with a bunch of stinky frogs! I say we go to the Qeynosian Hills. Many caves there! I could even come out and find me a farmer's daughter once in awhile." Hezi's eyes glinted.

"No. We can't live among any of our former lands. They would find us. We must go farther away than that. I know a place...an island..." Row trailed off.

"Oh hey, maybe I can find some tropical babes!" Hezi's expression became excited as he thought about that.

Flower rolled his eyes. "I just hope there are people of any kind there."

Just before she started chanting, Row looked around one last time at the mayhem and death around her. "I think there will be...eventually." Her teleportation spell then sprang to mind.

"I guess I'll never find out who my daddy is now," Flower seemed sullen as he crept closer to the druid, knowing what was coming.

Hezi's face brightened even more as reality started to shimmer and distort around them. "Hey Row, since we're gonna be on an island are you gonna start wearing one of those sexy coconut bikinis?"

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The fire crackled and popped, trying to reject the moist wood placed in it. It's shadows danced across the poorly lit room. A room small enough to be cozy but not restricting. Not as small as the others in the little thatch hut. Sitting by the fire was a woman. An elf woman. Old by the gray and silver in her hair. Older still by the lines and wrinkles in her skin. Older than any other elf still living by her eyes. She took a small sip of water from a cup and set it back down in her lap. She cleared her throat, sore from her recent story. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She seemed sad as she let the breath out slowly. She opened her eyes and cast her gaze down at the much younger elf girl at her feet.

A child, even by elven standards, the girl seemed different. Not quite all elf, yet not necessarily anything else. Her eyes blazed a deep hue of purple as she gazed longingly at her grandmother's face. She was much older on the inside. Educated early and well by her grandmother. She was alive with questions, nearly bouncing up and down, yet she respectfully held her tongue. Her eyes gave everything away. A trait she would one day need to learn to hide.

The old woman leaned forward and spoke in hushed tones. "So my child. Did you like this story? It's not a terribly happy one."

The girl leapt up as if on a coiled spring. "Oh yes grandma! I loved it! So much danger and action! It is one of my favorites!"

The old woman laughed a wheezing laugh. "You say that every time dear."

The little girl suddenly stopped and appeared quizzical. "Do you think I'll ever get to do great things and go on adventures grandma?"

The older elf again cackled and leaned in even closer. "I know you will, my dear. Dyshiki is a proud name and you will live up to it. Someday. Soon."

"Rowwanda is a proud name too! I will live up to it! I shall be the mighty Rowwanda! Fiercest fighter in the land!"

"I have no doubt my dear. Find yourself a companion, a true friend, and you shall rewrite the world. The way it should have been."

Rowwanda bounced again. "Oh I have a friend grandma! His name is Hezika..or Hekiziah..or something..it's a funny name. But we have fun! We play games all the time!" Her eyes betrayed yet another secret. "Grandma? Could he come over and listen to a story with me sometime? I know he would love them!"

Leaning back in her chair, letting out a breath she had not realized she had been holding, the old woman smiled. A hint of relief crossing her face. "Yes child that would be fine. I have many stories left to tell, though not much time to tell them."

The girl bolted for the door, then stopped and turned. "I'm going to go tell him grandma. I'll be back soon! You can tell us another story. Maybe another one with that cute little Flowersniffing guy in it!"

"I would love to child."

The younger of the two smiled happily as she spoke. "Maybe next time you can even explain to me what an adult demi-human film star is!" Then she ran out the door.