The Final War
Chapter 2:The Worst, or Death?
Artix Von Krieger opened his eyes. The destruction of Battleon was too great. The sky was red, of war and blood. Buildings everywhere were crumbled to ashes, but Warlic's still had a force field.
"Artix, go to the Paladin Order. I will watch over here," Jackel Sano said. Artix, still shocked, ran to the Paladin Order.
"Attention! Battleon was attacked recently. There was a portal, fire dragon and carnzards. What was the cause of this?" Artix shouted. Some paladins gasped.
"Carnax is back!" another paladin exclaimed.
"He might so," Artix agreed. "How can we stop him? Riona Shadowgale is dead."
"Obesida might know about this. She is a necromancer, isn't she?"
"The only thing we can do is visit Obsida's Lair. Even though we went to war with them, they could still be gloating about their win. That might be a chance. I rarely doubt it, necromancers are pure evil. Even so, we have light weapons, they are darks." Artix noted.
"Artix, we only have two choices. The worst, or death." A paladin remarked.
"Obesida's Lair might not be so bad. I'm going, so whose with me?" Artix yelled. Yet nobody volunteered. Artix alone, he walked to Obesida's Lair, to actually ask the dark necromancer for help.
"Obesida! The great paladin Artix Von Krieger is here! Alone! Mehehehe…" Zorbak alarmed.
"What do you want paladin?" Obesida demanded.
"There was a great terrorism in Battleon. There was a purple and white portal in the town center that sucked Blackhawke in, a fire dragon, and carnzards!" Artix said.
"The great final war…Necromancers shall win? I doubt it." Obesida murmured. "Go visit Lord Cyrus up north, paladin, he will help you."
"Thank-you Obesida!" Artix gasped, surprised Obesida actually helped him.
"Get out of my site, scoundrel, or my necromancers shall demolish you!" Obesida threatened, disliking that Artix had said something nice. Artix left, heading north until out of sight.
"My Obesida, why did you let him go?" Zorbak whimpered.
"This, Zorbak, is the final war. Without help, even Necromancers will die."
Artix walked slowly up the steep mountains. He felt a bit lost, but his intelligence guided him. Suddenly a huge ice ball came shooting at him. Icezards! Artix thought. He took out his blade and slammed it on the blue white zard. The icezard, angry, jumped and bit Artix hard. Suddenly an arrow shot through the zard's body, spraying blood all over the place but dead.
"Need any help?" a voice behind Artix asked. Artix whirled around and saw Robina Hood.
"Robina! What in Lore are you doing here?"
"Didn't do much damage during the rampage of the fire dragon, so I decided to follow you incase you needed help." Robina remarked.
"Thanks. I'm on my way to Lord Cyrus. Better not mention how the dragon died though," Artix replied. After some time, they came across a mountain dwarf. Robina launched an arrow but the dwarf reflected with the axe. Artix hit the dwarf with little force, but still enough to let it roll down the mountain. Finally they met Lord Cyrus, leader of the dracomancers.
"Lord Cyrus, in the town of Battleon strange there were strange occurrences. A portal, carnzards and a fire dragon." Artix explained.
"You've come here to blame me for the dragon?" Lord Cyrus exclaimed.
"No, Lord Cyrus we are not blaming you. Necromancer Obesida suggested to go here and ask you something, she said something about the final war and if necromancers shall win." Artix said quickly.
"You talked to Obesida? Anyway, this war you speak of, the final one, is the death of Lore. It seems monsters from all around Battleon mainly come from the portal. The portal is a mysterious thing, but one who decides they can find something truly ancient there will be considered the death of all." Lord Cyrus said.
"So you're saying I should go in there?" Artix asked.
"No I, we. Remember Artix, whatever is in the portal is from monsters that are deadly, You might need help on that one." Robina remarked.
"Robina is right. Get Elizabeth and Valencia so death will not stain the portal." Lord Cyrus commanded. "Get anyone good, maybe Twilly to help with the healing. Warlic is good."
"We're on our way." Artix said. "Farewell, send word if something mysterious happens."
"Good Luck and fare thee well," Lord Cyrus said.
Robina and Artix went down the mountain, slipping on occasional ice. Suddenly there was a huge puff. A figure approached, apparently the mountain dwarf that had attacked them earlier. The dwarf swung his great axe and hit Artix, leaving a gash in his paladin armour. Robina stayed behind, took out a whip and CRACK! The dwarf had a huge cut, and his axe was nowhere to be seen. The small man was angry, with his eyebrows covering his eyes. Finally the mountain dwarf gave up and went to search for his great axe.
"That went quite well, like I have expected." A voice behind Robina said.
"Elizabeth! What are you doing here?" the ranger said.
"I heard Battleon was in peril so I just came to help and found you guys." She replied.
"Where is Jackel Sano?" the paladin leader asked. Nobody answered. Then there was a huge growl. A razorclaw. Robina took out her whip. Elizabeth had her Ninja's Breath ready. Artix used Holy Might and the razorclaw was knocked back, but was quickly regaining health. The ninja jumped high and slammed the sword into the razorclaw's unsuspecting leg. The razorclaw jumped and it's claw slashed Robina's arm. She fell, in pain and almost death. Artix used Holy Might again and healed Robina's arm, and nearly knocking the razorclaw off the mountain. CRACK! The whip was sent out and, knocking the big wolf off the mountain and out of sight.
"Robina, are you alright?" Elizabeth asked, searching for wounds.
"Yes, but I don't think we should go through the mountains anymore. We should jump from top to top."
"Easy for you to say," the paladin snorted. "Us paladins can't jump that far."
"Then we shall walk on solid ground," Elizabeth said, ending the conservation. As the small party walked to Battleon, Jackel Sano and Twilly were no where to be seen. Adventurers that had fainted or unconscious told the story.
"A portal came back, and sucked them in there." An adventurer could say.
"Warlic! He'll know!" Artix exclaimed. He ran to Warlic's maging shop and looked around. The potions and exotic plants were still neatly on the shelf, but Warlic was not there.
"Warlic! Where are you?" the paladin shouted. The face changing mirror was still neatly behind the red curtains and shiny.
"Where did Warlic go?" Robina asked, coming up from behind him.
"I think I have an idea why, but not how," the paladin leader commented. He strode out of the shop and went north-east. Artix climbed a cliff until he saw a horrible sight.
"You can't have! No! You would have never done this!" Artix gasped.
"I can, and I have. Mehehehehe…….."