Not really long, but it's exciting and suspenseful o.o! Do it up
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A walk in the woods would normally be refreshing. It's not so refreshing when you have a dying teenage girl on your back and your only source of help is a three foot tall freak of nature whom you don't truly trust yet. This was my day. Sounds fun, right? Hardly. Walking through Bhaflau Thickets with the poisoned body of Kaorin clutched to my back and being guided by Shihu-Danhu to a supposed cure wasn't my idea of a good day. Trudging along at a fair clip behind the little man was quite the task.
"How much further?" ,I whined, totally out of breath.
"Oh...let's see.", he paused for a moment and observed the forestscape. "Mamook is a little more west of here"
He completed his observation and hopped off nonchalantly on a more western route. I was exhausted from carrying the unconcious girl on my back for the last half hour. We needed to find this cure quickly else I'd never forgive myself.
"Oh, there it is!", Shihu-Danhu said happily and pointed at an opening flanked by two idolitrous banners. The banners were made of a deep brown wood with pale green stones attatched to them in a hodge-podge manner. "That's Mamook?", I asked.
"That's Mamook!", he confirmed.
"About damn time! Let's get this over with. We don't have much longer to wait!", I hurried him along. Gods, this was taking longer than I expected. I was frustrated with his absolute lack of concern. He didn't think of this as an emergency situation. That sort of thing really gets to me.
"Ok, what part of the damned potion is here?" ,I growled, abolutely peeved at the midget.
"Both!", he answered happily as he skipped down the path between the trees.
Well that was good. At least we didn't have to go far. The faster the better, then I can get back to looking for the others. I sure as hell wasn't leaving here without them.
"Oh, look! There's a Mamool Ja now!", Shihu-Danhu said and pointed at the approaching being. It was taller than me, taller than any normal human. It walked a bit hunched over, as if weighed down by it's primitive looking sword and shield. It's brown scaled hide glittered in the midday sun for it's entire body was exposed save for a loincloth. The Mamool Ja's beady lizard eyes took note of us and it paused.
My breath caught in my throat. "Uh-oh...", Shihu-Danhu said ominously.
I slowly lowered Kaorin into the grass beside the path. I expected a fight and I damn well got it.
A hiss was emitted from the throat of the lizardman moments before it ran with a lumbering gait straight for us. I braced for combat, expecting this battle to be much harder than that with the wamouracampa. Shihu-Danhu began to chant a string of spidery words in an archaic tongue. He thrust his small hands foward and a cone of flame erupted from the tips of his fingers. The warrior roared in surprise and stumbled backwards, scales burnt. I used this diversion to throw a strong kick at it's midsection. The impact stunned it for a moment, and just a moment. The sneer on it's lizard lips could be read as, "You're gonna die"
It swung it's crude sword at my neck and I took a step backwards as it whizzed inches in front of my face. It took another swing, this time aiming lower. I tried to jump back away from it, but the hooked teeth of the weapon bit into the flesh of my leg. Pain shot up my interior and I gritted my teeth against a scream.
More magical words were heard from our guide moments before the Mamool Ja was pelted by pounds of coulourful confetti. This was not surprising, considering I probably could have done no better in the magical field. "Ohh...", Shihu-Danhu sounded disappointed.
The Mamool Ja didn't even notice the bright shards of paper raining on it's hide. It simply twisted it's blade and tore the teeth out of my leg, and some of my flesh with it. I culdn't hold it back this time. I screamed in agony. I instinctivly fell to one knee as fresh blood ran down my leg and rained from the weapon. This was not good. I could barely stand and the Mamool Ja was plenty prepared to lop my head from my shoulders. This was a splendid way to die. Getting my head lopped off by a blade with no full edge to it. It was boudn to hurt, but at least my decapitated skull would be then covered by shiny scraps of paper. A fitting ceremony, although ironic. As I contemplated the complexities of my demise a sharp slicing sound reached my ears. The back of my downturned head was splattered with a warm ichor. I expected the worst until I noticed the feet of the monster collapse. I raised my head to see the Mamool Ja's body in a heap, it's head on the ground instead of mine. I've played chicken with death so many times someday it will win.
I managed to stand with a bit of difficulty upon my injured left leg. I gritted my teeth against the pain and looked for our saviour.
Our saviour was not quite human. It had a tail. A catlike tail. I had met Fermouth on another world and this creature bore a striking resemblace to a female Fermouth. Her stark white hair covered one eye under a blue turban stitched with gold thread on the top. Her mouth was not visable due to a flap of black cloth that hung from the headpiece. The rest of her clothing was a very elegant looking collection of blues, golds, and a bit of red and white here and there. Her steps were percise and strong. I could see she hid some inner power that allowed her to defeat the beast.
"Yay! Jahlo! You saved us!" ,Shihu-Danhu hopped up adn down excitedly.
I walked over to Kaorin and knelt down beside her. Jahlo soon joined me.
"What happened to her?", Jahlo asked, rolling her "r's"
"Poison.", I said simply.
"From a wamouracampa!", Shihu-Danhu interjected, "I'ma take some of this Mamool's blood and we're going into Mamook to look for Hezrakk leaf"
Jahlo nodded. "Yes, but Mamook is dangerous. If you couldn't defeat one single warrior how do you expect to get through Mamook alive"
"Um...be careful?", Shihu-Danhu answered.
"Not good enough. This girl is in bad shape and your friend here is also injured. The Mamool Ja would kill you in no time. I'll come with you and make sure you're safe. We cannot waste time though. Important things are afoot." , Jahlo said, standing and letting her tail swish behind her idly.
I picked up the limp Kaorin and held her in my arms. Her breathing was shallow and her hair was matted with sweat. We didn't have much longer. She needed this medication.
"Can we continue?", I asked, turning to the two non-human beings.
"Yea, let's go!", Shihu-Danhu said enthusiastically trotting his way toward the jade banners.
"Do not leave my sight, any of you! this is important Shihu! Don't ignore me!", Jahlo said with emphasis on Shihu-Danhu's seemingly short attention span.
As we walked my leg began to feel a bit better, but the ache was still there.
"Here. Let me help you.", Jahlo said.
She held her hands before her and bluish waves of energy caressed my skin as they passed by me to enter her body. After a moment she twirled her arms in a circular motion and crossed them in front of her eyes. A wave of refreshing and comforting energy radiated from the cat-woman. My leg became numb for a moment before returning to it's normal, uninjured feeling. "Thank you.", I mumbled. I had never seen magic cast in such a manner it seemed she held many secrets behind that veil of hers.
"What's this important thing ya gotta get to Al Zahbi for, Jahlo?", Shihu-Danhu said to the mysterious magical creature.
"That's none of your business.", Jahlo answered without even looking at him.
"Aww..c'mon you can tell me! You've known me for years!", the little guide protested.
"Yes, back when you were a little troublemaker"
"So? I have a mission now"
Jahlo simply sighed. Her little friend was certianly one to talk.
"So what is it, Jahlo? Hmmmmmmm?", Shihu-Danhu prodded.
"...The Immortals may have found the Soulforged..", Jahlo said eerily. "No way!", Shihu-Danhu stopped walking and stood, mouth agape.
I did not understand it at the time, but this knowledge would come full circle.
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Ahh..the plot thickens! Working on next chapter now! Review and tell me how ya like it so far.
-peace-