Looking back at chapter 3, I realize it was a bit rushed. I apologize, and will make it up to you by making THIS chapter well over 2000 words long.

Now then, time for Gaius! Ah yes, Gaius. I hate this guy. The first time I EVER fought him, do you know what he did? Here's a list:

Turn

Brace self

Slam sword into ground and knock me off the plateau

Wait for me to come back up

Repeat

Can you believe it? No? Good, it never happened.

I own nothing.

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Dormin's Speech

Sound Effects

Thinking

Chapter 4

The Warrior

Whispers were coming from above him. Semiconscious, he could not find the energy to open his eyes or even to sit up. But it seemed that there was more people around him this time. With a jolt, he realized that something was exploding, and he shocked himself awake to see the idol that represented Quadratus fall with a rumble.

Laughing weakly, seeing that he did it, he slowly rose, once again seeing he was alone despite the fact that someone had been there before. He also saw that Agro was contentedly nibbling on some grass poking through the stones next to him. "AGRO!" he cried out, hugging his mount. Hearing a deep chuckling noise, he remembered he was Dormin's warrior and stood up straighter.

Thou humans never cease to confuse Us, but it is humorous seeing thou talketh to this horse as if it could reply.

"Lord Dormin, Quadratus has been defeated!" Wander said confidently. Suddenly he was aware of a sharp pain in his side, and he looked down to see, shocked, a large hole with blood gushing out was visible. The temple boomed with Dormin's laughter.

Aye, and it seems thou landed on top of Quadratus's horns.

Blushing fiercely, Wander tried to stand up straighter but that made the pain greater. "Where must I go next, my lord?" he asked, trying to fight back tears; the pain was unbelievable! That thing was even more of a handful than Valus!

Thou are not going anywhere in thine current condition.

Wander almost fell over at these words. Was Dormin actually giving him permission not to fight the next Colossus? "M-my lord?"

Speak thine mind, mortal.

"If my quest is to destroy all 16 colossi, I have 14 more to go. Should I not get going?" he asked. When Dormin next spoke, They sounded like They were holding back impatience.

Aye, young warrior, but since thy are to defeat 16, would it not be useful for thou to REST, and avoid killing thyself against Gaius?

"Very well, my lord. Give me the information on the Colossus, and I will wait until my wound heals before setting out." Wander said confidently, sitting on the rubble of Valus's idol.

We have a better idea. Go back to the scenes of Valus and Quadratus, and see what has become of them.

Not about to disobey a direct order from a god, Wander mounted Agro and set off.

MEANWHILE

Emon knelt near a tree, examining hoofprints in the underbrush. "Due north." he whispered, then mounted his horse once more. "Forward!" he shouted, and his guards charged forward into the forest.

WANDER

What Wander saw was too incredible to comprehend.

He visited Valus first, intending to pay tribute to the beast whom he had last seen covered in shadow. When he arrived, however, he found Valus's once soft fur had turned as hard as rock, and stones and dust were so thick on its body, along with moss, that it seemed to have been dead for years. Frantically he returned to the site of Quadratus's death only to find the same.

Stunned, he was about to ask Dormin's advice when he felt the god's presence retreat from his mind. Sadly, he returned to the Temple of Worship, where Dormin at last gave him the information he needed to continue.

Thy next foe is...a giant canopy soars to the heavens...the anger of the sleeping giant shatters the earth.

Shaking his head in confusion from all these riddles, Wander exited the shrine and found himself, soon enough, in a giant 'tunnel'. It would have been a tunnel if the sky wasn't showing itself above him. Riding through the canyon, he found a huge lake with a great plateau raised high above it by a single, stony support beam, with a ramp leading up to it. Leaving Agro, he waded into the water and soon emerged, clothes dripping, at the base of the ramp.

He took this oppertunity to sit down and catch his breath. "My lord, about the 'giant canopy?'"

Mmm? What is thy point?

"Is this...Gaius...a bird?" he asked, looking up as if looking at the god Themselves.

Nay. Gaius is not a bird.

"So the canopy part meant a high up location?" Wander asked.

Obviously. Now get going.

Puzzled by Dormin's impatience, Wander ascended the ramp until he came to a part where the stone had fallen into the water below, leaving a gap. Leaping over, he found a brace in the square piece of stone and shimmied around it, leaping to the plateau and heaving himself up. He jumped up to the higher layer of stone and saw nothing but a stone circle and a pile of rubble on the opposite side. "My lord? Where is the Colossus?" Wander asked, confused.

Are thou blind as well as stupid?

"But Lord Dormin, there is nothing here!" he said, taking a rock and throwing it at the pile of rubble. "Please tell me if I have the right location! If so, WHERE IS THE COLOSSUS?!"

Thou art looking at it, fool.

"Eh?" Wander looked at the 'pile of rubble' in time to see it move. With a gulp, he watched as Gaius sat up. He suddenly felt his jaw drop open, and his cry of amazement reached Dormin all the way in the Shrine of Worship.

"IT HAS A SWORD?!?!"

Aye!

"Gulp." Wander said, then leaped out of the way as Gaius swung its sword down and embedded it in the ground. "Lord Dormin, this is insane! It's legs are entirely made of stone! How can I climb it?!" Wander bellowed, only making Gaius angry.

Give Us a moment, fool, and We shall see what We can do. Aah, the armor it wears seems brittle.

"Forgive me, Lord Dormin, but that doesn't help!" Wander cried. Gaius swung at him again, narrowly missing.

Calm thyself. Gaius shall swing at everything, anything, to get at his enemy.

If Dormin had been there, Wander was certain They would have pointed to the stone circle. He ran to it and shot an arrow at Gaius, who in turn swung its sword. This time, however, not only did Gaius hit the stone circle, but he hit Wander as well. This led to several effects. Gaius's arm went numb from the impact, the stone circlet on its sword-arm broke away, and Wander was sent flying off of the plateau.

Landing with a splash in the lake below, he found it hard to stay conscious. Dimly, he was aware of Gaius looking over the edge of the platform at him.

(Okay, here's a cool thing. It was never possible in the game, but man, I think you'll love it!)

Art thou alright?

Wander could barely hear Dormin, but the god sounded like he cared. Wander, however, had eyes only for Gaius, who was getting closer and closer to the edge. Wander, meanwhile, couldn't find the strength to swim to the surface.

Turns out he didn't have to.

Gaius leaned too far over and fell into the lake, causing a tidal wave to surge up and fling Wander out of the water. Seeing that he was high up, he grabbed the edge of the platform. He was now dangling by one arm over Gaius, his strength rapidly depleting. Suddenly, he noticed Agro had been washed into the canyon by the tidal wave and couldn't help him. "Lord Dormin?!" he cried out, but that took out the energy that he had left and he fell...

...right on top of Gaius.

It seemed that the Colossus was just as surprised as him, because for a moment neither of them moved. Then Gaius snorted and roared, shaking wildly to get him off. Wander couldn't even find the energy to draw his sword, but somehow the sword was flung free of its sheathe by Gaius's thrashing, flung high into the air before sinking to the bottom of the lake. Now weaponless except for his bow, Wander was about to give up.

Can thou do NOTHING without Our help? Stab Gaius with an arrow!

Wander couldn't muster enough energy to complain. He merely took an arrow from his quiver and stabbed it into Gaius's skull. Now, being hit with the Colossus's foul blood for the first time, he realized something: It was COLD. It jarred his senses and he pulled the arrow free before stabbing it into Gaius again. The Colossus roared and shook wildly, trying to get him off.

Now thee are fighting!

"Lord Dormin, my sword fell in the lake!" Wander said. Dormin was silent, contemplating this unfortunate event.

Then thou must retrieve it, obviously.

Wander sighed and dove down into the waters. Gaius, seeing his foe retreating, slammed its sword into the water and triggered another tidal wave and washed him to the bottom of the lake where the Ancient's Sword was stabbed into the lakebed. He grabbed it and tugged it free. Lord Dormin, I can't get back to the surface in time! he pleaded.

Stupid mortal!

Wander felt as if something all-powerful seized him and he was thrust at high speeds through the water, surging forward with the sword pointing forward. And as if, by some divine trick, it landed embedded in Gaius's stomach. The giant looked down at the blade, then groaned and its eyes turned black as it fell facefirst into the lake. The tendrils needn't have bothered; the impact knocked Wander unconscious.

Hahahaaa! How's THAT?! R and R!