Magic Fire - Jewels of Doom (Incomplete)

Chapter One: Darkness in Savert1

THE SCORCHED BRASS doors of the dimly lit throne room burst open, the resulting gust of wind causing the flames in the torches mounted on the walls to waver and flicker for a few moments. A gigantic figure, nearing two-and-a-half metres in height, stormed into the chamber, his jet skin shining with splashes and splotches of oily black blood, most of which appeared to have already clotted. He appeared to be mostly human, save the two black, dragonic wings that were presently folded at his back. A pair of short, stubby horns had formed beneath the flesh of his forehead in ages past, giving him the look of some malevolent, bloodthirsty entity. His face, whilst not ancient, was still somewhat aged, the lines and grooves upon it resembling the wear that befalls one who had travelled through many wild and obscure lands throughout his lifetime. White hair, just beyond shoulder-length, draped down from the sides and the back of his head, yet none grew on top of his scalp, which was bald and glossy. Goat-like hooves thudded down upon the black stone floor with every step, his double-jointed legs making him look even more bestial, like an artist’s depiction of one of the many lords of demonkind that lurk just beyond the borders of sanity. He wore nothing, save a crimson tabard covering both the front and back of his pelvic region, and a gilded steel bracer on each wrist, both covered with complex, intertwining patterns in the form of thorny vines. He let out an inarticulate yell of rage and sat down on his dark throne, slamming his fist down upon the rest.2

“I have suffered defeat at the hands of gods! Kings! Almighty champions of battle!” The hideous being spat onto the floor, looking around at each of the six armoured figures that stood against the walls of the circular chamber, masked almost wholly in shadow, as if the light of the torches feared being cast upon them. “But now… this insufferable whelp… this amateur… this child! This is a vicious blow to me that I shall never recover from, not even once my body is healed!” He shuddered with fury and took a deep, rattling breath. “Now, when the unclean masses of society hear the name of the Shadowlord, or when they speak of the Winged Man, they shall laugh and remember when he was beaten in single combat by a mere child of sixteen years! This cannot be allowed to happen!”3

One of the armoured men who stood in the shadows slowly moved forward into the light, falling down upon one knee. He was enormous, approximately two metres tall, and was clad in heavily ornamented, fully-enclosing brass plate armour, which had been shaped into a hideous mockery of knightly garb, its surface covered in strange patterns and maddening verses, which had been carved in some hated demonic script. The tarnished surface gleamed with patches of worn polish, and a liberal amount of verdigris had formed in some of the grooves and gaps in the dark plate. “My Lord, might I offer a suggestion as to how this problem can be remedied?” His voice was cold and terrifying, possibly altered by the fully enclosing brass helm that he wore – it sounded like tree branches scraping on corrugated iron, although at a much deeper pitch.4

The Shadowlord, as he had called himself, sighed and rested his head in the palm of his right hand. “Speak, Uzbel. I am more than happy to hear any suggestions. For its seems that everything I devise shall eventually fail.” He looked at Uzbel intently, who cleared his throat before speaking again.5

“The six of us could carry out a surprise attack against him. I expect that he will still be weakened from the battle, and thus unable to draw upon the divine powers within him. The only trouble is that we do not know his current location.”6

“He has been moving with haste, and so has completed a month’s journey in a little less than two weeks, even though he had to pass through the Lands of the Thurgeld in Millen, as the Chilled Plains are currently held by the goblins of the Black Skull tribe. I have an idea of where he and his companions are at present.” The Shadowlord rose and walked out to the balcony, which he used to view the land around for miles. Calling upon his powers of farsight, he looked into the southern regions of Flaanko. His eyes scanned the wind-swept prairies south of the capital city, Ikiklah, and then moved east to scan the regions near to the Border River – wild, godless lands, uninhabited by any, and the ancient sight of the Battle for Ikiklah that took place one-and-a-half centuries before. The grasses of those plains were dry and wilted, in stark contrast to the luscious, healthy grasses of the prairies that he had been looking at previously. He then looked further east, closer to Millen, where the grasses eventually grew a lively green again, and the plains rose up to form the feared Dragon Hills, named for the ancient beasts that lived within the numerous caves beneath them. A smug look formed upon his face as he spied four figures walking through the hills. Three were young men, the older two appearing to be sixteen or seventeen years of age, the younger roughly twelve or thirteen. Their companion was a masculine dwarf with a grey beard and travel garb, beneath which a mail hauberk of bronze rings could be seen. Strangely enough, they appeared to be heading north, although their apparent goal, Ikiklah, lay to the west of the hills. The Shadowlord blinked, returning his sight to normal, and then he turned to see that Uzbel was now standing behind him.7

“They are in the eastern reaches of the Dragon Hills,” said the Shadowlord. “They appear to be heading north, the reason for which not even I can divine. I imagine that they would have chosen safer, and more time-efficient, paths if they were heading for Aluzbi. And they have no reason to come to Olazdmul, for it is long abandoned by mortals, its forsaken halls now home to dark spirits.” He ran his hands through his receding white hair, brushing it from his shoulders, almost as if in thought. “It would be folly for them to come here. This stronghold is too heavily guarded, and an army of immense size could only smite the gates. Surely they could not be…” He fell silent as a strong wind began blowing around the chamber and balcony, almost as if on cue. He sniffed the air, and a grim look fell upon his visage.8

“This wind is not natural.”9

“Right you are.” The Shadowlord looked through the archway and into the chamber beyond, and he heard the sound of his six bodyguards each drawing out their weapons, although he was not focused on them. Before his throne had appeared a large man, and behind him was a swirling vortex, from which the wind seemed to be blowing from. He was taller than even the Winged Man, approximately twelve feet in height (as the old measurements go), and he had broad shoulders, upon which he wore silver shoulder guards. He had long hair, which was a shimmering gold, highlighted with white, and pallid skin, most of which was covered by heavily polished armour of gold, silver and black. His eyes, the irises of which were both red and green in colour, were filled with cold hatred, and he held a gigantic broadsword, presumably three feel in breadth, yet he held it in a single hand with ease.10

“Who are you? Name yourself!” The Shadowlord held out his hand, which began to crackle with hissing energies, forming sparks of venomous green light.11

“My name is Debris.” The giant stood still, the wind still blowing about the chamber and the hills outside. Even his hair did not move, something that the Shadowlord took note of – his own hair was blowing about him madly, as if in a violent maelstrom. “I am no longer truly alive, so I only appear before you in spirit. There is a man that I cannot kill, and I require your assistance to put the wretched whelp out of his misery, as well as some of his friends.”12

“You seek my help? You seem to be more than capable of defeating him on your own, if he is indeed just a man.” The Shadowlord’s hand was still raised, and a bright green glow now emanated from it, forming a shimmering orb, yet Debris did not appear to be worried in the least.13

“I cannot kill him, for I am dead, so I can no longer enter that realm. So, I have come to you to seek your assistance. There are only four that you will need to kill.”14

“How should I know if I can trust you?”15

Debris ignored him and continued to speak. “When you go through this portal, you shall come out in an empty village. To the west, in a giant mountain, there resides a creature of immense power that you can use. Defeat the four, and you shall be rewarded. Fail, and you shall be disgraced yet again. What say you? Will you do this deed for me?”16

“Very well.” The Shadowlord lowered his hand and smiled to himself, for this creature that Debris spoke of could be useful to him. He made a curt gesture to his bodyguards, who sheathed their weapons immediately. “I shall. Of what manner shall this reward be?”17

“I shall not say, except for that it shall aid you in felling the one who is casting your works into ruin.” Debris grinned a vicious jackal’s grin, and then his form began to shimmer, as if he were an illusion formed of dark sorceries. “There is little time. You must hurry, for I cannot persist in this realm for much longer.”18

“Very well,” repeated the Shadowlord. “I shall depart now.” He turned to Uzbel. “Until I return, Uzbel, the Spire is under your command. Wait for my return before doing anything.” He nodded to his second-in-command and stepped into the portal, which immediately sealed itself behind him.19

“Vengeance shall be mine at last…” Debris hissed, his form flickering and fading into thin air.20

***21

A FEELING OF cold. A terrible wind. Then silence.22

The Shadowlord opened his eyes, blinking thrice to clear his vision. Looking around, he saw that he was in an empty village. The sun was setting in the west, casting the woods surrounding the town into a somewhat beautiful yet sorrowful ambience.23

“So. There is something that I can use in the west.” He spread out his wings and jumped into the air, taking flight. He began to head in the direction of the setting sun, and he once again called upon his powers of farsight.24

Before him lay a large stretch of woods, many miles of woods. He looked further, and he suppressed a curse as he saw a chain of enormous mountains, larger than any he had even seen before, stretching from horizon to horizon. At the base of one of the mountains was a village, and he smirked as he saw people walking around within. Far up the side of the mountain, he saw an indent, in which there appeared to be some sort of tunnel.25

“That must be where I am to go. But, first, I suppose I should gather some intelligence about the area, for this land is alien to me. I have never seen such mountains in my life…” He blinked, dispelling the farsight, and began to gather speed.26

After some time, the Shadowlord noticed a path beneath him, running in the direction of the village, and the direction of the mountain. He paused in mid-air as the last rays of sunlight vanished, casting the land into darkness. The mountains loomed much closer now, no more than five miles at least, yet he could make the journey in less than two minutes if he travelled with speed. Eyes narrowed, he beat his wings and kept moving, the gleam of lights in the village ever the focus of his gaze.27

***28

TWO TO THREE minutes later, the Shadowlord touched down outside the town. Knowing the reaction that many would have at the sight of him, he whispered a word of power under his breath, and his form began to shift and change. Flesh ran like wax and reformed, the pigment lightening from black to a dark brown, and his form shrank down to the height of a tall, but reasonably regular-sized man, his legs reshaping and metamorphosing into those of a human. His wings shrunk back, unfurling as a flowing black cloak over black pants and a tunic. His red tabard vanished, a heavy-buckled belt appearing in its place, and his horns retracted into his skull. His eyes changed from their red hue to a brilliant turquoise, although a hint of their original colour remained. He grunted, having no love for this form, and strode into the town.29

Very few people about, noted the Shadowlord mentally, surveying the town around him. This is good. There will be less risk of me attracting too much attention. He laid his eyes on a woman nearby, presumably making her way home, and walked over to her, his impatience getting the better of him. “You! Where am I?” He gripped her shoulder extremely tightly and forced her to face him, his face contorting with fury. “WHERE AM I?”30

“You… you are in the Drom Tei Mountain Base Village,” she said, her voice quivering in fear and pain. “Will you… will you please let me go?” The Shadowlord relinquished his grip, and she ran away from him, clutching her shoulder, which she feared had been broken.31

“Drom Tei…” The Shadowlord took in a deep, rattling intake of air, examining the town as his choler faded into mere irritation. “I have not heard of this place before. Well,” he grinned darkly, “I suppose this village must be destroyed now, but first…” He whispered something under his breath, and the transformation was reversed. Stretching out his wings, he took to the air, savouring the feeling of power as the villagers cried out, “Monster!”32

“You fools!” The Shadowlord flexed his arms and cackled. “I am no monster! I am the Shadowlord!” He turned from the village and soared off towards the mountain, laughing maniacally at the unrest of the villagers. One of them looked up at the winged figure, a questioning look upon his face.33

“What the hell is that thing?” He looked at another villager, who just shook his head, having no idea.34

***35

THE SHADOWLORD LANDED outside of the tunnel, brushing his hair from his face. Gripping the edge of the tunnel entrance, he looked inside inquisitively. Despite his extremely superior eyesight, he could not make out anything within, only pure darkness. “I wonder if this thing is in here.” Staring at the entrance, he suddenly felt a strange fear, and found himself not wanting to enter. “Get a hold of yourself.” He walked inside, and felt a terrifying chill come over him, shaking him to his bones.36

“What is going on?” His voice echoed off of unseen walls, and his very hear was frozen as he heard a reply.37

“You are going to die!”38

That voice… The Shadowlord stopped walking, and all expression left his face, save a horrified look in his eyes.39

“I will kill you. You will never succeed. You are nothing!”40

That’s HIS voice!41

“Show yourself!” The Shadowlord clenched his fists, holding them up defensively. “Come out and fight me!”42

“Why should I?” replied the voice. “You are already beaten.”43

“AARGH!” The Shadowlord his panic quickly consuming all sense of self-control, conjured up a ball of fire in his hand. He made a spluttering noise as he noticed that the fire, apart from the fact that he could feel it slightly warming his hand, appeared not to exist, its light completely smothered by the darkness. “That’s it!” He began to run in fright, not stopping until he finally came out the other side of the cave. He then turned to face the hole in the mountain behind him, his heart racing as the feeling of horror died down. However, a haunting malevolence still seemed to flow from the mouth of the tunnel.44

“What the fuck was that?” He turned once again, leaving the cave behind him. He noticed a path at his feet, leading towards a wall of rock up ahead. The rock face headed straight up out of the deep pit that he was standing in and into the night sky above, its surface marred by several small holes, as if some creature had once climbed the mountain by punching its fists into the rock. He tried to see further up the mountain, but it was so tall that he was eventually unable to distinguish anything upon the mountainside. Spreading his wings, he jumped up into the air, flying straight up at a 90-degree angle. Above him, the sky was almost completely dark, the stars twinkling very weakly against the black curtain of night. The moon was nowhere to be seen.45

The Shadowlord squinted, noticing the darkness of a cave in the mountainside above. Eventually, after some time (Minutes? Hours? He had lost track of the time long beforehand), it began to grow, until he was finally outside the entrance. A familiar feeling came over him: the feeling that one felt when there were complex enchantments in the vicinity. Walking into the tunnel, he saw a swirling portal, and he stepped through it.46

He was now in a cavernous chamber of immense size, yet its dimensions were not the focus of the Shadowlord’s attention. In the centre of the chamber lay a slumbering thing, its gigantic form gleaming with a golden luminescence – a golden dragon, much like the ones that had lived in the Dragon Hills in Flaanko in centuries past. Such creatures were now long extinct in Flaanko, and for one to exist here was a great surprise, especially since it was, without doubt, the tool that Debris had directed him to. “Okay, this is good… but I think a change of colour is necessary.” Feeling a great power radiating from the beast, the Winged Man stepped forward, holding up his hands as he drew near. A thick, smoky darkness flowed from them, smothering the dragon and corrupting its skin, masking the golden glow beneath a layer of pure, solidified evil. Its eyes opened, their shimmering brilliance fading, only to be replaced with a bitter red gleam. The wing membranes were now riddled with holes, as if they had been splashed with acid, and long horns grew from the sides of its skull, curving backwards.47

“Now to get you out of here!” The Shadowlord conjured up a green orb of energy and hurled it at the wall, the rock quickly cracking apart and giving way. Looking into the east, he noticed that the sun was beginning to rise in the east – had it really been that long? Spreading out his arms and wings, he jumped on the dragon, seating himself at the base of its neck. “There is a town at the bottom of this mountain, dragon! I order you to destroy it!” The dragon roared in compliance, and the Winged Man let out a dark laugh. Flames flickered from the beast’s fanged jaws, and it spread its wings and took to the skies, soaring from the chamber in a gust of acrid air.48

After a few minutes, the Shadowlord and his hideous mount descended upon the Drom Tei Mountain Base Village, levelling out at roughly thirty metres from the ground. The beast began to circle the village, and the Shadowlord jumped from its neck and took to the air, unleashing powerful waves of death from his hands, which quickly killed all of the villagers that were out in the open. Cackling wildly, he watched with unsuppressed amusement as the dragon began to regurgitate balls of flame and torrents of water, burning and breaking apart buildings and ending the lives of those within. It blew its wings, unleashing several gusts of lethally focused wind, which cut through solid objects like razorblades through paper. Buildings crumbled and exploded, fragments of shattered stone and wood flying out in all directions. Those who were trying to escape the carnage were horrified and sickened as they heard the screams of people burning to death, their own shrieks of terror mingling with those of the dying. But they fell silent as the Shadowlord turned his gaze upon them.49

Raising his hand, the Winged Man unleashed torrents of electricity from his fingertips, killing the fleeing people indiscriminately, electrocuting man, woman and child alike. After a minute or so, he flew over to the highest point in the town – a brand-new temple, six stories high, dedicated to the Evil One.50

“Evil One?” scoffed the Shadowlord, raising his head to the sky. “Well, I am more powerful! Watch this!” A black ball of energy formed in his hand, and he sent it down, right through the very centre of the temple below. The bottom of the temple exploded, and the corpses of those who had sought protection from their deity flew out of the collapsing shrine, crashing through doors, walls and windows and coming to rest in the carnage around that was the near-levelled town. As the temple collapsed, the Shadowlord remained still in the air above, watching it topple to the ground. The dragon soared around the town, destroying what remained.51

Soon, nothing was left, save mounds of scorched rubble and the blackened husks of trees. A satisfied smile crept onto the Shadowlord’s face as he surveyed the burned stone, wood and corpses around him. He raised his hand and began to speak in the Demonic Tongue. “Corpur ek tu corlun, gavus hii ful ali dokus!” As he finished speaking, the charred cadavers of the townsfolk began to reanimate, lurching to their feet with the sickening sound of burnt, dried sinew. Many of the corpses were grotesquely disfigured, missing limbs, or had been horrifically burned by the fire that had swept over them. They fell to their knees in appraisal with a ghastly crackling noise, and the Shadowlord merely smiled as he surveyed his new subjects, the dragon flying overhead, looking down with mild interest. The Winged Man touched down upon the ground, his deceased followers forming a ring around him.52

“Wonderful!” The Shadowlord, his mood now almost jovial, continued to examine the zombies around him. “Now… does anybody here know who killed Debris?”53

One of the corpses rose to its feet and opened its mouth, words coming out in a hideous rasp from its blistered throat. “Whellier and his companions. Most of them reside in Savert, in the Dilk Territory, which is to the far east of here.”54

“Very well!” The Shadowlord took to the air once more, his kindly mood replaced by a militaristic attitude. “Onto Savert, my army of undead! Destroy all in your way that lives!” He pointed in the direction of the sun, which was now fully exposed. Seating himself upon the dragon’s neck once again, he urged his monstrous mount on, and it began to soar off into the east, the army of reanimated dead lurching along in their wake, leaving the desecrated, smouldering ruin of the town behind them.55

***56

***57

Chapter Two: It’s Only Bad News58

WHELLIER JUMPED BACK with a laugh, avoiding Yeit’s swing. The father and son were playing around, using rounded wooden poles like swords. “You are going to have to try harder than that!” Yeit attempted to strike again, but his father blocked the blow with his own pole. Then, Whellier bounded into the air, soared over Yeit’s head and landed behind him. He raised his pole, as if he were about to bring it down with extreme force, and simply tapped Yeit on the head lightly with the end.59

“Ouch!” exclaimed Yeit, although it was more out of astonishment than pain. Whellier threw his pole up into the air, and it twirled above him for a few seconds before he caught it without even glancing at it.60

“I win,” said Whellier. “Damn, I’m good! Even with only one hand, I can still fight with my best!” He looked down at his wrist, over which was an armoured cap to protect the area where his hand had been severed by Bout whilst on the quest for the Magic Fire. There were still the occasional phantom pains due to the severed nerves, but they were now occurring less frequently. He had spiked platinum hair, which was held up with a red headband. He also had light-toned skin, and wore a black shirt, jacket, pants and boots. On his back was strapped his fire sword, and he had a combat knife attached to his belt.61

“Maybe you should try your skill against someone who is closer to your own age,” said a voice from behind Whellier. “Yeit is only a small child, and is still learning.” Whellier turned around to see Magi standing in front of him, leaning on his quarterstaff.62

“Grandpa!” cried Yeit, dropping his sword and running over to Magi. However, as he ran, he tripped over a rock and skidded along the ground, stopping right before the old man’s feet. Magi reached down and helped him to his feet.63

“There, there, little one,” said Magi in a fatherly tone, letting go of Yeit. “Go inside and clean yourself off.” Yeit nodded and ran off into the house. The old man then looked up, laying his eyes on Whellier, who noticed that he was now putting even more of his weight upon his quarterstaff. “Whellier, something bad is happening. The sky is getting darker with every passing moment.”64

“Well, it is evening,” said Whellier, in an attempt to make sense of Magi’s statement.65

“No, it’s not that. Somewhere out there, I can sense an evil. Something terrible has entered this land. I have no idea of who or what it is, but it needs to be stopped at all costs.” Magi began to lean on the nearby fence, his staff still held in his hand. “I need you to travel quickly to Dilk’s Castle and get Youand.”66

“What will he be able to do?” asked Whellier, moving closer to the old man.67

“I want you to tell him to go and get Quo and Reign, as I feel that we will need the greatest fighters in the land to defeat this evil. Now, you must take a Grivvel, (a creature similar to a horse, but smaller and with speed equal to that of a cheetah), and set out to reach Youand as quickly as possible. Please, go now, post-haste!”68

Whellier nodded in understanding, his cheerful face darkening. He walked away from Magi and began to head for the town stable.69

***70

SOME TIME LATER, Whellier, mounted upon the back of a Grivvel, arrived at the gates of a somewhat-new castle. Its walls were made of grey stones, which fit snugly together, and rose between twenty to thirty feet in the air. The gate, which was formed of solid wood, was held together by strips of steel, which were bolted together with gilded bolts. Whellier dismounted and looked up at the top of the gate tower, where he saw a castle guard looking back at him, a long ash spear held in his right hand.71

“Halt! Who goes there?” questioned the guard, trying to make out Whellier’s face in the fading light.72

“My name is Whellier, and I have come to speak with Youand, the Captain of the Guards,” spoke Whellier, attempting to keep the Grivvel still.73

“Whellier?” called a voice from somewhere on the wall. Looking for the source of the voice, Whellier noticed a shadow covering him, which quickly became smaller as its owner glided down to the ground. Youand folded his silver wings around himself and walked towards Whellier, his clawed hand, which was coloured the same silver as his wings, outstretched. Whellier took his hand and shook it.74

“How have you been, my friend?” asked Youand, giving a small smile as they released from the handshake. He had hazel eyes and dark black hair, cut into a short Mohawk. He also had pallid skin, yet his arms were long and silver, and his fingers were clawed. His ears were very pointed, and were the same silver as his arms. He also had a pair of dragonic wings, coloured silver as well. He wore a light blue shirt beneath a leather jacket, as well as a pair of pants and boots. He also wore a skullcap with holes to let his ears stick out. On each arm was strapped a knife, and he had a blue-steel sword at his side.75

“I have been very well,” replied Whellier. “I’ve just been training Yeit for his quest.” His face suddenly darkened, just like it had back in Savert. “I got word from Magi that something bad is happening, and he wants to you go and retrieve Quo and Reign from Bediblebee Village. You must go soon. Something is going on, and Magi does not like it one bit.”76

“I understand,” said Youand, who did not know exactly what this would mean, yet he was always cautious when it came to Magi, especially at that moment. “I will be off now.” He spread his wings, jumped up into the air and began to fly into the west, towards the forest and the mountains, beyond which Quo and Reign now lived together.77

***78

YEIT WAS IN the yard once more, swinging his sword-like pole around. The sun had sunk very low now, and it had been two hours since Whellier’s departure. Yeit relaxed his arms and looked in the direction of the setting sun, and felt a pang of fear as he saw a winged creature – a birbat – coming straight towards him from the west. Dropping his toy sword, his fear turned to absolute terror as the bird-like creature drew closer, yet he could not run, as he was paralysed with fear. Finally, he worked up the courage to run from the creature, but he screamed loudly as it dawned upon him that the birbat was too close for him to escape. Falling to the ground, and messing up his clean clothing in the process, he covered his head with his hands, shaking in horror, afraid of being killed by such a vicious creature.79

After a moment, he felt the creature swoop over him, but the pain did not come. He heard a thudding noise, and got to his knees, looking around. A girl, the same girl that the Shadowlord had assaulted at the Drom Tei Mountain Base Village, had jumped from the back of the birbat, which had now flown off. One hand was planted firmly on the ground, and the other, as well as the rest of the arm, was held in a sling. She winced at the pain in her broken, lifeless shoulder, the skin of which was, strangely enough, turning black. The instant the Shadowlord had let go of her, she had bandaged up her shoulder, taken her trained birbat and flew to Savert. Her eyes, which were full of terror, also showed exhaustion, as she had been flying since the previous evening. She looked around and saw Yeit on the ground. “Where is Whellier?”80

“He… Dad is gone. He went to Dilk's Castle to get Uncle Youand. Grandfather said something bad is happening, and they need to get Quo and someone named Reign to help.” Yeit got to his feet, brushing himself off as best as he could.81

“Oh…” said the girl in disappointment. “Can you please get me some water? I have been flying since yesterday evening.”82

“Okay,” Yeit said, promptly running inside to fetch some water. The girl sat down on the ground, legs out straight, leaning back slightly on her one good hand as she looked up at the darkening sky above.83

A few moments later, Yeit returned, holding a metal container filled with water. After thanking him, she took the container from him and greedily drank its contents. After drinking the last of it, she set the container down on the ground. “That felt great, thank you.”84

***85

YOUAND SOARED THROUGH the night sky, the forests below him nearly invisible in the darkness. The mountains loomed nearer and nearer before him, yet they were still somewhat distant. He had now been flying for hours, and was completely aware that he was about to encounter something terrible. In the distance, he could see several faint, flickering lights, and the smell of smoke hung in the air.86

Minutes later, as he got closer, the distant lights that he had seen became an enormous forest fire. The flames were enormous, reaching up beyond the canopy of the forest below, and illuminating the area around in a horrible flickering glow, almost as bright as day. Youand moved out of the way of the flames, all the while coughing constantly due to the thick smoke in the air. He suddenly heard a rushing noise nearby, and he quickly dodged aside as he noticed that it was an arrow. He then looked down, his eyes searching amongst the flaming ruin of the forest for a sign of what had shot at him. On a patch of blackened ground, still gleaming very faintly with smothered embers, stood roughly thirty humanoid figures, bows held in some of their blackened hands. They unleashed a volley of missile fire, which Youand narrowly dodged. Looking down at the figures, he saw that they resembled people, their charred, blistered flesh hanging loosely over scorched muscle tissue. Several of them were missing limbs, and they seemed quite rigid, their movements jerky and stiff, as if they were not moving, or even living, of their own free will. In fact, they appeared to be corpses, yet life still seemingly lingered within their decaying, burned bodies.87

“What the hell?” exclaimed Youand. “These things cannot be people, not living people, anyway. But they seem very much alive to me…” He grunted with pain as an arrow soared through the air, coming to a stop within his shoulder. He began to fall, but he managed to catch himself in mid-air. He grasped the arrow shaft and winced as he pulled it from his arm, immediately dropping it to the ground below. “I cannot stop and fight. I must complete my mission.” He continued on towards the mountains, ignoring the wound, which was dripping with blood. The trail of burned forest continued as he travelled further west, yet he encountered no more of the walking corpses on the way.88

A few miles from where the zombies had wounded him, Youand paused in mid-air, beating his wings lightly to keep level, and looked down to see an enormous temple, formed of charred wood and blackened stones. Although the temple was dark, he could clearly distinguish something on the roof – a large symbol, the silhouette of a man with two wings like those of a dragon, much like Youand himself. He continued on, having no time to deal with this issue – he just hoped that the people of ---gotten Village, now Drom Tei Mountain Base Village, would be able to help him.89

Finally, he reached the area where the village had once stood, only to find a pile of smouldering rubble and ashes. His eyes widened in horror as he looked down at the sight below, and his mouth was agape. “This is not good… This is not good at all!” He wiped a liberal amount of sweat from his brow and began to head towards the mountain.90

Once he reached the cave, he quickly ran all the way through, trying his hardest to ignore the horror within, and then took flight again once outside. He flew up the side of the next mountain, eventually reaching the cave mouth. However, the sight that greeted him was terrible to behold. A vast hole had been rent in the mountainside, and the golden dragon was gone.91

“There is no way that anyone can possibly have done this. Where is the dragon?” Youand began to tense up, feeling the dread within him increase with every second. “First, there is a gigantic forest fire, then what seems to be the living dead, a temple made from the death of the forest, the nonexistent village, and now this! The dragon is gone! Did it escape and cause all of this?” He paused for a second as he thought over the possibility of such a thing occurring.92

“No, it could not have. There is no possible way that a dragon could build a temple, or bring people back to life. Something powerful is here, something more powerful that I have ever seen. This is VERY bad!” Youand ran though the portal at the other end of the dragon’s chamber, scared beyond reckoning.93

***94

AT ABOUT TWO o’clock in the morning, Whellier arrived back at Savert. Now very tired, he returned the Grivvel to the stables and headed back home. He came to the front door of his house and opened it. He was surprised at the sight that lay before him – a light was on, and a young woman was sitting in one of the chairs in the front room, cradling her arm, which was held in a sling.95

“Uh… hello, who are you?” he asked, a confused expression upon his tired face.96

“It doesn’t matter who I am,” said the woman. “I have to tell you that… someone, someone purely evil, is plaguing this land. I need your help, as I fear that this… person… has freed the gold dragon from its resting place, and is using it to further his evil intentions. He had wings like those of a dragon.”97

“Oh, he is not evil,” said Whellier. “He’s Youand, one of my friends.”98

“NO!” she exclaimed, her voice quiet yet insistent. “I know Youand. He told me the stories about you. Whoever this thing was, he is not from this world. He disguised himself as a human, but then he became this monster, this ghost, this… demon.” She was starting to sound hysterical.99

“Calm down, I bet that everything will be alright.” Whellier was trying to comfort her, yet he was a little worried that his wife, Solvi, would wake up and catch him with her. He suddenly froze as he heard the sound of feet coming down the stairs.100

“Honey?” Solvi came into the room and embraced Whellier. “I am glad that you are finally home. I’m going to go up to bed now. Come up when you are done talking. Goodnight.” She kissed Whellier and made her way back upstairs. Whellier turned back to the girl, who was rubbing her ruined arm.101

“Will you please help?” she asked. “This evil is so terrifying. If I didn’t think that it was, I would have never come here, but this is very bad… Will you please help?”102

“Well, Magi told me earlier that something bad is happening,” said Whellier, rubbing his eyes. “I think this thing that you told me about might be it. If you want, you can sleep down here. I am going up to bed now.” He stifled a yawn, clearly showing that he was exhausted. “My friends should be here tomorrow.” He bowed to her and began to head upstairs. The woman got up and lay down on the couch, wincing in pain.103

***104

YOUAND FINALLY LANDED in Bediblebee Village, right outside of Quo and Reign’s home. Despite the fact that it was still dark, and such a late visit would usually be deemed inappropriate, he felt that the importance of the matter took priority over such morals. His impatience taking control, he began to bang rapidly on the door with unnecessary force, splitting a few of the timbers beneath his clawed fist.105

“Hold on! Hold on! I am coming!” said Quo’s voice from within the house. A moment later, the door opened, revealing Youand’s old friend. “Youand? What the hell are you doing here?” Quo had green eyes, slightly tanned skin and dirty-brown hair that came down to his mid-back. He wore a long-sleeved white shirt and pants, as well as a pair of brown boots. 106

“Something bad is happening,” said Youand, his voice full of irritation. “Whellier, Magi and I need you and Reign to help, so please get dressed!”107

“But how are we going to pass the golden dragon? With only the three of us?”108

“The dragon is missing,” said Youand, a grim smile forming on his lips at the sight of Quo’s shocked expression. “Come on, let’s go! Get ready now, and quickly! Once we cross the mountains, I will fly you to Savert. It is too dangerous on foot, trust me.”109

“Okay.” Quo nodded, knowing that Youand was telling the truth. “We will be with you in about ten minutes.” He turned and walked inside to wake up Reign. Meanwhile, Youand leaned against the doorframe, knowing that with every passing moment, the unknown evil was growing stronger. It was only a matter of time before they would be confronted by this malicious entity, and he knew that they would have to be prepared for when that time came.110

***111

***112

Chapter Three: Let the Heroes Shine!113

YOUAND FELL TO the ground at the edge of Savert, finally giving in to exhaustion at last. Quo and Reign got to their feet, dusting themselves off as Youand fell asleep. Quo was now wearing his silver breastplate and his full-body chainmail, which left only his face, hands and feet uncovered. He also had his lightning sword strapped to his back, and a shield on his left arm. Reign had emerald eyes, purple hair and suntanned skin, and wore a white shirt, black vest and a very long brown leather coat. She also wore black pants and boots, and wore a large leather hat on her head. She wore several crossed belts over her shirt, as well as a pair of sashes with arrows attached to them. On one side of her belt was kept a whip, and on the other a crossbow. She also had a knife strapped to her lower right leg.114

Deciding to leave their friend, the two made their way through the town to Whellier’s home. Once at the door, Quo began to rap on it with his fist. It was now past noon, and they had been travelling since Youand had retrieved them from their home early that morning.115

Whellier opened the door, his expression clearly showing that he was not at all surprised to see them. His demeanour was serious, as he had been eagerly awaiting their arrival since he had woken up. “Welcome.” He surveyed their faces, which were still filled with horror at what they had seen during the journey to Savert. “What is wrong?” He now wore bulky red armour, which covered his chest, arms and knees – a sign that he had already prepared for what was soon to come.116

Quo was the first to speak. “We saw something terrifying. We must go to Magi. Wee need more help. There is no way in hell that we are going to be able to fight off an army of the undead, not the four of us alone.”117

“Speaking of four… where’s Youand?” asked Whellier, who had not registered what they had said about the army of zombies. He peered between Quo and Reign, looking for Youand.118

“He fell asleep at the edge of town,” explained Reign. “He flew us the whole way here. It was amazing how quick it was.”119

“Yes, just be thankful that you were not there for most of the search for the Magic Fire,” said Quo, looking at Reign. Suddenly, a look of shock crossed Whellier’s face – plainly, he had just registered what Quo had said before.120

“Army of undead?”121

“Oh, yes,” said Quo. “We saw a temple near where Drom Tei Village once stood. It was blackened and burned, but there was a large emblem burned into it, even darker than the timbers. We really need to see Magi. Come on!” Grabbing Whellier by the arm, he led him away from the house, Reign following close behind. They made their way to Magi’s house, and they began to knock on the door.122

“Back here!” called the voice of Magi from the backyard. They walked around the side of the house to see the wizened man standing in front of a fire, the tip of his quarterstaff planted firmly into the earth before his feet. His eyes were fixed firmly on the flames, the dancing light of which was reflected in his eyes.123

After a few awkward moments of silence, Quo spoke up. “Magi, we saw something terrible. Drom Tei Mountain Base Village has been destroyed, and there was a large temple nearby. It was made from what appeared to be the ruins of the town. The most concerning thing, however, was that there was a symbol burned into the roof, blacker than the wood of the temple itself. It was in the shape of a silhouetted man.”124

Magi looked up from the fire, staring deeply into Quo’s eyes. “A silhouetted man? What other qualities did it have?”125

“Its arms and legs were straight,” said Quo, the memory of the terrible construct still burned into his mind, “and it had wings… like those of a dragon.” He looked on as Magi rose to full height. The light of the sun no longer appeared to touch him, the dancing glow of the flames now the only thing that was illuminating him.126

“Ilkarnek,” he whispered, his face looking more ancient than ever as a look of grim understanding came upon it. He looked at them again, his eyes full of dread. “We will need more help… This is very bad. We need someone who can fight this thing.”127

“Do you know what this thing is?” questioned Reign.128

“Yes,” spoke Magi simply, his voice low and grim. “What you saw… it is the symbol of a creature of great evil, a being not from this world. Actually, this being draws its power from two realms, having originated in the other long ago before making the journey to the one that it calls home. Both of these realms, however, are far from our own, and you will hopefully never come into direct conflict with them. However, the hated realm of this creature’s origin seems to hold a minor influence over all other realms, yet ours seems to be largely unaffected.” Noticing that he was now going off the subject, he stopped speaking, looking once again into the flames.129

“But something from one of these realms has come here now,” said Whellier, finally introducing himself into the conversation.130

“How this occurred, I cannot be too sure, but I should soon be able to come up with an answer, as well as a solution to this problem,” spoke Magi. He pulled his quarterstaff from the ground. “However in the meantime, I have an idea that may help us. I am going to open up a portal to the realm that this being has come from. However, it will drain nearly all of my energy, so you must go in there, and you must be quick. If I am correct, you will come out in a region known as the Dragon Hills. There, you will encounter a young man. His name is Nicholas, or Nikolai, or something of the sort. He is the one who defeated this evil in the first place, and he bears a weapon that is capable of vanquishing it for all eternity. Find him, and bring him back here quickly. He will be able to help us.”131

“How long will we have?” asked Quo.132

“No more than five minutes,” said Magi. “After that, I will not be able to keep the portal stable for any longer, and you will be lost in that realm, presumably forever. If I had the Magic Fire within me again, I would be able to keep the portal open for days, but I am too weak to do so without it.”133

“Okay, well let’s go, then,” said Reign, her voice full of confidence. “The sooner we go, the sooner that we can get rid of this problem!” Magi nodded in agreement and raised his quarterstaff up into the air. He began to chant a mysterious incantation over-and-over, and a swirling vortex of blue and silver energy appeared in mid-air, beginning as no more than a glimmering spark. Within a minute, it had grown to ten feet tall. He was beginning to perspire heavily, and had closed his eyes. He said nothing to them, but nodded slightly, still chanting the spell in repetition. Whellier, Quo and Reign then nodded to each other, and stepped, one-by-one, through the dimensional rift.134

***135

NIKOLAI TRUDGED ALONG the grassy ground, his eyes ever set on the simmering, volcanic Flare Mountain, which stood over the desert lands over one hundred miles distant, and the black stronghold nestled between the foot of the mountain and the chain of clay hills that ran from the volcano and into the far east. He wiped the sweat from his short-cut brown hair, shielding his eyes from the intensity of the midday sun with his right hand. Whilst very well built, this was not too apparent due to the fact that his clothing covered most of his body. He was garbed in simple clothing, which consisted a bone tunic and a brown leather covering his torso and arms, a black belt with a silver buckle, dirty grey-brown travelling pants and a pair of boots, made of the same leather as his jacket. Over his jacket he wore a simple green travelling cloak, its hem marred with dirt and dust accumulated over the last six months. He had a reasonably-sized pack slung over his shoulders, and he carried three weapons on his belt – two knives of Dwarven origin, their silver pommels each imbedded with a shimmering, round stone – in one, a brilliant sapphire, and in the other, a glossy ruby. He also had a sword on his belt, its long scabbard hanging almost lazily against his left hip. The sheath and the handgrip were both bound in leather, dyed a green-black colour. The scabbard’s mouth and end were sheathed in gold-plated adamantine, reflecting the look of the sword’s crossguard and pommel. In the end of its pommel was set a round turquoise gem of the highest quality.136

“Come, now,” he spoke, turning to his companions. “We have much ground to cover. The lord of Thurgeld household said that his army would be at the Spire come the close of the month. That leaves us little more than two weeks, which should be sufficient. We shall rest within the hour.”137

“Blast your insistence!” grumbled one of his companions – a short, masculine dwarf by the name of Barik. His beard, which came down past his collar, was of a light grey, a few tones lighter than his cloak. He wore a brown leather jerkin over a bronze, short-sleeved mail hauberk, beneath which he wore a simple sand-brown tunic. His pants were a very dark brown, yet were faded at the bottoms due to the long and tiresome journey that they had been on over the last year. His boots were of a slightly lighter hue, yet their colour was hard to discern, due to the state that they were in. A heavy-looking hammer of black-tinted iron, as well as a brass-plated axe, hung from his belt. “You have led us through hell, yet will still not allow a tired traveller to rest his feet! I may be your friend, Nikolai, but I do not agree with your plan of action sometimes.”138

“I said that we would rest within the hour, and I shall stand by what I said. Now let us hasten!” Nikolai attempted a smile, yet he found this rather difficult due to the fact that he also wished for sleep.139

“You are a man of mixed-up priorities, I can be sure of that.” Barik smiled and clapped Nikolai on the shoulder. “If we are to rest, why do we not make it now? It will make little difference come nightfall.” He looked Nikolai straight in the eye.140

“Very well.” Nikolai, giving into defeat, allowed himself a brief chuckle. “It seems that you have got me there, my friend. Vasquine! Bradley! We shall travel no further for now.” His other two companions joined them upon the hilltop, and threw themselves unceremoniously upon the crisp grasses. One of them, Vasquine, was of the same basic height as Nikolai, as the two were only two months apart in age. His pale face was curtained by shoulder-length black hair, and his eyes were always rather narrowed, which made him appear to be tired most of the time. Whilst very fit, he was also quite thin, giving him the appearance of an assassin or some other stealth specialist. He wore a simple jacket of dark green hue over a white tunic, and his pants were similar in colour to those of Barik. He wore light brown boots, and had a simple shortsword of regular Flaankonian Military design on his belt, as well as four throwing knives. He took a swig from his water bottle and wiped his mouth, letting out a breath of relief.141

“It’s about time you stopped working us like slaves,” joked Vasquine, looking at Nikolai. “If I continue on this way, I think that my legs shall break beneath me.”142

“I agree,” said Bradley, although seriousness mingled with his joking demeanour. He was twelve years of age, making him four years younger than Nikolai and Vasquine, and a good fifty years (at least) younger than Barik. His hair was brown, nearing black, and was long, although not as long as Vasquine’s. Being Nikolai’s half-brother, the two beared some resemblance, although Bradley had inherited the bulk of his looks from his father, and not from their mother, whose blood they both shared. His brown eyes had an energetic gleam to them, which was reflected by his well-built figure. He wore clothes of greens, browns and greys, the garb of the Flaankonian Rangers, and had an ornate, curved blade sheathed at his left hip. A bow was kept on his back, and a quiver filled with arrows hung from his pack, upon which a small hunting knife was also strapped. He cast aside his backpack and his green cloak and stretched out on the earth, letting himself relax. “There is only so much ground that we can cover on foot in a day. So please stop trying to breed us into horses, brother.”143

“I’m not trying to breed you into horses at all, Bradley,” said Nick. “I am merely determined to reach the Spire in time.” He opened his mouth to say something else, but at that moment, a shimmering vortex of blue and white had suddenly opened less than ten metres away. Moments later, three people fell from the portal, landing in a heap on the ground.144

“Ouch.” Whellier rose to his feet, dusting himself off. Quo and Reign both rose a second later, and they widened their eyes at the sight of the four resting travellers. All four of them quickly rose to their feet, Barik drawing forth Kubznul, the Blackiron Hammer, and Bradley unsheathing his ornate sword, the Bane of Evil. Nikolai did not draw a weapon, but merely signalled for his friends to relax. However, his hand was now firmly grasping the hilt of the Sword of Stone Tower.145

“Minions of the Shadowlord!” spat Barik.146

“No!” said Nikolai. “The Jewels of Doom are safe in Stone Tower, the Shadowlord has retreated to his Spire, and these three do not appear to be demons, although they could be shapeshifters of some sort. Stay alert, and keep behind me.” He and the other three advanced toward Whellier, Quo and Reign, finally stopping when Nikolai and Whellier stood little more than a foot-and-a-half apart. “Who are you? Wizards of some sort? Sorcerers? Changelings?”147

“No,” said Whellier, offering his hand in greeting. “My name is Whellier Savert, and these two are Quotant Duel and Adia Reign. Who might you all be?”148

Nikolai looked at Whellier’s hand in doubt, as if he thought that the smiling man before him would transform into the Shadowlord himself upon accepting the gesture, but apparently decided that he meant no harm. He took his hand from the sword grip and shook Whellier’s own hand. “Nikolai Sinnett. My companions here are Bradley Eather, Vasquine DeTsar and the Dwarven prince, Barik Azbul. On what business have you come here?”149

“Nikolai!” said Whellier. “You’re the one that defeated the Shadowlord!”150

“Why, yes, I am,” said Nikolai, smiling as he assumed a mock-arrogant attitude. “Word does appear to travel fast these days… But how do you know? Are you from this world or not?”151

“No, we are not,” said Whellier. “We are here to tell you that the Shadowlord is no longer in this realm – he has come to our own world, and he is causing havoc and destruction with every passing moment! We need you to come with us, or else all is doomed!”152

Nikolai’s bright smile faded away. “This is certainly unwelcoming news. I will come with you.” He turned around to face his companions. “Head on, my friends. Once this has all been sorted, I shall meet up with you. Farewell, until we meet again.” Knowing the Shadowlord, and thus knowing that the chances of him heading to his doom were extremely high, he added, “If we meet again.” He nodded to them and turned back to the newcomers.153

“Let’s go,” said Quo, after a moment of grim silence. “The longer we wait here, the stronger this Shadowlord becomes!” Nikolai nodded in understanding, and, without looking back, stepped forward and through the shimmering interdimensional rift. Whellier, Quo and Reign followed suit, leaving the three companions alone before the swirling gateway.154

“I am not going to wait here and let my friend handle this without me!” said Barik suddenly, replacing his axe on his belt and charging into the portal.155

“What do you say?” asked Vasquine, looking at Bradley.156

“I say that we go,” nodded Bradley, picking up his belongings. They each ran into the portal, which persisted for a few moments before collapsing. The greatest heroes alive in Flaanko had ventured beyond the boundaries of the universe, possibly to their deaths, and a faint breeze began to blow, as if recognizing their departure, and mourning for every second that they were gone.157

***158

SECONDS LATER, ALL seven of them fell out of the portal, landing in a pile on top of each other. After a succession of groans, Whellier cried out, “Get off of me!” After a few seconds, they managed to all pull themselves to freedom, getting to their feet and brushing dust and dirt from their clothing. Looking around, Nikolai’s eyes widened as he saw that his friends had followed him through the gateway. As the portal closed, Whellier laid his eyes on the fallen figure on the ground. “Magi!”159

The old man was lying sprawled on the ground, his quarterstaff a foot away from his body. His eyes were closed, and his chest was barely moving. Whellier ran over to him, bent down, and began to pick him up.160

“Whellier…” said Quo softly, “He needs to sleep. He spent all of his energy opening that portal. If only he had had the Magic Fire in him, he…” He fell silent as Whellier picked up Magi and took him inside. Meanwhile, Nikolai was arguing with Vasquine, Bradley and Barik.161

“I told you that I would meet up with you later!” spat Nikolai, his eyes flickering with rage. “If I were to fall here, there would still be a chance that the quest could succeed! But, instead, you decided to be heroic and…”162

“We were not trying to be heroic!” cried Bradley. “We came here because we care about you! This is not for the damn glory, it never has been!” Nikolai’s eyes widened even more, and he opened his mouth to make a retort.163

“Plus,” said Barik, who was the only calm one out of the four, “The quest would fail without you! The Sword is the key to defeating the Shadowlord, and none besides you can use it to slay him!”164

“But if I died, the Shadowlord would most likely remain here,” said Nikolai, his voice lowered to a quiet hiss, so as not to draw any attention. “And he still has an army at his disposal back in Flaanko. If he dies, then his army will most likely be broken. And, since I am the heir, only I can defeat him! My father vanished long ago, and I have fathered no children – plus, the Sword would remain trapped in this realm, possibly forever – and we all know that it is one of the Shadowlord’s goals to claim the throne of Flaanko for his own! And, for that, he needs the Sword and the Crown, both of which I currently possess! So, why risk your own lives for a chance to save my arse if things get tough? Tell me this!”165

“A chance to save your arse?” sneered Vasquine. “It’s nothing like that, Nikolai, and you know it! For fuck’s sake, we have been friends for almost our whole lives, and now you turn against me because I care?”166

“I am not turning against you-”167

“STOP IT!” roared Barik, his already-pink face turning red. “This is exactly what the Shadowlord has tried to do to us before! Remember what happened at the Onyx Pass, Nikolai? He manipulated your mind to try and drive us all apart! We cannot let such petty things stray us from our goal, and from our friendship! It is things like this that have caused whole kingdoms to crumble and fall! So, Nikolai, you must accept that we wish to help, because there is no going back now. The portal is shut.”168

“You… you are right,” sighed Nikolai, relaxing his shoulders. “Can you all forgive me for this?” He looked at them all, a slight look of pleading in his eyes.169

“Certainly,” said Bradley, clapping his brother on the shoulder. “We are brothers, Nikolai. Maybe only through our mother’s blood, but we are brothers nonetheless. And, besides,” he smirked, “Mother would probably make me do extra chores if I didn’t.” Nikolai laughed at this remark, as it was probably true, and then laid his eyes upon Vasquine.170

“Of course,” said Vasquine. “It would be folly not to. What about you, Barik?” He turned an enquiring eye to the stout dwarf.171

“No I bloody well don’t!” spat Barik. His face was set into a mask of fury, but it quickly dissolved into a bright, cheerful one. “I’m kidding you, my friend – I definitely forgive you. And you’ll be hard-pushed to find another dwarf who will say that to you after an argument. Now,” he turned to Quo and Reign, who had been watching the whole incident with interest, “I suppose we should get to know these new additions to our company. After all, we may be here for some time. Best that we at least try to make friends, rather than have another squabble break out.” Nikolai opened his mouth yet again, but at that moment, Whellier emerged from the house.172

“He’s resting right now,” explained Whellier. “He may not wake up for a few days. However, we should keep an eye on him. So… maybe we should go and retrieve Youand.”173

“No need.” Everyone’s attention was drawn to the side of the house. Youand had finally woken up, and was dragging himself along the ground. He was glaring coldly at Quo and Reign. “You could have at least carried me away, rather than just leaving me there.”174

“Demon!” Barik, his face suddenly contorting into an expression of hatred, drew out his axe and charged towards Youand. He brought his axe down in an attempt to cleave his head in two, but Youand quickly rolled aside.175

“I am too tired for this shit!” groaned Youand, who was trying to get to his feet. “I am no Evil One-damned demon!”176

“You are not going to save your hide!” roared Barik, raising his axe once again. He began to bring it down, but Quo, his sword drawn, quickly intercepted the attack.177

“He is one of us! Leave him alone, or you will have to deal with me!” Quo glared at Barik, who stared down at Youand with a dark look in his eye for a few moments. The dwarf then lowered his weapon, but continued to glare down at Youand with obvious loathing.178

“It had better not try anything tricky, or I will kill it.”179

Youand slowly rose to his feet, quivering weakly, his face even more pallid due to fatigue. “My name is Youand, and I am a human! With some mutations, as you can see…” His legs then gave out beneath him, and he fell to his knees. “So, Quo, who are these people?”180

“Well, this is Barik,” said Quo, gesturing to Youand’s would-be killer, “and these are Nikolai, Vasquine and Bradley. Nikolai came here to help us defeat this evil entity, which we found out is named the Shadowlord. The others just came along after him.”181

“Ah. Okay.” Youand looked over the newcomers sleepily. He then lowered his voice to a near-inaudible mutter. “What a strange group of people… so, this is what we have to fight the Shadowlord.” He then yawned and fell against the side of Magi’s house, drifting off to sleep once again.182