Jeddy
07-06-2008, 09:14
Right i realise this is more fantasy than sci fi, but id still like it if opeople let me know what they think.
i wrote this more than 3 years ago, and never got to finish it, im itching to start resurrect one of these and just wondering if you feel this is a good idea of one to resurrect (i have more ^^)
also i apologise for the names and such they are a little... strange...
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Two hooded men walked through the corridors in the castle to find their leader, when they got to his door, the castle was shook by earthquake, causing Roofing to fall from the ceiling, Causing the two Mages to clutch onto the walls.
Elba Concentrated feeling the immense power of 16 Earth mages, used to unleash this horrendous attack, he used what little energy he had to warn all other mages,
'16 Earth Mages,' Was all he could gasp, using his mind to tell all 560 mages in the castle.
In unison, 560 humming voices resonated through the castle; Bringing peace to the chaos, the castle stopped shaking, an aura of peace and tranquillity rushed round the castle.
Before Elba fell unconscious, he heard their leader, Harper; use the same method he had in telling the repair crews to get to work, and the high council of Mages to report to his office.
The other hooded man, Tagel, picked up Elba and carried him into Harper's office. Laying him on the Table by the door.
'He is exhausted, if he carries on like this he will lose his power like the others, we can't afford this!'
'We need all the power we can get!' Harper shouted at the young Tagel.
'Yes we do, That’s why I ask that you let me, and 6 other mages, a Mage of Fire, Earth, Wind, Water, Light and Time,' Tagel said
'Your shadow skills still need improving, what makes you think that you will be able to do anything?' Harper snapped, knowing full well what Tagel would
say.
'This War has gone on long enough, its time for us to finish it, once and for all! We need to forge a weapon, a weapon to destroy the Nemeies forces, my power is irrelevant, we just need the essence of the magic,'
'We can’t spare the Mages,' Harper Shouted
‘we have to!' Tagel shouted and the 5 other members of the high council walked through the door.
The meeting with the High council did not go well for Tagel and Elba. Their idea was rejected as mere fantasy.
'We can’t give up this easily!' Tagel screamed with a passion,
'The council have said no, and with out the council, how will we get the Mage-power to make this weapon?' Elba said, being the older, wiser voice of reason.
'Then I will do this on my own, I do not need the council!'
'Your powers are young, yet to be tamed... how do you expect to do this?' Elba asked,
'I will find a mercenary, They will help anyone with money,' Tagel shouted back in defiance, as he stormed out of the room,
Elba remembered when the fire of youth burnt in his heart with such vigour. He chased after his learner friend.
'Tagel!' He called to the figure disappearing in a shroud of darkness, ignoring any attempt to call him back, Tagel escaped the confines of the castle, to go and seek help from a mercenary in the near Village of Ispep.
The forest was Dark, overwhelming, a place that Tagel felt most at home, most comfortable, at one with his element.
He sat down by a tree to rest; it had been 3 days since he had stormed out of the castle. And a further day since he had eaten.
The village of Ispep was not far away, he could get there soon, but now, he needed to rest.
He was just getting comfortable propped up against a tree when he heard the breaking of a stick behind him, as an almost gut reaction, he used his power to emerge himself in darkness, all but hidden from any person who may find him, he saw a black robed figure move along in front of him.
'I know your there,' this unknown man said to the ball of shadow by the tree. 'Your shadow needs much improvement.'
Tagel let his guard fall, and stood up,
'How?' he asked
'When you are a mage of seven elements, you can use the mage sight, you can see anyone with mage powers, haven’t you ever heard of it?'
'only in myth and legend, you mean to say you master all 7 elements?'
'Yes,' The black clad man nodded, as bits of long blonde hair fell in front of his face.
'How? I was told mages could only use 1 element.'
'you believe that the power is born in? The power to use one specific element?'
Tagel nodded
'You have been misled, The only power Mages have, the power to channel natures magic, to pull magic from the sources, that is the true power of a mage, When you use your neutral element, to access the vastness of all 7, that is when you become a true mage, with true power. but I see it too late for you, your energy has become corrupt through over use of shadow.'
'The source?'
'The naivety is astounding, the source is what all mages draw their elemental energy from, being a mage of seven elements, I draw my power, my magical energy from all of the sources,'
'but you said the magic was natural? how can their be different sources?'
'mother nature, she is a mage, she borrows the power from the sources to create this world,'
'I see, I have much to learn,'
'You do indeed I shall be glad to teach you, but first tell me, what draws you away from the castle?'
'I shall tell you, but only if you tell me your name,'
'My name is Jedd,'
'What side are you?'
'I have no side, me and my companions tend not to involve our selves in the petty squabbles of nations,'
'Petty squabbles?' Tagel shouted in anger and disbelief 'How can a war that has lasted just over 20 years be a petty squabble?'
'We have seen wars form many centuries, this is no more than a skirmish,'
'You are unbelievable,'
'How am I anymore unbelievable than you? I command seven elements, you command 1, I have companions, u seemingly have none, I live in known lands, and you seem to run from yours. That is unbelievable.'
'It is all down to perspective,' Tagel snapped, just about to walk off
'Why did you leave?' Jedd asked
'I left the castle because I can end this war yet no one will let me.'
'How can you childish skills end a war?'
'I need the combined seven elements, a mighty warrior, and an army,'
'Tell me your plan, apart from the army, all those are known to me,'
'Well, we will forge a weapon with the combined power of the elements, and use it, in command of the army, with a margin of luck, it should enchant its magic onto the entire army, making the normal strong Edac's into powerful, strong mages, of all seven elements.'
'Intriguing idea...' Jedd thought about this, 'Let me introduce you to my friends,' he said shortly before disappearing in a gust of wind Tagel saw him rise up above the clouds them selves, into the dark grim sky, then the clouds took on an orangey glow, fire was being used.
With in a few minutes Jedd returned to the ground,
'They now know I am calling them, they will be here in a matter of moments,'
Not even a minute had passed when squawks and the noise of wings pounding the air deafened Tagel, Jedd stood up and walked over to the sound.
He grasped the female rider by the wrist as she did to him,
'Scoss, Welcome,'
'Greetings Jedd, Why did you call?'
'I have someone I would like you to meet,'
the two walked over to Tagel.
'This is Tagel, of the Castle of Dolos.'
'Hello,' Scoss introduced,'
'I am Scoss, griffin Rider of light,'
'Is that your element? light?'
'Enchanted to my griffin, through the good will of Jedd, I have the power to use Light, I am what you would call, an Edac.'
'Then I must bow to you, your ride is most noble, notable for its punctuality,'
'Castle born,' Scoss dismissed Tagel's bowing.
'We are no more on formality than bandits, no bowing required,' Jedd informed Tagel.
'So where is Ronin?' Scoss asked
'I am not sure, he normally beats you to our meetings,' Jedd wondered.
'He will not forget this victory easily,'
'I remember you two!' Tagel shouted 'Scoss, "and when this Masked wonder attacks no one lives, light blinding, griffin screeching," and "The Master of Seven elements, Danger to all who know and knew him, never to be trusted," also "Ronin, Raiser of the dead, forgiver of none, relentless in battle and immortal" Is that you?"
'You have heard of us,' Jedd acknowledged
'Then I am in danger?'
'No, you are among friends, those are the words of our enemies, the words of the people that cannot accept the truth,'
'Truth?'
'The truth that if we so wished, we could destroy them with no more effort than walking. ‘
Before Tagel could think of a response to that, a white mist approached in the vague shape of a human.
'It’s about time,' Scoss laughed
as the mist approached the group, it seemed to solidify into a normal human,
'I am here,' Ronin answered
'I have a question to ask you all,'
‘yes?' Jedd said
'From what I remember, you are all said to be immortal... how?'
Ronin stepped forth to answer this question 'How do you kill what is already dead?'
It was late into the night when Ronin Jedd and Scoss had finished their explanation. Tagel widened his eyes in disbelief letting out a gasp of air.
'So let me get this straight,' Tagel said in confusion trying to make sense of the astounding story, 'You are all dead? Your all from 400 years ago?'
'Yes, we have 400 years of history... We were soldiers,' Jedd told him
'For which war?'
'The war of the sources,'
'The sources? As in the magical sources?'
Ronin nodded.
'Edacs wanted to destroy them, they were considered dangerous, Mages and Edacs fought to control the sources,'
'Really? I take it the mages won?'
'No, the Final battle was to decide who controlled the last element, the element of time,'
'And?' Tagel asked Jedd
'And in that battle, a power mad mage, sent his armies to fight the Edacs, to fight my ancestors, They captured the source, and when the tides were turning in favour of the Edacs, he used the power to raise the dead,' Scoss scorned the memory.
'D'nal was a fool, when he committed this act, he himself was killed leavening our forces with out a leader, left to our own devices, the remains of the army fled into the hills, with all seven sources. The sources have remained hidden since.' Jedd finished
'but, I still don’t see how you died?'
'That final battle, Wes died their, Risen by Emperor D'nal, to fall again. Given life again for some divine purpose given to us by Turnouts, The god and creator.' Jedd shocked Tagel with such a story.
'What is your purpose?' Tagel asked curiosity as eager as ever,
'We don’t know, we were told “your task will become clear when the time comes" and we have waited for 400 years to finds this task.'
'It is late, Let us rest,' Scoss said Pulling Jedd away from the group.
They walked no more than 100 meters away from Ronin and Tagel. The forest receiving a whole new darkness, the tall trees looming over the two.
'You tell him too much,' Scoss snapped,
'I trust him, I feel something about his quest, something that could bring us to our rest, something to let us finally find eternal rest,'
'You know as well as I do we are cursed to live forever, our task is to watch all we care about deteriorate into nothing ness,'
'IT isn't, trust me, Trust me Scoss, like you once did,' Jedd pleaded placing a hand on Scoss' shoulder.
'Trust is something I have little of these days, t5he past is the past, forget what happened then, we were young, too young and naive.'
'Then don’t trust in me, trust in him, he is the lat hope we have of eternal rest, we might find our heaven,'
Jedd Stumbled to his Sleeping spot, As Scoss lay by half on her Griffin, as it snored huskily, calming her frayed sole. Time seemed to slow, as she lay remembering that one final battle, remembering the time she died, remembering all that had happened to her over the last 400 years. Turous' message ringing through her head, she woke up. And wandered until she found a stream, she sat down her sorrowful mood turning the waters a seemingly misty grey.
'Cant sleep?' The voice of Ronin rang through the air.
'I've been thinking,' Was all Scoss dared say,
'About?' Ronin asked as he sat down beside her,
'About all that has happened, all that we have lost, how everything has changed since our previous innocence was taken,'
'War does that, it is war that destroys, not just land and buildings but people as well,'
'And feelings,' Scoss added
'Neither of your feelings have changed towards each other since the day I met you, and I doubt they will.'
'If you understood what goes through my head, then you shall see that is not that simple,'
'Then let me,' Ronin said 'open your mind to me,'
'I’m not having anyone probe my mind, This is for me, and me alone!'
'Our burden is equally shared , Let me help you,'
Scoss sat and thought, she had never wanted help, her problems where her own.
'Very well,' she mumbled Ronin placed his hand on her forehead, as she closed her eyes.
Flashes of images ran through Ronin's otherwise empty mind, Pictures of Jedd, Pictures of the final battle, and Memories of her death. More often the sight of glaring white, the aged face of Turous. Torture, the sight of her victims, the faces of all she had killed seemed to be taunting her; their death had brought her no closer to hers, meaningless blood spilt for a meaningless cause. Ronin broke the link through shear shock.
'Now u see how a heart this dark and cold cannot love, u see what has changed. You know who I am.'
Ronin and Scoss sat in an awkward silence, Ronin still unable to reply to Scoss' last words. They sat and thought, contemplating their own lives, all they have seen.
A noise disturbed their thinking, Ronin immediately hid in his mist form; And Scoss drew her sword, and crouched behind a tree.
'Why are we here?' A short armoured soldier said to a much taller soldier,
'I don’t know, Lord Jarass wants us to patrol the forest for bandits,' the taller one replied.
'Yeah, but who would come here?'
'You never know, no shut up, they all probably heard you and ran away,' The taller one said giving the shorter one a knock round the head.
'Ronin,' Scoss said 'Go wake Jedd and Tagel,'
'But....’ Ronin was just about to argue when Scoss interrupted
'Just go!' She almost shouted.
'Did you hear something?' The short Soldier said
'no, was your imagination,' the taller grew bored of the constant noises the shorter heard.
'No, I really did, someone talking, Over there,' the shorter looked from under the brim of His hat and pointed over in the vague direction of a tree by a stream.
'If your just trying to get another rest!'
'NO! Seriously! I heard someone,'
'Ok then, lets check it out...'
The guards walked cautiously over towards the stream, they passed the tree closest, then from no where Scoss came and struck down the smaller, he lay on the floor.
The taller one was more of a problem, he was well trained. He parried all of Scoss' attacks, Scoss longed for the help of her Griffin, as she relentlessly sent clash after clash of swords against this Soldier.
'Scoss!' Jedd shouted she turned, not seeing the Smaller Soldier draw his sword and stab Scoss in the stomach as he fell back to the floor. Scoss stumbled, stood back... felt the wound with her hand, and saw... Blood, yes it was blood, she had been wounded, Pain, Yes it hurt.
'Is this what it feels like to die?' She asked as she too fell to the floor.
A surge of Rage and emotion filled Jedd, as in a blinding white beam he unleashed All of the elements, Anything he could muster at the two Soldiers, Obliterating them utterly, he ran over to Scoss he knelt and help her head on his knee.
'Don’t die, don’t die now,'
Jedd Held the body of Scoss, eyes fading. Her body growing weaker and weaker. The screech of her Griffin roaring at the loss of its master, the link formed over the centuries of friendship, pulled at the heart of the great beast. It rose, and flew to where its master lay. Its savage, gentle beak, prodding the limp body. It lay down, as if to beckon its master on, Jedd Picked up the body and lay it on the griffins back.
The almighty griffin, stood up, and flew away, far away into the deep dark sky. No time for sorrow no time for thoughts, Jedd walked past Ronin and Tagel,
'Tonight we find our way to Gapindor,' He walked off, he got no more than twenty paces when he fell to his knees after an overwhelming sensation Beams of light started piercing through his body, his back arching, his voice screaming. Tagel ran to counter the Light with his Shadow. Stopped by Ronin.
'That is his enchantment returning. It happens when the creation he enchanted is destroyed,'
'Wasn’t Scoss' Griffin enchanted with light?' Tagel asked in a bitter confusion. All Ronin did was look greave and nod.
The time was early; Tagel had not spoken to Jedd, Neither Had Ronin, and Jedd stay in point leading the group to Gapindor.
'So what, or where, is Gapindor?' Tagel asked.
'It is the site of a great Magical attack, a castle of a magic catastrophe. Wandering mage spirits are drawn there, to the sight immense magical energy was used to destroy...'
'How much energy was used!? was this part of the source war?'
'No, before then, When Mages where the supreme species, it was the first mage war, and it was enough to tear a whole in the earths spirit releasing its magical energy, wounding it permanently.'
'What can we expect to see?'
'Sprits of fallen mages... Bandits, anything no one knows,'
‘are we going there to find Scoss' Spirit?'
'So many questions, Scoss was not a mage, she is not drawn to the same... 'Heaven' as us. We are probably going there as it is where a mages elements are at their strongest, it is where Jedd will be able to summon even more energy into this weapon of yours,'
'He is fighting for vengeance,'
The walk grew into a laborious trudge, none of them could walk any more, Jedd being propelled by rage, Ronin felt compelled to stay by his friends side, for the last 400 years there had been three, for the last 400 years the love and grown so strong.
Eventually when Jedd's Legs could no longer support him, he stumbled to a rock. Collapsing on its rough surface. Tagel and Ronin, not too far behind.
'Jedd we must rest...' Ronin said, Tagel scared by the fire of hatred burning in the eyes of the once calm Mage.
'We must get to Gapindor!' Jedd shouted the flame taking on a new intense look.' The faint crackle of Magic surrounding the body.
'We must... else there will be no one left to forge this weapon,'
'**** the weapon! It’s this false hope, a false hope that killed Scoss, the caused this. I am going to Gapindor to finish what the mages of old start. '
'Jedd more death is not the answer.'
'Maybe not, But maybe it will end yet more death end more Wars.'
'For as long as there are humans, they shall crave power, for as long as that craving lasts there shall be war, and as War lasts, the humans shall thrive.'
'How can u just stand by and accept it? We have lost a friend.'
'We are used to death, you yourself have been craving the rest that Scoss has now found, why do you resent her finding what she had spent 400 years looking for?'
'I resent not the peace she has found, but the torment I know live with.'
'True, But we all must live with torment, It is pain and hurt that defines our lives,'
'Then consider my life truly defined, my life so true and clear, that I cannot see my past, and am no closer to finding my future.'
'Them my friend I am sorry, your heart must suffer more,'
'Which is exactly why I must do this...'
Jedd walked off, recovering some energy. Ronin drifted after him in his mist form.
'Ill just stay here then!' Tagel said, lying by a tree, drifting to sleep. His sleep was troubled, his dreams wild and chaotic. Images of Scoss came to his head, Images he had never lived, could these be of her life before the cursed immortality? Finally his shifting visions settled on one image of Scoss, A smile breaking her cold face.
'I have found it...' She said, Light white robes being blown back by a breeze, the rustling of Trees were heard, Sun light broke through shutters, a tame wild garden lay beyond the window, and there was Scoss, Beautiful, in he white, breezy robes, smiling. Long hair tumbling over her shoulders.
'I have found it...' She repeated, Tagel to astound for words.
'Tell Jedd I have found it... I am home, Tell him, I am happy, Tell him this is what I want.'
She then turned Robes still wavering in the breeze, as she walked through the door way, the breeze was turned into a storm, and a vicious Red Surrounded her, Screams of Pain woke Tagel, he sat up and out of fear his Shroud of shadow covered him, as he pulled himself to his feet.
More screams, was this some torture? He followed the noise, Unearthly to hear, Screaming, a woman was screaming. He broke into a sprint summoning all the shadow fire he could muster, again, I shriek of agony. He found his way to a dark clearing, a pole holding her arms behind her back, as she lay helpless on the floor, being whipped by two Nemeies soldiers, Rage at this brutality angered Tagel, The rush of emotion collapsing his safety. Anger took over judgement as he sent waves of Shadow flame at the body of one of the soldier. The other to scare to fight, Ran Tagel unable to attack him with his feeble powers. He knelt down and brushed hair from the face of the woman, he saw tortured beauty, a vision of distorted perfection.
He removed the pole, unclamping chains from her ankles; she crawled away, stumbling on cut hands and feet. She curled up against a tree.
'I won’t hurt you...' Tagel whispered softly 'Who are you? My name is Tagel...'
Tagel could see that she wanted to believe him.
'I mean u know harm, why were they doing that to you?'
'I am Emile, and I was kidnapped, I come from the village of Gapindor.'
'Gapindor, as in the same as the castle of Gapindor?'
she nodded, feeling a pain run through her head like stampeding horses.
'Don’t move we have all the time in the world for u to get better... Here... these will help.' Tagel handed her some herbs he had acquired before they left Ispep forest she chewed on the tough bitter root, and starred curiously at Tagel.
'I have never seen a handsome man before...' She said, making Tagel almost blush.
i wrote this more than 3 years ago, and never got to finish it, im itching to start resurrect one of these and just wondering if you feel this is a good idea of one to resurrect (i have more ^^)
also i apologise for the names and such they are a little... strange...
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Two hooded men walked through the corridors in the castle to find their leader, when they got to his door, the castle was shook by earthquake, causing Roofing to fall from the ceiling, Causing the two Mages to clutch onto the walls.
Elba Concentrated feeling the immense power of 16 Earth mages, used to unleash this horrendous attack, he used what little energy he had to warn all other mages,
'16 Earth Mages,' Was all he could gasp, using his mind to tell all 560 mages in the castle.
In unison, 560 humming voices resonated through the castle; Bringing peace to the chaos, the castle stopped shaking, an aura of peace and tranquillity rushed round the castle.
Before Elba fell unconscious, he heard their leader, Harper; use the same method he had in telling the repair crews to get to work, and the high council of Mages to report to his office.
The other hooded man, Tagel, picked up Elba and carried him into Harper's office. Laying him on the Table by the door.
'He is exhausted, if he carries on like this he will lose his power like the others, we can't afford this!'
'We need all the power we can get!' Harper shouted at the young Tagel.
'Yes we do, That’s why I ask that you let me, and 6 other mages, a Mage of Fire, Earth, Wind, Water, Light and Time,' Tagel said
'Your shadow skills still need improving, what makes you think that you will be able to do anything?' Harper snapped, knowing full well what Tagel would
say.
'This War has gone on long enough, its time for us to finish it, once and for all! We need to forge a weapon, a weapon to destroy the Nemeies forces, my power is irrelevant, we just need the essence of the magic,'
'We can’t spare the Mages,' Harper Shouted
‘we have to!' Tagel shouted and the 5 other members of the high council walked through the door.
The meeting with the High council did not go well for Tagel and Elba. Their idea was rejected as mere fantasy.
'We can’t give up this easily!' Tagel screamed with a passion,
'The council have said no, and with out the council, how will we get the Mage-power to make this weapon?' Elba said, being the older, wiser voice of reason.
'Then I will do this on my own, I do not need the council!'
'Your powers are young, yet to be tamed... how do you expect to do this?' Elba asked,
'I will find a mercenary, They will help anyone with money,' Tagel shouted back in defiance, as he stormed out of the room,
Elba remembered when the fire of youth burnt in his heart with such vigour. He chased after his learner friend.
'Tagel!' He called to the figure disappearing in a shroud of darkness, ignoring any attempt to call him back, Tagel escaped the confines of the castle, to go and seek help from a mercenary in the near Village of Ispep.
The forest was Dark, overwhelming, a place that Tagel felt most at home, most comfortable, at one with his element.
He sat down by a tree to rest; it had been 3 days since he had stormed out of the castle. And a further day since he had eaten.
The village of Ispep was not far away, he could get there soon, but now, he needed to rest.
He was just getting comfortable propped up against a tree when he heard the breaking of a stick behind him, as an almost gut reaction, he used his power to emerge himself in darkness, all but hidden from any person who may find him, he saw a black robed figure move along in front of him.
'I know your there,' this unknown man said to the ball of shadow by the tree. 'Your shadow needs much improvement.'
Tagel let his guard fall, and stood up,
'How?' he asked
'When you are a mage of seven elements, you can use the mage sight, you can see anyone with mage powers, haven’t you ever heard of it?'
'only in myth and legend, you mean to say you master all 7 elements?'
'Yes,' The black clad man nodded, as bits of long blonde hair fell in front of his face.
'How? I was told mages could only use 1 element.'
'you believe that the power is born in? The power to use one specific element?'
Tagel nodded
'You have been misled, The only power Mages have, the power to channel natures magic, to pull magic from the sources, that is the true power of a mage, When you use your neutral element, to access the vastness of all 7, that is when you become a true mage, with true power. but I see it too late for you, your energy has become corrupt through over use of shadow.'
'The source?'
'The naivety is astounding, the source is what all mages draw their elemental energy from, being a mage of seven elements, I draw my power, my magical energy from all of the sources,'
'but you said the magic was natural? how can their be different sources?'
'mother nature, she is a mage, she borrows the power from the sources to create this world,'
'I see, I have much to learn,'
'You do indeed I shall be glad to teach you, but first tell me, what draws you away from the castle?'
'I shall tell you, but only if you tell me your name,'
'My name is Jedd,'
'What side are you?'
'I have no side, me and my companions tend not to involve our selves in the petty squabbles of nations,'
'Petty squabbles?' Tagel shouted in anger and disbelief 'How can a war that has lasted just over 20 years be a petty squabble?'
'We have seen wars form many centuries, this is no more than a skirmish,'
'You are unbelievable,'
'How am I anymore unbelievable than you? I command seven elements, you command 1, I have companions, u seemingly have none, I live in known lands, and you seem to run from yours. That is unbelievable.'
'It is all down to perspective,' Tagel snapped, just about to walk off
'Why did you leave?' Jedd asked
'I left the castle because I can end this war yet no one will let me.'
'How can you childish skills end a war?'
'I need the combined seven elements, a mighty warrior, and an army,'
'Tell me your plan, apart from the army, all those are known to me,'
'Well, we will forge a weapon with the combined power of the elements, and use it, in command of the army, with a margin of luck, it should enchant its magic onto the entire army, making the normal strong Edac's into powerful, strong mages, of all seven elements.'
'Intriguing idea...' Jedd thought about this, 'Let me introduce you to my friends,' he said shortly before disappearing in a gust of wind Tagel saw him rise up above the clouds them selves, into the dark grim sky, then the clouds took on an orangey glow, fire was being used.
With in a few minutes Jedd returned to the ground,
'They now know I am calling them, they will be here in a matter of moments,'
Not even a minute had passed when squawks and the noise of wings pounding the air deafened Tagel, Jedd stood up and walked over to the sound.
He grasped the female rider by the wrist as she did to him,
'Scoss, Welcome,'
'Greetings Jedd, Why did you call?'
'I have someone I would like you to meet,'
the two walked over to Tagel.
'This is Tagel, of the Castle of Dolos.'
'Hello,' Scoss introduced,'
'I am Scoss, griffin Rider of light,'
'Is that your element? light?'
'Enchanted to my griffin, through the good will of Jedd, I have the power to use Light, I am what you would call, an Edac.'
'Then I must bow to you, your ride is most noble, notable for its punctuality,'
'Castle born,' Scoss dismissed Tagel's bowing.
'We are no more on formality than bandits, no bowing required,' Jedd informed Tagel.
'So where is Ronin?' Scoss asked
'I am not sure, he normally beats you to our meetings,' Jedd wondered.
'He will not forget this victory easily,'
'I remember you two!' Tagel shouted 'Scoss, "and when this Masked wonder attacks no one lives, light blinding, griffin screeching," and "The Master of Seven elements, Danger to all who know and knew him, never to be trusted," also "Ronin, Raiser of the dead, forgiver of none, relentless in battle and immortal" Is that you?"
'You have heard of us,' Jedd acknowledged
'Then I am in danger?'
'No, you are among friends, those are the words of our enemies, the words of the people that cannot accept the truth,'
'Truth?'
'The truth that if we so wished, we could destroy them with no more effort than walking. ‘
Before Tagel could think of a response to that, a white mist approached in the vague shape of a human.
'It’s about time,' Scoss laughed
as the mist approached the group, it seemed to solidify into a normal human,
'I am here,' Ronin answered
'I have a question to ask you all,'
‘yes?' Jedd said
'From what I remember, you are all said to be immortal... how?'
Ronin stepped forth to answer this question 'How do you kill what is already dead?'
It was late into the night when Ronin Jedd and Scoss had finished their explanation. Tagel widened his eyes in disbelief letting out a gasp of air.
'So let me get this straight,' Tagel said in confusion trying to make sense of the astounding story, 'You are all dead? Your all from 400 years ago?'
'Yes, we have 400 years of history... We were soldiers,' Jedd told him
'For which war?'
'The war of the sources,'
'The sources? As in the magical sources?'
Ronin nodded.
'Edacs wanted to destroy them, they were considered dangerous, Mages and Edacs fought to control the sources,'
'Really? I take it the mages won?'
'No, the Final battle was to decide who controlled the last element, the element of time,'
'And?' Tagel asked Jedd
'And in that battle, a power mad mage, sent his armies to fight the Edacs, to fight my ancestors, They captured the source, and when the tides were turning in favour of the Edacs, he used the power to raise the dead,' Scoss scorned the memory.
'D'nal was a fool, when he committed this act, he himself was killed leavening our forces with out a leader, left to our own devices, the remains of the army fled into the hills, with all seven sources. The sources have remained hidden since.' Jedd finished
'but, I still don’t see how you died?'
'That final battle, Wes died their, Risen by Emperor D'nal, to fall again. Given life again for some divine purpose given to us by Turnouts, The god and creator.' Jedd shocked Tagel with such a story.
'What is your purpose?' Tagel asked curiosity as eager as ever,
'We don’t know, we were told “your task will become clear when the time comes" and we have waited for 400 years to finds this task.'
'It is late, Let us rest,' Scoss said Pulling Jedd away from the group.
They walked no more than 100 meters away from Ronin and Tagel. The forest receiving a whole new darkness, the tall trees looming over the two.
'You tell him too much,' Scoss snapped,
'I trust him, I feel something about his quest, something that could bring us to our rest, something to let us finally find eternal rest,'
'You know as well as I do we are cursed to live forever, our task is to watch all we care about deteriorate into nothing ness,'
'IT isn't, trust me, Trust me Scoss, like you once did,' Jedd pleaded placing a hand on Scoss' shoulder.
'Trust is something I have little of these days, t5he past is the past, forget what happened then, we were young, too young and naive.'
'Then don’t trust in me, trust in him, he is the lat hope we have of eternal rest, we might find our heaven,'
Jedd Stumbled to his Sleeping spot, As Scoss lay by half on her Griffin, as it snored huskily, calming her frayed sole. Time seemed to slow, as she lay remembering that one final battle, remembering the time she died, remembering all that had happened to her over the last 400 years. Turous' message ringing through her head, she woke up. And wandered until she found a stream, she sat down her sorrowful mood turning the waters a seemingly misty grey.
'Cant sleep?' The voice of Ronin rang through the air.
'I've been thinking,' Was all Scoss dared say,
'About?' Ronin asked as he sat down beside her,
'About all that has happened, all that we have lost, how everything has changed since our previous innocence was taken,'
'War does that, it is war that destroys, not just land and buildings but people as well,'
'And feelings,' Scoss added
'Neither of your feelings have changed towards each other since the day I met you, and I doubt they will.'
'If you understood what goes through my head, then you shall see that is not that simple,'
'Then let me,' Ronin said 'open your mind to me,'
'I’m not having anyone probe my mind, This is for me, and me alone!'
'Our burden is equally shared , Let me help you,'
Scoss sat and thought, she had never wanted help, her problems where her own.
'Very well,' she mumbled Ronin placed his hand on her forehead, as she closed her eyes.
Flashes of images ran through Ronin's otherwise empty mind, Pictures of Jedd, Pictures of the final battle, and Memories of her death. More often the sight of glaring white, the aged face of Turous. Torture, the sight of her victims, the faces of all she had killed seemed to be taunting her; their death had brought her no closer to hers, meaningless blood spilt for a meaningless cause. Ronin broke the link through shear shock.
'Now u see how a heart this dark and cold cannot love, u see what has changed. You know who I am.'
Ronin and Scoss sat in an awkward silence, Ronin still unable to reply to Scoss' last words. They sat and thought, contemplating their own lives, all they have seen.
A noise disturbed their thinking, Ronin immediately hid in his mist form; And Scoss drew her sword, and crouched behind a tree.
'Why are we here?' A short armoured soldier said to a much taller soldier,
'I don’t know, Lord Jarass wants us to patrol the forest for bandits,' the taller one replied.
'Yeah, but who would come here?'
'You never know, no shut up, they all probably heard you and ran away,' The taller one said giving the shorter one a knock round the head.
'Ronin,' Scoss said 'Go wake Jedd and Tagel,'
'But....’ Ronin was just about to argue when Scoss interrupted
'Just go!' She almost shouted.
'Did you hear something?' The short Soldier said
'no, was your imagination,' the taller grew bored of the constant noises the shorter heard.
'No, I really did, someone talking, Over there,' the shorter looked from under the brim of His hat and pointed over in the vague direction of a tree by a stream.
'If your just trying to get another rest!'
'NO! Seriously! I heard someone,'
'Ok then, lets check it out...'
The guards walked cautiously over towards the stream, they passed the tree closest, then from no where Scoss came and struck down the smaller, he lay on the floor.
The taller one was more of a problem, he was well trained. He parried all of Scoss' attacks, Scoss longed for the help of her Griffin, as she relentlessly sent clash after clash of swords against this Soldier.
'Scoss!' Jedd shouted she turned, not seeing the Smaller Soldier draw his sword and stab Scoss in the stomach as he fell back to the floor. Scoss stumbled, stood back... felt the wound with her hand, and saw... Blood, yes it was blood, she had been wounded, Pain, Yes it hurt.
'Is this what it feels like to die?' She asked as she too fell to the floor.
A surge of Rage and emotion filled Jedd, as in a blinding white beam he unleashed All of the elements, Anything he could muster at the two Soldiers, Obliterating them utterly, he ran over to Scoss he knelt and help her head on his knee.
'Don’t die, don’t die now,'
Jedd Held the body of Scoss, eyes fading. Her body growing weaker and weaker. The screech of her Griffin roaring at the loss of its master, the link formed over the centuries of friendship, pulled at the heart of the great beast. It rose, and flew to where its master lay. Its savage, gentle beak, prodding the limp body. It lay down, as if to beckon its master on, Jedd Picked up the body and lay it on the griffins back.
The almighty griffin, stood up, and flew away, far away into the deep dark sky. No time for sorrow no time for thoughts, Jedd walked past Ronin and Tagel,
'Tonight we find our way to Gapindor,' He walked off, he got no more than twenty paces when he fell to his knees after an overwhelming sensation Beams of light started piercing through his body, his back arching, his voice screaming. Tagel ran to counter the Light with his Shadow. Stopped by Ronin.
'That is his enchantment returning. It happens when the creation he enchanted is destroyed,'
'Wasn’t Scoss' Griffin enchanted with light?' Tagel asked in a bitter confusion. All Ronin did was look greave and nod.
The time was early; Tagel had not spoken to Jedd, Neither Had Ronin, and Jedd stay in point leading the group to Gapindor.
'So what, or where, is Gapindor?' Tagel asked.
'It is the site of a great Magical attack, a castle of a magic catastrophe. Wandering mage spirits are drawn there, to the sight immense magical energy was used to destroy...'
'How much energy was used!? was this part of the source war?'
'No, before then, When Mages where the supreme species, it was the first mage war, and it was enough to tear a whole in the earths spirit releasing its magical energy, wounding it permanently.'
'What can we expect to see?'
'Sprits of fallen mages... Bandits, anything no one knows,'
‘are we going there to find Scoss' Spirit?'
'So many questions, Scoss was not a mage, she is not drawn to the same... 'Heaven' as us. We are probably going there as it is where a mages elements are at their strongest, it is where Jedd will be able to summon even more energy into this weapon of yours,'
'He is fighting for vengeance,'
The walk grew into a laborious trudge, none of them could walk any more, Jedd being propelled by rage, Ronin felt compelled to stay by his friends side, for the last 400 years there had been three, for the last 400 years the love and grown so strong.
Eventually when Jedd's Legs could no longer support him, he stumbled to a rock. Collapsing on its rough surface. Tagel and Ronin, not too far behind.
'Jedd we must rest...' Ronin said, Tagel scared by the fire of hatred burning in the eyes of the once calm Mage.
'We must get to Gapindor!' Jedd shouted the flame taking on a new intense look.' The faint crackle of Magic surrounding the body.
'We must... else there will be no one left to forge this weapon,'
'**** the weapon! It’s this false hope, a false hope that killed Scoss, the caused this. I am going to Gapindor to finish what the mages of old start. '
'Jedd more death is not the answer.'
'Maybe not, But maybe it will end yet more death end more Wars.'
'For as long as there are humans, they shall crave power, for as long as that craving lasts there shall be war, and as War lasts, the humans shall thrive.'
'How can u just stand by and accept it? We have lost a friend.'
'We are used to death, you yourself have been craving the rest that Scoss has now found, why do you resent her finding what she had spent 400 years looking for?'
'I resent not the peace she has found, but the torment I know live with.'
'True, But we all must live with torment, It is pain and hurt that defines our lives,'
'Then consider my life truly defined, my life so true and clear, that I cannot see my past, and am no closer to finding my future.'
'Them my friend I am sorry, your heart must suffer more,'
'Which is exactly why I must do this...'
Jedd walked off, recovering some energy. Ronin drifted after him in his mist form.
'Ill just stay here then!' Tagel said, lying by a tree, drifting to sleep. His sleep was troubled, his dreams wild and chaotic. Images of Scoss came to his head, Images he had never lived, could these be of her life before the cursed immortality? Finally his shifting visions settled on one image of Scoss, A smile breaking her cold face.
'I have found it...' She said, Light white robes being blown back by a breeze, the rustling of Trees were heard, Sun light broke through shutters, a tame wild garden lay beyond the window, and there was Scoss, Beautiful, in he white, breezy robes, smiling. Long hair tumbling over her shoulders.
'I have found it...' She repeated, Tagel to astound for words.
'Tell Jedd I have found it... I am home, Tell him, I am happy, Tell him this is what I want.'
She then turned Robes still wavering in the breeze, as she walked through the door way, the breeze was turned into a storm, and a vicious Red Surrounded her, Screams of Pain woke Tagel, he sat up and out of fear his Shroud of shadow covered him, as he pulled himself to his feet.
More screams, was this some torture? He followed the noise, Unearthly to hear, Screaming, a woman was screaming. He broke into a sprint summoning all the shadow fire he could muster, again, I shriek of agony. He found his way to a dark clearing, a pole holding her arms behind her back, as she lay helpless on the floor, being whipped by two Nemeies soldiers, Rage at this brutality angered Tagel, The rush of emotion collapsing his safety. Anger took over judgement as he sent waves of Shadow flame at the body of one of the soldier. The other to scare to fight, Ran Tagel unable to attack him with his feeble powers. He knelt down and brushed hair from the face of the woman, he saw tortured beauty, a vision of distorted perfection.
He removed the pole, unclamping chains from her ankles; she crawled away, stumbling on cut hands and feet. She curled up against a tree.
'I won’t hurt you...' Tagel whispered softly 'Who are you? My name is Tagel...'
Tagel could see that she wanted to believe him.
'I mean u know harm, why were they doing that to you?'
'I am Emile, and I was kidnapped, I come from the village of Gapindor.'
'Gapindor, as in the same as the castle of Gapindor?'
she nodded, feeling a pain run through her head like stampeding horses.
'Don’t move we have all the time in the world for u to get better... Here... these will help.' Tagel handed her some herbs he had acquired before they left Ispep forest she chewed on the tough bitter root, and starred curiously at Tagel.
'I have never seen a handsome man before...' She said, making Tagel almost blush.