The Battle of the Seven Wounds

[Erzähler]

The day was dawning and patchy fog was laying thick on the cold grounds of Northerot. Most of Northerot's citizen were still in their beds when Zerbus came out of the castle in full armour and slow pace.
Grant Herion had challenged him for the throne of Northerot, had sent messengers to Zerbus, declaring his vendetta. Publicly he had defaminated Zerbus, and spoken with a sweet and clever tongue to Northerot's citizen, with the intention to change their minds for his own better.

Grant Herion was already waiting on the battleground, when Zerbus arrived. He had been dressed in shiny armour and had a various assortment of weapons, swords and wands.
In Zerbus' eyes Grant Herion was no more than a traitor and he had promised him slowly death publicly, determined to hold to his word.

Without a word of greeting he stepped before Grant Herion and said in a mocking undertone
"So you have come to your own slaughtering like a sheep, haven't you?",

but Grant replied with a strong and sound voice
"I have prayed to my god Nargûn - he will guide and bless me."

They first argued with words, each explaining his point of view.
"Enough talk Grant - in my eyes you are a traitor! And for this you will die slowly."

With those words spoken, Zerbus walked onto the battlefield and unsheated his sword "Tril Phalar", that was shining dimly at the mere promise of fresh blood.
Grant Herion, who had tried to convince Zerbus of giving over the throne to himself for the good and better of Northerot and its citizen, lifted his wand and started chanting magical words. All around him flames appeared, shielding Grant from Zerbus and his sword.
In his attack Zerbus swiftly let go of his shield, grabbed his waraxe and attached his sword to his belt, promising it, that it would taste blood, although not right away.

The first clash between Grant Herion and Zerbus had just begun and Grant successfully blocked Zerbus attacks, holding up his shield. Grant was surprisingly fast going into attacking Zerbus with sword and shield. He dealt him some serious wounds, while Zerbus was astonished that Grant had started his counter attack so fast.
Now "Tril Phalar" was glowing in fury, when Zerbus had put his hand to its hilt and started to deal Grant one blow after the other. "Tril Phalar" was biting through Grant's armour and shield, leaving behind deep cuts and one could hear how that sword was singing in delight. Grant retreated, but Zerbus struck him down with his bow "Velkyn Kyorl", that had never missed its aim. Thus Grant Herion lay on the ground, his shield broken, his sword in the mud.
"You will not fight me unarmed. Let me rest and heal my wounds and then we commence."
"Your god has left you Grant. You have fallen.", replied Zerbus, but waited until Grant had his wounds bandaged.

When Grant Herion was on his feet, Zerbus demanded that he left the lands of Northerot, never to come back. Grant declined and refused to admit that he had lost the duell. Grant again tried to convice Zerbus to let go of the rulership, because the land was in stagnation under his rule. This drow was not interested in Grant's words but reminded him of the rules of the duell, insisting that Grant had lost it.

Shaking in anger Grant Herion lifted his wand and casted one ice bolt after the other onto Zerbus. Although Zerbus was jumping and moving swiftly to avoid those magical missles, they never failed their aim. He was injured badly and forced to drink his own brew of healing to avoid unconciousness due to pain and bloodloss. Now Zerbus, in a fury sent arrows flying and before they had hid their aim, his foe. Zerbus had jumped high and dealt the final strike to Grant with his sword, breaking his staff in two. Again Grant was thrown on the ground, breathing heavily when Zerbus' sword drank from his wound.

Weakened and close to death, Grant Herion said that he was again without weapon, and asked for a little time to take care of his wounds.
Zerbus did not mind, it was to his amusement, that he could after all deliver Grant Herion the slow death he had promised him to bring.

"Do you remember the time, when I saved your life from Elaralith? She was using that spell... You would have died, Zerbus. I wonder if it would work as good for me, as it worked for Elaralith!"

And Grant Herion, once more lifted his wand, paralyzing Zerbus and sending ice bolt missles fiercly onto him. Zerbus had difficulties to move. If only he could reach his bow and arrows! "Velkyn Kyorl" did not fail him. One arrow pierced through Grant's armour, bringing unbearable pain to the attacker. Grant let go of his wand and fell to the ground.
Zerbus stood, bleeding and heavily breathing. He drank another potion to ease his pain, before he started speaking.

"Throw away your weapons and admit that you have failed in this duell!"
"I will take my belongings", Grant replied, after he had collected himself to answer to Zerbus' demand and went into the castle to take with him, what was his.

Zerbus was still dizzy from the spells that Grant had spoken onto him and so he did not react fast enough, when Grant Herion took out his waraxe and attacked Zerbus from behind. Zerbus was lucky that his chainmail prevented the steel to slice throw his body, nevertheless he fell to the ground, rolled over and parried another blow with his shield. Grant Herion delivered blow after blow, but Zerbus managed to get back to his feet and then let his sword "Tril Phalar" speak with his foe. And so the sword started singing its deathbringing melody, each time rejoicing in delight, when it would bring a severe wound to its foe. Grant Herion retreated to the upper floor, but Zerbus, enraged, rushed after him and was immediately thrown down the staircase. In his second attempt he managed to stay ground and continue his attack. Grant fled to the terrasse, which he thought to be promising for a close combat. In his anger Zerbus followed him, sword in hand and attacked Grant right away. Grant was holding his shield up, skillfully, and so "Tril Phalar" could not find a weak spot in Grant's defense, not even Zerbus' dagger could. Zerbus retreated in fear of more ice flames and ice bolts, attached his sword to his belt and shield to his back. Grant was coming forward, knowing that this time Zerbus was having difficulties. Meanwhile Zerbus had his bow in hands and sent arrows toward Grant, but those could not pierce his shield and Grant attacked with sword in hand. The drow again retreated, changing to sword and shield, attacking his foe in surprise. Grant was taken back by full force and stepped into his own flame, when Zerbus delivered him a final blow with "Tril Phalar". Grant's last shield broke in pieces and his armour had taken damage from his own fire.

"Now return to the hand that feeds you, dog! Return upon The Grey Rose!", Zerbus hissed with a soar voice.
With those words spoken, he grabbed Grant Herion and shoved him out of the castle, throwing Grant's belongings onto him, telling him that he was banned henceforth from the lands of Northerot.

Grant, weakended and bleeding from many wounds, was leaning on his staff, and set out, of Northerot. He was limbing and leaving behind a trail of blood. This time he did not care to bandage his wounds. He had fought for his Northerot, his kingdom and his dreams and plans. Zerbus' eyes were following Grant Herion and he could see him stop in the distance. Suddenly icebolts were all over Zerbus and so he let go of his last arrow and that struck Grant Herion down. Once and for all.

[The Returner]

Standing admist the desert, as the heat from the sun is temporarily blocked by clouds, Sean Elaski sits watching.

He has no weapons, no sword, no shield, he wears only robe. Which must make him deathly warm in the heat, but he flinces not.

He sees grant limping from northerot, his eyes switch to Zerbus, surrounded by magic attacks. who as watching grant leave, raises his bow and strikes grant down in a single shot.

Sean Elaski stands up, looking to the sky

"This is not the order of things.......what has happened here?"

He looks at grant laying motionless on the ground a last time, then pulls his robes still tighter, and disapears into the slighty blowing sands.

[Konstantin K]

"Zerbus didn't need mercenaries after all..." - Konstantin thought as he heard of the news.
"Well, I am glad I could play a role in this..."

[Grant Herion]

Grant's slumped body lay on the the rocks in Northerot. Few people cared to say a silent prayer to his body. A young girl finds the body and is one of the few who care enough to find out who it is.
"It must be the man Zerbus slaughtered..." she thought as she drew near his body.
His old green Movement cloak was now tattered and stained red in his blood. His armor seemed ruined, and his wand seemed to be broken in half.
The girl moved his head so she could get a clear view of the man's face. His ice cold eyes were open but lifeless. His white hair was stained red in his blood.
She didn't know anything of the man, but she pitied him. He seemed so pathetic in the fashion where his body lay, unburied, left out in the open for the buzzards to pick at him.
She left him there the way she found him. She never knew the struggle his spirit was going through desperately trying to get back to his body. His body may have been broken, but his spirit and dream was far from gone.

[Grant Herion]

The arrow ripped into Grant's chest into his heart tearing his soul apart. His ice cold eyes became lifeless when his body hit the rocky ground. Zerbus cheered in victory at the sight.
Instantly Grant's soul was transported to the god Nargun whom Grant had worshipped.
Nargun sat on a high throne in his realm. Grant's corporeal body was on his knees infront of him.
"You have failed little boy." Nargun said, his face wasn't visible, it was like a dream, Grant desperately wanted to see his face but couldn't muster the strength of his eyes to see.
All was clear but the figure of Nargun was blurry.[/color]"You know who I am don't you?" Nargun's voice roared. [/color]Grant didn't know why Nargun was screaming so loudly... didn't it tire his voice to scream?color=green]"Answer me."[/color]
"I know who you are..." Grant tried to make his voice seem strong but it came meek and girlish. "What is this?" Grant demanded but his voice was too weak and was drowned out by Nargun's response[/color]"You failed me for the last time little boy."
"I couldn't help it. Zerbus was to well prepared." Grant said.
"Nonsense you were too weak!" Nargun screamed, now screams from souls trapped by Nargun were screaming all around Grant that drowned out Grant's voice but Nargun's voice was not so easily quieted."You pray to me but you fail when you fight in my name. You are useless and have always been useless. You will never be king and you will never be allowed to leave this realm and ruin my name because of your weakness." Nargun screamed.
"No I must go back!" Grant yelled but nothing came out. "Let me go!!" Grant screamed, the noise around his was deafing, voices in pain screamed out louder and louder until he thought he would die from the noise.
Then all was silent. Now a deafing silence swept around him. He tried to make noise but nothing happened, he jumped up and down but nothing happened. What was the point of this Grant thought slowly regaining his wits.
Then he realized it. It was chaos, Nargun's whole realm was made for chaos. Now Grant talked smoothly and confidently, and noise came out, not a girlish voice but his own voice now. "Nargun, I know what you are doing, you are trying to make me go insane, but it will not happen like this. I still have business to finish back in my realm. And I will not let you hold me captive here." Grant then turned and began to walk away but quietly realized he didn't know the way, nor was there anyway to go. All was black around, all was unseeable except for Nargun's throne that was just a large blur."You think you can challenge me?" Boomed Nargun.
"Let me go." Grant defied. "It is only tricks and you will not trick me Nargun. I am no longer one of your followers."
Grant didn't know the strength behind his last words. He then saw Nargun clearly for a millisecond, then he was sent hurling through Nargun's realm and into his body again.
His ice cold eyes blinked and he saw a scorpion slowly crawling to him. He felt a pecking at his skin and he saw a vulture biting him. He shook the vulture off and stood up. he was weak, but alive.