Weeks had passed since Fooser was kidnapped from the shop. His mind now remains dark and empty, as it had all the days before it since that day. He moves about the main room of the temple aimlessly, the light reflecting off his recently cleaned skull. There is nothing left in side, no feeling, no thought, not even a shred of flesh.
He continues to pace around the large table in the center of the room. Every once in a while he stops, peering around, and then goes back to his walking. This is the way it had been for days now. Fooser keeps moving about until he enters the portal room. Large columns come up from the ground, going all the way to the ceiling. His bones crack slightly as he moves past the open door. His eyeless gaze moves from column to column, then from the ground to the ceiling. Finally, he takes one slow step forward.
Just like that, he is outside, near the river north of Trollsbane. A portal of some sort. He looks around, surprisingly calm considering he left the temple without any allies or direction. He moves his boney hand towards a hedge, his 'fingers' slowly move along the leaves. He begins to follow the river along its edge, not daring to get too close though. He continues to walk about aimlessly.
A Lizard Reborn
Moderator: Gamemasters
Azuros sat down near the water's edge of the river. Seeming almost emotionless. Aurora was next to him, they had just come from the library where Markous lay dead. He stared into the water, his reflection pale. "So much has happened....I wish it would all stop..."
Azuros looked around and narrowed his eyes at what looked like a skeleton. "Aurora, we have to hide before he sees us" The skeleton looked inhuman, as if from a reptile. Azuros stood up but remained frozen in place.
Azuros looked around and narrowed his eyes at what looked like a skeleton. "Aurora, we have to hide before he sees us" The skeleton looked inhuman, as if from a reptile. Azuros stood up but remained frozen in place.
Fooser continues to move along the river, looking down at the reflection every few feet or so. His tail wags back and forth behind him along the grass, almost like a dogs. He finger bones crack as he flexes them back and forth. His gaze slowly moves up to the figure a little ways down from him. His tails back and forth motion slows down considerably, but continues to move as he looks back at them.
Azuros kept his gaze on the skeletal reptile that moved closer and closer to him. In a fear induced whisper he said to Aurora, "Run Aurora, you have to get out of here, Tahlian wants me to keep you safe". He did not shift his gaze from the skeleton as Aurora fled towards Trollsbane. After Aurora was far from sight, Azuros started walking towards the skeleton as if captured by a spell. His legs moving towards him despite his wishes to flee. Just then he began to notice that the skeleton did not seem hostile, it seemed almost lost.
That elf. His appearance seems familiar. It comes back to the skeleton like a memory lost, but now found. His vision blurs, causing his walking to become sluggish and weak as he moves along the river. Images begin to flash every few seconds.
The Trollsbane shop. The human merchant. Two elves near the corner. A red lich performing a ritual. Two other skeletons near him. And the odd feeling that he has to do something. Without even realizing it, his entire arm moves outward, his delicate hips twist toward another direction. He extends his boney arm and hand, revealing a blackstone, right in the direction of Trollsbane, in the direction of the shop.
Fooser begins to regain his vision. The blur dissapears.
What was that?
He slowly clenches his hand again, covering the blackstone, and retracts his arm back, and continues his mindless walking.
The Trollsbane shop. The human merchant. Two elves near the corner. A red lich performing a ritual. Two other skeletons near him. And the odd feeling that he has to do something. Without even realizing it, his entire arm moves outward, his delicate hips twist toward another direction. He extends his boney arm and hand, revealing a blackstone, right in the direction of Trollsbane, in the direction of the shop.
Fooser begins to regain his vision. The blur dissapears.
What was that?
He slowly clenches his hand again, covering the blackstone, and retracts his arm back, and continues his mindless walking.
As Azuros approached the skeletal figure, his mind began to wonder who it was. It was fairly obvious that the skeleton was a lizardman. "Who could it be?"...."it doesn't appear hostile"
As the two came closer, Azuros's memory raced to the lizard that was captured by Nalzaxx long ago whilst trying to fight them off. That lizard had tried to stop Nalzaxx from stealing his life-energy, even if he failed, he owed him much for his sacrifice. When they were but a few feet apart a familiar smell caught his nose. "Sibanac" he thought. "Most defenitly Fooser" Azuros smiled slightly.
As the two came closer, Azuros's memory raced to the lizard that was captured by Nalzaxx long ago whilst trying to fight them off. That lizard had tried to stop Nalzaxx from stealing his life-energy, even if he failed, he owed him much for his sacrifice. When they were but a few feet apart a familiar smell caught his nose. "Sibanac" he thought. "Most defenitly Fooser" Azuros smiled slightly.
Fooser stumbles along the slightly muddy ground by the river. His empty gaze seems to go in various directions, as if he is losing all knowledge of what he is suppose to be doing. His boney legs move one step after the other, getting weaker and weaker.
Eventually, after he appears to get more and more confused and ill, he collapses hard onto the ground. Surprisingly, his bones stay firmly connected, by whatever magic force keeps them together. Meanwhile, another figure watches quietly from behind a tree.
Eventually, after he appears to get more and more confused and ill, he collapses hard onto the ground. Surprisingly, his bones stay firmly connected, by whatever magic force keeps them together. Meanwhile, another figure watches quietly from behind a tree.
Azuros runs over to the skeleton after seeing it collapse near the river. He bends down and examines the body. There was only one lizard that he knew of captured by Nalzaxx. "Fooser...what has happened to you..?" After a few minutes, Azuros finally manages to bring the skeleton back to conciousness. "Fooser is that you?"
The skeletons head slowly lifts up from the ground, his neck bones and spine crack a little as he does so. The shadows that fill his eye sockets seem to give off an odd sense of emotion. He doesn't seem to be able to speak though. He seems to let out a breathless groan, with a pleading look. He has no possessions with him, no clothing, nothing. At this point, his tail stops moving back and forth, and he just lays on the ground.
"I'll take that as a yes....I need to bring your body back. It is the least I could do for your sacrifice." Azuros stood still staring at the reflective surface of the water for a moment, trying to remember the ancient ritual that would return Fooser's body. "Alright, I can definitly return your body Fooser, but I will need to gather some things. In the meanwhile, you need to stay in a safe place." Azuros looks around for a good spot to hide him. He picks up the skeleton, careful not to damage any bones, and drags him over to the reeds. He then makes sure that he will not be seen and gets into town.
Feraiden watches the elf prop the lizard into a pile of reeds and bushes near the water. He overheard parts of what he was saying to himself. A ritual. Something Feraiden was unsure of. Perhaps it would be smart to see what this elf could do rather than jump in himself.
"I made a promise, to Sylveria." He says to himself, almost silently.
He continues to watch the pile of bones and plants by the river. Fooser needs to be healed, and he will not accept anything less.
A few hours later Azuros returns to the riverside where he had hidden Fooser. His bag now full of heavy items. As soon as he got to the riverside he began looking for the skeleton Fooser. He found him only moments after and dragged him out into the open field. He took out a piece of chalk and started drawing out a pentagram in the field. He then dragged Fooser out to the center of the pentagram.
After placing Fooser in the center of the pentagram, Azuros gets out 5 gemstones and places them in the points of the pentagram. A diamond in the upper point, a bluestone in right point, a ruby in the lower right point, an emerald in the lower left, and a topaz in the left point.
Then Azuros began invoking the five Elder Gods in the ancient language, facing the correspondant direction for each.
The pentagram began glowing like a blue fire. Azuros stepped back and watched as Fooser began to regain his body.
After placing Fooser in the center of the pentagram, Azuros gets out 5 gemstones and places them in the points of the pentagram. A diamond in the upper point, a bluestone in right point, a ruby in the lower right point, an emerald in the lower left, and a topaz in the left point.
Then Azuros began invoking the five Elder Gods in the ancient language, facing the correspondant direction for each.
The pentagram began glowing like a blue fire. Azuros stepped back and watched as Fooser began to regain his body.
Fooser begins to heal from his tips inward. His fingers and claws begin to reform right in front of him. He can feel his feet and head do the same also. He felt like a white light is surrounding and protecting him. This amazing sensation fills his body and mind, until it suddenly comes to a stop.
------
Feraiden watches the elf as he sets up his ritual. He sees Fooser slowly beginning to regain form on the ground and a smile comes to his lips.
"Very good, elf..."
He decides to come out and show himself. He pops out from behind the tree and begins to walk closer and closer to them. He notices both figures get slightly startled at the new presence.
"Don't worry...I'm a friend." He smiles a little. In the distance a barrage of loud and angry chatter goes on. It gets louder and louder as the seconds pass. The sounds of the undead walking about together.
"They're not though." Feraiden points in the direction of the sound casually, which is odd considering the situation.
Without further hesitation Feraiden sweeps down and grabs Azuros by his clothing, and starts to pull him away. He keeps pulling until the elf begins to move away on his own and they dive behind a large rock.
They both watch silently and motionless and a small group of skeletons come into vision. Feraiden looks with worry as they spot Fooser and begin to move closer to him, until they make a circle around his body on the ground. Right before getting there, Fooser clenches the blackstone in his hand and throws it hard at one of the skeletons. It chips their hip bone, and they look down at the blackstone.
"Well, well...what's this we got here?" One of the skeletons says, with a raspy and hostile curiosity. He grabs the lizards neck and pull his head up and forward a bit to look.
"Ahhh..." He says, with recognition. "Fooser...such a slimey and filthy rat that even the temple of dark followers spat him out." The skeleton begins to laugh and the others around him chime in as well.
"Stand him up!" Two skeletons go to each side of the lizard and grab him under the arm and pull him up violently. Fooser looks around at all of them with fear, but also a tired and dazed look, as if he doesn't know what is going on. His eyes eventually set on the main skeleton and he smirks a little, but doesn't seem to say anything.
"Alright, DO IT!" The skeleton moves out of the way, and another one rushes forward and swings a large branch at Fooser's head, knocking him out immediately.
"No!" Feraiden nearly jumps out from the rock, but stops himself.
"Throw him in you dirty lot!" The skeleton shouts, and then turns to walk away. The undead pull the unconscious lizard towards the edge of the water again and throw him in with some force. Fooser floats on the water, face down, bobbing up and down with the waters movement. They continue to laugh and then leave the same way they came.
Feraiden waits until they are out of sight again and bolts out from behind the rock, running toward the waters edge where Fooser was dumped in. He watches the lizard float down river, and hesitates. Finally he jumps into the water himself and begins to swim with great enthusiasm after the lizard.
"Fooser! Don't....I can't let you...Ugh..."
The heavy priest robe Feraiden wears quickly absorbs a heavy amount of water, and he starts to sink. His vision of the lizard fades in and out as he goes under water and comes back up, then goes under again from the weight. He sticks his mouth up above the water and shouts again.
"Fooser!"
Finally, as the weight continues to bring him downward, Feraiden pushes back against the slippery mud at the bottom of the river. He decides he can go no deeper into the river.
The priest struggles to push himself back to the river bank, but manages to grab hold of the reeds with both hands and uses them to help pull. He drapes his arms over the ground and pulls himself up, water coming off of him in bucket loads.
He slowly turns around, watching the lizard drift farther down the river. He will no doubt reach the open sea way before he wakes up. Feraiden gets a tired and almost sad look in his eyes.
"That's not the first time I've seen someone in trouble and couldn't save them."
------
Feraiden watches the elf as he sets up his ritual. He sees Fooser slowly beginning to regain form on the ground and a smile comes to his lips.
"Very good, elf..."
He decides to come out and show himself. He pops out from behind the tree and begins to walk closer and closer to them. He notices both figures get slightly startled at the new presence.
"Don't worry...I'm a friend." He smiles a little. In the distance a barrage of loud and angry chatter goes on. It gets louder and louder as the seconds pass. The sounds of the undead walking about together.
"They're not though." Feraiden points in the direction of the sound casually, which is odd considering the situation.
Without further hesitation Feraiden sweeps down and grabs Azuros by his clothing, and starts to pull him away. He keeps pulling until the elf begins to move away on his own and they dive behind a large rock.
They both watch silently and motionless and a small group of skeletons come into vision. Feraiden looks with worry as they spot Fooser and begin to move closer to him, until they make a circle around his body on the ground. Right before getting there, Fooser clenches the blackstone in his hand and throws it hard at one of the skeletons. It chips their hip bone, and they look down at the blackstone.
"Well, well...what's this we got here?" One of the skeletons says, with a raspy and hostile curiosity. He grabs the lizards neck and pull his head up and forward a bit to look.
"Ahhh..." He says, with recognition. "Fooser...such a slimey and filthy rat that even the temple of dark followers spat him out." The skeleton begins to laugh and the others around him chime in as well.
"Stand him up!" Two skeletons go to each side of the lizard and grab him under the arm and pull him up violently. Fooser looks around at all of them with fear, but also a tired and dazed look, as if he doesn't know what is going on. His eyes eventually set on the main skeleton and he smirks a little, but doesn't seem to say anything.
"Alright, DO IT!" The skeleton moves out of the way, and another one rushes forward and swings a large branch at Fooser's head, knocking him out immediately.
"No!" Feraiden nearly jumps out from the rock, but stops himself.
"Throw him in you dirty lot!" The skeleton shouts, and then turns to walk away. The undead pull the unconscious lizard towards the edge of the water again and throw him in with some force. Fooser floats on the water, face down, bobbing up and down with the waters movement. They continue to laugh and then leave the same way they came.
Feraiden waits until they are out of sight again and bolts out from behind the rock, running toward the waters edge where Fooser was dumped in. He watches the lizard float down river, and hesitates. Finally he jumps into the water himself and begins to swim with great enthusiasm after the lizard.
"Fooser! Don't....I can't let you...Ugh..."
The heavy priest robe Feraiden wears quickly absorbs a heavy amount of water, and he starts to sink. His vision of the lizard fades in and out as he goes under water and comes back up, then goes under again from the weight. He sticks his mouth up above the water and shouts again.
"Fooser!"
Finally, as the weight continues to bring him downward, Feraiden pushes back against the slippery mud at the bottom of the river. He decides he can go no deeper into the river.
The priest struggles to push himself back to the river bank, but manages to grab hold of the reeds with both hands and uses them to help pull. He drapes his arms over the ground and pulls himself up, water coming off of him in bucket loads.
He slowly turns around, watching the lizard drift farther down the river. He will no doubt reach the open sea way before he wakes up. Feraiden gets a tired and almost sad look in his eyes.
"That's not the first time I've seen someone in trouble and couldn't save them."
The night in the small village by the ocean was dark. But noises came from various buildings as one passed by. Torches and candles shot light out through small windows on either side of the small dirt road leading through. On one end of the village was a small, very poorly kept dock. On the other side, an endless sight of forest and swamp. And in the middle, a small stretch of glass and dirt, and that is where the village was.
Fooser made his way through the street, covered completely in a cloak and cape. He walked up to a fairly large building, looking up at the semi-circle sign that hung above the door. The village tavern. The old door creaked open as he made his way in. The noise multiplied as he got inside, drinking, chatting, and betting happening on all sides. A few musicians played lively music in a corner.
The lizard scanned the entire room, as if looking for something. His eyes rest on a man sitting alone at a table. He had short black hair, dark eyes, and white skin, though it was fairly dark shaded. Fooser made his way over to the table, sitting down quietly. The human made no reaction, as if expecting the lizard to come. Without even asking, the human motioned to the bartender to bring over a drink for the newcomer.
"How are things, Delunos?" Fooser asked.
"Good and bad, Fooser." The human says, in a less than enthusiastic tone. "I don't see a way out of this war for us. The undead are relentless."
Fooser nodded a little. "I know." He grabbed the mug that was placed next to him and takes a small gulp.
"What is this news you got for me?" The human asked, curiously, but still with little energy.
"I need your help, Delunos. I need you to gather up all the fellows you can..." Fooser began to lay out his idea, the human listened closely, but looked the other way. "Because I have pinpointed the location of the black stone." The lizard said, in a proud tone.
"Fooser, I told you I'm not interested in any gem or mining ventures." The human said tiredly, looking further into a different direction.
Fooser reached over the table, and grabbed the human by his shirt. His gaze finally turned to Fooser himself, he looked back with some surprise.
"THE Black Stone." Fooser said, slowly, in almost a whisper. Delunos' look changed immediately.
"...The one from the stories?" He asked, in an excited, yet fearful tone.
"Aye." Fooser's passionate gaze continued to burn right into Deulos as tbey looked at eachother. Delunos turned away, grabbing a pipe from the table and lighting it quickly, taking a strong puff from it.
"I'll find you some help, Fooser. You're a crazy lizard. But this might just be the end of this war." He put the pipe down, then went to his drink, grabbing the mug, holding it up towards Fooser, then took a large swallow from it. "I just hope you know what you're doing."
------------
Visibility in the swamp was almost zero. The rain came down harder than any of them had seen before. The small depressions in the swamp were already more filled with water than usual. In the middle of all of that, a group of humans, and a few lizards charged through the swamp, their clothing heavy and wet, their feet dragging through the puddles and mud. They all had the symbol of Lizardom on their attire. The home of lizards in a great city under the water, and the home to both lizards and humans in a large section of land above ground, but plagued by the undead coming from the swamps there.
Delunos charged on, following right behind Fooser, who continued with great haste and determination. He yelled right into Fooser's ear, but it still remains barely audible due to all the rain and wind.
"Fooser! How are we suppose to find an artifact...that looks just like a regular rock...in the middle of a storm?!?!"
"Don't worry!" Fooser yelled, turning his head back slightly.
"Fooser...you seem confident despite all of this...?!"
Fooser stopped, turning back to the human and the small group, with a dark look in his eyes. "We're getting close."
Fooser floats about in the water, bobbing up and down nearly in the same position. He is now in very shallow sea water. Small streams of smoke blow from the land over the water. Broken wooden boards and other items are also in the water spread around him.
Right off the water is a small village, almost completely destroyed. Most of the fire has burned out, but the smoke still floats above the ground. The ony signs of life is a single fisherman on the dock, sittting casually. He seems out of place considering the setting around him. He pulls back his pole and flings it forward. The line lands right against Fooser's shirt as he begins to regain consciousness.
The fisherman lights a pipe and then turns back to the reel, and begins to pull. His eyes flicker as he realizes it got caught on something big.
"Whaaaa--eeeeeee!!" The man yells. He has baggy brown pants, with holes in both knees. He wears no shoes, and has obviously dirty feet. He wears a long sleeve white shirt, but the sleeves are pushed up a bit.
He starts pulling with all his strength. Fooser looks around, wondering why he is moving so quickly, his eyes get wide as he turns his head and sees he is only a few feet from a dock, and about to run into it.
Finally the older man notices its a body getting pulled along the water, and his mouth drops. He stands up and looks down at the body right next to the dock. "By the Gods!" He peers down, trying to examine it. Fooser meanwhile throws his arm up, grabbing on to the wood and begins to pull. He groans a little as he pulls himself up out of the water, and flops onto the dock.
The man keeps looking at Fooser with amazement. "A talkin' fish!"
Fooser sighs slightly, getting up to his feet. Water drips off his head and his clothing. "iiii--ar---rr----...b."
"What are ya tryin' to say fishie?"
Fooser rolls his eyes, pointing at a bucket of fish at the mans feet while shaking his head. The man looks down at the bucket and then back up in some confusion. After a few more moments of silence, Fooser sighs again and motions the man to come closer. He approaches the lizard hesitantly.
Fooser waits until the man is close enough, and then opens his mouth wide, revealing that he only has part of his tongue.
"My goodness, lad...Ya be one of those lizard folk. I ne'er seen one. And what's with your...eww." He shrieks a little at the tongue.
He shakes his head a little and begins to walk off the dock, pointing at the destroyed homes and shops all around them.
"Undead went through, lad. It's ironic in a way. The safest places are sites of undead attacks. There are too few people to rebuild, so they leave. The undead won't come back if there's nothing here. So I stay, and don't need to worry abou't em'."
"Mh." Fooser nods a little again. He looks beyond the burnt homes, to the endless stretch of trees and marsh beyond it. He begins to walk towards it, moving past the smoke and debree.
"That's not a good idea, lad." The lizard keeps walking, ignoring the warning. The man sighs and starts to jog after him. "You mid if I come? I really no longer fancy being alone all day and night." Fooser keeps walking still, merely lifting an arm and gesturing him to come along.
Right off the water is a small village, almost completely destroyed. Most of the fire has burned out, but the smoke still floats above the ground. The ony signs of life is a single fisherman on the dock, sittting casually. He seems out of place considering the setting around him. He pulls back his pole and flings it forward. The line lands right against Fooser's shirt as he begins to regain consciousness.
The fisherman lights a pipe and then turns back to the reel, and begins to pull. His eyes flicker as he realizes it got caught on something big.
"Whaaaa--eeeeeee!!" The man yells. He has baggy brown pants, with holes in both knees. He wears no shoes, and has obviously dirty feet. He wears a long sleeve white shirt, but the sleeves are pushed up a bit.
He starts pulling with all his strength. Fooser looks around, wondering why he is moving so quickly, his eyes get wide as he turns his head and sees he is only a few feet from a dock, and about to run into it.
Finally the older man notices its a body getting pulled along the water, and his mouth drops. He stands up and looks down at the body right next to the dock. "By the Gods!" He peers down, trying to examine it. Fooser meanwhile throws his arm up, grabbing on to the wood and begins to pull. He groans a little as he pulls himself up out of the water, and flops onto the dock.
The man keeps looking at Fooser with amazement. "A talkin' fish!"
Fooser sighs slightly, getting up to his feet. Water drips off his head and his clothing. "iiii--ar---rr----...b."
"What are ya tryin' to say fishie?"
Fooser rolls his eyes, pointing at a bucket of fish at the mans feet while shaking his head. The man looks down at the bucket and then back up in some confusion. After a few more moments of silence, Fooser sighs again and motions the man to come closer. He approaches the lizard hesitantly.
Fooser waits until the man is close enough, and then opens his mouth wide, revealing that he only has part of his tongue.
"My goodness, lad...Ya be one of those lizard folk. I ne'er seen one. And what's with your...eww." He shrieks a little at the tongue.
He shakes his head a little and begins to walk off the dock, pointing at the destroyed homes and shops all around them.
"Undead went through, lad. It's ironic in a way. The safest places are sites of undead attacks. There are too few people to rebuild, so they leave. The undead won't come back if there's nothing here. So I stay, and don't need to worry abou't em'."
"Mh." Fooser nods a little again. He looks beyond the burnt homes, to the endless stretch of trees and marsh beyond it. He begins to walk towards it, moving past the smoke and debree.
"That's not a good idea, lad." The lizard keeps walking, ignoring the warning. The man sighs and starts to jog after him. "You mid if I come? I really no longer fancy being alone all day and night." Fooser keeps walking still, merely lifting an arm and gesturing him to come along.
The two figures move slowly through the swamps. The moss and wet plants squish under their feet, water splashing in various directions. Holes and ditches can be seen everywhere. A light mist covers the ground, but things remain fairly visible. The human moves his foot forwards, and lands into one of these ditches. "Argh." He groans and curses, Fooser pays little attention.
Hours seem to go by, no stopping, no talking, nothing. Fooser suddenly stops though at one point, looking around quickly.
"What is it, lad?"
Fooser moves a claw up to his mouth, motioning silence. He stands still, moving his eyes about, listening. After a while he nods slightly, and motions for the human to keep walking, but quietly. They move much slower, but with much less noise.
"There a problem, la--OH!"
Fooser draws his sword as figures begin to accumulate in front of him he turns around, and finds they are behind him as well. Just like that, both are completely surrounded on all sides. Fooser twirls around in a rapid circle, his sword clanking against pikes and spears from all sides.
"oooooooooooop!" The lizard yells, unable to say many words in his current condition. The circle of primitive looking humans just look at him, pointing their spears closer.
"oooaaaa...uh...." Fooser keeps twirling around, spitting out gibberish that are suppose to be words. After a while the humans begin to look at eachother, completely confused, wondering what this creature is doing. They shrug at eachother, continuing to watch him, and eachother.
After a while, one human steps in front of all the rest. He grabs the sword right from Fooser's hand, who doesn't resist this action. They quickly grab onto the lizard, and the fisherman and begin to push them in a certain direction.
"Blasted! Get off---Argh!" The fisherman flails his arms about, until they grab his arms instead of his shoulders.
The much larger group begins to move through the swamps.
Hours seem to go by, no stopping, no talking, nothing. Fooser suddenly stops though at one point, looking around quickly.
"What is it, lad?"
Fooser moves a claw up to his mouth, motioning silence. He stands still, moving his eyes about, listening. After a while he nods slightly, and motions for the human to keep walking, but quietly. They move much slower, but with much less noise.
"There a problem, la--OH!"
Fooser draws his sword as figures begin to accumulate in front of him he turns around, and finds they are behind him as well. Just like that, both are completely surrounded on all sides. Fooser twirls around in a rapid circle, his sword clanking against pikes and spears from all sides.
"oooooooooooop!" The lizard yells, unable to say many words in his current condition. The circle of primitive looking humans just look at him, pointing their spears closer.
"oooaaaa...uh...." Fooser keeps twirling around, spitting out gibberish that are suppose to be words. After a while the humans begin to look at eachother, completely confused, wondering what this creature is doing. They shrug at eachother, continuing to watch him, and eachother.
After a while, one human steps in front of all the rest. He grabs the sword right from Fooser's hand, who doesn't resist this action. They quickly grab onto the lizard, and the fisherman and begin to push them in a certain direction.
"Blasted! Get off---Argh!" The fisherman flails his arms about, until they grab his arms instead of his shoulders.
The much larger group begins to move through the swamps.
The group of humans continue pulling Fooser and the fisherman along. Through the large trees and plants, the sight of small tents and huts begin to appear. They lay scattered about the few dry areas there are in the marsh. Many of the tents are torn and ripped, leading one to wonder what shelter they actually provide to those inside. Many more humans circulate the area where the huts are, as the others approach with the two new guests.
They all stop near the middle of the small village. They hold tightly on to Fooser, and then toss him forward. He lands in a puddle, getting mud and water all over his face. "Mmmmmrrrgh." He picks up his arm and wipes it off slowly with his sleeve, with quite a bit of annoyance. A few moments later the fisherman follows and splats next to him.
A woman dressed in a loose rob appears from out of a wooden hut they stand in front of. She looks down at the two in front of her on the ground, and motions for everyone else to leave. Fooser watches her as she approaches. She kneels down and pulls his head up, looking at him closely.
"This one...you will come with me." She says, her eyes brighten a little. She turns quickly and re-enters the small hut. Fooser shrugs to the fisherman and stands up slowly, tired and worn. He moves into the small hut, which is much better lit, considering night was breaking outside.
"Sit down, lizard." She motions to a small stool near a corner. Fooser does as she asks and sits, looking back, frustrated about not being able to say much.
"You'll have to excuse the others. They have never seen lizard people before. An odd first impression though I must say." She points to his mouth, and sticks her own tongue out with some disgust. Fooser looks back confused.
"How did I know that, you wonder? That is not your concern. I also know you come here with a taint, lizard. A very bad and distracting one. But I can help you, if you help us."
Fooser nods back slowly, motioning her to go on quickly.
"There is great evil in this marsh. It can be felt in the trees...the water...everywhere. We are simple people, lizard, trapped between two. On one side there is the undead, the other, a different culture of humans that look down upon us. And this...this is what we are left with. With no way out." Fooser continues to listen, with a look of some understanding. "I need you to go. Find this evil. Destroy it." Fooser raises his eyebrows to this task.
"I'll just assume you accept. You have few other options. And as a gesture of good will, I will give you your speech back. To show that I am capable of helping you, and not being a liar." Her eyes narrow sharply as she looks at him. Fooser then lets out a cough and clutches his mouth and throat. He removes his hand from his mouth and sticks out his lizard-ly tongue and smirks a little.
"Ah, finally. Thank you greatly." He gives a gesture of thanks to her.
"Go now. And be careful lizard. Return here when you are done." She says, slowly standing up, and moving towards a small back room.
"How will I know this evil, or where it is?" He asks desperately as she begins to move out of sight.
"You will know."
They all stop near the middle of the small village. They hold tightly on to Fooser, and then toss him forward. He lands in a puddle, getting mud and water all over his face. "Mmmmmrrrgh." He picks up his arm and wipes it off slowly with his sleeve, with quite a bit of annoyance. A few moments later the fisherman follows and splats next to him.
A woman dressed in a loose rob appears from out of a wooden hut they stand in front of. She looks down at the two in front of her on the ground, and motions for everyone else to leave. Fooser watches her as she approaches. She kneels down and pulls his head up, looking at him closely.
"This one...you will come with me." She says, her eyes brighten a little. She turns quickly and re-enters the small hut. Fooser shrugs to the fisherman and stands up slowly, tired and worn. He moves into the small hut, which is much better lit, considering night was breaking outside.
"Sit down, lizard." She motions to a small stool near a corner. Fooser does as she asks and sits, looking back, frustrated about not being able to say much.
"You'll have to excuse the others. They have never seen lizard people before. An odd first impression though I must say." She points to his mouth, and sticks her own tongue out with some disgust. Fooser looks back confused.
"How did I know that, you wonder? That is not your concern. I also know you come here with a taint, lizard. A very bad and distracting one. But I can help you, if you help us."
Fooser nods back slowly, motioning her to go on quickly.
"There is great evil in this marsh. It can be felt in the trees...the water...everywhere. We are simple people, lizard, trapped between two. On one side there is the undead, the other, a different culture of humans that look down upon us. And this...this is what we are left with. With no way out." Fooser continues to listen, with a look of some understanding. "I need you to go. Find this evil. Destroy it." Fooser raises his eyebrows to this task.
"I'll just assume you accept. You have few other options. And as a gesture of good will, I will give you your speech back. To show that I am capable of helping you, and not being a liar." Her eyes narrow sharply as she looks at him. Fooser then lets out a cough and clutches his mouth and throat. He removes his hand from his mouth and sticks out his lizard-ly tongue and smirks a little.
"Ah, finally. Thank you greatly." He gives a gesture of thanks to her.
"Go now. And be careful lizard. Return here when you are done." She says, slowly standing up, and moving towards a small back room.
"How will I know this evil, or where it is?" He asks desperately as she begins to move out of sight.
"You will know."
"Well then." Fooser spins around in all directions. "Supposedly we will know where to find this evil. But I don't know, do you?"
"Nope.." The fisherman says back, with little enthusiasm.
"Oh, damn." Fooser turns towards the old ladies tent, and begins to jog back. He pounds on the frail wooden door loudly, and then stomps back in. Inside, the old woman is sitting in her normal spot again humming and singing the ending of a little song.
"Life will go on, it must
Though with much less trust
For what I have done to you
I wish I could hurt, not you
They ask how I've been
I merely move on again
So, pull up your mug
Remember each hug
And move on again"
She nearly jumps out of her seat as she sees the pair again at her door. "Ooh. Come in."
"Interesting song." The fisherman adds in, while inspecting the decorations all over her wall.
"A song of our people. That is my version though. Adapted to sound better in the common tongue, so it isn't the exact. We have very little, so we sing songs of hope and going foward."
"I believe your friends took my sword."
She looks up at him curiously. "Oh yes. I have it." She grabs the handle of the sword, which is lying on a broken wooden table. She struggles to life it up fully and hands it to him. "Whatever good you think that will do for you." She says, almost as a warning.
"Thank you again." Fooser bows and walks quickly out the door.
----
Various marsh creatures send out their calls in all directions as the two figures tread through the mist and mud. Every once in a while they hear a noise they aren't familiar with and stop, to look around, and then move on again. Until they get use to it, along with all the other bizarre sounds.
"What's your name?" Fooser says, walking forward at a steady pace, as if barely thinking about what he is saying.
"Oh, damn. Well...with your...mouth problem, I guess we forgot to exchange names, aye? I am...well I have a strange name, so to make it easy, most people call me Blem."
"Mh...Fooser." They keep walking. Fooser seems to get distracted from his walk and conversation.
"Something wrong, lad?"
"No, it's just that this plac--" He turns his head to meet the end of a sharp sword, nearly hitting his snout. "Not again..." This time, instead of a group of primitive humans, they are surrounded by skeletons, with torn clothing, barely showing what's left of the Lizardom symbol. Right in front is a skeleton with a large circular black hat. He looks down without moving, pointing his sword.
"Well I'll be..." He steps down a bit, taking a closer look at the lizard. "Aye, it is." His breathless voice flies out into the air, like a strong wind.
He turns his sword away, jumping back up to a higher rock, facing the majority of the other skeletons. "Fellows, you all remember Fooser?" The group of undead begin to cackle mischievously.
"Question now is, does Fooser remember us?" He turns back, looking down at the lizard.
"Of course, Delunos, how could I forget? We were just having a nice walk through though, so if you'll excuse us.." Fooser turns around, a bunch of undead circle around and block his path with quite a bit of hostility.
"Now now, Fooser. Did ya not notice? Where you are?" His sentence slowly trails off.
Fooser turns around and smiles nervously. "I did notice, actually."
"I would never forget you, Fooser. For years we searched for that artifact. And when we found it, you stole it from us. Leaving us here...like this. Hiding the only thing that can help us." He moves closer to the lizard, Fooser winces harder and harder each inch he gets closer. After a while he peeks open his eyes.
"Actually, I was kind of hoping you forgot..." He smiles again, nervously.
Delunos waits a few moments and then spits out angrily. "Well ya hoped wrong." He reaches down, drawing Fooser's sword out of the hilt. "Take our guests to their rooms, fellows." The undead laugh again, grabbing the two, taking them further yet into the swamp.
"Nope.." The fisherman says back, with little enthusiasm.
"Oh, damn." Fooser turns towards the old ladies tent, and begins to jog back. He pounds on the frail wooden door loudly, and then stomps back in. Inside, the old woman is sitting in her normal spot again humming and singing the ending of a little song.
"Life will go on, it must
Though with much less trust
For what I have done to you
I wish I could hurt, not you
They ask how I've been
I merely move on again
So, pull up your mug
Remember each hug
And move on again"
She nearly jumps out of her seat as she sees the pair again at her door. "Ooh. Come in."
"Interesting song." The fisherman adds in, while inspecting the decorations all over her wall.
"A song of our people. That is my version though. Adapted to sound better in the common tongue, so it isn't the exact. We have very little, so we sing songs of hope and going foward."
"I believe your friends took my sword."
She looks up at him curiously. "Oh yes. I have it." She grabs the handle of the sword, which is lying on a broken wooden table. She struggles to life it up fully and hands it to him. "Whatever good you think that will do for you." She says, almost as a warning.
"Thank you again." Fooser bows and walks quickly out the door.
----
Various marsh creatures send out their calls in all directions as the two figures tread through the mist and mud. Every once in a while they hear a noise they aren't familiar with and stop, to look around, and then move on again. Until they get use to it, along with all the other bizarre sounds.
"What's your name?" Fooser says, walking forward at a steady pace, as if barely thinking about what he is saying.
"Oh, damn. Well...with your...mouth problem, I guess we forgot to exchange names, aye? I am...well I have a strange name, so to make it easy, most people call me Blem."
"Mh...Fooser." They keep walking. Fooser seems to get distracted from his walk and conversation.
"Something wrong, lad?"
"No, it's just that this plac--" He turns his head to meet the end of a sharp sword, nearly hitting his snout. "Not again..." This time, instead of a group of primitive humans, they are surrounded by skeletons, with torn clothing, barely showing what's left of the Lizardom symbol. Right in front is a skeleton with a large circular black hat. He looks down without moving, pointing his sword.
"Well I'll be..." He steps down a bit, taking a closer look at the lizard. "Aye, it is." His breathless voice flies out into the air, like a strong wind.
He turns his sword away, jumping back up to a higher rock, facing the majority of the other skeletons. "Fellows, you all remember Fooser?" The group of undead begin to cackle mischievously.
"Question now is, does Fooser remember us?" He turns back, looking down at the lizard.
"Of course, Delunos, how could I forget? We were just having a nice walk through though, so if you'll excuse us.." Fooser turns around, a bunch of undead circle around and block his path with quite a bit of hostility.
"Now now, Fooser. Did ya not notice? Where you are?" His sentence slowly trails off.
Fooser turns around and smiles nervously. "I did notice, actually."
"I would never forget you, Fooser. For years we searched for that artifact. And when we found it, you stole it from us. Leaving us here...like this. Hiding the only thing that can help us." He moves closer to the lizard, Fooser winces harder and harder each inch he gets closer. After a while he peeks open his eyes.
"Actually, I was kind of hoping you forgot..." He smiles again, nervously.
Delunos waits a few moments and then spits out angrily. "Well ya hoped wrong." He reaches down, drawing Fooser's sword out of the hilt. "Take our guests to their rooms, fellows." The undead laugh again, grabbing the two, taking them further yet into the swamp.
"So you want me to surrender my fellows over to a bunch of paladins and priests, then have you tell me where you hid the Black Stone, so I can go there and find it?" Delunos asks, looking back at the lizard in a cage hanging down from a large tree.
"Not at all." Fooser responds back happily. Delunos tilts his skull at this answer.
"I want you to do all that, then follow me to where I hid the Black Stone, use it once for whatever you want, then give it back to me. And once that is all done, you'll leave this area and never come back."
Delunos lets out a small laugh. "You make a lot of demands Fooser, considering what side of these bars you're on. That there is the attitude that probably gets you into a lot of messy situations. You see, we have until the end of the world to search for the stone. While you...well, you have two days, as I stated before." Fooser smirks a little, looking right into the "eyes" of the skeleton in front of him.
"Or until you're destroyed."
Delunos pushes his boney arm through the bars with great strength, knocking fooser onto his back. The cage swings a little back and forth.
"All you are is a means of saving us a bit of time. I made my demands, offering to listen to yours, but I see that was a waste of time." Delunos turns abruptly to walk away, but stops again a short while after. He turns and walks back to the cage, moving his skull right to the bars. "Oh, I almost forgot another offer I could make."
Fooser rubs the back of his head and slowly gets back up, also moving close to the bars, looking at the skeleton.
"The Stone, you know it does many things, Fooser. It can turn someone into an undead. It can un-do that. Once it is in my possession and I can master the use of it...it could probably change ones race." The undeads voice continues to trail on, in a calm, convincing tone. He then adds in slowly, "To an Elf, perhaps..." He stops, looking at Fooser for a few moments, trying to analyze his expression. "But I guess there would be no reason you'd want that, aye?" Fooser merely returns the gaze, listening silently. "Like I said, think about it."
Delunos turns yet again, in the same manner he did before. "Guard, our private chat is done, come back." A hooded guard comes from behind a tree, back to his old position next to the cage. Delunos stops and looks up suddenly, as if listening or smelling something, though he can't. He remains in this position for a little while longer, before grunting and leaving out of sight. "Mh."
"Not at all." Fooser responds back happily. Delunos tilts his skull at this answer.
"I want you to do all that, then follow me to where I hid the Black Stone, use it once for whatever you want, then give it back to me. And once that is all done, you'll leave this area and never come back."
Delunos lets out a small laugh. "You make a lot of demands Fooser, considering what side of these bars you're on. That there is the attitude that probably gets you into a lot of messy situations. You see, we have until the end of the world to search for the stone. While you...well, you have two days, as I stated before." Fooser smirks a little, looking right into the "eyes" of the skeleton in front of him.
"Or until you're destroyed."
Delunos pushes his boney arm through the bars with great strength, knocking fooser onto his back. The cage swings a little back and forth.
"All you are is a means of saving us a bit of time. I made my demands, offering to listen to yours, but I see that was a waste of time." Delunos turns abruptly to walk away, but stops again a short while after. He turns and walks back to the cage, moving his skull right to the bars. "Oh, I almost forgot another offer I could make."
Fooser rubs the back of his head and slowly gets back up, also moving close to the bars, looking at the skeleton.
"The Stone, you know it does many things, Fooser. It can turn someone into an undead. It can un-do that. Once it is in my possession and I can master the use of it...it could probably change ones race." The undeads voice continues to trail on, in a calm, convincing tone. He then adds in slowly, "To an Elf, perhaps..." He stops, looking at Fooser for a few moments, trying to analyze his expression. "But I guess there would be no reason you'd want that, aye?" Fooser merely returns the gaze, listening silently. "Like I said, think about it."
Delunos turns yet again, in the same manner he did before. "Guard, our private chat is done, come back." A hooded guard comes from behind a tree, back to his old position next to the cage. Delunos stops and looks up suddenly, as if listening or smelling something, though he can't. He remains in this position for a little while longer, before grunting and leaving out of sight. "Mh."
"Is there a problem?" Fooser's voice carried coldly across the cooking room, to his father standing on the other side. The older lizard let his tongue slither out a bit before awaiting Fooser to speak more. "What happened to the open minded father I had? Or did he get turned into an old man?"
"Fooser..."
"What? I come to visit you with the lady I love, and you act as if we are harboring a criminal in here."
"It's not like that at all Fooser." His father said back quietly, as if also secretly urging Fooser to lower his tone as well.
"Well, what is it like then? Because that's what I'm seeing." Fooser said, angrily.
"Listen, Fooser." His Father finally said after a brief moment to gather his thoughts. He sighed heavily. "The maximum amount of love an elf and lizard can have is less than say...an elf with an elf, a lizard with a lizard. Not to mention the amount of love a mute elf can have with a lizard is decreased even greater."
"..."
His father continued on. "I don't know if you're confused or...I'm just looking out for your happiness, Fooser. The happiness of both of you."
"Listen to you..." Fooser continued on, in a disgusted tone. "...'maximum love'? ... What kind of shit term is that. Actually, I don't even want to know. I came here, expecting at least one person to be reasonable, and I didn't even get that. Do whatever you want with your life, but I have made my decisions. And in the remaining time that we are here, don't do anything...stupid." Fooser eyed his father again, turning and opening the small wooden door, re-entering the next room.
Psst..
"Syl! Looks like you're in luck, we have some more food that is appealing to normal folk." He smiles, pushing away a bowl of frog feet and carrot sauce, one of their lunch specialties.
PSST!
"Huh.." Fooser sits up in his cage, looking around. He notices the hooded guard standing right near his head, looking in at him.
"Fooser."
Fooser smiles, hearing a familiar voice. "Feraiden...wait...how did you get here?"
"I have my ways. I need to get you out of here."
"No!" Fooser nearly shouts, quickly turning his head realizing that wasn't a smart thing to do. He turns back, speaking with a much lower voice. "There's another one here with me. A fisherman. We need all the people we can get. Get him out first. The second I leave this cage, they will notice soon after. But if he gets out, they won't notice for a little while. Get him, then me, alright."
Feraiden frowns a little under his hood. "Fine...You know I can't let anything happen to you though, right? I promised Sylveria that. She is worried sick about you."
Fooser moves a claw up to his mouth, motioning silence. "Go get him out."
"Shh!" Feraiden moves up to Belm's cage, who seems to be on the border of sleep, but slowly lifts his head up, wondering what is going on. "Quiet...I'm going to get you out, dont move the cage to much, or they'll hear the noise." Feraiden peers around, wondering what he can do to break through the bars, which seem to be made out of a very strong, firm plant material. He finds a large rock on the grab, and pulls it up slowly with one hand, struggling to do so. He holds it shoulder height for a moment before bashing one of the cage bars. The material tears as the rock comes down onto it, shredding in various places.
"Start tugging at that, I'll do a few more bars next to it, and we should be alright." He lifts the rock up again, coming down swiftly on the bar next to it. Belm pushes and pulls on the damaged one until it starts to crack from the pressure. They continue this pattern until there is enough space for a person to get out from. "Come on, come on."
Belm begins to push out head first, some of the sharp plant pieces cut him on the legs as he goes through, but other than that he makes it out alright. "Get up, hurry." Feraiden grabs his hand, and starts to pull him. They go down an incline, leaves and water lay everywhere. "We're going to have to stay low so they don't see us. Hope you don't mind getting dirty."
"Do I look like I mind getting dirty?"
They both begin to crawl through the wet leaves and mud, their knees and feet soaking wet. After crawling quite a few feet, they stop and peer up over the incline that they went down into. In the distance they can see Fooser inside of the cage. There is no longer a guard right near the cage since Feraiden left, but boney figures can be seen walking around in patrol.
"Who are you anyways?"
"A friend of the lizard. Now, listen. We have to do something similar to get Fooser out, but much quicker and much quieter. Which seems hard, and it will be."
"I have to say, lad, I am quite confused. Mind explaining what this artifact nonsense is, and who these undead are?"
"I know the story, Fooser told me. But I'll have to keep it brief. There is a patrol looking this way anyways, so..." Feraiden peeks over one more time before lowering his head again, resting his back against the incline.
"Fooser and all them...they use to fight the undead for their kingdom. Searched for this artifact called the Black Stone. It looks just like an ordinary stone, like the one I used to break your bars, but it's quite special, and powerful. To make a long story short, they found it."
"Why did they want to find it?" Belm asks calmly, listening intently.
"The Black Stone...it has the power to destroy undead, but also save them. Delunos was the second in command. He's the one with the hat. I'm not sure why he wants it back. To destroy with, or to save himself with. Or both. Who knows?" Feraiden turns on his side and looks back up through the mist.
"Why did Fooser hide it then? If it could destroy the undead attacking their land?" The fisherman asks curiously.
"Don't you see them, lad? The artifact corrupts. When it's used, the user isn't the same after. Sure, you might be able to destroy one undead, but as soon as you know it, you are the enemy too. The undead side breaks even, while the side of good loses one. Get what I mean?"
"Does it have the ability to do other things?"
"Aye, but no one knows how. It's been hidden for most of its existence. It can destroy more than undead, no doubt. It can't get back into their hands, no matter what they want it fo---NOW!"
Feraiden jumps up out of the ditch, water drops flinging off of his robe. Belm jumps back, a bit startled, and then follows the priest toward the cage. Fooser looks up slowly, watching the two approach, he grins at them. "Took you long enough."
Without even hesitating, Feraiden rams the first bar with the rock, it cracks nearly in half. He then side steps and bangs on the next one, while Belm moves in to pull on the damaged ones. "Pull, come on!"
Feraiden bashes on the last one. He jolts his head up, hearing a growl in the close distance. He sees a figure through the mist turn in their direction, it stays that way for a few seconds before turning and running back in the direction it came.
"Well, they know now. Come on Fooser, dive through."
Fooser stands up, lifting up his leg, and kicks through the damaged bars. They break apart and fall onto the ground. He takes a graceful step through the clean hole that was made. "Why dive through?" He smiles and starts to jog away from the cage. Belm looks down at his cut up leg and frowns. "Mh."
"Start tugging at that, I'll do a few more bars next to it, and we should be alright." He lifts the rock up again, coming down swiftly on the bar next to it. Belm pushes and pulls on the damaged one until it starts to crack from the pressure. They continue this pattern until there is enough space for a person to get out from. "Come on, come on."
Belm begins to push out head first, some of the sharp plant pieces cut him on the legs as he goes through, but other than that he makes it out alright. "Get up, hurry." Feraiden grabs his hand, and starts to pull him. They go down an incline, leaves and water lay everywhere. "We're going to have to stay low so they don't see us. Hope you don't mind getting dirty."
"Do I look like I mind getting dirty?"
They both begin to crawl through the wet leaves and mud, their knees and feet soaking wet. After crawling quite a few feet, they stop and peer up over the incline that they went down into. In the distance they can see Fooser inside of the cage. There is no longer a guard right near the cage since Feraiden left, but boney figures can be seen walking around in patrol.
"Who are you anyways?"
"A friend of the lizard. Now, listen. We have to do something similar to get Fooser out, but much quicker and much quieter. Which seems hard, and it will be."
"I have to say, lad, I am quite confused. Mind explaining what this artifact nonsense is, and who these undead are?"
"I know the story, Fooser told me. But I'll have to keep it brief. There is a patrol looking this way anyways, so..." Feraiden peeks over one more time before lowering his head again, resting his back against the incline.
"Fooser and all them...they use to fight the undead for their kingdom. Searched for this artifact called the Black Stone. It looks just like an ordinary stone, like the one I used to break your bars, but it's quite special, and powerful. To make a long story short, they found it."
"Why did they want to find it?" Belm asks calmly, listening intently.
"The Black Stone...it has the power to destroy undead, but also save them. Delunos was the second in command. He's the one with the hat. I'm not sure why he wants it back. To destroy with, or to save himself with. Or both. Who knows?" Feraiden turns on his side and looks back up through the mist.
"Why did Fooser hide it then? If it could destroy the undead attacking their land?" The fisherman asks curiously.
"Don't you see them, lad? The artifact corrupts. When it's used, the user isn't the same after. Sure, you might be able to destroy one undead, but as soon as you know it, you are the enemy too. The undead side breaks even, while the side of good loses one. Get what I mean?"
"Does it have the ability to do other things?"
"Aye, but no one knows how. It's been hidden for most of its existence. It can destroy more than undead, no doubt. It can't get back into their hands, no matter what they want it fo---NOW!"
Feraiden jumps up out of the ditch, water drops flinging off of his robe. Belm jumps back, a bit startled, and then follows the priest toward the cage. Fooser looks up slowly, watching the two approach, he grins at them. "Took you long enough."
Without even hesitating, Feraiden rams the first bar with the rock, it cracks nearly in half. He then side steps and bangs on the next one, while Belm moves in to pull on the damaged ones. "Pull, come on!"
Feraiden bashes on the last one. He jolts his head up, hearing a growl in the close distance. He sees a figure through the mist turn in their direction, it stays that way for a few seconds before turning and running back in the direction it came.
"Well, they know now. Come on Fooser, dive through."
Fooser stands up, lifting up his leg, and kicks through the damaged bars. They break apart and fall onto the ground. He takes a graceful step through the clean hole that was made. "Why dive through?" He smiles and starts to jog away from the cage. Belm looks down at his cut up leg and frowns. "Mh."
Fooser sets an extremely quick pace. The other two stuggle to keep up with the lizard, who moves through the swamp as if it was flat dry land.
"Fooser!" Feraiden shouts from beind. "I know they'll be lookin' for us, but you run as if Moshran himself be chasing you.."
"Aye Fooser, we haven't eaten or slept in so long.." Belm says, stumbling through the puddles and tall plants.
"I know that. But if we don't move, then you won't be eating or sleeping ever again." The lizard says coldly, not looking back. A new day has began, though little of the sun light makes it into the swamp. The mist clears a bit as they get further and further away.
"What do we do now?" The priest says, panting.
"We end this, or else we are doomed from the start."
"Do you remember where you put it, Fooser?"
"Kind of." He says, his response has quite a bit of confidence despite its content. "I will know it when I see it. It isn't too far." He lifts one of his legs up high into the air, and steps over a rotted out tree trunk. He hops over it, nearly landing into a puddle. The moment he hits the ground again, a large vibration goes through the ground. Fooser stops, waiting. After a few seconds it comes again, disturbing the water in the puddles.
"....What's that?" Belm says, his hands tremble a bit as he looks in all directions. Fooser continues to wait motionless. He just tilts his head up, as if to listen, then verify. In the far distance another sound emerges, like the sound of an entire tree falling to the ground. Considering the size and age of most of the trees in this swamp, that is quite a feat.
Fooser waits a few seconds longer before letting out his next order, "Hurry." He turns and starts to run even faster. The two follow, keeping pace now, as anyone would when something possibly large and scary follows behind so close.
The lizard sees a large wall of tall plants up ahead, but keeps running at them anyways, slamming through them at full speed. He goes through them, landing in a puddle. Leaves and mud cover most of his head as he tries to wipe them off. Feraiden follows behind, landing next to Fooser, while Belm follows also, landing on top of Fooser. "Pfffft!" They spit plant matter and dirt out of their mouths. "Get off of me!" Fooser rolls over, fighting off the fisherman. Fooser starts to stand up, shaking his head quickly back. "...OH." He looks up, the other two turn their gaze in the same direction. They stare in wonder at a strangely shaped tree.
Fooser blinks a few times, finally saying, "I remember now." He begins to jog towards the tree, the other two get up slowly and follow. Fooser stumbles forward, to a dry area near the trunk. He begins to dig frantically at the ground, dirt flying in random directions. He digs his claws into the dirt, trying to dig it up as quick as possible. After about a minute of this, he starts to pull up a rock, it is neither large, nor small. It seems like just a regular stone. "It's still here." Fooser says in amazement, admiring the artifact.
"So that's it? Not very impressive."
"Looks aren't everything." Fooser says, looking up quickly at Belm. Then he turns his head to the surrounding area. "We should scatter...and find a place to meet up. Go, we'll meet south, at the edge of the swamp."
The pair of humans nod at the same time, and begin to jog off. Despite what Fooser mentioned about scattering, they go in the same direction. Fooser looks down at the stone in his hand. He smiles a little as he looks at it. He takes a deep breath and then turns around, to be confronted by Delunos and a group of skeletons...again.
Delunos looks down at the lizard with the same eyeless gaze. A grin begins to emerge, large teeth showing in his skull. "Well, I knew you would come through for us, Fooser," the skeleton says tauntingly, with obvious sarcasm. He holds his boney hand out to the lizard. Fooser smiles again, letting out a tiny bit of nervous laughter. He slowly lifts up the stone and puts it into Delunos' hand, he sighs.
"Excellent." The undead cheer behind Delunos. "Fooser apparently didn't like our accomodations last time, I think we will be able to improve his stay this time though...hahah!" He lets out a large cackle. The group of undead swarm Fooser, grabbing on to his shoulder and his hands, and his neck, pulling him back in the direction that he came.
"Fooser!" Feraiden shouts from beind. "I know they'll be lookin' for us, but you run as if Moshran himself be chasing you.."
"Aye Fooser, we haven't eaten or slept in so long.." Belm says, stumbling through the puddles and tall plants.
"I know that. But if we don't move, then you won't be eating or sleeping ever again." The lizard says coldly, not looking back. A new day has began, though little of the sun light makes it into the swamp. The mist clears a bit as they get further and further away.
"What do we do now?" The priest says, panting.
"We end this, or else we are doomed from the start."
"Do you remember where you put it, Fooser?"
"Kind of." He says, his response has quite a bit of confidence despite its content. "I will know it when I see it. It isn't too far." He lifts one of his legs up high into the air, and steps over a rotted out tree trunk. He hops over it, nearly landing into a puddle. The moment he hits the ground again, a large vibration goes through the ground. Fooser stops, waiting. After a few seconds it comes again, disturbing the water in the puddles.
"....What's that?" Belm says, his hands tremble a bit as he looks in all directions. Fooser continues to wait motionless. He just tilts his head up, as if to listen, then verify. In the far distance another sound emerges, like the sound of an entire tree falling to the ground. Considering the size and age of most of the trees in this swamp, that is quite a feat.
Fooser waits a few seconds longer before letting out his next order, "Hurry." He turns and starts to run even faster. The two follow, keeping pace now, as anyone would when something possibly large and scary follows behind so close.
The lizard sees a large wall of tall plants up ahead, but keeps running at them anyways, slamming through them at full speed. He goes through them, landing in a puddle. Leaves and mud cover most of his head as he tries to wipe them off. Feraiden follows behind, landing next to Fooser, while Belm follows also, landing on top of Fooser. "Pfffft!" They spit plant matter and dirt out of their mouths. "Get off of me!" Fooser rolls over, fighting off the fisherman. Fooser starts to stand up, shaking his head quickly back. "...OH." He looks up, the other two turn their gaze in the same direction. They stare in wonder at a strangely shaped tree.
Fooser blinks a few times, finally saying, "I remember now." He begins to jog towards the tree, the other two get up slowly and follow. Fooser stumbles forward, to a dry area near the trunk. He begins to dig frantically at the ground, dirt flying in random directions. He digs his claws into the dirt, trying to dig it up as quick as possible. After about a minute of this, he starts to pull up a rock, it is neither large, nor small. It seems like just a regular stone. "It's still here." Fooser says in amazement, admiring the artifact.
"So that's it? Not very impressive."
"Looks aren't everything." Fooser says, looking up quickly at Belm. Then he turns his head to the surrounding area. "We should scatter...and find a place to meet up. Go, we'll meet south, at the edge of the swamp."
The pair of humans nod at the same time, and begin to jog off. Despite what Fooser mentioned about scattering, they go in the same direction. Fooser looks down at the stone in his hand. He smiles a little as he looks at it. He takes a deep breath and then turns around, to be confronted by Delunos and a group of skeletons...again.
Delunos looks down at the lizard with the same eyeless gaze. A grin begins to emerge, large teeth showing in his skull. "Well, I knew you would come through for us, Fooser," the skeleton says tauntingly, with obvious sarcasm. He holds his boney hand out to the lizard. Fooser smiles again, letting out a tiny bit of nervous laughter. He slowly lifts up the stone and puts it into Delunos' hand, he sighs.
"Excellent." The undead cheer behind Delunos. "Fooser apparently didn't like our accomodations last time, I think we will be able to improve his stay this time though...hahah!" He lets out a large cackle. The group of undead swarm Fooser, grabbing on to his shoulder and his hands, and his neck, pulling him back in the direction that he came.
"Stop following me!" Feraiden's robe trails behind him, nearly getting caught on some of the twigs sticking out of the ground.
"It's not my fault you picked the same direction I did!" The fisherman shouts back, nearly tripping over any obstacle near his feet as he jogs.
"Which way did Fooser go?"
"I didn't look back to see!"
"Look, up ahead!"
The pair continues to jog, hopping nearly every step to avoid ditches and branches, ahead of them is a shine of sunlight, and a stretch of flat grassland. They both smile at this good luck, they were finally at the edge of the swamp. They both stop right as they get to it, leaning forward, trying to catch their breath.
"Fooser should be here soon. I hope he didn't get lost...." Feraiden pulls his robe back up over his head. It got knocked down to his shoulder as he was running earlier.
The sound of sticks cracking begins to fill the air within the small patch of grass. They look around quietly to see where it comes from. A lizard figure appears at the other end of the opening, he is turned to the side looking away.
"Fooser! Get over here, we need to get out of this place." Belm walks happily over to the lizard, and puts his hand on the lizard's shoulder. The lizard quickly turns knocking the hand away. Belm gasps at the sight. "You aren't Fooser.."
"No, I'm not." The lizard is pulls off his robe real quick, revealing full metal armor, and the same symbol the undead had. "I'm patroling this area with others, to destroy undead."
"You might get a chance soon." The priest says, looking blankly up in the air, at nothing it seems. He looks back down at the sound of more branches snapping, Lizard and Humans of all types come out from behind trees and bushes.
"Well then..."
"It's not my fault you picked the same direction I did!" The fisherman shouts back, nearly tripping over any obstacle near his feet as he jogs.
"Which way did Fooser go?"
"I didn't look back to see!"
"Look, up ahead!"
The pair continues to jog, hopping nearly every step to avoid ditches and branches, ahead of them is a shine of sunlight, and a stretch of flat grassland. They both smile at this good luck, they were finally at the edge of the swamp. They both stop right as they get to it, leaning forward, trying to catch their breath.
"Fooser should be here soon. I hope he didn't get lost...." Feraiden pulls his robe back up over his head. It got knocked down to his shoulder as he was running earlier.
The sound of sticks cracking begins to fill the air within the small patch of grass. They look around quietly to see where it comes from. A lizard figure appears at the other end of the opening, he is turned to the side looking away.
"Fooser! Get over here, we need to get out of this place." Belm walks happily over to the lizard, and puts his hand on the lizard's shoulder. The lizard quickly turns knocking the hand away. Belm gasps at the sight. "You aren't Fooser.."
"No, I'm not." The lizard is pulls off his robe real quick, revealing full metal armor, and the same symbol the undead had. "I'm patroling this area with others, to destroy undead."
"You might get a chance soon." The priest says, looking blankly up in the air, at nothing it seems. He looks back down at the sound of more branches snapping, Lizard and Humans of all types come out from behind trees and bushes.
"Well then..."
Evening comes again. Torches hang from various trees all around an opening within them. In the middle is a large stone altar, built from large rectangle stones piled one on top of the other, making stairs, and a long platform at the top.
The undead congregate in front of it, cheering loudly as Delunos stands at the top, holding the Black Stone high into the air, grinning. Mist flows freely around the perimeter of the opening, hovering over the marsh like a blanket. Feraiden slides from tree to tree, peering through the covering to see what is going on. Blem quietly follows, though a little less gracefully.
The cheering from the undead becomes louder and faster paced, they stomp their boney feet onto the ground yelling as loud as their throatless voices can go. Delunos lowers the stone down and then raises his hand again, asking for their silence. They quickly do so.
"For years we were trapped like this. For years, we worked hard to find this stone, only to have it taken away by a filthy, slimey, lying fish!" The cheers come out again as Delunos moves to what appears to be an altar, being used as an execution table at the moment. He slams his foot down onto Fooser, making him lay flat on the altar. "And by the grace of whatever is out there, Fooser came crawling back here, much against his own luck. We haven't forgotten...and now he will pay."
Delunos moves his foot down from the lizard, still holing the stone. "But first, I have to make sure..." He looks closely at the stone, grasping it harder and harder in his fleshless fingers. A strong wind goes through the air as the skeleton begins to whisper lightly. Right in front of all their eyes (or sockets), Delunos begins to regain his face...and his hair, and hands. It doesn't get very far though, as Delunos turns around, distracted by another whisper.
"You feel a priests presence too, don't you?"
The wind slowly comes to a halt, Delunos adjusts his hat, to fit with his recovered hair. He eyes the lizard. "I do." He grunts a little, watching the lizard. "Hold on fellows." He pushes the lizard back from the altar. The undead group looks on in dissapointment, but then begin to talk amongst themselves, covering the quiet conversation the two up front have.
"Hear me out..." Fooser says, Delunos nods reluctantly. "A priest can do a lot of damage to undead...so you don't want to be taking that risk, eh?" Fooser slows down his talk as he goes on. "Let me go to him, and lure him to you. Then you take no risk at all. His life for my life. And once that is done, you can turn me into an elf. If it wasn't for me being here, the stone would still be hidden, mind you. And then..." Fooser begins to grin darkly. "Think about it, Delunos. You have a powerful artifact and your own undead minions...and no threats anywhere nearby...the beginnings of a new kingdom...in need of a king."
Delunos looks right into the lizards eye, thinking about this seemingly appealing concept. A small smirk comes to his newly formed lips. "Deal, lizard."
"I'll go find him, and bring him to you...just be ready..." Fooser quickly adds in, "My lord." Delunos smirks again, and nods quickly.
"Go on."
The undead congregate in front of it, cheering loudly as Delunos stands at the top, holding the Black Stone high into the air, grinning. Mist flows freely around the perimeter of the opening, hovering over the marsh like a blanket. Feraiden slides from tree to tree, peering through the covering to see what is going on. Blem quietly follows, though a little less gracefully.
The cheering from the undead becomes louder and faster paced, they stomp their boney feet onto the ground yelling as loud as their throatless voices can go. Delunos lowers the stone down and then raises his hand again, asking for their silence. They quickly do so.
"For years we were trapped like this. For years, we worked hard to find this stone, only to have it taken away by a filthy, slimey, lying fish!" The cheers come out again as Delunos moves to what appears to be an altar, being used as an execution table at the moment. He slams his foot down onto Fooser, making him lay flat on the altar. "And by the grace of whatever is out there, Fooser came crawling back here, much against his own luck. We haven't forgotten...and now he will pay."
Delunos moves his foot down from the lizard, still holing the stone. "But first, I have to make sure..." He looks closely at the stone, grasping it harder and harder in his fleshless fingers. A strong wind goes through the air as the skeleton begins to whisper lightly. Right in front of all their eyes (or sockets), Delunos begins to regain his face...and his hair, and hands. It doesn't get very far though, as Delunos turns around, distracted by another whisper.
"You feel a priests presence too, don't you?"
The wind slowly comes to a halt, Delunos adjusts his hat, to fit with his recovered hair. He eyes the lizard. "I do." He grunts a little, watching the lizard. "Hold on fellows." He pushes the lizard back from the altar. The undead group looks on in dissapointment, but then begin to talk amongst themselves, covering the quiet conversation the two up front have.
"Hear me out..." Fooser says, Delunos nods reluctantly. "A priest can do a lot of damage to undead...so you don't want to be taking that risk, eh?" Fooser slows down his talk as he goes on. "Let me go to him, and lure him to you. Then you take no risk at all. His life for my life. And once that is done, you can turn me into an elf. If it wasn't for me being here, the stone would still be hidden, mind you. And then..." Fooser begins to grin darkly. "Think about it, Delunos. You have a powerful artifact and your own undead minions...and no threats anywhere nearby...the beginnings of a new kingdom...in need of a king."
Delunos looks right into the lizards eye, thinking about this seemingly appealing concept. A small smirk comes to his newly formed lips. "Deal, lizard."
"I'll go find him, and bring him to you...just be ready..." Fooser quickly adds in, "My lord." Delunos smirks again, and nods quickly.
"Go on."
"What's happening?" Belm whispers quietly, trying to look over rocks and branches.
"I can't see anything..." Feraiden sighs, wondering what to do next. He turns and looks up over the rock again, and nearly jumps out of his robe as a hand comes out the dark and grabs him.
"Shh!"
"Fooser! What happened?"
The lizard looks around nervously. "They got into a discussion, and I slipped away, but don't make any noise, they'll realize what has happened soon." He looks over to the other human. "What happened to you two?"
"We got away, and ran into a group of Paladins. Our look is good this day it seems. They are south of here."
"Excellent. Belm, go find them and bring them here." He points away, Belm nods and begins to move quietly from the ground. "Feraiden, I need you to come with me."
"Anything you need, Fooser."
"We're going to circle the perimeter of the altar, where they can't see us through the trees and mist, and then at the right time, we will make a move against them." He grins, looking back at the priest.
"Aye, sounds good." He puts his hood up over his head again, waiting to follow. Fooser tugs on his robe, pulling him in a certain direction.
"Shh, quiet now. You in front...yes...turn left here." Fooser keeps his hand on Feraiden's shoulder, nearly pushing him forward. After a short while, he lets go, letting Feraiden move ahead on his own. As they turn a corner a bunch of skeletons jump out from behind trees, pointing their swords at the human. Feraiden's eyes widen and he turns around, prepared to run away, and he runs straight into Fooser, who stands motionless. Feraiden raises an eyebrow at this. "Fooser...?"
Delunos steps forward out of the crowd of undead knocking the priests staff onto the ground, and grabbing him harshly. "Excellent work."
"Wait..." Feraiden mumbles, shocked.
"Bring him up to the altar fellows." All the skeletons cackle, grabbing onto the priest, ribbing various parts of his robe. He merely stares back at the lizard in amazement, until the pile of undead block their view of eachother.
"I can't see anything..." Feraiden sighs, wondering what to do next. He turns and looks up over the rock again, and nearly jumps out of his robe as a hand comes out the dark and grabs him.
"Shh!"
"Fooser! What happened?"
The lizard looks around nervously. "They got into a discussion, and I slipped away, but don't make any noise, they'll realize what has happened soon." He looks over to the other human. "What happened to you two?"
"We got away, and ran into a group of Paladins. Our look is good this day it seems. They are south of here."
"Excellent. Belm, go find them and bring them here." He points away, Belm nods and begins to move quietly from the ground. "Feraiden, I need you to come with me."
"Anything you need, Fooser."
"We're going to circle the perimeter of the altar, where they can't see us through the trees and mist, and then at the right time, we will make a move against them." He grins, looking back at the priest.
"Aye, sounds good." He puts his hood up over his head again, waiting to follow. Fooser tugs on his robe, pulling him in a certain direction.
"Shh, quiet now. You in front...yes...turn left here." Fooser keeps his hand on Feraiden's shoulder, nearly pushing him forward. After a short while, he lets go, letting Feraiden move ahead on his own. As they turn a corner a bunch of skeletons jump out from behind trees, pointing their swords at the human. Feraiden's eyes widen and he turns around, prepared to run away, and he runs straight into Fooser, who stands motionless. Feraiden raises an eyebrow at this. "Fooser...?"
Delunos steps forward out of the crowd of undead knocking the priests staff onto the ground, and grabbing him harshly. "Excellent work."
"Wait..." Feraiden mumbles, shocked.
"Bring him up to the altar fellows." All the skeletons cackle, grabbing onto the priest, ribbing various parts of his robe. He merely stares back at the lizard in amazement, until the pile of undead block their view of eachother.
((parts adapted from logs))
~Some weeks ago...~
"Think you could write down what's wrong?"
Sylveria nods quietly and offers an empty hand forward. Her distracted green eyes wait patiently for the human with vibrant red hair to draw a roll of parchment and a long, grey quill from his belongings. After a few unsuccessful attempts to understand her wordless pantomimes, he had finally suggested written communication.
Despite the warm and fresh open air of the library balcony, the elfess seated at the table wears a worried expression as gloomy as a shadowed cave. Distraction saps the color from her ordinarily vivid green eyes, and a faltering schedule of meals begins to barely show itself through the lack of her liveliness and energy. As the human sets down the scribe's tools, she carefully realigns them to writing angle on the smooth surface of the wood, but in a manner as if she might easily forget which end of the quill is to touch the paper. She glances up briefly. The human standing nearby raises an encouraging brow. A slender hand dips the quill tip into the opened ink bottle and shortly etches across the parchment--
& Where is Fooser? &
Sylveria nudges the paper over to be read. The man almost immediately replies,
"I'm not sure, last time I seen him he was a skeleton."
The quill clatters from Sylveria's hand as her gaze turns into a wide-eyed stare. The ink on the tip of the quill dribbles into the paper and leaks a few splotches on the neatly flowed writing. Shock blanches across the elfess' face, but the man only nods gently.
"Calm down, he joined the blackstone cult," Something in the back of Sylveria's mind screams out in wild disbelief at the irony of his placid reassurance. "He is still alive, though.."
The young elfess' silent lips are speechless. After a numb and lengthy moment, her eyes finally blink, and shift to and fro in a wordless panic. The human says, "Write down what you think..." a few minutes later. Sylveria carefully puts quill to parchment again, but the only thing that comes out of her paralysis is a blank stare at the blank surface. More minutes pass. A few more vague exchanges of conversation and a farewell return to the elfess' memory only after she realizes that she is left numbly sitting alone once more at the table on the library balcony.
~Some weeks ago...~
"Think you could write down what's wrong?"
Sylveria nods quietly and offers an empty hand forward. Her distracted green eyes wait patiently for the human with vibrant red hair to draw a roll of parchment and a long, grey quill from his belongings. After a few unsuccessful attempts to understand her wordless pantomimes, he had finally suggested written communication.
Despite the warm and fresh open air of the library balcony, the elfess seated at the table wears a worried expression as gloomy as a shadowed cave. Distraction saps the color from her ordinarily vivid green eyes, and a faltering schedule of meals begins to barely show itself through the lack of her liveliness and energy. As the human sets down the scribe's tools, she carefully realigns them to writing angle on the smooth surface of the wood, but in a manner as if she might easily forget which end of the quill is to touch the paper. She glances up briefly. The human standing nearby raises an encouraging brow. A slender hand dips the quill tip into the opened ink bottle and shortly etches across the parchment--
& Where is Fooser? &
Sylveria nudges the paper over to be read. The man almost immediately replies,
"I'm not sure, last time I seen him he was a skeleton."
The quill clatters from Sylveria's hand as her gaze turns into a wide-eyed stare. The ink on the tip of the quill dribbles into the paper and leaks a few splotches on the neatly flowed writing. Shock blanches across the elfess' face, but the man only nods gently.
"Calm down, he joined the blackstone cult," Something in the back of Sylveria's mind screams out in wild disbelief at the irony of his placid reassurance. "He is still alive, though.."
The young elfess' silent lips are speechless. After a numb and lengthy moment, her eyes finally blink, and shift to and fro in a wordless panic. The human says, "Write down what you think..." a few minutes later. Sylveria carefully puts quill to parchment again, but the only thing that comes out of her paralysis is a blank stare at the blank surface. More minutes pass. A few more vague exchanges of conversation and a farewell return to the elfess' memory only after she realizes that she is left numbly sitting alone once more at the table on the library balcony.
A chaos priest someone had said. Came and changed people, and this change Fooser did not like. From a lizard to an elf, how absurd. But there was something about it...something that wasn't bad, that wasn't absurd. The fact that he could look at Sylveria, and she could look back, with a similar stare, with a similar smile. It was weird how things worked. He was so uncomfortable with the new physical being, but at the same time he felt like he was healed emotionally and mentally. But as a lizard, he felt strong and good physically, but was so weak psychologically.
"It's just...I don't know..." Fooser pushed back a little. The situation got more awkward and hard to say with each passing word. Sylveria looked back at him, waiting patiently as always.
"It just seems more comfortable this way, doesn't it?" The green-eyed elf finally said to her.
Even Sylveria couldn't disagree with that. She could say she loved Fooser even as a lizard, but she couldn't deny this. Things were more natural. Better. Was his father actually right? Or was he falling into the shallow ditch where he fell? He would give up going underwater forever, if it meant making his situation better with Sylveria. He would give up the swimming, the endurance, the agility, the...being a lizard.
Then he woke up again, and the dream was over, except it wasn't a dream, it was reality. A tail stuck out, his tongue slithered about. He began to think he looked like a monster to Sylveria. How could such a sweet elf look at a lizard and find love? And now, there is a new chance to go back.
The scene sets up in an eerily similar manner. Feraiden kneels at the altar. His knees on the ground, while he upper half is pushed down onto the cold stone by Delunos' boot. He turns his head to stop discomfort, but the stone digs into his face as the undead human pushes down harder and harder.
Delunos looks over to Fooser, speaking quietly beyond the reach of the shouting undead mob below. "Usually love makes people do stupid things. You done good here Fooser, very smart." He smiles a little, looking back down to the priest.
"You've finally snapped, haven't you?!" Feraiden struggles to turn his head the other way, looking at Fooser.
Fooser walks up slowly to his old friend, leaning in close to him, saying slowly and tauntingly. "....Yeah!"
Delunos grins a little, taking his foot off Feriaden for a moment to motion for silence among the undead crowd. He holds his hand up high in the air for a few moments. Torches burn lightly around the perimeter of the altar, and surrounding swamp. "Fellows. We have a special guest this time...he is a priest." Delunos says mischievously, the crowd breaks out into a huge roar, eager to see the execution.
Fooser moves over to where Delunos placed the Black Stone, he picks it up and shuffles his hands a bit. He walks up to Delunos. "I've done my part of the deal." He hands the stone to Delunos, and points down at the priest, who still squirms back and forth in disgust.
"That ya have, Fooser. I will take care of my part in full soon enough. But I have some business here first, as you can see."
"Of course...sire." Feraiden squirms around some more, turning his head back to the direction of the lizard. He spits a little, missing the target. Fooser moves his leg out of the way easily, looking down at the ground. "Now now, Feraiden. You made a promise, and you are a man of your word. Sylveria won't be dissapointed."
Delunos takes a strong grip of a hammer, smiling at it crazily. "The blood of a priest will work well, aye." The undead crowd cheers some more. "No risks, we will smash your head until nothing is left, priest, just to make sure you're dead." He lifts it up again, in a motion to swing it down eventually, Fooser watches carefully. As the human is about to come down, footsteps come loudly though the swamp, hitting every puddle along the way.
"Arg!" A skeleton comes bursting out of the mist, waving his boney arms about in the air. "Arg!" Delunos sighs heavily at yet another interruption. He slowly moves the hammer back down to his side.
"What is it now?" He says, obviously annoyed. The undead onlookers groan in dissapointment.
"Paladins seen nearby, along the perimeter, my lord." Delunos' eyes get an angry, yet happily excited glare to them. He tilts his hat a little.
"Should we send out...the creature?"
"No...there are too many for that. They will scatter and it will be a waste. We will have to take care of this ourselves. Fellows...find them. Kill them all." The crowd becomes instantly rejuvinated by the new orders, waving spears and swords in the air, yelling as loud as skeletons can yell. Fooser rolls his neck uneasily, as if trying to remove a cramp. They jump over puddles and ditches into the mist, shouting and continuing to wave their weapons about, like crazed animals. Within moments, the area in front of the altar is nearly empty, and the noise slowly lessens.
Delunos stands back, much less tense than before. He lets out a long airless breath, as if wondering what to do now. He decides to move over to a stone pedestal, and sits upon, messing around with the position of his large black hat.
"How are things, Delunos?" Fooser asks finally, breaking the newly earned silence.
He merely looks up and lets out a low groan, not knowing how to answer really. "Mhh."
Fooser nods a little, accepting even this little response. "Still not warmed up to me again, eh?"
"I must admit, I wasn't expecting to see you. When they said they heard people coming our way. You were the last I expected, actually."
"Funny how things work, aye?"
"Mh." He gives off a small groan in agreeance, smiling for just a split second before going back to a serious look, almost on the verge of a frown.
"My parents died in the war recently..." Fooser adds on, awkwardly. Delunos looks up at this, pondering. He lowers his head and goes back to his own isolated thoughts.
Delunos looks over to Fooser, speaking quietly beyond the reach of the shouting undead mob below. "Usually love makes people do stupid things. You done good here Fooser, very smart." He smiles a little, looking back down to the priest.
"You've finally snapped, haven't you?!" Feraiden struggles to turn his head the other way, looking at Fooser.
Fooser walks up slowly to his old friend, leaning in close to him, saying slowly and tauntingly. "....Yeah!"
Delunos grins a little, taking his foot off Feriaden for a moment to motion for silence among the undead crowd. He holds his hand up high in the air for a few moments. Torches burn lightly around the perimeter of the altar, and surrounding swamp. "Fellows. We have a special guest this time...he is a priest." Delunos says mischievously, the crowd breaks out into a huge roar, eager to see the execution.
Fooser moves over to where Delunos placed the Black Stone, he picks it up and shuffles his hands a bit. He walks up to Delunos. "I've done my part of the deal." He hands the stone to Delunos, and points down at the priest, who still squirms back and forth in disgust.
"That ya have, Fooser. I will take care of my part in full soon enough. But I have some business here first, as you can see."
"Of course...sire." Feraiden squirms around some more, turning his head back to the direction of the lizard. He spits a little, missing the target. Fooser moves his leg out of the way easily, looking down at the ground. "Now now, Feraiden. You made a promise, and you are a man of your word. Sylveria won't be dissapointed."
Delunos takes a strong grip of a hammer, smiling at it crazily. "The blood of a priest will work well, aye." The undead crowd cheers some more. "No risks, we will smash your head until nothing is left, priest, just to make sure you're dead." He lifts it up again, in a motion to swing it down eventually, Fooser watches carefully. As the human is about to come down, footsteps come loudly though the swamp, hitting every puddle along the way.
"Arg!" A skeleton comes bursting out of the mist, waving his boney arms about in the air. "Arg!" Delunos sighs heavily at yet another interruption. He slowly moves the hammer back down to his side.
"What is it now?" He says, obviously annoyed. The undead onlookers groan in dissapointment.
"Paladins seen nearby, along the perimeter, my lord." Delunos' eyes get an angry, yet happily excited glare to them. He tilts his hat a little.
"Should we send out...the creature?"
"No...there are too many for that. They will scatter and it will be a waste. We will have to take care of this ourselves. Fellows...find them. Kill them all." The crowd becomes instantly rejuvinated by the new orders, waving spears and swords in the air, yelling as loud as skeletons can yell. Fooser rolls his neck uneasily, as if trying to remove a cramp. They jump over puddles and ditches into the mist, shouting and continuing to wave their weapons about, like crazed animals. Within moments, the area in front of the altar is nearly empty, and the noise slowly lessens.
Delunos stands back, much less tense than before. He lets out a long airless breath, as if wondering what to do now. He decides to move over to a stone pedestal, and sits upon, messing around with the position of his large black hat.
"How are things, Delunos?" Fooser asks finally, breaking the newly earned silence.
He merely looks up and lets out a low groan, not knowing how to answer really. "Mhh."
Fooser nods a little, accepting even this little response. "Still not warmed up to me again, eh?"
"I must admit, I wasn't expecting to see you. When they said they heard people coming our way. You were the last I expected, actually."
"Funny how things work, aye?"
"Mh." He gives off a small groan in agreeance, smiling for just a split second before going back to a serious look, almost on the verge of a frown.
"My parents died in the war recently..." Fooser adds on, awkwardly. Delunos looks up at this, pondering. He lowers his head and goes back to his own isolated thoughts.
"Why did ya come back anyways? Out of all the places you could've gone." The dark haired human asks, casually, with more curiosity than anything.
"It wasn't by choice, actually..." Fooser says softly.
Things grow quiet again. Delunos continues to sit casually, fiddling with his hair and hat, his sword attached to his side. His behavior seems odd considering most in his position would be wondering what goes on out in the marsh. Fooser taps his foot quietly, waiting for things to move on. And Feraiden kneels silently against the altar still, not daring to move.
"This lass of yours must be special. In all my years, I've never seen someone willing to sacrafice the way you have."
"It's not devotion, it's insanity." The priest says, still laying flat against the cold stone. Delunos lets off a cackle at this comment.
"There's no need to be takin' shots like that now, priest. Especially for someone in your situation." Delunos stands up, pacing casually back and forth, he moves closer and closer to Feraiden, who waits for the right exact moment to shove his leg backwards, knocking Delunos' legs out from under him. He drops the hammer onto the stone altar, and falls backwards off the platform. His sword loosens from his side and impales right through his leg. "Aaagh!" He lets out a yell as he lands. He quickly lifts up his thick pants, pulling the sword out from in between two bones, unhealed from the undead ailment.
Feraiden jumps to his feet quickly, grabbing a spare sword to the side, and swoops down to pick up the hammer as well. He makes his way down off the platform, and begins to run right back into the swamp.
"Huh?" Fooser looks up from his spot, not seeing what happened. He spots Delunos on the ground, and Feraiden missing, and he begins to give chase, drawing his sword.
Feraiden runs full speed through the marsh, zipping past shrubs, trees, and rocks, not caring what he steps in, or how wet he gets, or how dirty. But no matter how hard he runs, he can hear footsteps gaining behind him. The splash of feet into puddles get closer and closer until it sounds like it is happening right behind him.
The priest abruptly swings around, throwing up his sword. It clashes with another sword as Fooser runs out from the mist. They begin to duel with their swords, both showing experience, but not overwhelming skill. Feraiden locks swords with the lizard, pushing off of him to move back a bit. He latches the hammer onto his side, and locks swords again, this time he uses his free hand to punch the lizard in the head. Fooser falls back, slamming hard against a tree.
"You're trying to kill me!" Feraiden reaches down to grab a large pile of sloppy mud, and throws it at the lizard, who tries to slap it away from his face. They jump frantically from the edge of one puddle to another, concentrating on both fighting and not falling in any of them.
"You won't get away with this." The priest says, they both swing their swords back and forth, the sound of metal clashing sounds echoes through the marsh. They eventually make their way towards the edge of a large incline, a small cliff leading down to even more marshland. Feraiden begins to get more aggressive with his attacks and blocks, trying to keep the lizard away. They lock swords one last time. Fooser moves face to face with the priest, pushing a heavy sack into his hand, Feraiden looks down confused.
"Bye." Fooser shoves him off from the edge. He turns around, not even bothering to see how he landed. Luckily, Feraiden hits a large puddle, missing a sharp tree trunk by a few feet, the type that could impale rather easily.
A third pair of boots come jogging through the mud into Fooser's direction. Delunos walks out of the mud, his weapon not drawn though. "What happened?"
"Priests...slippery bastards."
"Fooser...One thing on your end of the deal just got away. That isn't lookin' well for you." He says, but with more dissapointment than anger in his tone.
"We can discuss this later, aye? I thought we were passed the desire of killing me...mh?"
"Come on." The human turns swiftly, going back the way he came. He walks slowly and steadily. "We should be able to handle this problem, so I don't see any reason to be killing anyone else..." They come out of the swamp back into the clearing, the altar in the middle, the area around it still empty. Fooser stops, watching the man step back up to the top. He shifts his black hat a bit more, looking around. He seems to take a deep breath, though he breathes in no air. The mist around the outside of the clearing begins to swirl about at a rapid pace, it dances around, flying back and forth violently. The sound of thousands of whispers goes through the air as the mist continues to move about spastically. After a few moments of this, the whispering is replaced by a piercingly loud sound. Fooser winces the entire time it goes through the air, his eyes tighten each passing second.
The mist that used to hover above the marsh shoots upwards above the altar, even above the trees, far into the sky, and the noise comes to an end.
"It wasn't by choice, actually..." Fooser says softly.
Things grow quiet again. Delunos continues to sit casually, fiddling with his hair and hat, his sword attached to his side. His behavior seems odd considering most in his position would be wondering what goes on out in the marsh. Fooser taps his foot quietly, waiting for things to move on. And Feraiden kneels silently against the altar still, not daring to move.
"This lass of yours must be special. In all my years, I've never seen someone willing to sacrafice the way you have."
"It's not devotion, it's insanity." The priest says, still laying flat against the cold stone. Delunos lets off a cackle at this comment.
"There's no need to be takin' shots like that now, priest. Especially for someone in your situation." Delunos stands up, pacing casually back and forth, he moves closer and closer to Feraiden, who waits for the right exact moment to shove his leg backwards, knocking Delunos' legs out from under him. He drops the hammer onto the stone altar, and falls backwards off the platform. His sword loosens from his side and impales right through his leg. "Aaagh!" He lets out a yell as he lands. He quickly lifts up his thick pants, pulling the sword out from in between two bones, unhealed from the undead ailment.
Feraiden jumps to his feet quickly, grabbing a spare sword to the side, and swoops down to pick up the hammer as well. He makes his way down off the platform, and begins to run right back into the swamp.
"Huh?" Fooser looks up from his spot, not seeing what happened. He spots Delunos on the ground, and Feraiden missing, and he begins to give chase, drawing his sword.
Feraiden runs full speed through the marsh, zipping past shrubs, trees, and rocks, not caring what he steps in, or how wet he gets, or how dirty. But no matter how hard he runs, he can hear footsteps gaining behind him. The splash of feet into puddles get closer and closer until it sounds like it is happening right behind him.
The priest abruptly swings around, throwing up his sword. It clashes with another sword as Fooser runs out from the mist. They begin to duel with their swords, both showing experience, but not overwhelming skill. Feraiden locks swords with the lizard, pushing off of him to move back a bit. He latches the hammer onto his side, and locks swords again, this time he uses his free hand to punch the lizard in the head. Fooser falls back, slamming hard against a tree.
"You're trying to kill me!" Feraiden reaches down to grab a large pile of sloppy mud, and throws it at the lizard, who tries to slap it away from his face. They jump frantically from the edge of one puddle to another, concentrating on both fighting and not falling in any of them.
"You won't get away with this." The priest says, they both swing their swords back and forth, the sound of metal clashing sounds echoes through the marsh. They eventually make their way towards the edge of a large incline, a small cliff leading down to even more marshland. Feraiden begins to get more aggressive with his attacks and blocks, trying to keep the lizard away. They lock swords one last time. Fooser moves face to face with the priest, pushing a heavy sack into his hand, Feraiden looks down confused.
"Bye." Fooser shoves him off from the edge. He turns around, not even bothering to see how he landed. Luckily, Feraiden hits a large puddle, missing a sharp tree trunk by a few feet, the type that could impale rather easily.
A third pair of boots come jogging through the mud into Fooser's direction. Delunos walks out of the mud, his weapon not drawn though. "What happened?"
"Priests...slippery bastards."
"Fooser...One thing on your end of the deal just got away. That isn't lookin' well for you." He says, but with more dissapointment than anger in his tone.
"We can discuss this later, aye? I thought we were passed the desire of killing me...mh?"
"Come on." The human turns swiftly, going back the way he came. He walks slowly and steadily. "We should be able to handle this problem, so I don't see any reason to be killing anyone else..." They come out of the swamp back into the clearing, the altar in the middle, the area around it still empty. Fooser stops, watching the man step back up to the top. He shifts his black hat a bit more, looking around. He seems to take a deep breath, though he breathes in no air. The mist around the outside of the clearing begins to swirl about at a rapid pace, it dances around, flying back and forth violently. The sound of thousands of whispers goes through the air as the mist continues to move about spastically. After a few moments of this, the whispering is replaced by a piercingly loud sound. Fooser winces the entire time it goes through the air, his eyes tighten each passing second.
The mist that used to hover above the marsh shoots upwards above the altar, even above the trees, far into the sky, and the noise comes to an end.
The rain slowed down considerable as they drew near. Through the fog they all could spot what seemed to be the ruins of a lizard temple. There were so many of them scattered through the swamps. During a time when lizards roamed freely about it, before the undead curse came. There was now nothing left put broken pillers, tilted slabs of stone, the remains of what used to be a beautiful temple.
Fooser began to climb some long stone steps, leading to a flat area that was raised above the swamp. It was free of mud and puddles due to its elevation. On this flat area of land was the main part of the ruins. Small pillars dot the perimeter, though they hold nothing up but themselves. Delunos and a group of humans follow behind the lizard. His black hat was so drenched that it weighed downwards, drooping. He followed the lizard closely up the stairs into the opening.
"So this be it?" The human asked. Fooser looked back and nodded.
"It better be, or else this was a big waste of time, aye?" He turned around, scanning the group of humans quickly. "Bring up the shovels, and quickly."
They dug into the soft ground, small patches of flattened grass and moss can be seen all over. They threw the dirt into a big pile on one of the stone slabs. The group started to go through it, looking for rocks. They came across many, examining them, unsure of what exactly they were looking for.
"How do we know?" One human said, tossing a large rock over his shoulder.
"Shape...texture, we've been over this." Fooser said, losing patience with their lack of success. "What do we have so far?" He went over to a pile of rocks, pushing them to various sides. "Hm.." He grabbed a couple in each hand, hopping down from the higher ground. The lizard stepped over to a large puddle, looking down at his reflection.
He held out one stone, dropping it into the puddle, some water splashes up on all sides. He took another one, doing the same thing. The humans began to assemble up top, looking down at the lizard, wondering what he was doing. Fooser let out a strong sigh, dropping the third one into the puddle, nothing happening. Delunos hopped down from above, walking over to the lizard, standing next to him, looking down at the stones in the puddle.
Fooser held up the last one, dropping it into the puddle. Right as the rock hit the puddle, the reflections of the two became that of skeletons, for just a split moment. Neither one got a good look, but the difference between that rock and the others was quite obvious. Fooser slowly bent down, picking it up out of the water. He examined it closely, even sniffing it slightly. He slowly turned around, looking up at the small group assembled above him, he grinned.
Fooser began to climb some long stone steps, leading to a flat area that was raised above the swamp. It was free of mud and puddles due to its elevation. On this flat area of land was the main part of the ruins. Small pillars dot the perimeter, though they hold nothing up but themselves. Delunos and a group of humans follow behind the lizard. His black hat was so drenched that it weighed downwards, drooping. He followed the lizard closely up the stairs into the opening.
"So this be it?" The human asked. Fooser looked back and nodded.
"It better be, or else this was a big waste of time, aye?" He turned around, scanning the group of humans quickly. "Bring up the shovels, and quickly."
They dug into the soft ground, small patches of flattened grass and moss can be seen all over. They threw the dirt into a big pile on one of the stone slabs. The group started to go through it, looking for rocks. They came across many, examining them, unsure of what exactly they were looking for.
"How do we know?" One human said, tossing a large rock over his shoulder.
"Shape...texture, we've been over this." Fooser said, losing patience with their lack of success. "What do we have so far?" He went over to a pile of rocks, pushing them to various sides. "Hm.." He grabbed a couple in each hand, hopping down from the higher ground. The lizard stepped over to a large puddle, looking down at his reflection.
He held out one stone, dropping it into the puddle, some water splashes up on all sides. He took another one, doing the same thing. The humans began to assemble up top, looking down at the lizard, wondering what he was doing. Fooser let out a strong sigh, dropping the third one into the puddle, nothing happening. Delunos hopped down from above, walking over to the lizard, standing next to him, looking down at the stones in the puddle.
Fooser held up the last one, dropping it into the puddle. Right as the rock hit the puddle, the reflections of the two became that of skeletons, for just a split moment. Neither one got a good look, but the difference between that rock and the others was quite obvious. Fooser slowly bent down, picking it up out of the water. He examined it closely, even sniffing it slightly. He slowly turned around, looking up at the small group assembled above him, he grinned.