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Here it is at last!  The complete Developers Edition of

Avatar Chronicles 1 – Return of the Avatar!

With 30 community voices, as well as four of our favorite developers!

Listen out for:

• Richard Garriott as Lord British and Barek of the Old Gods
• Gina Dionne as FireLotus
• Starr Long as Red Badger and Lord DarkStarr
• Stephen Daniele as Marius and Samuel

(Insert “Soliloquy” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com)

AVATAR CHRONICLES I : THE RETURN OF THE AVATAR

On one of the many parallel worlds in the multiverse…

Prologue: New Britannia, Forty Years Ago

COURAGE

The shattered full moon of the lunar eclipse shone bright red in the night sky above
Falura Field. A lone white dove let out a mournful coo as it soared high above. Down
below, tens of thousands charred, frozen, and dismembered corpses littered the blood
stained battlefield, as healers tended to the few hundred surviving members of Lord
British’s army. Lord British lay on the grass, applying pressure to the deep sword wound
in his side. A few feet in front of him were the shattered fragments of the Amulet of
Vazur, with which the evil Lord Shadowreign had unleashed the power of Eight of the
Nine Legendary Dragons (Gold, Silver, Bronze, Copper, Red, Black, White, Blue)
upon New Britannia. (Thankfully, once the Avatar had shattered the Amulet with his
Sword of Virtue, Lord Shadowreign lost control of the Eight Dragons and they flew back
to their lairs and went to sleep.) Lord British was surrounded by piles of bone dust, the
remnants of Shadowreign’s powerful army of undead warriors.

(Music fades out. Insert “Viracocha’s Demise” By Eliot Corley)

Lord British’s attention was drawn back to the present by the loud clanging of swords.
He saw the Avatar and Lord Shadowreign locked in mortal combat in front of the Celestial Lunar Rift. The Avatar’s black and gold armor gleamed in the red moonlight.

“I was so close to summoning the Celestial Dragon, Ashara!”, yelled Lord Shadowreign, an imposing figure clad in red and black armor, ” Curse you, Avatar! Lord British stole everything that should have been mine – the throne and Lady Arabella, the woman I love! Why are you helping such an evil man?”

“No, Lord Shadowreign, you are mistaken.”, replied the Avatar, ” Lord British is a good person and our rightful ruler!”

“Avatar, why are you content being Lord British’s lap dog? Our nation has grown weak and pathetic under Lord British’s rule. In the days of old , we were known for the courage of our
knights as we expanded our empire by conquering those who opposed us. Nowadays, the other nations consider us to be a toothless tiger, more interested in making peace instead of war. Join me and together we can bring glory back to our nation!”, said Lord Shadowreign.

“Never! You were once a good person, but you have forsaken your virtues and are now driven only by dark desires! You are not worthy to rule over anyone!”, the Avatar shouted, as he swung his golden Sword of Virtue with all of his might.

The Sword of Virtue made a loud humming sound as it sliced through the air and made contact with
Lord Shadowreign’s massive, unbreakable, ebony blade, Darkstorm. Lord Shadowreign’s blade shattered into a hundred pieces.

Lord Shadowreign dropped the broken hilt and took a step back, a startled expression on
his face.

“What?! This can’t be…”, he said.

“Surrender and Lord British may show you mercy!”, said the Avatar, as he pointed his
sword at Lord Shadowreign.

” Never! If I can’t rule New Britannia, then I shall see it destroyed!”, bellowed Lord
Shadowreign,” But first I shall make you pay for ruining my plans, Avatar! Feel my
power!”

He began hurling bolts of red mystic energy at the Avatar, who deflected them
away with his sword. Lord Shadowreign began glowing bright yellow as he unleashed
even more powerful mystic energy bolts at the Avatar. The Avatar was slowly being
pushed backward by the force of the bolts.

“You are no match for me, Avatar!”, said Lord Shadowreign, as one of the bolts struck the
Avatar in the chest. The Avatar fell to his knees, momentarily stunned. Were it not for his enchanted armor, the Avatar would have been vaporized.

Lord Shadowreign’s eyes suddenly turned pitch black and he levitated several feet
upward. His body was now surrounded by a crackling globe of red mystic energy.

“Now all of you will die!”, Lord Shadowreign bellowed.

” I will not let you destroy New Britannia!”, said the Avatar, as he dropped his sword
and hurled himself at Lord Shadowreign . The Avatar felt agonizing pain as his flesh
began to burn once he penetrated the outer surface of the energy globe and plowed right
into Lord Shadowreign.

“No…!”, screamed Lord Shadowreign, as they were both propelled through the Celestial
Lunar Rift. After they passed through the lunar rift, the Avatar saw the look of anger
and disappointment in Lord Shadowreign’s face as he realized that he had been defeated.

“Curse you, Avatar!”, shouted Lord Shadowreign. The Avatar simply smiled. He knew
that New Britannia was safe. His work was done. Now, it was time to rest. Then,
everything exploded in a sea of red.

Lord British heard a loud explosion and saw a giant plume of red energy erupt from the
lunar rift before it was sucked back in and the the lunar rift collapsed in upon itself and
vanished. Everyone on the battlefield stood in shocked silence.

Lord British was unaware that a small golden metal fragment had been propelled out of
the lunar rift just prior to its collapse and had fallen at the prophet Nystal’s feet. Nystal
quickly picked up the fragment and slipped it into his belt pouch before anyone could
notice.

Suddenly, the Avatar’s Sword of Virtue shot up into the sky. It paused for a few
moments as the eight Runes of Virtue engraved in the hilt began glowing. Then, the
sword suddenly vanished in a flash of light.

“My Liege!”, exclaimed Fire Lotus, as she rushed to Lord British’s side and examined his

wound. (Few people knew that, in addition to being the city’s favorite tavern owner, Fire
Lotus was also a highly skilled healer.)

“You are badly wounded. Let me apply this healing salve and bandage your wound.”, said
Fire Lotus.

“Thank you, old friend. The wound does not appear to be responding to my healing
spell, perhaps because of the enchanted ebony blade which Lord Shadowreign used to
inflict it.”, replied Lord British.

Lord British sighed as Fire Lotus tended to his wound. ” New Britannia has been saved but at what cost? Thousands of my finest soldiers lie dead and our greatest champion,
the Avatar, has been lost!”, he said.

“This is a sad day indeed for all of New Britannia, My Liege.”, replied Fire Lotus, “But
your men showed great courage in the face of insurmountable odds and their sacrifices
were not in vain. This terrible year long ordeal is finally over and now we can begin to
rebuild what we lost.”

The tall, slender, white bearded prophet Nystal walked over to Lord British and Fire
Lotus.

“My dear Fire Lotus, you are mistaken. We may have won this battle, My Lord,
but the war is not over.”, said Nystal, “ Lord Shadowreign was not destroyed. The ancient forbidden dark magic which now courses through his veins have made him far too powerful to
be killed by conventional means. He has been seriously wounded and transported to a far
off planet in another universe. Lord Shadowreign will return at the full head of a powerful
army to reconquer New Britannia in forty years at the time of the next lunar eclipse.”

“Nystal, you are a truly wise prophet, but are you certain of this?”, asked Lord British.

“Yes, My Lord, of this I am certain!”, replied Nystal.

” How will we stop Lord Shadowreign when he returns?”, asked Lord British, “The
Avatar barely managed to defeat him, and at the cost of his own life.”

” The Avatar’s physical form was destroyed by the mystical energies unleashed by
Lord Shadowreign, but his soul is eternal.”, said Nystal, “ It was shattered into 35,000 fragments

which were carried through the portal to your home planet, Earth. These soul
fragments now reside in the most worthy of Earth’s inhabitants. Over the next forty
years, these avatars will be drawn here to New Britannia and compete
amongst themselves to determine who will be The One True Avatar.”

“But will the new Avatar be revealed in time to stop Lord Shadowreign?”, asked Lord
British.

“Yes, I will work to ensure that happens. Until next we meet…”, answered Nystal. He
leered at the lovely Fire Lotus for a moment before vanishing in a cloud of white smoke.

(Music fades out.)

(Insert “Rise of Spirit” by Alexandr Zhelanov)

“Do you think Nystal’s prophecy is true, My Liege?”, asked Fire Lotus, “There are
rumors that he is slowly going mad, as others have recently reported seeing him talking to
himself – even inanimate objects on several occasions.”

“No doubt he would be acting strangely, considering how much time he has been
spending in your fine establishment lately. I suspect Nystal is rather fond of you.”,
answered Lord British.

“My Liege…”, stammered Fire Lotus, as she blushed bright red.

“Nystal did warn us about Lord Shadowreign’s plans and his past prophecies have
proven to be true, so I see no reason to doubt him now.,” replied Lord British,” I was so
happy the day my younger half-brother James arrived here in New Britannia from Earth.
We were so close growing up. I can not believe how far he has fallen. I am grateful that my mother and stepfather did not live to see this day. For now, we must make sure that
the Amulet of Vazur does not fall into the wrong hands.”

Lord British cast a spell and the shattered fragments rose from the ground and flew off
into the sky to various remote parts of New Britannia.

“And so it begins…”, said Lord British, as he gazed up into the night sky.

End of Prologue (Music fades out.)
******************************************************************************************
( I am assuming that people in New Britannia physically age at roughly one-fourth of
the rate they would here on Earth.)

(Insert “A Winter Tale” by Johan Brodd)

Introduction: Mount Krendor, Four years ago…

TRUTH

A cold arctic wind swept though Mount Krendor, as it continued to snow heavily. A
solitary short, chubby figure, clad in a tattered brown robe, staggered across the
mountainside. The young monk Theodric was beginning to regret his decision to sneak
out of his monastery a week ago after receiving a vision compelling him to come here.
(At the monastery, Theodric was one of the five monks currently writing sections of The
History of New Britannia, Vol. 1, an important responsibility for someone so young. He
had been assigned the task based on the Grand Abbot’s personal recommendation to
Lord British.) (Music fades out.)

(Insert “World Travel” by Dan Knoflicek)

Suddenly, Theodric found himself standing in a lush garden next to a crystal clear
stream. His limbs no longer ached; in fact, he felt full of energy. Theodric looked down
and saw he was now clad in a comfortable white silk robe with blue trim and covered in
mysterious golden runes which he could not decipher. In his right hand was a massive
leather bound book. Theodric could not decipher the writing on the cover or the content
of the pages contained within. He peered into the stream and saw his face. He appeared
to be at least ten years older than he was now, complete with a full beard. Theodric also
appeared to be in much better shape than he was now, with most of his excess body fat
replaced with solid muscle. He heard a sound and looked up to see a lone white dove
soar overhead towards the massive Tree of Knowledge atop a nearby hill. Theodric
could see a beautiful, red-haired woman in a black robe with red trim also covered in
mysterious golden runes standing beneath the tree beckoning him. He did not recognize
her face. (Music fades out.)

(Insert “A Winter Tale” by Johan Brodd)

Then everything suddenly turned to white and he found himself back on Mount
Krendor.

In the distance, the shining beacon of light continued to beckon, but Theodric could go
no further. He had been walking for hours and could no longer feel his limbs. Theodric
collapsed from exhaustion and lost consciousness.

A pack of hungry snow wolves spotted the unconscious figure and came charging out of
the nearby woods. A hooded figure suddenly appeared next to Theodric’s unconscious
form. The hooded figure turned and looked in their direction. The snow wolves
suddenly stopped in their tracks and began whimpering. They quickly turned around
and ran off in the opposite direction. The hooded figure picked up Theodric and flung
him over his shoulder. They both vanished in a flash of light. (Music fades out.)

(Insert “Flights of Fancy” by Eliot Corley)

Theodric awoke to find himself in a mountain cave, clad in a warm, dry robe and lying
on a mat next to a burning fire. He could hear the loud roar of the snowstorm outside.
An elderly, white bearded cloaked figure sat across the fire from him.

“It’s about time you woke up! You’ve been unconscious for three days.”, said the old
man, ” Here, have some fine wine from Fire Lotus’ Tavern. It will warm you up a bit.”
The old man handed Theodric a wine flask.

“Thank you for rescuing me, kind sir. I am Theodric, a monk from St. Valdine’s
monastery. Who are you?”, asked Theodric.

“You may call me Nystal.”, answered the old man.

“The mad prophet, Nystal?”, said Theodric, “I heard that you were once an advisor to
Lord British himself long ago. What happened to you?”

“I’ve been busy searching for the new Avatar for the past thirty-six years, for Lord
Shadowreign will be returning soon and only the Avatar will be able to defeat him once
and for all.”, answered Nystal.

“But wasn’t Shadowreign slain by the Avatar and Lord British thirty-six years ago?”,
asked Theodric.

“No, he was merely defeated. I have chosen you to help me locate the new Avatar and
record the details of our journey for future generations. We will then help the Avatar
recover the lost fragments of the Amulet of Vazur, for only an Avatar wielding the full
power of the Nine Dragons can hope to stop Lord Shadowreign and his invading army.”,
said Nystal. He pulled out a small golden metal fragment out of his belt pouch and held
it in the palm of his hand. The fragment began glowing faintly. “This will lead us to the
new Avatar.”, said Nystal.

“What is it?”, asked Theodric.

“It is a fragment of the Amulet of Virtue, which was worn by the original Avatar when
he died battling Lord Shadowreign thirty-six years ago. “, replied Nystal, ” It is
mystically linked to the new Avatar and will glow bright white when we find him or
her.”

“Who are you, really?”, asked Theodric,” Tell me the truth. I can sense when people are
lying to me.”

“Ah, yes. One of your many hidden gifts. You are a learned man. Tell me what you
know about the Old Gods.”, said Nystal. (Loop as needed. Music fades out.)

(Insert “The Fall of Arcana (Epic Game Theme Music)” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com)

“According to the Book of Aramus, long, long ago, Britannia faced a grave crisis
known as The Great Cataclysm. On the moon Faralen, an enormous obsidian egg
which had lain dormant in an underground cave for a thousand years was struck by a
dark magic spell cast by the evil wizard Sintar, the last surviving descendant of
Mendarc, who wanted revenge against Lord British for the crimes he committed
against his ancestors. (Sintar himself would later be hunted down and killed in a
magic duel by Marian, leader of the Council of Mages, on New Britannia.) The newly
hatched Star Serpent threatened to destroy Faralen, which would have had
catastrophic consequences for Britannia. Lord British had the Avatar jump into the
Well of Eternity at the Temple of Argosa. The Avatar was instantly transported to the
underground cave on Faralen. After a long and fierce battle, both the Avatar and Star
Serpent were seriously wounded. The people of Britannia assumed that both of them
perished when the moon Faralen exploded.

After the Avatar failed to return and Faralen exploded, Lord British went to the
Cadatep atop Mount Helios and cast an unknown powerful magic spell which had been
entrusted to him in an effort to summon the Old Gods for help. And in case you forgot, Cadatep is a stone circle of gods, it’s a 25 foot tall obsidian statue arranged in a circle. It’s rumoured to be the spot where the old gods first set foot on Britannia, long long ago. (Music fades out.)

********************************************************************************************
(Insert “Hall of the Ancients” by Eliot Corley)
The Old Gods had originally visited us thousands of years ago in Britannia when we
were still primitive cave dwellers. The Old Gods lived in a silver city named Ghidara
which floated in the sky. They were masters of both magic and science. The Old Gods
mated with our women because their females could no longer bear children; hence we
are all descended from the Old Gods. (In fact, it is said that the members of the
Twelve Great Houses who sit on The Great Council are descended from the members
of The Old Gods’ own Council of Elders.) The Old Gods taught us how to make fire
and clothing, tools and weapons and gave us laws to govern us. After many years, the
Old Gods left us, saying that their other children needed their help but promised to
return someday to aid us if necessary.

The most famous of the Old Gods was the warrior god Darhan, ruler of the Old Gods.
Darhan had three sons. The eldest, Jonir, was a mighty warrior and sorceror, but he
had a heart as black as night. He took great delight in tormenting mankind. The
second son, Barek, was wise and kind, and a powerful sorcerer. He used his gifts to
aid mankind. The youngest son, Galen, was a brave and powerful warrior, who
helped his brother Barek oppose Jonir’s attempts to subjugate man. Eventually, Barek
and Galen were forced to use their combined might to slay their evil brother, but not
before Jonir managed to impart much of his knowledge of dark magic to his secret
apprentice. (As we learned thirty-six years ago, his secret apprentice was Lord
Shadowreign.)

Among the other Old Gods was a wise and powerful renegade whose true name has
been lost to the sands of time. A brilliant scientist, this inventor of time travel
technology was one of the three founders of their society (the warrior god Darhan and
the female mage god Siral being the other two) and was highly respected by the other
Old Gods. He called himself Nystal, and he strongly disagreed with some of the less
enlightened members of The Council of Elders who felt that less developed
civilizations should worship them as gods and serve as slave labor. Nystal resigned
from his position on The Council of Elders and left Ghidara soon after the Old Gods
originally departed from Britannia in order to explore time and space on his own. Of
all of the Old Gods, Nystal had spent the most time interacting with our people and
developed a real fondness for us. He promised to return someday to see how we were
doing, but has not been seen since his departure all those years ago. (Music fades out.)

**********************************************************************************************

(Insert “ Last Minute” by HorrorPen)
Upon casting the spell, the thirty obsidian statues began glowing bright white and
emitted beams of energy which caused a column of white light to form in the center of
the circle where Lord British was standing. Lord British was rapidly propelled upward
into the sky by the column of light as the astonished members of The Great Council
looked on. Meanwhile, the people of Britannia began to panic and ran for cover as the
smallest fragments of Faralen began striking the planet as meteorites,
demolishing structures and causing numerous fires.

When all seemed lost, the floating city of Ghidara suddenly appeared in the sky high
above Castle Britannia. All Britannians were instantly transported to Ghidara. Our
people witnessed the destruction of the planet from the depths of space as the largest
fragments of Faralen smashed into our planet, causing it to explode.

The Old Gods used something called a hyperdimensional drive to transport their city
through the vortex to a parallel universe where Faralen had only partially been
destroyed. (These parallel universes originally came into existence long ago when the
Avatar shattered the Gem of Immortality in order to make Mendarc mortal once again
and allowing him to be slain.) This parallel world was uninhabited because it’s former
inhabitants were not visited by the Old Gods in the distant past and ended up killing
each other in The Barbarian Clan Wars. After relocating us here to New Britannia, the
Old Gods helped us rebuild all we had lost by providing us with advanced
knowledge, technology and materials.

After several years, Darhan and the rest of the Old Gods departed our new world to
explore other realms. Soon after the Old Gods’ silver city of Ghidara left Mount
Krendor and soared off into space, both Lord British and the Avatar suddenly
reappeared in a flash of light in Castle New Britannia while the Great Council was in
session, with no memory of what had happened since their disappearance. When
news of their reappearance spread to the general populace, some of the people
wondered why Lord British now appeared to have a more youthful appearance, but
most people overlooked this fact because they were just happy to have their beloved
ruler back. The Book of Aramus suggests that some of the Old Gods never left and
may still walk among us, but today most people believe that Aramus’ account of the
Exodus and Founding of New Britannia is merely a fable and that the Old Gods never
really existed at all.”, said Theodric. ( Music fades out.)

(Insert “Medieval Theme 1” by Alexandr Zhelanov)

“Really? Is that what you young people believe today? What would you say if I told you
that everything described in the Book of Aramus was true?”, asked Nystal.

“How could you possibly know that?”, asked a skeptical Theodric.

“Because I was there to witness it!”, replied Nystal, “We wouldn’t have these problems
with Lord Shadowreign today if Darhan had simply followed my advice and personally
dealt with his son Jonir before he began down the path to darkness. I guess he was
blinded by a father’s love for his children.”

“You knew Darhan personally?”, asked a stunned Theodric.
“Indeed. A brave and powerful man, but certainly not the wisest.”, replied Nystal,
“Stubborn as a mule. Loved beautiful young women and wine. Not as much as I do, of
course.”

“You still haven’t answered my original question. Who are you?”, asked Theodric.

“I am Nystal, although in the past I have also gone by the name Hawkwind and
Time Lord. You must promise me never to reveal my true identity to anyone! For over
5,000 years, I traveled through time and space and, while helping those in need, made
many enemies who would like nothing better than to see me dead. That is why I altered
my physical appearance after I left the city of Ghidara long ago.

I deeply regret that I was not in Britannia at the time of the Great Cataclysm. Had I
forseen the rise of Sintar, perhaps I could have done something to stop him. Contrary to
popular belief, despite our mastery of time travel, the Old Gods are not all-knowing.
Thankfully, the summoning spell I had entrusted Lord British with on my last visit to
Britannia in my guise as Time Lord was successful and the majority of Britannians
were saved and relocated here to New Britannia.

About two hundred years ago, my timeship was badly damaged following a hostile encounter
with a Jinrazi battlecruiser and I was forced to crash land here on Mount Krendor. Based on
this civilization’s current rate of development, suitable replacement parts for my ship’s damaged quantum field generator won’t be available for approximately another 2,000 years.
In the meantime, as far as the world is concerned, I am simply the mad prophet Nystal!”,
answered Nystal.

Nystal noticed Theodric’s puzzled expression.

“You have no idea what I’m talking about, do you?”, said Nystal, “Forgive me,
sometimes I do tend to ramble on a bit. Theodric, you are about to play a pivotal role in
the history of New Britannia!”

“So, why did you choose me to aid you in your quest?”, asked Theodric.

“You remind me a lot of your grandfather Tiberius at this age.”, replied Nystal.

“You knew my grandfather?”, asked a surprised Theodric, “I never got the opportunity
to know him. He died before I was even born.”

“That is most unfortunate. Like you, he was extremely bright and inquisitive. Always
spoke his mind.”, said Nystal, “We often debated long into the night about many topics
such as philosophy, law, politics, and science. He rose from humble beginnings to
become the greatest scholar of his era. That is why Lord British chose him to write his
biography, Lord British: The Path of Virtue.”

“I know. Lord British’s biography is still required reading in school today.”, replied
Theodric, “Did you know my grandmother as well?”

“Of course! When I first met Talia, she was an incredibly beautiful, fiery tempered,
powerful young mage – the exact opposite of your grandfather. Nobody thought that
they would make a good couple, but I knew they were meant to be together. I
introduced them to each other and, as you know, they ended up having a very long and
happy life together.”, said Nystal, “By the way, how is your grandmother doing these
days?”

Nystal smiled as his eyes briefly glowed. (Music fades out.)

*******************************************************************************

(Insert “Painted Dreams (Mock-Up)” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com)

That evening, as Theodric slept, Nystal teleported out of the cave.

In a moonlit clearing in the woods north of Libris, stood a small wooden cottage. A wisp of grey smoke rose from the chimney. A white-bearded wizard sat on a rocking chair on the porch, smoking on a long bamboo pipe. In front of the cottage, a young female elf was practicing her fire magic.

Lord Baldrith stopped smoking on his pipe and said, “Lanthirthel, try that again! I want you to envision the fire forming in your hands. Shape it into a ball and let it loose upon your enemy!”

Lanthirthel concentrated and uttered the words of magic. A small ball of fire formed in her hands and she hurled it at the plate armor covered scarecrow standing in the distance. The fireball found its target and the scarecrow erupted into flames.

Lord Baldrith cast the ice spell, Douse, to extinguish the flames.

“Excellent, my dear!”, said Lord Baldrith, as he smiled, “To think, just a month ago, you had trouble forming a fireball! I’m very proud of you.”

“Thank you, master!”, replied Lanthirthel, “ You are such a great teacher!”
“Indeed he is!”, said Nystal, who had suddenly appeared behind Lanthirthel.
“Godfather!”, exclaimed Lanthirthel, as she turned around and gave him a big hug, “I haven’t seen you for so long!”
“Yes, my child, I’ve been rather busy searching for the new Avatar!”, replied Nystal, “I see that Lord Baldrith has taught you well. You’ve made considerable progress since I last saw you three months ago!”
“It is good to see you, master!”, said Lord Baldrith, as he rose from his rocking chair and walked over to shake Nystal’s hand, “ Lanthirthel gives me too much credit. She has a natural gift for magic which is rare even among Sindarin elves. Thank you once again for entrusting me with her training in the mystic arts!”
“Lord Baldrith, you were my finest student. It was only natural that you would be the one to train Lanthirthel!”, said Nystal, “By the way, how’s the staff holding up?”
“It has served me well all of these years!”, replied Lord Baldrith, grasping the long, curvy staff with red gem on top, “I always thought that this was a fine graduation present, Nystal! As a matter of fact, just the other day, I had to retrieve it from an annoying imp who stole it!”
“I’m sure you taught him the error of his ways!”, said Nystal.
“Indeed! I won’t need to worry about him ever returning here to bother us again!”, replied a grinning Lord Baldrith.
“How is my brother Carlin doing?”, asked Lanthirthel.
“He is busy tracking down a lead which he hopes will lead him to that Dark Elf archer, Elirebin Shademaster, who slew your parents.”, said Nystal, “Did I ever tell you how your father, Arahaelon, saved my life long ago soon after my arrival on New Britannia?”
“No, godfather.”, replied Lanthirthel, “I would very much like to hear that story!”
“Well then, let’s go inside and have a seat around the fireplace!”, said Lord Baldrith, “I’ll boil us a kettle of water and we can have some nice, hot tea while listening to Nystal’s tale!”
Lord Baldrith, Lanthirthel, and Nystal entered the cottage.
Nystal would not end up teleporting back to the cave on Mount Krendor until four hours later…
(Music fades out.)
**************************************************************************************************
The next morning the snowstorm ended and the sun came out. As Theodric was
finishing packing up their supplies, Nystal walked over to him and handed him a well-
crafted, oak long staff.

“Take this.”, said Nystal,” You will need it during our long journey. I assume you have
been trained in its use.”

“Yes, I have.”, replied Theodric, ” In fact, the Grand Abbott said that I showed such a
natural proficiency with it that he assigned me the task of training the new monks how to
use it to defend themselves. Do you expect us to encounter many dangerous foes on our
journey?”

“Indeed.”, said Nystal, “Lord Shadowreign’s minions are everywhere and they will do
whatever it takes to prevent the new Avatar from appearing to oppose their master’s
return.”

“I see.”, replied Theodric, “Won’t you need a weapon to defend yourself as well?”

“No.”, said Nystal, “In addition to my innate abilities, I have also mastered all of the
schools of magic. Trust me, we’ll be fine!”

Theodric suddenly had an uneasy feeling as Nystal smiled at him.

***************************************************************************************************
(Insert “March of May” by MyCannonSing)
Meanwhile, at a warehouse in the port town of Jerahl, located on the southwestern tip of Novia, a large crowd had gathered to hear Marius, the handsome, charismatic, young leader of the newly
formed Homeguard,speak.

“My fellow New Britannians. Today we are faced with an epic crisis. For many years our world has been slowly invaded by these “offworlders”, claiming to be potential successors to our greatest hero – the Avatar – who gave his life thirty-six years ago to save us from the threat posed by the evil Lord Shadowreign. There offworlders are an infection; when not battling each other for the mantle of Avatar, have been terrorising our people. They satisfy their bloodlust be myrdering innocent civilians, their greed by robbing defenceless farmers, merchants and travellers, and their lust by having their way with whomever they choose! Lord British has done nothing to stop the influx of this vermin, and precious little to curb their actions. It is up to us to take up arms against these offworlders and let them know they are not welcome in New Britannia! said Marius.

“But, Marius, what can we do to stop these offworlders? They have been numerous
reports of slain offworlders coming back to life as if nothing had happened.”, asked a
beautiful, young, blue-eyed, blonde woman in the audience.

“Yes, it is true that these offworlders seem to be quite resilient than us , but they can be
destroyed. Decapitation and fire work best.” replied Marius, “So who among you will join us? Who among you will fight to protect our home from these invaders?”

“Death to the offworlders! All hail, Marius! All hail the Homeguard!”, chanted the crowd,
as they began waving their swords, battleaxes, and sharp farm implements in the air.

Later, after the crowd dispersed, Marius secretly met the blonde woman backstage.

“I’ve missed you so much!”, exclaimed Marius.

“Me too!”, replied the woman,”It’s been so hard for me to get away from my husband!”,
as they embraced and passionately kissed.

“That went even better than I expected!”, said the woman, “I think we managed to recruit
another hundred members to our cause!”

“I know I am merely the public face of the Homeguard, my dear!”, replied Marius, “You
are the one writing the speeches and providing most of the financial support for training
and weapons. But Vastra, will you ever tell me your real name? ”

“In time, lover! Right now, I think we should concentrate on other things!”, said Vastra,
with a devilish grin.

“Of course my dear. I will be counting the days until we are together again…..”

End of Introduction (Music fades out.)

************************************************************************
(Insert “Beauty of Chaos” by grindhold and grindhold.de)
Chapter One: Enemies and Allies

Somewhere on the road between Kingsport and Owl’s Head

Five years ago…

It was a warm summer day, and about two dozen members of the Church of Chaos (twelve armed, twelve unarmed) were traveling by horseback from Kingsport to Owl’s Head.
“Be on the lookout, my sisters!”, said the lead rider, Sister Agnes, commander of the Shadow Guard, the military branch of the Church of Chaos, “I have received reports that Dark Elves may be nearby!”
Sister Amber Raine rode alongside Sister Agnes. As her second in command, she was well aware of the dangers they faced passing this close to the forest. Amber’s recently acquired pet wolf, whom she had named Mori Tura, trotted alongside her.
“Sister Agnes, are you sure we brought enough Shadow Guards with us?”, asked Amber.
“You worry too much, Sister Amber Raine!”, replied Sister Agnes, “We can easily handle a group of Dark Elves!”
Amber’s pet wolf, Mori Tura, suddenly came to a halt and started growling loudly. He stared in the direction of the woods.
“What’s wrong, boy?”, asked Amber, “Do you sense danger?”
Suddenly, Amber heard a familiar whizzing sound as an arrow struck Sister Agnes in the heart and she fell from her horse, dead! (Music fades out.)
(Insert “Dream Raid Full Version (Mock Up)” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com)
“Sister Beatrice, you and the rear guard help our unarmed sisters to seek cover!”, yelled Amber, “Everyone else engage the enemy!”
Amber was surprised to see five dozen Dark Elf archers, swordsmen, and mages, come charging out of the woods! Amber and her sisters dismounted and took up positions. Her archers took cover behind some nearby boulders and began firing poison-tipped arrows at the Dark Elf mages who were casting fireballs, while her mages began casting Chaos Bolts at the enemy. Sisters Amber, Melody, and Carlita rushed forward to engage the Dark Elves in hand to hand combat.
Amber used her twin swords to finish off two Dark Elf swordsmen who charged at her, but did not see a third Dark Elf swordsman sneaking up behind her. As he raised his sword and prepared to backstab her, Amber’s wolf leapt into the air, tackled him and ripped out his throat! Amber turned and nodded approvingly.
Sister Amber and her fellow Shadow Guard members put up a good fight, but there were just too many Dark Elves to deal with. One by one, Amber saw the others fall, until she and Sister Melody were the last two Shadow Guard members left standing to defend the nine surviving unarmed Sisters who were hiding behind some nearby boulders. All seemed lost…
Then Amber suddenly felt a sharp pain in her back as three Dark Elf poison-tipped arrows struck her. No problem, thought Amber, my enhanced healing factor should be able to handle this! But something felt wrong this time. Everything went black as she lost consciousness and fell to the ground… (Music fades out.)
(Insert “Flights of Fancy” by Eliot Corley)

When Amber regained consciousness, she found herself lying on a mat in a cave, clad only in her underwear and covered with a blanket. Apparently, someone had removed her armor and put some sort of salve on her wounds and bandaged her up. Her pet wolf, Mori Tura, sat beside her with a somber look on his face. Once he saw that she was conscious, he smiled and bent down to lick her face. Amber patted him on the head as she sat up.
“Ah, you’re finally awake! You were unconscious for about a day.”, said a white-bearded fellow clad in a white robe with black trim. The back of his robe was emblazoned with the image of a black hourglass.
“Thank you for saving me, kind sir! But what of my sisters?” said Amber.
“I’m afraid they were all slain by the Dark Elves.”, said the somber fellow, “You are fortunate that I happened to be riding by after the massacre. Your enhanced immune system couldn’t handle the heavy dose of Badophan poison you received. Badophan poison is extremely rare and is the only type of poison which is fatal to elves. It appears that you were specifically targeted, as I could find no trace of Badophan poison on the arrows which struck two of your fellow Elven sisters. My cure poison and healing spells did not seem to have any effect on you. You seem to have an extremely high natural resistance to magic. Thank heavens my late friend, Christopher Nightshadow, taught me a thing or two about herbal remedies long ago.”
“My sisters were all slain?”, whispered Amber Raine, as her eyes appeared to glaze over, “I have failed in my duty as a member of the Shadow Guard! I should join them in death!”
Amber reached for the dagger she had strapped to her leg, but the old man swatted her hand away with his wooden staff.
“Don’t throw your life away like that!”, admonished the old man, “You did the best you could under the circumstances. You were surprised and seriously outnumbered. There was nothing you could have done to change the outcome. What transpired was meant to be!”
“No, I can’t believe that! Our Lord Chaos would not want his most devoted followers to be slaughtered a bunch of foul creatures!”, exclaimed Amber.
The old man sighed.
“I have seen much during my 5,000 years of existence and can assure you that this was a fixed point in time. Your sisters’ fate was sealed the moment they embarked on this journey. Your destiny lies elsewhere!” said the old man.
“Who are you?” asked a wary Amber.
“My name is Nystal and I am here to help guide you to your proper path, Amber Raine!” replied a smiling Nystal, as his eyes began to glow. (Music fades out.)
*************************************************************************************************
(Insert “Liyan” by Elerya)
The Port City of Ardoris
5:00 PM, The Present…
“Keep moving!” barked Amber Raine to her prisoner as they emerged from the lunar rift outside the port city of Ardoris, located at the southeastern tip of Novia. The prisoner’s hands were bound behind his back with Darby style handcuffs. Her pet wolf, Mori Tura, trotted alongside.
(Music fades out.)
(Insert “From Tome to Tome” by Eliot Corley)
The charming and handsome bandit leader, Red Badger, flashed a grin, as he turned to Amber Raine, and said, “It’s not late for you to let me go! I’ll offer you triple whatever your employer is paying you. You know what they’ll do to me if you turn me over. How could you do that to a hero of the common people in good conscience?”
Amber snorted in disgust.
“A hero to the common people?” replied Amber, “I suppose you’re going to say that you’re like Robin Hood, robbing from the rich to give to the poor!”
“Why, of course!” said Red Badger.
“Don’t lie to me!” Amber angrily replied, “I know for a fact that only 10% of your ill-gotten gain goes back to the poor in the form of food or gold. The other 90% you keep for yourself!”
“I have expenses! I have many men to support!”
“Hogwash!”, retorted Amber, “You spend the bulk of the money on wine, women, property, and rare and precious forms of art and literature!”
“I admit I do have an appreciation for the finer things in life.”, said Red Badger, with a devilish grin, “Especially beautiful and strong women, such as yourself! Wouldn’t you like to be my girlfriend, Amber? You may say no, but your eyes say yes!”
Red Badger suddenly gave Amber a long, passionate kiss! Amber was horrified to discover that she actually enjoyed it and did not resist at first. No, this is wrong…Amber thought to herself. Red Badger may be incredibly handsome, but she had to resist giving in to her carnal desires. She pushed Red Badger back, but he suddenly tackled her and they soon found themselves rolling around on the grass! Somehow, Red Badger ended up on top of Amber and was straddling her prone form.

“Give me the key so I can uncuff myself!”, demanded Red Badger.

“No way!”, shouted Amber, as she suddenly head butted him!

Amber rolled around and found herself now straddling Red Badger’s prone form. Both were breathing heavily from all of the physical exertion.

“Do my eyes say yes now Red Badger? I shall now show you exactly what the “Finer things in life are”

Amber suddenly pulled out her dagger and had a wild look in her eyes! Red Badger couldn’t help but notice that her eye color had changed from green to blue!

Red Badger became concerned and said, “Hey, no need to resort to violence! You can’t blame a guy for trying!”

A grin caressing the crimson lips of Amber as her words fell sultry yet dominating from her lips “Oh how your words say no, but your body certainly says Yes!”

Amber responded, and proceeded to use her dagger to cut away his white silk shirt and his pants!

“Hey…what are you doing?”, asked Red Badger.

“Don’t you want to be my boyfriend, Red Badger?”

Amber grunted and raised her dagger.

Red Badger became very scared and said, “Uh…I promise to behave myself from now on! Please get that dagger away from my private parts!”

A wild-eyed Amber spoke in a voice that did not sound like her own, “Now, it’s time to show you who’s the real boss!”, as she laughed maniacally, “Ember Flame is in charge now!

Red Badger screamed as Amber brought the dagger down…

Two hours later, a dazed and naked Red Badger was curled up in a fetal position, mumbling, “No more…no more.” Amber’s eye color suddenly switched back from blue to green.

“Shut up!”, said Amber, as she punched him in the jaw!

“Ow, that really hurt!”, exclaimed Red Badger, as he snapped back to his senses and rubbed his bruised jaw.

“I always honor my commitments! My word is my bond.”, said Amber, as she glared at Red Badger, “I’ll not be bought off with trinkets! Speak of this anymore and I will show you the meaning of real pain!”

Red Badger knew Amber was being serious, so he decided to keep his mouth shut.

“Now put these clothes on! We must not keep the mayor waiting!”, barked Amber, as she threw him some peasant clothes.

(Music fades out.)
(Insert “Asian Duet” by elerya)
Later, as they approached the giant stone archway which marked the entry point to Ardoris, the normally stoic Guard Bob suddenly smiled and waved to Amber. “Good to see you again, Amber!”, said Guard Bob , “ You’ve been busy I see..”
“Yes, the Mayor will want to see this prisoner right away.”, replied Amber, “He’s the Red Badger!”
“The Red Badger?!”, exclaimed Guard Bob, “We’ve been trying to catch him for the last six months! I am very impressed.”
“Thank you, Bob.”, replied Amber, “Apprehending him wasn’t easy!”
“By the way, I get off in an hour. Mind if I buy you a drink then at The Bear Tavern?”, asked Guard Bob.
“I’ll have to take a rain check.” said Amber, apologetically, “After I drop off this fellow and collect my bounty, I have to get back to Brittany right away!”
“OK, next time then…” said Guard Bob, trying to hide his disappointment.
(Music fades out.)
(Insert “Asian String Suite” by BossLevelVGM)
Amber escorted the prisoner to the front gate of the Mayor’s luxurious mansion, which, like much of Ardoris, had an Asian theme to it. A magnificent white marble water fountain in the form of a globe held in the palm of an enormous hand stood in the front yard. She informed one of the two guards at the front gate who she was and the nature of her business. The guard rushed inside to inform the Mayor and Amber and her prisoner were soon ushered into the Mayor’s back office. The Mayor was seated behind his desk with his back to them, gazing out the window at his well-manicured zen garden. Two armed guards took up positions on either side of the door behind Amber and Red Badger.
“Well done, Amber, you’ve succeeded where my guards have failed!”, said Mayor Stile Teckel, as he turned around in his chair to face them, “So, you’re the notorious Red Badger who has been attacking my trade caravans? You’re a lot smaller than I expected.”
Red Badger started to speak,” Mayor Teckel…”, but the mayor cut him off with a gesture of his hand.
Turning to Amber, Mayor Teckel said, “As soon as I received your message, I sent men to the secret cave hideout which you described. They were able to apprehend a dozen of the Red Badger’s men and recover about half of the stolen loot.”
“Tell me where I can find the rest of your men and the loot and I promise you a swift and merciful death!”, said the Mayor, “Refuse, and I will have my men torture you until you provide us with the information and then you will be drawn and quartered at high noon in the city square!”
“Wait, that’s not necessary!”, said Red Badger, “I have even more valuable information to offer in exchange for my life!”
“What sort of information?”, asked a curious Mayor Teckel.
“It wasn’t by chance that I targeted your trade caravans, Mayor Teckel! I was acting under orders from my boss!”
“Your boss?’, asked Mayor Teckel, “..And who might that be?”
“Duke Garen!”, replied Red Badger.
“What? That’s utter nonsense!”, said Mayor Teckel, “Duke Garen has no quarrel with me and is a highly respected member of the Great Council. He would not be consorting with criminals such as you!”
“I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true!”, said Red Badger, “Duke Garen is angry for losing the bid on the Nimada casino construction project to you! The potential revenue from the first casino to be constructed in New Britannia will be enormous!”
“Indeed it will be!”, replied Mayor Teckel, “I’ve already entered into negotiations with The Bear Tavern to provide food and beverage services for the new casino, which will be built here in Ardoris. Duke Garen did seem somewhat disappointed in losing that bid. Perhaps you are telling the truth…”
Mayor Teckel stroked his chin as he pondered the validity of Red Badger’s claim.
“I wouldn’t trust a thing this scoundrel says!”, said Amber, “He’s trying to stir up trouble and save his own skin!”
“You have a point, Amber.”, replied Mayor Teckel, “If Red Badger is lying, and I make a move against Duke Garen, that would be disastrous! I would not want someone as rich and powerful as Duke Garen as an enemy!”
“Amber, you doubt my sincerity?”, asked Red Badger, “Well here is a bit of information you might find interesting. Duke Garen has men searching for your old friend, Nystal!”
“Nystal? Why would Duke Garen be interested in Lord British’s former adviser?”, asked Amber.
“I don’t know why he’s interested in Nystal, but I do know that he has dispatched men to every city, town, and village in New Britannia.”, said Red Badger, ”Do you want physical proof? Reach into my vest pocket.”
Amber reached into Red Badger’s vest pocket and pulled out a folded up piece of parchment. Opening it up, she saw a wanted poster of Nystal which had been distributed to all of Duke Garen’s men. The wanted poster instructed his men to apprehend Nystal and bring him back to Duke Garen’s castle just outside Brittany for questioning. Amber showed Mayor Teckel the wanted poster and then folded it up and put it in one of her belt pouches.
“Well, it seems for once you were telling the truth, Red Badger!”, said Amber.
“Guards, take him away and throw him in my private dungeon. I will notify the Shogun Siranto and he will decide what to do with him!”, said Mayor Teckel.
“Hey…”, said Red Badger as the two guards dragged him away.
After they left, Mayor Teckel took a small pouch full of gold coins out of his desk drawer and handed it to Amber.
“Good work, Amber!”, said Mayor Teckel, “I suspect I will be in need of your services again soon!”
“Well you know how to reach me should the need arise!”, replied Amber, “What do you plan to do about Duke Garen? I know you’ve already tied up a significant portion of your assets in the Nimada project. Without sufficient supplies and materials, the project will fail and you will be ruined!”
“I will have to plan my next move carefully.”, said Mayor Teckel, “Duke Garen is not someone to be underestimated. I’ve spent too many years building my business empire to allow it to be brought down by that man. What are your plans, Amber?”
“I have to track down my old friend, Nystal, and warn him of the danger.”, replied Amber.
“Good luck to you!”, said Mayor Teckel, shaking Amber’s hand.
“You too, Mayor!”, said Amber.
Amber turned and left the room. . (Music fades out.)
(Insert “Innocence” by Eliot Corley)
Outside the Mayor’s mansion, Amber found Mori Tura patiently sitting by the front gate. As Amber approached, he got up and they began walking down the street. Suddenly, they spied three teenage boys picking on a young, ten year old girl.
“Please give me back my ball!”, asked the young girl.
“I don’t think so!”, said one of the boys, passing it to one of his friends. The second boy taunted the girl by holding the ball in front of him. As the girl reached for the ball, he suddenly pulled it back beyond her reach and then tossed the ball to a third friend.
The third boy held the ball out, just above the girl’s head. The little girl jumped up to get it, but the boy suddenly held it high above his head, beyond her reach! The little girl jumped up again, but to no avail. The three boys started laughing.
The little girl looked like she was about to cry, when Amber and Mori Tura walked up.
Amber glared at the boys and said, “Give the little girl her ball back!”
Mori Tura started growling.
The three boys suddenly looked very nervous. The third boy handed the ball back to the little girl.
“Now leave! And if I ever catch you bothering this little girl again, you will surely regret it!”, said Amber, as Mori Tura eyes suddenly turned bright red and he bared all of his sharp, pearly white teeth.
“Ah, it’s some sort of demon wolf!”, cried one of the boys. The three boys turned and ran away as fast as they could.
“Good boy!”, said Amber, patting Mori Tura on the head, as his eyes returned to normal and he smiled at the little girl.
The little girl walked up to Mori Tura and began petting him.
“Good wolf!”, she said, “Do you want to be friends?”
Mori Tura nodded.
Amber introduced herself to the little girl.
“Hi, my name is Amber, and this is my pet wolf, Mori Tura.”, said Amber.
“Thank you for helping me, Amber.”, said the little girl, “Those boys were really mean.”
“I don’t think you’ll ever have to worry about them bothering you again.”, replied Amber, “Right, Mori Tura?”
Mori Tura nodded.
“What’s your name?”, asked Amber.
“My name is Chariya.”, said the little girl.
“Chariya? I know someone with that name…”, said Amber. (Music fades out.)
(Insert “Maria’s Theme” by Janne Hanhisuanto)
Amber suddenly remembered that, right after she recovered from the Badophan poison five years ago, Nystal had introduced her to the holographic form of his wife, Chariya. This little girl looks exactly like her, Amber thought to herself. This can’t be a coincidence. I better let Nystal know about this when I find him.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Chariya.”, said Amber, shaking her hand, “Now I think it’s best if you run along home now. I’m sure your parents must be worried.”
“There you are, Chariya!”, shouted a blond-haired, blue-eyed, middle-aged man clad in a knight’s tunic, as he ran over to hug Chariya, “You had me so worried! Never wander off like that when your grandmother falls asleep on the sofa!”
‘But it is so nice and warm and I wanted to play outside with my ball!”, said Chariya, “Three older boys were really mean to me, but this nice lady and her pet wolf scared them away!”
“Thank you for coming to my daughter’s aid!”, said the knight, as he shook Amber’s hand, “I am Sir Charles Campbell, Knight Commander in Lord British’s Royal Army. Ever since my wife, Helen, passed away three years ago, it’s been rather hard keeping an eye on Chariya. My mother is getting very old and I had just sent our servant Niles to the market to fetch some lamb for Chef Robert to prepare some nice lamb stew for dinner. I was tending to our garden out back and didn’t even notice that Chariya had wandered outside.”
“Well, no harm done.”, replied Amber, “But you have to do be more careful, Chariya! Mori Tura and I may not be around the next time you get in trouble. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Amber.”, said Chariya, as she nodded her head, “You and Mori Tura must be hungry. Would you like to join us for dinner?”
“I don’t want to impose…”, said Amber.
“Nonsense, it’s the least I can do!”, replied Sir Charles Campbell, “I won’t take no for an answer!”
“What do you think, Mori Tura?”, asked Amber, turning to her pet wolf, “Should we join Chariya and her father for dinner?”
Mori Tura thought to himself – I really wish I could speak. I hate being trapped in this wolf form. His mind drifted back to the past… (Music fades out.)
******************************************************************************************************
(Insert “Soliloquy” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com)
Five and a half years ago…
Castle New Britannia
Samuel was hard at work in his studio in Castle New Britannia completing the painting his liege, Lord British, had commissioned of his lovely wife, Lady Arabella. As he moved his enchanted paintbrush (said to be once owned by the great Italian artist, Caravaggio, an influential figure of the Baroque period) across the canvas, images suddenly appeared, despite the fact that he was not using any paint at all! A few more touches and it was complete. Samuel gazed at the painting. He knew that his liege would be very pleased with it.
Setting down his enchanted paintbrush, he got up and examined the other paintings he had recently completed for his liege, which were leaning against a nearby wall. One was a rather peaceful painting of a warm spring day in the Valley of Fallen Heroes. Taking a closer look at the background, he noticed two odd things which he hadn’t been aware of before. First, that single white dove flying overhead – was it his imagination or was its eye actually glowing? And where did that smiling, purple llama standing atop a nearby hill suddenly come from? Strange indeed… Samuel moved on to the second painting, which depicted Castle New Britannia as it would be viewed from someone standing near the front gate. He suddenly noticed that there appeared to be a light on in one of the upper tower rooms and a figure standing in front of the window. Who was that? Samuel peered closer…he couldn’t make out the person’s face – just, a shadowy, hooded figure pointing a finger – directly at him! This was getting to be too eerie…Samuel moved on to the third and final painting, which was a head shot of a black wolf staring right at the viewer. There was something odd about the eyes. When viewed one way, the eyes appeared yellow, but when viewed from another angle, they appeared to be red!
Since being appointed by Lord British to the position of Royal Artist, Samuel was afforded the privilege of keeping some of his own artwork to decorate his own quarters or to sell as he saw fit. Now it was time to paint something for himself. Samuel picked up a blank canvas and placed it on his second easel. Picking up his enchanted paintbrush, he let his imagination run wild as an image slowly started to form on the blank canvas. When he was done, he gasped. Before him was the face of the most beautiful, red-headed elf he had ever seen! There was a sad look in her eyes, though, that hinted at some hidden pain.
Samuel was suddenly interrupted by the sound of a rather familiar, annoying voice.
“Greetings, Samuel! How are you doing on this fine spring day?”, said Duke Garen, as he entered the studio.
“Just fine, Duke Garen.”, replied Samuel, as he forced himself to smile, “What brings you here today?”
“I was visiting Lord British to discuss some court business. I’m here to offer you a business proposal.”, said a smiling Duke Garen.
“What sort of business proposal?”, asked Samuel.
“I have always been a big fan of your artwork, Samuel. I will pay you double whatever Lord British is currently paying you, along with food and lodging, if you come and work for me instead.”, replied Duke Garen.
“Thank you for the generous offer, Duke Garen, but I must decline.”, said Samuel, “I am quite happy working for Lord British.”
“You are refusing my offer?!”, yelled Duke Garen, “How dare you…”
“I think you should reconsider, or you will surely regret it…”, hissed Duke Garen.
“I don’t take too kindly to threats, Duke Garen.”, replied Samuel, “Furthermore, I don’t think that Lord British would tolerate this sort of behavior either. I…” (Music fades out.)
(Insert “Dark Amulet” by Matthew Pablo)
Suddenly, Samuel found that he could neither move nor speak!
A hooded figure appeared in the doorway and was pointing his finger at Samuel, just like in the painting! The figure pulled down his hood to reveal a Tall Albino Man with red glowing eyes!
“I always get what I want! If I can’t have you, then I will make sure that no one else will either!”, hissed Duke Garen.
Glancing over at the painting of the wolf, Duke Garen suddenly had a wicked smile on his face.
“So you like wolves, Samuel?”, said Duke Garen, “Very well then. A wolf you shall be!”
Duke Garen started casting a spell and Samuel felt himself changing…
A few moments later, he glanced over into the dressing room mirror behind Duke Garen and saw that he was now a black wolf identical to the one in the painting!
“That will teach you for defying me!”, cackled Duke Garen. He nodded to the Tall Albino Man.
The Tall Albino Man smiled and extended his arm, pointing towards the door. In his mind, Samuel could feel, rather than hear, the command “Run away little wolf – far far away!”
Samuel was suddenly no longer paralyzed and was compelled to run out of the studio as fast as his legs could take him. He ran out of the castle, through the streets of Brittany, and into the nearby forest.
After about an hour, he was finally free of the Tall Albino Man’s influence and was able to stop. He was totally exhausted and panting. Samuel looked around. He was deep in the forest and completely lost. Suddenly, he heard the sound of growling behind him. He turned around to find himself facing a giant brown bear! The bear swatted him aside with one of his sharp claws. Samuel landed on his back nearby. He felt the sharp pain from the deep claw marks in his chest and saw the rapidly expanding pool of blood forming on his black fur. The growling bear was rapidly approaching, but Samuel didn’t even have enough strength left to right himself. What a terrible way to die, Samuel thought.
Suddenly, the bear was struck in the chest by three throwing knives and a figure in black suddenly jumped in front of him and finished the bear off with a pair of swords! Everything faded to black as Samuel lost consciousness. (Music fades out.)
(Insert “Path to Lake Land” by Alexandr Zhelanov)
Several hours later, as Samuel slowly regained consciousness and opened his eyes, he realized that his head was lying in someone’s lap. His mysterious savior had apparently bandaged his wounds and was petting him on the head. Stephen looked up and found himself staring into the face of the beautiful, red-headed female elf whom he had painted earlier that day!
“Are you feeling better, boy?”, she asked, in a very soothing voice.
The elf identified herself as Amber Raine, and, turning to Sister Agnes, asked if she could keep the wolf as her own. Sister Agnes initially refused, as pets were forbidden in the church, but Amber was insistent, pointing out that the wolf would surely die if they left him in the wilderness. Seeing Amber’s devotion, and obvious love for the wolf, Sister Agnes interceded with the High Priestess, and Amber was allowed to keep him, on condition that she became totally responsible for his upkeep.
Thank you, Sister Agnes!’, replied a joyful Sister Amber Raine. “I think I will name him Mori Tura!”,
Amber Raine turned to her new pet wolf and said, “Hi, Mori Tura! My name is Amber Raine. I think we’re going to be really good friends!”
Samuel looked up into Amber’s eyes. He had always been popular with the ladies of the court because of his incredible good looks and his position as Royal Artist, but he had never found anyone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with – until now. He found it rather ironic that now that he had found his one true love, he was cursed to be in this wolf form. But, at that very moment, Samuel knew that he would never leave Amber’s side. He hoped that one day he would find a way to break this curse and give her all the love she deserved. Right after he ripped out the throats of that damn Duke Garen and Tall Albino Man!
******************************************************************************************************
Back in the present, Mori Tura nodded.
“Well, it’s settled then!”, said Amber, “Mori Tura and I would be happy to join you and Chariya for dinner!”
“Excellent!”, said Sir Charles Campbell, taking hold of Chariya’s right hand., “My home is just down the street.”
Amber and Mori Tura followed the two of them to Sir Charles Campbell’s Founder Knight home near the stone wall marking the edge of the inner city. As they entered the home, Chariya smiled. Amber is such a nice lady, she thought to herself. Perhaps father will like her and she will become my new mommy. (Music fades out.)
******************************************************************************************************
The Magasa Forest
5:00 PM, The Present…
(Insert “Battle Theme A” by cynicmusic at www.cynicmusic.com and www.pixelsphere.org)
Theodric had decided to scout ahead of Nystal when suddenly he heard the sounds of men shouting and strange humming and clanking noises. He heard a man shout, ”Hurry, I think he fled this way!”

Soon, Theodric found himself facing fifteen Oracle flies, spiders, and Obsidian soldiers!

“You there!”, yelled one of the soldiers, “Did you see a ranger come this way?”

“No, sir!”, replied Theodric.

This didn’t make any sense at all, Theodric thought to himself. Why would there be some of the Oracle’s droids running around here and allied with her bitter enemies, the Obsidians?

“I see.” , replied the soldier, “Seize that man! We will take him back to the Temple for conversion. He will make a fine addition to our army! All hail the Oracle!”

Two of the other soldiers stepped forward, but Theodric grabbed hold of his long staff and began spinning it around.

Suddenly, one of the soldiers fell back dead, an arrow sticking out of his chest!

“That arrow came from up there!”, shouted the other soldier, pointing to some nearby trees, ”I…” He never got to finish his sentence as he, too, was cut down by another arrow!

One of the Oracle flies fired a laser beam at one of the trees. Theodric heard someone grunt in pain, and a figure fell from one of the nearby trees. The figure quickly rolled on the ground to extinguish the flames coming from his left shoulder and quickly came up on one knee and fired another arrow at the Oracle fly. The Oracle fly exploded into tiny pieces.

“Attack!”, yelled the enemy commander. The remaining soldiers, spiders, and flies surged forward.

A massive Obsidian soldier charged at Theodric. “Those who do not serve the Oracle shall die!”, he yelled, as he swung his sword at Theodric’s head. Theodric easily dodged the attack and knocked him to the ground with a legsweep. He knocked him unconscious with his staff before he had a chance to recover.

The ranger fired three more arrows in rapid succession at their foes, taking out an Oracle fly, an Oracle spider, and an Obsidian soldier. I’ve never seen an archer move that fast before, Theodric thought to himself, as he smashed an Oracle spider into a tree with his long staff.

Thanks to his enhanced sense of hearing, which he had developed during the years he spent immersing himself in the martial arts at the monastery, Theodric heard a humming sound coming from some distance behind him. He quickly turned around and saw an Oracle fly which had flown behind the ranger undetected.

“Look out, behind you!” , yelled Theodric, as he quickly grabbed one of his hunting knives and hurled it at the Oracle fly.

The Oracle fly was impaled against a tree! The ranger nodded to Theodric, then dropped his bow (for he had run out of arrows) and drew his long sword. The two of them stood back to back and quickly dealt with the remaining foes who had surrounded them.

After the last foe had fallen, the ranger shook Theodric’s hand and introduced himself.

“Thanks for the help. I’m Carlin, the Druid Archer.” , said the ranger.

“I’m Theodric. Glad to be of assistance.”, replied Theodric, “Why were those soldiers and droids pursuing you?”

“That was one of the Oracle’s hunting parties which I happened to stumble across.”, replied Carlin, “Although the Dragon Lords helped Lord British and the Avatar defeat the Oracle long ago, some of her droids and neurologically implanted human soldiers still exist and continue to follow their prime directive: seek out humans to convert into Oracle followers. There must be an Oracle temple nearby because I know that the droids have a limited range. You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if remnants of the Obsidian Eye’s forces still exist today as well.”

Meanwhile, a short distance away, Nystal suddenly cried out in pain.

“What’s wrong, my love?”, asked Chariya, as Nystal began clutching his head with both his hands.

“The pain! My head feels like it’s on fire!”, screamed Nystal. (Music fades out.)
*****************************************************************************************************
(Insert “Invasion” by Eliot Corley)
Nystal suddenly found himself on the astral plane and facing Vastra, who was clad in sexy, green silk lingerie.
“Hello, Nystal. Miss me?”, said Vastra, with an evil grin on her face.
How dare you mentally attack me, you witch!”, roared Nystal.
“Now is that any way to talk to your ex-fiancee?”, replied Vastra, feigning a look of disappointment.
“I won’t fall for your tricks, Vastra!”, said Nystal, “It’s a good thing I figured out before our wedding 2,000 years ago what a lying, scheming witch you truly are! I was a well respected scholar, but that wasn’t enough for you, was it? First you tried to seduce my best friend, Gabriel, and then I caught you in bed with First Consul Lucius Cornelius Cinna on the eve of our wedding! You were just using me as a means to obtain wealth and power!”
“Of course, my dear!”, answered Vastra, “That is what matters most in life!”
“What are you doing in New Britannia anyway?”, asked Nystal, “I have no doubt that you have enchanted some poor noble with your feminine charms!”
“I am here on behalf on my master, Lord Chaos, to give you a warning.”, said Vastra, “ Abandon your quest to find the new Avatar! Let Lord Shadowreign conquer New Britannia and dispose of his brother, Lord British. I understand that, after 200 years, you still have been unable to create a new body for your wife, Chariya. While I don’t know why you would settle for someone who is far less beautiful than I, if you join us, my master will see to it that your wish will be granted!”
Nystal was tempted by Vastra’s offer, but said, “I will never serve Chaos!” “Get out of my sight Vastra, before I do something I regret!” Nystal’s eyes started glowing.
“Don’t say I didn’t want you Nystal”, said Vastra. “You will regret opposing us!”
Vastra’s eyes started glowing, and then another shadowy cloaked figure suddenly appeared beside her. Nystal couldn’t make out his face, but saw his eyes glowed bright red.
The force of their combined mental attack was too much for Nystal.
In the physical world, Nystal lost consciousness and fell to the ground.
(Music fades out.)
*****************************************************************************************************
(Insert “Medieval” by Miguel Herrero)
Meanwhile, Theodric and Carlin heard some disturbingly familiar sounds. They turned around and found themselves facing another thirty Oracle flies, spiders, and Obsidian soldiers! These Oracle flies and spiders seemed much larger, were jet black in color, and sported razor sharp adamantium mandibles. The Oracle spiders had spider web cannons mounted on their backs.
Carlin muttered, “Damn Oracle droids…”

*****************************************************************************************************
“HEY! WAKE UP!”, Chariya shouted.
“What?”, said a groggy Nystal, as he regained consciousness , “What happened?”
“You suddenly got dizzy and passed out!”, replied Chariya, “Hurry, you must help Theodric and Carlin before they are captured or killed by the Oracle’s hunting party!”
“No! I will observe and advise, but I will never get directly involved in a conflict ever again!”, said Nystal.
“But if you don’t intervene they will die, or even worse be converted into mindless Oracle drones, like those captured Obsidian soldiers were!”, said Chariya.
“I…can’t…”, said Nystal.
“Why not?’, asked Chariya.
“Because the last time I did…you DIED!”, sobbed Nystal, tears rolling down his cheeks.
Chariya’s holographic form suddenly appeared alongside Nystal and stroked his cheek.
“Oh, my darling, even after all of those years, you still haven’t forgiven yourself for my death, have you?”, said Chariya.
“No, I guess I haven’t . And despite mastering all of the schools of magic over the past 200 years, I still have been unable to create you a new, immortal body! In another 300 years, the cube’s power source will be depleted! ” said Nystal, choking back the tears,
“I know how hard you’ve tried, dear.”, said Chariya, putting her hand on his shoulder, “But even if you fail, 500 years is far longer than the little time we would have had together if I still had my mortal form. Remember that I feel in love with you because you are a good and kind-hearted person, always helping those in need, and striving to do what is right.”
Chariya leaned over and kissed Nystal on the cheek. The spark of energy tingled.
“You’re right, my dear, it is time for me to take action!” said Nystal, as his eyes began to glow.
****************************************************************************************************
Despite taking down fifteen of their foes, Theodric and Carlin were now completely surrounded.
“Surrender and you will be spared!,” said the enemy commander.
Carlin spat blood in the enemy commander’s face.
“I would rather die than become a mindless servant of the Oracle!”, shouted Carlin, as he assumed a battle stance with his bloody long sword.
“Very well then, I will grant you your wish,”, replied the enemy commander, “Kill the unbelievers!” (Music fades out.)
(Insert “Almost Out” by HorrorPen)
But before anyone could react, four of the Oracle spiders and four of the Oracle flies were hit by Nystal’s Chain Lightning! Nystal then cast Gust, causing one soldier to smash into a tree. Theodric heard the soldier’s bones break, as he fell to the ground dead. A Stone Fist caught another soldier in the chest, causing him to cough up blood and drop dead.
Two soldiers charged at Nystal with swords drawn from opposite directions. He disarmed them both, and then grabbed both of them by the throat and smashed their skulls together. After dropping their dead bodies, another soldier wielding a battle axe charged straight at Nystal. Nystal dodged his attack and then punched a hole straight through his chest! The stunned soldier looked down at the gaping wound and fell to the ground dead. Nystal hit another soldier in the face with his Flame Fist, decapitating him in the process, and sending the soldier’s flaming head flying! It struck another soldier right in the face, killing him as well!
A few minutes later, he heard Chariya say, “That’s enough, dear. They’ll all dead now.”
Nystal’s eyes stopped glowing and he surveyed the carnage. He had single-handedly wiped out half of the Oracle’s hunting party! Theodric and Carlin stood in awe.
“Thank you for coming to our aid, master!”, said Theodric, “I did not realize how truly powerful you were until now!”
“Good to see you again, old friend!”, said Carlin, shaking Nystal’s hand.
“Carlin, I know you have been busy tracking down that Dark Elf archer, Elirebin Shademaster, but I really need your help.”, said Time Lord, “ Theodric and I are on our way to meet the new Avatar. The fate of New Britannia rests in our hands.”
“Of course, I will help you, Nystal.”, replied Carlin, “I’ve waited many years to avenge the murder of my adoptive parents, but I can be patient a little longer. And how is my Elvish sister, Lanthirthel, progressing in her magical studies?”
“Lord Baldrith tells me that she has mastered Fire Magic and is starting to learn Water Magic.”, replied Nystal, “You really should pay her a visit sometime soon.”
‘No, I don’t want to distract her from her studies…”, said Carlin, “…and her location must continue to remain a secret. Her life remains in danger as long as Elirebin remains free.”
“I know.”, replied Nystal, “Perhaps it is best that you keep your distance from her until Elirebin has been found and dealt with.” (Music fades out.)
******************************************************************************************************
(Insert “Red Curtain” by HorrorPen)
Meanwhile, back at the warehouse in Jerahl, Vastra handed drawings of Nystal, Theodric, and Carlin to her young lover, Marius, leader of the Homeguard.
“Make sure that all of our people know that these men are to be taken alive. They have information vital to our cause and must be brought here to headquarters for interrogation!”, said Vastra.
“Of course, my dear!”, replied Marius.
Vastra grabbed Marius and pulled him in close and gave him a passionate kiss.
“I will see you in two weeks.”, said Vastra, in a sexy voice as she whispered in his ear, “I must hurry back to the castle now!”
“I will be counting the days until we are together again!”, said Marius, before departing.
After Marius left, a black cloaked figure emerged from behind a curtain.
The cloaked figure removed his hood, revealing his identity.
“The love struck fool has no idea what’s really going on, does he?”, asked the Tall Albino Man.
“No, he doesn’t.”, replied Vastra, with a smirk on her face, ” I’m always amazed at how easily men are distracted by a beautiful face and body.”
“Indeed, dear sister, no man has ever been able to resist you, except that old fool, Nystal!”, said the Tall Albino Man.
“Yes, I will make sure that he suffers greatly for rejecting me!”, said an angry Vastra, “After he has been both physically and mentally tortured, I will crush that Radozan mind cube with my bare hands in front of Nystal’s eyes and then I will rip his beating heart out of his chest and show it to him as he dies!”
“Well, dear sister, I guess I better make sure never to get on your bad side…”, said the Tall Albino Man.
“Don’t worry, big brother, you know how much I love you!”, said Vastra, as she gave him a big hug, “You’re the only family I have left!”
“Remember, I will always be here for you, little sister!”, replied the Tall Albino Man, as he lovingly stroked Vastra’s hair and deeply inhaled her lavender perfume. She smelled so good, the Tall Albino Man thought to himself. (Music fades out.)
******************************************************************************************************
(Insert “Enchanted Festival” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com)
Chapter Two: Gabriel’s Story
LOVE
Earth, Poughkeepsie, NY
The Present…
Sunset fell on the battlefield. The medieval battle reenactment was over. Lord Gabriel
Dane’s forces had defeated those of Lord Robert Darrington’s after a fierce three hour
battle. As the members for the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) sat down to a
medieval banquet in their finest noble attire, they began to talk about bestselling science
fiction & fantasy novelist Gabriel Dane’s latest novel.

“A toast to Lord Dane for a hard fought victory! “, said John as he raised his wine goblet.
Everyone else raised their goblet in response.

“Gabriel, I must say that I was not expecting that last disarming maneuver. Most
impressive!”, said Robert, “By the way, I heard that the first book in your new fantasy
series, The Avatar Chronicles, reached #1 on every Bestseller’s List in its first week of
release. Two million hardcover copies! At this pace, I think it’ll outsell your Time Lord
series.”

“So, how did you come up with the idea for your new book series?”, asked Henry.

Gabriel Dane paused for a moment before answering. “For the last nine months, I’ve
been having these strange dreams about a realm named New Britannia. It seems so real
to me, as if I’ve actually been there…”, said Gabriel.

“Come on, quit joking, Gabriel!”, said Sarah, ” You probably came up with the idea over
drinks at the Foxfire Club.”

“So, Gabriel, any truth to the rumors that you are currently dating supermodel
Alexandra Covington?”, asked Brian.

“No!”, answered Gabriel, as he touched the white gold ankh pendant dangling from his
neck, “You know that Shannon was the only love of my life!” (Loop as needed. Music fades out.)

(Insert “Ireland’s Coast (Game Edition – Live Players)” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com)

Gabriel suddenly thought back to when his late wife had given him the pendant as a
fourth anniversary gift following a romantic candlelit dinner in their suite at Ashford
Castle in County Galway, Ireland.

“But Shannon has been dead for three years!”, said Brian, “Don’t you think it’s about time
for you to move on?”

As Gabriel looked at the Irish Claddagh ring on his finger, he remembered the first time
that he and Shannon met. Gabriel had been on a book tour of the United Kingdom to
promote the thirteenth and final book in his Time Lord series, The Death of a Time Lord. After
wrapping up the book tour, Gabriel had decided to spend a couple of days taking in the
sights of Cardiff, Wales. As a VIP member of famed Irish mezzo-soprano Shannon
Donohue’s fan club, he had been one of the twenty-four lucky fans chosen at random for
a meet and greet with Shannon following her concert that evening at Cardiff International
Arena. When it was Gabriel’s turn to have her sign a photo for him, their eyes locked and it truly was love at first sight. Later that evening, they met for drinks and talked long into the night about their interests, their hopes, and their dreams.
One year later, they were married in a lavish wedding ceremony at Ashford Castle in
County Galway, Ireland. At the wedding, one of Gabriel’s friends, Charles Whittaker,
Professor of Irish Studies at the University of Notre Dame, noted that Gabriel was a very
lucky fellow because Shannon was a striking beauty who bore an uncanny resemblance
to Brigid, the Celtic goddess of fire, water, & healing. Gabriel had dated many beautiful
actresses and models before he met Shannon, but all those relationships were shallow
and short-lived. Shannon was different. She truly was Gabriel’s soul mate. The five short
years they had together were the happiest days of Gabriel’s life.

Jessica saw the sad look in her dear friend Gabriel’s eyes. Jessica had known Gabriel
since their freshman year at New York University twenty-two years ago. They had even
dated briefly, but soon discovered that they made better friends than lovers. Jessica
knew that Gabriel had never really been the same since losing his wife, Shannon, to lung
cancer. The best doctors in the world couldn’t figure out how someone in excellent
physical condition could suddenly develop Stage IV lung cancer and decline so rapidly.
The doctors had been unable to identify the pathogen, other than the fact that it appeared to be
extraterrestrial in nature.

Shannon died three months after her initial diagnosis. As Gabriel’s closest friend, Jessica
had been one of the few people with him at Shannon’s bedside as she passed away.

(Music fades out.)

Jessica shot Brian an accusatory glance and then tried to defuse the situation by quickly
changing the subject.

“Honestly, Gabriel, I don’t see how you have any time to write these days, in light of
your blossoming pop career!”, said Jessica, “Your debut album, Shadows and Light, has
been # 1 on the pop album chart for eight weeks now. Ten million copies sold! Every
time I turn on the radio, I hear your debut single, Song Of Love, and all I ever hear from
my teenage stepdaughter Lori and her friends these days is “Who is that sexy masked
NIGHTSHADOW fellow?”

Everyone laughed.

“Gabriel, you are a true Renaissance man – author, singer, songwriter, martial artist,
armourer and swordsmith.”, said Morgan, “Is there anything you can’t do?”

Gabriel was about to respond when, suddenly, a lunar rift appeared a few feet behind
him. As the shocked diners looked on, a tendril of white energy emerged from the rift
and pulled him in.

In the confusion, the other diners failed to notice that Jessica smiled as her eyes briefly
glowed. “I hope you find what you’re looking for in New Britannia, Gabriel.”, she
whispered to herself.

The lunar rift deposited him on a grassy field. Gabriel got up and looked around. He
saw a lone white dove soaring overhead. Suddenly, there was a slight breeze and Gabriel
noticed a skull lying at his feet. He picked it up and was instantly flooded with
memories from the final battle with Lord Shadowreign forty years ago. Gabriel quickly
dropped the skull and staggered back.

“Where am I?”, said Gabriel, ” This looks like Falura Field in New Britannia, but that can’t
possibly be…”

(Insert “Heroism” By Edward J. Blakeley)

Gabriel suddenly felt a tingling sensation in his head and quickly turned around to face a
seven and a half foot tall , highly muscular, bald warrior with a Van Dyke beard, who
was wearing black studded leather armor with a skull-shaped belt buckle and wielding a
massive, two-handed red battleaxe, which had an eerie black glow. Gabriel could swear
he heard the battleaxe whisper “Feed me!”

“Ah, another avatar for me to kill!”, bellowed the warrior, “Never let it be said
that Malgor the Mighty wasn’t fair. Pick up the sword and defend yourself!”

Gabriel reached for the sword lying on the ground. Malgor the Mighty swung his
massive battleaxe directly at Gabriel’s head. Gabriel tried to parry, but the force of the
enchanted battleaxe shattered his sword in half. Gabriel barely managed to dodge the
next blow, thanks to the lightning fast reflexes he had developed during his many years
of martial arts training in the Far East. He quickly dropped the broken hilt and countered
with a dragon fist punch followed by a butterfly kick. Malgor was knocked back a short
distance, but quickly recovered. Gabriel did a quick combat analysis. Malgor’s armor
prevented Gabriel from attacking his pressure points and paralyzing him. Furthermore,
Gabriel’s powerful punches and kicks barely seemed to faze Malgor. The only vulnerable
area seemed to be Malgor’s unprotected head.

“Is that the best you’ve got?”, laughed Malgor, “I’ve killed over 600 other potential
Avatars since I arrived here from Earth six months ago, and most of them were a lot
tougher than you. No one can escape my Muramasa Battleaxe! PKs rule! In the end,
there can be only one Avatar!”

Muramasa Battleaxe? How was that possible? Everyone knew that Muramasa was a
famous swordsmith, Gabriel thought to himself as Malgor swung his mighty battleaxe at
Gabriel’s head again. Gabriel dodged the blow and countered with a phoenix eye strike
to Malgor’s temple. Malgor immediately coughed up blood, dropped his battleaxe, and
fell flat on his face, dead. Gabriel noticed that Malgor’s corpse suddenly began losing
muscle mass rapidly. Soon, his corpse reverted to its true, five foot tall, 130 lb form.

(Music fades out.)

(Insert “Conquerors” by Alexandr Zhelanov)

Gabriel heard the battleaxe whisper to him, “Take me…” He felt compelled to pick up the
battleaxe and examine it. As soon as Gabriel grasped the battleaxe, he was instantly
bombarded with images from the battleaxe’s past.

Despite its massive size, it did not feel heavier than a normal sized, one-handed ax. The handle had strange runes engraved in itand there was a blood red gem embedded at its base.
Gabriel heard the battleaxe say,”Feed me blood and I will make you strong! Strong enough to defeat
all of your enemies!”

“Do not try to tempt me, foul demon!”, said Gabriel, “The battleaxe has revealed the
truth to me! Malgor’s real name was Marvin Blatz aka Hack N Slash, a professional video
game player. You were simply using Marvin by preying on his bloodlust and his need to
win at any cost. Once he decapitated his 666th victim, you would have been freed from
your prison to wreck havoc on New Britannia. I will not let more innocent blood be
spilled!”

Gabriel’s eyes suddenly turned bright white as he strongly gripped the battleaxe.
Suddenly, the battleaxe was engulfed by white fire which erupted from Gabriel’s hands.
Gabriel seemed unaffected by the flames , but the battleaxe screamed out in pain,
“Arghh….the white fire burns…How dare you resist me!…I am the demon lord Argax…I
will not be defeated by a mere mortal !” The battleaxe began to glow bright white.

Gabriel hurled the flaming battleaxe high into the air. The battleaxe screamed, “No……!”
as it exploded. Gabriel’s eyes reverted to their normal appearance.

(Loop as needed. Music fades out.)

(Insert “Tower of Great Lords” by Alexander Zhelanov)

Gabriel’s keen sense of hearing alerted him to the sudden presence of three hearts beating
behind him and he quickly turned around.

“Most impressive, Gabriel.”, said the elderly,white bearded robed figure standing in front of
him, “I’ve been expecting you. Allow me to introduce my assistant,Theodric, and my good
friend, Carlin.”

The young monk standing next to the old man stared in awe at Gabriel as the small metal fragment in the palm of Nystal’s right hand began to glow bright white. The archer standing
next to him seemed intrigued by this turn of events.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light and the Avatar’s Sword of Virtue appeared in
Gabriel’s hands. The sword suddenly began changing shape, transforming into the
Masamune Dragon Katana! Being a highly skilled swordsmith himself, Gabriel marveled
at the level of craftsmanship. At the base of the golden blade was a circular hand guard
comprised of two intertwined dragons (one red and one black). The red silk wrapped hilt
had a solid gold dragon’s head pommel with red ruby eyes.

Both of the red ruby eyes and the eight Runes of Virtue engraved on the hilt began to
glow and Gabriel could swear that he heard a dragon roar emanate from the sword!
Unbeknownst to anyone, all across New Britannia, the Nine Legendary Dragons
suddenly began to awake from their forty year slumber.

Upon opening his eyes in his Underworld lair, the black dragon Kuroseth used the
bond he shared with the members of the Nightshadow clan to appear to Gabriel
in a vision and said, “Greetings, Gabriel Nightshadow! I am Kuroseth, one of the Nine
Legendary Dragons. Long have I waited to renew the covenant with the Last Dragon
Lord!”

At the abandoned ruins of Castle Genar, former base of operations for the Nine Dragon
Lords, overlooking the cliffs of Avan, a strong gust of wind blew away the cobwebs in
the main Council chamber as all of the torches throughout the castle suddenly lit up.

Meanwhile, back at Falura Field, a startled and somewhat confused Gabriel sheathed the
katana in the red lacquered scabbard which had suddenly appeared at his side. Everyone
failed to notice that an image of Gabriel’s late wife Shannon briefly appeared in his white
gold ankh pendant as well.

“Theodric, please fetch me the enchanted black plate armor we recovered from the
crypt.”, said Nystal, ” You don’t remember me, do you?”

“No, have we met before ?”, asked Gabriel.

“Something’s not right.”, said a puzzled Nystal, as he reached out and touched Gabriel’s forehead with the palm of his hand, “Someone’s placed a mental block in your head in order to prevent you from remembering your past lives. Let me fix that.” (Music fades out.)
(Insert “Dream Raid Full Version (Mock Up)” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com)
Nystal’s hand glowed for a moment and then Gabriel was instantly flooded with memories from the past. He remembered that he and his fraternal twin brother, Lucius, had both held the rank of Primus pilus (senior centurion of a Roman legion – equivalent in rank to a Lieutenant Colonel today) in the Roman army prior to being chosen by Lord Order and Lord Chaos to be their respective champions in their eternal battle. Gabriel had been reborn in many different bodies over the past 2,000 years, as were the companions who Lord Order had seen fit to grant him to aid in his never ending battle with Lucius. In addition to Nystal, there were always two other male companions and a female companion as well. Nystal was different from the other companions because his form never changed, as he was immortal. The only thing which comforted Gabriel was discovering that, as he was constantly being reborn into new bodies, so too was his beloved wife, Shannon. He looked forward to seeing her again in his next life, for they had so little time together in this one.
The last recovered memory which Gabriel had was being handcuffed to a chair in a darkly light room in an abandoned warehouse sometime in 1987. Seated across the table from him was a very tall (about 6’ 10”) albino man with long white hair. He was dressed in the attire of a proper Victorian gentleman, with a red silk puff tie, a black Bancroft double breasted vest, and a black Victorian Cutaway Coat.
“My master would prefer that I do a complete memory wipe of your mind, but it seems that your innate mental defenses are far stronger than I had anticipated.”, said The Tall Albino Man, “The best I can do is to place a mental block that will prevent you from remembering anything from your past lives.”
As The Tall Albino Man reached out towards Gabriel’s forehead with his pale white hand, Gabriel said, “One day, I will find you and I will make you pay for this!”
“You’re welcome to try, but I highly doubt that’s ever going to happen.”, replied The Tall Albino Man, with a wicked smile on his face.
The last thing Gabriel remembered seeing was The Tall Albino Man’s platinum, diamond encrusted ring on his outstretched hand. What was that symbol in the center? Gabriel concentrated on the memory and the blurry image came into focus. It was the symbol of Chaos! (Music fades out.)
(Insert “The King’s Crowning” by Telaron)
“I remember everything!”, exclaimed Gabriel, as gave Nystal a bear hug, “It is good to see you again, my old friend. What has transpired since we last met?”
“New Britannia is in grave peril! Lord British’s half-brother, Lord Shadowreign, is preparing to attack this realm in six months time with an alien invasion force he has gathered at the other end of the universe. Our only hope of stopping him is recovering the nine fragments of the Amulet of Vazur and summoning the Nine Dragons of Legend! But this task will be very difficult, for Lord Shadowreign’s minions are everywhere, including your brother, Lucius!”
“Why am I not surprised?”, replied Gabriel.
“Welcome home, Avatar!”, said a smiling Nystal, “We have much work to do!”

High above, the lone white dove happily cooed as its eyes briefly glowed. It turned and
flew off towards the horizon. (Music fades out.)

*****************************************************************************************************
(Insert “ Radakan – Old Crypt” by Janne Hanhisuanto for Radakan)
“At last, I am finally able to penetrate Nystal’s cloaking field!”, said the handsome, dark-haired young nobleman as he peered into the scrying pool, “So, that’s the new Avatar?”

“Yes, Duke Garen.”, replied the fat, balding, middle-aged wizard Marek, who was
standing to the right of him.

Lucius (i.e. Duke Garen) immediately sensed his brother Gabriel’s soul in this new form, but decided it was best not to let the others know about this fact, for these mere mortals knew nothing of their eternal battle.

” I am not impressed.”, replied a smirking Duke Garen. He turned to the beautiful, red-
haired young woman clad in black leather armor and wielding a double-bladed sword
standing to his left. The young woman was the spitting image of Gabriel’s late wife,
Shannon! Marek leered at the woman while Duke Garen had his back turned to him.

“Annese, take two dozen of your best assassins and proceed to the Valley of Fallen
Heroes and ambush the Avatar and his companions as they pass through there. It is
fitting that their final resting place should be among the tombstones of our ancestors.,”
commanded Duke Garen, “Bring me back the Avatar’s body. Dispose of the others as
you see fit.”

“Yes, my Lord,”, replied Annese.

She pressed a button on the hilt of her double-bladed sword and twisted both halves of the hilt in opposite directions. The double-bladed sword separated into two single-bladed ones which Annese placed in the two sheathes on her back. She bowed, turned
around and exited the room. No one noticed the flames which momentarily danced in her eyes.

As Annese exited the room, she found her second-in-command, Lareth, waiting for her.
“Assemble the Black Scorpion, Crimson Cobra, and Yellow Centipede squads.”, said
Annese, “Our master has given us a mission and we must depart for the Valley of Fallen
Heroes immediately.”

“Who’s the target?”, asked Lareth, “Hopefully, more of a challenge than our last one…”

“It’s the new Avatar and his companions.”, replied Annese.

Lareth smiled. “Worthy foes indeed! Mistress Vala would have been proud to see what a
fine job you’ve done as the leader of the Dakari Sisterhood of Assassins these past
seven years.”, she said, before turning around and hurrying down the staircase to the
barracks. Annese followed shortly thereafter.

Meanwhile, back in the chamber, Duke Garen, waved his hand to dismiss Marek and
turned back to observe the Avatar and his companions in the scrying pool.

“And Marek, if I ever catch you looking at Annese like that ever again, I will make sure
that you suffer horribly before I kill you.”, said Duke Garen, “Annese is mine and mine
alone! Is that clear?”

Duke Garen’s eyes suddenly glowed bright red and Marek suddenly was flung
backward across the room. He hit the wall hard and crumpled to the floor.

“Yes, My Lord…”, groaned Marek, as he slowly got up and hobbled out of the room,
grimacing in pain.

Once Marek had departed, Duke Garen turned his attention back to the scrying pool, but
suddenly the image of the Avatar and his companions faded away as two large glowing
red eyes appeared in the now pitch black water. A disembodied voice spoke to Duke
Garen.

“Do not underestimate the new Avatar. He may be untested, but I sense great power
within him. He would not have been able to defeat my former servant Argax were it not
so.”, said the voice.

“I know. But even if Annese and her assassins fail to kill the Avatar, they will greatly
slow down his progress in obtaining the fragments of the Amulet of Vazur.”, replied
Duke Garen,” Without Nystal to guide him, the new Avatar will not know what to do.”

“Indeed.”, said the voice.

“I have good news to report.”, said Duke Garen,“ Our support of the Homeguard has reaped enormous rewards.
Marius has convinced a significant porion of the population that the offworlders are invaders who pose a serious threat to our way of life.
Many avatars are now being killed on sight by Homeguard members as soon as they emerge
from the lunar rifts. Even if Annese and her assassins fail, the new Avatar may yet be
killed by loyal Homeguard members or sympathizers. There is also growing
dissension in the Great Council over Lord British’s latest reforms. Lord British
has reduced the tax rate on the commoners while increasing the tax rate on the nobility.
He has been using the excess money to fund programs that benefit the commoners –
increased food distribution to the poor, and construction of affordable housing and
schools. He has also tried to reduce the power of the nobility by forcing them to
contribute 25% of their personal troops to the Royal Army. The most vocal opponents of
the reforms, the Dukes Gramal, Heron, and Jobin, have already joined our cause. With
their support, we now have over 400,000 troops in New Britannia at our disposal.”

“Excellent!”, replied the voice, “That, combined with the 600,000 troops that I have
assembled in this realm, should be more than enough to defeat the troops loyal to Lord
British. You have done well, my son. Lord British is a fool! He should have been paying
more attention to what the nobility wanted instead of trying to help the common people.
Soon I shall finally return to New Britannia and reclaim the throne from my weak and
pathetic brother!”

Lord Shadowreign’s maniacal laugh echoed throughout the chamber.

(Loop as needed. Music fades out.)
************************************************************************************************

(Insert “Covert Operations” by artisticdude)

Duke Garen failed to notice the listening device attached to the skylight above the
chamber. The young woman crouching on the roof pushed a button on her headset and
the device retracted itself. She turned her head and it was apparent that she was the
woman from Theodric’s vision! The athletic, attractive, young, red-haired woman was
clad in black leather armor with two swords strapped to her back.

“Hmmm, Valley of Fallen Heroes. It looks like Nystal and the Avatar will need my help.
Time to repay my debt to you, Nystal!”, said Amber Raine.

Amber turned and walked over to the edge of the balcony. She pulled out her grappling gun and
fired a grappling hook line down to a tree located below. After tying the other end of the line
to a chimney, she pulled out a leather strap and slung it over the line. After waiting for the guards down below to pass by on their patrol route, she slid down the line, landing behind the tree. Amber knew that her pet wolf, Mori Tura, and her black horse, Inferno, stood waiting for her behind the nearby hill.

One of the guards sensed something was wrong and circled back to investigate the area near the
tree. As he passed by the tree, Amber emerged behind him and choked him until he fell to the
ground unconsciousness. Propping his unconscious body up behind the tree, Amber quickly
scanned the area for other guards. Seeing none, she made her way over the hill, then mounted her horse. As she, Inferno, and Mori Tura rode off, the explosives which she had planted in the castle’s weapons storage shed began to detonate. Chaos erupted as the sharp weapons stored there became deadly projectiles, impaling many of the soldiers scrambling to put out the fires.

(Loop as needed. Music fades out.)
***************************************************************************************************
(Insert “Winds of Stories” by HorrorPen)

Back in Jerahl, two burly men dragged a blindfolded Mingo into the warehouse and shoved him

into a chair. Mingo’s hands were bound with enchanted, hand forged iron shackles which prevented him from using magic or his innate abilities. One of the men removed his blindfold.
A mysterious black hooded figure entered the room and said, “You two may leave now!”
The two burly German men turned and left.
As soon as Mingo heard the man’s voice, his eyes grew wide and he began sweating profusely.
“No, it can’t be! The Nightmare Man…”, whispered Mingo.
The Tall Albino Man removed his hood and smiled.
“Ah, I see you remember me from our last encounter, Mingo!”, he said, “Your cousin, Nystal, isn’t around to rescue you this time! Tell me where he is!”
“No, I will never betray my cousin!”, replied a defiant Mingo.

“We’ll see about that!”, laughed The Tall Albino Man, as his eyes began to glow

Mingo started singing, “I am a teapot, short and stout…” and prayed that The Tall Albino Man wouldn’t cause too much damage to his mind this time. (Music fades out.)

***************************************************************************************************
(Insert “The Path Revealed” by Eliot Corley )

Lord British and Fire Lotus were having afternoon tea on the balcony of the castle when
they both spotted the flash of light from nearby Falura Field.

“That flash of light…”, said Fire Lotus, ” I wonder what it means.”

“It means that the new Avatar has been revealed.”, replied Lord British, “It seems Nystal
was right after all.”

“This is good news, my Liege, because the next lunar eclipse is due to occur in six
months, “, said Fire Lotus,”I hope that the new Avatar will be ready by then.”

“Me too.”, replied Lord British, “The fate of New Britannia lies in the Avatar’s hands.”

“Well, I must be returning to my tavern to prepare for the evening crowd. Thank you for
the afternoon tea, My Liege.”, said Fire Lotus.

“My pleasure. You know how much I enjoy our daily conversations! “, replied Lord
British, ” The castle seems so empty while Lady Arabella is away visiting her relatives in
Jerahl. I’ve been so busy these days that I haven’t had a chance to catch up with any of
our other old friends.”

“Then you really must stop by the tavern this evening! David will be making a rare
appearance and performing some of his new songs.”, said Fire Lotus.

“I will definitely be stopping by the tavern tonight! It will give David and I a chance to
reminiscence about the good old days, catch up on current events, and honor those who
are no longer with us. It also gives me a reason to sample some of this new Fire
Mountain ale I’ve heard so much about. Is it really as good as they say?”, asked Lord
British.

“Indeed it is, My Liege. Demand has been so high, I’ve had trouble keeping it in stock.
My next shipment of Fire Mountain ale isn’t due to arrive until the middle of next week,
but don’t worry, I do still have a bit of it left in my private stock for both of you to
sample.”, replied Fire Lotus.

“Excellent! “, said Lord British, “I look forward to it.”

Fire Lotus departed.

As soon as she left, Lord British went to the library room. He searched one of the bookcases
for The Book of Aramus. After making certain that no one else was around, he pulled on the
book and a hidden doorway was revealed. He walked down the stairs to a secret laboratory
filled with strange equipment powered by Tesla generators. He walked over to the vertical
healing pod and peered through the translucent case where the real Lord British stood in
suspended animation. The impostor looked at the computer readout next to the pod. It said:

HEALING CYCLE 99% COMPLETE
TIME REMAINING 179 DAYS 23 HOURS 55 MINUTES 30 SECONDS

“Rest well, my son. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when you were growing up, but I’m
here for you now. You’ve accomplished far more in your lifetime than any of my other
children. I’m so proud of you. Your people will have need of you again soon. I will
continue to watch over them until you are ready to return to us.”, said the impostor as
he began changing into his true form, that of Barek of the Old Gods!

(Loop as needed. Music fades out.)
***************************************************************************************************
Several hours later, Mingo finally lost consciousness. The Tall Albino Man was physically exhausted from his attempts to penetrate Mingo’s mental defenses.

The two burly German men returned.

(Insert “Melvin and Waldorf” by Joe Reynolds – Professorlamp at www.jrtheories.webs.com)

Hans, the taller of the two, spoke.

“Master, were you able to extract any information from him?”, he asked.

“Yes, although his mental defenses have gotten much stronger since our last encounter!”, replied a very exhausted Tall Albino Man, “ At first he tried to confuse me with some nonsense about a lizard named Krisskar, some adventurers named Jeb, Ed, Lyra, and Shania, armored squirrels, talking penguins, and some Red Hat and Blue Hat gnomes! “

“Gnomes?”, said the shorter one, Gunther, “Didn’t they all die out long ago?”

“No one really knows for sure, little brother,”, replied Hans, “But it’s been ages since one has been sighted!”

Gunther then made the mistake of saying, “It was good to see your sister, Vastra, again, master! She’s so hot!”

The Tall Albino Man became very angry and his eyes began glowing again.

“Don’t talk about my precious Vastra like that!”, he shouted, as Gunther suddenly began having trouble breathing.

As Gunther began gasping for air, his brother Hans said,”Please forgive my brother, master! He is still young and often speaks without thinking. I’m sure he meant no disrespect! Isn’t that right, Gunther?”

Gunther nodded, as his face began to turn blue!

“Very well, I will forgive you this time, Gunther!”, said The Tall Albino Man, as his eyes stopped glowing, and the color began to return to Gunther’s face, “But if you ever speak of Vastra like that again, you will die! Do you understand?”

“Yes…master!”, stammered Gunther, “Thank you for sparing my life!”

“Take Mingo and teleport back to Owl’s Head. Dump him at Fire Lotus Tavern and then return here.”, said The Tall Albino Man, “We will intercept Nystal and his companions in the Magasa Forest!”

“At once, master!”, said Hans and Gunther.

Hans and Gunther picked up the unconscious Mingo and carried him away.

(Loop as needed. Music fades out.)

*************************************************************************************************

(Insert “Colossal Boss Battle Theme” by Matthew Pablo)

Later that same evening, Duke Garen entered a secret chamber underneath his castle bearing
a bloody sacrificial dagger and a black bowl adorned with demonic images. A well-
preserved skeleton lay on a stone slab in the center of the chamber. Duke Garen placed
the dagger on the corner of the slab. As the clock struck midnight, Duke Garen poured
fresh, virgin, female blood from the bowl on the bones and cast an ancient, forbidden,
dark magic spell. Red smoke formed around the corpse and muscles, veins, and skin
quickly began to grow on the bones. When the resurrection process was complete, the
bald man opened his eyes and sat up. Duke Garen handed the man a black robe to wear.

“How long have I been dead?”, inquired the man.

“A very long time, hundreds of years.”, replied Duke Garen.

“Why did you bring me back?”, asked the man.

”I have need of a highly competent general to command my troops in my upcoming war with Lord British.”, replied Duke Garen, “Would you be interested in the job?”

“Yes, very much so. I must pay back my “old friend” for killing me in that magic duel!”, said the man, “Revenge shall be mine!”

“Excellent! Welcome back, Lord Blackstorm!”, said Duke Garen, with an evil grin on his face.

“No, Lord Blackstorm is dead!”, said the man, “From now on, call me Lord DarkStarr!”

(Music fades out.)

*************************************************************************************************

(Insert “El Bosque Encantado” By Eliot Corley)
Chapter Three: An End and a Beginning
The Harudan Forest
That same evening…
Having spent the rest of the day traversing Falura Field, our band of heroes decided to set up camp for the night in the Harudan Forest. It was a clear and starry night. Gabriel, Carlin, Nystal, and Theodric sat around a roaring fire as they washed down the last of their evening meal with mugs of Fire Mountain ale.

“Ah, Nystal, that was the finest seafood dinner I’ve had in a long time!”, remarked Gabriel, “I
never would have guessed you would be such a fine cook.”

“One of my many skills I picked up in my travels, Avatar!”, replied Nystal.

“Broiled fish, sourdough biscuits, and corn on the cob slathered in creamy butter. That
brings back some fond childhood memories. My father used to cook that exact same
meal for me when we spent the day fishing at our summer cabin up in Lake George, New
York.”, said Gabriel.

“You will find that many of the foods you enjoyed on Earth are available here in New
Britannia as well.,” remarked Nystal, “Lord British and those who preceded you brought
seeds and knowledge of growing crops with them from Earth. Surprisingly enough,
these crops have thrived in New Britannia’s acidic soil.”

“Master Nystal, I did not recognize that colorful fish we had for dinner.”, said Theodric,
“It had a surprisingly sweet flavor to it and I feel more energized.”

“Ah, my boy, that’s because it’s magic glowfish!,” answered Nystal, “Rarely ever seen, it
provides a substantial boost to one’s health and mana when properly prepared and
consumed. Improper preparation prior to consumption results in violent convulsions
and death!”

“What?!”, cried Gabriel, Carlin, and Theodric as they all suddenly stood up.

“Don’t worry, boys, I’ve been doing this for years! You’re in no danger.”, assured Nystal.
A relieved Gabriel, Carlin, and Theodric sat down.

“Nystal, what can you tell me about the Dragon Lords?”, asked Gabriel.

“Ah, interested in learning about your heritage, Avatar?”, replied Nystal, “I believe
Theodric would be better suited to tell you the tale.”

“It would be my honor, master.”, said Theodric, “According to the Book of Aramus…”
(Loop as needed. Music fades out.)

***********************************************************************************************
(Insert “Classical/Medieval Song” by Joe Reynolds – Professorlamp)

200 Years Ago…

Christopher Dane paused for a moment on the rocky mountainside to catch his breath.
His backpack was beginning to wear heavily on him. It was high noon on a warm
summer day, and he had spent the last hour searching the area for the rare Hecamum
plant, a key ingredient in the powerful healing potion he was developing.

He found it hard to believe that it had been three years since he had moved to the nearby
village of Draven with his lovely wife, Katherine, and his young son, Michael, and set up
shop as village healer. A former member of Lord British’s elite Valcin Guard, he had
witnessed the horrors of war and when his term of service was over, he was eager to
leave that life behind him. His choice for his new career would have greatly disappointed
his late father, the great General Marcus Dane, hero of the Tragata Wars, for their family
had a long tradition of distinguished military service stretching back 500 years to the
days of Old Britannia. But Christopher had been fascinated in the medicinal properties of
plants since he was a child, and he knew this was his calling. (Music fades out.)

(Insert “Peaceful Village Loop” by Elerya)

The village of Draven, situated near the base of Mount Hellath, was a farming
community well-known for its wheat and corn. A primary food supplier to the Royal
Army, it’s citizens eagerly awaited the monthly army supply caravan from the capital,
Brittany. Draven was quiet and peaceful, and full of friendly people, an ideal place to
raise a family. (Music fades out.)

(Insert “Classical/Medieval Song” by Joe Reynolds – Professorlamp)

But all that changed a week ago, when farmers noticed their livestock started
disappearing and their fields were set afire late at night. No one dared to venture
outside at night to investigate – all they could hear was the flapping of wings and loud
roaring. The village elders speculated it was the work of the legendary black dragon
Kuroseth, who was said to dwell in an cave deep beneath Mount Hellath. A rider had
been dispatched to Brittany to seek the aid of Lord British, but the rider’s charred
remains were found early the next day on the eastern bank of the nearby Serpent River.
The villagers grew fearful. All hope seemed lost.

Three nights ago, a band of mercenaries known as the Red Wolves entered the Golden
Falcon Tavern and offered their services to the village elders, at a “reasonable price”, of
course. Their leader, Korwin Longwood, was a former commander in Lord British’s Royal Army.
He assured the village elders that he and his men had the skills and firepower necessary to take down the legendary black dragon, Kuroseth. The Red Wolves had ventured forth towards Mount Hellath over a day ago, and had not been heard from since…

Christopher knew the risk he was taking by being here, but he knew that it was well worth it.
He had already gathered all of the other components needed to concoct the healing
potion. The hecamum was the final ingredient. If Christopher was right, this new
formulation would be ten times more potent than anything currently available. It could
save many lives.

Christopher shouted with delight as he spotted a small yellow and purple Hecamum
plant growing out of a mountain crevice. He carefully plucked three of the flowers and
placed them in his belt pouch.

Suddenly, Christopher sensed that someone was in great pain (one of the several
empathic abilities which he had inherited from his mother) and heard an elderly, male
voice in his mind beg him,” Please help me…”

The voice guided him across the mountainside, and when Christopher rounded a corner,
he was surprised to see the legendary black dragon, Kuroseth, lying on his back, with a
huge gaping wound in his chest. Green pus oozed from the wound, a clear indication
that he had been poisoned. Kuroseth’s breathing was labored and shallow. The charred
remains of Korwin Longwood and his band of mercenaries lay in front of him.

“I know how this appears, but the truth is I was forced to slay these mercenaries in self defense.”,
said Kuroseth, “They attacked me without warning as I was flying back to my
lair. I am not the creature who has been terrorizing your village.”

“I know.”, replied Christopher, ” I sense the good within you. You appear to be critically
wounded. How can I be of assistance?”

“The poisoned weapons which the mercenaries used prevent me from using my magic to
heal myself.”, said Kuroseth, “Are you a mage, by any chance?”

“No, I am only a humble village healer.”, answered Christopher, “But I will try my best
to aid you.”

Christopher sat down next to Kuroseth and removed his backpack. He opened it and
took out a mortar and pestle. From his various belt pouches, he removed the individual
ingredients and began combining them together. After half an hour, the healing potion
was ready. He poured the bitter concoction down Kuroseth’s throat and waited. After
two hours, Christopher fell asleep. (Music fades out.)

(Insert “Tower of Great Lords” by Alexander Zhelanov)

When Christopher awoke, the sun was beginning to set. He was astonished to see
Kuroseth sitting upright, fully healed, and staring right at him.

“I owe you my life, Christopher Dane.”, said Kuroseth, “From this moment on, I am
bound to your bloodline for the rest of my days.”

“That really is not necessary, mighty Kuroseth.”, replied Christopher, “I was merely
fulfilling my duties as a healer.”

“No, I believe all of this was meant to be.”, answered Kuroseth, “Now that I am fully
healed and have access to my prophetic powers, I can see now that you have a great
destiny before you!”

“Behold!”, said Kuroseth, as he gestured with his claws and uttered an incantation.

Suddenly, Christopher found himself clad in black plate armor at the head of a long
rectangular table in the main Council chamber of Castle Genar. Eight other armor clad
knights, five male and three female, were seated at the table, staring right at him. “So
Grandmaster, what do you think is our best course of action?”, asked a young, blue
armored knight seated to his right.

“Pardon me?”, asked Christopher.

“King Oswin’s invading army is approaching from the east.”, said Jero Oraci, “General
Caldane’s army has just departed from Brittany, but won’t reach the border town of
Arden for another three days. Thousands will be slaughtered!’

“No! We will buy General Caldane’s army time to reach Arden by intercepting King
Oswin’s army here at Blood Canyon.”, Christopher heard himself saying, as he pointed
to a spot on the map stretched out on the table.

“If we depart now, we should arrive there in about eight hours.”, said Christopher, “If
we split our force in half and attack from both the northern and southern ends of the
narrow, high walled canyon, we should be able to trap King Oswin’s troops. I will lead
the northern squad consisting of myself, Jesar, Kimiko, Marisol, and Duncan. Jero will
lead the southern squad consisting of himself, Senga, Connor, and Siobhan.”

“A brilliant strategy, Grandmaster!”, said the beautiful, young, red-haired, green-eyed,
white armor clad, Dragon Lord Siobhan, who gazed at Christopher longingly.

All of the Dragon Lords stood up and raised their swords. ” Whenever we are needed,
the Dragon Lords stand ready to defend New Britannia! Long may Lord British reign!”,
they shouted.

The Dragon Lords rushed out to the rooftop where their mounts, the Nine Legendary
Dragons, were waiting for them. As Christopher approached Kuroseth, he noticed that
the old black dragon was smiling at him.

“What’s so amusing, old friend?”, asked Christopher.

“Time for you to return!”, said Kuroseth, as he gestured with his claws and uttered an
incantation.

“What was that?!”, said Christopher, as found himself back on Mount Hellath standing
next to Kuroseth.

“That was your future.”, answered Kuroseth,” From this moment on, you are
Christopher Nightshadow, the First Dragon Lord. You are destined to lead the Nine
Dragon Lords in their defense of New Britannia, as Lord British commands.”

“But I am no longer a man of war!”, said Christopher, “I only seek to ease people’s
suffering!”

“You can not escape your destiny, Lord Nightshadow.”, replied Kuroseth, “Failure to
take up arms will result in this…”

This time, Christopher found himself standing in the middle of his village late at night.
Houses were burning as a kobold army swept through. He saw his wife struggling with
a lecherous kobold. She stabbed him in the shoulder with a long kitchen knife. The
kobold roared in pain and snapped her neck. Her lifeless body fell to the ground. His
son cried out, but he was dragged away by another kobold and thrown in a caged wagon
with other children. The kobold eyed the children hungrily before he drove the wagon
away. The dead bodies of Christopher’s close friends and neighbors were strewn all
about. It was a horrible sight, and Christopher closed his eyes.

When Christopher reopened them, everything was back to normal.

“You can only prevent that from happening by embracing your destiny!”, said Kuroseth.

“What must I do?”, asked a shaken Christopher.

“Put on this enchanted black plate armor and this Dragon Katana!”, commanded
Kuroseth, pointing to where they lay nearby.

When Christopher had done so, he asked Kuroseth,” What next?”

“Now we find out who has really been terrorizing your village!”, said Kuroseth, “Where
did they found the rider’s body?”

“On the east bank of the Serpent River,”, replied Christopher.

“Then let us investigate! Put this saddle on my neck and climb aboard!”, said Kuroseth.
**********************************************************************************************
“Wait a minute!”, interrupted Gabriel, “You’re not telling me that this armor and sword
once belonged to my grandfather?”

“Yes, that is indeed the same suit of armor worn by you grandfather 200 years ago.”,
answered Nystal, “The original Dragon Katana was destroyed in battle long ago. The
Sword of Virtue has merely reshaped itself in its image because that is what you
subconsciously desired, Avatar. Theodric, please continue.”

“Yes, Master Nystal.”, replied Theodric. (Music fades out.)
**********************************************************************************************
(Insert “The Last Encounter (Original Version)” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com)

As Christopher and Kuroseth flew over the Serpent River, the water started bubbling
and a giant, winged, red demon emerged from its depths and soared up into the sky.

The demon paused in mid-air and began hurling red fireballs at Christopher and
Kuroseth!

Kuroseth deftly avoided the fireballs and charged straight at the demon, breathing black
fireballs!

The demon dodged the black fireballs, and returned fire. Kuroseth zigzagged to avoid
the demon’s fireballs and said to Christopher, ” When we get close to the demon, jump
onto its neck and stab him in the brain with your sword. It’s his only weak spot!”

“And what happens when he begins to fall?”, asked Christopher.

“Don’t worry, I’ll circle back around to catch you when you jump off him!”, replied
Kuroseth.

“OK…”, said a wary Christopher.

Kuroseth flew close to the demon, who suddenly summoned a massive, flaming sword
and began swinging it at Kuroseth.

Kuroseth dodged the sword attacks and then yelled, “Now!”

Christopher leapt onto the demon’s neck and drew his Dragon Katana. Plunging it deep
into the demon’s skull, he pulled it straight down his neck and spinal column. The
demon roared out in pain. Christopher quickly sheathed his Dragon Katana as the
demon’s eyes turned white and its lifeless form began falling. Christopher jumped and
fell a short distance before landing right in the saddle as Kuroseth swooped in to catch
him.

The demon’s body crashed into the river with a loud boom as the cheering villagers, who
had heard all of the loud noise and come out of their homes to observe the entire battle
in the sky, greeted Christopher and Kuroseth as they landed nearby. Christopher
explained to the villagers that the demon was the true culprit and that Kuroseth was a
friend. Christopher’s wife, Katherine, and his five-year old son, Michael, came running.
Christopher hugged them both. Michael walked over to Kuroseth and patted him on the
nose. Kuroseth smiled.
*******************************************************************************************
Meanwhile, on a nearby hilltop, two figures observed the people below unnoticed. The
young, dark-haired man in red and black armor knelt before his master and spoke.

“Master, forgive me.”, said Lord Shadowreign, “Your plan has failed due to my
incompetence. I await your judgement.”

“Rise, Lord Shadowreign.”, commanded the black cloaked figure, “This was merely a test
of your abilities. You have done well. Only a skilled practitioner of the dark arts would
have been able to free such a powerful demon lord from his underworld prison and
compel him to terrorize this village. The demon’s attacks on the other two farming
villages of Gan and Holcroft were quite successful.”
“This Dragon Lord must be dealt with right away, before he becomes a bigger threat to
your plans.”, urged Lord Shadowreign, “Should I take care of him personally?”

“No, Lord Shadowreign.”, replied his master, “You must learn the importance of
patience. Those who rush into battle are doomed to fail. Powerful you may be, but much
you still have to learn, my young apprentice. If this Dragon Lord becomes a greater
threat in the future, rest assured that he will be dealt with.”

“Yes, Master Jonir.”, said Lord Shadowreign.

The cloaked figure uttered an incantation and both figures vanished in a cloud of black
smoke.

(Music fades out.)
*******************************************************************************************
“So, Lord Shadowreign was indirectly responsible for the rise of the Dragon Lords?”,
asked Gabriel.

“Yes.”, answered Nystal, “But he was also the one responsible for their destruction and
your father’s exile to Earth 50 years ago. But that’s a tale for another evening. Now it’s
time for us to clean up and get some rest. Tomorrow will be a long day. We will pass
through the Valley of Fallen Heroes, the halfway point to the fortress of the Kobold King,
Ugrod, in northwest Novia, where the first fragment of the Amulet of Vazur lies.”

“Nystal, I do have a question.”, asked Gabriel, “Whatever happened to my grandmother?
Does she yet live?”

Nystal smiled.

“Your grandmother still lives, Gabriel.”, replied Nystal, “Would you like to meet her?’

“Yes, very much so!”, said Gabriel, “Does she live far from here?”

“No, as a matter of fact, she lives very close by.”, answered Nystal, “I will take you to
her.”

“Carlin and I will clean up the camp and then get some sleep.”, said Theodric, “See you both in the
morning!”

Nystal led Gabriel down a narrow path through the woods to a small stone cottage in a
clearing. A cloud of smoke rose from the chimney and a lamp shone through one of the
windows. There was a small vegetable garden located on the right-hand side of the
cottage. Well-manicured shrubs lined the stone walk path leading up to the front door.

Nystal and Gabriel passed through the nearly invisible, dome-shaped mystical force field
surrounding the area around the cottage. Nystal explained to Gabriel that he had erected
the force field when his grandmother had moved into the cottage following the death of
his grandfather. Nystal noted that only good beings with honorable intentions could pass
through the impenetrable force field.

Nystal knocked on the wooden door.

“Who is it?’, asked a female voice.

“It’s Nystal! Katherine, I have someone I want you to meet.”, said Nystal.

“At this late hour?”, answered Katherine, “Oh, all right…”
(Insert “The King’s Crowning” by Telaron)
The door opened and there stood a blonde-haired woman who appeared to be about 60
(earth) years old.

“Katherine, this is your grandson, Gabriel.”, said Nystal.

Tears welled up in Katherine’s eyes as she rushed forward to embrace Gabriel.

“I never thought I’d live long enough to meet you!”, said Katherine, as she stood back
and examined Gabriel, ” You look so much like your father, Michael, at the same age.
Come in, I’ll fix us some nice, herbal tea. We have so much to talk about!”

Gabriel asked, “Nystal, won’t you be joining us?”

“No, Gabriel, this is between you and your grandmother.”, replied Nystal, “I trust you
can find your way back to camp?”

” Yes.”, replied Gabriel, “I can not thank you enough for uniting me with my
grandmother! See you in the morning!”

Nystal smiled, then turned and departed.

As Gabriel entered his grandmother’s cottage, he realized how lost he had felt ever since his
wife, Shannon, died three years ago, but now he had something worth fighting for, something worth living for. Gabriel Nightshadow had finally found his way home. (Music fades out.)

************************************************************************************************

(Insert “Melvin and Waldorf” by Joe Reynolds – Professorlamp at www.jrtheories.webs.com)

Four hours later, Nystal heard a noise and woke up. He was startled to see Theodric and Carlin bound and gagged, with two burly German guys standing guard over them.

“Don’t try anything or we will kill your friends!”, said Hans, pointing his sword at Theodric’s throat, “What’s a matter? Are you a scared little boy?”

Thedoric appeared to be very nervous and was sweating profusely.

Hans laughed in Theodric’s face.

“A slow and painful death, to be sure.”, said Gunther, who was throwing knives around Carlin’s head. Carlin glared at Gunter and appeared to be cursing him, but the gag muffled his voice and it was hard to tell exactly what he was saying.

“Ja, we mean business!”, said Hans, “We’re the Arensdorf brothers and we’re two wild and dangerous guys!”

“Ah, you finally woke up!”, said a very familiar voice. Nystal turned around to see the Tall Albino Man standing there, with a ten year old version of his beloved Chariya in front of him. He had his hands on her shoulders and she seemed very scared.

The adult Chariya realized that the little girl was her when she was a child, and whispered to Nystal “How is this possible?”

“Parallel worlds, my dear.”, Nystal whispered, “There’s a version of you on each one of them!”

“Such a pretty little girl!”, said The Tall Albino Man, stroking young Chariya’s cheek with his right hand, “No doubt she will grow up to be a beautiful woman. I can see why she caught your eye.”

“Let the girl go!”, shouted Nystal, “This doesn’t concern her. This is between you and me!”

“Of course, this concerns her.”, said The Tall Albino Man, with a wicked smile on his face, “She’s the only one you love, no matter what form she’s in.”

“I don’t understand…”, said young Chariya, “I’m scared. I wish Amber was here…”

As if on cue, Gunther suddenly fell to the ground dead, his throat slit by Amber Raine, who had snuck up behind him! Hans was tackled from behind by Mori Tura, who then proceeded to rip his throat out!

“What’s this?!”, shouted The Tall Albino Man.

“Let the girl go!”, yelled Amber, as she dropped her dagger and pulled out her twin swords.

“Not so fast!”, said The Tall Albino Man, as he pushed young Chariya to one side and surrounded her with an energy bubble, “One step closer and I will have remove all of the air from the bubble and young Chariya will suffocate to death!”

Nystal waved Amber off with his left hand and said, “Stay back, Amber! Tend to Carlin and Theodric. I’ll deal with our foe here!”

Turning to the Tall Albino Man, Nystal said, “Time for us to settle this once and for all on the astral plane!”

“Agreed!”, said The Tall Albino Man, “A mental battle to the death!”

Nystal nodded in agreement.

“Since you’re the one who challenged me, I get to select our battlefield!”, said Nystal.

“Very well, Nystal.”, replied The Tall Albino Man, “What shall it be?”

“Why, feudal Japan, of course!”, said a smiling Nystal, “See you there!”

“Death is coming for you, Nystal!”, shouted The Tall Albino Man.
To the others gathered, it appeared as if both Nystal and The Tall Albino Man had suddenly become frozen in time, but on the astral plane the battle was about to begin…

(Insert “Assassin’s Assault” by HorrorPen)

Nystal and The Tall Albino Man found themselves standing in courtyard of a feudal Japanese estate. It was high noon and all was silent. Both Nystal and The Tall Albino Man were both clad in samurai armor. Nystal’s armor was gold in color, while The Tall Albino Man’s armor was black. Nystal found himself full of energy, for in this realm, he was young Time Lord once again and he wielded the Gold Dragon katana. The Tall Albino Man was wielding a giant red bisento (a spear-like weapon with a blade at the end that resembles a scimitar).

The two men started circling each other.

“I understand that you trained under the great Miyamoto Musashi himself.”, said The Tall Albino Man, “Most impressive. Too bad for you I trained under Hattori Hanzo!”

The Tall Albino Man attacked first and drew first blood as his bisento grazed Nystal’s side.
The longer reach of the bisento was a real problem, Nystal thought to himself. If I’m not careful, I’m a dead man!

Nystal drew blood next as he avoided The Tall Albino Man’s thrust and sliced his right shoulder.

“Good. Very good!”, said The Tall Albino Man, “Let’s make this more interesting!”

The Tall Albino Man gestured and suddenly an hourglass appeared in mid-air.

“This hourglass actually runs out in five minutes. That’s how long you have to kill me before young Chariya runs out of air and suffocates to death!”, said The Tall Albino Man, with an evil smile, “Are you up to the task?”

“Damn you!”, yelled an angry Nystal, as he charged at The Tall Albino Man.

The Tall Albino Man deflected Nystal’s blow with his bisento and laughed!

“Yes, give in to your anger!”, said The Tall Albino Man, “For that is the true source of one’s strength!”

Back in the real world, Amber Raine, Carlin, and Theodric suddenly saw a five minute hourglass suspended in mid-air and could see that young Chariya was having trouble breathing!

“We must penetrate the energy bubble before Chariya suffocates!”, yelled Amber.

Despite their best efforts, none of their weapons had any effect on the energy bubble and they could only watch helplessly as young Chariya slowly suffocated…

As the final minute began winding down, both Nystal and The Tall Albino Man were badly wounded and the dirt courtyard was covered in their blood. The two men were breathing heavily.

The Tall Albino Man lunged at Nystal with his bisento.

Nystal closed his eyes, cleared his mind, and then thrust his katana.

Both Nystal and The Tall Albino Man dealt each other a fatal blow. Nystal’s blade pierced the Tall Albino Man’s heart, while The Tall Albino Man’s bisento impaled Nystal through his stomach.

Both of the men fell backward.

“You’re too late, Nystal!”, laughed The Tall Albino Man, “Time has run out! Your sacrifice was for nothing. I win. I’ll see you in hell!”

Then, The Tall Albino Man died, his eyes staring straight upward.

“No… “, said Nystal, as he lost consciousness.

(Insert “Leap into Eternity (Live Orchestra)” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com)

In the real world, Amber, Carlin, and Theodric were unable to revive Chariya after the energy bubble collapsed. Carlin checked her pulse.

“I’m afraid she’s dead, Amber.”, he said.

Amber started crying.

“I failed her…”, Amber sobbed.

Theodric suddenly cried out, as he noticed Nystal’s body beginning to glow.

Gabriel suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

“Amber, grab the Radozan mind cube from Nystal’s pouch!”, he said.

Amber ran over and grabbed the cube.

“What do I do with it?”, she asked.

(Music fades out.)
(Insert “Dream” by Eliot Corley)

“When I give you the signal, place it on young Chariya’s forehead!”, said Gabriel, as he took hold
of young Chariya’s lifeless hand and his green eyes suddenly turned bright white. Suddenly, both Gabriel and young Chariya were surrounded by a white glow.

“Now!”, said Gabriel, as he concentrated on reviving young Chariya.

Amber placed the Radozan mind cube on young Chariya’s forehead and held it in place.

The white glow surrounding Gabriel and young Chariya grew in intensity, while Nystal’s form, which was now completely obscured by a yellow glow, started shrinking…

After several minutes, Gabriel let go of young Chariya’s hand and collapsed from exhaustion. His eyes returned to their normal emerald green color. The Radozan mind cube was now pitch black and lifeless.

(Loop as needed to get here. Music fades out.)

“Did it work?”, Gabriel asked, as he breathed heavily.

Young Chariya opened her eyes.

“I’m alive?”, asked Chariya, as she felt her face, “After two hundred years, I finally have a body again!”

“Yes, my love, and so have I!”, said a young, male voice from behind them. Everyone turned around to see a bald, ten year old version of Time Lord standing there.

Turning to Gabriel, young Time Lord asked, “How did you know?”

Gabriel pulled out a paperback copy of the last novel in his Time Lord series, Death of a Time Lord, out of his pouch.

“Because that’s exactly how it happened in the dream I had when I was writing the ending to this book nine years ago. Strange, though, I never would have guessed that those dreams would turn out to be visions of the future.”, replied Gabriel.

Amber looked very sad.

“Nystal, Chariya, I’m very happy for the both of you, but does this mean that the young Chariya I grew to care for is truly gone forever?”, asked Amber.

“Amber, I’m so sorry…”, said young Time Lord.

“Don’t be sad, Amber. Young Chariya’s soul will eventually be reborn into a new body and you will see her again one day.”, said a smiling Gabriel.

“How do you know that?”, asked Amber.

“Here, let me show you another vision I had of the future!”, said Gabriel, as he touched the tip of his finger to Amber’s forehead.

Suddenly, Amber found herself at some point in the future. She was standing in a large church. Her pet wolf, Mori Tura, was standing by her side. She no longer wore armor or carried weapons, for she was now the High Priestess of the Church of Chaos! She reached into her pocket and pulled out her Chaos Spoon! A handsome, bearded man clad in a white silk robe with blue trim covered in strange golden runes walked over and gave her a hug. Amber instantly knew that he was her husband, the noted historian, Theodric. She heard a familiar voice call out, “Mommy!”, and saw young Chariya come running over to hug her as well. All was well and Amber was very happy. Then, everything turned bright white and she found herself back in the present.

“Was that really my future?”, asked Amber.

“It is if you continue on your current path.”, said Gabriel.

A nervous Theodric walked over and introduced himself to Amber. Amber was stunned to hear about the vision he had four years ago on Mount Krendor.

(Insert “Heroes Theme” by Alexandr Zhelanov at https://soundcloud.com/alexandr-zhelanov)

Young Time Lord suddenly spoke up.

“As happy as I am about how things how turned out, we have much work to do!”, he said, “We must recover the nine fragments of the Amulet of Vazur before Lord Shadowreign returns in six months with his invasion force. Who’s with me?”

Young Time Lord placed his hand out. Everyone else placed their hands on top of his.

“We’re with you, Time Lord!”, everyone shouted, “To save New Britannia! Long may Lord British reign!”

THE BEGINNING
(Music fades out)
***************************************************************************************
(Insert “Theme of Com-Mecha” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com)
EPILOGUE
A distant universe, on the planet Naguriama…

Lightning pierced the dark night sky over the massive steel citadel. Thousands of armor clad skeletons littered the rocky terrain outside. In the dimly lit throne room, a figure clad in black armor sat, deep in thought. Suddenly, a cyborg warrior clad in high tech samurai armor entered and knelt before his master.

“Sorry to disturb you, my Lord, but it is urgent that I speak to you!”, said the samurai.

“What concerns you, General Ruko?”, asked the dark figure.

“The men grow impatient, my Lord. They are eager to invade New Britannia and put the renegade Nystal on trial for his crimes against the Jinrazi Empire!”, replied General Ruko.

“I see.”, said the dark figure, “Tell your men that they need to be patient just a little longer. With my aid, your people have been able to track down and eliminate most of the “Old Gods” and destroy their floating city of Ghidara. Do not worry. The criminal Nystal is not going anywhere. In six months, we will be able to pass through the lunar rift. Once we have defeated Lord British’s forces, the Jinrazi will be able to settle on the eastern continent and Nystal will be brought to justice. I promise you that the late Emperor Kuzai and the Jinrazi Empire will be avenged!”

“The Jinrazi thank you for saving us when our battle cruiser crashed on this planet long ago, Lord Shadowreign!”, says General Ruko,” I will convey your message to the troops!”

General Ruko rose, turned, and left the throne room.

After General Ruko departed, Lord Shadowreign talked to himself. “Soon, I will finally be rid of you, Nystal, and then nothing will stop me from reclaiming the throne from my weak and pathetic brother, Lord British! In the end, Chaos will triumph over Order!”

Lord Shadowreign’s eyes glowed bright red as he pounded his right fist down on the stone throne armrest, causing it to shatter into many pieces!
*************************************************************************************************

(Insert “The Last Encounter (Original Version)” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com)
END CREDITS

Sir Stile Teckel
Presents
The Avatar Chronicles I: Return of the Avatar

Directed and Produced by Lord Baldrith

Writer and Music Supervisor: Gabriel Nightshadow

Casting Director and Court Jester:
Time Lord

Assistant Casting Director and Director of Public Relations:
Amber Raine

Cast
Lord Baldrith as Nystal, Lord Baldrith, Mingo and General Ruko
Asclepius as Kuroseth, Malgor the Mighty, Demon Lord Argax, Henry, Morgan, Brian and group
Amber Raine as young and adult Chariya and Amber Raine
Stephen Daniel and sarg as Marius
Stephen Daniele as Samuel
Gina Dionne as FireLotus
Joe Garrity as Gabriel Nightshadow
StaticGrazer as Lord Shadowreign
Avatar Acid as Theodric
Carlin Archer as Carlin
Dame Lori as Jessica and Katherine
Kami as Sister Agnes and Lareth
Sir Cabirus as Hans and Gunther
Lacr0bat as Master Jonir, Sir Charles Campbell, enemy and group
Chips36 as Marek, teenage boy and group
Elizabeth as Dragonlord Siobhan, Sarah and group
Thornrage as Dragonlord Jero Oraci and Robert
Brian D Taylor as Enemy Commander
David Peters as Guard Bob
Trenyc as the Tall Albino Man
Majoria70 as Vastra/Lady Arabella
Duke Greagoir as Duke Garen and the original Avatar
Dwalin Bruchberg as Christopher Nightshadow
Sir Stile Teckel as the Mayor of Ardoris
Indi Martin as Lanthirthel and Annese
Steven J Goldman as John

And starring
Richard Garriott as Lord British and Barek of the Old Gods
Starr Long as Lord DarkStarr and Red Badger
and
Asclepius as the Great Storyweaver
(Loop as needed. Music fades out)

*****************************************************************

(Insert “Beauty of Chaos” by grindhold and grindhold.de)
Duke Garen’s Castle…
As Lord DarkStarr stood atop the castle wall next to Duke Garen observing the troops training in the courtyard below, he suddenly had a vision. He was surrounded by mist. The mist dissipated and Lord DarkStarr found himself sitting in the front row of a giant cathedral. The bright sun shone through the magnificent stained glass windows which depicted the story of Lord DarkStarr’s resurrection and rise to power. The church pews were fully packed and many people were standing in the back. A beautiful, red-headed elf wearing a black robe was standing at the pulpit preaching the word of Chaos. Lord DarkStarr was mesmerized by the sound of her voice.
When she finished her sermon, Lord DarkStarr found himself at the head of the long line of parishioners waiting to greet her. He walked up to her and said, “That was a lovely sermon you gave today, High Priestess Amber Raine!”
High Priestess Amber Raine replied, “Thank you, my Lord. We all strive to follow the path you have set us on. I thought that you should know that many of my parishioners have praised your good work. Since you became ruler, New Britannia has enjoyed a new age of prosperity. ”
After giving Amber an amorous glance, Lord DarkStarr whispered in her ear, “I trust that you will be stopping by this evening for dinner at the usual time? We still have plenty of Lord British meat pie left.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, my Lord,”, replied High Priestess Amber Raine, as she smiled.
Everything suddenly faded into the mist and Lord DarkStarr found himself back on the castle wall.
“Are you alright, Lord DarkStarr?”, asked Duke Garen, “You seemed lost in thought for a few moments.”
“I’m fine, Duke Garen. I just had a vision of the future…” replied Lord DarkStarr.
“Oh really?’, asked Duke Garen, “A good one, I hope…”
“Indeed it was.”, answered Lord DarkStarr, as he smiled, “Duke Garen, I need your help in locating someone for me. A red-headed, female elf named Amber Raine…”
(Music fades out.)
*************************************
(Insert “Beyond the Clouds (Orchestral Theme)” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com)

Music Credits

“Soliloquy” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com

“Viracocha’s Demise” by Eliot Corley at www.opengameart.org

“Rise of Spirit” by Alexandr Zhelanov at https://soundlcoud.com/alexandr-zhelanov

“A Winter Tale” by Johan Brodd at www.opengameart.org

“World Travel” by Dan Knoflicek at www.opengameart.org

“Flights of Fancy” by Eliot Corley at www.opengameart.org

“The Fall of Arcana (Epic Game Theme Music)” by Matthew
Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com

“Hall of the Ancients” by Eliot Corley at www.opengameart.org

“Last Minute” by HorrorPen at www.opengameart.org

“Medieval Theme 1” by Alexandr Zhelanov at https://soundlcoud.com/alexandr-zhelanov

“Painted Dreams (Mock-Up)” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com

“March of May” by Athanasios “OnlyKoolAid” Vasiliou (MyCannonSing) at www.opengameart.org

“Beauty of Chaos” by grindhold and grindhold.de at www.opengameart.org

“Liyan” by Elerya, from The Eleryan Tales – Vol. 1 at www.opengameart.org

“From Tome to Tome” by Eliot Corley from Chaos is Harmony at www.opengameart.org

“Asian Duet” by Elerya at www.opengameart.org

“Asian String Suite” by BossLevelVGM at www.opengameart.org

“Innocence” by Eliot Corley at www.opengameart.org

“Maria’s Theme” by Janne Hanhisuanto for Radakan at www.opengameart.org

“Dark Amulet” by by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com

“Path to Lake Land” by Alexandr Zhelanov at https://soundlcoud.com/alexandr-zhelanov

“Battle Theme A” by cynicmusic at www.cynicmusic.com and www.pixelsphere.org

“Invasion” by Eliot Corley from Chaos is Harmony at www.opengameart.org

“Medieval” by Miguel Herrero at www.opengameart.org

“Almost Out” by HorrorPen at www.opengameart.org

“Red Curtain” by HorrorPen at www.opengameart.org

“Enchanted Festival” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com

“Ireland’s Coast (Game Edition – Live Players)” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com

“Heroism” by Edward J. Blakeley at www.edwardblakeley.com

“Conquerors” by Alexandr Zhelanov at https://soundlcoud.com/alexandr-zhelanov

“Tower of Great Lords by Alexandr Zhelanov at https://soundlcoud.com/alexandr-zhelanov

“Dream Raid – Full Version (Mock-Up)” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com

“The King’s Crowning” by Telaron at www.opengameart.org

“Radakan – Old Crypt” by Janne Hanhisuanto for Radakan at www.opengameart.org

“Covert Operations” by artisticdude at www.opengameart.org

“Winds of Stories” by HorrorPen at www.opengameart.org

“The Path Revealed” by Eliot Corley at www.opengameart.org

“Melvin and Waldorf” by Joe Reynolds – Professorlamp at www.jrtheories.webs.com

“Colossal Boss Battle Theme” by Matthew Pablo, from Blackmoor OST at www.matthewpablo.com

“El Bosque Encantado” by Eliot Corley at www.opengameart.org

“Peaceful Village Loop” by Elerya, from The Eleryan Tales – Vol. 1 at www.opengameart.org

“Classical/ Medieval Song” by Joe Reynolds – Professorlamp at www.jrtheories.webs.com

“The Last Encounter (Original Version)” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com

“Assassin’s Assault” by HorrorPen at www.opengameart.org

“Leap into Eternity (Live Orchestra)” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com

“Dream’ by Eliot Corley at www.opengameart.org

“Heroes Theme” by Alexandr Zhelanov at https://soundlcoud.com/alexandr-zhelanov

“Theme of Com-Mecha” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com

“Beyond the Clouds (Orchestral Theme)” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com

“Omens” by Eliot Corley at www.opengameart.org

*****************************************************************

(Insert “Omens” By Eliot Corley)

The Port Town of Jerahl…
Marius, the handsome young leader of the Homeguard, suddenly woke up in a cold sweat. Running over to the wash basin, he splashed cold water on his face and stared into the mirror. The face staring back at him was not his own. It was that of The Tall Albino Man! Marius suddenly had a wicked smile on his face and began laughing…

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Hello everyone, this is Doctor Shroud, with a wonderful story by Net, entitled

“The Journal of Dereck Warden, captain of Hilt Guard”

I was able to acquire this journal at flea market in Ardoris. It is obvious that the seller did not know its value, because it was written in an ancient Obsidian cipher. Fortunately, I know a bit about cryptanalysis and was able to break the cipher and I am able to share this diary with immense historic value with you – the reader.

Journal of Dereck Warden, captain of Hilt Guard

Day One
Our task is to explore the lava tubes. There are reports of missing soldiers in one section. Our group consists of Shreya, Zyrus, Winston, Trix and myself. We have started to search through the lava tubes. They look abandoned.

Day Two
We have found what looks like an entrance into the Catacombs. It seems that someone built a tunnel on the other side. We should explore where it leads.

Day Three
We are moving to explore this part of the Catacombs. We have found something that might be an entrance to an underground fortress. We have made an encampment in the large cavern.

Day Four
Zyrus, our sorcerer, blasted the gate open. I have ordered a search of the fortress. It is hard to tell cardinal directions down here, so we decided to call the gate Southern Gate.

Day Five
The corridors are empty except for cobwebs. We have not found anyone so far. No bodies either. It seems someone left the place in the hurry. However, if that was the case, why was the gate latched from inside? Trix has not returned from his search of the Western side. He was a thief recruited by the Obsidians and cannot be trusted. If he does not return soon I shall send Winston to search for him.

Day Six
We have been underground far too long. I am not sure whether it is day or night, whether it is day six or seven. It seems that this fortress was built by the Obsidians to protect the secret entrance into Hilt. Where are its inhabitants, though? There are no signs of battle or plague. Winston has not returned from his search for Trix. We should all go search the Western area of the fortress.

Day Seven
Still no sign of Winston or Trix. No signs where the former inhabitants went either. We are sweeping through the Western area of the fortress. I have a bad feeling about this.

Nothing. We have completed the search. No bodies. No blood stains. No exits. We found a treasure room. There were not many valuables, however there was a chest we could not open and no one has found a key that would fit its lock so far. We tried prying it open but we broke a sword during our attempt. We found a diary. Zyrus says that the Obsidians used shard metal to make the lock of the chest and some unknown magic. They were experimenting and trying to find the ultimate protection for valuable relics of the past. We should bring it to the Obsidian Sorcerers for further examination.

We have left the fortress. We should reach the lava tubes soon. We will be standing watch.

Day Eight
No one woke me for my watch. Zyrus went missing during the night. Neither of us knows where and when. Only two of us are left now. I am sending Shreya for help.

I have to pull the chest myself now. The sound of my feet on this cursed floor sounds like gritting teeth. Or maybe the sound is coming from the chest. My imagination is playing tricks on me. I could swear that the chest is looking at me, but it has no eyes. I have reached the tubes, but I am tired. I have to have a rest. I hope that whatever evil was hidden in the Catacombs will not follow me in here.

…After this there was only one note in the journal. It is not coded and it was clearly written by another hand…

Dereck Warden was nowhere to be found when we arrived. There is no sign he had left, yet there is no sign of battle either. He simply disappeared. We have recovered the chest and found this journal next to it and we will transport both to the Obsidian Sorcerers. We also blocked this lava tube. Shreya.

The caravan transporting the chest never reached their destination and the chest was never delivered.

Background music “Lurid Delusion” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com

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Hello everyone, this is Asclepius, with another chapter in this thrilling saga by Lendrick.

Rise of the Ravagers, Chapter 2.

Background music:
“Romance Sonata” by Smartsound
“A Winter Tale” by Johan Brodd at www.opengameart.org
“World Travel” by Dan Knoflicek at www.opengameart.org
“Painted Dreams (Mock-Up)” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com

CHAPTER TWO OBSESSSION Secret Cave Diamond Falls, The Forsaken Vale. One Year Later…. The water falling became a sheet of white pearlescent diamond blanket. Glyndrel sat in his secret cave, staring at the falling water, eyes glazed and distant. The thought of the falling water being a blanket made of diamonds gave him cold comfort, as he wished he could grab it, and wrap himself in it allowing it to consume him, to lose himself. Shaking his head slightly, breaking him out of his reverie, Glyndrel leaned back against the cool stone rear wall of the cave, knocking his head against it a couple of times attempting to dislodge his troubled demeanour. Letting out a sigh, Glyndrel glanced, half lidded towards his treasure stash. For the past several years, Glyndrel was collecting and hoarding treasure here, in his secret cave, unbeknownst to anyone else. Shuffling over, Glyndrel grabbed a handful of coins and brought his face close to them, examining them with a close eye. Copper coins, which he flicked uncaringly back into the iron weather-beaten chest that he kept it all in, although now it overflowed somewhat given the amount of collectables inside. Frustration and anger gave way, as Glyndre’s worry for Slyphania increased exponentially. Throwing the remaining coins, Glyndrel grunted in frustration and grabbed his temples with his hands. The frustration of knowing something wasn’t right was coupled with the lack of communication with her and his concern for her wellbeing. Pacing in the cave, Glyndrel willed himself to action; deciding to combat these wanton feelings he would just go to her tree-house and confront her about the book. The book, the damnable tome that she took from the cave. Ever since that day, she was distant and Glyndrel attempted several times to break through her walls and find that carefree, smiling girl he had laid eyes on in the market that day. Given the constant rebukes Glyndrel was receiving, he needed some time alone, and any other time, coming to his secret cave behind the waterfall would allow him to focus and recharge, always leaving feeling better than when he entered. Not this time though, the cave wasn’t working. Glyndrel had to attempt something else, and the last thing he was going to accept was that some strange book that appeared out of nowhere would come between him and his new friendship. By the Great Tree, why had this happened? Was it foretold in some dusty prophecy, written in one of the Obsidian halls of damnation? It was such a massive forest, yet they just happened to be running on the spot where the ground would give way? Slyphania wasn’t even that heavy, especially if Glyndrel could lift her, as he wasn’t that strong, so how could she have caused the ground to give way? Was something else, more sinister at work here? All these questions rushed through Glyndrels head as he made his way out of the Waterfall, feeling the cool water wash over him, shocking his system due to the coldness. Having somewhat already dried from coming into the cave, Glyndrel was wet all over again. Glyndrel didn’t mind so much, it always made him feel more vibrant after an impromptu shower. Making his way back toward the village of Highvale, Glyndrel felt better with every step. By confronting Slyphania about his fears and concerns for her, he would force her to speak with him and really let him know what was going on with her and her behaviour over the book. The village itself was a quaint tree-house vista comprising numerous styles, the tree-houses had the access ladders built into the trunks, with planks and exquisite carvings causing a unique and exotically wooden flavour to the architecture. The style allowed for as little interference with the surrounding forest as possible, the Vertas respect and worship the forest and all that it provides. The virtues of deities that the Vertas worship is to ensure that the balance of the forest is maintained. Slyphania’s family had recently arrived, a pair of expert clothiers, Slyphania lived in a modest three room tree-house with a circular door to the main chamber, a large willow leaf etched in bas relief above the door. A symbol for prosperity and peace. Glyndrel walked up, the nerves almost getting the best of him and causing him to turn and run. Steeling himself that Slyphania was his friend and you don’t abandon your friends, Glyndrel took several steadying breaths before knocking lightly on the door. Myphanis, Slyphnia’s mother, answered the door knock, and Glyndrel couldn’t help but notice a sadness about her look and nonchalant demeanour. “Well Met, Ma’am, I am here to speak to Slyphania. Do you think she is up for a visitor?” “She is not here, Glyndrel. She is off with him. He has been constantly coming around and they go and lock themselves in that room for hours on end. All over that infernal book. Now she has left with him, where I know not, but I am concerned. What to do?” I couldn’t even tell you where to look for her, perhaps the local tavern?” “I am concerned too, Myphanis , I have been attempting to decide what is the best course of action, possibly getting a hold of that book and hiding it, until she learns to come out of the shell and speak with us.” Stated Glyndrel. “I just want my daughter back, Glyndrel, she spoke of you, that first night, and she was so excited and full of life, especially to have found a new friend so fast. Jaylah and I were really concerned about coming to a new village she would not find anyone. Not fit in. But then she found you, and it was like it was meant to be” Myphanis exclaimed. Glyndrel flinched at that comment, memories of his concern for it being premeditated washed over him like another falls shower, and he couldn’t help but feel somewhat guilty. If she hadn’t met him, she would still be her old self. “I will do what I can to help get to the issue here, I promise I will do my best” “Thankyou, Glyndrel, you really are a good friend, I really appreciate it”. Myphanis breathed, tears flowing that she quickly wiped away. With that, Glyndrel turned and left. The local tavern was probably a good starting point, but frustration and despair threatened to overwhelm him. Having managed to keep it together for the sake of her mother, now that he was alone again, it was almost too much. At this point, Glyndrel decided some good company was in order and veered off towards Alexyius’ home. Perhaps seeing his best friend would allay some of these fears and doubts that were clawing at his insides like a Thornackle beast. Alexyius was found behind his house, practicing with his bow. A ready smile played across Glyndrel’s features as he stealthily crept up behind him. Alexyius was a solid Etryan, only a year older than Glyndrel, and had shoulder length green dyed hair, tied behind with a pony tail hanging down above the remaining hair that hung straight. Smooth facial features and penetrating blue eyes were marred by a scar on his left cheek he had received from falling from a tree when he and Glyndrel had been playing Hide and Find four years earlier. It bled like a war wound and even the village mystics healing poultices could not fully remove the injury, resulting in a scar. Alexyius would come to take it in his stride, claiming now he would be even a bigger favourite among the elf maidens. Alexyius had his bow drawn, about to fire an arrow, when Glyndrel, having successfully snuck up behind him leant in close and quickly clapped his hands right behind his head, the wind generated caused his hair to flutter and the sudden noise made his shot falter. The arrow flew wide and stuck itself in a tree twenty yards beyond the intended target. Alexyius rounded on Glyndrel and tackled him to the ground. Wrestling around, they both ended up on their backs laughing. How good it felt to laugh again thought Glyndrel, having been mired in a fog of misery for quite some time. “I told you, you were an awful shot Lex!” Glyndrel exclaimed propping himself up on his elbow. “Well, isn’t that because you taught me?” Alexius stated, still chuckling in retort. “Is that so? Well, we might have to put that to the test”. Glyndrel replied, coming to a sitting position. Glyndrel sighed, the misery sweeping back in. The joy was short lived. “Ah, Lex, what am I to do about Slyphania? I am at a loss”. “So she’s still not talking?’ replied his friend with concern, also sitting up. “No, not to me, not to her family, only to him”. The “him” Glyndrel was referring to was a human that had arrived in the village three months ago. Having spotted Slyphania reading her damnable book under one of the Fen trees, just on the outskirts of the village, he had approached and taken a keen interest in what the book was about. Since then, if she wasn’t at home, in her room, studying the tome, she was with him. Glyndrel attempted to desperately remember what his name was, he was a sibilant man, balding and drawn, dressed in robes, and looked to be around sixty years old. The village gossips claim he was some kind of mystic or magician, but Glyndrel didn’t put much stock in gossip. What he did know, however, was that he didn’t like or trust the man, as he had taken away his newfound friend with a connection that Glyndrel couldn’t understand, and caused Glyndrel to harbour feelings of jealously towards him. What did he have to offer that Glyndrel didn’t have? Glyndrel and Slyphania had, or he thought they had, a special and pure friendship bond. Now though, it was like she was a stranger to him, and all she cared about was that book. That book and that Human. “I’ve got an idea on how to take your mind off all this” Exclaimed Alexyius all of a sudden, bringing Glyndrel out of his stupor with a quizzical expression and raising an eyebrow at him. Glyndrel gave Alexyius an expectant look, waiting for him to continue. “Let’s go for a hunt! We haven’t been for ages, and I hear there is a herd of bison roaming nearby. You know they always cheer you up” Alexyius announced triumphantly, taking obvious joy in having such a great suggestion. “I don’t know, not sure if I am in the right frame of mind” Glyndrel replied forlornly, although not flat out refusing. “Come on, it would be great” Alexyius stated standing up and brushing the dirt off his breeches before extending a hand to help Glyndrel to his feet. Accepting the offered hand, Glyndrel also stood and brushed himself down. “Ok then, I guess, we going now?” “No time like the now!’ replied Alexyius, “let me gather my bow and quiver and get my spare one for you.” He added. Shortly afterward, Glyndrel followed close behind Alexyius, moving quickly but quietly through the underbrush. The forest this time of year was alive with sensations. The smell of the honey dew leaves sweet and cloying played at Glyndrel’s nostrils, reminding him of a fancy free time, years ago. The birds chirped happily and all seemed right with the world. Unfortunately, invariably, Glyndrel’s thoughts kept getting dragged back to Slyphania. A flash of guilt that he went to Alex and not immediately to the tavern to begin his search, yet, what good would he be if he was too burnt out to really help her? Glyndrel needed this, needed this release from the world. When he thought about her now, instead of the smiling, happy Vertas that had so captivated him that fateful day in the marketplace a year ago, only now she wasn’t smiling, and he seemed he could only picture her in his mind’s eye through a haze, like looking at her through a frosted window. Glyndrel needed to get past that, to be able to see her clearly again. That was what this hunting trip was for, to help him see clearly again. Alexyius gave some quick hand motions Glyndrel almost missed from being in his reverie. Quickly he crouched down behind Alexyius, who looked back over his shoulder at Glyndrel and in the softest of whispers: “Up ahead, a buck, looks like a big one, we are downwind, so he doesn’t know we are here. This one is yours, shoot well!” Alexyius stated, moving back on his haunches to position himself behind Glyndrel, putting Glyndrel at the fore. Glyndrel’s pulse quickened as it always did when prey came into sight and he edged closer. Slowly, inch by inch, Glyndrel moved forward until he could see it clearly. On what looked to be a game trail stood an impressive sight, chewing at the surrounding foliage. A large buck, massive antlers and strong, muscled body, with tan and white spots speckled over its rear haunch. Where Glyndrel crouched, the buck was side on and gave Glyndrel a good view on how large and majestic an animal it was. Slowly, taking no breath, Glyndrel unshouldered the bow, and then, also with smooth precision so as to make no noise, withdrew a broadleaf arrow from the quiver on his back. Notching the arrow to the bow, Glyndrel took some quick, steadying breaths before taking a large one and holding it, bringing the bow and arrow to bear. Sighting in the buck, Glyndrel took aim. It just stood there, oblivious to the doom poised to strike. Something strange happened then, a calm came over Glyndrel, a sense of knowing and understanding, almost like an epiphany. The arrow poised on the buck, all Glyndrel had to do was let go. Let go. Glyndrel no longer saw the buck, but standing there instead was Slyphania. Glyndrel blinked, shaking his head and drawing a curious glance form Alexyius. Was he hallucinating? Looking back he saw the buck, no, Slyphania, sitting there, in the meadow, surrounded by light and sunshine, smiling and playing with a flower, just as he remembered her. The arrow wavered. Glyndrel looked on and saw the buck, its head raised and looking directly at him. It didn’t run, it wasn’t scared. It just stood there, looking at him, peering deep, just like Slyphania did a year ago. Glyndrel started to sweat and shake, his arms and arrow wavered. Looking into those beautiful, innocent, eyes. “I can’t do it.” Glyndrel sighed, lowering the bow and standing. The act causing the buck to skitter and run off. Alexyius scrambled to his feet, genuine concern flashing across his features. “Glyn what is it? You have never let one go before!?” “I know what I must do, Alex, but it won’t be easy.” Glyndrel began the trek back to town and handed the bow and quiver back to Alex on the way past. Alex turned to follow, but Glyndrel stopped him. “I need to be alone for some time Alex,” Glyndrel stated forlornly before adding: “Please let me deal with this, and then I promise we will go on another hunt” “I’ll hold you to that, my friend” Alex replied, still appearing concerned. “I bet you will” replied Glyndrel before turning and walking into the foliage before disappearing. ****** “How goes your Study?” The soft, sibilant voice asked, as the male figure paced around the female one. “So you are studying substantially? Came the insistent whispering. “Yes, Rannick, I have been, can I show you?” replied Slyphania. “Proceed.” Said Rannick. Slyphania went through some mental exercises she had learned and began the first incantation. A flame sprang up in the middle of her left palm. “Excellent work, please continue” Rannick stated, “Now, expand it to multiples”. Slyphania began to sweat, yet through great effort, ensured that every candle in the premises was ignited at once. Slyphania was in a wooden shack, about a half hour jog from the village to get there, she would come here often, to meet up with Rannick and practice her studies. At the moment, he is teaching “pyro kinesis”. Slyphania had been studying the tome she found in the cave for a year now, but only had the tutoring of Rannick for the past three months. At this stage, she wasn’t required to carry the book everywhere she went anymore, yet she hated to be away from it, it almost felt as though a part of her was missing. Almost like an amputee, you knew the arm was gone, but you could still feel it. Slyphania could still feel the book and the need to possess it. It was like an itch in her mind she could not scratch and was very distracting. “I’m tired Rannick, can we please stop for the day now?” Rannick had a flash of abject hatred and anger cross his features, but seemed to compose himself before speaking. Rannick was a mystery to Slyphania, having just turned up at the village three months prior, he seemed practically to hone straight in on her and recognise a dormant talent for magic. A scrawny balding man with rat like features, possibly in his fifties, he would only wear modest robes which gave him the presence of a mage or wizard. Slyphania often wondered to herself, was it her he was interested in, or the book? “Right then, enough for today” Rannick said turning away from Slyphania. At this sign of dismissal, Slyphania left the shack and started to walk back to the village, it was well after dark now and she no doubt would receive a lecture from her mother. Well, she was tired, frustrated and missing her book so therefore was in no mood for any arguments with her. Still, something within her, perhaps her inner child still feared a rebuke. Her pace quickened. ***** Glyndrel arrived back at Slyphanias, it was getting dark and he was sure she would have returned by now, to which he found that she hadn’t, but her mother was happy to have him wait in her room until she did, claiming she had never failed to come home after dark. Glyndrel went to her room, and even though knowing she wasn’t inside, still knocked, it was only the polite thing to do. When no answer came, he slowly opened the door. Inside the room was sparse, a bed, a table and dresser. On the table were various vials and scraps of this and that. The one thing that glared at him on the table however was the purple gold trimmed tome that she had found in the cave. It was just sitting there, innocently, yet Glyndrel eyed it as you would a deadly viper about to strike. Glyndrel circled around, keeping his distance, and all heat felt as though it had left his body. Glyndrel shivered. This was the thing that had taken his friend from him, which spawned an idea in Glyndrel’s mind. ***** It was well past dark when she finally opened her bedroom door. Glyndrel was there, sitting in the dark, on her bed, a thousand scenarios spilling through his imagination on how the scene would play out. Walking in, there was not much light from the rest of the dwelling and Glyndrel could her huffing of exasperation and then something unexplainable happened. With a flick, numerous candles, scattered around her room all flared to life. The sudden, and while not terribly bright, candle light caused Glyndrel ‘s eyes to squint and water, bringing a hand up to his eyes. Her eyes immediately went to Glyndrel, a flare of hostility in them that was unexpected and ugly, causing Glyndrel’s stomach to tighten. Before saying anything, her gaze swept immediately to her desk where the book had been laying. The book was not there, the space it had been in seemed gaping. “Where is it!? Where is my BOOK!?!?” Slyphania screamed at Glyndrel. Glyndrel expected this and gave her a quizzical look. “Book?” In a blink, Slyphania was across the room and had Glyndrel by the scruff of the tunic. Glyndrel didn’t resist. “I’m your friend, Slyph, I am here to help you. You need help” “what…I…need..is..my…BOOK!” Slyphania exclaimed slowly before yelling the last word. Slyphania then, with all her strength slapped Glyndrel across the face, causing him to drop to the floor. Slyphania stood over him, panting hard, looking about the room in a frantic haste before she started turning over things. Glyndrel brought his hand to his cheek, which stung profusely, as he stood. “Slyph, just stop. Stop. I will give you your book, but this reaction speaks volumes about the help you need. Don’t you remember the budding friendship we had started? That day in the market? Glyndrel pleaded with her, attempting to break through to the person he remembered those long months ago. Slyphania didn’t appear to be listening, continuing to search for the tome, tossing and turning her room. Glyndrel slowly walked to her bed and lifted her mattress, the tome lay beneath. “There”. Slyphania swept in and clutched the book up. “Now get out, GET OUT!” Slyphania screamed, and Glyndrel left, concerned looks from her parents as he walked out, giving them a despairing look. Glyndrel left the tree-house, looking back to Slyphania’s windows where the candlelight emanated from, flickering and allowing her the sight to continue to study the infernal book. A tear escaped, what was he going to do? ******* The next morning, Glyndrel had collected Alexyius and re-visited Slyphania’s tree-house. “I need to apologise for last night, Alex, it was a selfish test, but I had to do it. I am hoping, that she has calmed somewhat and will join us to break the fast. “Glyndrel said. “I hope so too, I don’t know her as well as you, but from what you told me, that was completely out of character for her.” Alexius agreed. Arriving at the treehouse, Glyndrel knocked. “Besides, it’s just a book, I mean really, what harm could it really do?” Glyndrel asked. Someone was at the door. “Oh, I hope she has calmed, I hate the thought of her being angry”. Slyphania’s mother opened the door and looked as though she had been crying. Cold, hard dread settled in the pit of Glyndrel’s stomach. “What’s happened?’ Glyndrel croaked. “She’s gone. She left late last night, with that Human she wouldn’t tell me where she was going, only north and to not worry”. Her mother started to cry again and slammed the door, leaving a stunned Glyndrel and curious Alexyius. Alexyius put a comforting hand on Glyndrel. “I’m so sorry, what are you going to do?” Glyndrel barely heard him, still reeling from the shock of the news. “I’ve got to go after her, I must” “Well, I’m not letting you go by yourself, I am of course going to have to come with you, but I have to say, you are taking it very hard, why is that?” Glyndrel slowly looked to Alexyius, tears streaming down. “Isn’t it obvious?” Alexyius gave Glyndrel a quizzical look. “I am in love with her.” TO BE CONTINUED>

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Hello All! Here is a wonderful story by Jivalax! Sorry it took me so long to get this one out…There are 12 music tracks on this one which will be noted near where they appear in the story.

Gene the Giant Killer by Jivalax

The Real Story

“Cool Beats 1.0 by Syncopika” I’m sure y’all know the stories of Gene the Giant Killer, I wrote enough of them after all, and they did play on the Tesla radio for years. “A hero for whom larger than life is just the right size!” I wrote. Course it all started with ‘Gene the Giant Killer’, which won me a ton of awards and made him the most famous slayer of ogres, ettins and trolls of all time. Then there was ‘Gene the Giant Killer Revealed’, which was more popular than the first book. Oh, and the critically acclaimed – though somewhat less popular – ‘Gene and the Giant’. But, the thing is, the lot of it was hogwash. That’s right, I said it. Oh, sure we was best mates and all. I loved the man like a brother. But the things I wrote weren’t all that there was to say. Fact is, I took a lot of liberties in the telling of those stories. He didn’t want me writing the truth. And, looking back, I admit he was right. But, after a time, it got to itching me. The truth that is. Funny thing the truth. It seems easy to stuff away or bury in some shallow hole, forgotten. Then one day it starts wriggling away, working its way to the surface. I went to him and told him I wanted to write the real story. He swore. Well, he swore all the time – didn’t read that in the other books did ya? Oh we went round and round about it. Hours of arguing, a broken nose (mine, not his) and a few pints later we reached an agreement. I would pen the truth, but not publish it until we were both dead. I was at his funeral a few years back so I know he’s gone and since you’re reading this … Hey now, don’t fret about us none. I’m probably up at the Bear Tavern in the sky sharing a pint with the Giant Killer himself. Or, if me mother-in-law was right, down at the fiery Bear Tavern below sharing a pint. Either way, neither of us’ll benefit from a spilled tear now. Course, I’d still be obliged if you’d read on and say something nice in review of this, me last piece of work. It may be the only piece of non-fiction I ever wrote.

***

“Chill BGM by syncopika”

“Oi mate, I’m Gene the Giant killer. What can I do for ya?” I turned to look at the man who had uttered these now famous words. He was the smallest man I’ve ever seen. A dwarf really. I don’t mean the mythical kind with a long beard and a penchant for gold and smithing, no, I mean a little person. He was standing on a table and still had to look up at me. I began to wonder, not for the first time, why I wanted to be a writer at all. The local Tesla radio had offered me a pittance if I could find and interview a guy in a nearby town who had gained some local fame for killing a few giants. Simple cash I thought. It was turning into a total snipe hunt. I’d already been to three taverns, each with some brawny ox who claimed to be the fabled Gene. Now here I was in some rat hole bar looking down at a little man with a big grin, rough cut brown hair and sparkling blue eyes – claiming to be a killer. “Sorry. I’m looking for the man who has killed giants, named Gene. Who are you?” I was fresh out of scribe school, all six foot seven inches of me, and wasn’t about to let some dirt dumpling go jerking my chain. “I said I was Gene, you farking string bean! Are ya bloody deaf? Demning pencil pushing gobshites!” He spat on the floor. It might have been tobacco. Might not. “You? You’re the killer of giants?” I asked, incredulous. “Aye! What of it? Ya got a giant that needs killing?” His eyes shown bright as the possibility of income crossed his mind. “I’m writing a story about …” I began. “Piss off!” he waved, dismissively.

“melancholicbeats-prototype by syncopika” “Excuse me?” “Did I stutter? Or do you not know what ‘Piss Off’ means?” “Now see here, I’m looking for the man who kills giants, so I can write about him. I’ve already interviewed three men in this town alone who have claimed to be him. And let me tell you, sir, every one of them was a big man. You, well …” I arched my eyebrow and looked down at the little man. It made my point. “Well then, if ya already got three big killers, what do ya need me for? Go get one of those fools to tell you lies. I’ve got giants to cut down and precious little time for radios or writers.” Gene took a swig from his mug and shot me that cockeyed smile that made him look so smug. I wanted to punch him right then and there. “Their stories, they didn’t, well, they didn’t make sense.” “Uh huh.” Gene oozed condescension. “But yours do, I suppose? You’ll tell me how you broke a trolls nose, even though you barely reach his kneecaps? Or maybe how you knocked an ettin out with one punch, while everyone knows they have two heads. Or maybe you’ll tell me that you’re the mightiest man alive, tougher than any giant. I’ve heard it all so far. So, how are you stronger than a giant?” Gene guffawed. “Don’t be right daft, Cupcake. There’s no way I’m stronger than even an ogre. Then again, neither are you. Nor any of that lot you been wasting your time with. Stronger than a giant? Pfft! Idiots!” “So, how do you kill them then?”

“The Path Revealed by Eliot Corley from ChaosIsHarmony” “I cut off their heads with my magic war axe of giant killing.” He pursed his lips and took another sip from his cup. “Really? You have a magic axe?” I was intrigued, as at least a magic axe was believable. Well, more believable than what I’d heard so far. Gene looked at me with mock kindness. “You really are pure gobshite aren’t you? Do I look big enough to wield a war axe? It’s a wonder you haven’t traded your family’s savings for magic beans.” “The family savings was spent going to the finest scribe school in all of New Britania! I’m going to be a famous writer.” In retrospect, that might not have been the best comeback. Gene gave me a puzzled frown and shook his head. “I kill giants. Not much more to know.” “But how? How do you do it?” The little man looked up from his mug as if seeing me for the first time, studying me. “Why do you want to know?” “I want to write about it! I want to tell the world how you do it,” I beamed. “You do realize I make money from this right?” I nodded. Gene spoke clearly, as if I was a slow child. “I make money from it because most people can’t do it. When a giant starts bothering a town they call me and pay me to solve the problem. If some wank of a writer goes and tells them how I do it, then anyone can do it and I’m out of a job. That’s not much incentive for me to tell you how I do it, is it?” I could see what Gene meant about a steady job and since I myself was currently in a cash flow deficit, I took a different approach. “I could just tell them about the adventure, and not actually how you do it. You know, make it a big story.” “Now who would care about that?” “Are you serious? Look at how popular such things are in books. There is the ‘Lord of the Bracelets’ trilogy, the ‘Dragons of Parn’ and my favorite the ‘Game of Iron Chairs’. Surely you’ve read them?” “I don’t have much use for satire. And I don’t like fiction.” I was stunned. “Those are all true! I’m sure of it. Maybe. But, look, my point is, people will want to hear your stories.” “I don’t know …” “When everyone hears that you are the one to get the job done, you’ll have more business than you can handle. More money!” Gene’s hand flashed out to grab my shirt and pull me closer. “Beanpole, my friend, why didn’t you say so before? Have a seat and let me tell you a story.”

***

“Fairy Tail by Alexandr Zhelanov https://soundcloud.com/alexandr-zhelanov” “There was this one time a troll was terrorizing some little thorp. Big feller too. He’d come in and eat their sheep about once a week. Yup. Well, to make a long story short, I killed him.” Gene smiled as if that explained everything. “Are you serious?” My jaw dropped. “Oh yeah, I killed him good,” Gene’s toothy grin split his face. “That the kind of story you’re looking for?” I shut my gaping mouth. After a moment I said, “That’s a little shy on the details.” Ok, ok, if I am telling the truth what I actually said was, “That is the single most idiotic story I’ve ever heard.” Gene said, “I’ll try to elaborate a bit.”

“Winter Waltz by Alexandr Zhelanov https://soundcloud.com/alexandr-zhelanov” Ha, yeah right! He dashed his mug to the floor and wove a tapestry of profanity like none I’d heard before. I don’t think he repeated a single word during the entire tirade. I was lost in thought about possibly writing a book on swearing, when I realized he was staring at me. “Sorry, what?” “I said, ‘If you don’t like my story, you underfed priss, come with me on a giant hunt and tell it any way you want!’ So, what do ya say?” My skills as a writer were very good, I know, I’d told myself many times. But, I made no illusion that I was any kind of warrior. Me, on a giant hunt, the idea alone was ridiculous. Impossible actually. “I’d love to.” My stupid mouth has betrayed me more than once. “Great, I know of this ogre near here. The pay isn’t what I like to earn, but with your story making money, I figure it’ll compensate. We can leave in the morning.”

***

 

“Brave Infantry by Alexandr Zhelanov https://soundcloud.com/alexandr-zhelanov”

In the original story I wrote, “Gene was knocking at my door before the sun kissed the sky.” Writer fluff. In reality it was too bloody early. But, he was insistent and so, off we trudged. Off to kill a giant. It took until mid-morning to get to the edge of a cliff. Looking down the hundred plus feet to the rocks gave me a queasy feeling and made my head spin. “Why are we here exactly? This doesn’t seem like a good place to kill a giant.” Gene glared up at me and then began to unpack the gear we had brought. “Look here, one of us is an expert in killing giants and the other is a sissy pencil scratching wuss. I’m the former, you’re the latter. So we hunt where I say we hunt. That simple enough for you?” I watched the little man pace off back and forth, check the dirt for who knows what, sniff the air, taste a blade of grass and finally draw a tiny circle in the dirt with his foot. “What exactly are you doing?” Gene got very serious. “There’s an ogre around here. He hunts in this area. He’ll come over that little rise sometime today. When he does, I’ll spring this magic trap and dispatch him.” I looked at the rock Gene held in his hand. It looked like any other rock in the area. “That’s a rock.” “Well, it has to look like a rock so the big lug doesn’t know it’s a trap. If he senses it’s a trap, he’ll avoid it and then we’ll have trouble,” Gene explained. It still looked like a rock to me. “You sure it will work?” “Absolutely! Mostly. Probably. It should. But sometimes …,” the dwarf shrugged. “Sometimes what?” I demanded. “Well, sometimes it doesn’t work, so I use my magic ring and turn invisible. The giant will stomp around for a bit killing anything it can see, but then it will eventually wander off and I’ll try again later.” “Turn invisible!” “Well, yeah. You don’t want to be around when an angry giant is trying to kill you. They’re big. And mean. And hungry.” “So you turn invisible!” “Yup.” “What am I supposed to do?” I asked. “Well, you just wave your arms and seem vulnerable and when he comes over the rise he’ll walk past the trap and I’ll spring it and we’re done.” Gene seemed very confident. “What happens if it doesn’t work?” “Told ya, I turn invisible.” “What happens to me?” I screamed. “Well you’d better … oh I see what you mean. Hmm.” “That’s your solution? Hmm! I can’t turn invisible you know!” “Ok, ok, there is another option, but you won’t like it.” “Will I like it less than being stomped to death and eaten by an ogre?” Gene smiled. “Oh no, it’s not nearly that bad. Here’s what we’re gonna do.”

***

“Escadre by Alexandr Zhelanov https://soundcloud.com/alexandr-zhelanov”

“There ya go, snug as a bug,” Gene purred as he checked to make sure every adjustment on the climbing harness was tight. “I don’t know about this,” I started. “Now Beanpole, you wanted to come on a giant hunt. This is a giant hunt. You can’t turn invisible, and so this is the only other way. Trust me.” “I sure hope your trap works,” I mumbled. “Me too,” Gene admitted. “Gene, what happens if he doesn’t fall for it?” “Oh he’ll fall for it, you just be sure not to catch the trip line with your foot. You run for all you got and leap over the edge. Leap, not crawl. Not slide. Leap.” “But only if the trap fails. Right?” “Right. Right. Of course,” the little man smiled soothingly. So I sat down where I was instructed to sit. My safety rope was hidden, buried in the dust. All I had to do was be bait for a man eating giant. Simple. You know, as I write it here and now, it seems rather silly. But when I was a young man, this is what passed for excitement. We were a brave breed back then. Ok, foolish probably. Me, I was desperate, I’d do anything to be a famous writer. And, in the end, you don’t really care. You just want to know what happened. Well, I’ll tell ya, I sat there for nigh onto an hour when I heard a chuffing sound. I looked up just in time to see an ogre step over the rise. That’s when it all started to go sideways.

***

“Takeover 5 by Horrorpen”

Now, I know in the books you read, the story goes that three ogres came over the rise. I dropped one with a magic crossbow bolt between the eyes, Gene stuck one with his magic trap and we struggled bravely and finally cut the third one down. Well that was just a story. It didn’t happen. There was only one ogre. The brute seemed to smell something, likely me, but hadn’t yet spotted me. His eyes were all squinty, like he needed ogre glasses or something. I thought, ‘how can he not see me? I’m right here.’ So, I stood up and waved my arms, just like Gene had told me to do. That did the trick. He let out a bellow. A snot flying, spittle spraying kind of bellow. No, I don’t mean a scream, like your sister might do. Not a yell like your mother when she’s mad. Not even the sound like your wife might make if she found you in bed with … well actually, it was a little like that. But, mostly it sounded like a rampaging bull. I mean the kind of volume you can feel in your chest. At that moment I became so paralyzed with fear the only thing that moved was my bladder and my mouth, and mouth only got out, “Gngk!” I need to take a moment at this point for those of you who may not be familiar with ogre speak. I wasn’t at the time. You see, their language is relatively foul and crude. Pretty much the only thing it consists of is references to food, fighting and a few select insults. Completely unbeknownst to me, what I had uttered was a close approximation to one of the worst ogre insults. It insinuated some rather lurid acts with a member of the family. “Invasion by Eliot Corley from ChaosIsHarmony”

The giant in front of me responded to my “Gngk!” with eyes widening to saucers and standing to his full height. It was nine-foot-something huge. He then let out a war cry that made it obvious his first bellow had simply been a kindly, “Hello, I’ll be your ogre today, and I’m going to eat you.” Now this noise was more of a, “You have offended me, my family, and my honor. I’m going to stomp you into a puddle of red goo, pick out any bone shards and smash them with a rock!” Yes, as a matter of a fact, I did get all of that in his single cry. I assure you my mind was working rather quickly at that moment. My entire life flashed before my eyes, and after replaying the good parts a time or two (and three for that night with the miller’s daughter) I decided I had not had nearly enough of it. Life that is. And since I had a huge, raging, killing machine thundering in my direction I thought it would be best to be somewhere else. I completely forgot that I was tied into a harness, connected to a rope and all that. I simply knew I needed to be away from the landslide of death that was heading in my direction. I ran for all I was worth, straight away from oncoming death, directly toward the cliff. At some point I recall thinking how it was strange that the beast was still coming, getting ever closer to me. I thought Gene would surely spring the trap and I would be saved from diving headlong over a cliff. Yet, I could feel ogre spittle hitting the back of my neck as I careened for the edge, running out into the air, legs still pumping as fast as they could. I actually felt the ogre’s hand brush me as he snarled past on the way to the rocks below. Then I hit the wall and blacked out.

***

 

“elpin by Jan123”

“Hey, there you are. You were perfect!” Gene smiled at me. He must have pulled me back up the cliff with the tiny block and tackle setup he had attached to the rope. “Wha?” I am so elegant when I am just coming back to consciousness. “You were perfect bait. We killed the man-eating ogre! You got your story and I get another kill to build up my reputation. That’s money, Beanpole.” “Your trap. It didn’t work?” “Sure it did. We killed the ogre.” “No, your magic trap. It didn’t stop him.” “Huh? Oh, right. The magic trap. Yeah. Tough break there. Can’t trust those magic traps.” Gene went to packing up our gear. “Gene?” “Ya, mate?” “There wasn’t a magic trap was there? Your plan was always to have me be the bait and run over the cliff.” “Well …” “I could have died!” “Aye, but ya didn’t. That old ogre was nearly blind, I knew he wouldn’t see the trip line or the cliff edge. I needed a runner and in case you haven’t noticed, your legs are a tad longer than mine.” “You used me!” “Oh don’t go getting all high and mighty. You were going to write all about my giant killing to get rich and famous. I’m out here risking my butt at every turn while you wanted to make money by talking about my deeds? Is that what passes for fair where you come from?” Gene crossed his arms and looked a bit offended. “Well …” “I’ll tell ya what, gobshite, I’ll split the reward money with ya, IF you split the story money with me.” “Hmm, how big is the reward?” I asked. “A hundred gold coins.” Gene raised an eyebrow as if to inquire if that was enough to buy me.

 

“mythica by congusbongus” I hesitated. Not because there was any doubt, but because I thought blurting out “Abso-farking-lutely!” would lack grace. After all, the paper had offered to pay me only one, that’s right, one gold coin. (I was not as well-known back then as I became later, when people would give me a coin just to autograph their copy of my book.) “Oh come on, Beanpole. You gotta admit, it was exciting.” “Maybe, on one condition: we go on another giant hunt – and I am not bait this time – and we split the reward money and the story money, even. “Done! I been thinking you could write a whole book about me killing giants. We can fill it with stories like this.” “Yeah, a book is a good idea. But I think I’ll take a little creative license in telling the stories. So you got any other jobs lined up?” Gene smiled at me. “As a matter of fact, I recently heard there’s an ettin a days ride north of here.” Then he looked directly at me with his sparkling blue eyes. “So, what are you gonna call this book? ‘How to Beat Giants’? Maybe ‘Encyclopedia Gigantica’?” I did my best to mimic his smile and his accent. “No mate, I think I’ll call it ‘Gene the Giant Killer’.”

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Hello Everyone:  Lord Baldrith here with a heart-touching letter by Womby.  In this particular iteration, I have given the music a bit more chance to bring in the mood of the story.

Here is the text:

Farewell:  By Womby

Background Music:

Alexandr Zhelanov-Welcome to Old Manor.  Https://soundcloud.com/alexandr-zhelanov

 

Dear Susan, As I write this letter I gaze at you in your crib, and know that in all likelihood it will be the last time that I see you.

In a few hours I shall join the rest of the guard as we face down an army of unspeakable horrors. An army that is advancing relentlessly from the south, and threatens to destroy us all.

I am not a soldier. Until last month I ran a small business, but was forced to join the town guard when the trade with Kingsport dried up.

Like many on this island I have done a little adventuring, but since then I have grown older and my reflexes have dulled.

My main responsibilities now are as a parent and a husband. It is those responsibilities that compel me now to do my utmost to protect you.

Hopefully my actions and the actions of my fellow guards will ensure the safety of you and your mother, but if you are reading this then it means that we have failed, and that you have somehow managed to escape.

My last wish is that you look after your mother just as she has looked after you, and that you study the ways of the warrior, for we live in perilous times.

Your loving father

David

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Hello everyone, this is Asclepius, with a wonderful story from gmarrow, entitled

“The Smokehouse”
I am also delighted to welcome our newest narrator, Solstar.
Musical background is “Desolate Landscape” by Smartsound.

The Smokehouse
(author unknown)
A man returning from a day’s hunt stepped from the forest into the clearing surrounding his woodland homestead. Long shadows from a westering sun reached from the tree line and wrapped around the small cottage. Light spilled through the open door and spread across the empty yard.

“I’m back” he called out.

He had expected his boy to be waiting, eager to see what game he had caught. Or at least the dog to come bounding out. But all was quiet.

A disappointing homecoming for a disappointing hunt. All he had to show for the day were two quail. They made a fine dinner for tonight, but he needed to start putting away stores for the coming winter. Not that he was worried about insufficient food. In another two weeks it would be cold enough to slaughter the hogs and smoke the hams and sausages that would last them until spring. But more variety meant a less bleak winter.

As he approached the cottage door, he heard soft crying. He stepped inside.

His son sat on a chair near the fire of the kitchen hearth, legs pulled up, knees under his chin, arms wrapped around his shins. His eyes were red and puffy.

“What’s the matter son?” he said. “Where’s your ma?”

The boy looked up and took a shuddering sniff. “She ain’t got back from the market yet.”

The man’s throat clenched. She should have been back hours ago. He glanced over the empty cottage.
“Where’s Burley?” It was unlike the hound to leave the boy, especially when he was distressed.

“He runned off when the monster showed up.”

The man blinked.

“The what?”

“The monster.” The son buried his face behind his knees. “It was horrible. I was so scared pa.”

“Monster? What are you talking about?”

The son looked up, his voice now prideful. “But I caught it pa, I trapped it in the smokehouse. You’d be proud of me. I caught it, Pa!”

“What nonsense are you talking? You’ve got some animal in the smokehouse?” It was typical of his son’s boyish imagination. He probably trapped a raccoon in there. And the rafters were still hung with smoked trout from this summer’s fishing trip. The critter would be gorging itself. The man flushed with anger. He dropped the quail on the table next to his son and walked back out the front door, leaving it ajar.

He walked around to the smokehouse. The small outbuilding was constructed of stout oaken timbers, grayed with age and streaked with black stains where years of smoke found exits through chinks in the boarding. It was meant to keep out scavengers and protect the precious contents during the long smoking process. Now it was holding something in.

The man paused at the door and listened. He thought he heard something faint, like rope stretching against wood. What could the boy have caught in there?

He slipped his hunting knife from its sheath and pushed the door open a crack. The setting sun no longer reached through the surrounding forest, and the growing darkness, coupled with the black, smoke-stained interior of the smokehouse made it impossible to see inside. The man waited a moment, satisfied to let whatever animal was inside run free into the forest, no doubt with a belly full of fish.

But nothing emerged, and the man heard no noise from within.

He pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside. He could make out nothing but smoked fish hanging from the closest rafters. He moved further in, and as his eyes adjusted to the dark, he discerned a tall shape suspended from a rafter in the back of the room. He stepped closer, gripping his knife.

His wife’s body dangled from the rafters by a rope that bound her wrists. Next to her, their only son was similarly suspended. Behind him, the dog hung from its hind legs.

His son’s head lifted slowly and one eye opened.

“Pa, there’s a monster,” he said hoarsely. “It looks like me.”

Stars exploded before his eyes as a tremendous weight impacted the base of his skull.

His face hit cold, packed dirt. He tasted soot. He was vaguely aware that he was on the floor of the smokehouse.

As if from a great distance, a voice cackled, “Oh, how well I will eat this winter!”

Blackness consumed him.

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Hello everyone, this is Asclepius, with a wonderful story from Boomer, entitled

“Dolly”
Musical background “Like Family” and “Restless Soul”, by Smartsound.

Little Lynette ran to the end of the garden to see the parade. She was six going on seven, cute as a button, and loved by all. Her mom kept her dark hair in pigtails that flew all over the place when she ran.

The doll was sitting with its back to a fence post. Shiny gold hair, clear blue eyes, pink cheeks, rose bud lips, all framed in a perfectly symmetrical face. A work of art in a blue dress, white pinafore, blue and white striped stockings, completed by shiny patent leather shoes. Lynette reached through the fence, grabbed the doll, and clutched it to her heart. She ran back to her house.

“Look Mommy, look. See what I found. Her eyes close when I lie her down.”

Her mom took the doll. It was perfect, spotless, and smelled faintly of lavender. “Ohh Lynette , you can’t keep it. She must belong to another little girl who has lost it. We will have to give it back.”

“No! No! She’s mine. I love her,” cried Lynette, stamping her feet. “She told me she wants to stay with me.”

“Sweetheart, she can stay the night, but tomorrow we must look for her owner. If we can’t find who lost it, then you can keep her.”

“Dolly says all right. But she told me no one else wants her.”

“Good girl. Now put Dolly on your bed, wash your hands, and help me candy these apples. Everybody will want one at the bonfire tonight.”

“Yes Mommy,” Lynette answered tucking her new doll into bed. “Dolly says we really must keep her.”

As Lynette left to wash her hands, the doll’s eyes opened, turned slowly towards the mother’s back, and glared.

“She was a really good girl for me tonight,” said Lynette’s Aunt. “A little scared about all the commotion outside, but settled down once she got into bed with her new doll. It’s quite beautiful isn’t it. Lynette wanted to know what was going on, so I told her people believe that on the last night of the tenth month, the wall between this world and the next grows weak, so everyone is out making fires and noise to ward off evil. She just smiled and said that Dolly was here and would look after her.”

“Thanks Sis. I am glad you didn’t tell her that this is also the night of the Cataclysm. She doesn’t need to know about that for some time yet. You go out now, have fun, but stay out of trouble,” said Lynette’s mother as she shut and bolted the door.

It was well past midnight when Lynette awoke. The bedroom was dimly illuminated by the light from the largest remnant of the shattered moon shining through the window. Dolly clung like a backpack as Lynette carefully climbed out of her bed. The doll’s eyes were now an icy transparent blue, its rosy complexion chalk white, red lips turned down, and the perfectly symmetrical face distorted with malice. Together, they dropped silently to the floor and crept silently closer to the sleeping parents. The faint aura flickering between Lynette and Dolly brightened as they got near. Streamers of ethereal fire flared between them and her sleeping father. He appeared to inhale the glowing filaments and suddenly sat bolt upright.

Her mother, awakened by the light and commotion, was halfway out of bed before her husband seized her around the neck and crushed her windpipe. Lynette and Dolly stood and watched the struggle. A cruel smile played around the doll’s mouth as it licked its lips They were the last thing Lynette’s mother saw before death took her. At that moment, the aura now surrounding them all momentarily brightened, then collapsed into an intense ball of light that flew silently out the window. Lynette’s father collapsed onto the floor and Lynette and Dolly climbed back into bed.

The next day Lynette’s father was arrested for murder and taken away to jail. Three of Kingsport’s guards were posted inside Lynette’s house to keep order and prevent any looting, but they quickly set about looking for something to steal. In the child’s bed were two beautiful dolls, arm in arm, one with golden hair, the other in dark pigtails.

“Well,” said the skinny one, “I guess I’ll take these for the kids in the orphanage.”

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Hello everyone, this is Asclepius, with a great story from reebdog. It is entitled

“The Guard and the Lily, Part 2”

I am also delighted to introduce Sir Stile Teckel as guest narrator.

Musical background “Leap into Eternity – Live orchestra” by Matthew Pablo at www.matthewpablo.com

The Guard and the Lily (Part 2)

The day was rather humid for the season but all the while hauntingly familiar. When Randall was a young child his family was forced out of their home on a day similar. He could remember the sweat dripping down his father’s forehead as he tried to explain to him why they had to find a new home and why his mother was crying hysterically. But he also remembers not long after moving to a farm where his grandparents raised sheep and cleaned wheat for neighboring farmers in exchange for their water. Those were some of the happiest days of his life. That farm is where he learned his trade, learned to read, and met a sweet young lady named Gilly. And it all led up to this great moment in his life. He felt like he owed it to Gilly after all the time they’d spent together and all she had done for him. It was a rough day to be out in the sun but it felt good. Each time he’d stop to water the horse or take a break under a tree he felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. That is what really kept him going. He could imagine their faces upon his return home to Owl’s Nest. Gilly’s bright as the moon smile and flickering eye lashes. His humble mother steadfast in the kitchen reaching for a hug. His father grabbing his shoulder and welcoming him back to the farm. These thoughts continued to drive him down each and every stretch of dusty trail. He finally reached a point on the trail he recognized. An old cobblestone statue set atop a mound of dirt with a large gargoyle pointing toward the sky. He didn’t understand its meaning but would never forget the blank look in its empty stone eyes. He could smell fire as well which meant he was close to a gypsy camp. Gypsies were usually kind folk but have been known to get their heads listed on a bounty for various crimes. He had never experienced fear while his father chatted with them trail-side but knew not all men were kind. He knew dark would be coming soon and setting camp would be easier amongst a clan of gypsies. If he offered them a little coin or gathered firewood they would surely let him camp and eat and water his horse. He scanned the horizon for plumes of smoke and noticed it coming from the treetops near a tree line crossing the trail. Just as the horse started moving down the trail he heard a strange noise come from behind the behemoth statue. It sounded like a crossbow being drawn but he wasn’t as sure. As he peered around the statue a deep, cracking, voice yelled out “Stop there or you’ll get a shaft through the heart!”