The God King

Subject: Re: The God King Thu Jul 22, 2010 5:35 pm

"Here it is. The dried up well." The five knights had left Bianca's shop and had begun scouring the Black Alley for the entrance to the Pagan Sanctuary. It had been relatively easy to find. The well was tucked behind a small, forgotten alleyway. Numerous plant life surrounded the well, a sure sign that there were definetely Pagans at work. Azk cut away the foliage covering the well's entrance with a few quick swipes of his daggers. "Wait, Azk!" Selena said, grabbing the assassin by the arm. "What if Bianca was lying?" Azk laughed. "She's not." the assassin replied coolly. "I trust Bianca. She has helped me out several times before without fail." Azk turned to climb into the well, but Selena pulled him back. "I...I don't trust her. There's something slimey about her." Azk laughed again. "It's the Black Alley, Selena." Azk explained. "Everyone here is slimey." Azk turned to the four other knights. "Stay up here. We'll make too much noise if we all go down together. If I'm not back by tomorrow morning..." Azk paused. "Assume the worst."

The assassin climbed into the well, or he tried, at least. Selena grabbed Azk again, drew him close and kissed him. "Promise me you'll come back safe." she whispered to him. Azk grinned, climbing into the well. "I promise, Selena. And I never break my promises." And with that, the assassin began carefully picking his way down the well.

*****

Azk dropped to the ground, making only a small splash in a small puddle. Azk expected the bottom of the well to be pitch-black, but this was not the case. Plants of all shapes and sizes surrounded the assassin, making Azk feel like he was exploring some long forgotten forest. Glowing blue and yellow mushrooms hung from the ceiling and had sprouted from the ground, providing adequete light in the dark tunnels. Still, the assassin didn't worry. There were still plenty of shadows in which he could hide. Azk stepped out of the puddle he had been standing in, and made his way through the tunnel, admiring the Pagan's craftiness. They had picked an excellent hiding spot for their sanctuary. The warm air and the moistness of the abandoned well was perfect for cultivating plants. "Crafty Pagans indeed." Azk mumbled to himself as he picked his way around a particularly prickly shrub. "Hope they don't have too many surprises for me."

Azk continued to walk through the tunnel. He knew he was heading the right way from the smell of the air. "Vegetation and rot." Azk grumbled. He stopped as he heard voices up ahead. "Why wes bringin' dat hammer down here?" one voice asked. "It bes stinkin' of dem cityhead fools up above!" Azk ducked into a nearby plant, getting a good view on the two people talking. One was a man. He wore a cow skull over his face, and wore ripped, dirty pants. He wore no shirt, but had a giant tattoo on his chest and back. The tattoo was the symbol of the Pagans, a leaf shaped like an eye. The other was a woman. Her hair was dirty and matted, and she wore a ragged and tattered dress. The woman reached over and slapped the man hard. "Don't bes talkin' like dat!" the woman growled. "Dat hammer bes havin' de symbol of our faith! It was made by our god!" The man was rubbing his face from where his "friend" had slapped him. "Pagans..." Azk whispered to himself.

"I still don't likes it." the man grumbled. "Dat hammer stinks of our enemies. Wes should gets rid of it." The woman looked like she was going to slap the man again. "De hammer is de tool of our god! And you would throwses it away? Fool! Dyan will bes showin' you durin' de ceremony!" The woman turned around and walked through the passage behind her. Azk inched closer to the pair, intrigued. The hammer was most likely the elemental key. But who exactly was Dyan? As the assassin inched closer, he didn't notice the small twig just underneath his foot. The twig broke apart with a snap!

The man spun around. "What bes dat?" the man called, scooping his large, wooden club off the ground. Azk cursed himself and fell back under the cover of the thick foliage. The Pagan walked towards the sound of the noise, levelling his club as he did. Azk held his breath and drew one of his fine daggers, ready to attack on a moments notice. The Pagan was just a few feet from the hidden assassin. "Hmm..." the Pagan scratched his chin. "Maybe I bes hearin' dem frogsies?" The Pagan laughed to himself. "I love dem frogsies." Still chuckling, the Pagan man turned around and walked through the same tunnel that his friend had just gone through. As soon as he was in, though, the man pulled out what appeared to be a small razor blade. "But justs to bes safe..." The Pagan squeezed the blade in his hand, causing small droplets of blood to fall to the ground. Once the man seemed satisfied with his work, he turned and continued down the tunnel. Vines sprouted and shot up from the small droplets of blood, forming together to create an impenetrable wall of plants.

The assassin walked towards the vine wall, mesmerized by the Pagan's magic. Azk scratched his chin. "Well, this makes my job a bit tougher." The vines were so thick that it would take hours to cut through the wall. There had to be another way. Azk scanned the room, his eyes coming to rest on a side passage that would surely lead around the barrier, though it would certainly take longer as well. Azk strode through the passageway, tripping over a crouching form on the ground. "Ow!" Azk jumped back on his feet and spun towards the crouching figure, daggers ready. "Watch what you bes doin'!" the crouching man growled. "You'll scare de frogsies." Azk leaned closer to get a better look at the man. He had a thick, white beard and smelled like he hadn't had a bath in decades. The man motioned Azk to come closer. Azk hesitantly obeyed, not quite sure what was going to happen next. "You ever seen dem frogsies?" the man asked. Azk scratched his head. "Um...no?" he replied. The old man laughed. "Really? Let old TukTuk show yous!" The man, TukTuk, brushed aside a small bush, revealing the biggest bullfrog Azk had ever seen!

"What do yous think?" TukTuk asked eagerly, scooting closer to Azk. Azk looked at TukTuk and grinned. He understood now. TukTuk was, in all likelihood, senile. He probably couldn't recognize Azk from any other Pagan follower. "That's amazing!" Azk said. "I wish I could stay, but I have to find Dyan." TukTuk's eyes brightened. "Ah, Dyan! I remembers when dat girl was just a baby. Even back den, wes could sense her powers." Azk grinned. "Say, TukTuk...could you take me to see Dyan?" "Of course, of course! Wes will go and sees her." TukTuk stood up, grabbed Azk by the arm, and began dragging the assassin through the old tunnels.

Subject: Re: The God King Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:41 pm

Wow, thats a good new chapter bill! exciting already!

Subject: Re: The God King Fri Jul 23, 2010 8:59 am

I'm liking where this is heading Bill :3

Subject: Re: The God King Fri Jul 23, 2010 9:40 pm

Awesome chapter Bill, i wonder what other things the pagans can do....

Subject: Re: The God King Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:14 pm

Azk felt as though he had been walking for hours. The old Pagan, TukTuk, had said that he knew where Dyan was. Of course, since the passage that lead directly to her had been sealed by Pagan magic, Azk and TukTuk had no choice but to go around the barricade. "How much farther?" The assassin asked impatiently. TukTuk laughed. "Not too far. Wes almost be there!" Azk snorted. "You said that half an hour ago..." TukTuk didn't seem to hear the words, because he suddenly sped up, dragging Azk along with him. "Here!" TukTuk shouted suddenly. "De one you seek is here!" Azk took a few steps forward. The room that TukTuk had brought him to seemed to resemble an arena. The chamber was large and shaped like a dome. The biggest difference with this chamber was the lack of plant life, and the dried blood spatters on the walls and ground. "Dyan...is here?" Azk asked. The room was silent. The assassin turned around. "TukTuk?" TukTuk was no where to be seen. "Cityfools are so predictable." a voice echoed from the darkness. "Can we kills him? Can we?" another excitedly asked. Azk drew his longswords and assumed a defensive position. "Dammit to hell!" Azk growled. TukTuk had walked him right into a trap! The "senile" old man obviously had more sense then Azk had given him credit for.

"Wes can't bes killin' him! Dyan says she wants him for de ritual!" Several voices laughed in response. The assassin spun all around, searching for the source of the voices, yet to no avail. "For de woodsies!" One voice cried. "Woodsie!" the other voices began to chant. Azk growled. "C'mon, show yourselves! Or are you afraid of a fair fight?" One voice laughed. "Shut him up, Darric." Azk spun around. The last thing he saw was a large club arcing towards his head.

*****

"Shh. Shh! The cityfool is waking up!" Azk groaned at the throbbing pain in his head. He ignored as much pain as he could and forced himself to look around. This chamber was very different from the ambush arena TukTuk had led him. Plantlife abounded here, with strange glowing mushrooms and plants, hanging vines, and tall trees. The chamber was large enough to accomodate the entire Pagan society. Azk tried to stand, but a strong hand forced him back on his knees. Azk looked up. The Pagan that had sealed the tunnel earlier was now acting as Azk's handler. The Pagan snickered. "I knew I didn't hear no frogsies." Azk was just about to say something when a door swung open on the far side of the chamber. A young woman strode into the chamber, wearing earthen colored robes bearing the symbol of her faith. A cheer went up from some part of the chamber that Azk couldn't see. The woman raised her hand to silence the thrilled mass. "Dyan." Azk muttered. Azk felt a hand slap across the back of his head. "Priestess Dyan!" Azk's handler corrected.

"Bring de cityfool forward, Darric!" Dyan commanded. Darric roughly hoisted Azk to his feet and shoved the assassin toward Dyan. The assassin stumbled forward, but was able to remain on his feet thanks to his assassin training. Azk looked at the priestess. She was better kempt then the other Pagans, making her appear more attractive. Still, Azk didn't forget the gravity of his situation. "So," Dyan began, studying the assassin. "You are from the surface? The city?" Azk noted that Dyan's speech was much more refined when she was speaking to Azk. "Of course you are." She continued, not bothering to let Azk answer. "The question that I want to know is what business could you possibly have here in our sanctuary?" Azk kept silent. He was checking the bindings on his wrists. They were tough, likely made of vine or rope, but nothing that Azk's daggers couldn't cut through. If Azk was quick enough, he might be able to draw one of his daggers and cut the bindings loose!

"Silence will get you nowhere. Answer the question. Why are you here?" Azk thought for a moment. Should he tell the truth? Then again, what harm could come of it? "I came here for an elemental key. I heard you might possess such a thing." Dyan's face scrunched up in confusion. "Are you talking about...Tectonic?" She asked. Azk shrugged. He didn't know the name of the key. "It's a large warhammer that can supposidly control earth. Does that sound familiar?" Azk asked. Dyan smiled, which was something Azk thought he would never see from a Pagan. Dyan moved closer to Azk, studying him. "Why should I give Tectonic to you? You inturrupted our ceremony to the righteous weapon. We were just about to make a sacrifice to the hammer when my men informed me of a cityfool lurking around."

Azk thought for a moment. How could he convince Dyan to give him the weapon? "Let me prove myself." Azk said suddenly. "I'll prove I'm a better guardian for the weapon than any Pagan could be." A chorus of boos could be heard behind Azk. "Don't misunderstand me, Priestess, I will carry the weapon in the name of the Pagans. But I really need Tectonic. Bring out your strongest creature or warrior. I promise to you that I will defeat it." Dyan smiled again. "You have a fire in you...I like that." Dyan paused for a moment. "Very well." She said. "Let me summon the other priests." Dyan closed her eyes. Not even five minutes later, four other priests burst through the chamber doors. They wore similar robes to Dyan, except they wore skulls on their heads. The five religious leaders wasted no time in forming a small circle. They spoke softly at first, their chants growing in intensity and volume as time passed. The priests suddenly broke the circle and began dancing wildly around the chamber. A cheer went up in the crowd. "Woodsie! Woodsie! Woodsie!" Azk turned around, noticing the large mass of Pagans for the first time. This chamber was also shaped like an arena, Azk noticed.

Each priest ended their dance in silence, except Dyan. At the end of her dance, she lifted her head up and screamed "Agares!" The crowd went into a frenzy, cheering and yelling, some even dancing like the priests had been. A bolt of green light shot down from the ceiling, striking the ground and illuminating the entire chamber in an odd green light. Azk immediately went to work, dropping down and unsheathing a dagger. He quickly began cutting through his bindings until he heard the satisfying snap of them finally breaking loose.

As the green light faded, Azk beheld what he believed to be the Agares. The creature looked like a cross between insect and humanoid. It stood around eight feet tall, had seething red eyes, and was covered in a black exoskeleton. The Agares flicked it's prehensile bladed tail eagerly, ready to serve the one who summoned it from the Plane of Earth. "Meet your challenge, cityfool!" Dyan shouted (obviously playing to the crowd). "The mighty Agares has never been bested! If you are victorious, Tectonic is yours! But, if you are defeated..." She paused for effect. "Then naught but the cold sleep of the dead awaits you!" Darric stepped forward to untie Azk bindings, only to find that the bindings had all ready been cut! He growled at the assassin, but then simply chuckled. "You bes dead soon enough, cityfool."

Dyan whispered something to the Agares, then quickly exited the chamber. The interplanaric creature turned towards Azk, its red eyes seemingly burning. The creature roared, then rushed at the assassin. The Agares shot its tail at Azk, nearly slicing the assassin's neck. Azk immediately dropped to the ground, preventing the creature from cutting his head off. Azk quickly rolled back onto his feet. A drop of blood was stained on the Agares' tail. Azk checked himself over. A thin line of blood could be seen on Azk's neck. "First blood." the Agares said, pointing to the crimson stain on its bladed tail. Azk grinned, drawing his daggers. "Last blood counts for more."

Subject: Re: The God King Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:47 pm

Great chapter =)

Subject: Re: The God King Sun Aug 01, 2010 11:30 pm

wicked, zev wants MOAR NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Subject: Re: The God King Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:52 pm

Awesomesauce chapter Bill! Can't wait for the real fight to begin. Oh, and glad to see you used the Agares thing :)

Subject: Re: The God King Thu Aug 05, 2010 9:35 pm

The two combatants circled each other, each sizing the other up. Azk wasn't sure what to make of the Agares. Being an interplanaric creature, the Agares would possess many attributes not seen on the Material Plane. It had all ready proved that it was lightning quick and deadly accurate with it's bladed tail. Azk didn't really want to learn what other tricks the deadly Agares possessed.

The Agares, on the other hand, was quite fascinated with its quarry. Few mortals could ever have hoped to dodged the Agares' lightning fast first strike. That alone was a testament to the assassin's reflexes and training. Fast enough to dodge death. Still, the Agares believed that it would win this day. Few mortals could dodge him. No mortal could kill him.

The Agares snarled at the assassin, rushing towards him. Azk crouched, daggers at the ready. As the Agares drew closer, Azk could see it's tail stiffening, getting ready to strike. The Agares shot it's bladed tail at Azk, thinking to impale the mortal where he stood. Azk proved the quicker, pushing off the ground with all his strength and jumping into the air, just barely dodging the deadly tail. The assassin angled himself towards the interplanaric creature and braced for impact. Azk grabbed the Agares' shoulder and, using his momentum, swung himself around the creature until he was clinging onto it's back. The Agares, not used to such an attack, was stunned by the audacity of such a move.

Azk wasted no time. With the Agares vunerable, now was the time to strike. He quickly whipped out one of his daggers, brought it up to the creature's throat and slashed across as hard as he could. Instead of feeling metal cutting through flesh, Azk felt (and heard) another sensation entirely. The sound of metal clanging against something hard filled the assassin's ears. The Agares' reached behind it and plucked the assassin from his perch. With interplanaric strength, the Agares threw Azk across the room. Azk landed hard, falling into a roll and landing in a heap at the opposite wall in the room.

Azk jumped back onto his feet and gazed at the Agares. It didn't look harmed in the least! There wasn't even a mark across it's neck! "I don't get it." Azk breathed to himself. "You're still alive and kicking?" In response, the Agares rushed at the assassin, slamming it's knee into Azk's gut. The air flew out of Azk's lungs, causing him to stumble backward. But the Agares wasn't finished yet. It poised its tail above it's head, aiming the blade at Azk's cranium. It shot it's tail at the assassin, thinking it was about to finish the fight. Azk saw the blade arcing towards his head and did the only thing he could do:

Drop.

Azk flopped onto his stomach, a little too slow. He had avoided the Agares' deathstrike, but had allowed the Agares to strike his back. Azk could feel warm blood flowing around his leather armor and black cloak. Azk glanced up at the Agares, who was staring back at him. "Not bad," Azk said, managing a small grin that looked more like a grimace. "But I don't think you saw this one coming." The Agares cocked its head in confusion. The assassin quickly reached into the pouch on his belt and pulled out one of Selena's shadowbombs. He crushed the orb in his hand, releasing an inpenetrable cloud of darkness. Seizing the moment, Azk rolled to the side (grimacing from the slash on his back) and pulled out his twin daggers.

The Agares stumbled backwards, bewildered. It had never encountered magic that could steal light away before. Reacting purely on instinct, the Agares shot it's tail at where Azk had last been. All it felt was it's tail smashing into the soft earth beneath it's feet.

Azk could hear a small Thump! come from a few feet away. If the Agares had reacted faster, it might have impaled Azk before he had a chance to roll. Azk sprang up from the ground and rushed at the interplanaric creature. Azk swung out with his trusted blades, only to hear that same clanging sound he had heard before.

The Agares felt Azk's blades slash across its rock-hard exoskeleton. With inhuman speed, the Agares swung out and backhanded Azk across the face. As the darkness dissapated, the Agares saw that it's aim had been true. The assassin was sprawled across the ground, one side of his face bright red from where the interplanaric creature had hit him.

Azk forced himself to ignore the pain, to stand up and fight against an invincible foe. "It's got to have a weakness..." Azk muttered to himself. "Everything has a weakness..." As Azk returned to his feet, he saw the Agares was all ready on the approach. Azk sheathed his daggers, instead drawing out his longswords. "C'mon!" Azk growled. "Let's fight!" The Agares made an odd growling sound. Was it...laughing at the assassin? Nevertheless, the Agares walked up to Azk, it's tail twitching anxiously. It shot its tail towards Azk's heart. The assassin was ready. Reacting on instinct, Azk swung his right across his body, deflecting the bladed tail. The Agares recoiled and snapped its tail towards the assassin once again. Azk swung his left blade upward and spun himself away from the Agares. He need time to think of a new strategy. He couldn't beat the Agares, not at hand-to-hand combat. Nothing could penetrate that armor!

The Agares wasn't fooled by Azk's maneuver. Roaring, the Agares dropped on all fours and gave chase to the fleeing assassin. The Agares leapt, landing on top of Azk and pinning him to the ground. It grabbed Azk by the head and held him still, then poised it's tail for the killing strike. Azk squirmed and kicked and punched, but the Agares felt none of it. In one last desparate attempt, Azk grabbed one of his daggers and slashed it across the Agares' face. This time, something strange happened.

The Agares recoiled.

Azk rolled back onto his feet, confused. Why did the Agares let him go? He had felt the clang of his dagger on the demon's exoskeleton, but why did the creature recoil? The Agares glared at Azk, it's eyes promising death. Azk studied his enemy closely. What did he damage? The Agares' face looked fine. There was only a tiny drop of black blood dripping from the Agares' mouth. Suddenly, Azk's eyes lit up. "Your mouth isn't armored, is it?" The Agares roared and began stomping on the ground. Azk stumbled and fell over. The Agares could cause earthquakes?!

The entire chamber began to shake. Some Pagans screamed. Some hooted and hollared. Some even laughed. Azk stared at his opponent, as did the Agares. "Well played, human." the creature congratulated. The Agares shot towards Azk, punching him in the gut. It then followed up by kicking the assassin in the chest. Azk yelled in pain. He could feel a snap! from within his chest. But the Agares wasn't finished yet. The Agares' stomped on Azk's left arm, shattering it. The assassin screamed in agony. The Agares reached down and grabbed the assassin by the throat, hoisting him into the air. The Agares angled it's tail directly in front of Azk's face.

Azk grinned. He had a plan.

Fast as lightning, Azk drew one of his daggers and thrust his hand into the Agares' mouth. He stabbed the blade upwards, causing the dagger to get lodged in the Agares' brain. The interplanaric creature immediately dropped the assassin, and it's physical form seemed to be dissolving into mist. "I have lost?!" The Agares roared. "You have banished me back to the Plane of Earth for one-hundred of your years, human!" As the creature dissolved back into the Plane of Earth, Azk could still hear it calling, "Know this: I will return and challenge you again! Next time you won't be so lucky!"

Azk wearily stood up, the adrenaline of the fight finally wearing off. The Pagan crowd was silent. No one had ever bested an Agares before, and no Pagan had ever thought that a cityfool would be the first! "Surely this proves that you are worthy to bear Tectonic!" came the familiar voice of Dyan. "Rejoice, my fellow Pagans, for our newest Brother!" Azk cocked his head confused. Dyan was making him an honorary Pagan! Azk would have celebrated as well, but the weariness of the battle suddenly set in on him. Azk fell over, unconscious.

Subject: Re: The God King Thu Aug 05, 2010 9:58 pm

Awesome fight scene Bill!!! Can't wait for the next exciting installment of..."The God King"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Subject: Re: The God King Sun Aug 08, 2010 7:33 pm

great chapter Poppy!! the fight was rly intense. Also can't wait for more...

Subject: Re: The God King Sun Aug 08, 2010 11:41 pm

wow......that elft me stunend GOGOGOGOGOGO AWESOME AWESOME

Subject: Re: The God King Sun Aug 15, 2010 5:37 am

Nami wandered through the old library, admiring the history of the ancient library. She had come to the castle's archives to see if she could learn anything about the elemental keys that her master Anselm was searching for. She placed her hand along one particular shelf and ran her hand across it, throwing up a large cloud of dust. Obviously, this library hadn't been used in some time. Still, the warrior was convinced that one of these books could hold the answer to the whereabouts of the keys. Nami skimmed and scanned the various spines of the books, searching for anything that might provide a clue. She didn't have to search long before one title caught her eye. "The History of Ancient and Sentient Artifacts: Volume Three." Nami read aloud. She grabbed the book from the shelf and set it down at a nearby table. She brushed a thick layer of dust from the book's cover and flipped it open. "Let's see..." Nami thought aloud. "There were six elemental weapons. I know two of them. Hokkyoku and Magnama." Nami looked back to the weathered old book and blew out a sigh. "Looks like I'll be up for the rest of the night..."

Nami flipped the old book open and wasted no time. She began reading each entry, searching for some clue that could tell reveal the other four weapons. A half an hour passed before Nami found an interesting entry regarding Hokkyoku.

The Katana of Torrents, or Hokkyoku, is the prized treasure of the people of Arcterra. It rests in the temple of Arcterra, a building made of blessed ice. When I visited this sacred land, I was not permitted access to the temple, but I was allowed to listen to the legends of the blade. According to Arcterran legend, Hokkyoku is a sacred weapon forged by the god Arcterra. Arcterra imprisoned the weapon in a block of ice, waiting for someone of worth to pluck the blade from it's icy prison. According to legend, the weapon possesses semi-sentience, as it is able to choose and bond to it's wielder. It is tradition among the young men here to try and pull the blade from it's resting place, however, no one has actually ever been able to do it. According to legend, Hokkyoku is one of six artifacts needed to interact with the Millennial Gate, and is supposidly the counter weapon to the Magnama Axe.

Although the passage didn't reveal much, it did reveal that the author of the book knew about the Millennial Gate and the six elemental keys. Nami knew she had to keep searching. She flipped through the book until she found an entry about the Magnama Axe.

The Magnama Axe is a beautiful battleaxe. The blade is made from ruby, and the hilt is made from adamantite. The weapon was said to have been forged in Dwarfhold's halls. According to the Keeper Dwarves, Magnama was forged many centuries ago, around the same time it's counter weapon was said to have been created. The axe was passed down from generation to generation, until about three-hundred years ago, when the weapon was stolen during a dragon's raid on Dwarfhold. It has been said that one swing from this axe would be enough to set BattleOn alight with flames, but because the Dwarves never used the weapon, it is merely legend. The Dwarves say that the weapon was supposed to function like a "key" when used alongside five other weapons. However, the Dwarves would not speak of what the weapon was made to unlock.

Nami breathed a silent curse. This second entry had bore no real fruit. All it had confirmed was that Magnama was indeed a key to the Millennial Gate, and that it was related to Hokkyoku. The warrior began skimming through passages and entries, but her patience was wearing thin. How could she hope to find information on weapons that she didn't even know? Another hour passed, and still, she had found nothing of interest. Nami was just about to give up, when one particualr entry caught her eye. "Nebulous?" Nami read.

This weapon has gone by many different names in history, such as "Insanity", or "Hellbound". However, my research tells me that Nebulous is the weapon's original name. Unlike many of the artifacts that I have listed in this book, Nebulous is one with a bloody and terrible history. It was created many centuries ago, when the celestial body known as Nox phased into our plane of existance. A shard of Nox fell to our planet's surface. The shard was found by a tribe of people who worshipped the Nox shard as a god, because of it's terrible, negative power. In homage to their god, the tribe broke the shard down, and forged a dagger of blackest onyx. The weapon possesses an immense amount of negative energy. Many of Nebulous' wielders have gone insane and have even killed themselves, simply by touching the weapon. Those who were strong enough to resist Nebulous' negative power wound up getting killed in some way. It is rumored that Nebulous has the power to call out to beings with evil hearts. According to myth, Nebulous is one of the six keys of the apocalypse, along with Hokkyoku, Magnama, Tectonic, Aero, and Yumi.

Nami sat back, in sheer surprise. "The six keys of the apocalypse?" Nami echoed incredulously. A thousand questions ran through Nami's mind at that moment. What exactly was the Millennial Gate? What was hidden behind it? More importantly, did Anselm know about all this? Nami shook the questions from her mind. She would have them answered, but not now. She needed to focus on the task at hand. Luckily, this latest entry had given the young warrior the names of all the keys. She quickly flipped through the pages of the book, stopping as soon as she had found Aero.

Aero is a staff that was created centuries ago. If used correctly, it is believed that Aero can bend the air currents to the user's whim. If used incorrectly, Aero could prove fatal to it's wielder. I had the chance to behold this weapon with my own eyes. The weapon is currently kept in the Temple of the Dragon Cloud, a temple that rests near the top of the Chiral mountain range. The staff is made of a fine silver, and has depictions of air currents carved into it. According to the monks that guard the weapon, Aero is one of six keys needed to unleash an ancient evil, which is why the monks constantly keep the staff under watch.

Nami grinned. Temple of the Dragon Cloud. She needed to remember that. Nami continued flipping through pages until she stopped at the entry called "Yumi". "Yumi...why does that seem so familiar?" Nami asked herself, leaning her head on her hand.

Not much is known about Yumi. According to a local folktale, there was once a hunter whose entire family was murdered by vampires. Swearing vengeance against the hideous fiends, the hunter prayed to the great goddess of Lore, asking her for help in any way she could provide. The great goddess heard his plea, and blessed the man's bow with the unsurpassed power of light, and blessed the man with the ability to sense the dark denizens of Darkovia. Armed with little more than his sword and his blessed bow, the man stormed into the black forest of Darkovia. It is said that the man nearly wiped out the entire vampire population. No one knows what happened to the man or his bow. Some say he died. Others say he was turned. Still others say that he simply left Lore once his vengeance was sated. But personally, I believe that the man started again, with a new family. Nevertheless, Yumi's whereabouts are still a mystery.

Nami gasped. "Frozen!" she whispered. "How could I have forgotten about you?" The man in the legend must have been Frozen's ancestor! Nami flipped the book closed and rushed to find Anselm. No doubt he would like to hear Nami's information. And it was very likely that he could answer Nami's questions concerning the keys to the apocalypse.

*****

Anselm sat at his desk, scribbling into his worn journal. The bust on the wall turned and suddenly sank, indicating that someone was entering. "Ah, Miss Nami..." Anselm said, turning towards his guest. "Why are you up so late?" Nami shook her head. "Nevermind that." She said. "I have information on two more elemental keys." Anselm sat up, chuckled, then leaned forward, motioning Nami to sit and talk. Nami pulled up another chair and sat in front of her master. "What do you know, my girl?" Anselm asked, his voice revealing his patience, almost like he could stay up all night and listen to Nami. "Aero." the warrior said. "It's located at the Temple of the Dragon Cloud. But it's kept under constant guard, and from what I've learned, it's unlikely that the monks will give it up to just anyone." Anselm chuckled. "Don't worry about that. I'm a very stubborn negotiator. Now, what of the other key?"

Nami nodded. "Yumi. It currently belongs to Frozen Fighter, the-" "The man who saved you back on Yokai Isle?" Anselm interjected. Nami nodded. Anselm studied his general. "Are you absolutely sure about that?" he asked. Again, Nami nodded. Anselm tilted his head back and laughed. "You have truly outdone yourself, Nami, my girl!" the hooded man laughed. "I will immediately leave for Dragon Cloud temple. Thank you for your information, Nami." As Anselm stood up to leave, Nami grabbed Anselm by the shoulder. "Master Anselm..." she asked. "What exactly are the six keys to the apocalypse?" Anselm was silent for several moments. Suddenly, he laughed and patted Nami on the shoulder. "You shouldn't concern yourself with such trivial things. It's only a bedtime story." Nami furrowed her brow. Anselm had blatantly dodged her question!

"Before I leave for Dragon Cloud, there is one matter that I must take care of." Anselm said. "Would you please excuse me, my general?" Nami didn't move a muscle. She simply stared at Anselm. Anselm chuckled. "Very well..." he mumbled. He returned Nami's stare and uttered "Leave." Suddenly, Nami's legs acted on their own, turning her towards the portal and carrying her towards it. "Just promise me you won't hurt Frozen to get Yumi!" Nami called as she unwillingly walked out of the room. Anselm chuckled and grabbed the crystal ball on his desk. "Fyra," he spoke. "Are you there?" The other end was silent for a few moments. "Anselm?" Fyra's voice echoed across the crystal ball. "It's late. What's going on?" "I've recieved news that the ranger you are travelling with is the owner of Yumi, one of the elemental keys."

Anselm was silent for a moment. "Kill him and take his bow. Understood?" "Yes, sir."

Subject: Re: The God King Sun Aug 15, 2010 11:11 am

:O Good chapter Bill! Moar!

Subject: Re: The God King Sun Aug 15, 2010 4:44 pm

Azk's eyes shot open. He glanced all around him. It was obvious to the assassin that he was no longer in the dried up well. He was propped in a bed, with bandages around his chest and with a bandage covering his left arm. His clothing and weapons were laid gently on the dresser across the room. Also propped on the dresser was a large, platinum warhammer, which bore the insignia of the Pagan faith. Azk grinned. True to her word, Dyan had surrendered the sacred Tectonic to the assassin. Azk swung his feet over the side of the bed and gingerly stood up. He walked over to the window and peered out. He had been moved from the well back to Bianca's shop in the Black Alley! The moon was low in the sky, an indicator that dawn was soon on the approach. The assassin moved away from the window toward the beautiful warhammer. Attached to the head of the warhammer was a hastily scribbled note, and an emerald pendant carved in the shape of the Agares that Azk had fought. Azk picked up the pendant and examined it. It's design was flawless. It looked exactly like the creature that Azk had faced earlier that night. The assassin set the pendant down and picked up the note.

Newest Brother,

By besting the Agares, you have proven your worth to me and your other brothers and sisters. I humbly present you with Tectonic, the sacred treasure of my people. Respect it's power, dearest brother, as it has the might to collapse one of your cities with a single swing. Guard it with your life, dearest brother, for many seek to misuse the weapon's awesome power.

Ah, I almost forgot about the pendant. As a token to your amazing strength and cunning, we present you with it. The pendant is considered good luck by my people. But it serves another purpose. Should you ever find yourself caught in the grasp of danger, drop the pendant on the ground and say "Anu". It's power should prove useful.

May all your seeds flourish under the everlasting sun.

Dyan

Azk set the note down and smiled. "Azk?" A voice asked from behind. Reacting purely on instinct, the assassin grabbed a throwing knife, whirled around and threw. The weapon whistled through the air, embedding itself in the door, just inches from Bianca's face. "Holy mother!" Bianca shrieked. "It's me!" Bianca stepped into the room and yanked the knife from the door. "What's wrong with you?!" Bianca asked. Azk blew out a sigh, grateful that he hadn't hit his friend. "Sorry, Bianca, I'm a little on edge." Bianca eyed the assassin curiously. "How did you get here?" the woman asked. "Do your friends know that you're here?" Now it was Azk's turn to stare. "You guys didn't see me come up here?" he asked. Bianca shook her head. Azk chuckled. The Pagans surprised the assassin at every turn.

Bianca looked beyond the assassin, to the platinum warhammer. "Is that what I think it is?" the shopkeeper gasped. Azk followed her gaze and smirked. "It is." he said, with just a hint of pride in his voice. "Tectonic, the holy treasure of the Pagans, and the third elemental key." Bianca moved closer to the weapon, her eyes never leaving it. "It's beautiful." she remarked. "How did you get it?" "I asked for it." Azk laughed in response. Bianca looked at her assassin friend with surprise. "And...that worked?" Bianca suddenly shifted her gaze to Azk's chest and arm. "My god, Azk! What happened?" The assassin waved her question away. "Not right now." he said. "I'll tell you everything once the others are informed that I am back." Bianca nodded. "I'll find them at once. Just let me put something decent on." Azk tilted his head in confusion until he realized that Bianca had been wearing little more than a nightgown during their whole encounter.

"Your friends are staying at the inn across the street. I'll go get them and be right back." With that, Bianca left. Azk grabbed the emerald Agares pendant and returned to his bed. He was tempted to use the pendant's power now, but figured that would be irresponsible. He set the emerald pendant on his nightstand and waited for his friends.

*****

"You fought an Agares?" Bill balked. The sun had begun it's long ascent into the sky by the time Bianca and the others returned. They would have returned sooner, but Xavier had refused to get up so early. So, Arata had been "forced" to splash a bucket of cold water on the surly mage. "Yeah." Azk said. "It was a fierce battle." "I'll bet!" Bill said, his excitement mounting. "I hear they have rock-hard skin, tougher than any mineral in our plane of existance. Is that true?" Azk nodded, grinning. "Yeah, he was a tough opponent, but I found the chink in his armor. Apparently, Agares' mouths aren't armored at all!" Xavier grinned. "Clever, Azk." the mage complimented. Selena sat on the other side of the bed, her arms folded across her chest. "I thought you said you weren't going to do anything reckless." the shadowmancer grumbled.

Azk chuckled and pulled Selena closer to him. "Actually, I promised that I would return safe. Never said anything about being reckless." He kissed Selena on her cheek. Selena tried to stay mad at the assassin for scaring her, but her facade was failing fast. She smiled at Azk and returned the kiss. "I'm glad you came back safe." she said.

Arata sighed as he watched Azk and Selena. He couldn't help but let his mind wander to Leyla. He wondered where she was now, if she missed him at all, if she was safe. He reluctantly shook Leyla from his thoughts. There would come a time when he could find her again, but now was not the time. "So now the count is their two to our one." Arata said, glancing over at the elemental key. "What's our next move?" Azk looked at the duelist and nodded. "Well, I'm assuming that whatever this Xanhast wants these weapons for, he needs all six of them. Even if we have just one, we are effectively stopping his plans."

"But the weapons themselves, Azk." Bill said, deep in thought. "The weapons possess a mighty amount of power. This was demonstrated by Magnama's ability to control flame and Hokkyoku's ability to cut just about anything. We should try to gather as many of the weapons as we possibly can. They would be better served in our hands than Xanhast's." Azk nodded his agreement. "All right, then." Selena said. "Where to next?" The Twilight Knights sat back in thought. Where to go next? None of them had any clue! Bill thought back years ago, when he had traveled Lore in search of a way to destroy the Ring of Poison. Had he seen anything that might be of use to him now?

"I do remember visiting one place, about eight years ago." Bill said. "A temple on top of the Chiral mountains. It was called the Temple of the Dragon Cloud. I had sought a way to destroy the Ring of Poison, but none of the monks that lived there could help me. However, the monks did show me their most prized treasure, a silver staff that they constantly kept under guard." Bill glanced at his partners. "Perhaps that's one of the keys?" The knights were silent for a few moments, digesting this new info. "It's as good a guess as any I have." Xavier said (which surprised the four other knights, seeing as how Xavier was usually the most cynical of the group). "All right then. Bill and I will head to the Temple of the Dragon Cloud." He turned towards the other three knights. "Azk, Arata, Selena: See if you can find anyone in the Black Alley who might know the location of the keys." The four knights blinked in surprise. What had come over Xavier?

Xavier turned towards Bill. "You ready to go?" Bill nodded, and with a small pop!, they were gone.

Subject: Re: The God King Sun Aug 22, 2010 12:06 am

"Hold up." Frozen Fighter said to his companions, raising his hand in the air to stop them. Frozen, Cyra, and Fyra had been moving antagonizingly slowly. Several hours of tracking had led the three just a few miles outside of Swordhaven's gates. In truth, Frozen had known exactly where this man, Azk, had headed. But the ranger could sense something out of the ordinary with these two sisters, and had wanted to observe them. "Have you found something yet?" Fyra asked, irritation laced in her voice. They had been wandering around Swordhaven and the forest for several hours with absolutely nothing to show for it. They had even had to make camp and spend the night in the woods! It was obvious to Fyra that the assassin was probably long gone by now. Still, she continued the charade. Leaving the ranger right in the middle of their search for her "friend" would seem suspicious. Not only that, but last night, Anselm had made contact with the pyromancer, telling her that the ranger held the elemental key of light, Yumi! She couldn't leave now. Not without the key, at least.

Frozen chuckled. "Oh, I've found something, all right." Just a few feet in front of the ranger, was a large, runed archway. Half of the archway looked as though it were made from brilliant pearl, while the other half looked as though it had been made from the blackest onyx. "Oh, my." Cyra said, her icy blue eyes widening. "It's beautiful." Fyra snorted. "What is that? What does it do?" the pyromancer asked. Frozen shook his head. "I have no idea." he replied. "But I know how to find out." Frozen lowered himself to the ground, crossed his legs and sat down. Fyra walked over to the ranger, bewilderment on her face. "What are you doing?" Frozen looked up to her and grinned. "I'm waiting." he said, chuckling a little bit at the woman's frustration. "To see what happens. Ranging is something that takes patience and dedication. Please," Frozen said, patting the ground. "Sit." Fyra growled in frustration and stormed off. Frozen chuckled to himself. Out of the two sisters, Fyra, he had noticed, was the hothead of the family. Cyra seemed much more reserved. She didn't say much.

As the dawn sun rose into the sky, and light struck the top of the arch, the gate roared to life. Frozen, taken a bit by surprise, rolled backward onto his feet. "Now we've REALLY got something!" Frozen called to the sisters. Fyra and Cyra came quickly to the ranger's call. "The Twilight Gateway." Fyra whispered to herself. A grin spread on her face. Now it seemed they no longer needed their ranger escort. Because even if the assassin wasn't in the Twilight Realm now, he would have to return eventually.

Frozen turned to the sisters. "Shall we go?"

*****

Frozen fell out of the gateway, landing flat on his stomach. "That's a different experience." Frozen muttered to himself. While the transportation between the planes of existance had been nearly instantaneous, the ranger had felt like he had been trapped in there for half an hour. Before he could stand back up, Cyra fell through the gateway on top of him, and Fyra after that. "Please..." Frozen asked, though his voice sounded smothered. "Get off of me..." Fyra hopped off of her sister and helped her back onto her feet. Fyra glanced at her sister for a moment, then turned to the now-standing ranger. "Can you excuse us, please? I need to discuss something with my sister." Frozen nodded sheepishly, more focused on the beautiful landscape they had just discovered.

"Sister, this place is-" Cyra began, her amazement obvious. "Nevermind this place!" Fyra whispered harshly. "I recieved orders from Anselm last night." Cyra shook away her awe, focusing on her sister's words. "We stop our hunt for the assassin. We have a new target." Cyra cocked her head. Fyra grinned. "The ranger. His bow is one of the keys our master has been searching for! We need to get it from him, and deliver it to our master." Cyra looked at her sister strangely. "Sister..." Cyra began. "Our master wants us to kill the ranger? Why? Couldn't we just ask the ranger for his bow? If he knew how important it was to stopping the Chaos, maybe-" "Cyra!" Fyra growled. "Do you really think he'd be willing to just hand it over?" Cyra furrowed her brow. She didn't know why, but she had a feeling that stealing the bow would be wrong.

Meanwhile, Frozen's gaze was locked on the landscape. The clouds were a dark black and red, with the actual sky being a brilliant pink and orange. From this angle, he could see a small village next to a large, violet colored lake. High in the sky, Frozen could see the two celestial bodies, Luc and Nox. "Amazing." Was all he could say. Frozen had always been a wanderer, ever since he had been orphaned as a child, but now, there was one word that came into his mind, one word that Frozen had dreamed of when he was younger.

Home. Frozen Fighter felt as though he were home.

"We can do this right now, quickly and cleanly." Fyra whispered, glancing over at the distracted ranger. "You can end him with one quick strike!" Cyra widened her eyes in shock. "Me?" she whispered back. "Why me?" Fyra rolled her eyes. "Because I can't extend an icicle from my palm like you. Now get over there and let's be done with this!" Cyra sighed, but didn't question her sister. She concentrated, letting the cold magical energy flow through her arm. Small icicles began to shoot out of Cyra's right hand, with a large icicle extending from her palm. She cursed what she was about to do. She crept up silently to the ranger, readying her weapon. She angled it toward the base of the ranger's neck...

The hairs on the back of Frozen's neck stood up. The air seemed suddenly...

Colder.

Frozen whipped out one of his thin longswords and spun around, the weapon slicing off the tip of Cyra's icicle. Cyra hopped backward in surprise, retracting the icicle as she did. "What's going on?" Frozen asked, drawing his other longsword. Fyra laughed. "Although I would have liked a clean kill sister, I think this will be more fun." Fyra's arms erupted into flames. "For the Onyx Skull!" she cried. Fyra raised her arm and shot a fireball at the somewhat bewildered ranger. Frozen hadn't been totally caught off guard. He had expected that these women were not what they seemed, but he never assumed that they would attack him! Frozen dodged the incoming fireball, rolling to the side, only partially singing his forest green cloak.

Frozen hopped back to his feet. These two were magic users! Frozen cursed his luck. Sword against sword, he could work with. Sword against magic...well, Frozen had learned that with magic, anything could happen.

Subject: Re: The God King Sun Aug 22, 2010 1:19 am

Another awesome chapter Bill! Will Frozen stand a chance against the sisters?? :O

Subject: Re: The God King Wed Aug 25, 2010 2:31 pm

Nami just approached me. She's a clever girl, really. She's found the locations of two more elemental keys. With Hokkyoku, Magnama, Yumi, and Aero claimed, I am just another step closer to my ultimate goal.

However...

I have a feeling that Nami no longer completely trusts me. Before I commanded her to leave, she asked me about "The Six Keys to the Apocalypse". It was foolish of me to use my power to force her to leave. I must not act rashly! No doubt she suspects something is going on here.

Nami joined me because I told her I was battling Chaos and because I offered her Kitsune's head on a silver platter. If she were to discover...no. No, she can't possibly discover my true purpose. If she did, the consequences could be disastrous. Most of my soldiers joined me because I offered them retribution, or adventure, or the chance to make a difference in this insane world we live in. If Nami found the truth...but then again, no. Even if she did discover my true goal, there's no one here who would believe her. Except for perhaps Xanhast.

Xanhast stopped trusting me after he discovered I was a Lich. But he isn't foolish enough to try to do anything with that information. My little "demonstration" of my power was enough to make Xanhast think twice about a possible revolt.

Still, I can't help but wonder. Nami suspects something, that much I know for sure. I must be careful now. I will keep my journal on my person at all times. I learned my lesson after I caught Miss Leyla trying to...

Miss Leyla...if Nami were to get a "change of heart"...she could ruin everything!

Damn it all! Leyla is the key to everything! Without her, all of my plans are for naught! Nami does not know what purpose Leyla serves. Not yet, at least.

I cannot act now. I must go to Dragon Cloud and retrieve Aero. Perhaps I'm being paranoid. Perhaps Nami won't act upon her suspicions. But I've seen her kind before. Young and foolish, with something to prove. If she does prove to be a thorn in my side, well...

I think I'll just offer her up alongside Leyla to sweeten my deal.

--An entry from Anselm's Journal

Subject: Re: The God King Wed Aug 25, 2010 4:05 pm

Interesting little excerpt there Bill =O What could Anselm be planning?

Subject: Re: The God King Wed Aug 25, 2010 5:50 pm

Cool journal entry. I have a feeling that i'm going to get into trouble if I don't stop asking questions. o.o

Subject: Re: The God King Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:59 pm

That’s cool bill, everything is winding up, ‘bout to explode :p