Lord Balter was surprised it took three days for anyone to discover Xue├óÔé¼Ôäós body. The council chamber was visited even less then he had though. It did work to his advantage though. No one suspected him, and most of the other nobles suspected Teldi, who was prideful enough to kill someone over less then what Xue had pulled. And stupid enough to do so.
Not that I am stupid Balter though. He was sitting at his desk, leafing through his papers and signing away this or that. Then he got a paper with the signature red wax seal of the Magi guild. Except this one had a single green spot on the normal staff and wand symbol. That could only mean one thing. Balter slit the letter open with his letter opener and pulled out the letter.
He read it swiftly, got up and burnt it. Then he walked over to his wine cabinet, opening it and pulling out a flask of wine. He poured it in a small shot glass, drank it, and then walked back to his desk. He got the next letter, read it briefly then tossed it away. Then he picked up another letter, read it. Tossed it. The never ending stream of bureaucracy that he whittled the hours away with seemed to be especially onerous tonight.
Balter swiveled his chair around to look out of his window. He stared at the city and wondered what he should do. Nobel├óÔé¼Ôäós couldn├óÔé¼Ôäót delegate their work, so his father had said. A delicious irony, seeing as how Balter had gotten rich and owned pretty much the entire city, all because he delegated work to others. Balter leaned back and put his feet up on the window. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is the life├óÔé¼┬Ø he said contentedly.
WHAM! The man├óÔé¼Ôäós face fell forward, blood dribbling down from his mouth. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod I love doing this├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said, gesturing to Brutes. Brutes smashed the man in the solar plexus, probably breaking some bones. In fact├óÔé¼┬ªJerry hoped it involved breaking bones. The man whimpered slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy don├óÔé¼Ôäót you just tell me where you sent her?├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The man shook his head and looked up into Jerry├óÔé¼Ôäós eyes. Then he spat a wad of blood onto Jerry├óÔé¼Ôäós suit. ├óÔé¼┼ôI guess not├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said. Brutus smashed his massive fists into the man├óÔé¼Ôäós nose, sending the bone deep into his brain. The man├óÔé¼Ôäós head snapped back and stayed lolling back, his mouth open in a silent scream.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis is the life├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôSend word to the boss that Lady is probably in the sewer├óÔé¼┬Ø. The courier that stood at the door of the torture chamber nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir, if I may ask?├óÔé¼┬Ø the courier said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow do you know that├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jerry grinned and tossed the badge of the man├óÔé¼Ôäós uniform at his courier. It said Engineering Guild: Sewer Division . The courier laughed then set off at a run.
Jerry turned back to the almost dead man and drew his favored dagger. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is my favored one├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said quietly, leaning in close to the sewer worker. ├óÔé¼┼ôI found this in depths of Shamazad, on a dead bloke in a ancient temple. It├óÔé¼Ôäós coated with Green Dragon Blood, the most deadly and painful poison in the world. Even though I have used this four times and its been lying around for an unknown amount of time the poison will still kill you over three days, with constant crippling pain├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry was practically breathing down the man├óÔé¼Ôäós ear, he was so close.
Then he stabbed him. The man tried to scream, but it came out more as a gurgle. Jerry knew that the poison would probably kill him faster with all the damage his body had already taken, but he wasn├óÔé¼Ôäót sure. Maybe he would last longer. Didn├óÔé¼Ôäót matter. Jerry walked out of the room with a congratulatory slap on Brutes back. The huge man simply grunted and turned to his alcove.
Garret was playing with Teresa, trying to coax her into talking about her ability to open gates. But his daughter was too interested with a small piece of paper he had shown her to levitate. So he simply lay on the floor with her, lofting the paper around with his finger. Teresa seemed happy enough, as she managed to keep it up with out Garrets help after a few minutes. Why she could open a gate as far as that and not even master a simple levitate spell easily Garret thought.
Then he heard a sound like a crash. He jumped up and looked around. The local wine cabinet that Lord Balter had sprinkled through out his house was floating an inch of the ground. Garret knew they were pretty heavy, and yet Teresa was levitating it and the piece of paper with little or no apparent hardships. ├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa don├óÔé¼Ôäót play with big things yet├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said softly, using his own power to place the cabinet down as gently as he could.
She just giggled ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy not?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSimple├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt├óÔé¼Ôäós not ours├óÔé¼┬Ø. She seemed to understand. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets try something less├óÔé¼┬ªheavy├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, still a little shaken. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa quipped up. ├óÔé¼┼ôUhh├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret looked around. What form of magic isn├óÔé¼Ôäót deadly when used in excess? he thought, looking around. Too many things in this room were dangerous, heavy or fragile. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôOpen daddy a gate to├óÔé¼┬ªto our home!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Teresa clapped and the gate was there, floating in the middle of the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôShall we?├óÔé¼┬Ø. He gestured gallantly through the gate and into the whirling snow that swept through the room. Teresa stood up to her full height, witch was sneaking closer and close to Garrets waist. She then stepped through the gate and Garret followed her through. The cold of Uluthwea was surprisingly refreshing after the somewhat muggy day on Emperryon.
Or is it because I├óÔé¼Ôäóm so used to this? Garret thought Maybe├óÔé¼┬ªEmperryon has stayed temperate, but it is I who have changed. He didn├óÔé¼Ôäót know why that bothered him so much. However it was soon getting very cold and he closed the gate. Or at least tried to. The gate wouldn├óÔé¼Ôäót budge shut. ├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa, honey├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, trying to force the gate close as hard as he could ├óÔé¼┼ôPlease close this├óÔé¼┬ª damn thing├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered.
Then it snapped shut. ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø He looked at his daughter, who was standing stalk still in the cold. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you cold├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Even in daytime the cold of Uluthwea would kill most people within a few hours. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm fine├óÔé¼┬Ø she said softly. Garret walked over to her and looked at her. Then he noticed the intricate spells of heat that she had set up. ├óÔé¼┼ôhow did you ├óÔé¼┬ªdo that├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked.
Teresa turned and there was nothing young about her face. ├óÔé¼┼ôI just did├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Garret felt chilled to the bone. She was nine. Just a kid. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go back to Balters house├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt├óÔé¼Ôäós a little chilly out here├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo I want to play!├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, turning away from him. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon├óÔé¼Ôäót Teresa! You├óÔé¼Ôäóll get lost├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, but she already started skipping through the increasingly thick snow. Garret started slogging forward, but he was slowed by the snow. Then fire burst in his chest.
He clutched at his heart ├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa├óÔé¼┬Ø he gasped, but she was already disappearing into the whirling snow. ├óÔé¼┼ôTERESA!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted as another bought of wracking pain overcame him. Garret slumped into the snow as his daughter vanished into the snow.
├óÔé¼┼ôTERESA!├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret shouted, jerking up and out of sleep. Juliana sat up, bewildered as Garret sat up in bed, holding his head in his hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou all right?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Juliana. Garret turned and smiled faintly in the darkness. He could see Juliana├óÔé¼Ôäós face dimly, a faint outline in the midnight light from the Rings. ├óÔé¼┼ôJust a nightmare├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Juliana cocked her eyebrow ├óÔé¼┼ôI know just how to get your mind off it├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, moving closer to him in bed.
Garret leaned forward to kiss her, but was interrupted by a loud pounding on the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod damn it├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered as he got up and opened the door a crack. Lord Balter, looking very haggard, looked in on the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôHorrible news├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôLord Xue has been found├óÔé¼┬ªmurdered├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, taken completely by surprise. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou and your wife might want to get dressed. The nobles are going to hold trial├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôOn who?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou├óÔé¼┬Ø said Balter, holding up a letter with the noble house├óÔé¼Ôäós stamp on it. Garret reached for it and read it, barely believing that it had happened. ├óÔé¼┼ôI..I├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, at a loss for words. ├óÔé¼┼ôXue was found, in his chair at the council├óÔé¼┬ªseveral bullets put through his body├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôHow├óÔé¼┬ªwhat evidence├óÔé¼┬Ø garret said. He felt Juliana├óÔé¼Ôäós hand on his shoulder ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat├óÔé¼Ôäós this all about├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey found this at the location of the crime├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said. He held up Garret├óÔé¼Ôäós revolver and turned it slowly so that Garret could see the four empty chambers. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼Ôäóm sorry Garret├óÔé¼┬ªbut no one has this make anymore├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhy not?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was the latest├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes, nine years ago├óÔé¼┬ªwhen my father owned the company├óÔé¼┬Ø Lord Balter said.
Rings
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Technology behaves oddly in the Rings. It radiated out from Emperryon, slowly, creeping outward like a twisting wreath of vines. First where the guns that replaced the bows, and made swords useless for all but close combat situations and charges. Then the bayonet replaced the sword, and the cannon the catapult. The magi learned new spells, and the war wizards fought the Trogg with greater ferocity.
But, Lt. Kelly thought, nothing had affected his job so much as the MG 101. It had completely revolutionized the fortress, the war he fought and the soldiers he had commanded. As the more optimistic amongst his platoon though, the war would be over with in a few hours of the MG being employed.
The Trogg had charged, screaming, there furred hides covered by makeshift amour, plates strapped together by a loose lattice of leather straps. They had expected the hail of musket fire that would bring down the Trogg in front, but give a nice long period for them to get to the Fortress, and cause damage.
Then the machine guns opened fire, the twenty five that had been shipped to the front making enough racket to almost surpass the sound of one hundred and two cannons firing simultaneously. But, Kelly reflected, the worst thing was the fact that the machine guns had no...rhythm. There was no lull between volleys, no shouting of the gunnery sergeants, no grunting of men loading.
Instead a endless stream of hot led poured into the Trogg line. The slaughter...the slaughter was unimaginable. Trogg's fell, there body's ripped asunder by a hail of bullet fire. Kelly turned away as his mens rifles joined the machine guns, causing the Trogg to fall even faster. The sounds of the wounded screaming reached the Fortress, there cacophony of wails louder...because more Trogg had fallen in the small vale before the Fortress then ever before.
Then, after a few minuets, the machine guns stopped. And there was a deafening silence. Kelly looked at the wall of dead and wounded, the smoke of the gun's wafting gently over their corpses, obscuring the killing fields in a light mist. Kelly grimaced as a single Trogg's gurgling screeching split above the moaning of his fellows. ├óÔé¼┼ôThompson├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said, gesturing to his marksmen.
Tom raised his rifle and a single shot rang. The screeching stopped. ├óÔé¼┼ôI guess they aint so much when you cram twenty thousand, four hundred and thirty three bullets down their throats├óÔé¼┬Ø Tom said, sneering. Kelly leaned against the far side of the rampart. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø he sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait...what the hell is that?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Tom, looking at the milling crowd of Troggs that stubbornly remained just out of range of the MG's.
Kelly walked over and looked. Suddenly a catapult fired, lobbing what looked like...a ball of greenish red gas. ├óÔé¼┼ôGET DOWN!├óÔé¼┬Ø Shouted Kelly to his platoon, who were still ready to fire at a moments notice. It was a favored tactic of the Trogg to retreat, then attack again when the enemy have stopped paying attention. So his men threw themselves safely below the fortifications before the gas struck home.
It spread, quickly, over the top of the Fortress, and it spilled downward, rather then outward. From inside the shifting fog, Kelly could see dark forms moving, coughing, writhing. A man threw himself over the edge of the rampart, just to escape from the fumes. Kelly plastered his shirt up and over his mouth, trying to protect himself. But the gas stung his eyes, burned his skin and seeped into his lungs.,
A man blundered into him, a dark form in the cloud. Kelly tossed him aside, trying to escape. The gas continued to pour outwards. But then a light breeze began to blow, and the gas moved away from the Fortress. Kelly felt a cough rise in his throat, and he coughed. Then he couldn't stop. Around him his platoon coughed, hacked and vomited. Some clawed at there eyes, trying to make the bleeding stop, while others simply sank to the ground, glad to be alive.
Kelly put his hand over his mouth as he coughed again and again. He brought it away, slick with blood. He heard a few machine guns start up, mabey four...possibly five. Kelly looked over the edge, into the Troggs that advanced swiftly, even with five machine guns pouring death into their ranks. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh gods├óÔé¼┬Ø he whispered, his voice raspy and blood welling from his mouth.
The Trogg had not been sitting on there collective backsides as the Empire increased in technology. Their shamans had been brewing, mixing and experimenting. Now they had found the one thing that could tip the balance. The green fog, the silent killer, or as some simply referred to it as, Gas, the weapon they had found was more deadly then a hundred machine guns.
It killed indiscriminately as the cloud blew into Stelvi, crippling men, women and children. It killed the weak and weakened the strong. However, Kelly realized, he had a job to do. It didnt matter if he was dieing, or dead. He was had to command his gods be damned platoon.
Somehow he managed to yell, ignoring the horrific pain ├óÔé¼┼ôFIRE!├óÔé¼┬Ø. He raised his rifle, pulled back the bolt, loaded it and fired. His shot took down a Trogg, as did his next. Scattered fire form the less weakened members of his platoon also poured fourth. Another MG joined the fray. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe haven't lost yet├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly muttered, and oddly...it didn't hurt at all that time.
Garret slumped back, landing on his bed. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø he said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôThat can't be├óÔé¼┬Ø. Balter had left, and Juliana was holding him. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey have accused me of murderer├óÔé¼┬Ø He said softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats ridiculous├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said, turning his head to face him ├óÔé¼┼ôSome one has been with you the entire time you've been here├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret nodded, thinking it over ├óÔé¼┼ôBut...most of the time its been you├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
Juliana grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôI hoped it wasn't that forgettable├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo wait...they'll just say your covering for me...├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell get a truth sayer. There commen enough in Emperryon, after all. Not scares like in the outer Rings├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana pointed out. Garret got up, and started pacing, running everything through in his mind. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo...a truth sayer would have to be incredibly strong to say whats on my mind...├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôMagic of my caliber blank out his├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about....Jurgan...or some such name├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said ├óÔé¼┼ôEven i heard of him when i lived here, twelve years ago├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour right├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, relive filling his body ├óÔé¼┼ôHe would be able to tell in an instant whether I'm innocent or not├óÔé¼┬Ø. Juliana smiled, standing ├óÔé¼┼ôNow, will you stop panicking├óÔé¼┬Ø she told him. Garret frowned suddenly ├óÔé¼┼ôI didn't do it...so who did?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, half way to him self.
It couldest of been Teldi, as there was no profit, Balter couldest possibly of taken that much of a chance, just because of a insult. Teldi might of done it, if only he wasn't such a moron. He would probably botch it if he had tried. Merril had no reason.. Garret though. But then he smiled as Juliana kissed him. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow lets get some sleep, and clear this up├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.
├óÔé¼┼ôIt is too bad about Xue' Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôhe was a shrewd man...and murder is always unpleasant├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen, he was a old man who was out after you, from what i can see. He didn't trust you, tried to lie to you and was a grouch├óÔé¼┬Ø Julina pointed out, rolling over in bed and falling promptly asleep. Garret however, kept staring at the ceiling, thinking.
The next morning Garret woke, cooked himself some breakfast, was told off by the cook for being too self sufficient, and gave Teresa a good by hug before heading to the Council Chambers. He steeped out the door, but was stopped by Juliana. He turned ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to be in the Chambers at ten A.M sharp to appeal my case├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana, you gust forgot something├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Garret grinned, kissed her and continued on his way. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is daddy going?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teresa, pouring a glass of milk for herself. She could barely see over the table, but still managed to get most of the milk in the cup. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe just needs to talk to some important people├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said, staring after him. She chewed her knuckle, thinking. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen will he back?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teresa. ├óÔé¼┼ôLater├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said.
Teresa nodded and walked off with the glass, drinking from it. She walked off. Juliana closed the door and walked to Garrets study, pulling out a pen and some paper. She then began to write out a letter to Red. Once she was done, she pulled out a rune that Garret had fashioned a long while ago and opened a short range gate to the nearest courier post.
The courier posts had been around for age's, looked after by the explorers and adventurers who had made the maps, settled the towns and built the cites. She wondered if they noticed the letters that seemed to mysteriously appear in there letter box's. But they always delivered them eventually. Juliana then got up, and went to pour herself a glass of milk.
Teresa walked through the house, looking at things. First she saw the Cook, who chased her away from a delicious wheel of cheese. Then she saw one of the many cabinets that daddy had warned her away from. Then she heard something. It sounded like shouting. She wandered down the hall, putting the half empty cup down on the ground, and following the voices.
As she came closer, she could hear what was being said.
├óÔé¼┼ôNo god damn it, i don't know how Xue found out about it├óÔé¼┬Ø someone said. Teresa found the door that led to the room that the men spoke in. She looked through the crack, and saw a man in a black cape looking away from her, staring at a man wearing what looked like one of those nice suites that daddy wore. But the man had a long, hideous scar down the right side of his face. But the man in the cloak was saying something.
├óÔé¼┼ôI know Jerry, but someone had to tip of the old bastard somehow├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI know, I know├óÔé¼┬Ø the man in the suite said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut don't go blaming me for Rods failings. That moron could tip off the air that he's going to sneeze├óÔé¼┬Ø
The man in the cloak paced back and forth, his back still facing Teresa.
├óÔé¼┼ôOr├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry, if that was his name, said hopefully ├óÔé¼┼ôIt could have been Sentenza. That greedy-├óÔé¼┬Ø
The man in the cloak raised his left hand, silencing Jerry. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't have time to discuss this. I need to be in the Council chambers soon. Just promise me├óÔé¼┬Ø his hand snaked out and Teresa saw a dagger flash under Jerry's mouth, its tip placed squarely on his neck ├óÔé¼┼ôFind whoever sold me out and kill them. Or your blood will be spilled. Not mine├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Jerry stood stalk still as Teresa brought her hand over her mouth, excitement coursing through her blood. The man in the cloak turned, opened the door and strode past Teresa, who shrank into the wall, hiding in the shadow cast by the door. She head Jerry mutter something, then she heard a door open, and then slam shut.
├óÔé¼┼ôI cant wait to tell dad!├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa whispered to no one in particular.
But, Lt. Kelly thought, nothing had affected his job so much as the MG 101. It had completely revolutionized the fortress, the war he fought and the soldiers he had commanded. As the more optimistic amongst his platoon though, the war would be over with in a few hours of the MG being employed.
The Trogg had charged, screaming, there furred hides covered by makeshift amour, plates strapped together by a loose lattice of leather straps. They had expected the hail of musket fire that would bring down the Trogg in front, but give a nice long period for them to get to the Fortress, and cause damage.
Then the machine guns opened fire, the twenty five that had been shipped to the front making enough racket to almost surpass the sound of one hundred and two cannons firing simultaneously. But, Kelly reflected, the worst thing was the fact that the machine guns had no...rhythm. There was no lull between volleys, no shouting of the gunnery sergeants, no grunting of men loading.
Instead a endless stream of hot led poured into the Trogg line. The slaughter...the slaughter was unimaginable. Trogg's fell, there body's ripped asunder by a hail of bullet fire. Kelly turned away as his mens rifles joined the machine guns, causing the Trogg to fall even faster. The sounds of the wounded screaming reached the Fortress, there cacophony of wails louder...because more Trogg had fallen in the small vale before the Fortress then ever before.
Then, after a few minuets, the machine guns stopped. And there was a deafening silence. Kelly looked at the wall of dead and wounded, the smoke of the gun's wafting gently over their corpses, obscuring the killing fields in a light mist. Kelly grimaced as a single Trogg's gurgling screeching split above the moaning of his fellows. ├óÔé¼┼ôThompson├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said, gesturing to his marksmen.
Tom raised his rifle and a single shot rang. The screeching stopped. ├óÔé¼┼ôI guess they aint so much when you cram twenty thousand, four hundred and thirty three bullets down their throats├óÔé¼┬Ø Tom said, sneering. Kelly leaned against the far side of the rampart. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø he sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait...what the hell is that?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Tom, looking at the milling crowd of Troggs that stubbornly remained just out of range of the MG's.
Kelly walked over and looked. Suddenly a catapult fired, lobbing what looked like...a ball of greenish red gas. ├óÔé¼┼ôGET DOWN!├óÔé¼┬Ø Shouted Kelly to his platoon, who were still ready to fire at a moments notice. It was a favored tactic of the Trogg to retreat, then attack again when the enemy have stopped paying attention. So his men threw themselves safely below the fortifications before the gas struck home.
It spread, quickly, over the top of the Fortress, and it spilled downward, rather then outward. From inside the shifting fog, Kelly could see dark forms moving, coughing, writhing. A man threw himself over the edge of the rampart, just to escape from the fumes. Kelly plastered his shirt up and over his mouth, trying to protect himself. But the gas stung his eyes, burned his skin and seeped into his lungs.,
A man blundered into him, a dark form in the cloud. Kelly tossed him aside, trying to escape. The gas continued to pour outwards. But then a light breeze began to blow, and the gas moved away from the Fortress. Kelly felt a cough rise in his throat, and he coughed. Then he couldn't stop. Around him his platoon coughed, hacked and vomited. Some clawed at there eyes, trying to make the bleeding stop, while others simply sank to the ground, glad to be alive.
Kelly put his hand over his mouth as he coughed again and again. He brought it away, slick with blood. He heard a few machine guns start up, mabey four...possibly five. Kelly looked over the edge, into the Troggs that advanced swiftly, even with five machine guns pouring death into their ranks. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh gods├óÔé¼┬Ø he whispered, his voice raspy and blood welling from his mouth.
The Trogg had not been sitting on there collective backsides as the Empire increased in technology. Their shamans had been brewing, mixing and experimenting. Now they had found the one thing that could tip the balance. The green fog, the silent killer, or as some simply referred to it as, Gas, the weapon they had found was more deadly then a hundred machine guns.
It killed indiscriminately as the cloud blew into Stelvi, crippling men, women and children. It killed the weak and weakened the strong. However, Kelly realized, he had a job to do. It didnt matter if he was dieing, or dead. He was had to command his gods be damned platoon.
Somehow he managed to yell, ignoring the horrific pain ├óÔé¼┼ôFIRE!├óÔé¼┬Ø. He raised his rifle, pulled back the bolt, loaded it and fired. His shot took down a Trogg, as did his next. Scattered fire form the less weakened members of his platoon also poured fourth. Another MG joined the fray. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe haven't lost yet├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly muttered, and oddly...it didn't hurt at all that time.
Garret slumped back, landing on his bed. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø he said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôThat can't be├óÔé¼┬Ø. Balter had left, and Juliana was holding him. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey have accused me of murderer├óÔé¼┬Ø He said softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats ridiculous├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said, turning his head to face him ├óÔé¼┼ôSome one has been with you the entire time you've been here├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret nodded, thinking it over ├óÔé¼┼ôBut...most of the time its been you├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
Juliana grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôI hoped it wasn't that forgettable├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo wait...they'll just say your covering for me...├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell get a truth sayer. There commen enough in Emperryon, after all. Not scares like in the outer Rings├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana pointed out. Garret got up, and started pacing, running everything through in his mind. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo...a truth sayer would have to be incredibly strong to say whats on my mind...├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôMagic of my caliber blank out his├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about....Jurgan...or some such name├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said ├óÔé¼┼ôEven i heard of him when i lived here, twelve years ago├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour right├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, relive filling his body ├óÔé¼┼ôHe would be able to tell in an instant whether I'm innocent or not├óÔé¼┬Ø. Juliana smiled, standing ├óÔé¼┼ôNow, will you stop panicking├óÔé¼┬Ø she told him. Garret frowned suddenly ├óÔé¼┼ôI didn't do it...so who did?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, half way to him self.
It couldest of been Teldi, as there was no profit, Balter couldest possibly of taken that much of a chance, just because of a insult. Teldi might of done it, if only he wasn't such a moron. He would probably botch it if he had tried. Merril had no reason.. Garret though. But then he smiled as Juliana kissed him. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow lets get some sleep, and clear this up├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.
├óÔé¼┼ôIt is too bad about Xue' Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôhe was a shrewd man...and murder is always unpleasant├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen, he was a old man who was out after you, from what i can see. He didn't trust you, tried to lie to you and was a grouch├óÔé¼┬Ø Julina pointed out, rolling over in bed and falling promptly asleep. Garret however, kept staring at the ceiling, thinking.
The next morning Garret woke, cooked himself some breakfast, was told off by the cook for being too self sufficient, and gave Teresa a good by hug before heading to the Council Chambers. He steeped out the door, but was stopped by Juliana. He turned ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to be in the Chambers at ten A.M sharp to appeal my case├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana, you gust forgot something├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Garret grinned, kissed her and continued on his way. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is daddy going?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teresa, pouring a glass of milk for herself. She could barely see over the table, but still managed to get most of the milk in the cup. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe just needs to talk to some important people├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said, staring after him. She chewed her knuckle, thinking. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen will he back?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teresa. ├óÔé¼┼ôLater├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said.
Teresa nodded and walked off with the glass, drinking from it. She walked off. Juliana closed the door and walked to Garrets study, pulling out a pen and some paper. She then began to write out a letter to Red. Once she was done, she pulled out a rune that Garret had fashioned a long while ago and opened a short range gate to the nearest courier post.
The courier posts had been around for age's, looked after by the explorers and adventurers who had made the maps, settled the towns and built the cites. She wondered if they noticed the letters that seemed to mysteriously appear in there letter box's. But they always delivered them eventually. Juliana then got up, and went to pour herself a glass of milk.
Teresa walked through the house, looking at things. First she saw the Cook, who chased her away from a delicious wheel of cheese. Then she saw one of the many cabinets that daddy had warned her away from. Then she heard something. It sounded like shouting. She wandered down the hall, putting the half empty cup down on the ground, and following the voices.
As she came closer, she could hear what was being said.
├óÔé¼┼ôNo god damn it, i don't know how Xue found out about it├óÔé¼┬Ø someone said. Teresa found the door that led to the room that the men spoke in. She looked through the crack, and saw a man in a black cape looking away from her, staring at a man wearing what looked like one of those nice suites that daddy wore. But the man had a long, hideous scar down the right side of his face. But the man in the cloak was saying something.
├óÔé¼┼ôI know Jerry, but someone had to tip of the old bastard somehow├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI know, I know├óÔé¼┬Ø the man in the suite said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut don't go blaming me for Rods failings. That moron could tip off the air that he's going to sneeze├óÔé¼┬Ø
The man in the cloak paced back and forth, his back still facing Teresa.
├óÔé¼┼ôOr├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry, if that was his name, said hopefully ├óÔé¼┼ôIt could have been Sentenza. That greedy-├óÔé¼┬Ø
The man in the cloak raised his left hand, silencing Jerry. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't have time to discuss this. I need to be in the Council chambers soon. Just promise me├óÔé¼┬Ø his hand snaked out and Teresa saw a dagger flash under Jerry's mouth, its tip placed squarely on his neck ├óÔé¼┼ôFind whoever sold me out and kill them. Or your blood will be spilled. Not mine├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Jerry stood stalk still as Teresa brought her hand over her mouth, excitement coursing through her blood. The man in the cloak turned, opened the door and strode past Teresa, who shrank into the wall, hiding in the shadow cast by the door. She head Jerry mutter something, then she heard a door open, and then slam shut.
├óÔé¼┼ôI cant wait to tell dad!├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa whispered to no one in particular.
Garret walked into the council chamber, thinking the the only thing he had to do was state the truth. Lord Balter was sitting in his chair, along with the other lords. Xue's chair had been removed, and a janitor still tried to scrub away the blood, but the stains had sunk into the carpet that covered most of the chambers cold stone floor. ├óÔé¼┼ôLord Garret, do you know why you have been called to this council?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Merril, who had been granted the gavel that Xue had once wheeled.
├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you have anything to say in you defense before this tribunal decides whether or not to send you to trial?├óÔé¼┬Ø Merril asked. Garret nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd this is?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Merril.├óÔé¼┬ØI want a Truthsayer to see whether or not i did what you say i did├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. Teldi raised his left hand, signifying he wanted to speak. Merril nodded, allowing him to continue. ├óÔé¼┼ôTruthsayer's don't have an effect on exceptionally powerful magi, which Lord Garret is├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI would also like to point out that a strong Truthsayer can see even if you are a strong Magi. I do believe the city's master Truthsayer is strong enough to tell the Truth for me├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, smiling. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat is true...├óÔé¼┬Ø Merril said, turning to a courier that always stood around the council chamber ├óÔé¼┼ôFetch Jurgan├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. The couriers nodded, grinning about something. Then he ran off.
Garret began to pace back and forth, thinking about who could of killed Xue. Once again he came up blank, but something tugged at the back of his mind. However his train of thought was interrupted by the couriers bursting into he room, breathing hard and looking panicked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Lord Balter, standing in surprise. It took Garret a few seconds for Garret to realize what was surprising.
The couriers white uniform was smeared with blood. ├óÔé¼┼ôMaster Jurgan is dead!├óÔé¼┬Ø the couriers shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôBut...but he had burnt like├óÔé¼┬Ø the couriers stopped, looking a little green around the edges. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt twas magic...couldn't of been anything else├óÔé¼┬Ø the couriers said. The Lords stood and looked at the couriers ├óÔé¼┼ôTake us to the crime seen├óÔé¼┬Ø Merril said. The couriers nodded, catching his breath and his composure.
As the nobles walked the very short distance to the Truthsayer's building, which was one of the center government buildings and there fore had to be located near the Council chambers, Garret felt dread fill him. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis happened to close to the trial to be a coincidental murder├óÔé¼┬Ø he whispered to Balter, who nodded curtly. Balter chewed his lip thoughtfully.
They reached the seen of the crime, Jurgan office. It looked, surprisingly, like a simple clerks office with the simple black lettering on the door proclaiming ├óÔé¼┼ôTell, Jurgan. Truthsayer First Class├óÔé¼┬Ø. Merril, who arrived first, opened the door and reeled backwards the horrible stench of burned human flesh assailed his nose. Garret covered his mouth and nose with his shirt and looked into the office.
The body of Jurgan looked normal, his fastidiously clean suit remaining black and unblemished. But his head was leaning back, a skeletal grin plastered over the blackened flesh. Smoke gently blew around the room, wafting from a razer sharp edge between blackened bone...and burnt flesh. Garret gaped.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho...what could of done this?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teldi, stepping in and examining the scull. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know of any...mundane weapon that could do that├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said. They turned to look at Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho but a Magi could do this so cleanly...just destroying his head and leaving his body untouched?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teldi. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho had a reason to kill the head Truthsayer?├óÔé¼┬Ø Merril said, staring at Garret.
Garret was about to say he'd been framed, but the other nobles had started to back away from him, nervously. ├óÔé¼┼ôI...├óÔé¼┬Ø he trailed off. Nothing he could say would dissuade them. Merril leaned over to the couriers, who still looked winded and tired form running back and forth ├óÔé¼┼ôBring a police officer and bring me...bring me some paper and ink├óÔé¼┬Ø. The courier nodded and set off at a good paced jog.
Garret was herded away by a sever looking police officer, but before he was taken Merril told him what to expect. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf we find you guilty, you will be put to death. Until then you will be incarcerated until a lawyer will be chosen to speak for you. You are stripped of you noble rank, which fortunately hadn't been formally put in place. Less paper work. If you are found innocent, then you will be given your rights back and left free├óÔé¼┬Ø Merril finished.
Garret opened his mouth to say he understood but Merril simply left, and the police officer dragged Garret away. Garret found himself shoved roughly into a dark, dank cell. As the guard left, locking the door behind him, Garret ran to the door and grabbed onto the bars, shouting ├óÔé¼┼ôHey i want send a message to my family! They ├óÔé¼┼ô but he was cut off by the distant slamming of a door. He tottered backwards and sat down on a small, rather dirty bench provided in the cell.
His family was informed though, but with a curt summery by Balter, who then said he had important business to attended to. Juliana was livid with rage, storming off to follow Lord Balter. ├óÔé¼┼ôAren't you even going to help him?├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted. Balter closed a door he was about to enter, turning around. ├óÔé¼┼ôThere is nothing that can be done. We simply need to see what the police find. You tend to your daughter...and leave me be├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Juliana advanced ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you saying that we can't do anything...at all?├óÔé¼┬Ø she demanded. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo. The police will investigate, and we will wait and see if Garret's lawyer knows anything at all├óÔé¼┬Ø. He turned, opened the door, which lead to a stair way that spiraled downwards into darkness. He walked through and shut it quickly. Juliana pounded on the door ├óÔé¼┼ôWait! Whats a lawyer?├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted.
Balter stopped on the stair way and massaged his temples, waiting for Juliana to leave. ├óÔé¼┼ôIrritable woman doesn't know when to shut up├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered, then he started to walk down the stairs. Then he turned around and locked the door. Juliana groaned inwardly as she heard the latch clunk shut. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn it├óÔé¼┬Ø she whispered. Then she walked down the corridor and found the library that Balter seemed to keep around for looks alone, as he hadn't even gone near it.
She began to scan the books, running into geneologys, fictions, some thing that looked like a play, and finally found a largish text book she knew that ever noble would need, if not necessarily want. The Book of Law. She opened to page one and began to read.
Teresa was not perturbed that her father was in prison. He had told her story's about his adventures on Shamazad and Terrix, and he had been in worse. He'd be fine. She was more interested in Balters odd gusts, the man in the cloak and...Jerry, or whatever his name had been. They might have been involved in the murderer Teresa suddenly thought. So it would of course, fall to her to swoop in and save the day.
So she walked to where mom had followed Balter. She found Juliana pouring over a dull looking book. Normally books where interesting, but big ones usually weren't. So she kept walking till she was balked by a tall, menacing door. Teresa reached up and grabbed the handle then yanked. The door didn't budge. Teresa scowled and remembered one of her first magic lessons
├óÔé¼┬ØMagic, as you and i control it, can be forced if you have the power to do so├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. ├óÔé¼┼ôLike how?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teresa. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell if i want something bad enough and i focuse on it enough, my talent will try to do it. If your strong enough, then it will work. If not then you'll get a splitting headache├óÔé¼┬Ø. Teresa laughed ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't like headaches├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret leaned down and smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôThats why we use rune stones├óÔé¼┬Ø
So she imagined the lock opening and the door flying open, as if she was kicking it down like she had read in so many adventure novels. She closed her eyes and focused. Then she heard the lock click and the door open. Teresa opened her eyes and eagerly ran into the dark stairway, not noticing the door closing by itself. She then began to walk down the stairs, hugging the shadows and barely containing her glee.
├óÔé¼┼ôNow see with Jurgan out of the way Garret will be out of business├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said. Teresa looked around the edge of the door, seeing both men looking at each other and talking. The room was the same they had been the last time, but this time the fire was out and the room lit by two electrical lights. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood...Good├óÔé¼┬Ø the man in the cloak said, but mabey that name was inaccurate as he wasn't wearing a cloak at the moment.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhen do you think we can go back into full business?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked the man. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe factory's are already in mass production. It wont even matter if the Fortress falls├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd it will make us rich├óÔé¼┬Ø. The man turned towards the door that Teresa was hiding in. She couldest help but gasp. It was Lord Balter. The man also gasped ├óÔé¼┼ôhow long have you been there!├óÔé¼┬Ø he demanded, furious. Teresa ran as fast as she could.
She got to the top of the stairs, but she could hear the two men catching up to her. She got to the door, but it was closed. She tried to turn the knob of the door, but it had locked again. She tried to focuses, but she couldest concentrate. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm glad that i got that atou-locking mechanize├óÔé¼┬Ø Lord Balter said, smirking.
├óÔé¼┼ôDo you want me to kill the brat?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Jerry, grinning evilly. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy don't you have Brutus look after her for a while. She would...enjoy his company├óÔé¼┬Ø. Teresa whimpered, terrified. Then, steeling herself, she opened her mouth to scream. But Jerry was too quick for her, and she found herself gagged, blindfolded and being carried through someplace dark and dank. And very very smelly.
├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you have anything to say in you defense before this tribunal decides whether or not to send you to trial?├óÔé¼┬Ø Merril asked. Garret nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd this is?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Merril.├óÔé¼┬ØI want a Truthsayer to see whether or not i did what you say i did├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. Teldi raised his left hand, signifying he wanted to speak. Merril nodded, allowing him to continue. ├óÔé¼┼ôTruthsayer's don't have an effect on exceptionally powerful magi, which Lord Garret is├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI would also like to point out that a strong Truthsayer can see even if you are a strong Magi. I do believe the city's master Truthsayer is strong enough to tell the Truth for me├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, smiling. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat is true...├óÔé¼┬Ø Merril said, turning to a courier that always stood around the council chamber ├óÔé¼┼ôFetch Jurgan├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. The couriers nodded, grinning about something. Then he ran off.
Garret began to pace back and forth, thinking about who could of killed Xue. Once again he came up blank, but something tugged at the back of his mind. However his train of thought was interrupted by the couriers bursting into he room, breathing hard and looking panicked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Lord Balter, standing in surprise. It took Garret a few seconds for Garret to realize what was surprising.
The couriers white uniform was smeared with blood. ├óÔé¼┼ôMaster Jurgan is dead!├óÔé¼┬Ø the couriers shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôBut...but he had burnt like├óÔé¼┬Ø the couriers stopped, looking a little green around the edges. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt twas magic...couldn't of been anything else├óÔé¼┬Ø the couriers said. The Lords stood and looked at the couriers ├óÔé¼┼ôTake us to the crime seen├óÔé¼┬Ø Merril said. The couriers nodded, catching his breath and his composure.
As the nobles walked the very short distance to the Truthsayer's building, which was one of the center government buildings and there fore had to be located near the Council chambers, Garret felt dread fill him. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis happened to close to the trial to be a coincidental murder├óÔé¼┬Ø he whispered to Balter, who nodded curtly. Balter chewed his lip thoughtfully.
They reached the seen of the crime, Jurgan office. It looked, surprisingly, like a simple clerks office with the simple black lettering on the door proclaiming ├óÔé¼┼ôTell, Jurgan. Truthsayer First Class├óÔé¼┬Ø. Merril, who arrived first, opened the door and reeled backwards the horrible stench of burned human flesh assailed his nose. Garret covered his mouth and nose with his shirt and looked into the office.
The body of Jurgan looked normal, his fastidiously clean suit remaining black and unblemished. But his head was leaning back, a skeletal grin plastered over the blackened flesh. Smoke gently blew around the room, wafting from a razer sharp edge between blackened bone...and burnt flesh. Garret gaped.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho...what could of done this?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teldi, stepping in and examining the scull. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know of any...mundane weapon that could do that├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said. They turned to look at Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho but a Magi could do this so cleanly...just destroying his head and leaving his body untouched?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teldi. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho had a reason to kill the head Truthsayer?├óÔé¼┬Ø Merril said, staring at Garret.
Garret was about to say he'd been framed, but the other nobles had started to back away from him, nervously. ├óÔé¼┼ôI...├óÔé¼┬Ø he trailed off. Nothing he could say would dissuade them. Merril leaned over to the couriers, who still looked winded and tired form running back and forth ├óÔé¼┼ôBring a police officer and bring me...bring me some paper and ink├óÔé¼┬Ø. The courier nodded and set off at a good paced jog.
Garret was herded away by a sever looking police officer, but before he was taken Merril told him what to expect. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf we find you guilty, you will be put to death. Until then you will be incarcerated until a lawyer will be chosen to speak for you. You are stripped of you noble rank, which fortunately hadn't been formally put in place. Less paper work. If you are found innocent, then you will be given your rights back and left free├óÔé¼┬Ø Merril finished.
Garret opened his mouth to say he understood but Merril simply left, and the police officer dragged Garret away. Garret found himself shoved roughly into a dark, dank cell. As the guard left, locking the door behind him, Garret ran to the door and grabbed onto the bars, shouting ├óÔé¼┼ôHey i want send a message to my family! They ├óÔé¼┼ô but he was cut off by the distant slamming of a door. He tottered backwards and sat down on a small, rather dirty bench provided in the cell.
His family was informed though, but with a curt summery by Balter, who then said he had important business to attended to. Juliana was livid with rage, storming off to follow Lord Balter. ├óÔé¼┼ôAren't you even going to help him?├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted. Balter closed a door he was about to enter, turning around. ├óÔé¼┼ôThere is nothing that can be done. We simply need to see what the police find. You tend to your daughter...and leave me be├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Juliana advanced ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you saying that we can't do anything...at all?├óÔé¼┬Ø she demanded. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo. The police will investigate, and we will wait and see if Garret's lawyer knows anything at all├óÔé¼┬Ø. He turned, opened the door, which lead to a stair way that spiraled downwards into darkness. He walked through and shut it quickly. Juliana pounded on the door ├óÔé¼┼ôWait! Whats a lawyer?├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted.
Balter stopped on the stair way and massaged his temples, waiting for Juliana to leave. ├óÔé¼┼ôIrritable woman doesn't know when to shut up├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered, then he started to walk down the stairs. Then he turned around and locked the door. Juliana groaned inwardly as she heard the latch clunk shut. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn it├óÔé¼┬Ø she whispered. Then she walked down the corridor and found the library that Balter seemed to keep around for looks alone, as he hadn't even gone near it.
She began to scan the books, running into geneologys, fictions, some thing that looked like a play, and finally found a largish text book she knew that ever noble would need, if not necessarily want. The Book of Law. She opened to page one and began to read.
Teresa was not perturbed that her father was in prison. He had told her story's about his adventures on Shamazad and Terrix, and he had been in worse. He'd be fine. She was more interested in Balters odd gusts, the man in the cloak and...Jerry, or whatever his name had been. They might have been involved in the murderer Teresa suddenly thought. So it would of course, fall to her to swoop in and save the day.
So she walked to where mom had followed Balter. She found Juliana pouring over a dull looking book. Normally books where interesting, but big ones usually weren't. So she kept walking till she was balked by a tall, menacing door. Teresa reached up and grabbed the handle then yanked. The door didn't budge. Teresa scowled and remembered one of her first magic lessons
├óÔé¼┬ØMagic, as you and i control it, can be forced if you have the power to do so├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said. ├óÔé¼┼ôLike how?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teresa. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell if i want something bad enough and i focuse on it enough, my talent will try to do it. If your strong enough, then it will work. If not then you'll get a splitting headache├óÔé¼┬Ø. Teresa laughed ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't like headaches├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret leaned down and smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôThats why we use rune stones├óÔé¼┬Ø
So she imagined the lock opening and the door flying open, as if she was kicking it down like she had read in so many adventure novels. She closed her eyes and focused. Then she heard the lock click and the door open. Teresa opened her eyes and eagerly ran into the dark stairway, not noticing the door closing by itself. She then began to walk down the stairs, hugging the shadows and barely containing her glee.
├óÔé¼┼ôNow see with Jurgan out of the way Garret will be out of business├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said. Teresa looked around the edge of the door, seeing both men looking at each other and talking. The room was the same they had been the last time, but this time the fire was out and the room lit by two electrical lights. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood...Good├óÔé¼┬Ø the man in the cloak said, but mabey that name was inaccurate as he wasn't wearing a cloak at the moment.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhen do you think we can go back into full business?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked the man. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe factory's are already in mass production. It wont even matter if the Fortress falls├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd it will make us rich├óÔé¼┬Ø. The man turned towards the door that Teresa was hiding in. She couldest help but gasp. It was Lord Balter. The man also gasped ├óÔé¼┼ôhow long have you been there!├óÔé¼┬Ø he demanded, furious. Teresa ran as fast as she could.
She got to the top of the stairs, but she could hear the two men catching up to her. She got to the door, but it was closed. She tried to turn the knob of the door, but it had locked again. She tried to focuses, but she couldest concentrate. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm glad that i got that atou-locking mechanize├óÔé¼┬Ø Lord Balter said, smirking.
├óÔé¼┼ôDo you want me to kill the brat?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Jerry, grinning evilly. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy don't you have Brutus look after her for a while. She would...enjoy his company├óÔé¼┬Ø. Teresa whimpered, terrified. Then, steeling herself, she opened her mouth to scream. But Jerry was too quick for her, and she found herself gagged, blindfolded and being carried through someplace dark and dank. And very very smelly.
Darkness. Not complete black, but rather a murky mistiness. The light comes on and the shadows vanish, leaving a blurry slurry of color and sound. A incoherent babble. Screams cutting above the white noise, soldiers making themselves heard over the babble. Doctors yelling. Suddenly something obscured the light that had come over his face.
Eye's straining. The form solidified into a young woman with close cropped red heir, a oddly cut tunic and two...wings. Wait. Wings. Memory's surface as the woman lent over the table staring into the two eyes. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you hear me?├óÔé¼┬Ø someone says. The red haired woman's lips move. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you understand me?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asks. Cant talk. Managed to shake his head slightly, causing pain to shoot up and down his spine.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat happen├óÔé¼┬Ø he managed to say, forcing the words out of a sore throat and lips that could barely move. The woman...Red... gently tipped water down his throat. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell, first i joined this stupid army├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, smiling wryly. A smile managed to force its way onto his face. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell...it started two days before we learned about Garrets accusation...├óÔé¼┬Ø
Red strode through the tent, holding the cloth mast over her mouth and jamming her eyes shut. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet a move on solder!├óÔé¼┬Ø she forced through the semi-suffocating mask. The man was writhing in the tent, trying to get away from the wracking pain of the Gas. Red grabbed him and dragged him out of the tent, finding her way through feel and memory.
Then someone pressed a hand on her shoulder. Red stopped, forcing her curious eyes to remain close, let the Gas blind her. Then something was forced onto her head, a strap pulling on her hair roughly shoved around the back of her head. She opened her eyes and felt a flood of relive. The orc had given her a spare set of goggles. ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. The orc was impossible to identify, wearing a mask much like Red's, but held on by two leather straps. The orc's goggles made her look ghoulish and terrifying, to say the least. Wreathed in purplish green smoke.
├óÔé¼┼ôWill you be able to take this man to the safe zone?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes!├óÔé¼┬Ø the orc shouted back, picking the man up with her four arms. The orc was gone within a few moments, lost in the billowing fog. Red crotched then threw herself up, flying up and above the purple cloud. It hurt as the gas stung her sensitive wings. But she was able to take off the filter and breath fresh air.
The gas attack had been unbidden, and completely unprovoked. Garrets daring plan of diplomacy had arrived, along with Juliana's disturbing letter of murderer. So Killigan had decided to call off any and all attacks against the Trogg strongholds that had begun to spring up every where. The the Gas had appeared out of no where, causing pain and death. Many had fled, even more had died. Two days later and more Gas was arriving.
Malwin had cooked up the goggles and face guard, but mistakes and surprise still happened. The army wasn't build for this kind of attrition. So Killigan had ordered the retreat and the entire army had began to march away from each Trogg stronghold, leaving many small hamlets to certain doom. Not that there was anything to protect them from the horrific gas. Still, every one in the army thought the order stank to high heaven.
Especially Killigan.
├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø he managed to say ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do i...├óÔé¼┬Ø his strength gave out. Red, the odd dragon turned human put a finger on his lips, silencing him. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm getting to you, Lieutenant ├óÔé¼┬Ø. Kelly closed his eyes feeling very tired. He was slipping. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo god damn it!├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said ├óÔé¼┼ôDont die on me├óÔé¼┬Ø. He felt something press against his lips. Then he started to come back. ├óÔé¼┼ôI had to force healing magic on you, which sucks life out of me├óÔé¼┬Ø Red whispered, her breath hot in his ear, ├óÔé¼┼ôIf i have to do that again, i will kill you├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Killigan was at the head of the column when he saw the gas canister coming in. ├óÔé¼┼ôMASKS FOR GAS!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted, pulling on the new and improved mask. Little more then an ad hock collection of straps and glass. But it worked, and saved nine out of ten. The randomness of death that could come at anytime was not new to a solider. Not being able to do anything about it was not.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe cant go on├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said as the cloud cleared. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe cant give up!├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan snapped. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need a stronghold of our own. Imagine if we bring out expertise to the Fortress. We can save ourselves and make the Fortress safer. We can wait till the trouble on Emperryon is done with├óÔé¼┬Ø Red continued doggedly, listing advantage after advantage until.
├óÔé¼┼ôLOOK OUT!├óÔé¼┬Ø someone shouted. An arrow sprouted in tightly compacted dirt that made up Terrix's land. ├óÔé¼┼ôFIRE BACK!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Killigan, pulling out his rifle form his back and aiming at the form that had fired the arrow. He fired, as did many others in the column. The Trogg fell, two bullets pricing his throat and sternum, respectively. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe was just a scout. The enemy will be able to come en mass soon enough├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said.
Killigan looked at the ground ├óÔé¼┼ôGarret once told me to never give up├óÔé¼┬Ø he said slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôBut he also told me how to tell the difference between giving up...and changing our strategy├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan's white teeth flashed on his dark face ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go to the Fortress├óÔé¼┬Ø. The word spread quickly thought the column, and the army set off, feeling a high sight better for some reason. Red knew the Trogg would probably fire a few gas canisters from there hit and run squads, but that would not happen for quite a while, if they where lucky.
Hit and run squads where made up of three Troggs, two to push the light catapult and one to carry the canisters. They where never sent out with too much food or water. They never came back to their strongholds. But in harassing the enemy and crippling moral, they had no competition.
├óÔé¼┼ôI remember when you arrived├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôbrought the canister├óÔé¼┬Ø. Red smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôyeah, we did. The damn thing didn't explode when it hit us├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood...├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly knew there was something he should say. Red opened her mouth, ready to continue the story, but Kelly suddenly realized what he should say. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, almost sitting up, but the pain forcing him down again. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop that! You need to conserve your strength├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said.
├óÔé¼┼ôWait!├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have to destroy the canister. We can't...we can't├óÔé¼┬Ø he trailed off, strength draining away. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said ├óÔé¼┼ôMalwin took care of it. The Empire will never know anymore about the Gas then they do now. I will take care of that├óÔé¼┬Ø Red grinned wolfishly ├óÔé¼┼ôand I'll be around for a long time. Long enough for the message of this war to sink into your race's thick head├óÔé¼┬Ø. Kelly lay back, closing his blurry eyes smiling weakly ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø he whispered.
They arrived at the Fortress without celebration. The city was like a gost town, empty and filled with a light mist. Red sniffed the mist and recoiled in horror. IT was the gas. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat...├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought the Trogg wouldn't...they couldn't├óÔé¼┬Ø she stopped, spotting a small dead figure in the streets, curled in a fetal position. She stood slowly, her face gray ├óÔé¼┼ôHow could they?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked the air ├óÔé¼┼ôKilligan...these where civilians!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, turning to the general. Killigan's eyes where dark ├óÔé¼┼ôIs there anyway around the city?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôNot if we want to get to the Fortress├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôI'd rather spare my troops the sight...├óÔé¼┬Ø he turned to the army column ├óÔé¼┼ôMarch forward men...into Stelvi├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted. The army began to march forward, there feet mashing into the mud and grime of the city streets.
None of the soldiers ever forgot what they saw. They saw men and women who had run into burning houses to escape to Gas. They saw children's heads stoved in by their parents, who no doubt had wanted to save them from the horrible pain of the Gas. They saw carriages that had driven into restaurants, spilling the well made china over the floors, leaving the finery shattered.
But they arrived to the Fortress, after a while. The place loomed up and out of the mist, and lifted the moral of the troops immensely. For one thing men patrolled the top, looking like stick figures from the ground. But also there was the sound of laughter, chatter and children's play from inside. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're here├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan said softly, looking up at the welcoming sight.
Eye's straining. The form solidified into a young woman with close cropped red heir, a oddly cut tunic and two...wings. Wait. Wings. Memory's surface as the woman lent over the table staring into the two eyes. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you hear me?├óÔé¼┬Ø someone says. The red haired woman's lips move. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you understand me?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asks. Cant talk. Managed to shake his head slightly, causing pain to shoot up and down his spine.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat happen├óÔé¼┬Ø he managed to say, forcing the words out of a sore throat and lips that could barely move. The woman...Red... gently tipped water down his throat. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell, first i joined this stupid army├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, smiling wryly. A smile managed to force its way onto his face. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell...it started two days before we learned about Garrets accusation...├óÔé¼┬Ø
Red strode through the tent, holding the cloth mast over her mouth and jamming her eyes shut. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet a move on solder!├óÔé¼┬Ø she forced through the semi-suffocating mask. The man was writhing in the tent, trying to get away from the wracking pain of the Gas. Red grabbed him and dragged him out of the tent, finding her way through feel and memory.
Then someone pressed a hand on her shoulder. Red stopped, forcing her curious eyes to remain close, let the Gas blind her. Then something was forced onto her head, a strap pulling on her hair roughly shoved around the back of her head. She opened her eyes and felt a flood of relive. The orc had given her a spare set of goggles. ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. The orc was impossible to identify, wearing a mask much like Red's, but held on by two leather straps. The orc's goggles made her look ghoulish and terrifying, to say the least. Wreathed in purplish green smoke.
├óÔé¼┼ôWill you be able to take this man to the safe zone?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes!├óÔé¼┬Ø the orc shouted back, picking the man up with her four arms. The orc was gone within a few moments, lost in the billowing fog. Red crotched then threw herself up, flying up and above the purple cloud. It hurt as the gas stung her sensitive wings. But she was able to take off the filter and breath fresh air.
The gas attack had been unbidden, and completely unprovoked. Garrets daring plan of diplomacy had arrived, along with Juliana's disturbing letter of murderer. So Killigan had decided to call off any and all attacks against the Trogg strongholds that had begun to spring up every where. The the Gas had appeared out of no where, causing pain and death. Many had fled, even more had died. Two days later and more Gas was arriving.
Malwin had cooked up the goggles and face guard, but mistakes and surprise still happened. The army wasn't build for this kind of attrition. So Killigan had ordered the retreat and the entire army had began to march away from each Trogg stronghold, leaving many small hamlets to certain doom. Not that there was anything to protect them from the horrific gas. Still, every one in the army thought the order stank to high heaven.
Especially Killigan.
├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø he managed to say ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do i...├óÔé¼┬Ø his strength gave out. Red, the odd dragon turned human put a finger on his lips, silencing him. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm getting to you, Lieutenant ├óÔé¼┬Ø. Kelly closed his eyes feeling very tired. He was slipping. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo god damn it!├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said ├óÔé¼┼ôDont die on me├óÔé¼┬Ø. He felt something press against his lips. Then he started to come back. ├óÔé¼┼ôI had to force healing magic on you, which sucks life out of me├óÔé¼┬Ø Red whispered, her breath hot in his ear, ├óÔé¼┼ôIf i have to do that again, i will kill you├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Killigan was at the head of the column when he saw the gas canister coming in. ├óÔé¼┼ôMASKS FOR GAS!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted, pulling on the new and improved mask. Little more then an ad hock collection of straps and glass. But it worked, and saved nine out of ten. The randomness of death that could come at anytime was not new to a solider. Not being able to do anything about it was not.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe cant go on├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said as the cloud cleared. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe cant give up!├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan snapped. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need a stronghold of our own. Imagine if we bring out expertise to the Fortress. We can save ourselves and make the Fortress safer. We can wait till the trouble on Emperryon is done with├óÔé¼┬Ø Red continued doggedly, listing advantage after advantage until.
├óÔé¼┼ôLOOK OUT!├óÔé¼┬Ø someone shouted. An arrow sprouted in tightly compacted dirt that made up Terrix's land. ├óÔé¼┼ôFIRE BACK!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Killigan, pulling out his rifle form his back and aiming at the form that had fired the arrow. He fired, as did many others in the column. The Trogg fell, two bullets pricing his throat and sternum, respectively. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe was just a scout. The enemy will be able to come en mass soon enough├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said.
Killigan looked at the ground ├óÔé¼┼ôGarret once told me to never give up├óÔé¼┬Ø he said slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôBut he also told me how to tell the difference between giving up...and changing our strategy├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan's white teeth flashed on his dark face ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go to the Fortress├óÔé¼┬Ø. The word spread quickly thought the column, and the army set off, feeling a high sight better for some reason. Red knew the Trogg would probably fire a few gas canisters from there hit and run squads, but that would not happen for quite a while, if they where lucky.
Hit and run squads where made up of three Troggs, two to push the light catapult and one to carry the canisters. They where never sent out with too much food or water. They never came back to their strongholds. But in harassing the enemy and crippling moral, they had no competition.
├óÔé¼┼ôI remember when you arrived├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôbrought the canister├óÔé¼┬Ø. Red smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôyeah, we did. The damn thing didn't explode when it hit us├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood...├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly knew there was something he should say. Red opened her mouth, ready to continue the story, but Kelly suddenly realized what he should say. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, almost sitting up, but the pain forcing him down again. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop that! You need to conserve your strength├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said.
├óÔé¼┼ôWait!├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have to destroy the canister. We can't...we can't├óÔé¼┬Ø he trailed off, strength draining away. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said ├óÔé¼┼ôMalwin took care of it. The Empire will never know anymore about the Gas then they do now. I will take care of that├óÔé¼┬Ø Red grinned wolfishly ├óÔé¼┼ôand I'll be around for a long time. Long enough for the message of this war to sink into your race's thick head├óÔé¼┬Ø. Kelly lay back, closing his blurry eyes smiling weakly ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø he whispered.
They arrived at the Fortress without celebration. The city was like a gost town, empty and filled with a light mist. Red sniffed the mist and recoiled in horror. IT was the gas. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat...├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought the Trogg wouldn't...they couldn't├óÔé¼┬Ø she stopped, spotting a small dead figure in the streets, curled in a fetal position. She stood slowly, her face gray ├óÔé¼┼ôHow could they?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked the air ├óÔé¼┼ôKilligan...these where civilians!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, turning to the general. Killigan's eyes where dark ├óÔé¼┼ôIs there anyway around the city?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôNot if we want to get to the Fortress├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôI'd rather spare my troops the sight...├óÔé¼┬Ø he turned to the army column ├óÔé¼┼ôMarch forward men...into Stelvi├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted. The army began to march forward, there feet mashing into the mud and grime of the city streets.
None of the soldiers ever forgot what they saw. They saw men and women who had run into burning houses to escape to Gas. They saw children's heads stoved in by their parents, who no doubt had wanted to save them from the horrible pain of the Gas. They saw carriages that had driven into restaurants, spilling the well made china over the floors, leaving the finery shattered.
But they arrived to the Fortress, after a while. The place loomed up and out of the mist, and lifted the moral of the troops immensely. For one thing men patrolled the top, looking like stick figures from the ground. But also there was the sound of laughter, chatter and children's play from inside. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're here├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan said softly, looking up at the welcoming sight.
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Archangel of Death
- Posts: 854
- Joined: 28 Jan 2005, 18:15
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Tim Blokdijk
- Posts: 1242
- Joined: 29 May 2005, 11:18
Reading your story's is still on my to-do list. 
I like to really take the time to read it, not just skim over it.
But don't stop! It's just me, I have to much to do.
I will get to it! I promise!
You have the skill to make a far better background story then TA had and probably a better story then SupCom.
Would love to see Spring having higher level background story then SupCom.
If you would write a background story for Xect and Mynn!
First GPL mod with a kickass background story...
I like to really take the time to read it, not just skim over it.
But don't stop! It's just me, I have to much to do.
I will get to it! I promise!
You have the skill to make a far better background story then TA had and probably a better story then SupCom.
Would love to see Spring having higher level background story then SupCom.
If you would write a background story for Xect and Mynn!
First GPL mod with a kickass background story...
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Tim Blokdijk
- Posts: 1242
- Joined: 29 May 2005, 11:18
I'm not aware of any story.
http://www.xenoclone.com is the original creator of the Xect & Mynn.
He might have some story?
If you like I can ask him about it?
He released his work under the GNU GPL.
And now we are porting it to Spring.
He still maintains the original TA version afaik but he is not involved with the Spring porting at this moment.
Best way to understand the Xect and Mynn is to play it I think.
Would recommend to play both the original TA version and the Spring beta.
If you decide to write a story then I won't mind if you would change things.
As far as it's up to me you can even change the races names.
http://www.xenoclone.com is the original creator of the Xect & Mynn.
He might have some story?
If you like I can ask him about it?
He released his work under the GNU GPL.
And now we are porting it to Spring.
He still maintains the original TA version afaik but he is not involved with the Spring porting at this moment.
Best way to understand the Xect and Mynn is to play it I think.
Would recommend to play both the original TA version and the Spring beta.
If you decide to write a story then I won't mind if you would change things.
As far as it's up to me you can even change the races names.
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Tim Blokdijk
- Posts: 1242
- Joined: 29 May 2005, 11:18
Alright, I will just leave it up to you. 
If you decide to write a background story, please post it in this thread so all people involved know about it.
And please also state that you release your work under the GNU GPL.
That way it can be included with the Spring engine and Xect and Mynn itself.
So far for the public service announcement.
If you decide to write a background story, please post it in this thread so all people involved know about it.
And please also state that you release your work under the GNU GPL.
That way it can be included with the Spring engine and Xect and Mynn itself.
So far for the public service announcement.
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Sean Mirrsen
- Posts: 578
- Joined: 19 Aug 2004, 17:38
Wow... I've seen many threads that are hard to read because of the amount of posts, but this... just WOW...
I'll have to copy all of this into a single file if I want to read it though... Which makes me wonder, is there a possibility that the story could be distributed by a single file at some point? What I read (2 pages only, I wanted to post something before I get old
) was really good, it's just the separated form in which it comes in that makes it difficult to read.
And if you're looking for a story, The Legacy's EDF seems pretty well developed, even though it's never been completed as a mod. Just as my Drones, too. There's a pretty big story going on there, but I am a rather lousy writer so I can't describe it in any form but mere stating of facts.
I'll have to copy all of this into a single file if I want to read it though... Which makes me wonder, is there a possibility that the story could be distributed by a single file at some point? What I read (2 pages only, I wanted to post something before I get old
) was really good, it's just the separated form in which it comes in that makes it difficult to read.And if you're looking for a story, The Legacy's EDF seems pretty well developed, even though it's never been completed as a mod. Just as my Drones, too. There's a pretty big story going on there, but I am a rather lousy writer so I can't describe it in any form but mere stating of facts.
[quote=Sean Mirrsen]Wow... I've seen many threads that are hard to read because of the amount of posts, but this... just WOW... [/quote]
Thats one of the most gratifying comments i have ever heard.
And now for the next episode!!!
Teresa whimpered, feeling the blindfold ripped none to gently from her face. She immediately wished that it had stayed on. The face of her captor leered at her, lit from above by a harsh electrical light, was positively nightmarish. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell girly, you just stay down here for a while├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said, moving away ├óÔé¼┼ôbut don't worry. Brutus here will keep you company├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jerry moved towards the door, patting a massive lump of a man on the shoulder.
The Lump moved, shifting out of shadow and into the light of the lamp. Teresa barley didn't scream, but it was close. The man's face was horribly malformed, his left jaw barely there at all, and his right not ever showing. The effect was that his entire lower jaw was simply a flap of skin that stretched diagonally across his mouth. ├óÔé¼┼ôH-Hello├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa whimpered. The Lump turned away and walked out.
├óÔé¼┼ôI need to talk to someone, anyone!├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret shouted, holding onto the door grate with both his hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut the hell up!├óÔé¼┬Ø The guard shouted back. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo!├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, letting go of the door ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not guilty! They cant lock me up forever!├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered. He was horse from arguing and shouting to the guard, who was as open and understanding as a brick wall.
He sat down in a chair and ran over everything he knew. This is not a coincidence he thought for not the first time Its too well thought out, too well written. Garret's eyes widened as something occurred to him.
├óÔé¼┼ôYes, nine years ago├óÔé¼┬ªwhen my father owned the company├óÔé¼┬Ø Lord Balter said.
Company Garret thought. He had gotten that gun from Lord Balter, senior's corpse. Garret fought to remember the name of the company that had made it. It was...It was.... Napalm inc. Garret found that being a magi meant you had to have a eidetic memory, or you'd quickly blow yourself apart by casting the wrong thing at the wrong time in the wrong place.
He'd seen that on guns everywhere. On the pistols, rifles and repeater crossbows that he had handled for ten years when he was with the Guild. He herd of new frighting guns, ones that could fire hundreds of bullets in minuets. Garret had a sinking suspicion that those were made by Napalm.
├óÔé¼┼ôGuard!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted, getting to his feet ├óÔé¼┼ôWho made your revolver?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The guards whistling (a endless annoying sound) suddenly stopped. ├óÔé¼┼ôNapalm Inc, it says on the side├óÔé¼┬Ø the bemused reply was. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd let me guess├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said slowly, turning away from the grate and leaning against the door ├óÔé¼┼ôNapalm inc supplies the entire watch...and the army. And the civilians, and the criminals and the Guild├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret slowly trailed off.
├óÔé¼┼ôI've been set up├óÔé¼┬Ø he said slowly. He had told Balter he had come to end the war. End the war. But then Balter could of stopped his plan then, by simply cutting off support. So why...why did he support Garret enough to get him into the council. Garret suddenly realized the answer.
He thought i was going to raise a larger army. He thought i was going to quadruple his profits....then he found that my plan was one of peace Garret clutched his hair, but suddenly stood straight up, shocked. ├óÔé¼┼ôJuliana!├óÔé¼┬Ø he whispered. ├óÔé¼┼ôEh?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked the Guard. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said quickly. Balter's got her and Teresa he thought.
Juliana was frantic. Teresa was missing. Balter was missing. She had searched the house thoroughly...except for the stair well that was locked and bolted. She was about to get out of the house and find Balter herself when he walked into the house. ├óÔé¼┼ôYOU!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted. Balter dropped the hat he was about to hang up on the peg next to the door and started to back up ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is Teresa!├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana demanded.
Balter feigned surprise. If Garrets wife found out anything she could tell the Council, and she was not strong enough to resist a Truth sayer. Then he would be sunk. Juliana was demanding answers about her brats disappearance. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen, i didn't know that Teresa was even missing├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter lied.
Juliana, still fuming, ├óÔé¼┼ôWell we are going to look...for...├óÔé¼┬Ø she trailed off. Jerry had just walked into the house ├óÔé¼┼ôEvening├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Juliana wasn't going to be fazed by a scary looking man. She was fazed by the two men with snub nosed rifles that advanced behind him.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhatcha reading?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teresa. Brutus was reading his favored, and only book. He looked at her and shook his head. He then continued to read. Teresa shifted, and thought of the ropes. She thought of the ropes burning. But...then her powers where stifled and the ropes vanished from her mind. She suddenly realized that something outside her mind was doing this.
She looked around and saw something sitting over the door. Well more like embedded in the rock over the door. She tried to smash it with her mind. Didn't work. She tired smashing everything AROUND the rune. Didn't work. Teresa thought. Then she thought of Dad.
Garret sat up in his cell. Someone had sent him a magical message with so much power behind it he felt like someone had smashed a pickax into his skull. He felt a trickle of liquid running out of his ear. He dabbed at the blood and checked on who had sent the message. It was a simple snapshot of Teresa tied up, a large man reading a book and the both of them sitting in a cell all to similar to Garrets . Garret felt his blood run cold.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho the hell are they?├óÔé¼┬Ø whispered Srg Musheen, couching behind the parapets. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think...├óÔé¼┬Ø Lit. Kelly said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think they are the Third Army├óÔé¼┬Ø. Musheen snorted ├óÔé¼┼ôThird army? Their just a rumor├óÔé¼┬Ø. Kelly shot him a look ├óÔé¼┼ôEnough Trogg have been found dead to lend credence to the rumors├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell, whoever they are, we'd better be ready├óÔé¼┬Ø Musheen said.
Kelly looked over the edge of the wall and tried to do a quick count of heads. He came to the conclusion there had to be at least... two hundred, mabey more mabey less. ├óÔé¼┼ôHail!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted at the top of his lungs. The leader of the column looked up and shouted back. It was faint, but Kelly heard the ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to talk├óÔé¼┬Ø. Kelly looked at Musheen ├óÔé¼┼ôThere human. Thats enough for me├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
When the Third Army was billeted in the many empty chambers, Killigan met with Kelly. They both decided to meet in the center of the Fortress, where the civilians couldn't hear them. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan said ├óÔé¼┼ôI take it you moved the civys into this place so the Trogg couldn't get them├óÔé¼┬Ø. He sat at the other end of a rather small table. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan i talk to your commander, Lieutenant├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôYour looking at him├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said simply ├óÔé¼┼ôThe general's died, the Commanders died...everyone has died├óÔé¼┬Ø. A pained look flashed across his face ├óÔé¼┼ôIts that damned gas├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked straight at Killigan. His eyes where slightly misted over. ├óÔé¼┼ôAlmost blinded me, but one of our Magi's managed to give me my sight back├óÔé¼┬Ø. Killigan leaned back in his chair ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry. We have been having a rough time of it as well├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell...├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan said ├óÔé¼┼ôI should tell you the response why i, and our army is here├óÔé¼┬Ø. Kelly nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI was wondering about that├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan began ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have had the crap beaten out of us. First the damn gas came out, and we have been attacked left and right. We lost one hundred and two men, and then some due to desertion. So we decided to join up with you. We could easily defend the Fortress until our Commander gets out here├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd what will your commander do?├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe only thing we can do. End the damn war├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan responded. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah...how?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Kelly. Killigan explained it. Kelly broke into a grin ├óÔé¼┼ôCome with me├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Killigan got up as Kelly showed him out the door. The climbed a flight of stairs, dodging around a gaggle of children playing tag. Then they got to the roof and Kelly swept his hand over the valley leading to the Pass of Stelvi.
Killigan gasped. The entire place was filled with corpses. All Trogg. They had been gutted, eviscerated and slaughtered by the array of machine guns that had been placed over the Fortress. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats why they wont stop killing. Thats why they wont stop attacking├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said, his voice bitter. ├óÔé¼┼ôI...├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan trailed off. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe know what the gas is made of├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan said.
Kelly started ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø he practically shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe damn orb lands in our column without a sound and doesn't break. It was a dud├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôSee the Trogg use glass orbs in catapults, filled with the stuff. There hard to spot an-├óÔé¼┬Ø he was cut off by a woman shouting ├óÔé¼┼ôLOOK OUT!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Killigan looked over ├óÔé¼┼ôRed?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Kelly, knowing you should always duck when some one shouts Look out, shoved the other man to the ground. A shadow passed over them. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell?├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly asked, looking up. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh god!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôShe jumped over the edge├óÔé¼┬Ø. Killigan pulled out a ridiculous mask ├óÔé¼┼ôGet below, gas attack!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted, his voice muffled.
Kelly began to run away from Killigan, but. A shape shot up from the side of the Fortress. It was red, and huge. Kelly stopped and stared. The woman how had thrown herself over the edge. She had wings! ├óÔé¼┼ôGood god├óÔé¼┬Ø he whispered. The woman shot up and up to... a almost invisible orb of purple. Killigan came to his side ├óÔé¼┼ôI hate it when she dose that├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
Red streaked straight to the orb, drawing her sword. She flew over it and struck. The sword smashed the damn thing, sending glass flying to the ground. A sudden cloud of Gas enveloped her, stinging her wings. She suddenly was falling. Falling.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to help her!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Kelly, running to the very edge of the wall. A form streaked out of the expanding cloud of gas. Fortunately the cloud was harmlessly far away from the walls. The form was heading towards a small shack filled with...gunpowder. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh shit!├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly swore and began to run. Killigan followed, pulling his mask off with a quick jerk.
The falling woman streaked towards the shack, doubtless hacking up a lung and half from Gas poisoning. Kelly saw her snap her wings open, slowing her down dramatically. But she still smashed into the shack, breaking through the thatch roof with ease. Kelly ran as fast as he could bursting into the room.
The woman lay, her wings in bloody tatters, spread over the sacks of gunpowder like a queen on a bed of pillows. She jerked off that strange mask that Killigan had and leaned her head back. Kelly's breath caught in his throat. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's beautiful├óÔé¼┬Ø he whispered to himself. ├óÔé¼┼ôHelp├óÔé¼┬Ø she said weakly. Kelly ran in to oblige.
Thats one of the most gratifying comments i have ever heard.
And now for the next episode!!!
Teresa whimpered, feeling the blindfold ripped none to gently from her face. She immediately wished that it had stayed on. The face of her captor leered at her, lit from above by a harsh electrical light, was positively nightmarish. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell girly, you just stay down here for a while├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerry said, moving away ├óÔé¼┼ôbut don't worry. Brutus here will keep you company├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jerry moved towards the door, patting a massive lump of a man on the shoulder.
The Lump moved, shifting out of shadow and into the light of the lamp. Teresa barley didn't scream, but it was close. The man's face was horribly malformed, his left jaw barely there at all, and his right not ever showing. The effect was that his entire lower jaw was simply a flap of skin that stretched diagonally across his mouth. ├óÔé¼┼ôH-Hello├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa whimpered. The Lump turned away and walked out.
├óÔé¼┼ôI need to talk to someone, anyone!├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret shouted, holding onto the door grate with both his hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut the hell up!├óÔé¼┬Ø The guard shouted back. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo!├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, letting go of the door ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not guilty! They cant lock me up forever!├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered. He was horse from arguing and shouting to the guard, who was as open and understanding as a brick wall.
He sat down in a chair and ran over everything he knew. This is not a coincidence he thought for not the first time Its too well thought out, too well written. Garret's eyes widened as something occurred to him.
├óÔé¼┼ôYes, nine years ago├óÔé¼┬ªwhen my father owned the company├óÔé¼┬Ø Lord Balter said.
Company Garret thought. He had gotten that gun from Lord Balter, senior's corpse. Garret fought to remember the name of the company that had made it. It was...It was.... Napalm inc. Garret found that being a magi meant you had to have a eidetic memory, or you'd quickly blow yourself apart by casting the wrong thing at the wrong time in the wrong place.
He'd seen that on guns everywhere. On the pistols, rifles and repeater crossbows that he had handled for ten years when he was with the Guild. He herd of new frighting guns, ones that could fire hundreds of bullets in minuets. Garret had a sinking suspicion that those were made by Napalm.
├óÔé¼┼ôGuard!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted, getting to his feet ├óÔé¼┼ôWho made your revolver?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The guards whistling (a endless annoying sound) suddenly stopped. ├óÔé¼┼ôNapalm Inc, it says on the side├óÔé¼┬Ø the bemused reply was. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd let me guess├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said slowly, turning away from the grate and leaning against the door ├óÔé¼┼ôNapalm inc supplies the entire watch...and the army. And the civilians, and the criminals and the Guild├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret slowly trailed off.
├óÔé¼┼ôI've been set up├óÔé¼┬Ø he said slowly. He had told Balter he had come to end the war. End the war. But then Balter could of stopped his plan then, by simply cutting off support. So why...why did he support Garret enough to get him into the council. Garret suddenly realized the answer.
He thought i was going to raise a larger army. He thought i was going to quadruple his profits....then he found that my plan was one of peace Garret clutched his hair, but suddenly stood straight up, shocked. ├óÔé¼┼ôJuliana!├óÔé¼┬Ø he whispered. ├óÔé¼┼ôEh?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked the Guard. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said quickly. Balter's got her and Teresa he thought.
Juliana was frantic. Teresa was missing. Balter was missing. She had searched the house thoroughly...except for the stair well that was locked and bolted. She was about to get out of the house and find Balter herself when he walked into the house. ├óÔé¼┼ôYOU!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted. Balter dropped the hat he was about to hang up on the peg next to the door and started to back up ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is Teresa!├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana demanded.
Balter feigned surprise. If Garrets wife found out anything she could tell the Council, and she was not strong enough to resist a Truth sayer. Then he would be sunk. Juliana was demanding answers about her brats disappearance. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen, i didn't know that Teresa was even missing├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter lied.
Juliana, still fuming, ├óÔé¼┼ôWell we are going to look...for...├óÔé¼┬Ø she trailed off. Jerry had just walked into the house ├óÔé¼┼ôEvening├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Juliana wasn't going to be fazed by a scary looking man. She was fazed by the two men with snub nosed rifles that advanced behind him.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhatcha reading?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Teresa. Brutus was reading his favored, and only book. He looked at her and shook his head. He then continued to read. Teresa shifted, and thought of the ropes. She thought of the ropes burning. But...then her powers where stifled and the ropes vanished from her mind. She suddenly realized that something outside her mind was doing this.
She looked around and saw something sitting over the door. Well more like embedded in the rock over the door. She tried to smash it with her mind. Didn't work. She tired smashing everything AROUND the rune. Didn't work. Teresa thought. Then she thought of Dad.
Garret sat up in his cell. Someone had sent him a magical message with so much power behind it he felt like someone had smashed a pickax into his skull. He felt a trickle of liquid running out of his ear. He dabbed at the blood and checked on who had sent the message. It was a simple snapshot of Teresa tied up, a large man reading a book and the both of them sitting in a cell all to similar to Garrets . Garret felt his blood run cold.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho the hell are they?├óÔé¼┬Ø whispered Srg Musheen, couching behind the parapets. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think...├óÔé¼┬Ø Lit. Kelly said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think they are the Third Army├óÔé¼┬Ø. Musheen snorted ├óÔé¼┼ôThird army? Their just a rumor├óÔé¼┬Ø. Kelly shot him a look ├óÔé¼┼ôEnough Trogg have been found dead to lend credence to the rumors├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell, whoever they are, we'd better be ready├óÔé¼┬Ø Musheen said.
Kelly looked over the edge of the wall and tried to do a quick count of heads. He came to the conclusion there had to be at least... two hundred, mabey more mabey less. ├óÔé¼┼ôHail!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted at the top of his lungs. The leader of the column looked up and shouted back. It was faint, but Kelly heard the ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to talk├óÔé¼┬Ø. Kelly looked at Musheen ├óÔé¼┼ôThere human. Thats enough for me├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
When the Third Army was billeted in the many empty chambers, Killigan met with Kelly. They both decided to meet in the center of the Fortress, where the civilians couldn't hear them. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan said ├óÔé¼┼ôI take it you moved the civys into this place so the Trogg couldn't get them├óÔé¼┬Ø. He sat at the other end of a rather small table. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan i talk to your commander, Lieutenant├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôYour looking at him├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said simply ├óÔé¼┼ôThe general's died, the Commanders died...everyone has died├óÔé¼┬Ø. A pained look flashed across his face ├óÔé¼┼ôIts that damned gas├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked straight at Killigan. His eyes where slightly misted over. ├óÔé¼┼ôAlmost blinded me, but one of our Magi's managed to give me my sight back├óÔé¼┬Ø. Killigan leaned back in his chair ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry. We have been having a rough time of it as well├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell...├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan said ├óÔé¼┼ôI should tell you the response why i, and our army is here├óÔé¼┬Ø. Kelly nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI was wondering about that├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan began ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have had the crap beaten out of us. First the damn gas came out, and we have been attacked left and right. We lost one hundred and two men, and then some due to desertion. So we decided to join up with you. We could easily defend the Fortress until our Commander gets out here├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd what will your commander do?├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe only thing we can do. End the damn war├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan responded. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah...how?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked Kelly. Killigan explained it. Kelly broke into a grin ├óÔé¼┼ôCome with me├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Killigan got up as Kelly showed him out the door. The climbed a flight of stairs, dodging around a gaggle of children playing tag. Then they got to the roof and Kelly swept his hand over the valley leading to the Pass of Stelvi.
Killigan gasped. The entire place was filled with corpses. All Trogg. They had been gutted, eviscerated and slaughtered by the array of machine guns that had been placed over the Fortress. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats why they wont stop killing. Thats why they wont stop attacking├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said, his voice bitter. ├óÔé¼┼ôI...├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan trailed off. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe know what the gas is made of├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan said.
Kelly started ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø he practically shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe damn orb lands in our column without a sound and doesn't break. It was a dud├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôSee the Trogg use glass orbs in catapults, filled with the stuff. There hard to spot an-├óÔé¼┬Ø he was cut off by a woman shouting ├óÔé¼┼ôLOOK OUT!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Killigan looked over ├óÔé¼┼ôRed?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Kelly, knowing you should always duck when some one shouts Look out, shoved the other man to the ground. A shadow passed over them. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell?├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly asked, looking up. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh god!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôShe jumped over the edge├óÔé¼┬Ø. Killigan pulled out a ridiculous mask ├óÔé¼┼ôGet below, gas attack!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted, his voice muffled.
Kelly began to run away from Killigan, but. A shape shot up from the side of the Fortress. It was red, and huge. Kelly stopped and stared. The woman how had thrown herself over the edge. She had wings! ├óÔé¼┼ôGood god├óÔé¼┬Ø he whispered. The woman shot up and up to... a almost invisible orb of purple. Killigan came to his side ├óÔé¼┼ôI hate it when she dose that├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
Red streaked straight to the orb, drawing her sword. She flew over it and struck. The sword smashed the damn thing, sending glass flying to the ground. A sudden cloud of Gas enveloped her, stinging her wings. She suddenly was falling. Falling.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to help her!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Kelly, running to the very edge of the wall. A form streaked out of the expanding cloud of gas. Fortunately the cloud was harmlessly far away from the walls. The form was heading towards a small shack filled with...gunpowder. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh shit!├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly swore and began to run. Killigan followed, pulling his mask off with a quick jerk.
The falling woman streaked towards the shack, doubtless hacking up a lung and half from Gas poisoning. Kelly saw her snap her wings open, slowing her down dramatically. But she still smashed into the shack, breaking through the thatch roof with ease. Kelly ran as fast as he could bursting into the room.
The woman lay, her wings in bloody tatters, spread over the sacks of gunpowder like a queen on a bed of pillows. She jerked off that strange mask that Killigan had and leaned her head back. Kelly's breath caught in his throat. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's beautiful├óÔé¼┬Ø he whispered to himself. ├óÔé¼┼ôHelp├óÔé¼┬Ø she said weakly. Kelly ran in to oblige.
2020 views! Kudos to every one!
├óÔé¼┼ôGet Kristin!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Red as Killigan and Kelly gingerly carried her out of the tent. Her shredded wings trailed on the ground, leaving a thin sheen of red on the stones. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's dead├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said ├óÔé¼┼ôArrow in the sternum, right through her heart├óÔé¼┬Ø. Red swore loudly, her teeth grinding together. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø she forced through her clenched teeth ├óÔé¼┼ôGet Judith├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôShe's dead too├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said ├óÔé¼┼ôGas attack├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn it!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôGet me any one who can patch up wings!├óÔé¼┬Ø. They reached the door to the Fortress popper ├óÔé¼┼ôOur only magi is one of the Fire branch. He's been drained by holding off a Trogg assault. Wont be back in the field for another week├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Red was about to swear again, loudly when the ratatat of machine guns started up. ├óÔé¼┼ôUh oh├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said, looking up. The machine guns stopped and a cheer went up from some solders in the battlements. Killigan moved Red into a more upright position so she could slide through door without banging her wings. ├óÔé¼┼ôShould you check on your soldiers?├óÔé¼┬Ø He asked. Kelly hesitated then started helping Red ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry, cheers mean victory├óÔé¼┬Ø
They got Red into the infirmary, which had been changed into a part living quarters. Civilians, mainly children where playing and running to and fro. But they all watched Red as she was laid out on a bed, her lacerated wings gently put onto two adjoining beds. The civilians gathered around as Kelly and Killigan looked at the injury.
Her wings where not ripped off, but rather lacerated up and down, long jagged gashes. ├óÔé¼┼ôI've seen dragons like this├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said, a little woozy from the blood loss ├óÔé¼┼ôThey never fly again, with out healers├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou'll be fine├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said, leaning over her. Killigan put a hand on his shoulder and tuned the Lieutenant towards him. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen├óÔé¼┬Ø he said somewhat forcefully ├óÔé¼┼ôYou need to check on your men. She'll be fine├óÔé¼┬Ø. Kelly nodded, somewhat distractedly.
Turned out the machine gun fire was caused by two rowdy solders firing at a passing bird. The cheers was from when they managed to hit the thing, sending it plummeting into the destroyed city. Kelly ordered the two privates to scrub the toilets for a month, for wasteful use of ammunition and firing weapons without orders or perceived threat.
Red was sound asleep when Kelly returned, her wings taped together, and bandaged as well as could be done. A crowd of interested children where staring at her, some of the older one's making the lewd comments standard for boy's their age. ├óÔé¼┼ôBreak it up, break it up├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôLet her rest├óÔé¼┬Ø. The crowd slowly dispersed, but Kelly had to wait a few minutes for the last gawker to leave.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said, looking at the woman laying in bed ├óÔé¼┼ôso, do you dive into wood shacks as a pastime, or is this a one time thing├óÔé¼┬Ø. Red opened one of her red eye's, and looked at him ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, i make a regular habit of hitting something softer when i crash├óÔé¼┬Ø she replied. Kelly grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôSo, can i get anything?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Red opened her other eye and looked at him ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't you have something more important to do?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked, her voice making it obvious she wanted him to go away.
Kelly nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose i should check the battlements├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, leaving slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey sir?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked a one of the older boys, a young man of at lest seventeen years of age. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly turned, cocking an eyebrow at the man. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs she a Trogg, or sommi't├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, glancing at Red. Kelly shook his head ├óÔé¼┼ôNo...whatever gave you that idea?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's well...unnatural, you know├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Kelly looked at the young man ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's not natural, but she's out ally and you wont be bothering her├óÔé¼┬Ø. The teen nodded, and began to walk away. Kelly shook his head and walked away. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø a voice intruded onto Red as she tried to sleep. Red opened her left eye and looked for whoever was bothering her. She looked down and saw a girl of no less then six years.
├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø the girl said again, waving shyly. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø Red responded. The little girl leaned towards the woman ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you a dargon?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said. The girl looked around ├óÔé¼┼ôNo your not├óÔé¼┬Ø she said and walked away. Red sang one of the dragon mating songs, a long and beautiful undulation. It was a little hard with a human throat, but she managed it.
The little girl rand back over to Reds bed, grinning from ear to ear. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was great!├óÔé¼┬Ø she cried. ├óÔé¼┼ôTold you├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said, grinning. The little girl was soon joined by several others who heard the song surrounded Reds bed, clamoring for more songs. Red sighed and began one of the longer dragon songs, the air plays that the dragons sang as they flew about the volcanic mountain range of Dragon loft.
Killigan met with Kelly after Kelly had made a few rounds of the Fortress. ├óÔé¼┼ôKelly├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, his expression dour. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour attracted to Red, aren't you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Kelly thought about denying it but then he nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut i need to tell you a story, before you try anything├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRed was married├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan started. Kelly frowned. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe was a human, named Jonathan Book├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan continued ├óÔé¼┼ôBut, he was roughly fifty years old when she met him, and in a mere six years he died of old age. Red's...husband was friends with a rather powerful magi, and she never fully forgave him├óÔé¼┬Ø. Kelly cocked his head ├óÔé¼┼ôFor what?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôFor not saving him├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan said.
├óÔé¼┼ôSee, this magi had found a way to extend a man's life for a interminable amount of time. But...well├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan looked uncomfortable ├óÔé¼┼ôhe...never gave it to Book├óÔé¼┬Ø. Kelly sudden realized that he might have to be really careful. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know how your army deals with inter-military relations, but we're pretty loose. As long as it doesn't detract from your duity├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôIf anything, i wish you luck├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Red was surrounded by the crowd, and even her complaints of throat being very soar from singing songs she hadn't even thought about for a few decades. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait, wait├óÔé¼┬Ø She said, sitting up and feeling a touch better. ├óÔé¼┼ôMore more!├óÔé¼┬Ø was the general cry. ├óÔé¼┼ôAll right, but no more singing├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said ├óÔé¼┼ôWater please├óÔé¼┬Ø. A flask was handed to her from one of her admirers.
├óÔé¼┼ôI will tell you a story, as old as the volcano's of Dragon loft├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said after swigging some water and laying back. Her wings felt a little odd, but not hurting at least. She began to tell the tail of the first Dragons, there meeting and falling out. Then the bloody war that waged in the skies, which culminated in the creation of the Kia and the lesser man. Her listeners where avid and quiet.
Once the story was finished, Red shooed the disappointed children away. Surprisingly, after exerting herself for at lest half an hour, she felt more invigorated then when she had laid down. So she lay back, looked at the celling and before she knew it was smiling.
Juliana knew Balter was up to something. He had been evasive, saying something vague about seeing the guards. Then he had vanished. Juliana walked to the door that had been locked. She looked around. No servants, no Balter. She placed her hand on the lock and exerted herself. The door clicked open. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets get to the bottom of this├óÔé¼┬Ø she whispered, opening the door slowly.
The stair well was dark, dank and completely different form the rest of the mansion. She decided, on an vague instinct that down was more likely then up. She walked down the stairs, beginning to wish she had dressed in something other then a dress. But no matter.
After a few moments though, she was really regretting it. The stair way ended with an entrance to a sewer pipe. The water was dank, murky and vaguely greenish. A rat scampered across a far pipe, screeching as it ran. Juliana pursed her lips and raised her left hand. Garret had taught her a simple, easy and non draining light spell. So she snapped her fingers and the entire walk way was filled with light that spilled from her left hand. Then she started off, wrinkling her nose at the awful smell.
After ten long minutes she rounded a bend, as the corridor was straight, she found the exit. It was just like the entrance. Round and made of stone. Juliana snapped her fingers and readied her mind for anything unexpected. Garret might be able to call up spell without rune stones as easily as without, but she had always had some trouble. Then she stepped through the door.
Teresa held up the card. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is a Joker├óÔé¼┬Ø she said simply. Brutus nodded. Teresa grinned and continued to tell him about Poker. She had learned it, to the dismay of her mother, from Red when she visited. The redheaded dragon was funny, and she was good at poker. When asked about how she was she simply said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts your poker face├óÔé¼┬Ø and left to talk to her dad. But she was pretty sure she remembered the rules.
Brutus didn't talk at all, but Teresa had managed to get him to untie her so she could show him the game. She was about to win when her mother of all people walked into the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôMOM!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted, relived to see her after all this time. She ran across the room and latched onto her mothers legs. ├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa!├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana cried, hooking her hands under her daughters arms and lifting her up.
Brutus was told to not allow any visitors, so he stood to show Juliana out. Juliana gasped when the light showed his face. She readied a spell that would blind him long enough for Teresa and her to escape. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo wait!├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, squirming out of her mothers arms ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's friendly!├óÔé¼┬Ø. She stood in between the two grown ups and looked at her mother. Then she looked at Brutus ├óÔé¼┼ôSay hello├óÔé¼┬Ø she commanded. Brutus shrugged and waved.
├óÔé¼┼ôGet Kristin!├óÔé¼┬Ø shouted Red as Killigan and Kelly gingerly carried her out of the tent. Her shredded wings trailed on the ground, leaving a thin sheen of red on the stones. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's dead├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said ├óÔé¼┼ôArrow in the sternum, right through her heart├óÔé¼┬Ø. Red swore loudly, her teeth grinding together. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø she forced through her clenched teeth ├óÔé¼┼ôGet Judith├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôShe's dead too├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said ├óÔé¼┼ôGas attack├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn it!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôGet me any one who can patch up wings!├óÔé¼┬Ø. They reached the door to the Fortress popper ├óÔé¼┼ôOur only magi is one of the Fire branch. He's been drained by holding off a Trogg assault. Wont be back in the field for another week├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Red was about to swear again, loudly when the ratatat of machine guns started up. ├óÔé¼┼ôUh oh├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said, looking up. The machine guns stopped and a cheer went up from some solders in the battlements. Killigan moved Red into a more upright position so she could slide through door without banging her wings. ├óÔé¼┼ôShould you check on your soldiers?├óÔé¼┬Ø He asked. Kelly hesitated then started helping Red ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry, cheers mean victory├óÔé¼┬Ø
They got Red into the infirmary, which had been changed into a part living quarters. Civilians, mainly children where playing and running to and fro. But they all watched Red as she was laid out on a bed, her lacerated wings gently put onto two adjoining beds. The civilians gathered around as Kelly and Killigan looked at the injury.
Her wings where not ripped off, but rather lacerated up and down, long jagged gashes. ├óÔé¼┼ôI've seen dragons like this├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said, a little woozy from the blood loss ├óÔé¼┼ôThey never fly again, with out healers├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou'll be fine├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said, leaning over her. Killigan put a hand on his shoulder and tuned the Lieutenant towards him. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen├óÔé¼┬Ø he said somewhat forcefully ├óÔé¼┼ôYou need to check on your men. She'll be fine├óÔé¼┬Ø. Kelly nodded, somewhat distractedly.
Turned out the machine gun fire was caused by two rowdy solders firing at a passing bird. The cheers was from when they managed to hit the thing, sending it plummeting into the destroyed city. Kelly ordered the two privates to scrub the toilets for a month, for wasteful use of ammunition and firing weapons without orders or perceived threat.
Red was sound asleep when Kelly returned, her wings taped together, and bandaged as well as could be done. A crowd of interested children where staring at her, some of the older one's making the lewd comments standard for boy's their age. ├óÔé¼┼ôBreak it up, break it up├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôLet her rest├óÔé¼┬Ø. The crowd slowly dispersed, but Kelly had to wait a few minutes for the last gawker to leave.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said, looking at the woman laying in bed ├óÔé¼┼ôso, do you dive into wood shacks as a pastime, or is this a one time thing├óÔé¼┬Ø. Red opened one of her red eye's, and looked at him ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, i make a regular habit of hitting something softer when i crash├óÔé¼┬Ø she replied. Kelly grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôSo, can i get anything?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Red opened her other eye and looked at him ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't you have something more important to do?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked, her voice making it obvious she wanted him to go away.
Kelly nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose i should check the battlements├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, leaving slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey sir?├óÔé¼┬Ø asked a one of the older boys, a young man of at lest seventeen years of age. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly turned, cocking an eyebrow at the man. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs she a Trogg, or sommi't├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, glancing at Red. Kelly shook his head ├óÔé¼┼ôNo...whatever gave you that idea?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's well...unnatural, you know├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Kelly looked at the young man ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's not natural, but she's out ally and you wont be bothering her├óÔé¼┬Ø. The teen nodded, and began to walk away. Kelly shook his head and walked away. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø a voice intruded onto Red as she tried to sleep. Red opened her left eye and looked for whoever was bothering her. She looked down and saw a girl of no less then six years.
├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø the girl said again, waving shyly. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø Red responded. The little girl leaned towards the woman ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you a dargon?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said. The girl looked around ├óÔé¼┼ôNo your not├óÔé¼┬Ø she said and walked away. Red sang one of the dragon mating songs, a long and beautiful undulation. It was a little hard with a human throat, but she managed it.
The little girl rand back over to Reds bed, grinning from ear to ear. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was great!├óÔé¼┬Ø she cried. ├óÔé¼┼ôTold you├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said, grinning. The little girl was soon joined by several others who heard the song surrounded Reds bed, clamoring for more songs. Red sighed and began one of the longer dragon songs, the air plays that the dragons sang as they flew about the volcanic mountain range of Dragon loft.
Killigan met with Kelly after Kelly had made a few rounds of the Fortress. ├óÔé¼┼ôKelly├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, his expression dour. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Kelly said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour attracted to Red, aren't you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Kelly thought about denying it but then he nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut i need to tell you a story, before you try anything├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRed was married├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan started. Kelly frowned. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe was a human, named Jonathan Book├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan continued ├óÔé¼┼ôBut, he was roughly fifty years old when she met him, and in a mere six years he died of old age. Red's...husband was friends with a rather powerful magi, and she never fully forgave him├óÔé¼┬Ø. Kelly cocked his head ├óÔé¼┼ôFor what?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôFor not saving him├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan said.
├óÔé¼┼ôSee, this magi had found a way to extend a man's life for a interminable amount of time. But...well├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan looked uncomfortable ├óÔé¼┼ôhe...never gave it to Book├óÔé¼┬Ø. Kelly sudden realized that he might have to be really careful. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know how your army deals with inter-military relations, but we're pretty loose. As long as it doesn't detract from your duity├óÔé¼┬Ø Killigan grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôIf anything, i wish you luck├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Red was surrounded by the crowd, and even her complaints of throat being very soar from singing songs she hadn't even thought about for a few decades. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait, wait├óÔé¼┬Ø She said, sitting up and feeling a touch better. ├óÔé¼┼ôMore more!├óÔé¼┬Ø was the general cry. ├óÔé¼┼ôAll right, but no more singing├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said ├óÔé¼┼ôWater please├óÔé¼┬Ø. A flask was handed to her from one of her admirers.
├óÔé¼┼ôI will tell you a story, as old as the volcano's of Dragon loft├óÔé¼┬Ø Red said after swigging some water and laying back. Her wings felt a little odd, but not hurting at least. She began to tell the tail of the first Dragons, there meeting and falling out. Then the bloody war that waged in the skies, which culminated in the creation of the Kia and the lesser man. Her listeners where avid and quiet.
Once the story was finished, Red shooed the disappointed children away. Surprisingly, after exerting herself for at lest half an hour, she felt more invigorated then when she had laid down. So she lay back, looked at the celling and before she knew it was smiling.
Juliana knew Balter was up to something. He had been evasive, saying something vague about seeing the guards. Then he had vanished. Juliana walked to the door that had been locked. She looked around. No servants, no Balter. She placed her hand on the lock and exerted herself. The door clicked open. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets get to the bottom of this├óÔé¼┬Ø she whispered, opening the door slowly.
The stair well was dark, dank and completely different form the rest of the mansion. She decided, on an vague instinct that down was more likely then up. She walked down the stairs, beginning to wish she had dressed in something other then a dress. But no matter.
After a few moments though, she was really regretting it. The stair way ended with an entrance to a sewer pipe. The water was dank, murky and vaguely greenish. A rat scampered across a far pipe, screeching as it ran. Juliana pursed her lips and raised her left hand. Garret had taught her a simple, easy and non draining light spell. So she snapped her fingers and the entire walk way was filled with light that spilled from her left hand. Then she started off, wrinkling her nose at the awful smell.
After ten long minutes she rounded a bend, as the corridor was straight, she found the exit. It was just like the entrance. Round and made of stone. Juliana snapped her fingers and readied her mind for anything unexpected. Garret might be able to call up spell without rune stones as easily as without, but she had always had some trouble. Then she stepped through the door.
Teresa held up the card. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is a Joker├óÔé¼┬Ø she said simply. Brutus nodded. Teresa grinned and continued to tell him about Poker. She had learned it, to the dismay of her mother, from Red when she visited. The redheaded dragon was funny, and she was good at poker. When asked about how she was she simply said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts your poker face├óÔé¼┬Ø and left to talk to her dad. But she was pretty sure she remembered the rules.
Brutus didn't talk at all, but Teresa had managed to get him to untie her so she could show him the game. She was about to win when her mother of all people walked into the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôMOM!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted, relived to see her after all this time. She ran across the room and latched onto her mothers legs. ├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa!├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana cried, hooking her hands under her daughters arms and lifting her up.
Brutus was told to not allow any visitors, so he stood to show Juliana out. Juliana gasped when the light showed his face. She readied a spell that would blind him long enough for Teresa and her to escape. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo wait!├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, squirming out of her mothers arms ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's friendly!├óÔé¼┬Ø. She stood in between the two grown ups and looked at her mother. Then she looked at Brutus ├óÔé¼┼ôSay hello├óÔé¼┬Ø she commanded. Brutus shrugged and waved.
The guard thought that the prisoner would never shut up. But for the last ten minuets the prisoner had been talking to the other moron who had gotten charged for murder. The guard took this opportunity to go to the bathroom, satisfied the two prisoners would keep themselves occupied without his intervention. Occupied prisoners don't make hair brained escape attempts.
He was walking back from the head when he noticed the draft. Suddenly gripped by a fear he hadn't felt for years, the guard ran back to Lord Garrets cell. Both the prisoners where gone. And a massive hole had been punched through the stone wall. The guard thought that now would be a good time to look into alternate carriers.
Garret slipped into the shadows, his body remembering ten years of skulduggery far easier then two hundred years of magic. He knew there was one person to find to learn how to get to Lord Balter. But first he needed to look up where his sword was. Garret knew that using anymore magic would probably get him nabbed by the Magi, who would be looking for him. So it was just his wits, the Tempest and whatever the Lady could tell him.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø the Lady said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou kick me out of Lord Balters house and now you expect me to help you?├óÔé¼┬Ø her eyebrow was cocked. She had abandoned her veil, and her house was surprisingly spartan. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats true├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret replied. He had found her through use of intimidation, quick talking and wit. That is he found his old boss, who in reality was only a shred higher in the command structure of the Guild, and paid him in money he found in his old house.
├óÔé¼┼ôYour even more out of your mind then last time we met├óÔé¼┬Ø the Lady said, sitting down ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't have power anymore, aside form my sword arm and the information i know├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret looked at her ├óÔé¼┼ôLord Balter and his cronies took out most of the Guilds hierarchy, and i managed to surrender before we all died├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo its not the Lady anymore... its just Natasha├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to kill Lord Balter├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, leaning back. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm in├óÔé¼┬Ø Natasha said.
Juliana turned to leave but found a man standing in the door way to her escape. He had a huge scar running down the side of his face, in a backwards imitation of her much smaller one. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou must be Garrets bitch├óÔé¼┬Ø he said softly, his words angry but his voice deadly calm ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought you might come looking for little Tessa here├óÔé¼┬Ø. Juliana slipped her hand behind her back, grabbing a rune stone she always kept on her person. Ever sense the mugging. She could take this man out without it, but why take a chance?
├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, quailing in mock fear. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, sneering. Juliana whipped her rune stone out and blasted him with a shock wave of lighting. The man flew back and smashed into the far wall. He slid to the floor, smoking. His right leg twitched convulsively. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said, looking at her daughter. Teresa demanded a piggy back ride.
Lord Balter walked into his house, fuming. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn him├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn who?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said behind him. Balter spun and opened his mouth to shout for the guards. Garrets fist smashed into his solar plexus. Lord Balter doubled over and wheezed, his air whooshing out his lungs. Garret grabbed the back of Lord Balters fine jacket, snarling with rage and threw the man forward and into the carpeted floor. ├óÔé¼┼ôWHY!├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret shouted. Balter rolled over, mussing up his carpet and knocking over one of his wine cabinets.
Garret drew the Tempest and pressed it under Balters throat. ├óÔé¼┼ôwhy├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked softly. Balter spat blood from his split lip and looked at Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôMoney├óÔé¼┬Ø he spat. Garret sagged slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôMoney?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, lowering his sword. Balter struggled to his feet, but Garret grabbed his lapels and jammed him into a wall ├óÔé¼┼ôMONEY!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôYou kidnapped my daughter, framed me for murderer and killed Lord Xue for MONEY!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôMore money then you can conceive├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said, grinning maliciously ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know how many guns i sell to the army? How man bullets? How many tons of gunpowder my factory's ship out? How many swords, daggers and crossbows i sell to the public? How much money the black market funnels my way, in arms smuggling... black R and D? I am the Lord of this War├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you are a threat├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhy did you support me in the beginning?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked, fury filling him. ├óÔé¼┼ôI didn't├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôI built you up, then took you down. Planned to set you up as a Trogg agent. Fuel the fires of the war├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter began to laugh. Garret jammed him into the wall ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Rings are going to know├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd the war is going to end├óÔé¼┬Ø. He let him drop to the ground, on all four's. Balter looked up ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are you going to convince?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are they going to believe?├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Natasha stepped out ├óÔé¼┼ôHim├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. With her was Lord Teldi. Lord Balter staggered to his feet ├óÔé¼┼ôI cant believe you left me for that blow hard├óÔé¼┬Ø he said softly. Teldi stepped forward ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you had a shred of honor i would kill you in a duel├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, his voice dripping with venom. Balter looked at him and straightened his jacket by pulling on his lapels ├óÔé¼┼ôBurn in hell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôBoth of you├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Garret put his hand on Balter shoulder and turned him around ├óÔé¼┼ôOh and Balter├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is for Teresa├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôJULIANA!├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret shouted, running through Lord Balters house. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked, walking out of a bathroom with her hair tied up in many knots. Garret ran into her and wrapped his arms around her. He broke this kiss and just grinned at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôTook your sweet time├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI had to go rescue Teresa all by my lonesome├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell i thought i might give you some time to have fun├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôMommy smells like swamp├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said from between there legs. Garret looked down ├óÔé¼┼ôCan we help Brutus?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôHe picked up on solitaire quickly and i still need to teach him poker├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret leaned over ├óÔé¼┼ôHave you been talking with Killigan too much?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôno├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, looking at her feet.
├óÔé¼┼ôGiaus Balter├óÔé¼┬Ø Merril said slowly and formally ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are hereby charged with unlawful abduction, murderer, and illegal trading of unsanctioned weapons├óÔé¼┬Ø. He looked right at the man who stood in the center of the Council Chamber, wearing a plain shirt and pants. No longer a lord, no longer prestigious. Just a man. Balter looked at each of the Lords. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you have anything to say for yourself?├óÔé¼┬Ø Asked Merril, staring the man straight in the eyes.
├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sure you all want to hate me. To revile me. You think i am a monster├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho started the war? Our ancestors? But who continued it? Who kept sending out soldiers into the line, who kept funneling out money to the army? Who gave me license to sell arms? You├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked around ├óÔé¼┼ôeach of you├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou where the ones who could of stopped the war! You didn't. You used it to stay in power. If men and women stopped looking to Terrix in fear, they would look down to you and see a group of men who deserved none of the power we gave them├óÔé¼┬Ø He looked at each of the Lords, and stopped at Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe only one of you who is not at fault...his him├óÔé¼┬Ø He said.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis man fought for peace, while you and i where content to let war slide on by├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter looked at the ground ├óÔé¼┼ôSentence me to death, if you will├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter looked up ├óÔé¼┼ôBut know, your only sealing your own death warrens. What do you think the public will do when the war ends?├óÔé¼┬Ø He left it hanging. ├óÔé¼┼ôTake him away├óÔé¼┬Ø Merril said curtly. Guards moved into the room and dragged Balter away.
├óÔé¼┼ôLord Garret├óÔé¼┬Ø Merril said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you accept our apology's?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret looked at the man ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, bowing. ├óÔé¼┼ôTake your seat as the noble line of Balter comes to an end, and the noble line of...├óÔé¼┬Ø Merril stopped ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is your last name, sir?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôGarret├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôMy first name is├óÔé¼┬Ø
He was walking back from the head when he noticed the draft. Suddenly gripped by a fear he hadn't felt for years, the guard ran back to Lord Garrets cell. Both the prisoners where gone. And a massive hole had been punched through the stone wall. The guard thought that now would be a good time to look into alternate carriers.
Garret slipped into the shadows, his body remembering ten years of skulduggery far easier then two hundred years of magic. He knew there was one person to find to learn how to get to Lord Balter. But first he needed to look up where his sword was. Garret knew that using anymore magic would probably get him nabbed by the Magi, who would be looking for him. So it was just his wits, the Tempest and whatever the Lady could tell him.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø the Lady said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou kick me out of Lord Balters house and now you expect me to help you?├óÔé¼┬Ø her eyebrow was cocked. She had abandoned her veil, and her house was surprisingly spartan. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats true├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret replied. He had found her through use of intimidation, quick talking and wit. That is he found his old boss, who in reality was only a shred higher in the command structure of the Guild, and paid him in money he found in his old house.
├óÔé¼┼ôYour even more out of your mind then last time we met├óÔé¼┬Ø the Lady said, sitting down ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't have power anymore, aside form my sword arm and the information i know├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret looked at her ├óÔé¼┼ôLord Balter and his cronies took out most of the Guilds hierarchy, and i managed to surrender before we all died├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo its not the Lady anymore... its just Natasha├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to kill Lord Balter├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said, leaning back. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm in├óÔé¼┬Ø Natasha said.
Juliana turned to leave but found a man standing in the door way to her escape. He had a huge scar running down the side of his face, in a backwards imitation of her much smaller one. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou must be Garrets bitch├óÔé¼┬Ø he said softly, his words angry but his voice deadly calm ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought you might come looking for little Tessa here├óÔé¼┬Ø. Juliana slipped her hand behind her back, grabbing a rune stone she always kept on her person. Ever sense the mugging. She could take this man out without it, but why take a chance?
├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, quailing in mock fear. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, sneering. Juliana whipped her rune stone out and blasted him with a shock wave of lighting. The man flew back and smashed into the far wall. He slid to the floor, smoking. His right leg twitched convulsively. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø Juliana said, looking at her daughter. Teresa demanded a piggy back ride.
Lord Balter walked into his house, fuming. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn him├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn who?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said behind him. Balter spun and opened his mouth to shout for the guards. Garrets fist smashed into his solar plexus. Lord Balter doubled over and wheezed, his air whooshing out his lungs. Garret grabbed the back of Lord Balters fine jacket, snarling with rage and threw the man forward and into the carpeted floor. ├óÔé¼┼ôWHY!├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret shouted. Balter rolled over, mussing up his carpet and knocking over one of his wine cabinets.
Garret drew the Tempest and pressed it under Balters throat. ├óÔé¼┼ôwhy├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked softly. Balter spat blood from his split lip and looked at Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôMoney├óÔé¼┬Ø he spat. Garret sagged slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôMoney?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, lowering his sword. Balter struggled to his feet, but Garret grabbed his lapels and jammed him into a wall ├óÔé¼┼ôMONEY!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôYou kidnapped my daughter, framed me for murderer and killed Lord Xue for MONEY!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôMore money then you can conceive├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter said, grinning maliciously ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know how many guns i sell to the army? How man bullets? How many tons of gunpowder my factory's ship out? How many swords, daggers and crossbows i sell to the public? How much money the black market funnels my way, in arms smuggling... black R and D? I am the Lord of this War├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you are a threat├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhy did you support me in the beginning?├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret asked, fury filling him. ├óÔé¼┼ôI didn't├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôI built you up, then took you down. Planned to set you up as a Trogg agent. Fuel the fires of the war├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter began to laugh. Garret jammed him into the wall ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Rings are going to know├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd the war is going to end├óÔé¼┬Ø. He let him drop to the ground, on all four's. Balter looked up ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are you going to convince?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are they going to believe?├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Natasha stepped out ├óÔé¼┼ôHim├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. With her was Lord Teldi. Lord Balter staggered to his feet ├óÔé¼┼ôI cant believe you left me for that blow hard├óÔé¼┬Ø he said softly. Teldi stepped forward ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you had a shred of honor i would kill you in a duel├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, his voice dripping with venom. Balter looked at him and straightened his jacket by pulling on his lapels ├óÔé¼┼ôBurn in hell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôBoth of you├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Garret put his hand on Balter shoulder and turned him around ├óÔé¼┼ôOh and Balter├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is for Teresa├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôJULIANA!├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret shouted, running through Lord Balters house. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked, walking out of a bathroom with her hair tied up in many knots. Garret ran into her and wrapped his arms around her. He broke this kiss and just grinned at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôTook your sweet time├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI had to go rescue Teresa all by my lonesome├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell i thought i might give you some time to have fun├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôMommy smells like swamp├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said from between there legs. Garret looked down ├óÔé¼┼ôCan we help Brutus?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôHe picked up on solitaire quickly and i still need to teach him poker├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret leaned over ├óÔé¼┼ôHave you been talking with Killigan too much?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôno├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, looking at her feet.
├óÔé¼┼ôGiaus Balter├óÔé¼┬Ø Merril said slowly and formally ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are hereby charged with unlawful abduction, murderer, and illegal trading of unsanctioned weapons├óÔé¼┬Ø. He looked right at the man who stood in the center of the Council Chamber, wearing a plain shirt and pants. No longer a lord, no longer prestigious. Just a man. Balter looked at each of the Lords. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you have anything to say for yourself?├óÔé¼┬Ø Asked Merril, staring the man straight in the eyes.
├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sure you all want to hate me. To revile me. You think i am a monster├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho started the war? Our ancestors? But who continued it? Who kept sending out soldiers into the line, who kept funneling out money to the army? Who gave me license to sell arms? You├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked around ├óÔé¼┼ôeach of you├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou where the ones who could of stopped the war! You didn't. You used it to stay in power. If men and women stopped looking to Terrix in fear, they would look down to you and see a group of men who deserved none of the power we gave them├óÔé¼┬Ø He looked at each of the Lords, and stopped at Garret. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe only one of you who is not at fault...his him├óÔé¼┬Ø He said.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis man fought for peace, while you and i where content to let war slide on by├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter looked at the ground ├óÔé¼┼ôSentence me to death, if you will├óÔé¼┬Ø Balter looked up ├óÔé¼┼ôBut know, your only sealing your own death warrens. What do you think the public will do when the war ends?├óÔé¼┬Ø He left it hanging. ├óÔé¼┼ôTake him away├óÔé¼┬Ø Merril said curtly. Guards moved into the room and dragged Balter away.
├óÔé¼┼ôLord Garret├óÔé¼┬Ø Merril said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you accept our apology's?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Garret looked at the man ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, bowing. ├óÔé¼┼ôTake your seat as the noble line of Balter comes to an end, and the noble line of...├óÔé¼┬Ø Merril stopped ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is your last name, sir?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôGarret├óÔé¼┬Ø Garret said ├óÔé¼┼ôMy first name is├óÔé¼┬Ø